To RD, with no love, and a big, stinking pile of cow-itch

This post is dedicated to my former good friend RD, who has the unfettered audacity to take his narrow behind on over to Kensington Oval to witness the fourth Test between the West Indies and England, while I languish here in London, cricketless. Well not entirely cricketless, I get to watch it on my computer, with about a four-minute delay and spotty audio. I don't like it when I can barely hear the dulcet tones of Michael Holding's deadpan commentary: it makes for a very huffy mongoose. The only thing better than Holding (and Boycott - come back, Geoff!) on commentary is getting to watch the actual cricket in the actual sunshine. But I'm not mad. Do I look mad?

So today, the West Indies will be looking to continue its performance and momentum after thrashing England in the first Test at Sabina Park and managing a hard-fought draw in the third at the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG). After that dark, moody, crypt of a pitch at the ARG, it's time for some real cricket at Kensington, where we know how to prepare a cricket ground. Yes, that was a dig at Antigua. I'm still not over it. The track at the Oval has lost a little of the old pace and probably favours the batsman a bit more than it used to, but Taylor and Edwards, if they remain consistent, should be able to get something out of the fine pace and bounce that are still the wicket at Kensington. (I don't know what's happening with Daren Powell. But I'm a little soft on him so I'm hoping he delivers.) And have I mentioned how heartened I am to see the commitment of the squad and selectors to keeping a real (left-arm) spinner in the person of Sulieman Benn? Could this mean that we're finally ready to dedicate to developing good specialist spin bowlers again instead of losing our nerve and dropping them after a couple Test matches? One dwells in hope.

So I'm anxious to watch some cricket. RD has already set out and has promised to bring me live updates from the Oval, but I don't believe him. So I aim to get in as much writing as I can right now, then get my cricket on.

And for my readers who have no earthly idea what I'm talking about because "what the hell is cricket?", I thought of helping you out with some links, then I realized I would have to link every other word. So I had to abandon that idea. But, you know, there's wikipedia.