[Added later] Can you believe it? One of the finest writers of all time on cricket, with his columns mastering the language as much as the subject, Peter Roebuck, is dead at 55. Having read some of his autobiographical material I just knew from the very early moment when I read the news that the circumstances would carry a story of deep tragedy. A piece in Melbourne’s Age expresses it so well that for a moment I thought it must be Roebuck writing. But it isn’t and it never will be again.
[NB: Kiwi’s Shane Bond (22.09) and Richard Hadlee (22.29) are not far behind and remarkably similar as well. Of all the bowlers from all the countries in the history of Test cricket (let’s say, since 1900 and the subsequent era of covered pitches) who have bowled at least 3000 balls – that is a reasonable career – Shane Bond has the best strike rate of them all. Every 38.7 balls he got someone out…]
About Me
the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.
Recent Posts
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Ten years ago, Ode to Georgetown was my response to being surprised by grief when the only church I had ever pastored closed its doors. Last week brought the news that the theological college which I attended, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), was to close most of its Chicagoland campus. I have been feeling a…
I am neither painter nor poet, musician nor actor. With Art and Music and Drama classes at school, I was present in body—but absent in spirit and skill. However, as a teacher, there has been the occasional flare of creativity in the crafting of assignments. One of my favourites is one of my first ones.…
John Stott was the first one to help me see the tension in Jesus’ teaching on salt and light. They are pictures for how his disciples are to live in society. Salt pulls them in, keeping them involved. Light holds them back, keeping them distinctive. Being light responds to ‘the danger of worldliness’, while being…
6 days out of 7, almost sounds like test cricket Paul 🙂
I'd suggest cricket, even T20, would be more physically demanding than baseball though, yeah? More running for both bowlers and batters; pitchers don't run and batters only run a lap of the diamond at a time at most, whereas an opener carrying his bat through an innings could do at least a 100 20-yard shuttle runs.
I'm looking forward to 3 games in 6 days at the Mount this summer though, 29th Dec, and 4th/5th Jan. You'll not find a venue like that in baseball… 😉
I can't believe Roebuck is dead, and under such horrible circumstances! Dreadful! One of my favourite things to do every morning when the Oz team was playing was to open the SMH and see what Roebuck had to say. So insightful and erudite, managing to be simultaneously profound and original (so rare!), just a master with words. I really hope the implications about him aren't true – that would so taint his writing. (In my eyes at least, I would find it hard to separate the man's actions from his writing).
BTW, (and a lot less importantly), I think most baseball teams have a rotation policy that enables them to do 6 days out of 7, don't they. Wouldn't cricket teams have to do the same kind of thing. Not sure I like that idea. Rotation policies and NZ don't seem to go together too well. 🙂
Looking forward to some first class cricket in Lincoln on days off soon. It's great for me to be able to walk to the games, but I already know that there'll be more umpires than spectators and that's just ridiculous. Cricket is a great game (obviously), but I'm not convinced that the administrators market or promote it well.
Mark & Greg
I'll stick by what I've suggested, if I may 🙂 … A three week window for Twenty20 is critical for NZ cricket for all kinds of reasons.
That is 3-4 games every 7 days (so NOT at the baseball level, even if a bit closer to it) for three weeks. That means core bowlers are bowling 16 overs A WEEK! I'm sure they can manage that. Interestingly, that is almost exactly the same as a starting pitcher in baseball who will throw 100+ pitches every 5-6 days.
In the professional era where they are paid to do a job that they love, it should be possible. And while we are at it, let's narrow the IPL window a bit as well (although travelling is a bit more of a challenge over there).
I'd like to think Roebuck was blackmailed (it is a plausible scenario), rather than guilty – but I guess we will find out one day. One thing is for sure. I am going to miss those columns of his.
Listening to Martin Crowe the other day (he was caught up in the ugly Somerset affair with Roebuck and Botham that drove Roebuck from the UK) and he reckoned that Botham predicted to Roebuck's face that he would one day "top himself", such was the complicated anguish going on in his being.
I wish some of these people would open their lives to Jesus.
Paul