They’re such sweethearts, aren’t they? They’ll do just about anything to keep Elizabeth Warren from heading the new consumer bureau: The Senate will stay in pro forma session next week after failing to agree Thursday to adjourn for its scheduled weeklong Memorial Day recess. Senate Budget ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) threatened this week to block any unanimous consent request to adjourn because Senate Democrats had not offered a budget resolution for a floor vote. Other Republican Senators were also fighting adjournment to prevent President Barack Obama from making recess appointments . Sen. Jim DeMint, who is part of the GOP movement to block recess appointments, applauded the decision not to vote to adjourn. “President Obama has been packing federal agencies with left-wing ideologues , but thankfully he won’t be able to for at least the next week,” the South Carolina Republican said in a statement. “The House will not be sending an adjournment resolution to the Senate, we will remain in pro forma session, and no controversial nominees will be allowed to circumvent the confirmation process during the break.”
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The demagoguery of Paul Ryan by so-called media members continues. On Friday, the New York Times' resident Nobel laureate Paul Krugman called the Wisconsin Congressman a liar and a sore loser: Yes, Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, is a sore loser…To be sure, Mr. Ryan had reason to be upset after Tuesday’s special election in New York’s 26th Congressional District. If anyone is lying here, it’s Mr. Ryan himself, who has claimed that his plan would give seniors the same kind of coverage that members of Congress receive — an assertion that is completely false. And, by the way, the claim that the plan would keep Medicare as we know it intact for Americans currently 55 or older is highly dubious. True, that’s what the plan promises, but if you think about the political dynamics that would emerge once Americans born a year or two too late realize how much better a deal slightly older Americans are getting, you realize that this is a promise unlikely to be fulfilled. So, although the “plan promises” to only impact people below the age of 55, it's “highly dubious?” Well, here's what's not “highly dubious” and what shameless shills like Krugman are intentionally hiding from the American people: the Medicare Trustees exactly two weeks ago gave the program in its current form thirteen years until it goes bankrupt. What that means is there are currently two Medicare plans on the table. The first is the one being offered by the President, his Party, and shills like Krugman throughout the media: Medicare stays in its present form without any alterations whatsoever and in roughly thirteen years goes bankrupt forcing every senior citizen except for those that qualify for Medicaid to pay 100 percent of their health insurance and/or medical expenses. This would be true for today's seniors as well as folks currently under the age of 55. The second is Ryan's plan whereby everyone 55 and over continues to receive Medicare benefits in exactly the same way as seniors have since the program began with the exception of an additional prescription drug benefit added in the previous decade. Folks under 55 when beginning to receive benefits in the future would have to contribute some money of their own depending on their level of income. Regardless of your current age, which plan do you prefer? If laid out in this logical fashion, there's likely no one in this country including Paul Krugman that would opt for plan number one, for he was born in 1953. This means that under the plan he currently supports, Medicare is gone when he turns 71. If Krugman along with his colleagues and the Party they dishonestly support were forced to publicly make a choice between these two distinct options, they would all have to agree the Ryan plan is better – unless, of course, they're all good with losing their own Medicare benefits thirteen years from now. I therefore officially and quite publicly ask the distinguished Mr. Krugman: Do you want to keep the current plan whereby you have to pay 100 percent of your health insurance and/or medical bills in thirteen years, or the Ryan plan where your care is completely covered and those under 55 have to contribute a bit more than they currently do? I don't expect the distinguished Mr. Krugman or any of the other dishonest media members to answer this question, but isn't it at least incumbent upon them to properly lay out to the citizenry exactly what the choices are today so that the public can make an informed decision? I would normally end with my characteristic “Or would that be too much like journalism?” But given what's at stake, that's far too wimpy. So let's try this: Wouldn't that be the moral and ethical thing to do, or is it really more honest and humane to convince the public – seniors and youngens alike – they're actually better off completely losing all Medicare benefits in the next decade?
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• Hit F5 or switch on autorefresh for the latest updates • Email andy.bull@guardian.co.uk • The full scoreboard from Cardiff • Sign up to the Spin 85th over: Sri Lanka 253-5 (P Jayawardene 38, Maharoof 6) Four runs fly off Maharoff’s outside edge and away through third man. Another loud appeal from England and another referral… REFERRAL! Maharoof 2 lbw Broad Well, the ball would have hit the wicket, but it was outside the line of off stump when it thumped into Maharoof’s pads. So the not out decision stands and Maharoof bats on. 84th over: Sri Lanka 248-5 (P Jayawardene 37, Maharoof 1) Aleem Dar shakes his head at an LBW appeal from Broad, but England want a referral. 83rd over: Sri Lanka 246-5 (P Jayawardene 37, Maharoof 1) Anderson shaves splinters from Jayawardene’s outside edge with an away-swinger. Anxious to get off strike, Jayawardene sprints a madcap single after dropping the next ball down by his feet, Maharoof making his ground moments before Swann’s underarm throw broke the stumps. 82nd over: Sri Lanka 245-5 (P Jayawardene 37, Maharoof 1) Maharoof is the new batsman then, his impressive recent form for Lancashire belying his modest Test record for his country. “I’m afraid I don’t know where Dalston is, and I’m not entirely sure what a fix-wheel bike is either,” replies John Hodgson. “However, I can confirm that I actually travelled here from Leeds in an avocado green 2001 Nissan Micra.” Stylish. WICKET! Samaraweera 58 c Swann b Anderson Another wicket for the peerless Anderson. You can probably guess how it came: the ball landed on a length and moving away, taking the outside edge and flying straight to slip. Samaraweera was fencing at the ball, prodding at it. More wonderful bowling. Here’s Jim Harris: “Re. Mac Millings’ laudable and insightful display of self-knowledge, the correct term for the self-putting-down email, I believe, is ‘suisnide’.” HONK. 80th over: Sri Lanka 243-3 (Samaraweera 58, P Jayawardene 36) James Anderson has the new ball in his hands then, and Strauss has put three men back into the slips. This innings is delicately poised at the moment. Looking at the scoreboard you’d give the advantage to Sri Lanka, but their tail is so long that England are only a wicket or two away from being well on top. This new ball spell will swing it one way or another. “I have no idea what this is all about because I’ve been watching some cricket,” chunters Geoff Roberts. “What on earth is all this ‘well bowled Swanny!’ ‘Good one Swanny’ stuff all about? I suppose it’s the English trying to sledge the batsmen, but it’s about as challenging as Trott’s bowling. The chuntering seems to be emenating from the wicketkeeper who needs to be told that 3 day beards are sported by drug bosses in Mexico (they are only one-day there but there you go.)” Mmm, you have a point. I suspect it is the fault of the Welsh. The crowd is so small that there’s no noise to compete with what’s being produced by the players, so all their inane comments are being amplified ten-fold. 79th over: Sri Lanka 242-4 (Samaraweera 58, P Jayawardene 35) Sad to say the brilliantly insightful and witty entry for this over was lost when my computer crashed. 78th over: Sri Lanka 236-4 (Samaraweera 52, P Jayawardene 34) Samaraweera is really settling in now, hopping across his stumps to steer Swann down to third man for two runs. I’ve just found a copy of a match report of Trott’s 7 for 39. He was so famous back then that the reporter calls him ‘Ian’. 77th over: Sri Lanka 233-4 (Samaraweera 50, P Jayawardene 34) Samaraweera celebrates his fifty with the briefest wave of his bat. “Is Trott’s bowling the evidence for why Bopara should have been picked?” asks Mike Duggan. “With four front-line bowlers you need somebody who can bowl something a bit more credible than Trott.” Possibly, though they do have Pietersen to ply a bit of spin as well. Bopara is certainly a decent spare bowler – better than Collingwood, and has got a lot of overs in for Essex this season. But is he so good that it outweighs Morgan’s advantage as a batsman? Probably not. “Judging by his email I think it’s more likely that John Hodgson has just travelled his way here on fix-wheel bike from Dalston,” suggests Andy Plowman. 76th over: Sri Lanka 230-4 (Samaraweera 49, P Jayawardene 32) “Regarding “Hawaiian Formal” – and pace the typically Guardiracista suggestions you’ve been getting – it means smart trousers and shoes and a tasteful (yes, such a thing exists) Aloha shirt (which is the proper term for an Hawaiian shirt),” says Mac Millings. “I know because I lived there for several years. I also know that this isn’t much of an email. Let’s face facts, I’ve only written in to show off the fact that I used to live in Hawaii. Of course, I’ve since left, because I am a buffoon.” I love it when a reader includes his own put down in the email. Saves me a lot of work. Four for Jayawardene, slapped through the leg side. 76th over: Sri Lanka 220-4 (Samaraweera 45, P Jayawardene 27) And at the other end it will be Jon Trott, a loud and clear signal that Strauss is planning to take the new ball ASAP. Trott really bowls some filth. As far as part-timers go, he is more Marcus Trescothick than Paul Collingwood, although astonishingly enough his best first class figures are 7 for 39, against Kent at Canterbury. God only knows what Rob Key and his team had for breakfast that day. Ketamine and All Bran, presumably. 75th over: Sri Lanka 212-4 (Samaraweera 40, P Jayawardene 24) Jayawardene raises the fifty partnership with a sweep off a quicker, straighter ball that came perilously close to hitting him flush in front. Prior and Swann stand there with their hands on their heads, sighing in exasperation at how close they came to a wicket. “Everyone here just needs to simmer down, because I can help,” says Erik Petersen. “If you’re looking for casual yet work-smart and vaguely let-me-finish-this-spreadsheet-and-then-it’s-daquiri-time tropical, you need only address yourself to the guyabera. This is the multipocketed Latin American top that says “I am stylish, and yet unbothered about tucking in my shirt”. Best worn while smoking a fine cigar and telling a younger woman that you are a man of passion and fire. The only downside is that if you get a green one, you will on occasion look more like Castro than anyone bar Moeen Ali in last year’s Worcestershire camouflage t20 kit.” So, we’re six overs away from the new ball , six wickets away from the end, and a million miles away from a clear definition of Hawiian formal. In the absence of Hadley Freeman, here’s the Guardian sport desk’s resident Hawiian style guru, Steve Busfield : Surely all your readers need to do is visit this website. As it’s Friday I’m currently modelling one in the office. A black suit with a black based Hawaiian shirt looks smart (and tastefully colourful) during the day and during the evening you throw off the suit jacket and just look colourful. Try the Brando Black on this page .” LUNCH Well that was an entertaining session , and no word of a lie. England bowled superbly, especially Jimmy Anderson, whose figures today are 9-7-11-1. I’m off for lunch. I’ll leave you with this missive from Barney Ronay: “Hello. I just wanted to alert OBO readers to the fact that cricket film From The Ashes, about the summer of 1981, is out on DVD on Monday. It might make an ideal Father’s Day present, even if your name isn’t “Liam Botham”. Plus you get to see Guardian/Observer eminences Mike Selvey, Vic Marks and Mike Brearley in extreme close-up having opinions about Ashes cricket 30 years ago. If you wanted you could even splice all these bits together into one continuous film, or blow them up as stills and have them as Stalinist-scale Selvey/Marks wall hangings. Obviously I haven’t done that.” 73rd over: Sri Lanka 207-4 (Samaraweera 38, P Jayawardene 21) A surprising switch this, Jon Trott is going to get an over before lunch. An innocuous way to finish, and Samaraweera takes three runs from it. 72nd over: Sri Lanka 204-4 (Samaraweera 35, P Jayawardene 21) “Simmer down honky cat,” says John Hodgson, who has either time travelled his way here from a 1970s ghetto or works somewhere where Fridays are Jive Talk day. “Whilst I fully understand your entirely rational disdain for polo shirts, please don’t diss the decks! Deck shoes, are light, airy, and perfect for the man about town. They’re also highly adaptable, providing an excellent accompaniment to the following timeless classics: casual slacks; jeans; shorts (either knee high or groin-hugging); cricket whites; etc. There are others, but it seems needless to continue when I have made such a compelling case in favour of deck shoes with everything.” Just a single from Anderson’s latest over. 71st over: Sri Lanka 203-4 (Samaraweera 34, P Jayawardene 21) A pathetic piece of fielding from KP at mid-on provokes a furious response from Swann, who does his best impression of a teapot. Pietersen dived over the top of the ball, missing it altogether, and it runs away for four. “Love-hate relationship between these two” says Bumble. “There is some love is there?” responds Athers. 