For many years we’ve all been campaigning to have more Bank Holidays but now I’m really confused – which of them was Good Friday and which of them was Really Good Friday and Really, Really Good Friday?
It seems our four-day champions have now become one day specialists – providing that day is Friday!
It’s been terrific stuff to watch and it’s hard to choose between the turn-around at Headingley Carnegie, the Worcester run chase or the fantastic ‘Bendre’ stand (as we now call Phillips and Adams!) last week. All three of them were sensational performances – and all on the last day of the working week.
Without even playing to the very peak of their powers, the title-holders have begun the season showing a steely determination to triumph again, however much the odds seem to be stacked against them.
"Having been comfortably beaten by two ‘shooters’ - which nipped under the bat – my request to “Make One Bounce” was followed up by a good length delivery which was accurate enough to demolish my ‘furniture’."
My most recent blog attracted some immediate response – one word from me and the letters are now all back on ‘The World Renowned Trent Bridge Inn’ – now looking forward to the forthcoming re-opening!
Also one or two of you have attempted to better my poetic tribute to the champions – though getting anything other than ‘dammit’ to rhyme with Samit is proving troublesome!
One of my colleagues had a close shave this week. Edward Bevan, who covers Glamorgan’s matches for BBC Wales, had to dive for cover when he was commentating at Taunton. Somerset’s Peter Trego smashed a Robert Croft delivery straight through the glass window of the ‘potting shed’ that we use down there. The clip has become a bit of an internet sensation but I can see why – click here for a listen.
That clash also reminded me of a previous Glamorgan v Somerset contest when we were discussing ‘sledging’ on air this week.
Many years ago Greg Thomas was bowling to Viv Richards. Thomas, a fiery Welshman who played Test cricket for England, fired a couple past the bat of the Antiguan and told him; “It’s red, it’s round and weighs about five ounces, in case you were wondering.”
Predictably ‘King Viv’ smashed the next ball out of the ground and into a nearby river – at which point he glared at Thomas and said, “You know what it looks like. Now go and find it!”
Not quite in the same league was a send-off I got at the weekend when I donned the whites for the first time this season.
Having been comfortably beaten by two ‘shooters’ - which nipped under the bat – my request to “Make One Bounce” was followed up by a good length delivery which was accurate enough to demolish my ‘furniture’.
“Did that bounce enough for you?” enquired the bowler smugly. Time I retired!
Another on-air topic centred on cricket-related song titles. The predictable 1970’s hit ‘Howzat’ from Sherbert cropped up, as did Stuck in the Middle with You (Stealers Wheel), Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits), the old calypso one about Ramadhin and Valentine and many, many more.
If there had been a prize though, it would have gone to Duncan Eccles who offered his take on a couple of Christmas Carols – ‘Ding Dong Murali on High’ and ‘Once in Royal Dravid City! Great work Duncan!
It’s perhaps hard to believe but already we are a quarter of the way through the LV= County Championship season.
Nottinghamshire are handily placed already and this week we head off down to Hove to face Sussex. Let’s hope they do a ‘Robinson Crusoe’ – and have all their work done by Friday.