Best batsmen born on Fridays

However, more sensible people prefer Fridays because after a hard day at the gym your conscience can be cleared with some beers, hamburgers, gals and pals at your favourite watering hole be it 51 Degrees or Zen.

But have you ever wondered who was born on the same day as you? Sharing a birthday party all alone with Jennifer Lopez, a feisty Hale Berry, and a saucy Beyonce could be thought provoking on a Friday night.

Most people will spend hours discussing the world’s best cricket teams (though at this time it might be the world’s best football teams)...So to avoid controversy and numerous irrelevant rambling letter writers, we will pursue another avenue.

Do you know that some of the best batsmen were born on a Friday?

A general hint to expectant sporting mothers in the world, but especially to those I know.

Sunday’s Child is fair and wise and always good and gay.

However, can you really say that of Michael "Hands Up Lara" Atherton — or worse — that Tony Grieg is good and wise?

At least though, we can say Wes "The Jefe" Hall was fair, and we can only hope that Clyde "Now Talking" Walcott was good and wise sooner when he had the power.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul has certainly enjoyed a lot of good fortune being elevated to the position of captain and hopefully he can be wiser in how he sets his field placement and his decisions on and off the field of play. Some memory tablets so that he remembers his teammates names would assist.

South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith always has a gay look on his face, and he maintains he is fair even if there are now a lot of doubts over that, but Smith is a wise Afrikaneer, in that he knows there is no evidence to convict him only speculation.

But he must be wary, because at first there was only speculation against another South African leader, Hanse Cronje, but things eventually changed for the worse. Only time will tell on Smith’s fate, but God does not like ugly. Monday’s child is full of face.

Thankfully, Geoffrey Boycott’s face is no where to be seen on this tour and neither is Richie Benaud around, he has certainly a hard face, that signals a tough Australian background.

Ramnaresh Sarwan needs a shave and needs to mature as well in his batting and stop using his face, just to appear in advertisements.

South Africa’s Shaun Pollock was in everyones face when he got the wickets of Brian Lara and Wavell Hinds in Jamaica and he unlike his West Indian counterparts has been able to balance that with good bowling, not betrayed by face antics.

Courtney Browne is probably the most unpopular face currently in the West Indies team, and his sometimes bewildering look when he is dismissed like a schoolboy while batting does not help his cause.

Tuesday’s child is full of grace.

David Gower should have had his face first shown on a Tuesday rather than on a Monday. Michael "Rolls Royce Stalled" Holding had a lot of grace, had a lot of style. Unfortunately, he needs to pass this on to others sooner rather than later.

However, any team that includes the three greatest all-rounders in Sir Garfield Sobers, Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee has to be respected.

Indian’s Sachin Tendulkar has the grace and the class to lift anyone, if only he can get some luck from umpires. Wavell Hinds will hopefully go on to better things after his spat with Graeme Smith, and some time repenting would be helpful.

Dwayne Smith’s fielding, especially his catching is graceful, if only he could temper his penchant for aggressive batting with more relaxed stroke-play.

South Africa’s captain in waiting, Nicky Boje appears to have all the credentials to be the next South African captain, and because of his graceful media savvy, he may get that job very soon.

Wednesday’s child is full of woe.

And there is no more woeful pair than Mervyn "Too Many Dropped Catches" Dillon and Mervyn "I can Do better" Dillon. Australian woes continue with Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Jeff Thompson who complain more than enough, Waugh is especially sorrowful now that his career is over.

Makhaya Ntini has stop his pain look and is receiving the success he deserves, but he must not appeal so much, it could make him old before his time.

Teddy "President for life" Griffith, needs to open up more to the media and not always come across as if he is the bearer of bad news only, he needs to allow himself to grow in the job and not believe he is mightier than the British Lords, even if he is from Barbados.

Thursday’s child has far to go.

Clive Lloyd’s appointment as a respected match referee, says where the West Indies went wrong. Larry Gomes and Rohan Kanhai have both had to leave their home countries to work elsewhere, as the appreciation never came at home.

Even Don Bradman must be going joyfully along in cricket heaven. Rahul Dravid and Harbhajan Singh can reach the summit of world cricket, if they can learn from each other. Meanwhile Carl Hooper has shown that unlike what others thought he is going to go on playing cricket with God on his side maybe until he is 40 years old.

Friday’s child is loving and giving.

Vivian Richards and Brian Lara were quite loving off the field and gave better than most on the field.

Brian would not be happy to know that one of his leading critics, Richie Richardson, is also a Friday child but knowledge that deceased West Indies great Malcolm Marshall is also a Friday companion, may relieve Brian’s stress tablets intake.

But with his new nemesis Andre Nel in Friday mood as well, Lara will have a lot more suffering to encounter in the future.

Dwayne Bravo who looks so composed is greatly a touch player in this category thanks to his day of birth. South Africa’s AB De Villers has the potential to be one of the best batsmen in the world, he seems to have a lot of giving for bowlers in his blood, just ask Reon "Can’t measure" King and Tino "I am bad" Best.

Saturday’s child has to work hard for his living.

Lawrence Rowe, Greg Chappel and Barry Richards never appeared to have had to work at their batting. More often than not it was the opposition bowlers that had to work hard for their wickets.

Shane Warne, certainly had to work hard at his weight, otherwise he may have a "fat" time in the West Indies in 2007.

Curtly Ambrose’s bowling is still badly missed by the West Indies. Even Lance Gibbs has to work hard now in transportation of packages, after achieving a West Indian first of 300 Test wickets.

Darren Powell has found the going tough as a West Indian bowler, but he has not given up, which says a lot about his character.

Herschelle Gibbs, the flashy South African has a lot of work to do to cut his irrational strokes. Good strokeplayers in the Caribbean are a dying breed (like young women that can cook) and it is noticeable that among the current crop of players only the former players such as Ian Chapell, Richie Benaud, Garfield Sobers, Frank Worrell and Clive Lloyd are capable of leading my teams during the course of a week.

The champion team of the seven could be Tuesday because of their all round skill but then the majestic batting of Friday’s could be decisive, and then the combative nature of Wednesday should be respected.