71st over: Sri Lanka 196-4 (Samaraweera 32, P Jayawardene 16) “In the manner of fast-medium and medium-fast, does smart-casual have a slightly scruffier sibling, casual-smart?” wonders Richard Marsden. “Freshly washed ice-white trainers; checked shirt with a woollen tie; jeans with pressed creases; that sort of thing.” We’ve blundered into a sartorial minefield, and if we’re honest no one on this OBO knows enough about these things to find a way out. I’ll go and find Hadley Freeman during the lunch break. If anyone can help us, she can . Another maiden for Anderson. 70th over: Sri Lanka 196-4 (Samaraweera 32, P Jayawardene 16) Jayawardene squirts an inside edge past short leg, and then Samaraweera drops to one knee and slashes a sweep away to long leg for a single. 69th over: Sri Lanka 193-4 (Samaraweera 31, P Jayawardene 14) And now Anderson is on as well. His first over back is a maiden. OK. Totally nailed this whole Hawiian formal thing. This is where you need to go, Dennis . 68th over: Sri Lanka 192-4 (Samaraweera 31, P Jayawardene 14) Graeme Swann comes on for his first over of the day, though he’s made to wait while Samaraweera has some more treatment on his knacked elbow. Again it seems to do him good, as he goes on to crack a four past point. “I concur on the whole smart-casual dilemma,” says Tom Banks. “I work in an office where Friday is “chino” day. It is dreadful. I have nothing suitable at all and so look like a right goon in my suit on Fridays. Just can’t do that whole preppy, Sack Lodge look. Suit or jeans. That’s it.” Mercy me, I’ve never been so glad to have the job I do. “Chino day?” That sounds like the seventh circle of hell. What’s the dress code at the office party? Deck shoes and polo shirts? 67th over: Sri Lanka 188-4 (Samaraweera 27, P Jayawardene 14) “Hawaiian formal?” muses Chris Harrison, “That means bare to the waist and a grass midi skirt. Both sexes. Trust me, mate.” Surely women need to be wearing coconut-shell bikini tops? Once again Broad finds the edge, and once again the ball shoots straight past the slips and away to the boundary. 66th over: Sri Lanka 182-4 (Samaraweera 23, P Jayawardene 12) “At nearly 39 Matthew West will soon discover his other options,” says John Starbuck reassuringly. “You can at last begin wearing corduroy, plus a casual jacket, with brown shoes, thus looking better than clean jeans and trainers. Add a checked shirt, ironed, and you’ll soon begin getting junk mail from Saga and their like.” That’s a brutal ball from Tremlett, spitting off the pitch straight into Jayawardene’s right elbow. Tremlett grins, Jayawardene shouts, and play stops while the magic spray comes out. It seems to have done him good because when play starts again he smacks a short ball for four through cover. “If it helps,” says Ant Pease, “I think that Hawaiian Formal means that the grass skirt has to be cut below the knee.” 65th over: Sri Lanka 178-4 (Samaraweera 23, P Jayawardene 8) Four more runs through third man for Jayawardene, these as streaky as a pound of fat back bacon. Broad’s having no luck here. His next ball is a beauty that beats the out side edge. More details on the mysterious story of Mr Shankar, from Mike Selvey over on the County Cricket – Live! blog. “I came across Adrian Shankar a couple of years ago. I did a coaching session in the indoor school at Lord’s and he was there along with Dawid Malan and BIlly Godleman. He didn’t look a bad player although not exceptional. Then the winter before last, I received an email from someone saying that Shankar, having been released by Lancashire, was tearing up trees in the Lancashire League, with hundreds galore. Research showed no mention of him, but subsequently I seem to recall some registration problems ( his club already had a pro, and so he could not qualify, or something like that) as a result if which all his stats were airbrushed from the records and the club docked points. It was all very strange.” 64th over: Sri Lanka 174-4 (Samaraweera 23, P Jayawardene 4) Tremlett howls in frustration as a thick edge shoots past the slips for four. And that’s almost as close! Samaraweera wallops a catch out to cover, where the ball lands just in front of Eoin Morgan. Samaraweera is batting like a man in a hurry here. And I thought I had it bad. “I’ve got to go to a wedding next week,” says Dennis Johns. “The dress code is ‘Hawaiian Formal’. Nobody knows what to do.” 63rd over: Sri Lanka 160-4 (Samaraweera 13, P Jayawardene 4) Having just called Prasanna Jayawardene a mediocre batsman I’m delighted to see him get off the mark with a wondeful on-drive for four. “You have my deepest sympathy on the wedding attire issue. I can do suit smart and I can do casual (well scruffy and dishevelled) but I have never cracked smart casual. I’m nearly 39 for God’s sake.” Matthew West is clearly a man after my own heart. I have two sartorial gears – smart and scruffy. Nothing in between. WICKET! Paranavitana 66 b Tremlett There’s not much doubt about that though. Paranavitana is bowled, and now Sri Lanka are four down. He threw a drive at a ball that wasn’t far enough outside off and chopped it back into his stumps. That brings a very good innings to an end. And the truth is that England are in to Sri Lanka’s tail now. The No6 is Prasanna Jayawardene, an outstanding ‘keeper, but an average bat. “Shirt tucked into his swimming trunks, and wearing shoes and socks”. When was Smyth appointed President of the MCC?” asks Robin Hazlehurst. “I missed that one.” Actually, I have to go to a wedding tonight and have been told to “dress smart but not go for a full suit”. Baffling. Shirt tucked into swimming trunks with shoes and socks sounds about right for that. 61st over: Sri Lanka 158-3 (Paranavitana 65, Samaraweera 12) Broad replaces Anderson. His second ball is driven out to extra cover for three runs, his fourth dropped down to the off for a single. “Over on TMS, Aggers has just told a story about seeing the president of the MCC at breakfast this morning with his shirt tucked into his swimming trunks, and wearing shoes and socks. I was contemplating lunch, but no longer. Can the OBO beat this?” Do you really need to ask? That’s out , surely? No. Umpire Doctove does not think so, and Strauss decides not to refer it. Strange decision that. The ball was full and swinging in. It hit Paranavitana on the pads in front of leg stump. Looked plumb to me, and Hawk Eye shows it was hitting the wicket. 