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Pakistan cricket's clown prince Shahid Afridi had the press in stitches during his post-match media conference in which he announced his latest retirement from Test cricket.
Sadly, the real joke is on the longest form of the game.
It took the captaincy to lure Afridi back into the creams after four years of only turning out in coloured clothing.
His reckless play in the Lord's Test was one thing, the ease with which he gave up his post was something altogether.
Instead of looking remorseful about the failed experiment and causing further instability within the Pakistan side, Afridi joked he couldn't resist trying to slog every ball he faced for six.
He didn't prepare properly for the Test and said he was not mentally up to playing the game.
Basically, he could not be stuffed.
That is fair enough but the way the 30-year-old still took up the Test captaincy and was ready to hand it on after only one match was disappointing.
It showed a genuine lack of respect for Test cricket and if there were any doubt, his comments demonstrated his thinking.
"One-day and Twenty20, I am enjoying myself and you can get the result in one-day," he said with a cheeky grin.
Afridi is revered in Pakistan and it is worrying a similar attitude could be taken up by the millions of youngsters in his homeland that adore him.
Imagine the fall-out in Australia if excitement machines Andrew Symonds or Dave Warner took a similar stance.
The appearances of Afridi and Australia's Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich after play could not have been more marked.
Afridi rocked up for his press conference in his side's coloured training kit while Ponting and Katich were still in their creams.
The soon-to-be-former skipper denied the lure of easy money in Twenty20 had influenced his decision to turn his back on Tests.
"I think I have enough money," he said.
"If I am playing for money then I would not continue as a captain in Test cricket (for the second Test at Leeds)."
Afridi said he was carrying a side strain and wanted to have a farewell match at Headingley next week.
Surely the Pakistan Cricket Board can beat him to the punch by dumping him.
While Afridi is one of the most captivating players of his generation to watch, Test cricket is much better off without him.
source
Sadly, the real joke is on the longest form of the game.
It took the captaincy to lure Afridi back into the creams after four years of only turning out in coloured clothing.
His reckless play in the Lord's Test was one thing, the ease with which he gave up his post was something altogether.
Instead of looking remorseful about the failed experiment and causing further instability within the Pakistan side, Afridi joked he couldn't resist trying to slog every ball he faced for six.
He didn't prepare properly for the Test and said he was not mentally up to playing the game.
Basically, he could not be stuffed.
That is fair enough but the way the 30-year-old still took up the Test captaincy and was ready to hand it on after only one match was disappointing.
It showed a genuine lack of respect for Test cricket and if there were any doubt, his comments demonstrated his thinking.
"One-day and Twenty20, I am enjoying myself and you can get the result in one-day," he said with a cheeky grin.
Afridi is revered in Pakistan and it is worrying a similar attitude could be taken up by the millions of youngsters in his homeland that adore him.
Imagine the fall-out in Australia if excitement machines Andrew Symonds or Dave Warner took a similar stance.
The appearances of Afridi and Australia's Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich after play could not have been more marked.
Afridi rocked up for his press conference in his side's coloured training kit while Ponting and Katich were still in their creams.
The soon-to-be-former skipper denied the lure of easy money in Twenty20 had influenced his decision to turn his back on Tests.
"I think I have enough money," he said.
"If I am playing for money then I would not continue as a captain in Test cricket (for the second Test at Leeds)."
Afridi said he was carrying a side strain and wanted to have a farewell match at Headingley next week.
Surely the Pakistan Cricket Board can beat him to the punch by dumping him.
While Afridi is one of the most captivating players of his generation to watch, Test cricket is much better off without him.
source
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