cricket forces a rigorous relentless thinking of failure. in cricket failure is always opposed by glory. both are present and the net magnitude is zero. an error is always coupled with a perfect execution. the perfect execution isn’t always the result of skill being applied perfectly. an imperfect delivery can induce an error (clara tice) as much as any perfectly executed plan. so perfect execution resides in the domain of chance. a chancey conglomeration of events. when its perfect the net magnitude is zero. isn’t it always perfect? how can any delivery be anything other than perfect when viewed as the conglomerate it is – with the shot, the fielders, umpires, commentators… glory / failure error/perfect execution … never with any value. cricket levels. the individual cricketer probably doesn’t remember it like this. the pain they felt was too great for them to have been a part of nothing. the joy so immense it was surely a part of something.

but this is only personal nostalgia – based in cultures of vengeance cultures of heroism cultures of style…

the film ‘the final test’ begins with an american arriving in london keen to examine and understand all elements of english culture. the very first thing he is confronted with is newspaper headlines : england on verge of collapse ; england may collapse today… he is shocked by the countrys pessimism. quickly though he learns that the papers are referring to a test match being played against australia at kennington oval and immediately heads to the ground to watch. hutton bats superbly it rains a bit and england bat for 2 days to achieve the draw. the headlines australia produced to during and after the melbourne test would have had the american wondering why australians are such haters, so venomous and scornful. awful terrible A DISGRACE. All commentary is obviously lies but it has an impact on crickets personell. It impacts on the depth of failure they feel and on the glorious heights they attain. At a nostalgic level it plays its part in the conglomerate that produces zero. at some point nostalgia and chance become bound together. nostalgia and skill. nostalgia and error. nostalgia and reverse swing. nostalgia and the cut shot. nostalgia/chance and skill. nostalgia/chance and error. nostalgia/chance and reverse swing. nostalgia/chance and the cut shot. eventually cricket forces a relentless thinking of failure and chance.