60th over: Sri Lanka 154-3 (Paranavitana 62, Samaraweera 12) Is that a wicket? The fans think so, but the bowler doesn’t. The ball just slipped off Samaraweera’s thigh pad on its way through to Prior. “After reading that piece about Mr Shankar, I’m surprised he isn’t claiming to be a relative of George Weah.” 60th over: Sri Lanka 153-3 (Paranavitana 62, Samaraweera 12) Paranavitana wears one in what Nasser quaintly refers to as “that sort of area”. Ouch. He hops up and down on the spot to try and revive himself, and so the umpires call drinks. In the meantime my colleague Rob Bagchi has point out an absolutely withering piece on serial fraudster Adrian Shankar by George Dobell over on Cricinfo. It’s well worth a read: Shankar has also said that he played tennis to national standard as a junior and that he was in the Arsenal academy at the start of Arsene Wenger’s tenure. On the field Shankar is, at best, an ordinary player. After a decade in the game, he had a first-class average of just 19 and has passed 50 only once in 21 innings. He made 143 in the Varsity Match of 2002 (as a 17-year-old, if you believe his version of events) but, as Chris Scott, the Cambridge UCCE coach, said: “The bowling was unbelievably bad. He was a poor player and there’s no way I would have recommended him.” Oddly, however, when Shankar signed for Lancashire, the Cambridge coach was quoted in a press release referring to him as one of the finest young players the side had seen since John Crawley. 59th over: Sri Lanka 153-3 (Paranavitana 62, Samaraweera 12) Curious kind of innings this from Samaraweera, either silly or shrewd. We’ll have to see how the morning pans out. He clouts four up and over point, then lashes the next ball straight to a fielder. He’s trying to hit Anderson out of his rhythm, refusing to be mesmerised by all those hypnotic away-swingers. Perhaps it’s working – Andewrson’s next ball is speared down the leg side. 58th over: Sri Lanka 149-3 (Paranavitana 62, Samaraweera 8) The first bowling change of the day brings Chris Tremlett into the attack. A risky leave from Samaraweera – phew, it’s hard yakka typing out the overs when these two are together at the crease – sees him sweat on a ball that nips back towards his gut and sail over middle stump. 57th over: Sri Lanka 148-3 (Paranavitana 62, Samaraweera 8) Anderson gives up his first run of the morning, Paranavitana glancing a single to fine leg. That’s followed by a lovely shot from Samaraweera, a crisp cover drive through extra cover for four. “That’s the kind of shot the bowler won’t mind seeing,” Atherton tells us. You still imagine that Samaraweera will have taken more heart from it than Anderson. He knocks a single away square from the next delivery, and Anderson’s dry spell has been broken. The last ball of the over snicks off Paranvitana’s edge but falls well short of Matt Prior. 56th over: Sri Lanka 141-3 (Paranavitana 61, Samaraweera 3) Paranavitana knocks a single off his pads down to fine leg. He’s bowled well today, just not so well as the man at the other end. Samaraweera follows a wide one, chopping it down to wide third man for three. A curious kind of shot that, smacking slightly of desperation to get off the mark. That puts Paranavitana on strike, and he chases a delivery that slides across his bat towards the slips, almost edging it through. Broad grimaces and looks skywards. 55th over: Sri Lanka 137-3 (Paranavitana 61, Samaraweera 0) Another booming inswinger from Anderson. This one moves too much, bamboozling Samaraweera and beating his inside edge but hitting him outside leg stump. 54th over: Sri Lanka 137-3 (Paranavitana 61, Samaraweera 0) Paranvitana pats two runs out to fine leg. What about the Marillier scoop? Scooped, not quite over the batsman’s own head in the manner of the Dil-scoop, and not as dangerous as Dilshan’s, but it did involve a scoop over a very fine, fine leg. And the stroke was referred to as the Marillier scoop, for a while at least, wasn’t it?” Indeed it was, Suhrith Parthasarathy. Somehow it didn’t quite stick though did it? 53rd over: Sri Lanka 135-3 (Paranavitana 60, Samaraweera 0) “From the description of his bowling, do I take it that Superbad Jimmy is back?” Yes, Richard Jones, yes he is. His spell so far – 3-3-0-1 – has been stupendous. Jimmy is even rocking a little gold medallion around his neck, nestling in his chest hair. Superbad indeed. I presume he’s got a white soft top Cadillac parked up out front of the Swalec. Another maiden here, with Samaraweera playing at a wider ball he should have left alone. 52nd over: Sri Lanka 135-3 (Paranavitana 60, Samaraweera 0) Samaraweera is the new man in. He’s the unsung member of this middle order. His Test average is actually a towering, terrifying 54 from 63 Tests , but the majority of those runs have been scored in Sri Lanka, so he rarely gets any credit for it. “We all remember the Bullworth,” says my erstwhile teammate and ersatz spin bowler Max Hildebrand, “But do you remember the walters? A highly original tactic involving ignoring the ball completely and driving the handle of the bat through the line and into one’s teeth. The drawing of blood always puts the bowler off for a couple of overs.” WICKET! Jayawardene 4 c Strauss b Anderson Brilliant cricket from England. Anderson follows a string of ten or so tempting out-swingers with a delivery that comes back the other way. It foxes Jayawardene, and the edge flies off towards slips. Strauss plucks it from the air, stretching his hands out to his right. It’s been an excellent start by England, and it has brought them a crucial wicket. Jayawardene, one of the best batsmen in the world, was drawn into a fierce contest from the very first ball of the morning, and it was more than he could do to survive those two overs from Anderson. He was beaten over and again outside off stump, and then bamboozled when Anderson slipped him the other one. A fantastic catch by Strauss too, taking the ball well away from his body in front of second slip. 51st over: Sri Lanka 133-2 (Paranavitana 58, M Jayawardene 4) Anderson is in the middle of one of those spells where you whistle in appreciation of each delivery. He’s probing at Jayawardene’s off-stump, making the ball swing away from the outside edge. 50th over: Sri Lanka 133-2 (Paranavitana 58, M Jayawardene 4) Broad starts at the other end. From the start his length is a lot fuller than it was yesterday, which suggests he has had a word or two with England’s bowling coach David Saker over night. More worryingly still for the batsmen, his third ball dies after pitching, going through at shin height, but his fourth shoots up from the similar length and Prior has to take it up by his head. “Half empty stadium?” bellows Jack Cousens. “Surely it should be half full? Positivity man!” 49th over: Sri Lanka 133-2 (Paranavitana 58, M Jayawardene 4) James Anderson will bowl the first over of the day from the River