Cricket Balls

Congratulations to the England “men’s” team, a gender distinction which the BBC helpfully pointed out, for winning the Cricket World Cup.  The nail-biting success was in contrast to the unmitigated gloom arising from our Government’s failure to get out of the EU over three tedious years.  Whether you subscribe to the conspiracy theory that Mrs May was never really serious about leaving, despite what she said, over and over again, or whether you believe that the negotiating failure was just the result of general incompetence, the net result is the same – we are an international laughing stock.

Cricket success was achieved because we had some very good players but so did the opposition.  The difference was often how the respective teams managed risk.  Batting first or chasing, the possible intervention of Duckworth Lewis, attack for wickets or try to limit the scoring – the cricket risk register is long and comprehensive.  England managed risk very well and triumphed, overall, so well done to the Captain, in particular.   England’s cricket stock is very high.

A lot of people believe that leaving the EU should be risk free but this denies reality.  Any business change, of which Brexit is just one big change, involves risk.  Businesses routinely identify, assess and manage risk for this is their bread and butter.  It seems inconceivable that Mrs May’s team did not compile a risk register and plan to either avoid or mitigate residual risk accordingly.  Thus, there should be no talk of “crashing out” and “cliff edges” – only a manged departure.  Unfortunately, the news that Brexit is, in any sense, being managed seems to be suppressed.  This must be very depressing for all those people who have been working very hard on contingency plans.  But maybe hope is on the horizon? One of the reasons I voted for Boris was his optimism.  After three years of May’s fatalism, we deserve some political good news and encouragement. 

"And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
  In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly,
But westward, look, the land is bright."