I've been following the Champions Trophy of late, as this time of year is very much a time where I look forward to the prospect of cricket to come - and as a result consume any media relating to cricket overseas. This also allows me to read things during the present tumultuous times without having to consume actual news, which of late has been universally rubbish, filled with all the worst things and people; like a throwback from the mid-war period of the 20th Century with nations and people trying to out-compete each other for who can say and do the most awful thing. History doesn't look kindly on this sort of behaviour, but sadly we have to live in the here and now and figure out what to make of it all as it evolves around us.
I keep half expecting Dick Dastardly to announce he is running for President of the World, with major policy ambitions to fly around in a weird biplane dropping comically large cartoonish bombs using a dog on random places he doesn't like, and to declare he will imprison all cartoon characters he doesn't get on with (so all of them) - with his election posters featuring the likes of Yogi Bear and Scooby Doo looking sad behind bars. In our present times, somehow some people would say, "I'd vote for that!", and I'd quietly shake my head and try to carry on being nice to everyone.
Anyway, I digress. Things I've enjoyed at the Champions Trophy have been Ben Duckett's mega 165 against Australia - particularly as he never really looks like he's that good, short, slightly ungainly and not the most athletic, yet accumulates runs in a pleasing way that makes players like me think, if he can, perhaps, perhaps... The England v Australia game was, despite us coming out on the wrong side of it, a thrilling fixture. The other notable points that stick in my head were the Josh Inglis slaughterhouse innings of 100 in 77 balls, and Afghanistan's Zadran hitting 177 on the way to a defeat of England.
England haven't done well, and Jos Buttler has had to step down, but you have to admire how England have been on the wrong end of most of the tournaments best moments in an almost comically consistent fashion. Seeing Afghanistan with the ever likable Jonathan Trott as their coach do well, is quite heartening - although there is an added complexity even here given how women's sports in Afghanistan, including the women's team, is banned. There is at least a positive postscript here that Cricket Australia has stepped up in such an admirable fashion to give them a home from home, and hopefully one day the wheels of social progressiveness will turn in their favour again.
One thing I categorically have not liked is the India team having all their games in Dubai, at the same ground, with the same hotel, training pitch and conditions for all their games and no travel. It also seems like a decision has been made purely out of financial greed and bias, with a lack of integrity featuring quite heavily.
Maybe cricket is not that different to world affairs after all. Dick Dastardly would be proud.
They may have engraved India's name on the trophy before the tournament began
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