Taff end, with Jayawardene on strike. The stump mic picks up the sound of the seagulls cawing overhead. This is an excellent first over from Anderson, all four balls landing outside off stump and breaking towards the slips off the pitch. A little fuller, a little straighter and the batsmen will be in all sorts of trouble. As it is Jayawardene watches the six deliveries sail by. “Is Dilshan the only batsman to have a stroke named after him – the scoop?” asks John Starbuck. “While there have been a few bowlers who are known as particular styles, such as Bosanquet, I don’t know of any other batsmen to get such a credit, even where they seem to have invented them. Brian Lara’s swivel-pull and whoever created the reverse sweep might qualify, but it doesn’t happen. Why?” Actually my teammates will tell you all about the Bullworth – a defensive prod down the wrong line. Here come the players, trotting out into a half-empty Swalec Stadium. The curious thing about it all is that I’m sure I saw one of Shankar’s old teammates from Cambridge break his story in the comments underneath the County Cricket – Live! blog some time last week. I’m not sure whether or not Smyth is lying about his age, but I am positive that he wasn’t the top-scorer in a Sri Lankan domestic tournament last winter. “For all his faults, and I include dodgy hair ads, tweeted romances and luminous tan in those, Shane Warne has yet again made me like him again,” writes Phil Withall. “Rather touching stuff. Anyway any thoughts on “young” Adrian Shankar? could a similar thing happen at OBO towers? Is Smyth really as young as he makes out?” For those of you who haven’t the foggiest what Phil is talking about, county cricket is being rocked by the Shankar scandal, which broke last night . “Rupert Murdoch reads the OBO?” asks Jack Cantwell. “Too cheap to pay his subscription to the Times then?” “Why isn’t it an early start today?” asks Alistair Stewart. “I was planning on only pretending to work till 10.30, not sure how many more times i can shuffle these papers across my desk.” Good question, that. But if you want an answer I suggest you redirect your question somewhere in the direction of Rupert Murdoch, seeing as it is Sky who tend to decide such things these days. Actually, I’m sure he’ll email in soon enough. Keen reader of the OBO, Murdoch. While I’m recommending the work of larrikins , here’s what our old friends The Two Pricks at the Ashes, Sam Collins and Jarrod Kimber, are up to these days. Yes, they’ve sold out to ESPN . Good on them. Their first film of the season features the Guardian’s own Mike Selvey, struggling to wrap his tongue around the correct pronunciation of Tharanga Paranavitana. Warne on Jenner : “The great man had just been released from prison and was doing it pretty tough. I was a spiky blonde haired 20 y.o Mexican (Victorian) who thought he knew a bit about leg spin – amongst other things, like we all did at that age. TJ, like his fellow players of that era are very straight and also very blunt – the best way to be in all aspects of life – no bull shit or fluffy rubbish. But, you did need a thick skin – mine was luckily – or shall we say had to develop very quickly, which looking back now and reflecting – has held me in good stead for all my life situations not just cricket. Underneath the ample frame and all that bravado was a very charming, caring, loving family man who was a giver to cricket and life. I think we met at exactly the right time in each other’s lives, we where good for each other – maybe all the stars and moons where aligned, because we clicked instantly. I got his coaching style straight away and his sense of humour – I suppose he saw something in me that he liked – well I spun the ball, let’s keep it at that. We spent so much time together in those early days – bowling out on Adelaide’s number 2 oval, indoor cricket nets and at his house chatting, he gave me so much time which I will be forever grateful. I remember after my horrible debut at 99kg for Australia in Sydney, then following it up with another shocker in Adelaide against the wristy Indians, TJ saying to me – you bowled beautifully and the signs look good. You serious mate? I’ve been hammered, he said sometimes the way you bowl is not always reflected in your figures – we have a chance he said – great advice. MMMMMMM – silly old fool I thought – yep 20 y.o knows best – not the spin doctor (aptly named by Mr Ian Healy). Anyway, it was 1992 heading into winter in Melbourne; I packed my car and drove to Adelaide. I was hungry to learn as much as I could and for that matter as fast as I could too, I was just picked to go to Sri Lanka with Australian team. I stopped my car via a bottle shop – bought a slab of VB’s – knocked on TJ’s door and said gidday mate – he said come in. Well the next 4-5 hours were life changing – I went to get 2 beers and he said what are you doing? I said as usual a few beers together! He said listen – you are so lucky to be selected to tour again and represent Australia, why don’t you get serious, I said like how? I’m working hard! Rubbish he bellowed out, your fat, drink way to much beer and smoke like a chimney and have never had to sacrifice anything- bit rich I thought coming from TJ as he sucked back a beer and took a massive puff on his cigar!!!! Ok then – what do I need to do you think? To start with give up drinking excessively every night get fit, drop weight and at least look like a sportsman. Wow I thought, cop that! I said ok I will, you wait and see. The rest of the chat was an old fashioned honest heart to heart about life. I woke up feeling energised and started training hard. Every Day I ran , did push ups, sit ups, ate properly and bowled for hours. Fast forward 3 to 4 months and I weighed 79kg, I had managed to lose 20kg’s and was ready for Sri Lanka I thought! I left Adelaide – gave TJ a bottle of red to say thank you for his time, patience and effort, he said – I will open this at the right time – we will both know when that is, mmmmmm ok! I won’t go into how SL all turned out – but it went ok thanks to TJ. Things from there moved very quickly and our friendship grew stronger and stronger – we would talk so much, I will really miss our chats. TJ became my Dr Phil on all matters and levels – wherever I was around the world we would call and chat – we would plan to bring down the opposition batsmen, laugh and I would hang up feeling good. His knowledge of the game, not just spin bowling was amazing – he understood so much and was happy to share his knowledge to whoever wanted to listen, he always had the game of cricket at heart. TJ was a fighter till the end – a person who always found a way to look at the positive side of anyone or the situation, never ever did he whinge about his lot he was given in life, he was there for you – unconditionally. He worked tirelessly as well for so many charity’s, especially