Test Match Breakfast takes a look at some of the biggest issues around cricket during England’s huge fifth Test against India at The Oval.
Here, RICHARD GIBSON discusses David Warner’s dig at Joe Root, the dangers of covering cricket, and the charity success of the Graham Thorpe tributes.
David Warner’s jab at Joe Root
David Warner’s pre-Ashes sledge on Saturday was met by a swift retort from his old nemesis Stuart Broad in a reminder that England’s next Test after this takes place in Perth in 121 days’ time.
In an interview with BBC Sport promoting his participation in the Hundred, former Australia opener Warner had a pop at England’s – and according to official rankings, the world’s – best batsman Joe Root.
Discussing England’s prospects, Warner said: ‘The big anchor there is Rooty, who is yet to score a hundred in Australia.’
Hinting that the Yorkshireman gets out leg before wicket a lot, he added: ‘Josh Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.’
However, Broad countered: ‘Just for clarity. Hazelwood has got Rooty LBW in Test Cricket three times. Three.’
And the former England international certainly knows about bowlers having holds on batsmen – having dismissed Warner 17 times in Tests before retiring on this ground two years ago.
David Warner (left) hit out at Joe Root (right) for not yet scoring a hundred in Australia
The perils of covering cricket
Reporting on cricket carries its dangers. Believe me, being clocked on the head with a ball unawares hurts.
A couple of years ago, after the throbbing from the blow I took on the boundary edge in Barbados from a sky-scraping Jos Buttler strike subsided, the hit to the professional pride kicked in.
It’s the looking like a chump that you don’t live down. Media colleagues creating their own memes ensures that.
So, Neil Manthorp, who had a bit of a ‘Del Boy’ moment summarising the second day’s play with his talkSPORT colleague Jon Norman, can expect similar treatment over the coming days after starring on X.
Perching on a gate on the boundary edge, he was there one moment, gone the next, crashing to the turf seconds after the camera was set rolling.
He couldn’t say he wasn’t warned. Norman had begun the post-play filming by securing the gate, with the words: ‘We don’t want an Only Fools and Horses.’
Covering cricket is all fun and games until you get hit on the head by an unexpected ball!
Who Kumar Dharmasena reminds me of
Kumar Dharmasena evoked memories of legendary West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor with his glacial raising of the finger when Ravindra Jadeja was pinged on the boot by a full bunger in late afternoon.
It took what seemed an eternity for Sri Lankan official Dharmasena to answer Josh Tongue’s appeal in the affirmative, emulating Bucknor – nicknamed Slow Death for his trademark style.
The extra time for deliberation was justified by Jadeja’s review, however, replays showing that the contact between the swinging delivery and the Indian left-hander’s foot took place outside off-stump.
Thorpey’s day could be annual
More than £150,000 was raised for mental health in the name of Graham Thorpe following Friday’s ‘A Day For Thorpey.’
In addition to the sale of 20,000-plus headbands, straight donations to Mind exceeded £35,000.
Surrey and Mind will now discus the prospect of making the day an annual event.
Headbands and donations in memory of Graham Thorpe have raised so much for Mind that they are considering making the tribute day annual
Thorpe, who played in 100 test matches for England and scored 6,744 runs, died last year
A pantomime feel
The evening session took on a pantomime feel when Jadeja got distracted by a man wearing a red shirt at the pavilion end, directly behind the bowling arm of Jamie Overton.
Cue, Surrey officials racing round a club replica shirt to cover it.
To add to the farce, a boy then appeared two rows away in an another red shirt. Presumably, in hope of getting his own freebie.
As they don’t say in these parts: Shy bairns get nowt.
