THERE has been a lot said about Pakistan's controversial Test victory over England at Old Trafford.
A lot was made about the fact that four of the England boys were out to no balls in the second innings which the umpires missed.
But I don't think there is any point of crying over spilt milk.
'Shep' (umpire David Shepherd) has held his hands up and said he did miss some of them but he has a difficult job concentrating on every ball with lots going on out on the pitch. Some people have been calling for a 'Magic Eye.' Personally I don't think it is a good thing to introduce too much technology into the game.
At the end of the day Pakistan deserved their victory.
We were pleased to get an early victory wrapped up at Glamorgan last week although it produced one of the most bizarre dismissals I have ever seen.
Richard Blakey got out to a cross between a shovel shot and a lap (or paddle shot). It was the worst shot I have ever seen and the lads have dubbed it the 'shovelappy' shot. The following morning we got him into the middle to replay it for us and explain what he was trying to do.
Not only were we laughing at him but the Glamorgan boys were having a good giggle at him too.
We started today's game against Kent in a good position although we did lose a few too many wickets after tea.
I'm down to bat at number ten so I've had a fairly quiet day.
When you get days like that in the dressing room we start the day by doing crosswords in newspapers like the Sun and Daily Star - nothing too strenuous!
We also take turns on watching the game from the viewing area and enjoy plenty of banter. If you are due in fairly soon you also study the bowlers.
If I'm batting at ten I usually get ready to pad up when the sixth wicket goes down.
I remember about six or seven years ago we were playing at Park Avenue in Bradford and wickets were tumbling quickly. Craig White was due in and I dashed into the dressing room and there was 'Whitey' stood there in just a jockstrap.
He quickly got on some whites and boots and ran out to the middle carrying his pads and got padded up out there. If you take too long to get out to the middle you can get timed out by the umpire.
Even us bowlers have to be able to bat a bit these days. I got 70 against Essex last month and that was my fifth first-class 50.
Batting is something the coach encourages all of us to work on and if us tail-enders can get 20 or so to our name it all helps.
We've had a new face in the dressing room this week - Steve Kirby, who we've nicknamed 'Crazy Ginger' on account of his hair.
He works for a flooring company and thought his manager was taking the 'Mickey' when he told him that Yorkshire wanted him as a replacement for Matthew Hoggard.
It's all happened so quickly for him. When he was warming up he told me 'I can't believe I am in the dressing room with all these England players'. Steve has fitted in really well and I'm sure he'll do well.
In the end 'Hoggy' didn't play for England at Edgbaston, but to get the call up was top-drawer for him.
Hopefully we can beat Kent which will set us up nicely for the trip to Bath next week to face Somerset.
Both Matthew Wood and Scott Richardson played out of their skins yesterday.
Updated: 15:35 Friday, June 08, 2001
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