Just a very short posting in praise of Shorpy (link to left). It's basically an online collection of old photographs. It's absolutely fascinating and with a large number of contributors there is nearly always something new. The above is 'teen dance party 1950s' but the photos - which appear to be pretty much all American - go way back deep into the nineteenth century. And the name? The blog is a kind of virtual memorial for child miner from Alabama with the wonderful name of Shorpy Higginbotham who was photographed in 1910 by a man - I don't know if he was a professional photographer or enthusiastic amateur - named Lewis Wickes Hine. There was no happy ending for the Shorpy story. He was killed in a mine collapse in January 1928 aged 31. Shorpy had married the previous November and became the posthumous father of a boy in the summer of 1928. His now very elderly son has been located but didn't want to talk. Here is Shorpy at the front with his pals. Have a look at the blog. It's well worth it. The collection of old posters is a cracker too!
Talking of very old things, should Mark Ramprakash be recalled after 7 years absence for the Ashes decider? My heart says 'yes', my head says 'no'.
An elderly gent...
2 comments:
since they seem determined to drop somebody, i hope it's bell - never right in the head (a bit like that bloke who played a few years ago; now what was his name again??? ram-something). i really wish bell scored more runs, because when he does he looks excellent; sadly you have to conculde he doesn't have the balls for the top level and the aussies know it. i think the are secretly worried about rav, which is why they chose to rubbish him pre-series and if those in the camp reckon his head is still in the right place he should be retained to bat a bit lower than 3. if his confidence is shot, he should be 'rested'; this one-off test will be no place for faint hearts (see bell and ram-wotsit abve). robert key has to be worth a pick and his 90 the other day - while meaningless as almost all runs in county cricket are at test level at least argues that his confidence will be high.
if rav is rested as well, we need someone who can bat for a while - the aussies are actually quite short in bowling, especially if they go without haritz as they may do on the flat bouncy oval... no obvious candidates in my mind but denly was in the frame earlier this year and made good runs against them for the lions. give him a run.
if flintoff is fit we will have a mch moe balanced look and the bowling can't afford both harmison and broad. the latter may have saved himself with a few meaningless wickets after the damage was done at headingley, but i think he is seriously struggling as a test bowler - he as the ability to make it but isn't at the moment. i'd have harmy and sidebottom if fully fit - if he has actually lost that yard of pace which turned him from good circuit bowler to test star then much as i love his attitude, he is dog meat at this level.
so a putative xi is: strauss, cook, key, bopara(denley), collingwood, prior, flintoff, swann, anderson, sidebottom, harmison. a bit of balance, capable of bowling them out twice (given a bit of luck) and no bottlers - still a bit lightweight in the batting, but that's inevitable without kp. pray that someone in the middle order remembers which end of the bat to use. it could be a great test with a terminally sick flintoff leaving amid the victory cheers to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair - ahem, i'm sorry, the ipl.
Oh dear,SW, I don't like any of the options. Maybe exhume WG Grace and see if what's left of the old boy by way of mortal remains is up for a game?
Failing this - ummmmm...
Strauss (well obviously)
Cook (still with credit ion the bank)
RAMPRAKASH I've changed my mind - what the hell!
Bopara (what the hell part 2 - by the law of averages - so to speak - he has to come off soonish - anyway what's the alternative? Okay it's Trott, Denly, Key etc - my pulse is not racing. It will be noted that I have moved the reprobate down a place.
Collingwood - still has credit a the bank - just.
Prior
Flintoff - I pause for a very loud WE ARE NOT WORTHY! I just hope he is not played if he is crooked. He deserves a better last Test than that.
Swann - I'm almost inclined to go for Monty as an alternative but Swann's batting and general arsey attitude swings it.
Harmison - He may do a show pony but if he fires on all cylinders then he's the best bet to put them on the ropes.
Anderson 'Nuff said.
Onions - He has bowled better than Broad (absent, you will notice) this summer and we need to bowl them out twice. No Sidebottom either 'cos I don't rate him.
That is 11 isn't it? ;)
I still don't see a happy ending
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