staying in
21 August 2006. Inspired by forfeits.
By chance, yesterday I was listening to Test Match Special online in my flat, just as tea was called early for bad light. Mike Selvey was criticising the England and Wales Cricket Board for not having made any announcement about the five runs penalty, and the replacement of the match ball, that had occured during the previous session.
"The worst thing," he said, "is the Chinese Whispers that run around the crowd in the absence of an announcement. First it's that five runs have been added, then it's that the ball was illegally tampered with, then it's that the bowler has been banned from playing, and by the time it reaches you again, it's that the whole Pakistan team are refusing to come out to play after the interval. It's absurd. That isn't the case, by the way, to anyone who's just tuned in."
Half an hour later, I was imagining an ashen-faced Selvey, sitting quietly at the back of the commentary box, thinking "Did I do that?"