Tablet Ignites Debate on Messiah and Resurrection

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ornamentalmind

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Jul 5, 2008, 7:07:02 PM7/5/08
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by Ethan Bronner
7/6/08 NYTimes
Jerusalem: "A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that
scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus
is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles,
especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the
dead after three days.

If such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to
a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of
Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection
was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time.

The tablet, probably found near the Dead Sea in Jordan according to
some scholars who have studied it, is a rare example of a stone with
ink writings from that era — in essence, a Dead Sea Scroll on stone.
..."

More at: http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/the-messiah-tradition-around-the-time-of-jesus/
Original article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/world/middleeast/06stone.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Interesting article, any views?

Pat

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Jul 5, 2008, 9:16:31 PM7/5/08
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On 6 Jul, 00:07, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> by Ethan Bronner
> 7/6/08 NYTimes
> Jerusalem: "A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that
> scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus
> is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles,
> especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the
> dead after three days.
>
> If such a messianic description really is there, it will contribute to
> a developing re-evaluation of both popular and scholarly views of
> Jesus, since it suggests that the story of his death and resurrection
> was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish tradition at the time.
>
> The tablet, probably found near the Dead Sea in Jordan according to
> some scholars who have studied it, is a rare example of a stone with
> ink writings from that era — in essence, a Dead Sea Scroll on stone.
> ..."
>
> More at:http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/the-messiah-tradition-arou...
> Original article:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/world/middleeast/06stone.html?_r=1&...
>
> Interesting article, any views?

Yes. I'd want to know what the text of the tablet says.

ornamentalmind

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Jul 5, 2008, 10:50:57 PM7/5/08
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I haven't looked for any full translation of the words that can be
read for sure. Later in the NYTimes article I referenced in the last
post it says:
...
In Mr. Knohl’s interpretation, the specific messianic figure embodied
on the stone could be a man named Simon who was slain by a commander
in the Herodian army, according to the first-century historian
Josephus. The writers of the stone’s passages were probably Simon’s
followers, Mr. Knohl contends.

The slaying of Simon, or any case of the suffering messiah, is seen as
a necessary step toward national salvation, he says, pointing to lines
19 through 21 of the tablet — “In three days you will know that evil
will be defeated by justice” — and other lines that speak of blood and
slaughter as pathways to justice.

To make his case about the importance of the stone, Mr. Knohl focuses
especially on line 80, which begins clearly with the words “L’shloshet
yamin,” meaning “in three days.” The next word of the line was deemed
partially illegible by Ms. Yardeni and Mr. Elitzur, but Mr. Knohl, who
is an expert on the language of the Bible and Talmud, says the word is
“hayeh,” or “live” in the imperative. It has an unusual spelling, but
it is one in keeping with the era.

Two more hard-to-read words come later, and Mr. Knohl said he believed
that he had deciphered them as well, so that the line reads, “In three
days you shall live, I, Gabriel, command you.”

To whom is the archangel speaking? The next line says “Sar hasarin,”
or prince of princes. Since the Book of Daniel, one of the primary
sources for the Gabriel text, speaks of Gabriel and of “a prince of
princes,” Mr. Knohl contends that the stone’s writings are about the
death of a leader of the Jews who will be resurrected in three days.

He says further that such a suffering messiah is very different from
the traditional Jewish image of the messiah as a triumphal, powerful
descendant of King David.

“This should shake our basic view of Christianity,” he said as he sat
in his office of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem where he is
a senior fellow in addition to being the Yehezkel Kaufman Professor of
Biblical Studies at Hebrew University. “Resurrection after three days
becomes a motif developed before Jesus, which runs contrary to nearly
all scholarship. What happens in the New Testament was adopted by
Jesus and his followers based on an earlier messiah story.”

Ms. Yardeni said she was impressed with the reading and considered it
indeed likely that the key illegible word was “hayeh,” or “live.”
Whether that means Simon is the messiah under discussion, she is less
sure. ...
>      Yes.  I'd want to know what the text of the tablet says.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

archytas

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Jul 6, 2008, 8:30:46 AM7/6/08
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Future generations are going to have so much more religious scripture
fun - that's if there are any future generations. All sorts of dross
will be available to them, written by our finest loonies. I myself
(for I think it is me) am penning a scripture on cricket messiahs who
arise very hundred years in English cricket, drink profusely of the
magic brew (in excessior) and then destroy the Australian hoardes from
positions of hopeless impossibility. The scripture of Stollard in
1881, the testament of Botham 1981, and the opus-future-son-of son-of
son-of-mine to come will be worshipped for all time by all who
venerate the willow. I even predict the rise of our malevolent, metal-
batted counter sect, the Indian Premier League Remnant, before the
next defeat of an Australian team that has enforced and English follow-
on.

