Ramprakash Fails Again

Eighty-three years ago, when Jack Hobbs was trying and struggling to match WG Grace's record of first-class hundreds, there was a famous London newspaper headline saying simply "Hobbs fails again". I could be wrong, but I think it was after he had made a fifty. Hobbs took a month to get the historic hundred, with expectation building to fever pitch, and when it eventually came at Taunton there was immense relief, especially as he had been 91 not out overnight.

Will we have the same frenzied anticipation for Mark Ramprakash's historic 100th hundred (read this for more background)? Today was his first chance to advance from 99 to 100 but he nicked James Tomlinson behind and will have to wait at least another 24 hours for his next chance. No doubt Ramprakash will get there at some point and probably very soon.

Speculation in one press box last week was that Paul Sheldon, the Surrey chief executive, had told Ramprakash that he had to get the historic ton at the Oval otherwise he wouldn't get a benefit dinner this year. "Not true, but a very good line," was Sheldon's response when I put it to him.