the buzz is on as to where the England team are planning to go as a bonding/educational pre Ashes trip now that a leak as emerged that potential squad players have been told to keep a window of time available at the end of the month.
after last years WW1 Flanders experience preceded an Ashes victory, it is any ones guess as to what the 2 African Andy's are up to this time around.
the only real information suggests the time frame- 24-28/9, and the fact it not a training camp, but more a bonding experience and it is suggested also educational.
With Warne no longer in the Aussie squad to say NAY to any form of extra exertion, is it too late to do a quick lap of Kokoda? or more realistically, a jump on a plane after the Mumbai or Dehli test to Gallipoli to see where poor British leadership put ANZAC soldiers in it.
Or even better still, get to Brisbane a few days earlier than normal and educate the team on The Brisbane Line and the alleged sell-out of the top of our island by Menzies and British and American High Command.
While it was supposedly mainly MacArthur and Menzies idea, why let that get in the way of building up some anti-English sentiment given so many of our troops were away "defending Mother England".
Surely this will help bend the backs of any patriotic fast bowler!
Irrespective of my suggestions, i think African Andy #1 should be complimented on his ideas and direction for the England team; he has been quoted as saying that last years trip to the battlefields was about, "broadening the players horizons and putting their sporting careers in perspective."
Admirable objectives when faced with the horrors of the western front.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Friday, 10 September 2010
greatest ever...
look, i know it is just soooo contrived, and we have done best teams before. but i've just watched abc dvd's cricket in the 60's and i'm half way through the "Chappel era' and i thought it might be fun to hear what your favourite (not best) player is in each position.
set your own standards: mine are world cricketers, as i just love the game more than nationality.
opening batsmen should be a pair, i think...but you can create your own.
for me:
Greenidge/Haynes
as a kid, i always felt we were not even close o the job being underway when they were out..
very close 2nd Langer/Hayden
set your own standards: mine are world cricketers, as i just love the game more than nationality.
opening batsmen should be a pair, i think...but you can create your own.
for me:
Greenidge/Haynes
as a kid, i always felt we were not even close o the job being underway when they were out..
very close 2nd Langer/Hayden
Thursday, 9 September 2010
KP in SA
it looks like KP has his Ashes prep all sorted out; a trip home to play for Kwazulu-Natal Inland to get himself right for dry hot Aus conditions.
Well Kev, a quick look at google news or a weather site might make you think continuing on in Blighty might be better prep.
sure we have a few months to go, but any more rain over October/November is going to see the ground water really steam out when the sun hits it, well, at least here in Melbourne! we could have 2 humid swing tests.
if any of our boys get some genuine sideways through the air, KP may have another Twitter twatter... i can only hope!
Well Kev, a quick look at google news or a weather site might make you think continuing on in Blighty might be better prep.
sure we have a few months to go, but any more rain over October/November is going to see the ground water really steam out when the sun hits it, well, at least here in Melbourne! we could have 2 humid swing tests.
if any of our boys get some genuine sideways through the air, KP may have another Twitter twatter... i can only hope!
Monday, 6 September 2010
1st draft boxing day T design
back design
front design
Sledgey, you may want to tweak yours a bit, i don't think Harmison is in the mix!
general thought please?
i won't be starting the stencils until the weekend, and i'll do mine and Paul's first as they are "locked in", as well as a stencil for each name, as i will jig thaem so they are seperate to the back design.
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Boxing day T's
getting in early this year.
as Nospmas and i have tossed it up, it is time to put together our T-shirt design for Boxing day.
my proposal: i am going to screen print the design this year to save the cost (as the Down the wicket T's from 3 years ago cost a motza to print). i have the screen printing stuff now, so the only cost is your T-shirt.
for the regular crew, i suggest we each get to include one block of text or design.
my brother wants for his contribution- "Swan street early openers!"
no surprises there! luckily it isn't spelt "Swann"! i might put this on a sleeve as it is only a small block of text.
i know Nospmas you have a soap dodging theme in mind. please confirm and i'll make it happen. where do you want it on the shirt?
we'll have to get onto Sledgey and see what he'd like.
i already know what i'm contributing this year: UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS I STAND
A NATIVE IN MY NATIVE LAND
A SPRIG OF WATTLE IN MY HAND
AUSTRALIA
YOU BLOODY BEAUTY!
but i'm a bit in love with that!
Lefty, i feel we ripped you off a bit last year, because we had plans to put one together, but left it too late, you probably deserve an honorary one... if you want in, throw up an idea.
Lango and PC, want to come to Melbourne for xmas?
the ball is rolling gentlemen. as this is my brother and my 23rd Boxing day -he says 24th, but many would be a blur to him- i think we need to start recognising this tradition a little more and add to it each year. Sledgey is well into double figures and Nospmas, i know you've got a few on the board too.
...oh, and the plan is to print green onto a gold T's... for obvious reasons, but also as it is easier to print dark onto light, and the colours will also match my kilt!
as Nospmas and i have tossed it up, it is time to put together our T-shirt design for Boxing day.
my proposal: i am going to screen print the design this year to save the cost (as the Down the wicket T's from 3 years ago cost a motza to print). i have the screen printing stuff now, so the only cost is your T-shirt.
for the regular crew, i suggest we each get to include one block of text or design.
my brother wants for his contribution- "Swan street early openers!"
no surprises there! luckily it isn't spelt "Swann"! i might put this on a sleeve as it is only a small block of text.
i know Nospmas you have a soap dodging theme in mind. please confirm and i'll make it happen. where do you want it on the shirt?
we'll have to get onto Sledgey and see what he'd like.
i already know what i'm contributing this year: UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS I STAND
A NATIVE IN MY NATIVE LAND
A SPRIG OF WATTLE IN MY HAND
AUSTRALIA
YOU BLOODY BEAUTY!
but i'm a bit in love with that!
Lefty, i feel we ripped you off a bit last year, because we had plans to put one together, but left it too late, you probably deserve an honorary one... if you want in, throw up an idea.
Lango and PC, want to come to Melbourne for xmas?
the ball is rolling gentlemen. as this is my brother and my 23rd Boxing day -he says 24th, but many would be a blur to him- i think we need to start recognising this tradition a little more and add to it each year. Sledgey is well into double figures and Nospmas, i know you've got a few on the board too.
...oh, and the plan is to print green onto a gold T's... for obvious reasons, but also as it is easier to print dark onto light, and the colours will also match my kilt!
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Anyone else concerned?
It's always sad when the subject of match fixing rears it's ugly head in any sport much less my beloved cricket. Once again it is Pakistan mentioned with four players including their captain suspected of wrong doings. I know I had my suspicions when they toured Australia with one very suspect result highlighting the issue but last night's happenings in Blighty are another thing entirely. Specifically the accusation is not results based however how England were able to recover from 7/102 to eventually make 446 and then for Pakistan to succumb all out 71 and 4/41 seems to make a mockery of that. At 7/102 the Poms were paying around $20 so you don't have to be a genius to realise the temptation was there.
We are living in a sad world when a spectacular recovery by England is viewed with skeptisism but the facts are there. Four players are accused, one man has been arrested and Pakistani cricket takes another one to the midrift. They are now a country that must play their home games in other nations and must endure scrutiny for every loss. How long can the ICC continue to sanction them?
We are living in a sad world when a spectacular recovery by England is viewed with skeptisism but the facts are there. Four players are accused, one man has been arrested and Pakistani cricket takes another one to the midrift. They are now a country that must play their home games in other nations and must endure scrutiny for every loss. How long can the ICC continue to sanction them?
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
The perenial problem of Pakistan cricket
A topic much discussed and often laughed at; Pakistan cricket is seeing the early stages of a revival - but only as Pakistan know how to do.
The typical captain swapping, abysmal fielding, batting collapses, heavy board involvement and brilliant fast bowling typifies post-Imran cricket in the troubled nation. Salman Butt looks suspect as a captain in his defensive fields when he has the opponents on the ropes; but to be fair many a captain seems to feel deep point is a necessity as soon as an edge goes for 4 through deep third man (!). Unfortunately in Pakistan captains are not groomed but rather thrown into the position as Yousuf, Afridi and now Butt have been. Whether this contributes to in-house fighting is debatable but it appears that egos are rarely put aside unlike what used to happen in the case of Imran and Javed Miandad.
