...but first, the news

interesting week in world cricket we've had.

Australia retain top ICC ODI pozzy, with the series win over India. If i was in doubt as to whether i was remiss in my writing about these games, the lack of comments from all tells me a contribution was not required.
That said, from the nothing i actually saw and the news reports/scores etc it appeared to have had a lot going on in a well fought contest.

Obviously the first point was the Australian attrition rate: while calls of 'too much cricket for the players' are bandied about, i take the other point- players WANT to opportunity to play, and earn.
It could be said that players will not self-enforce a rest for fear of losing their place, and while this argument has some substance, i can't see how an in-form player that needs to miss a game will not be re-included... then again, we are talking about CA selectors, so anything is possible!

Best of all was the new inclusions lifting and the team pulling together for the result, and credit where it is due, CA did the right thing by both giving new players a run, and bringing in some experienced but little used blokes. Big congrats to Doug the rug on his successful return, what a great way to get ahead of the pack for the upcoming summer.

As a post script on the series, does Daniel Brettig Baggygreen.com really believe that 50 over cricket has come "Roaring back"? I think not! http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970572
Just because a player says it, doesn't mean people want to watch it! With many venues in India holding less than 50,000 people, a full house is not a massive achievement in a country with such a population and purports to be "cricket mad!"

Back. Back, and not going any where.

Good to see one of my favourite players -big Dan Vettori- back after a knock to the bonce by M. Aamer in a match against Pakistan brought on the release of several lawn tigers and a general feeling of poorliness! It must have been a bit of a wack as it hit the grill and concussed the match winning eastern islander!

Roy - i was just watching the rugby and somehow ended up drinking- Symonds is back to prop up the Bulls for the upcoming one day game against SA. Lefty, if he gets a bowl (he is in to replace paceman C.Swann) can i suggest getting down to the ground and attempting to handicap the wayward champ with the offer of a cold one or 20 from over the fence. That is poor of me given my previous supportive remarks of Symonds... sorry, but given he sees the rest of his career as a T20 player, if he gets a slog on or his gear going with the ball or in the field, the croweaters may need to do a Phar Lap and poison the strapping workhorse!

Punter has assured us (again!) that he is not entertaining the thought of retirement yet. This comes in the wake of Hilditch burying his tongue up the Taswegians blurter with the remark that Ponting going would leave a gulf as wide as that left by the retiring S.K.Warne! Without a doubt the apple islander is an incredible batsman and strangely enough not a terrible ODI captain, but in the wash up how did he change the game of cricket? He didn't! If anything, he has hindered his chance of being a greater batsman by digging in his talons to a captaincy
that as the 'best batsman' he received by default. When CA realize that being a great batsman is not the best credential for holding the position of captain, then we may see better cricketing brains running the show out in the field.
With this in mind i will give Ricky one compliment, at least holding the position hasn't had an major adverse effect on his batting, like many better captains before him; still, how much better could he have been without the chore he is not equipped for?

...as well as.

It looks like the Poms will get Ashes cricket back on free-to-air tv now that it is considered a "crown jewel". Up yours Murdoch!

...and some thoughts.
Watson has expressed an desire to stay at the top of the order, clearly he is effective there, but with Marsh a hard-nut specialist back and batting way down the list, and Ponting having moved himself out of #3 to open (who'd have thought he would budge from that spot?) do Australia need to re-evaluate the order a little? I propose keep Watson opening, Marsh at 3 and Ponting at 4.

Is Lee's latest break down the last at an international level? Hilditch appears set to pursue a bowling squad without the quick. http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html

Fidel Edwards from WI looks to have strained more than his injury prone body by playing truant on his remedial program designed to get him right for the Australian tour and playing Champion League cricket only to pick up a further injury. The action has forced WICB to withhold a contract for Edwards and now has me posing the question, will T20 competitions be filled with recalcitrant, retired and raw players only?

