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Lady Luck has huge crushes on these two? AFP A new Test batting star emerged for England yesterday, to go with the new one-day batting star and new Twenty20 batting star, who also emerged over the last year. Eoin Morgans highly attractive three-for-the-price-of-one offer has added to the growing competition for places in a Test side that should soon start to impact even on the seemingly undroppable.The calmness, timing and variety of run-scoring capabilities that Morgan displayed in his excellent and stylish performance bode well for his and Englands future, but his innings also illustrated the BruceReidically slender margins that separate the vintage champagne of success from the budget processed grape juice of failure.A better wicketkeeper than Kamran Akmal (any volunteers? - no previous experience required; candidates should ideally possess their own gloves and, preferably, a willingness either to watch the ball all the way into the those gloves, or to move their feet, preferably both; apply to PCB by next Thursday) would probably have been standing in the right place to catch an edge when Morgan, on 5, played away from his body to another good ball by the brilliant Aamer. He later survived what appeared to be a fairly conclusive lbw appeal when missing a sweep off Shoaib Malik on 35.Hawk-Eye suggested the ball would have hit the inside of leg stump, but, to compound the umpiring error, Pakistan had blown their two referrals trying to get rid of Kevin Pietersen, who seemed to be busy trying to get rid of himself anyway, as Kamran expanded the range of known methods of wicketkeeping ineptitude by demanding a referral for a rejected caught-behind appeal after a ball that had barely passed within conversational distance of the bat.Had Morgan been caught on 5, questions would have been asked about his Test-match technique and his footwork against the swinging ball. Had he been given lbw, he would have failed to convert three consecutive 30-plus scores into half-centuries. Instead of proving his Test credentials, he would have raised further questions about them. Instead of delivering under pressure, he would have failed under pressure. Instead of a magical maiden ton. He capitalised brilliantly on his luck, and some low-grade spin bowling, to kickstart his Test career in spectacular style. Pietersen had plenty of good fortune in his innings, but looked like a man who doesnt play much cricket these days, and did not capitalise.Luck has always been and will always be a fundamental, and fascinating, part of sport, particularly in batting, where a batsmans bad luck is final (how many centuries would I have scored in my career if I hadnt been unlucky in 99% of all my innings?), and a batsmans good luck can make the different between an unremarkable failure and a career-defining success.Some examples: Lara, dropped by Durham wicketkeeper Scott on 18, powerdrills his name into the record books by blasting 501 not out. Gooch snicks Prabhakar at Lords in 1990, but Indian keeper More Kamrans the primary-school-level chance, and Gooch goes on to score another 297 runs. Pietersen at The Oval in 2005, on nought, edges Warne - but Gilchrists glove deflects the ball away from the waiting Hayden at slip; then after 15, nervous in one of the most pressurised periods of play in all Test cricket, he edges Lee to slip, where Warne fluffs a relatively simple chance. On each occasion, the batsman was, essentially, provisionally out. They had made their mistakes, and were merely awaiting confirmation of their dismissals. Before being reprieved, and capitalising to achieve cricketing immortality.Pietersens luck was particularly transformative - it probably won the Ashes for England, and he became a cricketing hero over the course of one staggering afternoon. History shows that he played one of the great modern Test innings, one of the most brilliant and important in Englands Test history, an expression of individual cricketing bravery and daring that just about justified a brave and daring hairstyle, and elevated himself to the cricketing A-list. History could have shown that he failed, technically and temperamentally, thus concluding a debut series in which his early promise had faded into a run of costly failures, whilst sporting the most ridiculous haircut in Test history.Similarly, there must be many of one-, two- and three-cap Test players who ended their careers thinking, If only that usually incompetent fielder hadnt pulled off that uncharacteristic one-handed diving catch, or If only that umpire hadnt been certifiably blind. Scorecards do not record luck.Perhaps 1920s batsman Jack MacBryan would have turned out to be a surprise Test-match great. He had an unlucky Test career. In his only Test, in 1924, it rained for much of the first day, then for all of the rest of the match. MacBryan did not bat. And failed, in his 66.5 overs of fielding, to convince the selectors that he had what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Perhaps they spotted some flaw in his technique whilst he was playing pretend shots in the covers in between balls.For Morgan, then, the future looks bright. The cream generally rises to the top. But sometimes, it needs a helping upward shunt from the capricious hand of Lady Luck, a fickle woman whose hand can tenderly stroke or unforgivingly spank.Pakistan have had little luck with umpiring this summer, particularly with lbws, and could have had England in even deeper trouble yesterday. As it was, with Gul and Kaneria off form, only Aamer - fast becoming the worlds new favourite cricketer - and Asif applied pressure, and the fragile confidence of Salman Butts side visibly dissipated. At Headingley against Australia, they seemed to become nervous in the field when it became clear they would have to chase more than one run to win. As it was, Farhat and Azhar nervelessly took them close enough that even a top-quality collective choke could not deprive them of an excellent victory. Their inexperienced top order and dangerously long tail will do well to avoid defeat in this game.