A woman scoring a hundred against men
Louth CC beat Market Deeping CC by 72 runs on the back of steely century by Arran Brindle. So what’s the big deal, you wonder? Well, turns out Arran Brindle is a woman, playing in the ECB’s Lincolnshire men’s premier league. Brindle’s 128 is the first hundred by a woman in men’s premier league cricket in England, and possibly anywhere.
Brindle, who has represented England in nine women’s Tests and 58 ODIs, took a break from international cricket in 2005 to spend more time with her family. She will return to international cricket this summer, following her inclusion in England Women's 14-player squad for the 2011 NatWest Women's Quadrangular Series. In the interim, she captained the Louth first XI over three seasons.
“The timing of my innings means that my confidence is high going in to the international women's quadrangular tournament this summer,” Brindle said. “I have played for Louth men's first XI for several years now, and I captained the side in 2007, 2009 and 2010. It's a totally natural environment for me."
What’s the connection between a set of pristine, genteel cricket whites and the violent anarchy of Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film A Clockwork Orange? Actor Malcolm McDowell, who played the role of the psychopath Alex in the cult classic, has revealed that his ultra-stylish look in the film – in full whites with a giant codpiece - was inspired by his cricket gear. Actor and director were pondering over the charismatic delinquent’s possible costumes when McDowell said, “Well, I've got my cricket gear in the car. We could try that.” Kubrick loved how McDowell looked in the crisp white uniform and suggested that he wear the outfit's groin protector on the outside. The outfit and makeup went on to make Alex one of Hollywood's most memorable menacing young on-screen hooligans. The film was recently re-screened at the Cannes Film Festival ahead of a special 40th anniversary release.
To the list of cricketing stoppages, from the familiar 'rain stopped play', to the more confusing 'reflecting sun stopped play', the downright bizarre ‘stuffed toy stopped play’ can be added after an academy match at the Rose Bowl was held up by a cuddly toy.
A stuffed toy animal brought a large-scale police operation in Hampshire after an alarm was first raised by a concerned member of the public who believed there was an escaped white tiger hiding in a field near Hedge End.
Officers were sent to the scene along with a helicopter and thermal imaging cameras, at about 1600 BST on Saturday. When no body heat was detected police moved in and found a toy tiger.
The match between South Wiltshire and Hampshire Academy was stopped for 20 minutes before they were given the all-clear to continue. A police spokeswoman said: "After a brief stalk through the Hedge End savannah, the officer realised the tiger was not moving and the air support using their cameras realised there was a lack of heat source. The tiger then rolled over in the down draft and it was at that point it became obvious it was a stuffed life-size toy.
"This incident will definitely be the highlight of our day. The CCTV footage convinced us all we were dealing with a real tiger. It's not often an incident leaves our staff with a smile on their face and it.”
Cricketers often say they feel on top of the world, but Adam Parore, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper, can actually claim to have been there. After nearly two months in Nepal, he has finally made it to the summit of Mount Everest. Parore, however, told Radio Live that the feeling is not all sunshine and roses. "In a lot of ways, it was quite disappointing at the time because you didn't just have the faculties to actually enjoy it," he said.
Parore had suffered altitude sickness during the climb, and had to abandon his first attempt at the summit due to bad weather. "It hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest ... the physicality of it and the sheer physical and mental commitment to make the top," Parore said after reaching the top on the second attempt. "I never expected to make the summit so it was quite a pleasant surprise to actually get there.
"But what a view mate. You can see the end of the world but it's just a shame you don't know what you're looking at. But everyone here who has climbed before says as time goes past you start to appreciate it more and more."
The 40-year-old Parore will donate all the money he raised by scaling the peak to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
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