BUMBLE AT THE TEST
GET TOUGH, UMPIRES!
WHO is running this game, the umpires or the players? We had a squally shower come over that wasn’t going to last long but India refused to bat. Michael Gough was letting them walk off until Jimmy Anderson intervened and they carried on. It’s not Jimmy’s job! The umpires need to be much firmer.
TOWEL OF ANGUISH
ANOTHER delay when, after 55 overs of the India innings, the game just stopped. Two men ran on with towels and there were two or three minutes before anything happened. My solution would be for the fielding captain to show how farcical it is by saying, ‘OK, we’ll all have a drink’. Then people who have paid £100 quid to be here can watch the grass grow.
IS YATES THE ANSWER?
THERE’S a debate about England’s top order and we’ve been looking at what’s around the county circuit. One distinguished cricket person told me Dom Sibley is not even the best opener at Warwickshire. Step forward Rob Yates. And Haseeb Hameed is emerging from the doldrums. He will
get his chance again.
LONDON CALLING
I’VE seen a lot of criticism of the 50-over Royal London Cup being overshadowed by the Hundred but I see it as a fabulous opportunity for young players to get into county teams and show what they can do. It’s got to be better than playing second XI and club games. And there’s a chance of a showpiece final.
SORRY, CLOUGHIE!
IT REALLY is terrific working with Dinesh Karthik. I’ve got the job of driving him to the ground each morning so I’ve been educating him in the sounds of the Rolling Stones and Jerry Lee Lewis. We drove past Notts County and he said: ‘I know there are two football teams here. The other one is Nottingham Foresters.’ Cloughie will be spinning in his grave.
WARD’S NEW WAZE
WHAT a palaver it is making our way from the city centre to Trent Bridge because of the roadworks off Maid Marian Way. It’s foxed my SatNav so Sir Ian Ward recommended I use an app called Waze. Now a nice American lady tells me where to go.
SIXTIES’ PARTY VIBES
THAT was old-school tail-end batting from India. We had Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj having fun and without a clue what they were doing. There was more swinging than a ’60s suburban party!