Posted by England T20 captain Harry Brook simply cannot do anything normally. If it isn’t batting, it’s pre-match hydration, and if it isn’t pre-match hydration, it’s pterodactyl wrangling.
We’ve previously reported on Babar Azam’s hugely impressive competence as a pterodactyl wrangler.
Here he is beckoning one down while Moeen Ali watches the beast descend.
Look how calm Babar is – almost detached. Note how calm Moeen is also: a clear indication of his complete confidence in Babar’s ability.
Most feel the Pakistani has mastered all the necessary skills for this respected but niche pursuit. Just witness this demonstration of ‘the claw’ technique and tell us he couldn’t have turned pro.
It always seemed there was nothing he couldn’t do. But here comes Harry Brook to do things differently once again.
We’d always assumed that the central premise of pterodactyl wrangling was to coax the creature down and ‘land’ it on the turf.
That’s the whole point, right? That’s what it’s all about? Everybody knows that. You’d have to be embarrassingly ignorant to be unaware that wrangling is all about getting a pterodactyl from A to B and that A is the air and B is the ground.
It therefore never once crossed our mind that while executing a descent, a wrangler might see fit to extend his arm as an inviting perch, like a falconer.
No gauntlet or anything. Think of the talons! Madness.
As ever, Brook has elicited contrasting emotions with this innovation. Mike Atherton is clearly amused by his ambition, while Mitchell Santner looks tense and concerned at how events might unfold.
Richie Richardson’s response is the easiest to interpret however. If ever a look said, “Just what do you think you’re doing?” it’s this one.
NRR’s back.
As in, returned – viz the deciding match in Group Two.
NRR hasn’t got ankylosing spondylitis or anything like that, obviously.
Group 2, you sly dog, while everyone was nrrvously eyeing Group 1.
Pakistan seem to be taking their NRRdle hurdle seriously, t20 style – 100/0 from ten over. Sadly Cricinfo don’t report whether a pterodactyl was involved
****** ****! (a reference to world events)
I guess it was a blessing in disguise when Afghanistan were knocked out.
Back to reality this afternoon. It’s a knockout tournament henceforward. India v West Indies should be an enjoyable watch.
…should have been a good watch…WAS a good watch.
Would have been even more enjoyable but for the interminable drivel of Haydos and Ravi’s buzzword bingo. But you can’t have everything – I mean, where would you put it all?
Everywhere
It’s not the same as it used to be. Everything, that is. Pterodactyl-wrangling used to be a quirky little add-on to a day at the cricket, worth turning up a little early for as a treat. These days, as the photos show, it’s a multimedia sponsorship opportunity, cameras at different angles, replays, analysis – the works. A panel of so-called “experts” in the studio all with nothing sensible to add to PT-mobile Pterodactyl Ptime.
Innovation is all well and good, but this sort of thing won’t happen under a Farage government.
Yes, it’s a shame that wrangling has lost its amateur roots, but this way we learn that Sensodyne is the toothpaste of choice for Pterodactyls. With those long jaws full of rotting fish they need something effective.
Or maybe Sensodyne is sponsoring the cricket? but that would make no ‘sense’ at all.
When it looked as though England were going to lose to New Zealand, and I was bemoaning England’s probable fate against South Africa, the “team of the tournament so far”, Daisy used the C word. She suggested that England might be better off playing the C team than either India or the West Indies.
Girls, eh? What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?