Whispering Death

I caught Sajid Mahmood's opening spell yesterday afternoon. My knowledge of such things is incomplete, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were the first Muslim to play for England, as Monty Panesar recently became the first Sikh. Both had pretty ausipcious débuts: Panesar's maiden Test wicket was that of his boyhood hero Sachin Tendulkar, but Mahmood's yesterday was surely dreamlike for him. Presented with his first England cap that morning by Andrew Flintoff (the man he beamed in the nets in 2004), he waited 21 overs in Sri Lanka's first innings before being tossed the ball. His second delivery was cracked for 4 and he dropped the ball as he began his delivery stride for his third. Yet at the end of his second over, he was edged to slip and the safe hands of Marcus Trescothick. Another wicket in his third, and a run-out and a third wicket in his fourth over left him with a first Test spell of 4-2-9-3. Can't complain.

He looks the part too. Although his run-up is somewhat less extravagant, he is similar to Michael Holding in the sense that he fairly jogs to the crease like a medium pacer, only to unleash a fearsomely fast delivery. Sky Sports, absurdly, billed his as "fast medium". His loosener was 84mph and his was the fastest delivery of the day at 90.2mph. Allan Donald, at one time considered the fastest bowler in the world, rarely got much above 90, so I don't know what kind of crack the Sky Sports team is on. (Mind you, they continue to give David Lloyd gainful employment, so their mental deficiencies can't be too surprising.)

Well done Saj.