Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[rex008]

My wife has two brothers living in NZ. One is up in Rotorua, so "safe" (despite living in a caldera, basically). The other is currently living in Sumner, which is a suburb of Christchurch that was closest to the epicentre this morning.

He did manage to ring father-in-law this morning to say he was ok, but don't know yet if he had a close shave or anything. Funny thing is, he's a civil engineer, so it's good for business, although I don't think he sees it that way!

[tikay]

I got frogmarched, very much against my will, to go to a pub - a public house, ffs - to have Lunch with some friends today to celebrate Blandy's Birthday.

I love Blandy, but going into a pub is a step too far for me, I'd not do that for almost anyone. I sulked & pouted like a spoilt brat.

The pub stunk of alcohol - fancy that - & the Plasma TV was on at full volume, rendering conversation a waste of time.

But the cricket - & I use the word advisedly - was on, so I could at least watch that for an hour.

It depressed me beyond words. Cricket? That's not bloody cricket.

The other lot, a third-world nation (in cricket Terms, I would hastily add, before boldie throws a strop) had knocked up 292.

So, we to bat. Our first 6 overs yielded 38 runs. There was no slip cordon, no gully, (yes yes, I know the dumb ODI rules), & the batsmen were just making agricultural hoikes at every ball.  FFS, that's not proper cricket.

The morning of Day One of any Test Match - preferably at Headingley, SCG, Edgbaston, even The Oval - sorry, The Brit Oval - are what Cricket is about. Proper fields, a good balance between attack & defence, the bowlers in command, 4 slips & a gully, nobody on the boundary. What happened to the subtlety of cricket, the nuances, the struggle betwen bat & ball, where the bowlers had some control?

Honest to God, 38 runs in 6 overs, & nobody thinks there is anything odd about it.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott & Bill Lawry must think the world's gone mad. Either of them could be at the wicket for 6 hours, fashion a fine 23 runs, & they'd be heroes in next day's newspapers.

Here's Bill making a rare shot back in the day, '68 I think.

Who can name the wicketkeeper?

[wormster]

I don't know if we can get it here, but in Kentucky (& I assume the rest of the US) you can now get KGC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken!

Yup, it is being rolled out in all the UK franchises between now & September, at a cost of £7 million. The griddle equipment is called a "Brazer", apparently.

Apparently, this will be KFC's first "griddled" product. There will also be a griddled burger, "only" 400 cals, as opposed to 491 cals for a proper non-griddled burger. Tortilla wraps, too.

I'll stick to Simply M & S for now, I think.

I used to live on KFC, & adored it (I still love it, in fact), but I'd wake up the next day feeling terrible.  For bad goodness, I stick to Pork Pies & Sausage Rolls now, full of sogoodness. When I'm not on a Diet caused by them, that is.

Meanwhile, I remain stranded in the 12-10 to 12-12 range. Bugger, Topm's gonna lap me soon.

Hope I've attached this pic correctly. It's the KFC Double Down Burger that has fried chicken breasts instead of buns, with cheese & bacon in the middle. Only 1,228 calories a go

[tikay]

I don't know if we can get it here, but in Kentucky (& I assume the rest of the US) you can now get KGC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken!

Yup, it is being rolled out in all the UK franchises between now & September, at a cost of £7 million. The griddle equipment is called a "Brazer", apparently.

Apparently, this will be KFC's first "griddled" product. There will also be a griddled burger, "only" 400 cals, as opposed to 491 cals for a proper non-griddled burger. Tortilla wraps, too.

I'll stick to Simply M & S for now, I think.

I used to live on KFC, & adored it (I still love it, in fact), but I'd wake up the next day feeling terrible.  For bad goodness, I stick to Pork Pies & Sausage Rolls now, full of sogoodness. When I'm not on a Diet caused by them, that is.

Meanwhile, I remain stranded in the 12-10 to 12-12 range. Bugger, Topm's gonna lap me soon.

Hope I've attached this pic correctly. It's the KFC Double Down Burger that has fried chicken breasts instead of buns, with cheese & bacon in the middle. Only 1,228 calories a go

1,228 cals?

My daily cal target is currently 1,250!

That'd leave me just enough for an Oxo Cube. Full of goodness, & only 22 cals.

[MereNovice]

It appears to be the renowned LA Johnson.

[tikay]

It appears to be the renowned LA Johnson.

You either cheated, or are as sad as Tighty.

[MereNovice]

It appears to be the renowned LA Johnson.

You either cheated, or are as sad as Tighty.

I didn't want Google to break with all the extra load from people frantically searching so I thought that I'd spoil the fun.

[tikay]

Ch 865 really are upping the quality of their studio guests.

