Hey, welcome back test cricket!
Pakistan has never won a test series in the Caribbean and this is a very legitimate chance for them to break that unfortunate streak. I am looking forward to enjoying a few five day matches – it seems it has been months since we have had any real test cricket to savor.
Of course, there is a 60% chance of showers in Providence this morning, so we will be really lucky if they get a full day in.
The first test is at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Which looks to be a real peach of stadium:
It was built in 2006 for the 2007 World Cup in what looks to be a farm/industrial area 50 miles south of Georgetown, Guyana.
I also found it interesting that Guyana is not part of the Caribbean island grouping, it is instead actually part of South America.
The things you learn whilst writing a cricket blog that nobody reads.
My point is this: it would be wonderfully awesome to be at the ground this morning.
My other point is: is Guyana really in the Caribbean? Will Pakistan technically break their streak even if they win all three tests? I mean, really, one of the matches is in South America…. I don’t know. It’s a judgment call.
In other Cricket news, there is talk of a pink ball for test matches. Not because the ICC is interested in breast cancer awareness like the MLB here in the states with their pink bats on mother’s day (though I am still not sure how having known steroid user David Ortiz swing a pink bat is supposed to make us more aware of breast cancer (and that aside, who isn’t aware of breast cancer?) but they are looking to use the pink ball, of course, because it is visible under floodlights. Floodlights mean prime time test matches. And prime test matches mean more TV revenue.
I am not trying to sound bitter, and I am not ruing the influence of TV money on the game, but I just wish the ICC would be a little more up front about their motives.
They also proposed at the recent ICC meeting the continuation of the “Decision Review System” aka “instant replay”. Which I think is great news and hopefully it will extend to all levels of the game, where applicable. I am all for getting the calls right, every time.
That’s that for today. Until tomorrow.
Limited Overs 