No doubt the inability to play international cricket at home hurts the nation. A cricket-mad country unable to see its stars is unfortunate indeed. Even more unfortunate is that fact that this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Osman Samiuddin writes eloquently of the two-region nature of Pakistan cricket which has always cast a shadow on the team; potentially fostering teams within a team at times. Players from outside Karachi and Punjab don't get a look-in which makes Australia's state versus state issue appear quite petty. But all of this - while having profound impacts in themselves - masks a deeper bureaucratic issue around selection.
When players are banned for life after a series loss, then re-instated after the player makes an apology, given one test to perform or never be picked again, the board is corrupt and everyone is watching their back to see where the fatal blow is coming from; it's hard to produce consistent results in the middle. Perhaps given time Waqar Younis can galvanize an environment closer to what he played under but this is unlikely. In the midst of this when one player feigns injury when his brother (who cannot wicket keep to save his life) is dropped and a revolt against the captain occurs, indiscipline and a lack of application on the field seems to result for Pakistan. There is no doubt amazing talent in their squad; not least of which is Amir. Pakistan could do well from having a squad of 15 or so players that it sticks with for 18 months rather than continuing with stop-gap measures in immediate response to whatever happened in their last test.
The typical captain swapping, abysmal fielding, batting collapses, heavy board involvement and brilliant fast bowling typifies post-Imran cricket in the troubled nation. Salman Butt looks suspect as a captain in his defensive fields when he has the opponents on the ropes; but to be fair many a captain seems to feel deep point is a necessity as soon as an edge goes for 4 through deep third man (!). Unfortunately in Pakistan captains are not groomed but rather thrown into the position as Yousuf, Afridi and now Butt have been. Whether this contributes to in-house fighting is debatable but it appears that egos are rarely put aside unlike what used to happen in the case of Imran and Javed Miandad.
No doubt the inability to play international cricket at home hurts the nation. A cricket-mad country unable to see its stars is unfortunate indeed. Even more unfortunate is that fact that this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Osman Samiuddin writes eloquently of the two-region nature of Pakistan cricket which has always cast a shadow on the team; potentially fostering teams within a team at times. Players from outside Karachi and Punjab don't get a look-in which makes Australia's state versus state issue appear quite petty. But all of this - while having profound impacts in themselves - masks a deeper bureaucratic issue around selection.
When players are banned for life after a series loss, then re-instated after the player makes an apology, given one test to perform or never be picked again, the board is corrupt and everyone is watching their back to see where the fatal blow is coming from; it's hard to produce consistent results in the middle. Perhaps given time Waqar Younis can galvanize an environment closer to what he played under but this is unlikely. In the midst of this when one player feigns injury when his brother (who cannot wicket keep to save his life) is dropped and a revolt against the captain occurs, indiscipline and a lack of application on the field seems to result for Pakistan. There is no doubt amazing talent in their squad; not least of which is Amir. Pakistan could do well from having a squad of 15 or so players that it sticks with for 18 months rather than continuing with stop-gap measures in immediate response to whatever happened in their last test.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
optimism is nice- but i'm a realist!
with the absence of McGrath, it appears the responsibility of declaring the Ashes outcome has now fallen on the person most qualified (to announce in the media) but least capable of producing the result- captain punter.
stating that a 5-0 series is "absolutely possible", i wonder if in realistic terms he means he is prepared to go down by such a heady margin!
if he is talking about a repeat of the last Aus Ashes summer, can i assume- as a gambling man- he is willing to 'put his house on it'?
now, i'm all for a little bit of mind games in and with the media, but it is really only effective if it sews a seed of doubt when it is a possible outcome... this is not!
i think many an Englishman has just snuffled their breaky kippers straight up into their sinus while reading the morning papers and seeing punters remarks; i can only hope that 11 of Britain's best have done the same and are now in doubt for the tour to give the call half a chance of actually coming true!
stating that a 5-0 series is "absolutely possible", i wonder if in realistic terms he means he is prepared to go down by such a heady margin!
if he is talking about a repeat of the last Aus Ashes summer, can i assume- as a gambling man- he is willing to 'put his house on it'?
now, i'm all for a little bit of mind games in and with the media, but it is really only effective if it sews a seed of doubt when it is a possible outcome... this is not!
i think many an Englishman has just snuffled their breaky kippers straight up into their sinus while reading the morning papers and seeing punters remarks; i can only hope that 11 of Britain's best have done the same and are now in doubt for the tour to give the call half a chance of actually coming true!
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