It has rained for much of the last two days in the 4th Ashes Test at Old Trafford. England need to win in order to square the series 2-2 with a final Test at the Oval on Thursday.
The question to be posed is what is to be done? Cricket stadiums with roofs is one theoretical answer. Probably too expensive and logistically difficult.
Perhaps its better to ask what would W G Grace do?
He would not(and actually did not) play on through the rain. His beard would have become waterlogged.
He would have applied the spirit of cricket, aka imperial advantage. This only works if its assumed English summers are wetter than those of other Test playing nations, which in a world of climate change may not be true.
Even so W G Grace did have form since he was clear people came to watch him. A reserve day or a replacement match for one abandoned as a draw would be in order. Of course that would hardly fit with the neo-liberal agenda of the ECB, determined to play five Ashes Test in July.
Perhaps its time to return to the Spirit of WG, particularly the beard.
Leave a Reply