The other night, I was watching an interesting doco about the ephemeral flowers of the desert. The seeds can lie dormant in the soil for years, waiting for the right conditions to grow. Occasionally rains will come, the seeds quickly germinate and the plants flourish. In no time, they produce a dazzling show of flowers, a riot of colour which gives the impression the landscape might stay this way forever.
Eventually though, the flowers wilt and die in the searing sun, and as they do, they drop the seeds which contain the hopes of the next generation.
Reminded me a bit of the English at cricket.
From time to time they will put a team together which offers promise for the future but as they wilt and perish under the hot Australian sun, only the hopes of the next generation remain.
Hopes that the Australians don’t produce another golden era which dominates for 10-20 years; hopes that a child with English parents/grandparents is born somewhere in the world who can play the game; hopes the next English captain to win an Ashes series on Australian soil has even been born.
I dozed off during the show but woke up to hear an announcement aplogising for the break in transmission and assuring us that “normal service had been resumed".
Half asleep, I wondered, was I still on that doco or had we moved on to the cricket highlights?
EPHEMERAL FLOWERS OF THE DESERT
posted on 9/1/14
Well written mate! An England fan would generally call it wuming. It always irritates me. But now I am getting why they always respond this way, you Aussie boys really give them too much. Once again very well written!
posted on 9/1/14
"From time to time they will put a team together which offers promise for the future but as they wilt and perish.."
I thought you were talking about Pakstan.
posted on 9/1/14
Whereas, kangaroos can only hop few yards and don't habituate in any part of northern hemisphere...
posted on 9/1/14
Pakistan are inconsistent, I would agree to that but tgey can perish? No, no team would ever write them off! As for England, as far as I have seen them playing, ever since Pakistan humiliated them in 1992 WC final I have never seen them as a strong side until this short cute honeymoon length period that just wilted and perished
posted on 10/1/14
comment by thewinningways(well on course) (U1945)
posted 3 hours, 20 minutes ago
Pakistan are inconsistent, I would agree to that but tgey can perish? No, no team would ever write them off! As for England, as far as I have seen them playing, ever since Pakistan humiliated them in 1992 WC final I have never seen them as a strong side until this short cute honeymoon length period that just wilted and perished
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At least they had a honeymoon period
Tell me the last time Pakistan were ranked number 1,
posted on 10/1/14
Who cares about the ranking mate. India were number 1 when they were spanked 4-0 at the hands of England and they had another 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Aussies. And with almost the same team that was once ranked number 1, they got screwed once again by England in India. So it totally brought shame to the ranking system itself .
posted on 10/1/14
comment by thewinningways(well on course) (U1945)
posted 49 minutes ago
Who cares about the ranking mate. India were number 1 when they were spanked 4-0 at the hands of England and they had another 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Aussies. And with almost the same team that was once ranked number 1, they got screwed once again by England in India. So it totally brought shame to the ranking system itself.
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Had a feeling you'd ridicule the ranking system.
Most teams only care about it when they are on top