Sri Lanka take issue with Gilchrist innings

Following a complaint by the Sri Lankan cricket board, one of Mike Brearley's first jobs as MCC president in October may be, bizarrely, ruling whether squash balls are within the spirit of the game.  In an action that is not at all a case of sour grapes, the Sri Lankan secretary Kangadaran Mathivanan has lodged an objection with the ICC regarding Adam Gilchrist's squash ball in the glove, commenting that, "I am not trying to say it is illegal. All I am saying is that the game should be played in a better spirit."

Being English, I know all about excuses after the event - we've written the book on them over the years - but we usually just moan in the press and very rarely make them official.  I think this is in very bad taste by the Sri Lankans; Gilly's innings was one of the finest you will ever see, and I would suggest that they  let it rest as that and instead concentrate on why their bowlers could not slow him down.  One squash ball does not a great innings make. [image: Getty]