So, Ian Botham was knighted. "Arise, Sir Loin of Beef." It's a pity he didn't tell the Queen the story of his last ball in first class cricket. Rolf Harris told me she's good for a laugh:
'Sir Beefy' sends a stump flying
"Boony was struggling for his Test place and was deadly serious. But he just about fell over laughing and shouted, 'Beefy, you can't do this to me.' I was midway though my run-up and he'd spotted that I'd unzipped my fly and hauled out the meat and two veg. The old man was dangling in the wind as I steamed in. If I'd got it on target I would've bowled him. I thought it was a nice way to go out." Yes, a toff indeed. Incidentally the story is not all cock and bull, if you will pardon that dreadful pun. Boon told Sporting Life yesterday that his attention had been somewhat distracted. "I wouldn't say that I was struggling for my Test place," said the tank-on-legs. "He's exaggerated that. But everything else is absolutely correct. As soon as he bowled the ball he started laughing, I was creasing myself. He did this big half-circle and ran straight off the ground. He mucked around all that over. Then the last one was the piece de resistance or whatever you want to call it. He's telling the absolute truth." As for the knighthood, Boon thought it spiffing. "Is he really? They're going to a low point now!"
A bit OT, but I thought this was amusing - not so much the article itself, that's just typical Indian self-hatesmanship at its best, but the comments following it.
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/315022.html
Enjoy.
Posted by: Vindicate | 12 October 2007 at 14:11
Gawd- Sir Loin of Pork would be even more scary. No wonder Boonie scored so many runs in 93- he had to put the memory out of his head!
Posted by: Scott Wickstein | 12 October 2007 at 23:29
Yeah, I tried it once...tripped over, no success.
Posted by: nick | 13 October 2007 at 10:46
Nick, my sources report otherwise. Apparently you tripped over your Unframed Channel Nine Steve Waugh monogrammed pink towel.
Posted by: Tony T. | 13 October 2007 at 13:51
Damn internet. Sadly, we are more likely to see a picture of my effort on Channel Nein this year than a superduperslomo (TM) of Murali's action.
Posted by: nick | 14 October 2007 at 03:08
Botham has done a great deal of meaningful charity work for children with cancer.
Whereas, Barrington McKenzie Humphries, CBE, has not.
I recalled this fact when I was musing how absolutely shitty Barry must have been that he did not become a 'Sir', yet a boofy sportsman did.
If he had just let his alma mater bash some of that Team Spirit into him ....
Posted by: Ann O'Dyne | 15 October 2007 at 18:53
Didn't Edward Goff ditch royal honours in about 1975? Barry was only about 40 then, and hadn't done anywhere near enough to warrant a gong. If we still had 'em, I'd be massively surprised if Barry hadn't been awarded a K-Hood by now.
Posted by: Tony T. | 15 October 2007 at 19:28
He was awarded a CBE this year, I think. Probably in the same round as Beefy (Queen's Birthday?) It was on the UK list, meaning it was recommended to Her Maj by the British Government and not our own, because since EGW we don't believe in tall poppies any more. Only the KBE and GBE are actual knighthoods.
Posted by: Harry | 15 October 2007 at 20:48