Morning all.
A 10CC classic line. I don’t like cricket, I love it. And I do.
Whilst the boring international fixtures were taking place, England were battling against India in the final home test series of the summer. What do you mean you want to talk football? You can, it’s just I want to write about cricket, in particular, Alistair Cook and Jimmy Anderson. Two greats in the game who’ll be missed deeply when they hang up their bat and ball for good. For Cook, certainly as far as the international game goes that day has come. He started his career with a century for England, he ended it with one too. Fitting I thought. A nice guy, certainly that’s how he comes across, will be missed, or rather his runs will. Another fitting moment I thought was the fact that the first player to congratulate him after scoring his final test century was Joe Root, the man who took over the reigns when Cook handed over the captains baton.
Emotions in check after England had pretty much batted India out of the game, out they came onto the field with just one thing in mind. Win this last test. Jimmy Anderson though probably had something else on his mind too as a record was there to be broken. A third fitting moment. Last ball of the test and Jimmy created history. Mohammed Shami was the man, beaten all ends up and he knew as soon as the ball was past his bat. Middle stump gone and Anderson had become the most prolific seam bowler in the games history.
Great friends who will miss each other. After the final test there were tears from both as they talked about the other. Wonderful scenes in sport.
England will miss Cooks runs. His slip fielding too and it’s going to be a huge task to find someone to fill his giant size boots. The same will be written when Anderson retires too. But then something similar was probably muttered when previous greats have retired too but somewhere there’ll be someone ready to step up. Someone different, but very very good.
It’s no different in any sport really, certainly football and without it, sport would never continue at the level it does. Certain players simply can’t be replaced like Henry, although people will try. Mbappe is trying. Martial too but his career took a dive once Mourinho got hold of him. Tony Adams, well there will never be another, just like Sol Campbell, he was unique. Wrighty, the effervescent little striker will be matched by no one ever. Vieira and Petit? Comparisons have been made, certainly when Diaby signed for Arsenal but no. They were both tall and French but that’s where it ends in my opinion. Dennis Bergkamp – not a hope in hell, just like there’ll never be a man with a heart for Arsenal as dig as David Rocastle. Will we ever see another 5’ 10 centre half defend in the way Frank McLintock did? No, never imo. There’s more, many many more but I’m sure you’ve already got my drift.
Time, sportspeople, the sport, all move on and changes. Different skills for different styles, certainly in football. Enjoy the greats whilst we have the chance to do so because tomorrow, they might just retire.
And the search for next starts all over again…
Fine post Rico……………………………….but dont worry, we have Xhaka coming on leaps and bounds and destined to be mentioned in the same breath as …………………………Steponovs………Jeffers……………………..
Sorry about the errors in the post, bloody predictive text!
Isn’t he already there Lc?
Seriously, he played we’ll last night apparently..
Morning all
From an earlier post, as it appeared on yesterday’s blog:
Hormone all (predictive text error!)
Lcoq. I’m on my way. The horse has been fed and watered and the cart is fully loaded for the epic trip to the silent town of Coventry. (They’ve all been sent there!)
I’d make this a much longer comment but I keep losing the connection, as well as the plot!
Hope the Arsenal hopefuls give the light blues a good seeing to, we need a bit of success from somewhere and the U23’s is as good as anywhere.
Suns out here. I just hope it remains out for the whole journey and its return, must remember to put the acetylene lights on the cart!
Have fun!
Good Essex boy Cook, except he’s from Norfolk! Great career, great finish to a thoroughly successful summer. And it will be good to have him playing for Essex again, on a more regular basis. They may just have a realistic chance of winning the County Championship again. That would be really good.
Morning all.
Champions come and go, but they’re never forgotten.
Legends, imo, are different.
Legends live for the club, and you’d swear at times they’d die for it.
Most now live for their next pay rise and would only die if they didn’t get it lol
Great post, Rico.
Two top cricketers and both top class men who deserve all the accolades they get.
G’day to you all,
I’m with you Rico, some people, in all walks of life, just can’t be replaced.
Certainly Cook will be missed but there’s no doubt, in my mind, that his International retirement was timely. Particularly with next summer’s Ashes series against the Aussies.
A glance back at his batting over the last couple of test series shows a steadily declining average and a distinct propensity to edge the ball into the slips. Indeed I feel that until he announced his retirement he was very close to being dropped for the fifth test. It’s good that he will be remembered for his two fine scores in the most recent match rather than the very low scores in the rest.
A great record for Jimmy Anderson, 564 wickets by a pace bowler, but he has some way to go to overtake spinner Muralitharam’s 800.
I told my son when we watched the early years of Wenger witht that panoply of stars that we were being blessed.
I doubt that along with the ones you mentioned add Bobby Pires and Freddie, Anelka Overmars and don’t forget Ray Parlour it was a special time.
Cicero, Murali is the best chucker of all time lol
Like the poor official who dared to do his job at the US open, Darrell Hair was crucified for calling a chucker a chucker.
Sometimes the player really is bigger than the game, in some eyes at least.
Potter, Wenger was ahead of his time in assembling that squad.
Shame the world caught up 🙂
Spotter, I said much to my son back in the day. Terry Henry had just scored a fabulous 5th goal against a hapless Crystal Palace side, at Highbury. I leaned across and said to him, “make the most of this son, it won’t last for ever. Just remember the good times.” And so he is. I think he’s missing old mother Wenger, too. Not surprising really he was all he really knew.
Ah, happy days😊
Txt error…..Potter…..etc
.
.
.
.
Spud ‘keeper Hugo Lloris has pleaded guilty to drunk driving. Banned for twenty months and fined £50,000.
Its not only English players and Swedish ones called Bendtner who get into trouble through excessive drinking.
50 grand-a slap on the wrist for a professional footballer.
The poor publicity will hopefully teach him to think next time.
.
.
.
.
My deepest apologies to Swedes everywhere, I meant to say Danes called Bendtner….bloody spell checker. Well I’ve got to blame something, haven’t I?
I doubt Bendtner will mind. He don’t know where he is from one minute to the next.
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-under-21-coventry-live-15144560
Updates on here………………….
https://twitter.com/charles_watts
Not many there, they could announce changes to the crowd !
It’s live on Talk Sports 2
Winning 1-0 Smith Rowe on 4mins.
Smith Rowe having good game
2-0 Eddy Nketia
3-0 Joe Willock.
Good post rico. England’s loss is Essex’s gain for 3 years so I’m well happy. Bit like many of us here, club before country I’m afraid, but not quite as strong as Arsenal before England. Just a shame he’s not playing any more this season, hope Essex aren’t relegated before he re-joins. If we win at Notts tomorrow, we should be safe. But its been an up and down season since losing our Manager Silverwood. Happen it might be similar to Arsenal this year!
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com
Great performance and result
Thanks Andrew.
New post up now..