No one who has read any Indian or Greek text can surely believe there
was anything original amongst the ancient Jews - and why should we
expect such originality if we read modern philosophy (Derrida, Freud)
and see just how much we copy copies? You have to be pretty dumb to
think this even challenges the resurrection - dumb enough to have
swallowed the junk whole in the first place and thus be 'surprised' it
was all lies made up for power reasons and to influence the already
dumb, primed to want a resurrection. Biblical scholarship is bunk, so
nothing can run against all "scholarship" - it merely deflates myth
and fable we should have given up on long ago. All this crud is just
reflection on the fantasies of children, lacking their ability to just
give up on it tomorrow as though they never lied in the first place.

Einstein's quote of the day is "Nationalism is an infantile disease.
It is the measles of mankind". This biblical posing is the
chickenpox. Take the cure. Scientists have given up on this kind of
muck because it can't help us know anything and is only about "play".
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

Pat

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Jul 6, 2008, 8:36:59 AM7/6/08
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On 6 Jul, 03:50, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I haven't looked for any full translation of the words that can be
> read for sure. Later in the NYTimes article I referenced in the last
> post it says:
> ...
> In Mr. Knohl’s interpretation, the specific messianic figure embodied
> on the stone could be a man named Simon who was slain by a commander
> in the Herodian army, according to the first-century historian
> Josephus. The writers of the stone’s passages were probably Simon’s
> followers, Mr. Knohl contends.
>
> The slaying of Simon, or any case of the suffering messiah, is seen as
> a necessary step toward national salvation, he says, pointing to lines
> 19 through 21 of the tablet — “In three days you will know that evil
> will be defeated by justice” — and other lines that speak of blood and
> slaughter as pathways to justice.
>
> To make his case about the importance of the stone, Mr. Knohl focuses
> especially on line 80, which begins clearly with the words “L’shloshet
> yamin,” meaning “in three days.” The next word of the line was deemed
> partially illegible by Ms. Yardeni and Mr. Elitzur, but Mr. Knohl, who
> is an expert on the language of the Bible and Talmud, says the word is
> “hayeh,” or “live” in the imperative. It has an unusual spelling, but
> it is one in keeping with the era.
>

Already I have a problem, then, with it. The preposition 'L'
means 'for' not 'in'; it would have to be 'B' to be 'in'. So it reads
"For three days..." not "In three days...". Now, unless he's claiming
that the preposition had, at the time, a different meaning than it
does now or DID in times previous to the tablet, I think they're
fudging a translation. The beginning of Genesis, for example, starts
with 'In the Beginning...', which is, and always has been
"B'Rashith..." not "L'Rashith...".
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

ornamentalmind

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Jul 6, 2008, 3:39:47 PM7/6/08
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Neil, how nice that you have been taking lessons in writing style from
chaz! ;-)
OM

Pat

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Jul 6, 2008, 7:31:08 PM7/6/08
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On three posts, the wicket shall stand. And new bails will rise
from the ashes of those that have been burnt for His namesake. And,
whilst one may eat pork, that which is Beefy, shall remain unsullied.
And only he with the experience of 20/Twenty hindsight will be able to
know that, in the final over, lo, it IS over. And, verily, when it is
over, those that have been dismissed will be cast into the gully,
though they run for cover. And those of the broken willow will surely
weep. And the Holy Urn will forever remain at the Lord's. And the
TRUE apostates will be made to wear all black. For thine is the
wicket and the crease, forever.

frantheman

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Jul 6, 2008, 7:50:06 PM7/6/08
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O ye of little faith, follow not the evil whisperings of the demon
Howzatt and his minion, the false prophet Elbee Doubleyew. For truly,
says the Lord Oz, I will smite the Poms on that day and there will be
wailing and gnashing of teeth at the Break for Tea. And on that day
they will remember my words; blessed are those who expect nothing, for
surely they will not be disappointed.

Vamadevananda

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Jul 7, 2008, 12:27:32 AM7/7/08
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This was a delightful post, Pat ! Thank you.

Vamadevananda

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Jul 7, 2008, 12:30:20 AM7/7/08
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Ah, Fran, this was one orgasmic follow through on Pat's post. Thank
you very much.

I wonder how long will Neil take to post his in, to extend the
hilarity.

archytas

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Jul 7, 2008, 12:46:36 AM7/7/08
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All of the EU stands together against the Aussie Hoarde when it comes
to cricket Francis. I do wonder, Orn, how we are supposed to express
the pain and anger that most religionists inflict on us as though it
is OK. Their use of intertial violence beggars belief and I often
feel Chaz is doing little more than protesting about these beatings.
I think Vam, that when a captain has bowlers doing as well as Pat and
Francis, the idea is to leave then on with just an occasional tinker
with the field. I shall leave them in your capable hands, shower and
nip down to the Olympics and win the long jump unless CB Fry beats me
to the registration desk again!

