The Summer of Cricket Begins begins today in Hyderabad 2pm EST, where BazBall takes on the Injuns on home soil in a 5 Test Series. Having destroyed the Pakis in their own Stan a year ago, Ben Stokes Brave Lads will be attempting to repeat the almost unheard of, mission impossible sub-continental trick against the Curry Munchers in their own Curry Shop, a feat not seen since Sir Alastair Cook’s Brave Lads in 2012. I’m not making any predictions, other than to say Bazball can look silly any session, any day, any test then make the opposition look even sillier the next. Anyone who thinks they’ve seen the series deciding moment will be made to think again more than once.. In a devastating blow for Our Brave Lads, Harry Brook, the epitome of Bazball, has gone home for personal reasons. He is indeed a young prodigy destined for an epic career, however he is not yet the National Deity that is Virat Kohli, who has also made up some similar excuse to get out of it for at least the first few tests. There was a time when your missus could be giving birth to triplets, your grandparents were on their death beds and your dog had got run over and you would still walk to the crease wearing your best stiff upper lip and not even think about getting the boat home. These days you seem to get a free pass anytime your missus says she misses you too much. It means Ben Foakes will keep, with Johnny B playing as a specialist batsman. We’ll play as many spinners who can turn up. The Injun authorities are already onto that little game and forced uncapped youngster Shoaib Bashir to turnaround in Abu Dhabi and go home and get a proper visa because he is of Paki descent, therefore Injun Customs naturally assume him to be either a terrorist or potential high quality spinner, but have now processed him and he will rejoin the squad for the 2nd Test. In the meantime, Lord Jimmy of Burnley will trundle in, twice his age but half the pace these days and nobody much will notice the difference on flat tracks, but somehow, he’ll still reak havoc with the Injun’s top order taking wickets faster than he grows grey hair. With such entertainment on offer, it is unfortunate that a scheduling clash means sports nuts will be forced to reach for their Record Button and get up early the next morning to watch the Tennis semis and finals. The Summer of Cricket has begun!