his test brekkies in Adelaide – they where a great way to start a test match, he always had time for people and the battler in the far cricket net too. TJ was such a great story teller, you could listen to him for hours and I did – being entertained too – he would have you in stitches of laughter regularly. I could go on for hours about TJ and all his wonderful traits, I will keep some to myself and will always look back with a smile about a great friend and person. Sometimes in the latter years we wouldn’t talk as often as we should have but whenever we did chat it was like we had spoken the day before. When I spoke to TJ on the phone a few weeks ago – we Said goodbye to each other – it was a very difficult thing to do and chat as it was so unlike all our others – this was it for the last time after 20 odd years.. We both didn’t say too much as we both didn’t need too – we just knew.. I did thank him though for everything he had done for me and tried to express how much his patience, advice, love and above all his friendship has meant to me and my family… We both shed a bit of a tear and said goodbye… Not easy! To Ann, you’re an absolute trooper. TJ loved you so much and you were great for him , you always kept him honest – I loved that. Your love and support to him was nothing short of amazing, we are all thinking of you very much and are here if you need us, please don’t hesitate to ask. Once again to Ann, his daughter, Trudianne, and granddaughter, Ashlea, and all other family members we all pass on our condolences at your loss and our thoughts are with you at this tough time. We will all miss you TJ. As we raise a glass in your honour and, most likely, shed a tear or 2, we smile and think of you often. We will all miss the wonderful and amazing TJ, he was the best mentor anyone could ever have and the best friend at the same time. Thank you for your support, love and above all your friendship. Cricket has lost a true character and champion – the world is a lesser place without Terrence James Jenner! Mate I will miss you so much.” Terry Jenner passed away earlier this week . For a man who only played nine Tests for Australia he made an awfully big impression on the game, and won a lot of friends along the way. There have been a lot of things said and written by way of tribute, but no one knew him better or owed him more than Shane Warne. I read Warne’s tribute to his mentor this morning. It’s pretty badly written, full of typos and misspellings. And it is all the better for it, because unlike so much else Warne does in life it is honest and heartfelt, free of “bullshit and fluffy rubbish”. Just like Jenner himself. I can’t link to it because you need to sign up and log in to Warne’s – 888 sponsored – site to read it. So here it is in full: Morning everyone . The first thing you’ll want to know about is what I had for breakfast the weather forecast. Well, it was a fried egg, two slices of black pudding is not supposed to rain, but there are thick blankets of cloud over Cardiff, so we may have a bit of bad light. Given that the ground has floodlights that really should not be an issue, but in cricket, as you know by now, these things are rarely so simple. Sri Lanka in England 2011 England cricket team Sri Lanka cricket team Cricket Over by over reports Andy Bull Rob Smyth guardian.co.uk
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Protesters in doctors’ coats to occupy high street banks to highlight role in creating deficit Campaigners dressed in doctors’ coats and armed with fake blood are planning to close 30 high street banks on Saturday in the biggest direct action to date against proposed changes to the NHS. More than 30 groups across the country are expected to occupy major high street banks, turning them into mock hospitals and setting up “operating theatres” inside to draw attention to the banks’ role in creating the deficit. Dubbed “the emergency operation”, the national action has been organised by the anti-austerity campaigning group UK Uncut, which has staged a series of campaigns against tax avoidance and public spending reductions since it was formed in October. Health worker and UK Uncut supporter Rosie Beech, 29, who will be joining the protest, said: “David Cameron said he wasn’t going to cut the NHS. He lied. 50,000 NHS staff will lose their jobs, whilst the taxpayer continues to subsidise the banks. Why is the government cutting the NHS and privatising what’s left rather than forcing our broken banking system to pay up?” In a sign of increasing unity between trade unions and direct action groups, the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) is encouraging members to attend UK Uncut actions. The protest comes three days after two activists – one from UK Uncut and another from the health campaigning group NHS Direct Action – were arrested after they entered the health thinktank 2020 Vision to protest against the organisation’s role in the health reforms. The two accused the Metropolitan police of “political policing” and were released without charge after six hours. Saturdaywill see UK Uncut’s first big action since the arrests of 145 protesters during a sit-in at Fortnum & Mason on 26 March, when more than 250,000 people took to the streets to protest against government spending cuts. UK Uncut activist Josephine Hill, 34, who was arrested for taking part in the occupation, said: “I will not be intimidated out of protesting by blatant political policing. It is vital that we continue to take action against the government’s brutal cuts agenda, especially the wholesale destruction of the NHS.” The latest action is also supported by the anti-poverty charity War on Want and comes as research commissioned by PCS and carried out by the Tax Justice Network shows that the UK is losing £18bn a year through tax havens. Dave Tucker, senior campaigns officer at War on Want, said: “Cuts would not be necessary if rich companies and individuals paid the tax they owe. The government has made little progress on its promises to close tax havens. This report follows UK Uncut’s exposure of tax dodgers and identifies many options for ministers to chase the missing billions.” PCS said it was calling on members to support the action and added that the two groups were working closely on a range of campaigns. “UK Uncut activists have attended many PCS protests and events, and have willingly shared with us their innovative approach to campaigning and communications, particularly their use of social media,” a spokesman said. “We are now working together on more specific campaigning ideas and look forward to continuing to press for tax justice and for proper resourcing of public services.” UK Uncut Protest Banking NHS Health Tax avoidance Public sector cuts Public finance Matthew Taylor Rowenna Davis guardian.co.uk
