Commentary boxes aren't meant to fly
Ian Botham refuses to climb up into a high commentary box, Murali has his tooth re-positioned, and Dickie Bird unveils a statue of himself
Nishi Narayanan
18-Feb-2008
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No highs for Beefy
Ian Botham may have routinely sent the ball up in the air and out of the ground during his career but he was quite unwilling to send himself 100 feet up into the commentary box in Hamilton for England's second ODI against New Zealand. Botham arrived at Seddon Park to find the Sky television box was situated on top of 100-foot high scaffolding, whereupon he refused to sit there, saying, "I don't do heights."
Ian Botham may have routinely sent the ball up in the air and out of the ground during his career but he was quite unwilling to send himself 100 feet up into the commentary box in Hamilton for England's second ODI against New Zealand. Botham arrived at Seddon Park to find the Sky television box was situated on top of 100-foot high scaffolding, whereupon he refused to sit there, saying, "I don't do heights."
"I'll go in helicopters and planes but they're meant to fly - commentary boxes aren't!" Botham told PA Sports. He, however, commentated from the box in the pavilion. But Botham can't really be blamed for refusing to go up the high scaffolding: his fellow Sky commentators revealed the wind made the box a bit "wobbly". "I do feel a little queasy," said Michael Atherton.
Read more here.
The rubber bat
Is the graphite rod being replaced by rubber? Not yet in matches, but the England team are using semi-rubber bats to improve their fielding drills.
Is the graphite rod being replaced by rubber? Not yet in matches, but the England team are using semi-rubber bats to improve their fielding drills.
The Skyer is a chunky, bright orange bat weighing a kilogram, made by inserting a rubber-based compound into the blade of a regular bat. The secret lies in the density of the rubber in question, which is imported from Germany. Invented by James Cornford, a former minor counties and second XI player, and fine-tuned by Mark Garaway, the England analyst, the rubber-reinforced bat, according to Garaway, will help with fielding drills. "If I want to make Alastair Cook run 30 yards to his left because that is an area we are working on, I can deliver the drill on a consistent basis," Garaway told the Times. "Twenty20 batsmen are hitting flatter and harder and I can now hit flat all the way to the boundary. We can simulate catching just in front of the rope, where the fielder releases the ball before he topples over and then comes back to complete the catch. That was a very hard drill to set up.
"While it is useful for the elite players, the real idea is to help with clubs. At that level the average coach is like my dad - he is 63 and cannot necessarily deliver a huge number of balls where he wants with a willow bat because he gets tired and does not have the skill. Now he will be able to do what he wants."
And the award goes to ...
Gareth Oakley of Victoria is the latest to be awarded the Adam Gilchrist Scholarship and he will get to spend a season playing cricket in England. Oakley, an offspinner playing at the Melbourne Cricket Club, was about to join university when he got the news.
Gareth Oakley of Victoria is the latest to be awarded the Adam Gilchrist Scholarship and he will get to spend a season playing cricket in England. Oakley, an offspinner playing at the Melbourne Cricket Club, was about to join university when he got the news.
"I found out about the scholarship through my regional coach in Shepparton and thought 'This would be okay,' but really, I thought it was pie in the sky stuff," Oakley told the Australian. Then Oakley met Gilchrist's father Stan in Melbourne to discuss the scholarship. "They were looking for people who played cricket the way Adam does, in the spirit of the game, and with a bit of skill to match," Oakley said.
Gilchrist launched the scholarship programme in 2004 with the idea of paying the game back by giving young hopefuls a headstart in their careers.
Do tell all
These days several cricketers write autobiographies far too early in their careers. But this first-person account about a cricketer, and his off-field antics, couldn't have come sooner. Coralie Eichholtz, a New Zealand model, pictures of whom were published in a British tabloid showing her along with a second model in a hotel room with Shane Warne, all three in a state of undress, has announced she will reveal what really happened that night in her autobiography. Eichholtz, who was allegedly paid by the tabloid News of the World to get photographed with Warne, claims that, like Warne, she too was set up in the sex scandal.
