Vaughan is Back!

There was a lovely moment at Headingley yesterday, when Michael Vaughan reached 100, showing the naysayers and doubters (and I put myself in this latter category) that despite a series of injuries and frustrations he still merits his place in the England test side. He wasn't the only one happy to see him come back in a big way. Kevin Pietersen (who later went on to get his own 100) was at least as jubilant as Vaughan, and the Barmy Army could be heard singing (to the tune of "Cumbayah") "Michael Vaughan, my Lord, Michael Vaughan..." A few minutes later it all came down to earth when drunken louts threw beer in the stands, and then Vaughan was caught near the boundary to end his knock of 103, but it was a great moment, the kind of moment which makes following the sport worth putting up with all the lesser moments.

Cricket Scandal: Gilly's Squash Ball Cheat!

I'm just kidding about the "cheat" part, but Sri Lanka has questioned whether it's in the spirit of the game for Australian wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist to have put a squash ball inside one of his batting gloves.

The article says he did it to help his grip. I'm not sure why that would help his grip more than just getting a better glove. I'm thinking it's probably more useful as extra padding or as a shock absorber, and given how hard Gilchrist hit the ball against Sri Lanka, I would think it's probably a good thing.

Squash balls could become all the rage among cricketers now, though for England, at least, there are not too many batsmen who last long enough at the crease these days to justify it.

Is it unfair to stuff a squash ball in the glove? Presumably it expands the volume of the glove slightly, which slightly increases the chance of getting caught behind off the glove. Will it make the ball go farther when hit? I doubt it. I can't think of anywhere to put a squash ball that would make me bat like Gilchrist.