CRICKET

There are times in sport when I am surprised. In fact, it happens all the time. But sometimes I am surprised more than others. Yesterday and today in the wonderful world of cricket I have been surprised in the best possible way. There are reasons I love cricket: it's tense, long, you can get so involved - you can really live it it takes so long, it's psychological and heady; it completely draws you in... and then in 20/20 it's short and sharp and completely different but still brilliant (there aren't many games that have two versions so different to each other, and that provoke such contrasting reactions and strategies - that in itself is an achievement). I know people have an idea of cricket that it's boring and long and nothing happens for hours on end... but I truly believe those people who say that haven't actually watched cricket. It's so exciting! Yesterday and today is an excellent example of that.

Just after lunch time yesterday England were 102-7 and it looked in all likelihood that a Pakistan victory would mean a draw of the series at 2-2. That would not have been good. On comes the ninth man, one Stuart Broad, beautiful beautiful beautiful and a known excellent bowler but not so good with the bat, or at least hasn't reached his full potential with the bat. Now, I love Stuart Broad. My brother says he looks like Draco Malfoy, but I don't see it. He's super good looking and he's really very good at what he does. I don't know, it's not rational, but I love him. So I'm always up for him producing a miracle but even I was doubtful we could pull it back. However, a day later, yes, a day, Trott and Broad were still batting. When Broad was eventually bowled out he'd made 169 runs. Trott (189) and him combined contributed 332 runs to an eventual total of 446. 332 runs broke the national eighth-wicket test record and the best eighth-wicket stand of all time, and is among the highest English partnerships of all time. Broad also surpassed his father's best run score (162) and finished three shy of the best score hit by a number nine.

Impressive? Much yesness.

So Pakistan came to bat with a daunting total and down-hearted spirits. How could it have gone so wrong? It was only to get worse. They were all out for 74 after a miserable couple of hours. Strauss requested a follow-on and Pakistan's misery continued as England squeezed 4 wickets before rain ended play. Amazing day. Amazing couple of days. Bring on tomorrow for the victory!

(Is it wrong that I'm hoping, somehow, Stuart Broad will read this and decide he loves me too? Yes, I can hear Lobes say, yes it is very wrong. And weird. Ho hum.)

I'll keep you blogged...

Commentary comment of the week:: 'That's a corker of a yorker!'