Pat

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Jul 7, 2008, 5:25:51 AM7/7/08
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On 7 Jul, 05:46, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> All of the EU stands together against the Aussie Hoarde when it comes
> to cricket Francis.  I do wonder, Orn, how we are supposed to express
> the pain and anger that most religionists inflict on us as though it
> is OK.  Their use of intertial violence beggars belief and I often
> feel Chaz is doing little more than protesting about these beatings.
> I think Vam, that when a captain has bowlers doing as well as Pat and
> Francis, the idea is to leave then on with just an occasional tinker
> with the field.  

I dunno, Neil, all I was doing was trying to make another silly
point that was slightly mid-off and hardly deep. ;-)

Pat

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Jul 7, 2008, 5:27:58 AM7/7/08
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On 7 Jul, 05:27, Vamadevananda <atewari2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This was a delightful post, Pat !  Thank you.
>

Glad you enjoyed it! I was thinking about entitling it 'The First
Epistle from St. Patrick to Neil, an Apostle of Cricket'. But it
wasn't long enough to really warrant a title.

archytas

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Jul 7, 2008, 7:54:30 AM7/7/08
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We all share something as Europeans united in cricket and I'm sure as
Paddy, Yank and Jock we all love the idea of being an Englishman! Vam
too, of course, though we traditionally make Indian English players
the Nawab of Pataudi before sending them out to bat! Perhaps it is
time to send this discussion to Boot Hill - Orn has that look of silly
mid-wicket (true position) or suicidal cover (really silly mid off)
about him! Boot Hill is merely the most dangerous of any of the idiot
positions in use at a given time.

Pat

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Jul 7, 2008, 9:23:07 AM7/7/08
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On 7 Jul, 12:54, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> We all share something as Europeans united in cricket and I'm sure as
> Paddy, Yank and Jock we all love the idea of being an Englishman!  Vam
> too, of course, though we traditionally make Indian English players
> the Nawab of Pataudi before sending them out to bat!  Perhaps it is
> time to send this discussion to Boot Hill - Orn has that look of silly
> mid-wicket (true position) or suicidal cover (really silly mid off)
> about him! Boot Hill is merely the most dangerous of any of the idiot
> positions in use at a given time.
>

I'm afraid that my short legs would keep me at boot hill
permanently anyway. I got around that English-envy by having three
English sons. Although I have to admit that I had to look up 'boot
hill' to know what you were on about. My American 'edumacation' led
me to believe it was a cemetery outside Tombstone, Arizona, which
isn't really known for its cricket as much as its incredibly hilarious
epitaphs. Such as:

Here lays Butch
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.

And, of course:

Here lies Lester Moore.
Four shots from a .44,
No Les--No More.

frantheman

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Jul 7, 2008, 1:19:40 PM7/7/08
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One of the best gravestone epitaphs I've ever come across was:

Here lies the body of Joshua Pound,
Who was lost at sea and never found

Francis
> > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -...
>
> read more »

Pat

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Jul 7, 2008, 1:41:59 PM7/7/08
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On 7 Jul, 18:19, frantheman <francis.h...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> One of the best gravestone epitaphs I've ever come across was:
>
> Here lies the body of Joshua Pound,
> Who was lost at sea and never found
>
> Francis
>

A strong emphasis on the word 'lies', methinks.
> > > > > > > > > > More- Hide quoted text -

frantheman

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Jul 7, 2008, 1:57:49 PM7/7/08
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Or, indeed the unintentionally ironic statement from some pious Life
of the Saints:

Brother Pius, died, worn out from a hard life full of prayer and
penance, suffering and illness, at the age of ninety seven ...

Francis
> > > > > > > > > > > was not unique but part of a recognized Jewish- Hide quoted text -

Pat

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Jul 7, 2008, 10:15:00 PM7/7/08
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As they say...Seek, and ye shall find:

http://www.bib-arch.org/news/dss-in-stone-news.asp

On the above link are both the Hebrew and an English translation.
After reading it, I'm none the wiser. Although I find that, as it
mention Gabriel, shepherds, the phrase "Prince of Princes" and some
period of three days, one could easily hope for some kind of Messianic
pointing towards stories in the Gospels. But it could easily be that
the story of the tablet was known widely enough and the myth
incorporated into the gospels to lend them an historic credence
corresponding to the story on this tablet. Plus, there's so much
missing text as to make any 'story' barely readable.

