The Village Cricketer

So there were a couple of very positive comments on the Mahela Jayawardene / Nien Nunb post, which – being a slow day – got me thinking. If George Lucas were to remake Star Wars with famous personalities from the world of cricket making up the cast, who would play whom?!

Here are a few suggestions:

richie benaud, the yoda of world cricket

Yoda – Jedi master who trained Luke Skywalker – has to be Richie Benaud. Looks similar in stature on the TV, a bit wrinkly, a wise and most honourable sage. Like Yoda, you always get the impression Richie must have been an absolute master in his younger days.

Jar Jar Binks – Hapless but good-natured Gungan – Monty Panesar

C-3PO – Protocol droid – A bit dull, somewhat annoying, useful at times, but more likely to run away than any other character, this part goes to Steve Harmison.

Chewbacca – Han Solo’s Wookie partner and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon – Merv Hughes is the only one hairy enough for this role.

Obi-Wan Kenobi – Jedi Master who trains Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker – Geoff Boycott of course! “Eee’ll learn patience”.

Princess Leia Organa – Luke Skywalker’s sister and leader in the Rebel Alliance – This part goes to Alistair Cook, because his hair is the right colour and of all the cricketers in the international game, he looks most like Carrie Fisher.

R2-D2 – Small, dome topped droid that hangs about with C-3PO – For this part, we needed a short, fat, bald cricketer. Darren Lehmann sprung to mind.

Luke Skywalker – Jedi whose coming of age and rise as a Jedi are portrayed in the original Star Wars trilogy – this part goes to Ian Bell, maybe he too will become a world beater once he can learn control.

Han Solo – A rogue, a scoundrel and Captain of the Millennium Falcon – Kevin Pietersen gets this part due to being Captain of England.

Darth Vader – The alter-ego of Anakin Skywalker after his fall to the dark side – Tough one this. Need someone that is big, black and a bit scarey, but also who must have a secret good side. Highly unlikely that he would be Ian Bell’s father, but Curtly Ambrose gets this role.

A full list of StarWars characters is available here. Feel free to suggest your own.

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