Shouldn’t we be somewhere else?
As England and New Zealand were enjoying a day off (well England were enjoying it anyway) an interesting sub-plot was going on at Chester-le –street. In what looks like a belter of a match that Durham lost to Hampshire by just four runs. But it wasn’t the closeness of the contest, but the battle between two men who have been the talismen for the respective international sides in very recent times.
Shane Bond beat Harmison by nine wickets to eight in the match, including the last gasp winner, although ironically it was Harmy stranded at the other end after scoring 36 not out as Durham edged closer to a win. Presumably as I write this they may be in the bar together wondering what might have been. What might have been if Bond wasn’t made of glass? What if Harmy could get his headspace to match his talent? And what if the powers that be had not decided Bond was no longer eligible to represent New Zealand thanks to his involvement with the ICL.
Sadly it seems they will remain unfulfilled talents, which might make even Bond’s celebratory beer a touch bittersweet as he sees his old team-mates struggle whilst Harmy could be forgiven for feeling even more annoyed having just watched Anderson do what he used to do so well in an England shirt.
And they say football is a funny old game.
