Akram

The cricket world is celebrating on two fronts today.  The West Indies have confirmed that they will play in England later this summer in a bio-secure environment.  Disgracefully this will not be available on free to air television unlike the football.  But that is another story.

The other cause for celebration is the 54th birthday of one of the all time greats - Wasim Akram.  As Mike Selvey (an excellent follow on Twitter) has commented, there are many bowlers who say they swing it both ways, what they mean is that they swing it either way.  Wasim is the only one who could swing it both ways in the same delivery.  Of course, from Fantasy Bob's point of view, the fact that Akram was left arm over gave him an undue advantage (or it would have had had he bowled at FB).    But that is yet another story.

Let that take nothing away from Wasim Akram - 414 Test wickets and 502 ODI wickets are serious achievements.  

FB was lucky enough to see Akram in action - against England at Lords in 1992. Gooch won the toss and opted to bat.  Things seemed to be going England's way and Akram and Waqar made no inroads before lunch and for some time after.  England were on 123 without loss and Gooch on 69 when Akram bowled him off an inside edge.  As is the way of things, wickets then fell regularly - Waqar was the main destroyer ending up with 5-91, including Ian Botham in his last Test match. No doubt this was reverse swing, although it hadn't been identified as a thing at that time.  Pakistan bowled England out for 255 and had an uneventful bat before close.  They went on to win the match by 2 wickets.  Akram got 4-66 in England's second innings and, with Pakistan looking more than a bit shaky as they chased victory, brought the victory home with 45*.  He was awarded Man of the Match.  Highlights of the match can be seen on this link.

FB's day out at Lords was memorable for another reason (as if seeing Akram and Waqar in full flight wasn't enough).   And this is another story.  In fact it is one that FB has told before on these pages, but it is worth telling again. 

As he sat in the Edrich stand that day, the seat next to him was taken by a backpack from behind which appeared a young lady from Sydney who introduced herself as Imogen.  She told FB that she was on a project to visit every county cricket ground in England.  As play went on, she relished the spectacle of England's batting being given a going over, reserving special enthusiasm for the dismissal of Ian Botham.  FB though that this was probably an Australian thing; he smiled politely.

As play closed for the day, in that spirit of friendship for which Scottish people, other than FB, are justly renowned, and knowing that his home city housed no county ground, FB casually invited her to visit if she ever came to Edinburgh and gave her his phone number.  

A week later Mrs FB was surprised to answer the phone and hear a voice at the other end confidently in tone, 'This is Imogen from Sydney.  I'm at Waverley station and I'm really looking forward to staying over.'  On reflection, the word surprised in that sentence maybe an understatement. On further refllection FB thought he might have made a bit of an error in not having reported his casual invitation to Mrs FB.  However, Imogen duly arrived and proved a pleasant guest while she dragged herself round the various tourist sights.  Mrs FB rallied.  Imogen stayed for ten full days.  And then she was gone, back to accumulate the county grounds of England.  There were Christmas cards for a couple of years.  Who knows where she is now?