A gambling analogy might not the be the best, but in a summer in which Pakistan have never failed to be anything less than gobsmacking, they've pulled one last card from the deck: Mohammad Irfan.
Maybe he's 6'8; perhaps he's 7'1. The tape measure doesn't seem quite sure, but one thing is certain. When he comes running in, he looks like the massive kid in a school match told to open the bowling because he's the biggest.
On TMS there was a discussion about how, despite being 7'1, he's not very quick and doesn't get much bounce. Their conclusion was that he doesn't have a delivery stride as such, he just lets it go when he arrives at the stumps.
Maybe it's another scale thing. People may be getting bigger, but the dimensions of the game have remained the same. If he did have a long, bounding delivery stride, he'd probably have to start it from about the point Paul Collingwood marks his run.
Before Irfan leaves the country, he should bowl at Will Jefferson, the world's biggest batsman, if only for the delight of stattos everywhere...
Three memories of cricket in 2024
1 day ago
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We turned up to play an Old Boys side about fifteen years ago. They had a freak of nature playing for them - seven foot tall and only 16 years old.
We were told by the opposing skipper that he was an opening bowler and was picking up wickets by the hatful for the school.
Our opening batsmen started scurrying round, borrowing thigh pads - one of them even bagged a helmet from the adjoining pitch.
Outcome - he was useless. Ambled up, much like Irfan and could barely land it on the cut strip.
We were skittled for 80 by a middle-aged seamer from the other end who was only five foot six...
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