Sam Trickett, Nik Persaud, John Tabbatabai, & James Keys have all featured recently, Paul Jackson is on this weekend, da de da.

Today, another poker superstar was booked for, I think, March 17th, which happily coincides with one of my Shows.  Barry Carter & me on telly, talking about poker. As a spectacle, that's right up there one-day cricket.

Good luck Barry.

[Pelham Boy]

While Test cricket is obviously the best form of the game, and the most enjoyable to watch for me, there is no denying one day cricket has changed the game for the better. Particularly following the 1996 world cup, when Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana destroyed opposition bowling attacks during Sri Lanka's victory. I don't recall Jayasuriya playing too many agriculteral hoiks. This was carried over by the great Australian side of the late 90's and early 2000's, and other countries had to compete. Now it's possible to see 400 runs scored in a day's test cricket, whereas before then you were lucky to get more than 250. I know what i would rather watch.

[tikay]

While Test cricket is obviously the best form of the game, and the most enjoyable to watch for me, there is no denying one day cricket has changed the game for the better. Particularly following the 1996 world cup, when Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana destroyed opposition bowling attacks during Sri Lanka's victory. I don't recall Jayasuriya playing too many agriculteral hoiks. This was carried over by the great Australian side of the late 90's and early 2000's, and other countries had to compete. Now it's possible to see 400 runs scored in a day's test cricket, whereas before then you were lucky to get more than 250. I know what i would rather watch.

Bigger & faster is not always better. But I take your point.

Me, I'm not interested in boundaries every other ball, I want to savour the time it takes for things to happen, nice & slowly, the entertainment in the journey, not the arrival, the thought of what might or might not happen, & knowing that less is more. Bit like making love, really.

[MereNovice]

While Test cricket is obviously the best form of the game, and the most enjoyable to watch for me, there is no denying one day cricket has changed the game for the better. Particularly following the 1996 world cup, when Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana destroyed opposition bowling attacks during Sri Lanka's victory. I don't recall Jayasuriya playing too many agriculteral hoiks. This was carried over by the great Australian side of the late 90's and early 2000's, and other countries had to compete. Now it's possible to see 400 runs scored in a day's test cricket, whereas before then you were lucky to get more than 250. I know what i would rather watch.

Bigger & faster is not always better. But I take your point.

Me, I'm not interested in boundaries every other ball, I want to savour the time it takes for things to happen, nice & slowly, the entertainment in the journey, not the arrival, the thought of what might or might not happen, & knowing that less is more. Bit like making love, really.

I'd settle for the duration of an ODI. I'm not sure that even Sting could sustain it for a Test Match.

[Karabiner]

While Test cricket is obviously the best form of the game, and the most enjoyable to watch for me, there is no denying one day cricket has changed the game for the better. Particularly following the 1996 world cup, when Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana destroyed opposition bowling attacks during Sri Lanka's victory. I don't recall Jayasuriya playing too many agriculteral hoiks. This was carried over by the great Australian side of the late 90's and early 2000's, and other countries had to compete. Now it's possible to see 400 runs scored in a day's test cricket, whereas before then you were lucky to get more than 250. I know what i would rather watch.

Bigger & faster is not always better. But I take your point.

Me, I'm not interested in boundaries every other ball, I want to savour the time it takes for things to happen, nice & slowly, the entertainment in the journey, not the arrival, the thought of what might or might not happen, & knowing that less is more. Bit like making love, really.

I'd settle for the duration of an ODI. I'm not sure that even Sting could sustain it for a Test Match.

Blimey now it's "tantric tikay", cialis ftw.

[Claw75]

While Test cricket is obviously the best form of the game, and the most enjoyable to watch for me, there is no denying one day cricket has changed the game for the better. Particularly following the 1996 world cup, when Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana destroyed opposition bowling attacks during Sri Lanka's victory. I don't recall Jayasuriya playing too many agriculteral hoiks. This was carried over by the great Australian side of the late 90's and early 2000's, and other countries had to compete. Now it's possible to see 400 runs scored in a day's test cricket, whereas before then you were lucky to get more than 250. I know what i would rather watch.

Bigger & faster is not always better. But I take your point.

Me, I'm not interested in boundaries every other ball, I want to savour the time it takes for things to happen, nice & slowly, the entertainment in the journey, not the arrival, the thought of what might or might not happen, & knowing that less is more. Bit like making love, really.

I'd settle for the duration of an ODI. I'm not sure that even Sting could sustain it for a Test Match.

Blimey now it's "tantric tikay", cialis ftw.

[MereNovice]

Swiss Toni outdone by Alfreton Tony?

[mondatoo]

Test cricket is so much better than ODI.

The Ashes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Test cricket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>20/20 cricket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ODI