Pitch Bitching

Reasons we did not win a cricket match:

• It's the start of the season, we're out of practice.
• The pitch was rubbish.
• It's the end of the season, we're tired.
• OMFG, left-arm spin!!!
• The pitch was rubbish.
• Sudden appearance of much-hyped Mystery Ball.
• Star player is injured / resting / at IPL.
• The pitch was rubbish.
• Trott's fault (TM).
• We lost the toss.
• It was too hot / cold / windy / rainy.
• The pitch was rubbish.

Is it a peculiarly English thing to blame the state of the pitch for the game not going your way? Or is it something that I notice more as coming from English sides because I tend to read more about cricket from my own country? Either way, it is something that I've noticed a lot.

The (Obvious) Way to My Heart

I've had the mickey taken out of me a few times on Test Match Sofa because I like Jade Dernbach. No, not in that way (although his car is rather lovely), but I do rate him as a player. A few people both on and off the Sofa think he's all hype and no substance, and doesn't deserve his England place. They're entitled to their opinions, obviously, and I'll accept that he's had a few off games... but who hasn't? Really, though, I think that the reason a lot of folk aren't keen on him is that he can come across as a bit arrogant on the pitch. The image is backed up rather by the blingy earrings and the tattoos. There seems to be a general opinion that Dernbach is a bit of a strutting tosser, in fact.

I met him on Thursday, and he really, really isn't.