Britain, the EU, and Cricket

So it finally happened. A British Prime Minister, sitting in council with the other leaders of the EU, decided to use the nuclear option of EU diplomacy, exercising our veto over a new treaty. Not even Mrs Thatcher, in the two years where she really, *really* hated Europe, went so far as to do this.

Now, I'm not going to go into the politics of it all, largely as I'm not sure where the whole event is going, or what I actually feel about it. But I do have one big question. Why is it that the EU, uniquely in British politics, seems to have become linked to cricket?

Let me give you some examples:

I am still at the crease, though the bowling has been pretty hostile of late. And in case anyone doubted it, can I assure you there will be no ducking the bouncers, no stonewalling, no playing for time. The bowling's going to get hit all round the ground. That is my style. (Mrs Thatcher, on European trouble in her government, Nov 1990)

It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease only for them to find, the moment the first balls are bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain. (Sir Geoffrey Howe, about Thatcher's attitude to Europe, Nov 1990)

Game set and match for Britain! (Attributed to John Major, on the Maastricht Treaty, Dec 1991)

John Redwood, the arch-Eurosceptic who challenged Major for Tory leader in 1995, announced his Cabinet resignation while dressed for a cricket match he was in.

And more recently:

Today, Cameron didn't even want to be on the pitch. Even before this summit began, he decided to pull stumps and retreat to the Eurosceptic pavilion. Cameron could have been batting for British interests. Instead, he had put the Tory party's self-interest ahead of Britain's national interest (Ed Miliband, Yesterday)

But the Germans were never going to stump up for that, until they had proper financial controls. (Paddy Ashdown, Yesterday)

Can anyone else see a pattern? Any ideas?!