The 'Master Blaster' King Viv has given Gayle a verbal touch up about his attitude. As someone that is a HUUUGGGEE fan of Viv and struggling to cop Gayles anti test opinions i couldn't love this more! Not just content to tell Gayle to get his head right, Viv has even offered up an alternative for the captaincy during the Australian tour in the captain for Trinidad and Tobago. Smokin' Joe must still be a bit mad-for-it as his mans name is Ganga!

...and one i forgot, and a fresh one this morning.

What about the ICC proposal for a play-off test series every other year for the top of the ranking teams. i presume this is by way of an alternative to having a test world cup. The logic being that people from other countries (regions) will be more interested in the results of tests and series that their country is not involved in as everyone jockies for the top positions.

And as if Sachin wasn't already the greatest, he confirmed it overnight by taking a press conferance to talk about his 20th anniverary in the game at international level, and graciously let the 2 hour event go for 6 hours so he could answer all questions in many languages even if they were repeats from another language. This in itself is not great (generous, patient and articulate), what is great was the Master letting it be known his desire for more tests to be played, even pointing the finger at the goliath of the BCCI!
Go Sachin!

Windies Storm Back To Gayle

What's the individual wisdom on the squad of fifteen chosen to tour by the West Indies?

Tendulkar - The Best I've Seen

For once, I take no risk in making a definitive statement. For once, common sense, fact and emotion sit in the stands, happy to share three adjacent seats watch and talk the game and reach the same conclusion ... Sachin Tendulakr is the best I've seen.

I might successfully argue Tendulkar is the best there has been but I couldn't be bothered splitting cricket hairs with you.

I watched his debut hundred against Australia at the SCG just days before I began serving my eight year sentence in a remote country hell. It was only his second century and the glue was still wet on the lad's pubic hair as he drove through the on side and unleashed cuts and drives whilst Ravi Shasti made a celebrated double century. Reid had broken down (again) and McDermott and Hughes were plundered but his sternest discipline was reserved for the tubby, blond rookie bowling leggies. In the years which followed, it was a position of ascendancy - a mastering - he never once gave up. His dominance of the game's best bowler is one of the truest marks of his greatness.

Another is his ability to lift the boring and mundane from its collection of medium pace trundlers and fielding restrictions and coloured clothing and repetitive tactics and outcomes and suddenly blow a handful of Tinkerbell's magic dust over the event and make it memorable. Even the highlights of his 175 this week are unforgettable, the stuff of breath taken away.

Yet, he waves this magic wand with little fanfare and almost embarrassing humility. He takes the spotlight but never wants to talk about anything but cricket as the camera's click and whirr, gathering more moments to sell. He smiles occasionally but mostly sticks to talking about this game or the game but is rarely cornered on his game. He understands the game is more important than any of its players.

I watched the last outing of that old red hankied warrior. I applauded him to and from the wicket on his last day, numbing palms and fingers in the doing. I revelled in his last ditch stroke play and was disappointed as he left, proud as he should have been, for a job well done. Despite my affection for Waugh, despite my admiration for his style, his grit, his contribution to the Baggy Green's legend, its Tendulkar double century which was the remarkable achievement during those few days at the SCG. I doubt I'll ever watch better batting.

When Waugh slog/swept one last, career-ending time to forward square leg, my love of irony was sated again. It was Tendulkar who took the catch. It was as though something more than a cricket ball had passed between them.

The Little Master ... you'd better believe it!

Read what my mentor Roebuck says ... http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/peter-roebuck/2009/11/07/1257247789373.html

weeks results for DTW players

Mordi one day side was once again routed in the batting and when i came in at 9 (up from 11!) we were 7/65!
with the stand-in captain at the bowlers end and a quick brief about the swing factor of the bowler i was to face, it was game on.
33 degrees, 90 something % humidity with a hot northerly driving away air and body moisture i saw out the over with a block, a leave and a single.
next over the new bowler came on and in swung a full toss that i watched all the way onto my box with a very lame attempted pull for self protection.

on my knees i received the standard platitudes and jokes and five minutes latter with a throbbing left ag i flicked the next ball (aimed again at my body!) off my hip for 4 and so began the fun.

our home oval is a high school and with all of the heat and rain of late the outfield was a daisy paddock with lush deep grass.Therefore, on this first hot day of the season we didn't feel like running, but had to because only the very hard struck balls ran on.
the captain went out a few balls after mine were mashed and the next man in was one of the clubs 'young-guns'.

we started to score freely but it took its toll with many singles and 2's ran. when a left arm offie came on i was glad of the rest the challenge of facing this fine bowler presented.
3 balls into his 2nd over he got me playing on and i had steadied the ship with my 29 (2nd highest score of the innings- 40 to the young-gun partner) and we ended up with 130 in 35.4 overs.

