Maharajah of Vizianagrams impact on tigers; Norman Gordon finally makes a century; Stan Johnsons ashes go on tour; and an apt tribute to Englands 1997 Test hopesVIZZYS BORING COMMENTARYFarokh Engineer and Sunil Gavaskar have been down in the mouth after Indias capitulation at Trent Bridge, but were in fine form earlier in the game, when they met up with veteran cricket writer Ayaz Memon. "Rookie" related the story of the former India captain and later commentator the Maharajah of Vizianagram and his habit of giving tiger skins to the players he paid to play on the ground he built on his estate. Asked if his gifts were the result of him being a sharp shot, Vijay Manjrekar, the father of Sanjay, butted in and said: "No, actually the tigers commit suicide after hearing Vizzys boring commentary."MOBIL GETS HIS CENTURYCongratulations to Norman Gordon, the former South Africa bowler who sent down 92.2 eight-ball overs during the "Timeless Test" in Durban in 1939, on his 100th birthday on Saturday. "Mobil", as he was known for taming his jet-black hair with slicks of Vaseline, received a phone call from the former South Africa captain and administrator Ali Bacher this time last year. "Let me be your captain here," said Bacher. "Youre on 99, so dont play any flamboyant shots and no reverse sweeps. Just take the odd single and place it into the gaps." He did just that and with a highest first-class score of only 20, finally reached his maiden century.JOHNSON GOES ON TOURThe Stan Johnson ashes tour gets underway during the Oval Test later this month. The former accountant, who died at the age of 72 in December 2009, provided enough money in his will to fund his friends to scatter his ashes at 12 grounds - The Oval, Old Trafford, Lahores Gaddafi Stadium, The SCG, Trinidads Queens Park Oval, Sri Lankas Premadasa Stadium, Mumbais Wankhede Stadium, Harare Sports Club, Port Elizabeths St Georges Park, Hamiltons Seddon Park and two more in his native Lancashire - Church & Oswaldtwistle CC and Accrington CC. He stipulated that strong drink should be taken while his friends do their duty, but the ones heading to Lahore better be discreet or it will be a fine mess youve got them into, Stanley.BECKETTS BROADSIDEBill Beckett has resigned as joint-chairman of the South Yorkshire Alliance after inadvertently sending an email, in which he called a club official a "moron", to the clubs captain. Beckett, though, was unrepentant. "I feel totally justified in how I expressed my opinion and can only add I would normally have prefixed it with a profanity to emphasise my disgust even further," he wrote. "Having been chairman of the Sheffield Cricket League for the past 15 years, my intolerance to such matters and my style of leadership are recognised accordingly. But it would appear people east of the M1 corridor are more sensitive. I have absolutely no intention of apologising." Its being so cheerful as keeps him going as another corridor of uncertainty rears its head.ROSE BOWLS DARKER SIDEHampshire were docked eight points after 25 wickets fell to spinners on a raging bunsen during their tense draw with Nottinghamshire at the Rose Bowl last month. So what did the groundsman do for the next game, the draw with Yorkshire that petered out on Friday? He prepared a pitch on which 1,171 runs were scored for the loss of 13 wickets. The ECBs pitch liaison officer is Tony Pigott, who used to ply his trade as a fast bowler, but, it seems, hes gone over to the dark side and left the bowling class to side with the fops .EDEN PARK GOING TO THE BOGSEden Park, Aucklands dual-purpose stadium where Danny Morrison, the walking wicket with 24 Test ducks, stood firm at No11 and survived 133 balls to deny England victory in 1997, is gearing up for the Rugby World Cup by installing scores of temporary lavatories down Cricket Avenue. Locals have renamed it Toilet Street. It should stay that way in recognition of what Morrison did to Englands hopes 14 years ago.CricketRob Bagchi guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds