Blame it on the weatherman - View from the Lumley End
12:09pm Friday 22nd August 2008
FOR all it infuriates us, there's something peculiarly English which is proud of the way in which the weather influences cricket.
However, the past week has been depressing to say the least - with the cancellation of both the Twenty20 international and a potentially thrilling top of the table clash against Nottinghamshire.
Although the washout of the county game keeps Durham in pole-position in the championship race, it's disappointing that the strengths of these potential champions were not put to the test.
While a few hundred were eagerly awaiting four days of county cricket, it's particularly disappointing for the region to miss out on a second game England game of the summer; one which was only awarded as some sort of half-hearted compensation for missing out on an Ashes test to the great sack of money put up by Glamorgan.
Even the proposed Test against Sri Lanka in chilly May of next year seems doubtful due to the all-pervasive IPL and thus it'll potentially be a long wait until we see a weary Australian side no doubt half-way to the beach come the final one day international next Summer.
Domestically, it's been a strange week, with the inevitability of our batting collapse in the Pro40 game at Nottinghamshire leaving this column mentally written in bleak tones and all kinds of ruminations about avoiding a relegation battle in Division One.
The spectacular nature of the Nottinghamshire collapse, in part indebted to some good luck, excellent bowling and fielding sees Durham potentially in with a shout for the title if they can avoid any further slip-ups.
Finally, Shiv Chanderpaul looked like the player we know he is after he failed to live up to the brilliance of his first spell.
Irony of course dictates that with his imminent departure to prepare for the hazardous nonsense of the Champions Trophy, a competition so unpopular it may have to wear a disguise to go out in public for fear of being lynched by Daily Mail readers, our middle order will look decidedly weak.
If the proposed signing of Hashim Amla as a replacement can be completed, then Durham would not only be signing a quality batsman, but also one of the great beards of world cricket.
Wry smiles all-round that it will not be a Neil McKenzie rejoining after being told he has to baby-sit after his wife gained a modelling contract.
McKenzie, who looked Gatting-like in stature at best when fielding down at third man, hardly excelled earlier in the season, despite then going on to make English bowlers look poor on a number of occasions.
No doubt the comforts of home shall be some consolation, if only to escape the great British summertime.