(A quick comment on the Umpire Decision Review System. It seems to me to be unfairly weighted in favour of the batting team. Generally, more appeals are given not out than are given out, so statistically the fielding side has more occasions on which it is likely to want to use their referrals, and are thus more likely to run out of referrals. If a not-out lbw decision turns out to have been fractionally out, it remains not out. If an out decision transpires to have been fractionally not out, it becomes not out.Whilst this maintains the traditional balance of doubt in favour of the batsman, there is a double punishment when, as happened to Pakistan yesterday, Pakistan referred a not-out appeal, the technology suggested that it could/should have been given out, but only marginally, so the Umpires Call stood.Thus, Pakistan, despite essentially having correctly referred an appeal that was shown to be out, lost a referral. I suggest that if a team refers and appeal that results in an Umpires Call refusal, it should not lose one of its referrals. I also think the fielding side should have two appeals, but the batting team should only have one.)(And finally, commiserations to all those who had to watch the Colombo Test match. I can only imagine what you have just been through. It sounds awful.) Wholesale Air Jordan . 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The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Much has been made of Lewis Hamiltons fourth British Grand Prix victory. It was a consummate drive, worthy of comparison with Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell, whose home win totals Hamilton has now equalled.Such an evaluation may stick in the craw of an older generation struggling to get their grey heads around the modus operandi of Britains latest world champion, particularly when mentioning Clark in the same breath. But that should not detract from Hamiltons similar towering natural presence at the wheel of an F1 car. The huge difference in style and culture beyond the cockpit can be summed up by the aftermath of their respective wins in Britain.Lewis went beyond even the most enthusiastic excesses of Mansell when he twice went to see his fans, on the second occasion launching into a crowd surf from the top of the pit wall. In a sport noted for its insularity and blasé approach to the paying public, this was as refreshing as it was novel; total engagement that will have given those present something to talk about in the pub for years to come.Forty-nine years ago, I stood on the outside of Woodcote and watched my hero, Jim Clark, power to a similar imperious victory. This was in the days when Woodcote was a very quick 170 mph curve with a nasty bump in the middle of it, the cars having come flat out from Abbey Curve, rocketing into view from beneath what was known as The Daily Express bridge, thanks to sponsorship from the national daily. Just as memorable was the very British tone of track commentator, Peter Scott-Russell. Eyes right Woodcote! he would bark. Daily Express bridge. Here they come! One hundred and seventy-five milesnhour!Clarks Lotus led once Lotus team-mate Graham Hill had retired with broken suspension. Denny Hulmes Brabham was a distant second. The only interest was a tenacious duel between Jack Brabham and Chris Amon, settled when the Brabham-Repco got sideways on the Woodcote bump. Jack never lifted for a second, but the brief loss of momentum was enough for Amons Ferrari to take a successful run at him into Copse. When I say this happened right in front of us, it was exactly that, and at eye level. There was no debris fence. My mates and me leaned aggainst a horizontal scaffolding pole that, along with the grass bank, delineated the boundary between spectator and race track.ddddddddddddhere was no podium as such, the presentation being made on a trailer, manoeuvred onto the grid and loaded with the green and yellow Lotus 49, plus Clark, the Lotus team -- probably in its entirety -- and several trade associates and luminaries from the RAC. Clark, bedecked in the winners wreath and holding the same cup cherished by Hamilton, waved modestly to the crowd - as was his wont as a Scottish sheep farmer who happened to have been blessed with car control seemingly from another planet.As the flotilla set off, we joined a surge of spectators who dared to duck under the scaffolding poles, climb the bank and venture onto the edge of the track. In 1967, this was tantamount to seriously unruly behaviour. There was cheering and warm applause. Then everyone dutifully and quietly returned, aware there was another race to run. It was as different to last Sunday post-race as a gospel meeting to Glastonbury.You might think there are similar opposites when comparing Clark with Hamilton. Yet, bearing in mind how Lewis has seemed more at peace with himself in recent months than ever before, it was the same with Jim. He was living in Paris and Bermuda, having had to forsake the family farm and become a man of the world in many respects.I noticed a big change in Jimmy that year, recalls his close friend and fellow-countryman, Sir Jackie Stewart. He was no longer the Border farmer depending on [Lotus boss] Colin [Chapman]. He was a different man. He was more independent, more vocal about what he wanted. He had become very aware of who he was and what he was worth. I sensed he was going to give Colin a much harder time!Sadly, that would not come to be. Little did we realise this was the last time we would see Jim Clark race and win in Britain. He would be killed nine months later. But the memory of Silverstone 1967 lives on. Just as Sunday -- and, hopefully, more like it -- will for many happy and satisfied fans. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '