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  • "I was not fast enough. But I was good at running. Some of my friends used to make fun that my run-up to the crease was faster than my deliveries."
    The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, wanted to be a cricketer before he took up sprinting

    Sep 5, 2008

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    Articles tagged as: mayhem

    Athers: “Offspinners were crap in my day!”

    By Scott 2 years ago, at the start of February, 3 Comments »

    If it’s Sunday, it must be time to see what Mike Atherton is writing in the Sunday Telegraph.

    Mike, if you read this, I pick on you because your good. I don’t do this to Roebuck or any of the other hacks out there.

    This week, our hero is writing about England’s dire spinning options heading to India. No doubts there. But not to worry, no English spinner was ever going to bowl out Dravid, Tendulkar and co. England’s strength is in their pace bowlers. If England are going to win in India, it will be Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff that are the men to do the job

    But Athers goes into his own memory to make a point:

    The best off-spinner that I played against, Tim May, didn’t bowl a ‘doosra’ but he did grasp the need to vary his pace and his flight, change his angle on the crease and give the ball such an almighty rip that a huge, bleeding gash was routinely opened on his spinning finger each time he started a spell.

    TIM MAY????

    *scott falls on the floor laffing*

    Truly, your kidding, right? Actually, “Mayhem” was a pretty decent offspinner, who never took himself very seriously at all. It’s one of the funny things in life that Tim May, who was a affable joker of a player has transformed into the uber-serious head of FICA, the cricketer’s union.

    The first Test I ever actually went to was Australia vs West Indies, 1992-93 (yes THAT one, where we lost by one run.) I had to catch my train back to the country town I was living in, so I had to leave the ground with an hour of play to go. As I regretfully walked out the Victor Richardson Gates at the Adelaide Oval, May was just coming on to bowl. He took 5 for 9 in that hour, routing the West Indies, and causing the rest of Adelaide to lose the plot. And I missed it! And Tim scored 42 not out to nearly take Australia to the Frank Worrell Trophy. There was real steel under that goofy grin, and real talent, too.

    But I still want to know how much Mayhem paid Athers to write that. All of Tim May’s friends, family and fans want to know!

    3 Comments »



    Trescothick gone beserk

    By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 4 Comments »

    Trescothick has officially gone beserk - have a look at this over:

    14.1 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, FOUR, a fine drive to mid-off as the bowling really seems ragged now

    14.2 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, SIX, Maximum! Simply flicked to long leg stand

    14.3 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, FOUR, More! Drives it to extra cover

    14.4 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, FOUR, More! A fine drive to long-off

    14.5 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, (noball) no run

    14.5 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, FOUR, No respite in sight as this one is driven through the covers

    14.6 Tapash Baisya to Trescothick, no run, a good ball finally and he stares at Trecothick but only after 22 runs have been takes and drinks called in

    End of over 15 (23 runs) England 128/0 (RR: 8.53)
    Tapash Baisya 5-0-60-0 (6nb)
    AJ Strauss 43* (38b 8×4) ME Trescothick 75* (59b 12×4 2×6)

    UPDATE: that’s the last time I do that. I’ve cursed Trescothick twice in 3 days!

    4 Comments »