It was Day 2, first session of the second Ashes Test- Adelaide 2006.
Like every single unique mind that resided at my first year college hostel, I, as well, was totally behind the English cricket team simply because the team they had to play against was the Aussies.
And so, down to hell I hated watching the Aussies and you, ricky conquering the cricket world inch by inch but neatly.
To add fuel to the fire of hatefulness that blazed you always out of my mind, I was often remembered by people to judge your attitudes and character as if I was employed by the angels of truth.
Early morning on ESPN, Aussies were three down and trailing by almost 500 runs. I reckon Matthew Hoggard was in mission demolition and so was the Barmy Army.
And suddenly there was one brutal pull shot like a bolt out of the blue, at the speed as Andrew Flintoff bowled. Indeed, All I really needed was that one hit to the great Australian bight, and i realized then that I’d started loving your game, Rick. I found it very, very irresistible.
It’s all been through till this day when you eventually got dumped from the ODI Aus team, I love your athleticism all the way in spite of those hatred conversations I had to earn from my dear friends (no offense here) every time for being a fanatical rick fan here.
Rick, they say you are not as great as the little master or not elegant as the super Lara or not fair as Gilly or not good as the captain “Mark Taylor”. (But then If you were full of all these, I would probably have been bored of you, rick!)
I love the most in you, is the fighter, true as none, on the possible face of planet cricket earth.
It’s been about the confronts all the way right from the drunken Ricky with a dark eye, after being punched in a bar fight, to the fearless champion to the dumped man’s yesterday press conference! That’s the warrior fact I loved most about you!
Of course there are some eye splitting leap catches at slips, some stump broken direct hits by the cricket ball threw at some athletic velocity, some Shakespeare like written straight drives and not to forget is those thundering pull shots to the roofs of MCG. i loved it, i cherished it!
You’re truly in a league of your own athleticism and I loved it the like the rhythm of violin.
When you indicated that a yesterday’s stand-in national captain can even go to the Moubray club cricket in Launceston (Hometown) of Tasmania (an island even the Aussies sometimes forget to include in their maps) only to keep some cricketing form for your remaining test carrier, I understood what cricket means to you. So because you drink, breath and sweat cricket like no other.
"I've always been of the belief that I don't mind people trying things and failing”. it may tell you're not after some applauding fairytale finish or personal recognition in the test carrier either. But to me, it reckons how tough bloke you still are?
A tough bloke? Glad you guys asked this (thank you)!
After the 2010 ashes were blown up by the hurricane of the New England, it was the defending championship straight into the world cup.
Soon enough, you were in the news for all the wrong reasons starting with a TV smashing (a batting glove accident led to some pixel blurring in a LCD), a frustrated sign at teammate for a catch colliding and a not walking for a not given wicket (but so is 99% batsmen).
Watching all this unfolded I could not help but wondered if you would get up at all. Just a few more punches and you must go down. Surely you can’t take anymore.
But then I should have known better. Cometh the hour cometh the man!
Like a true fighter you are, you didn’t surrender but instead you did what you do best. You got on the front foot and played a game of your league in the quarterfinal against India (eventually the champions). Isn’t you, gladiator?
Isn’t the courage an unparalleled weapon for a gladiator, rick? And there's no surprise you are a big fan of Roger Federer.
Roger and you're the two sort of guys I love most for the kiddingly risking of a well built legacy to just get every last bit out of you because the madly love you are in.
I heard there's a heart too in every gladiator and maybe I’d ask dravid or langer how you feel like personally!
Sadly you're the man who had lost the ashes maximum number times you might be remembered for that. After all, only great people are remembered for their failures and ordinary man for their triumphs.
Somebody said,"it's not over when you're losing terribly... its over when you quit". So till then, I cheer for every cricket ball you combat with, on the grasslands.
The Staying aficionado,
MP.
MP.