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Serbian court rules former Bosnian Serb general is healthy enough to stand trial in The Hague, despite defence’s protests Efforts to put Europe’s most-wanted war crimes suspect on trial in the Hague have crossed their first hurdle with a Belgrade court ruling that Ratko Mladic is fit to be extradited. A spokeswoman said the court determined Mladic was well enough to stand trial despite claims from his defence team that the 69-year old is in poor health. The ruling clears the way for Mladic to be transfered to the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, where he faces 15 charges including genocide and murder. Mladic’s defence team has three days to launch an appeal, which is likely to focus on his health. The former general’s son has said Mladic is too ill for extradition after suffering two strokes while on the run. “We are almost certain he cannot be extradited in such condition,” Darko Mladic told reporters after visiting his father in the Belgrade prison where he is being held. “He is in very bad shape. His right arm is half paralysed. His right side is partly numb.” Darko Mladic said the family had requested a transfer to a military hospital. The family called on Russia to send an independent medical team to examine him and guarantee the impartiality of any medical assessment. Mladic, who earned a fearsome reputation as the “butcher of Bosnia”, was brought before the court on Friday after his arrest in a north Serbian village 16 years after commanding the worst atrocity on the continent since the Nazi era. Darko Mladic refused to discuss any events during the 16-year period his father was in hiding, but said the former Serbian military commander denied the charges against him. “His stand is that he’s not guilty of what he’s being accused of,” he said. Russia strongly opposed the 1999 Nato airstrikes against Serbia over Kosovo. It has called for Mladic to recieve a fair trial and said the case should not be used by the Yugoslavia tribunal in The Hague to justify prolonging its work. “There are doubts that the trial of Mladic in the UN war crimes tribunal will be 100% objective and just,” said Konstantin Kosachyov, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia’s parliament. War crimes prosecutors are hoping Mladic will appear before the examining judge again on Friday to complete the first stage of the extradition process. This stage will be followed by a three-day gap, after which Mladic will have three days to decide whether to appeal. The Serbian ministry of justice will then determine the extradition request. Authorities in The Hague expect Mladic to be there next week and have said he will receive a full medical examination. Mladic is wanted for the mass murder of almost 8,000 men and boys in Srebrenica. His surprise arrest turned a page in the history of the Balkans, offering Serbia closure on decades as a virtual international pariah and giving the country a chance to take its place as a pivotal regional democracy eventually anchored in the European Union. The 69-year-old retired general, who commanded the Bosnian Serb military during the 1992-95 war, was taken to Belgrade after being arrested at a cousin’s home in Lazarevo, north-east of Belgrade. When Mladic appeared in court on Thursday night he looked frail and walked slowly. He wore a baseball cap and could be heard on state TV saying “good day” to those present. Mladic’s lawyer said the judge cut short the questioning because the suspect’s “poor physical state” left him unable to communicate. “He is aware he is under arrest, he knows where he is, and he said he does not recognise The Hague tribunal,” Milos Saljic said. The deputy war crimes prosecutor Bruno Vekaric said Mladic was taking a lot of medicine but “responds very rationally to everything that is going on”. More details have emerged of the capture of Mladic, who had been living under the alias Milorad Komadic. According to officials in Belgrade and accounts to the Serbian media he wore no disguise and put up no resistance when detained by the Serbian security services and Serbian war crimes unit. “I am the person you are looking for,” he reportedly said when arrested in part of a cottage once occupied by the now dead parents of his cousin Branko Mladic. He is said to have been dressed in multiple layers of clothing, including pullovers, although it is summer in Serbia. He had his own identity card, although it formally expired in 1999. There were two guns at the property. Asked why Mladic did not resist arrest, his lawyer is reported to have said the officers were “just children”, in other words very young. Reports about his life there differ. One version holds that he spent a lot of time indoors, while one 20-year-old has claimed to a newpaper that he had worked for a time in the nearby industrial town of Zrenjanin. After his arrest Mladic indicated that he had been following media reports of the war crimes prosecutors’ long pursuit of him. On Thursday night residents took to the streets to show their support for Mladic, singing Serbian nationalist songs. “To us Mladic is a hero, a military hero,” said one, who would only give his name as Paul. “He protected us from Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, even Slovenia. He saved our families.” The image of a frail and sickly rural retiree was a far cry from the strutting, imperious commander of the 1990s who was a monstrous figure to the Muslims of Bosnia. His name is synonymous with the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995 when Mladic’s forces overran the Bosnian Muslim “safe haven” hill town, then methodically rounded up the males and murdered almost 8,000. • Additional reporting by Kevin Burden in Lazarevo Ratko Mladic War crimes Serbia Bosnia and Herzegovina United Nations International criminal court Peter Beaumont Ian Traynor James Meikle guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …It may seem like Sarah Palin’s suddenly resurrected candidacy is catching the fancy of Republican voters again, since the latest Gallup poll shows her only a couple of percentage points behind the clear leader, Mitt Romney — but well ahead of everyone else. Or at least, everyone else except the clear leader — Anybody Else? Mitt Romney (17%) and Sarah Palin (15%) now lead a smaller field of potential Republican presidential candidates in rank-and-file Republicans’ preferences for the party’s 2012 nominee. Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Herman Cain essentially tie for third, with Cain registering 8% support in his initial inclusion in Gallup “trial heat” polling. Notably, 22% of Republicans do not have a preference at this point. That’s right, the clear leader in the Republican race, with 22 percent of the vote, is “None/No opinion.” Somewhere out there is a handsome young Reagan-in-waiting who just needs to be found, no doubt. That seems to be what Republicans are waiting for, anyway.
