Ten Things #9
Gideon Haigh on owners behaving badly, Jimmy's farewell, and Albini obsequies.
1/ The IPL is still on.
2/ But tempers are fraying as the possibilities, finally, narrow, ever so slightly. Last week’s headlines were made by Sanjiv Goenka’s animated post-match monologue with KL Rahul after their Lucknow Super Giants failed to turn up against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and were monstered by ten wickets inside ten overs. For which Goenka has been extensively criticised, the consensus being that the owner should have made any such complaints privately.
3/ Having never met a consensus I much liked the look of, I say no, a thousand times no. The more the IPL looks like a smooth-running capitalist machine - that is to say, most of the time - the less appealing it is. Who wants passive investors just there for the rake-off? I say let’s see more owners losing their temper. After all, it’s their money on the line. If they don’t care, if they’re not visibly frustrated about their millions being frittered away, then they’re no better than the Glazers - invisible, indifferent, cynical, manipulative. LSG were bloody awful. Rahul set no example with the bat, the bowlers sent down a shower of shite, the margin reflected the teams’ respective convictions. As Aussie rules devotee Justin Langer knows, such games hereabouts are called ‘coach killers’.
4/ Mumbai Indians are travelling so badly, meanwhile, that they've brought in David Attenborough.
5/ Looking forward to Max Bonnell’s new title.
6/ Thanks to readers who tipped me off about Baby Reindeer, relieving me of further complicity in what’s become the prestige television equivalent of the Lehrmann defamation trial: the public event from which everybody emerges badly.
7/ I’ll write a bit more about him ahead of his farewell, but I feel duty bound to confess I composed my first valedictory for James Anderson more than six years ago, ahead of a Sydney Test that loomed as his last in Australia. Since then I’ve been delighted by his having taken 177 wickets at 24. My excuse would be that towards the end of a great player’s career, you start to worry about never having the opportunity to write about them again, and I always enjoyed the prospect of describing Anderson - there was always something new to say, some aspect of his technique or personality to evoke. Maybe we’re finally to explore how I concluded that earlier reflection: ‘It will be interesting to see how one who has expressed so much of his personality through cricket comes to terms with life beyond it.’ Anderson is already talking about playing on for Lancashire, even for Burnley, and I would cheerfully find him a gig at the Yarras, at least in order to coax another appearance from Dirk Nannes.
8/ Speaking of eminent Lancastrians, this enticing prospect was brought to my attention by old mate Pierre Voltaire. But Ryan Gosling as Mark E. Smith? Some mishtake shurley. Comments are open for suggested casting in the Mighty Fall biopic, with the reminder than Smith’s own suggestion was Tyler Durden - I’m not sure which.
9/ And speaking of irascible musicians, there has been an outbreak of terrific writing about Steve Albini, including this moving elegy from Bonnie Prince Billy, this technical appraisal from Samantha Bennett, and this shrewd tribute from Amanda Petrusich. Killer quote: ‘There was no amount of money or fame that could entice Albini to compromise. How many artists can we still say that about?’ Answers on a postage stamp please.
10/ ‘If a record takes more than a week to make, somebody’s fucking up.’ Albini’s maxim should be emblazoned on every studio, although it was, inevitably, anticipated byThe Fall, who recorded Live At The Witch Trials in a day. Great Fall moments #346,923: towards the end of ‘Music Scene’, one hears the disembodied voice of the sound engineer: ’OK studio, that’s plenty.’ The band meanders on for several minutes more.
Gideon Haigh is a journalist and writes for Cricket Et Al
re #3
The most interesting thing I remember about the IPL is the blog by 'Fake IPL PLayer' in 2009.
It was so funny to see the BCCI, who at that time had just built up their air of invincibility, be ineffective in stopping it.
Apparently the secret to Jimmy’s long career and fitness was yoga. He started up yoga a few years back and that gave his body more flexibility with the stretching helping immensely.