05 December 2006

Ashes to Ashes - lost at dusk

I promised I would write about my attempts to catch the ashes on either TV or the internet after missing the entire first test. I said i’d write about it here. Where have I been? I have been listening to the whole lot via satellite radio.

The second test has been the biggest English cricketing disaster of all time. No team in history has lost after declaring on a higher total than England's 551-6 batting first in a Test. In history.. Period. That was the most dismal second innings in history.

Where did it go wrong?

The dressing room.

Every leader in every walk of life, whether it be sport, business, politics or any thing else needs the ability to motivate. While the England team are sitting looking at the tiled floor in their changing room with the Aussies screaming with joy next door, Freddie should pick himself up, chest out and read them the following quotes from real leaders:-

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
Sir Winston Churchill

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.Confucius

Although, I suspect that judging by the last couple of days action, he is reading the following by David Brent:-

“I thought I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was just some b*stard with a torch, bringing me more work.”

“If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.”

“If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation.”


So, after this, what next? The series can still be won, ok, I am being optimistic but it can. We can win the next three tests but we need to sort out the bowling, we need to do that now. Once the bowlers are taking wickets, the heads will stay up. Look at KP near the end today, he overthrew a ball and gave and extra four runs. This was purely frustration and that must not be shown again.

Me, I live in France, ski season has just started and is getting coverage on TV, I guess i’ll have to watch that..yawn..

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