It’s true that Trevor Franklin rarely caused a spike in the crowd when he was batting but many of us would have been happy to bat for 24 hours if the outcome was a test century at Lord’s. And if Franklin ever comes across Ponting and Tendulkar he can always ask them what was their highest test score at Lord’s- Ponting 42 and Tendulkar 37.
Your insistence on pointing out the use of ‘third’ (and on pinning it to one particular commentator) when it’s been used in the game for donkey’s years (as has the gender-neutral term ‘bat’ rather than batsman) is just as infantile as people liking sixes.
It's an observation shared, I have found, by most cricket-lovers of my acquaintance. I had never heard of 'third' until a couple of years ago. The fielding position is called third man. Bat/batter is fine for the lasses. But we're talking about the men's game.
No revelations are possible against sub par opposition. It like announcing a new pantheon of stars after playing Ireland and discovering new talent. Come on Hendo, England are average at best, the county game is shot to pieces and Mr Khan, that despicable fellow, calls the shots in world cricket. You may be allowed some moments of nostalgia in Marks box, but it doesn't change the direction of travel of English cricket..going the same way as Empire decades ago...
I take issue with your characterisation of what makes batting boring
In my first game against men when I was 15 I batted for 3 1/2 hours to save a draw and made 4 runs (from the only chance I gave, a nick through slips) by the end they were sending on their worst bowlers trying to get me to do anything but block and I straight batted the most ludicrous pies you’ve ever seen, still one of my favourite innings. There can be beauty in pure bloody mindedness 😀
It’s true that Trevor Franklin rarely caused a spike in the crowd when he was batting but many of us would have been happy to bat for 24 hours if the outcome was a test century at Lord’s. And if Franklin ever comes across Ponting and Tendulkar he can always ask them what was their highest test score at Lord’s- Ponting 42 and Tendulkar 37.
Your insistence on pointing out the use of ‘third’ (and on pinning it to one particular commentator) when it’s been used in the game for donkey’s years (as has the gender-neutral term ‘bat’ rather than batsman) is just as infantile as people liking sixes.
It's an observation shared, I have found, by most cricket-lovers of my acquaintance. I had never heard of 'third' until a couple of years ago. The fielding position is called third man. Bat/batter is fine for the lasses. But we're talking about the men's game.
No revelations are possible against sub par opposition. It like announcing a new pantheon of stars after playing Ireland and discovering new talent. Come on Hendo, England are average at best, the county game is shot to pieces and Mr Khan, that despicable fellow, calls the shots in world cricket. You may be allowed some moments of nostalgia in Marks box, but it doesn't change the direction of travel of English cricket..going the same way as Empire decades ago...
I take issue with your characterisation of what makes batting boring
In my first game against men when I was 15 I batted for 3 1/2 hours to save a draw and made 4 runs (from the only chance I gave, a nick through slips) by the end they were sending on their worst bowlers trying to get me to do anything but block and I straight batted the most ludicrous pies you’ve ever seen, still one of my favourite innings. There can be beauty in pure bloody mindedness 😀