Friday 30 October 2009

At Last, Some Common Sense In The Media

It's often hard to make any sense out of how the media comments about cricket in Australia, so it was good to see this article in Australia's doyen of the free press, the Sydney Morning Herald. Here is, at last, is a common sense solution to Australia's cricketing woes. In fact, the secret to our continued success is so sensible and realistic, I'm surprised I hadn't thought of it.

Read the article and tell me what you think lads.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/how-the-blues-can-win-back-the-ashes-for-australia/2009/10/29/1256405474213.html

Thursday 29 October 2009

Bran Biscuits & An English Lord

Lord Wheatbix Sheffield must be turning repeatedly in his grave at the knowledge that he stands along side the great Aussie breakfast cereal as the symbol of all that is cricket in Australia. All we need in the ensuing few years is the Orchy One Day Cup and Yoplait Twenty20 in domestic cricket and past, present and future sponsors would make the complete breakfast. In Tony Greig parlance, they'd be a great start in defeat and won.

After being Pura than low fat milk, CA was supposed to making the domestic four day competition - if you'll indulge my ABC speak - purer and hence the return to original name of one of cricket's oldest and most enduring symbols. That resolve has crumbled in bran dust, almost as soon as Jimmy Sutherland boldly went where no corporate head had gone before ... into a venture with no major sponsor.

Couldn't we have had the Sheffield Shield ... pause ... sponsored by Wheatbix? Have all our cricket administrators gone to the Sanitarium?

Just as well you're dead, your Lordship. In this post-Packer, sub-continental cricket world world, tradition is no Shield from the sponsorship dollar.

How many Sheffield Shield's have NSW won? No idea, but Brett Lee does 9.

tactics... i'll take a punt!

Well done Punter! you did the Aussie thing by "havin' a dip". You had a try at something you have no ability to support, and in spirit of the national character YOU FAILED gloriously and with little outward remorse!

It is gracious to admit to being out played, but when you failed to follow that oh-so-old and cliched tenet of cricket, "if you win the toss- bat. If you win and are unsure-BAT", then all you 've shown is that your punting habits have got the better of logic and good judgement.

The assumption that it was a good tactic to have a bowl first so the Indian spinners had no purchase on a dewy wicket strikes right to the heart of why you should not be captain. You are a fine batsman, but have not mastered the basics of 'Tactition for beginners.'

I accept it was the Indian batsman that took the game away from Australia, in particular MSD's top knock, but your heart must have dropped out your pucker-hole when they posted a record score against Australia. I wonder what your tactical G-up was in the change rooms at the break?
"Just build some partnerships boys." GOLD! I'm sure everyone went out thinking, "We've got this in the bag."

Good luck betting on the Melbourne Cup; can you make that the only rash gamble you do for the rest of November?