RugbyRebels

Yes, well, that's one way to ensure a known outcome.

And Moeen has now retired from Test cricket. I don't really blame him from a personal perspective - it's probably the right decision both for his mental health and his career - but it's far from ideal that he's had the last two tests and we're now back to square one for spinners again.

Puja

Lancashire in full recovery mode now they've reached 21-6, it was 12-6

Lancy are batting again and are 40-1, they only need another 400 to make Warwickshire bat again, and it's Day 3

The YCCC house of cards is in danger of tumbling down into a hole of debt.

Difficult to see how what has happened in the last few days could not have been foreseen once the facts were revealed.
Michael V is also on a sticky wicket now that may require nimble footwork and clever shots for him to keep his wicket intact.

Odd it's taken this to get Yorkshire into trouble, for years if there was one ground you could count on for racist chanting it was Headingley, especially Saturday afternoon after a few pints if playing Sri Lanka, India, West Indies or Pakistan, and they kept giving them game after game

Karma for Kiwis - home with an over to spare, and into the final.
Looked hopeful until Neesham blitz and Bairstow boundary catch- no it's a six turnaround.
Pity Roy & Mills injured, but NZ team are top drawer at the moment.

Thought we had it in the bag halfway through their innings, but Neesham just pulled out an incredible performance to turn it around. Fair play to them; hope they go well in the final.

Puja

Decisive knock from Neesham but our bowling went to pot in the last few overs.

It's only pyjama cricket. And anyway, it's an event they're allowing Pakistan and Afghanistan to play in, which is odd when one looks at all the gnashing of teeth around some racist comments at Yorkshire, but no, we can just ignore stuff like women getting their heads chopped off for playing sport

The Gods are on the side of the colonial cousins it seems - fantastic knock by Wade and crucial drop when on just 21.
Scooping/paddling/ramping quickies over the fine leg boundary repeatedly should be penalised - clearly not correct battery.

This may be the stupidest thing I've ever heard of - Conway is out of the final because he punched his bat when he got out and broke his hand.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59251263

Puja

So I wanted to comment on Vaughan's comments somewhere...

"I'm not racist"
"I did not use racist language"
"Steve as they call him in Yorkshire because they can't pronounce his first name"
"That was three years ago - that's how much times have moved on in the three years."

No, Michael, no they have not, you're just perpetuating racism.

"The problem with this situation is that we've got too much 'he said, he said, she said, did they say' and I think we've got to move on from accusations of conversations from many years ago.

"There's a bigger picture here."

No, Michael, THAT is the bigger picture. The bigger picture is acknowledging that you have been racist, whether intentional or not, and doing something about it, not just blaming he said, she said. Utter twonk of an idiot. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm done with that now, he's an idiot and he deserves to be exiled for a long time, until he can actually admit he was racist, intentionally or otherwise, and do something about it.

It's an absolute disgrace that parts of society continue to believe that this kind of behaviour is fine and acceptable, and that the "bigger picture" is to ignore individual cases of hurt because it offends you that someone got hurt from something you said.

Fuck right off.

I was having this discussion with someone senior at my rugby club the other day. He was talking about a player he played with years back who had a nickname that, as far as he was aware, was completely his choice and which everyone called him and there was never any issue about, but which was, in and of itself, a racial slur. I suspect he was a bit concerned about it being the kind of thing that could come back up in the current environment and sought my advice because he has seen my Facebook postings and I'm probably the most opinionated liberal he knows.

I told him that, the thing was, I could absolutely see how a decent person could do it - gods knows I've said shitty things in the past, especially in a team environment where everyone else was saying it and, if the guy in question appeared fine with it, then it would've seemed permissable. And it's entirely possible that the guy *was* fine with it and it wasn't a problem! However, sometimes a person with a marginalised identity may seem fine with something and laugh along and even join in, because it's easier than standing up to a whole changing room and the popular people in it and declare yourself to not only be different, but "one of those types" who get offended at everything and define themselves by their identity ("woke" in the days before the bigoted had that word as a dedicated insult to hurl). It's easier to just accept it as "not that bad" and "just banter" when it actually makes you feel pretty shit, but you're scared of the jokes and laughter if you try and introduce yourself to the new guy as, "Hi, I'm Jamal".

The thing we all have to remember, and the thing which I'm fairly sure Vaughan hasn't got, is that one can be racist without being irredeemably evil. We were taught in school that racism was universally awful, which it absolutely is, but it leads to the cognitive dissonance of, "Racists are all horrible people. I don't think I am a horrible person. Therefore I am not a racist. This person is saying what I said is racist. That would make me a horrible person and I don't *want* to think of myself as a horrible person. Therefore it wasn't racist and the problem is theirs for being offended." It's not a binary of good/evil :: racist/non-racist that you're one side of or the other. You can absolutely be a decent person who has said something racist.

