The former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott, a controversial figure for many owing to non cricket related activities, is 85 today. Tariq Ali, also a controversial figure for some, for entirely different reasons is 82.
The juxta position in the Times Birthday column reminds however that they do have something in common. Both are fierce critics of cricket teams. In the case of Geoffrey Boycott is often though far from exclusively England and for Tariq Ali likewise for the Pakistan team.
On the wider scale of course Boycott is firmly in the imperialist camp while Tariq Ali is a leading anti-imperialist.
Leave a Reply