Zimbabwe was a better side when it entered test cricket 12 years ago then it is now.

That's why they WERE given test status 12 years ago B !!!!!

I was trying to keep it simple for you 12carr, I know the irish are mental giants

Thank you for those kind words B.

A man has had to remortgage his house after losing a £50,000 bet on the recent India-Pakistan cricket series.

The Pakistan fan does not want to comment or be identified as the unlucky loser of the costly wager.

But winner Jake Caratella – a 44-year-old club doorman and father-of-two from Leicester’s West End – has no worries about recounting his good fortune.

The bet was made between the two men at a local restaurant, in front of a group of friends, before the recent matches between the rival nations.

If India won both the test and one-day series, Mr Caratella would take the money, if Pakistan won, his rival would scoop the jackpot.

Mr Caratella, who describes himself as “not a millionaire but quite wealthy”, did not even watch the series as they unfolded. He is not a cricket fan.

He said: “My friend was saying Pakistan this and Pakistan that so I asked him to put his money where his mouth is. He shook my hand and we drew up a contract later that night.

“I did not watch it because I am not into cricket. I just went around getting on with my life.

“But when India won the first game, I thought I was going to win.”

India went on to win the test series 2-1 in April after securing the one-day series 3-2.

Mr Caratella said he would spend the windfall on servicing his Ferrari and funding his new apartment in Dubai.

Asked whether he had any guilt about taking the money off his fellow diner, he said: “A bet’s a bet