By Asif Tanvir
I was really looking forward to the latest Ashes test series between the two old adversaries; England and Australia. After witnessing what happened in the first test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, I was not disappointed, in fact I was glued to the television, radio and my smart phone for the latest scores just like most of the cricket loving nation was!!
The Ashes and controversy go hand in hand, be it Stuart Broad not walking, clearly when he was out or umpire Aleem Dar’s indecisive decisions, something that has caused concern for an elite umpire who until now has had an impeccable record and often been voted ICC umpire of the year. Was Broad right or wrong not to walk? Well personally when I bat I always wait for the dreaded finger pointing towards sky before I walk and legally Broady didn’t do anything wrong by not walking, sportsmanship is another issue but then again that is something the Aussies are not over generous with themselves, based on their past record or two!
What a sensation young Ashton Agar has been for the Australia, I was watching his amazing hundred tenth wicket partnership with the super cool Brad Haddin and literally had to pinch myself for what I was witnessing, okay number eleven batsman Agar fell two short of what would have been probably the best innings of the modern era, no not by it’s technicality but by the sheer audacity of the young man to take on what is probably the best test bowling attack in the world right now and do it with so much brilliance, charisma and confidence and for me as he walked off the pitch back to the Pavilion, I will always remember his smile, that to me clearly showed his pure enjoyment of what he had done by creating history and scoring those wonderful 98 runs to give Australia a chance of winning the first test and incidentally Agar’s proud mum who was in the crowd witnessing her son make history is of Asian origin, Sri Lankan to be precise! Will be hearing and seeing a lot more of Mr Ashton Agar in years to come for sure!
On a different note ShahidAfridi’s record breaking bowling figures taking 7 wickets for 12 runs and his quick fire 76 to help Pakistan compressively win the first one day international against the West Indies on their home turf was a revelation, I fail to see how the Pakistan Cricket Board left Afridi out of the Champions Trophy that took place in England in June. Afridi still has the wow factor which no current Pakistan player has, he is the MS Dhoni of Pakistan with his all round performance and has the track record to prove it, learn from your selections mistakes PCB selectors and company, please lose the politics and favouritism and select players on merit so great players like WasimAkram, WaqarYounis, InzamamUlHaq can once again take Pakistan to the heights of success they deserve, incidentally these three players were chosen purely on ability and merit, solely by probably Pakistan’s greatest player and captain of all time, Imran Khan.
Ashton Agar….
