Like Wayne Rooney, I am addicted to gambling and I now look to be on
the losing end of a mad gamble.

Here's what happened ...

In a moment of madness, I bet £5 that the England Cricket Team would
win one of their seven One Day International matches against India.

So far, they have already lost the first 4 but yesterday's game was
abandoned due to heavy rain. So only 2 to go and I am not optimistic.

Like Wayne Rooney (who reputedly owes the bookies £700,000) I cannot
really afford to lose £5. Apart from that, it's a matter of pride.

I do recall that contracts can be annulled due to Acts of God, etc.
and that many contracts include what is known in legal jargon as 'a
Farce Majeur clause'.

Now, I can't think of anything more farcical than this and I implore
the best legal brains to help me to find precedents that will help me
prove my point.

Please ignore any contrary indicators.

Many thanks!

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Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 11 Apr 2006 21:10 PDT

The first three ENGLISH batsmen in the 6th ODI where all born in South Africa:

*AJ Strauss, +MJ Prior, KP Pietersen, PD Collingwood,
 VS Solanki, IR Bell, ID Blackwell, LE Plunkett, MJ Hoggard,
 JM Anderson, SI Mahmood.

Is this a record?

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 12 Apr 2006 04:53 PDT

Justice has been done!

England have at last won a match and my life savings remain intact.

Better still I had a further bet today (after India were all out) that
England would get the runs required.

So I have actually won £5.

My thanks to everyone for their support.

PB

You could claim the bet was for "Placed" and they merely came second. 
Look on the bright side India is next to last
olmeK

I don't think it is cricket to try to cop out of a bet.  And how could
you bet on England even winning one of seven matches with a side
chosen from 50 odd million versus one chosen from a billion?
I hope this is not going to use up all the money in your new ISA, but
maybe you will get a free dinner if you acccept your loss gracefully.

Sorry, Myo, but your stats are not reliable.

England has a larger population to choose from because India only
chooses from their own nationals whereas England chooses from
wherever.

It's largely a case of their Asians proving better than ours.

Or maybe their foreign coach is much better than our foreign coach.

Welcome to Globalisation!

For the record, England have included the following 8 players in their
ODI squad of 16:

Pietersen, Prior & Strauss (all born in South Africa);

Geraint Jones from Papua New Guinea;

Shah (Pakistan), Solanki (India);

Kabir Ali and Mahmood.

Unfortunately, only Pietersen has done the biz.

Using foreign players doesn't sound cricket either.  Obviously the
selectors are at fault  - as usual.

Back to the main question:  can you call of the bet because not all
seven one day matches are completed?  I suggest that you discuss this
at length with your partner over several good drinks of whatever
befuddles him more than you ...
Just don't end up paying for his dinner afterwards.  ;-)