During the change the breeze turned and we had the benefit of spending our time out in rather more pleasant conditions.

the opening bowlers were good for a few overs each and unlucky as the keeper dropped several. then they opened up! On the western side of our oval it is a ridiculously short boundary... and it showed as 4's and 6's started going over regularly.
Finally a slower ball was miss timed and skied over mid on- me; in a typically drawn out wait under an absolute hanger i shifted back and fourth several times trying to allow for the breeze affecting the tedious drop.
Safely in my mitts we finally had one and felt in the game.

At one end we had them tied down (mostly) but at the other we getting thrashed harder than a red headed step son! So i got my call up.
First ball i ripped but it landed just on the actual edge of the pitch -we are playing on synthetic- and goes on straight so that the amount of turn wasn't given away.

The next one i gave it as much, pitched it up, and got my line about 10cm closer to the batsman who charged it to hit off the half volley, completely missed as it screwed back to be taken by the keeper over the off stump bail. Well taken, he whipped the bails off and i am pumped!

The next batsman we knew has a season average of 240 (!) from 4 innings in their firsts team. He proceeds to take me on, and apart. the next 3 balls are 4, 4, 4; for the last i bowl a type of arm ball/wrong un i've got and he miss times and send it high to deep square leg and directly to our man just waiting for it. After the ball is picked up off the ground my over is over and i don't think ill suck him in with that ball again. BOO!

The other new bowler is being punished too by this gun striker so when it is my next over i'm desperate to make amends only to have him get under the first 3 balls and send them over the boundary for 14 runs.
For my 4th ball i get a wrong un back and through him, the 5th ball is a BIG leg break that goes around everything- he looks frustrated being deprived 2 scoring shots as i know he thinks he can play me with impunity- so with only 6 runs needed and heaps of overs to bowl i give him one i hadn't bowled yet, a stock toppy that lands on the spot, jumps and has him scooping it up to long on. The captain is underneath it and he has hands like buckets and sees the run machine off for me. 2 for 28. The next over it is all over and we've been pumped again.

How goes it with the rest of you?

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

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?

Player mis-management

The state of Michael Clarke's back has raised an interesting point in player management. Many players are singing the praises of CA for rotating or resting players with heavy loads; most notably Ponting, Johnson, Haddin and Hussey. Interestingly only one of these guys has had any known injury issues (Haddin with a broken finger). Even more interestingly Clarke has been withdrawn from various series - but unlike Johnson, Ponting or Hussey - as a direct result of an injury.

With addition of cricket to Australia's calendar through 20/20 'cricket' players experience more pysical demands than ever before. With all and sundry in the test mix in this country declaring Test cricket as the pinnacle it is bewildering that anyone would even consider Clarke going over to India to compete in a meaningless exercise of revenue generating. Perhaps Clarke didn't read his coach's comments about the need to ensure he is right for the upcoming summer of real cricket. Then again, why would CA annoint Clarke as 20/20 captain so that he plays in all 3 formats when he has know back troubles?

Personally I believe that 20/20 is just a bit of fun and for those that disagree, you can have state players who will likely do just as well. I am not saying this in reference to the Champion's Trophy, which I realise is club based and so not representative of a nation's ability to play the game. But I believe it's likely that NSW, Vic or Cape Cobras would give more than just a shake to India or South Africa in any case. Freeing up the core test players from playing 20/20 for Aus allows more recovery time, family time - and even representation of their state if some preparation is required. The last thing CA needs is more egg on its face when Clarke or another highly valuable test player can't get himself right for 5 days of cricket because they've been playing hit and giggle.