archytas

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Jul 8, 2008, 4:23:56 AM7/8/08
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The official scriptures always lack full evidence Pat. Despite Wisden
and the Warrington Guardian, a full account of cricketing white-
satanic rites is not published. In one vital game of no importance in
1981, the Keeper of the Holy Wicket (Crotchley) and myself were
swapping the pads between overs so I could invoke Off Break Protocols
at one end and he the Mysteries of Leg Break and Googly at the other.
We had made 15 calls to Elbedubyah against one sacrificial offering
posing as a batsman to no avail, suffering a severe case of Umpire-
lock-finger syndrome. This called for the ceremoney of the Great Lord
of Crowded Bat - basically putting one's most ugly Fielding Pawns in
the face of the intended sacrifice, muttering incantations on his
parental origins and the chastity of his mother. Loud prayers are
offered to cure the umpire of blindness and lock-finger and the poison
oracles of umpiring paternity of the bastard batter are offered. The
minor Lord Owzat is called many times, before the great master
Owzeesexandtravel in God's Creation and Hell is called to bring
justice to the universe, unless the umpire dies from the poison and is
replaced by a man of Reason beforehand. I have no doubt that the
scriptures of the itinerant and always thirsty Judaics are of the same
shorthand as 'Caught Crotchley bowled Terry' as the Warrington
Guardian reported, or possibly as misrepresntative of the facts as the
minutes of the Manchester Association Disciplinary Hearing of 1981 in
which our defence was absudity of the charge of ungentlemanly conduct
on the grounds no team ever has two wicket keepers at the same time,
or fielders as ugly as the complainant alleged. The litany of
Severicus Repremandus was spoken, though in the absence of wicket-
keeping bowlers, who were both playing the On Holiday Joker Tarot.
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

Pat

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Jul 8, 2008, 6:27:20 AM7/8/08
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But, surely, the presence of a wicket-keeping bowler is just
another, rare form of that kind of prophet known as Allus Rounderus.
And, for what it's worth, I suspect the Warrington Guardian was even
more cryptic, like this recently found tablet, and actually stated
something like: (c) Crotchley (b) Terry.

archytas

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Jul 8, 2008, 8:03:19 AM7/8/08
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We'll all just have to admit to being stumped Pat.

Pat

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Jul 8, 2008, 8:11:32 AM7/8/08
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On 8 Jul, 13:03, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> We'll all just have to admit to being stumped Pat.
>

Yes, and be safe in our knowledge that what you get when you cross
Lyndon B. Johnson with George W. Bush is LBW.

archytas

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Jul 8, 2008, 9:20:38 AM7/8/08
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Such a chimera as that LBW would have to be dealt with via chin music
and throat balls.

Pat

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Jul 8, 2008, 9:45:30 AM7/8/08
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On 8 Jul, 14:20, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Such a chimera as that LBW would have to be dealt with via chin music
> and throat balls.
>

LOL!! Can't disagree with you there. No real threat, though. Such
a chimera is certainly half-dead and the remaining half is dead from
the neck up, anyway. ;-)

archytas

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Jul 8, 2008, 8:01:17 PM7/8/08
to "Minds Eye"
I think the appearance of this particular chimera might just incite me
enough for one last spell of fast bowling. I doubt I can muster much
pace these days, but there is a technique. I once gave an old spin
bowler a torrid time. Various appeals to me to give him an easier
ride had failed (claims to have only been discharged from open heart
surgery at lunch time etc.). He could hardly do the same back as a
slow bowler, but did overstep the crease by 10 yards when I was
batting and launch one at my head from halfway down. I suspect we
might both have a go at old LBW with this ruse!

Pat

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Jul 8, 2008, 8:07:22 PM7/8/08
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On 9 Jul, 01:01, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> I think the appearance of this particular chimera might just incite me
> enough for one last spell of fast bowling.  I doubt I can muster much
> pace these days, but there is a technique.  I once gave an old spin
> bowler a torrid time.  Various appeals to me to give him an easier
> ride had failed (claims to have only been discharged from open heart
> surgery at lunch time etc.).  He could hardly do the same back as a
> slow bowler, but did overstep the crease by 10 yards when I was
> batting and launch one at my head from halfway down.  I suspect we
> might both have a go at old LBW with this ruse!
>

Ten yards?! If I'd been the umpire, I'd have called a 'first
down' against the defense and granted you 6 no-balls. ;-)

archytas

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Jul 9, 2008, 6:01:23 AM7/9/08
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I appreciate that umpire's move from technical legalities to ethics!

Pat

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Jul 9, 2008, 6:13:53 AM7/9/08
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On 9 Jul, 11:01, archytas <nwte...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> I appreciate that umpire's move from technical legalities to ethics!
>

It's that ol' rebel Yank logic. As long as both sides are equally
dissatisfied, it's fair. I figured that awarding no-balls was, at
least, closer to the truth than byes.
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