leicsmac

Yeah. Not sure if 2-2 is a fair reflection, but it's been a great series.

Pure sporting theatre.

It is absolutely significant, no doubting that at all. And goodness knows people may well not have the spoons to know and deal with every crisis out there, as there are so many.

There's a whole lexicon of complexity on that matter, some of which you describe here. But yeah, it is a little odd that folks seem to only be able to focus on one humanitarian crisis at a time, and the one currently being focused on may not even be the biggest or most significant.

Oh dear. International affairs in a particular area of the world about halfway between the UK and Singapore related?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3v3rygdrryo Interesting piece on the relocation of an embassy and current relations between the UK and China.

It's fitting that a series with this many twists and turns should go down to the 25th day of 25. 35 runs, or four (three) wickets. Here we go.

Also, get the biggest, heaviest roller on there and go to town overnight.

Test cricket at it's finest.

Nervy times. Great sporting theatre.

Root (practically) always a man for the biggest of occasions. So it has proved here.

It certainly has been a great series. Ebbed and flowed massively and two very good teams pushing each other to the limit.

Fair and goodness knows Brook is a maverick, but personally I think if a bloke scores 111 in a pursuit of 370-odd and the pursuit fails, that's down to his teammates, not him. Edit: Bethell juggling chainsaws there.

Brook has more than played his part. Now it's time for Bethell (and perhaps Smith) to do theirs and Root to do what he usually does in this situation.

Target into double figures.

And breathe.

What was it Napoleon said about lucky/good generals? This. Exactly that, really. The distance between genius and idiocy is measured only by success.

Well, for about 20 minutes, I guess? Edit: glad it happened to Siraj though, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

Siraj doing his best here to match the size of his talent with the size of his ego.

Or not. Damn it.

Pope has some serious fourth innings issues if his numbers are any judge. Would be a good time to exorcise a demon or two there.

At least one of those needs to be there at the end. Brook can do circumspect - he just doesn't do it often. Hopefully he figures now is one of those times.

Both the greedy for money and (more importantly) the greedy for power.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgnm07zedro A number of bioluminescent plankton have been spotted off the coast of Cornwall. Bioluminescent plankton are small creatures floating in the sea that have the ability to emit light when disturbed by a predator or motion. Visitors to Kynance Cove managed to catch a glimpse of the rare sight last weekend. Life can be pretty incredible. (Though bioluminescent plankton tend to congregate mostly in tropical waters, so make of that what you will.)

First session tomorrow utterly critical, then.