At Lords: Man of the Match to a Cricket Ball … Good Lord!@!@! – By Dr Michael Roberts

Michael Roberts

My Man of the Match over the years has often been a Man. Sometimes a bowler, batsman or fielder. Also perhaps an umpire or even a third umpire. Possible even a selector, coach or psychologist.

This time, after yesterday’s Lord’s Test match, my Man of the Match ….. aka MOM ….. was the ball. Short and sweet, clear and simple , it was the actual BALL ! You will remember that at the end over 55 Captain Kane and Southey showed umpire Rod Tucker the ball, claiming that it had gone out of shape. Sure enough it was stuck in the gauge and New Zealand were able to choose a replacement ball. They smiled happily but did not realise that it would be the BATSMEN who would soon be smiling. At this stage England needed 99 to win.

From that moment batting became a breeze. The ball wouldn’t move at all and might as well have been a lump of soap. Even Jimmy Anderson could have made a hundred. To Joe Root it became a picnic. He cut, pulled dabbed and drove as he pleased. Even Foakes started batting like Gavaskar. For New Zealand it was MATCH OVER!

My MOM was clearly the BALL. If New Zealand hadn’t changed it they would have won the match.

See you at Trent Bridge !