These days several cricketers write autobiographies far too early in their careers. But this first-person account about a cricketer, and his off-field antics, couldn't have come sooner. Coralie Eichholtz, a New Zealand model, pictures of whom were published in a British tabloid showing her along with a second model in a hotel room with Shane Warne, all three in a state of undress, has announced she will reveal what really happened that night in her autobiography. Eichholtz, who was allegedly paid by the tabloid News of the World to get photographed with Warne, claims that, like Warne, she too was set up in the sex scandal.
She met Warne at the Australian Open in Melbourne last month and told him her side of the story. "Warnie was good about it and we are on talking terms again, but I won't be talking about how I was set up until my autobiography comes up," Eichholtz told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. Where can we pre-order?
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Given the Bird
Former international umpire Dickie Bird unveiled a bronze statue of himself in his hometown of Barnsley in northern England. Bird said the moment was as memorable as standing in four World Cup finals and being awarded an MBE. He wasn't too happy initially with the first model of the statue, sculpted by Graham Ibbeson, as he felt it made him look too "stern". "Now Graham has got the stance just right, the Reebok trainers and my 'finger of fate' pointing in the air," Bird said.
Former international umpire Dickie Bird unveiled a bronze statue of himself in his hometown of Barnsley in northern England. Bird said the moment was as memorable as standing in four World Cup finals and being awarded an MBE. He wasn't too happy initially with the first model of the statue, sculpted by Graham Ibbeson, as he felt it made him look too "stern". "Now Graham has got the stance just right, the Reebok trainers and my 'finger of fate' pointing in the air," Bird said.
What's the score?
Getting cricket scores on the mobile phone is convenient but the service comes at a cost, sometimes far more than you'd expect. The Lancashire Evening Post reported how businessman Stephen Richmond was banned from driving for six months after he was caught using his mobile phone to get cricket scores while driving. Alison Quanbrough, prosecuting, said: "At first he told the officer, 'No, I was listening to my radio.' He then said he had been using his mobile to get cricket scores from someone in India." Richmond was fined ₤100 with ₤60 costs and ordered to pay the ₤15 victims' surcharge.
Getting cricket scores on the mobile phone is convenient but the service comes at a cost, sometimes far more than you'd expect. The Lancashire Evening Post reported how businessman Stephen Richmond was banned from driving for six months after he was caught using his mobile phone to get cricket scores while driving. Alison Quanbrough, prosecuting, said: "At first he told the officer, 'No, I was listening to my radio.' He then said he had been using his mobile to get cricket scores from someone in India." Richmond was fined ₤100 with ₤60 costs and ordered to pay the ₤15 victims' surcharge.
Put your best tooth forward
Peter Foltyn was peeling potatoes when he was called to the hospital for an emergency. Muttiah Muralitharan's front tooth had been knocked back into his mouth while fielding against Australia in Sydney. Foltyn, a dentist, said it took him ten minutes to get to St Vincent Hospital and Murali arrived just as he got there. They began the operation at 6.18pm and by 7pm Murali was back at the SCG ready to bat. "He struck me as a very polite and humble person,'' Foltyn said. "We chatted light-heartedly, but obviously he was there for a reason.'' According to Sydney's Daily Telegraph, Foltyn is an expert at re-positioning front teeth because of the high rate of bashings in surrounding Kings Cross, Bondi and Coogee.
Peter Foltyn was peeling potatoes when he was called to the hospital for an emergency. Muttiah Muralitharan's front tooth had been knocked back into his mouth while fielding against Australia in Sydney. Foltyn, a dentist, said it took him ten minutes to get to St Vincent Hospital and Murali arrived just as he got there. They began the operation at 6.18pm and by 7pm Murali was back at the SCG ready to bat. "He struck me as a very polite and humble person,'' Foltyn said. "We chatted light-heartedly, but obviously he was there for a reason.'' According to Sydney's Daily Telegraph, Foltyn is an expert at re-positioning front teeth because of the high rate of bashings in surrounding Kings Cross, Bondi and Coogee.
Quote hanger
"He cannot bat. He is useless as a fielder."
Sunil Gavaskar is rather cutting about Munaf Patel's skills - or lack thereof
"He cannot bat. He is useless as a fielder."
Sunil Gavaskar is rather cutting about Munaf Patel's skills - or lack thereof
Nishi Narayanan is a staff writer at Cricinfo