I am racist - I try very hard not to be, but I am certain that I have blind spots and biases. Moreover, I *know* I was more racist in the past. Some of the things which I said 10 years ago... sheesh, I'm just glad I don't keep a twitter. The trick is to try to do better every time. You're only a horrible person if you are happy being a racist and don't want to improve. When someone from a marginalised group tells you that you were out of line, fight that internal voice that tells you, "Nah fuck that, I don't want this, so it's their problem." First and foremost, look at what they're saying and where they're coming from - there is maybe 5% of the time where they're wrong and you're right, so if you're coming out being right more often, then you're likely doing it wrong. Secondly, and most importantly, apologise. No-one from a marginalised group is bringing this up for the lulz or because they want to upset you, they're bringing it up because you hurt them and they're hopeful that speaking might do something this once. The correct answer is always, "I'm sorry I hurt you" (at minimum), rather than, "I still think I was right," even if you still do.

Puja

Puja wrote:SNIP

Puja wrote:I was having this discussion with someone senior at my rugby club the other day. He was talking about a player he played with years back who had a nickname that, as far as he was aware, was completely his choice and which everyone called him and there was never any issue about, but which was, in and of itself, a racial slur. I suspect he was a bit concerned about it being the kind of thing that could come back up in the current environment and sought my advice because he has seen my Facebook postings and I'm probably the most opinionated liberal he knows.

I told him that, the thing was, I could absolutely see how a decent person could do it - gods knows I've said shitty things in the past, especially in a team environment where everyone else was saying it and, if the guy in question appeared fine with it, then it would've seemed permissable. And it's entirely possible that the guy *was* fine with it and it wasn't a problem! However, sometimes a person with a marginalised identity may seem fine with something and laugh along and even join in, because it's easier than standing up to a whole changing room and the popular people in it and declare yourself to not only be different, but "one of those types" who get offended at everything and define themselves by their identity ("woke" in the days before the bigoted had that word as a dedicated insult to hurl). It's easier to just accept it as "not that bad" and "just banter" when it actually makes you feel pretty shit, but you're scared of the jokes and laughter if you try and introduce yourself to the new guy as, "Hi, I'm Jamal".

The thing we all have to remember, and the thing which I'm fairly sure Vaughan hasn't got, is that one can be racist without being irredeemably evil. We were taught in school that racism was universally awful, which it absolutely is, but it leads to the cognitive dissonance of, "Racists are all horrible people. I don't think I am a horrible person. Therefore I am not a racist. This person is saying what I said is racist. That would make me a horrible person and I don't *want* to think of myself as a horrible person. Therefore it wasn't racist and the problem is theirs for being offended." It's not a binary of good/evil :: racist/non-racist that you're one side of or the other. You can absolutely be a decent person who has said something racist.

I am racist - I try very hard not to be, but I am certain that I have blind spots and biases. Moreover, I *know* I was more racist in the past. Some of the things which I said 10 years ago... sheesh, I'm just glad I don't keep a twitter. The trick is to try to do better every time. You're only a horrible person if you are happy being a racist and don't want to improve. When someone from a marginalised group tells you that you were out of line, fight that internal voice that tells you, "Nah fuck that, I don't want this, so it's their problem." First and foremost, look at what they're saying and where they're coming from - there is maybe 5% of the time where they're wrong and you're right, so if you're coming out being right more often, then you're likely doing it wrong. Secondly, and most importantly, apologise. No-one from a marginalised group is bringing this up for the lulz or because they want to upset you, they're bringing it up because you hurt them and they're hopeful that speaking might do something this once. The correct answer is always, "I'm sorry I hurt you" (at minimum), rather than, "I still think I was right," even if you still do.

Puja

Well said, Pooj.

Gough in charge of Yorkshire for next season. Seems a sensible appointment as someone who is universally liked in the area (I assume) and has not tarnished his reputation (bar strictly).

In other news, incredible by Patel in taking 10 wickets in an innings despite NZ getting pumped.

Perth Ashes test to be moved because of Covid.

Finally, ashes line up predictions, I know the media darling Bairstow is always popular but for me he shouldn't get in:

Burns
Hameed
Malan
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
Woakes
Robinson
Anderson
Leach/Bess - Hard to tell which one is a better option given how little cricket Leach has played.

If Liam Livingstone has the will (and ability) to become a test player, having him come in at 7/8 and spin both ways would be a very decent option. Bugger all use for this Ashes right enough.

Looks like they are taking the safe route with Jimmy after a calf injury.

Looks like Wood is fit too so may get a start.

What the hell was Burns up to?

2 down. Starting early, even for England.

Puja

Puja wrote:2 down. Starting early, even for England.

Puja

Was going to go to bed but might stay awake for an hour to see who opens the bowling for England.

Top seamers + bit of grass + eng batsmen =....
Too early for JR this.

Galfon wrote:Top seamers + bit of grass + eng batsmen =....
Too early for JR this.

Move Root to open, he's in that early often enough and bring in Livingstone because frankly it would be more fun than watching Burns miss leg stump half volleys.

Burns has 6 ducks this year. Awful.

Big D wrote:

Puja wrote:2 down. Starting early, even for England.

Puja

Was going to go to bed but might stay awake for an hour to see who opens the bowling for England.

I'm stealing that line.

Why on earth did we elect to bat? I get that we wanted to bowl last because we picked Leach, but he's not a good enough spinner to be worth giving up this fast bowler paradise and our batting lineup definitely isn't good enough to survive it. Far better to have bowled first and used our strength in the hope of getting at least some semblance of confidence into the team.

Puja