Redefine Attacking Cricket

England 187 all out
v West Indies 272 for 6
close on Day 2
2nd Test
Friday 1 February 2019
Played at The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

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Do you remember the old days? When this Blog used to be about Beer? I miss those times. Let's have a throwback. It's time for The B.I.G. (Beer In Ground) Issue.  Because we're only out here for a short time, and because we're all inclusive, this ain't gonna be a beer & brewery intensive ticking trip. Lord knows what the sugary shit they're serving me in the resort is. My guess is whatever can be sourced this month from the local mafia. I've been chasing staff members all over the hotel complex once I see them shifting a keg. Best info I've got to date is that some of it might be Piton. Identikit Lager brewed by Windward & Leeward Brewing (Heineken) in St Lucia. Alleged 5%. Nowt…..

We've got a lovely bit of Cricket Eating Itself in the ground. The geezer on the PA has a script. Draws your attention to no betting, no racism & no legging it over the fence onto the playing area notices on the big screen. Then, systematically, runs through the list of West Indies game stealing sponsors & partners. Clear as a bell - Heineken, Dragon Stout. Can you get a Dragon Stout anywhere in the ground? Can you fuck. (Heineken not a problem of course).

Anyway, let's move to the upside. All of the food & drink kiosks in the stands, and the stalls on the grass banks, are run by locals. Up the cash & carry every morning. Stock up on the necessities. Set the stall up. Crack on. This morning I was allowed to handle & name an unlucky lobster destined for the barbeque. Rest In Peace Kevin…..

All of that makes it interesting for the casual Ale Cart. Because, no two kiosks have the same prices. At one point, I bought the round as - a Heineken from the bar on the lower South East (EC$ 6) & a Mackeson from the right hand side bar on the upper South East (EC$ 8). After extensive research, those were the best individual prices to be had. We're not playing at it.

Evil Big Beer have got these local entrepreneurs by the balls though. Basically, it's push the Heineken. Or else. But, there are alternatives. I haven't seen keg beer anywhere in the ground. Tins & bottles of Heineken abound. But, let the record show the also dranks.

Red Stripe
Carib
Corona, all in bottles
Mackeson (brewed in Trinidad) at 4.9% in bottles
Foreign Extra Guinness in tins & bottles at a jaw dropping 7.5%. That is brewed by Banks in Barbados. Happy Paddy's Day. Normally, I wouldn't be seen dead outside a Daego Guinness. But, this whole different animal. Quite nicely balanced. Thick n meaty n serious.

The wrong terms are being used. Aggressive cricket. Attacking cricket. Look. It's a game of numbers. If you end Day 2. With a lead of 85. With just 6 wickets gone. You have. By definition. Played attacking cricket. Alright. Maybe no biff. And only a modicum of bash. West Indies played aggressive cricket all day. Keep your opponents out there for 90. That'll make it 111 overs. So far. It ain't about Run Rate. It ain't some magical made up metric. It's a LEAD. That's how to attack. Yesterday, with 20 odd overs left. The Windies openers were sent out there to be Not Out at Close. Today, they were sent out there to be still batting at Close. With a lead. Redefine Attacking Cricket NOW.

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