Peter Roebuck
January 21st 2008 10:17
I was shocked but not surprised by the nasty attack on Peter Roebuck in The Weekend Australian of the week before last in the Inquirer section. To provide a link would compound the calumny. I found this whimsical paragraph from my own published works - a food column a few years old now - and pass it on for what it's worth. I also draw your attention to Frank Devine's article in the Oz on the cricket question - a masterpiece of undertsatement. Here
"The junior church warden had effected an introduction between the redoubtable Peter Roebuck and a couple of budding cricket enthusiasts. Where better to eat, after a few overs at the nets, than at the Jasmin - noted not only for its display of cricket memorabilia but also its fine service and fierce Tindaloo. I’m afraid I substantially underestimated the heat of this extraordinary curry dish. The milder dishes, especially those curry puffs and the butter chicken, lulled me into a false sense of security. There was much opening of top buttons and loosening of neck gear. Thankfully, cooling mint-flavoured yogurt was on offer to take the edge off.
I was reminded of being in Karachi where the whole population, or so it seems, turns out on Sundays to play cricket on any more or less level piece of ground. One sure way of striking up a conversation, even with taciturn Pakistani bishops, was to mention Mark Taylor. It seems to me that we should consider the possibility of conducting our foreign policy not on the basis of geography, political system, race or religion but rather on who likes to play cricket- a much more important consideration if you ask me. If the government adopts this sensible policy then we’ll need all the well-coached, curry-hardened cricketers we can find."
"The junior church warden had effected an introduction between the redoubtable Peter Roebuck and a couple of budding cricket enthusiasts. Where better to eat, after a few overs at the nets, than at the Jasmin - noted not only for its display of cricket memorabilia but also its fine service and fierce Tindaloo. I’m afraid I substantially underestimated the heat of this extraordinary curry dish. The milder dishes, especially those curry puffs and the butter chicken, lulled me into a false sense of security. There was much opening of top buttons and loosening of neck gear. Thankfully, cooling mint-flavoured yogurt was on offer to take the edge off.
I was reminded of being in Karachi where the whole population, or so it seems, turns out on Sundays to play cricket on any more or less level piece of ground. One sure way of striking up a conversation, even with taciturn Pakistani bishops, was to mention Mark Taylor. It seems to me that we should consider the possibility of conducting our foreign policy not on the basis of geography, political system, race or religion but rather on who likes to play cricket- a much more important consideration if you ask me. If the government adopts this sensible policy then we’ll need all the well-coached, curry-hardened cricketers we can find."
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