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And for those who wrote to tell me that a flick off the pads would not, in the ordinary course of events, pass either hand of the fielder at backward point... it was a 'criket-cognoscenti' code. It indicated that the shot was terribly mistimed and came off the back of the bat.
Properly interpreted, there is no other interpretation. The logic is inescapable. Ordinarily a mistimed flick off the pads - one that comes off the back of the batting stick - will spoon towards point. The left hand of the backward point fieldsman is normally the side nearest the keeper... but not if the batsman is a leftie - and those who know me know that although I can bat both sides (badly) I am left-handed by preference, because when I was young I wanted to be David Gower when I grew up (although I confess to having rather admired Larry Gomes as well). When Gower mistimed one of his breathtakingly elegant flicks off the pads, it was basically so finely timed as to be a leg-side snick... straight through to the keeper.
But anyway - in the OzRant case, the shot fell safe, so in typically phlegmatic fashion, we applaud politely, say "Well played, sir", and chalk up a quick single.
Not elegant, to be sure... but then you've never seen me bat.