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Labour leader and partner Justine Thornton keep media at bay for low-key union attended by immediate friends and family Obviously something is happening at Langar Hall – there is a small huddle of hacks and cameras on the pavement at the entrance. Ah, the Labour leader and his partner are finally tying the knot. Ed Miliband and his bride, Justine Thornton, certainly didn’t make it easy for Fleet Street to stake out Friday’s wedding. Langar is a very small village south-east of Nottingham where locals admit, not a lot happens. It’s a long drive for the wedding party and they have put up screens to keep long lenses at bay. The Milibands have stressed how much this is a private, family event so no celebs have been driving past, political or otherwise. Well, only brother David Miliband – he’s still family despite everything – who arrived with wife, Louise, and their kids an hour before the bash. Gordon Brown and David Cameron have sent their best wishes. About 50 guests are inside and the sun has been shining – until a few minutes ago. Ed Miliband’s press officer has been down to tell the press pack – we also got coffee – a few details. The bride’s dress is by Alice Temperley – she also makes stuff for Coleen Rooney, another reporter tells me. In the morning the groom took time out from preparing to walk up the aisle to send a message on Twitter to followers who had wished him well for the day. “Thanks for all the good wishes,” wrote Miliband. “Really looking forward to the day. Feel like the luckiest guy in the world to be marrying Justine.” As the first leader of a major political party to live with his family out of wedlock, Miliband had faced criticism about his unmarried status but insisted he would not be forced into it. “We’ll get married because we want to get married and love each other very much, no other reason,” he told one interviewer. But a wedding’s also an excuse for a rather nice meal: Friday’s was due to consist of asparagus, followed by lamb and pavlova. And bride and groom were both due to make speeches. Then they will take five days off – without the kids – for a honeymoon in Europe. No, they’re not telling us where, but they may pop down the lane for pics if it doesn’t rain. Ed Miliband Labour Weddings Michael White guardian.co.uk
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Planners have approved a new abattoir close to Sir Reginald Sheffield’s stately home in North Yorkshire Planners have approved a new abattoir close to the stately home of the prime minister’s father-in-law. Sir Reginald Sheffield’s protests against the possible effects of smell and noise on his Sutton Park estate near York were overwhelmingly backed at a village meeting, but have now been rejected by the local Conservative-controlled council. Butcher Chris Hodgson will not only be allowed to convert a former pig-rearing unit at Sutton Court farm, but has been offered longer working hours than he requested. Hambleton district council’s planning committee, meeting in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, said that there were no reasons to reject council officers’ recommendation that the project go ahead. The abattoir will slaughter and process around 9,500 animals a year, reducing travel times for farmers who have generally given the proposal strong backing. Opposition has been equally intense in the village of Sutton-on-the-Forest, where the Sheffields bought the local Georgian mansion in 1963 and have subsequently turned it into a minor tourist attraction. In a letter also signed by the estate’s trustees and his second wife Lady Victoria Sheffield, Sir Reginald said that the plan would set back 40 years of improvements and access to Sutton Park. The house takes guided tours on Sundays and Wednesdays between April and September when the gardens are also open daily. Hambleton’s decision allows the abattoir to operate from 6am to 6pm rather than starting at 8am as requested in the application. Hodgson says that eight jobs will be created at the plant, in an area where work in agriculture has been hit by mechanisation and merging of farms into larger units. Approval has still to be confirmed by the full council, but the process is unlikely to be spun out long enough to await the government’s localism measures. These are not clear in detail, pending parliamentary discussion and civil servants’ work on specific provisions, but they are likely to include more emphasis on neighbourhood opinion. The Sutton case highlights the dilemma involved of ‘how local is local’, with opposition in the village balanced by support elsewhere in Hambleton. Some protesters appealed for backing to David Cameron, whose wife Samantha grew up on the Sheffields’ main estates in Lincolnshire but often visited Sutton. But he kept well out of things. David Cameron Samantha Cameron Rural affairs Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
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New admissions code to outlaw town halls’ ‘luck of the draw’ entry and bring an end to 30-pupil limit on class sizes Town halls are to be banned from using lotteries to allocate school places, ministers have said. Lotteries – used in up to a third of councils in England – will be abolished under a new admissions code for the country’s 22,000 state schools. The code, which was published in draft form on Friday and is subject to consultation, also permits class sizes to rise above the 30-pupil limit in certain circumstances. Schools must give priority to children whose parents are in the armed forces and ensure twins and triplets are in the same class. The new code will also allow popular schools to expand – at the likely detriment of weaker schools. It will also give free schools and academies the right to reserve places for children entitled to free meals under the new code. Academies and free schools – but not other state schools – will have the right to opt to take children whose families’ annual income is £16,190 or below, rather than those from better-off families. Michael Gove, the education secretary, said the changes were designed to be fair to those families who cannot afford to move into a neighbourhood where there is a popular school. “The school system has rationed good schools,” he said. “Some families can go private or move house. Many families cannot afford to do either. Good schools should be able to grow and we need more of them.” Lotteries have been seen by some educationalists as a way of reducing deep-seated class divisions in the school system. The highest-performing schools tend to cluster in the wealthiest neighbourhoods; if places are allocated according to how near a family lives to a school – rather than by a lottery – children from the poorest areas miss out. But researchers have found lotteries alone fail to give poor children a higher chance of attending a top school, and marginally narrow the likelihood they will win a place at a high-performing school. Other critics say lotteries force children to travel long distances to class. Individual schools will still be permitted to select through a lottery. The current code, devised under Labour, forbids all state schools from choosing pupils based on their family income. Academies and free schools stand to gain financially over other schools. The coalition last year introduced the pupil premium, which entitles schools to £430 for each pupil on free school meals. But the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) warned that “tinkering with the admissions code was not the way to improve social mobility”. Brian Lightman, the general secretary of ASCL, said: “Allowing ‘popular’ schools to expand will do nothing to improve social mobility. “It will create sink schools in many areas of deprivation and hit hardest those children whose parents do not or cannot take an interest in their education. “Those schools left with the most challenging pupils, who need the most intensive support, will suffer a slow spiral of decline and their pupils will lose out on life chances. The effect will be another generation of haves and have-nots.” He said allowing free schools to prioritise pupils on free school meals was an “arbitrary measure” and unlikely to have an impact on the majority of low-income families. “Sadly these tend to be the parents who are least likely to engage with their child’s education,” he added. “In most cases, a pupil premium of £430 will hardly be enough of an incentive or a supplement for schools to provide the additional support that these pupils so often need.” Education policy School admissions Schools Free schools Academies Jessica Shepherd guardian.co.uk
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At least another 10,000 to be identified in search for victims of decades-long conflict The Colombian government has identified the remains of almost 10,000 people buried in unmarked graves across the country, and at least that many more bodies are still to be identified, an official said. The interior minister, German Vargas, said it was “fundamental for advancing legal human rights proceedings” to identify the remains. Many of the bodies are suspected of being victims of the decades-long conflict between leftist guerrillas, rightwing militias and government security forces. The process of identifying remains found in unmarked graves was carried out over the past five months by comparing fingerprints taken from bodies at morgues with data from the national registry, the agency that issues identity documents. Doing this enabled the identification of 9,969 people: 8,810 men and 1,159 women. Politician Ivan Cepeda said bodies in at least 10,000 more graves could not be identified because they were minors, lacked identity documents or their fingerprints were not taken properly. Identified bodies would be exhumed from the graves and returned to their families, if they were claimed. Each morgue in Colombia would have an attention centre and information would be posted on the website of the Legal Medicine Institute to help families recover the bodies of loved ones, Cepeda said. Colombia Global terrorism guardian.co.uk
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