Monday 23 February 2009

Would you compare Allen Stanford to Nelson Mandela? No, honestly, I jest not...

You'd probably have thought that Giles Clarke and David Collier would have been considering their positions at the ECB given recent events (don't hold your breath though).

One person who should certainly be considering his position is the BBC's 'sports editor', Mihir Bose. This bit of smarmy flannel takes some beating; Mihir's obviously first in line to replace Giles Clarke when that gentleman finally bows to the inevitable.

4 comments:

Political Umpire said...

I notice the article claims that Stanford lost nothing in the sub prime crash, and was confident he'd survive financially whatever...

Which, in the light of What Happened Next, is almost as risible as the Nelson Mandela claim.

Stephen said...

I'm glad to find you're still about, PU. Fora remains sadly missed.

English cricket and BBC 'journalists' (I hesitate to even use the word in the context of Bose's brown-nose job) make good bedfellows these days, I'm afraid.

Giles Clarke of course, entirely true to form, is now desperately trying to ingratiate himself with the IPL. Having held out so strongly against the English players participating, one would not have expected quite such bare-faced hypocrisy as soon as the ECB got the whiff of the chance to make a few bob themselves. Or perhaps one would...

Political Umpire said...

Thanks for your kind words. Still infrequently dipping my toe in the pool, but far too busy in real life to contemplate going for a swim in the blogosphere again.

A couple of cricketing thoughts, though: (i) has anyone in the ICC paid any attention whatsoever to the Australia v South Africa test matches? The score stands at 3-3 if you count the home and away series as one, and to say there's been some dramatic competition between two strong sides (the Australians are nowhere near what they were a couple of years ago, but neither are they what you would call a weak side ...). I can't think of a better illustration of the folly of only having three tests in a series between two strong test sides.

(ii) I presume no-one noticed because the ICC lives for money only; money comes from 20/20 dross; and you don't get more money or more dross than the IPL. Hence that's where they'll have been watching and that's what I myself will continue to ignore.

Australia remain vulnerable by their standards for the Ashes. But whereas they have a new side that is punching above its weight if anything, England are dithering around and punching well below their own. Thus I fear if not the worst, then something not good.

Stephen said...

I never bought into the view of those who thought England would walk the upcoming Ashes series, but I'm beginning to suspect that we face another of those summers where supporting them is going to involve a hefty dose of masochism. Not for the first time of course.