LIGHTENING THE GLOOM..
I`ve just finished watching the end of the second day in the Test Match between India and England in Kolkata and marvelling at the heroics of England captain, Alastair Cook, scoring his 23rd Test century, thus moving ahead of such bygone greats of the game as Colin Cowdrey and Len Hutton. While here in deepest Kent, it`s bitterly cold, dank and gloomy, yesterday`s Autumn Statement was hardly a barrel of laughs and the season of alleged goodwill is fast approaching, as our first two Christmas cards arrived in this morning`s post.
So we needed something to lighten the gloom and Alastair Cook and his chums have certainly provided it. So much so that you begin to wonder what other memorable sporting moments may yet take place in the final knockings of this truly great sporting year. Back in late Spring, the Saints reclaimed their place in the Premier League - the `best league in the world (tm)` - we then had the London Olympic Games and the Paralympics - `the best Games ever`- the Ryder Cup victory in America, last weekend`s stuffing of the All Blacks and now the exploits on the England Cricket Team in the sub-continent - `the hardest place to go in international cricket.`
It`s a pity the BBC Sports Personality of the Year contenders for this year`s award were announced as early as they were, for Cook`s achievement ranks with the very best gold medallists and it was significant, I feel, that there was no place among those selected for the BBC award for anyone from the world of cricket or, perhaps less surprisingly, from football. The quicker they change Sports Personality to Greatest Achievement the better, for only then will Andy Murray stand a chance.
Now for me, cricket has always been the most beautiful game, played as it sensibly is only when the sun shines. It has a long and singular tradition and it`s one of very few team games played individually, by which I mean that you become the batsman, the bowler, the keeper, the fielder and it`s what you alone do in those individual moments that define the success or otherwise of the team.
My own cricketing years are so many years behind me now, but I still look back through wistful memories of warm summer days, convivial friendships, courtesy to opponents and, yes, the very occasional times when I was modestly pleased with my own individual contribution. So, if nothing else on this drab, cold, bleak midwinter`s day, Alastair Cook has shone some much needed light for those of us for whom cricket is the ultimate game. It has lifted the spirit, brought a warm glow and made life a little more bearable, for which we should all be truly thankful.
So we needed something to lighten the gloom and Alastair Cook and his chums have certainly provided it. So much so that you begin to wonder what other memorable sporting moments may yet take place in the final knockings of this truly great sporting year. Back in late Spring, the Saints reclaimed their place in the Premier League - the `best league in the world (tm)` - we then had the London Olympic Games and the Paralympics - `the best Games ever`- the Ryder Cup victory in America, last weekend`s stuffing of the All Blacks and now the exploits on the England Cricket Team in the sub-continent - `the hardest place to go in international cricket.`
It`s a pity the BBC Sports Personality of the Year contenders for this year`s award were announced as early as they were, for Cook`s achievement ranks with the very best gold medallists and it was significant, I feel, that there was no place among those selected for the BBC award for anyone from the world of cricket or, perhaps less surprisingly, from football. The quicker they change Sports Personality to Greatest Achievement the better, for only then will Andy Murray stand a chance.
Now for me, cricket has always been the most beautiful game, played as it sensibly is only when the sun shines. It has a long and singular tradition and it`s one of very few team games played individually, by which I mean that you become the batsman, the bowler, the keeper, the fielder and it`s what you alone do in those individual moments that define the success or otherwise of the team.
My own cricketing years are so many years behind me now, but I still look back through wistful memories of warm summer days, convivial friendships, courtesy to opponents and, yes, the very occasional times when I was modestly pleased with my own individual contribution. So, if nothing else on this drab, cold, bleak midwinter`s day, Alastair Cook has shone some much needed light for those of us for whom cricket is the ultimate game. It has lifted the spirit, brought a warm glow and made life a little more bearable, for which we should all be truly thankful.
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