Strange are the ways of
people !
The UK government missed
its target of returning all covid-19 tests in England within 24 hours by the
end of June, according to data published today. UK Prime minister Boris Johnson
set the target in parliament on 3 June, saying that all covid-19 tests would be
returned within 24 hours by the end of the month. But the latest figures from
the Department of Health and Social Care show that only 54.9 per cent of people
who were tested for covid-19 within communities in the week ending 1 July
received their test results within 24 hours, although the number meeting the
24-hour time limit did rise from 41.3 per cent in the previous week. The
figures include home tests, as well as those performed at regional testing
sites, mobile testing units and satellite testing centres across England.
The number of coronavirus
infections outside of hospitals and care homes in England has fallen slightly,
according to the latest provisional results from a random swab testing survey
by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Yet the numbers are no small –
total no. of Coronavirus Cases: 287,621p; Deaths: 44,602
And at this crucial
juncture, England is keen on ensuring flow of money through sports – yes,
football and now Cricket is happening. A
Cricket Test being played after India New Zealand test in Mar 2020 – now on at
Southampton from July 8, 2020 between touring West Indies and England. Usually,
when we think fast bowling, we think speed. More so when we think Caribbean
fast bowling. Holder is the tallest fast bowler in Test cricket. He is strong.
Yet he is not quick. And so the perception builds about him, that he's somehow
lesser.
Southampton is a city in
Hampshire, South East England, 70 miles (110 km) south-west of London. A
major port, and close to the New Forest, it lies at the northernmost point of
Southampton Water, at the confluence of the River Test and Itchen, with the
River Hamble joining to the south. The Port of Southampton is a passenger and
cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in
the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was
inaugurated in 1843. The port has been owned and operated by Associated British
Ports since 1982, and is the busiest cruise terminal and second largest
container port in the UK.
Southampton
ticked the boxes on the ECB’s list of criteria, which required venues to have
the ability to turn into ‘island sites’ during matches. There is perimeter and
access control; it is a custom-built standalone venue away from the main city.
There is plenty of space for medical screening and testing facilities,
isolation areas and car parking. It also packs in indoor and outdoor practice
facilities. In short, players can be ‘locked down’ inside the complex with
almost all their needs met, apart from the urge to step out, that is. Of
course, it was not easy for Hampshire to
put everything together. But it was very important for cricket in
England that they started playing again.
The West Indies cricket
squad landed in England, completed its
14-day isolation period in England on 22.6.2020. The tourists have been in quarantine at
Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket ground and adjoining hotel since arriving in
Britain on 9 June. They started their first warmup game on Tuesday, as England’s
30-man training group too started at the
Ageas Bowl in Southampton and were tested for COVID-19 on arrival along with the
management team.
Old Trafford is England’s
second oldest test venue and one of the most renowned. It was the venue for the first ever Ashes
test to be held in England in July 1884. In 1956, the first 10-wicket haul in a
single innings was achieved by England bowler Jim Laker who achieved bowling
figures of 19 wickets for 90 run.
Now the
action began and the scorecard reads : West Indies 57 for 1 (Brathwaite 20*,
Hope 3*) trail England 204 (Stokes 43, Holder 6-42, Gabriel 4-62) by 147 runs
West Indies captain Jason
Holder took a career-best haul of 6 for 42 to roll England for 204 at the Ageas
Bowl, before their top order saw them through to the close one wicket
down. While it would prove to be Holder's
day, it was Gabriel who made the early breakthroughs after Rory Burns and Joe
Denly had come through the first half hour. Denly was the first to go, his
stumps splattered as a vicious nip-backer burst through a hefty gap between bat
and pad and crashed into the top of off. Then, after hanging the ball outside
Burns' off stump from round the wicket, Gabriel fired one in full at his pads,
striking him in front of leg stump. Richard Kettleborough concluded it was
missing leg stump, but Holder disagreed and was vindicated by a successful
review.
In reply, England bowled
with good pace but failed to make as many breakthroughs as they would have
hoped. Anderson was the most threatening bowler. Three times he wrapped John
Campbell on the pad and had him given lbw; on the first two occasions, Richard Illingworth's
decision was overturned as the ball had pitched outside the leg stump, but on
the third, the on-field call was upheld.
With so many decisions
going for a review, Umpiring is either poor or biased ! – the interesting fact
is amidst all ruins of Covid 19, Test Cricket is now on.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
10.7.2020
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