cricket with balls

…
From time to time, I like to call South Africans evil.

I’m not sure if they are really evil, like say republicans or reality Tv producers, but they do seem to have a large proportion of people who are extremely hard to like.

Actually, how about I put it this way, they are probably evil in a cricket sense, but I’m sure they donate to charity, give bibles to poor children (who hopefully burn them for warmth) or help their maids carry out the bins.

Why was I talking about this, ok got it, Cape Town, Evil Empire vs the Windies.

Shivnarine “Lord Megachief” was still at the crease, he had just shared a partnership with Fidel Edwards, a man whose batting skill is questionable at best. Before today his average was below 4.

Ol SHiv decides to let Fidel take the strike (seen this before), and after playing and missing by at least 6 inches for about 10 balls I switched over to a film, a black & white Clooney film to be exact. Seen it before, but I hate to see South Africa win.

After a few minutes I switched back, somehow, against all logic, Fidel started to hit the ball and got himself to 20 odd.

The Evil empire were sledging him, probably a bit too much due to his number 11 skill level. I may be Australian, and I may love sledging, but any team who abuses a number 11 for getting away a few slogs is a bit low.

Unless it’s Victoria, they can do no wrong.

I flicked between Senator Joe attacking Ed Murrow, and Fidel swinging away like a drunken farmer. Both were hard to watch. Eventually he fell on his shovel.

This left the Windies with a 9 for a 110ish lead.

Even though Fidel was number 11, Chris Gayle came in next, he had retired hurt earlier in the innings, not content with his d1cky hammy, he had copped one on the glove from Nel which had shattered his thumb.

He said he would bat if necessary.

Apparently he deemed it necessary.

South Africa did what any team full of fast bowlers would have done, they bowled short and aimed at his broken thumb.

Problem is Gayle just swung away, in one over from Nel, he hit him for 16. Sometimes with just one hand on the bat.

He defended a ball from the left arm oddodox Paul Harris and winced, so next ball he slogged him over mid wicket.

Gayle then smashed Steyn for consecutive sixes, I mentioned he had a broken thumb didn’t I.

After the two sixes, Steyn gets Gayle caught on the rope at long on for 38 off 48 balls.

A 70 odd partnership with Lord Megachief.

Steyn then sends him off.

I sh1t you not, he sends off a batsmen who has just hit him for 12 runs in two balls with a broken thumb.

And it wasn’t a subtle Sreesanth send off. He turned and screamed at him, then other South Africans tried to push him off the field, and he continued to scream at him.

Gayle was Gayle, he looked pretty unfazed by it. But Steyn continued some sort of evil tirade against him.

How many batsmen in world cricket would bat with a newly fractured thumb?

Of the few who would, how many would hit 38 off 48 balls with at least 3 sixes (that I saw).

The man comes from the hospital to play when his country needs him, probably against all medical advice, and then he gets some short balls and puts them in the crowd, and they abuse him.

What sort of team is this?

I can understand frustration, I can understand a fast bowler getting angry, I can understand being hit for sixes (too well), but screaming at a guy who did what Gayle did is a pretty low act.

Another thing to add to my Evil South Africa list.

& another thing to add to my Chris Gayle is a cool mofo file.

Good Night & Good Luck.