Total cricket

Being both a football and cricket fan when it comes to non-club play, I remember reading a lot about Holland's total football in 1972. Of course I read about it sometime recently.

Now, as Holland is playing cricket as well, the extension has applied. They way they played cricket today was just too good. When you agree to play Australia on a bad pitch, when you get the best batting line up in the world out for 204 runs, and when you say "We have loved every minute of the tournament and I hope we've showed the world we can play. You don't learn anything by sitting in the pavilion.", you are reviving something that the uncouth Australians and the rowdy Pakistanis removed from cricket decades ago. Gentlemanliness.

Pakistan and Holland will both not qualify for the Super Sixes, but I am sure a Dutch cricket fan is more proud of his team than a Paki cricket fan is of his. Especially after his hopes have been raised by Akhtar's bravado about putting a certain Indian batsman in his place. Here, I follow an ancient Jewish tradition of not referring to God by name. :)

Shalom.