India 78 all out
v England 120 for 0
3rd Test
Close on Day One
Wednesday 25 August 2021
Played at Headingley
What. A. Day.
But firstly. Let's deal with the negative. Just the perfect sent from Central Casting West Yorkshire Racist sat behind me in the East Stand. Yorkshire Member. Born in '42. This I know because he was holding court about how he "nearly" saw Bradman play. Fuck Sake mate, don't come at me with the nearlys. Knew everybody & knew everything. He had two rants about the Pakis. Not aimed at the Indians either. Just current affairs and offering his wisdom. His mates tried to schtum him. "Why? there's no Pakis up here"
(Clarifying, he never mentioned the Azeem Rafiq "affair")
But, I stand for the truth. And, in the current absence of that while Yorkshire sit on the report, I stand with Azeem. Mate, sat behind me today, you're a racist.
Just an incredible day. One for the ages. I'm not sure why, but the thing that sticks in my mind is Rohit Sharma. He's faced the first ball of the match. Then there's been carnage. Five gone for just 67. But, Rohit has gutsed it out. Knocking on for three hours. Just one boundary in a difficult 19. The 105th ball he's faced, off "fifth bowler" Overton, C - he's slap hooked straight to Ollie Robinson. Gone.
It's fairly easy to tell the Innings in numbers. KL Rahul gone in Anderson's first over. Pujara, scratching, his game shot, gone in the fourth. Kohli, yes that Kohli, gone for 7 at 21 for 3. All caught Buttler, bowled Anderson.
Anderson was done at just eight overs, the lazy get, five maidens, 3 wickets for 6 runs. That's pissed all over Overton's 10.4, five maidens, 3 wickets for 14. Sharma's played that aforementioned slap hook off Overton to go 67 for 6. He's about turned Shami the next ball to be on a hat trick.
The next over, Sam Curran has done two didn't even bother to look back at the umpire LBWs at Jadeja & Bumrah. And, now he's on a hat trick an' all. 6 7 8 9 all gone on 67. Incredible.
And Stuart Broad is not even playing!!
I'll happily admit what went through my head apart from - just shut up you racist bastard. Burns. Hameed. Here's the plan. Get to Tea. Get through the New Ball. Get to fifty. Get to Parity. Get to a Ton. Get to Close. Get. Out. Of. Here. Alive.
First over. Ishant has come around the wicket to left handed Burns. Who works a No Ball to fine leg. Then Ishant has come over the wicket to right handed Hameed. Another No Ball. He's finally let a legitimate go. But, his "second ball" is ludicrously wide outside off. Ishant sets the bowling tone with a 9 run 9 baller.
And. Lo. The plan worked. Lead by 42, with none gone. Kohli trying to work the umpires, the crowd & the game later on. Are you familiar with the body of work of the beat combo McFly? Including their smash hit Its All About You. Well. As Kohli did the Kohli thing, the Western Terrace serenaded him with…
Its All About You, Its All About You Virat….
That is humorous, but not racist.
So, a very excited & expectant route march over to….
Terminus Tap Room and Bottleshop, Stonegate Rd, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4HY
the home of, and outlet for, Meanwood Brewery. To find. Exactly NO Meanwood beers on the clips. Following lockdowns & layoffs, Meanwood Brewery seems to have been mothballed. So, the Tap Room has just reverted to a very nice cask & craft bar. Three cask & seven pukka keg on.
Anthology Brewing Co, IPA NZxUS, on Keg at 6%.
Odd looking fella. Is there such a thing as orangey grey? Because that's how I'd describe the colour. Looked like you could stand a canteen of cutlery up in it, never mind a spoon. Drew worried glances from every other table in the bar. An absolute Hop Stew. You couldn't have squeezed one more cone in. And they all played out. Florals and Bitters and Anaesthetics. Some malt may have helped. But I didn't care. Superb.
(Yes, I know, I could have got a Steward, I could have reported him, I could have called him out)
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