Magic Moments

All over

As the noise, dust, tickertape and tears settle on the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the worthy champions are crowned and feted, Perry Como croons his way into Fantasy Bob's otherwise empty mind.  g



Perry Como -
the cricketing cardigan
never caught on

 Magic Moments was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was one of their first collaborations.  Perry Como recorded it in 1957.  In 1957 the world of cricket was radically different - there were only 11 Test matches played in the whole year and no one knew what ODI stood for.  One of Wisden's 1957 Cricketers of the Year was Lancashire slow left armer Malcolm Hilton, no relation to Ronnie Hilton who played no Test matches but did have great success with the song.

Enough of this trivia, here is a selection of FB's wholly personal magic moments from the eternal competiton - not in batting order.

• Ajmal Shahzad smacking his first ball over the bowler for 6 in England's tie with India - every tailender's dream.
• Shoab Ahktar's last great flourish - bowling Jayawardene and Perera in the group match.  Rage against the dying of the light............ 
• Dilshan studiously defending wide half volleys from Swann to give Thuranga his hundred in the drubbing of England.  After you Claude......... 
• Any slow bowler in any game taking the new ball.  
• Ricky Ponting working the ball through the covers on the way to his immaculate quarter final 104 - is there more to come now the burden of captaincy is handed on? 
• Kevin O'Brien's hair style - not to be imitated but certainly effective on the day against England. 
• Jacob Oram miraculously catching Jacques Kallis to precipitate the choke of chokes. 
• Shahid Afridi for leadership throughout the competition and dignity in defeat.  Such a pity he has forgotten how to bat.  FB's player of the competition. 
• MS Dhoni bringing the curtain down on the final with a theatrical flourish by smoking the ball over the bowler's head to confirm India's victory.
• And every ball bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan during the competition, his last great stage.

FB is grateful to those of his readers who have stuck with his completely useless match previews and wholly irrelevant asides.  The ICC has assured him that his postings have added hugely to the greatness of the eternal competition.  In fact they will not be sharing the credit for the success of the event with anyone other than Fantasy Bob.

The spirit of cricket