The day Brett Lee tried to kill
The Daily Telegraph posted a good article about the day Brett Lee tried to kill a group of journalists in a promotional net session:
The year was 2003, shortly before the World Cup, and Cricket Australia was offering a promotional net session with Lee and Glenn McGrath. A few gentle arm rolls, the invite said. Laughs, photo opportunities, then lunch.That'll learn them journos to give Binga a bad write up.
But according to those scribes present that day, Lee bowled like Lucifer on Bundy rum. Dangerously fast. Sadistically short. Charging in with such venom, Ricky Ponting actually dragged his opener aside for a word.
Something like "what the @#$% are you doing?".
| Posted by JC on Thu 29 Nov |  9 comments |
Calling Stuart Macgill... Stuey....?
The biggest concern for Australian Test cricket is replacing champion legspinner Shane Warne. The leading contender, Stuart Macgill, has not given cause for confidence so far. He's unrepentant about putting on weight. He's injured. He's annoying. And he never answers his phone:
As team medical staff tried to plan a rehabilitation program for him, the veteran spinner spent yesterday editing film for his new food and wine show.There's talk the selectors are contemplating a four paceman attack. Personally, I don't see it happening - 3 quicks and a spinner has been the template for as long as I can remember and the selectors rarely surprise. But part of me thinks wistfully back in the 80's when the West Indies terrorised batting lineups with their four tearaways. Imagine Brett Lee and Shaun Tait softening up the top order, to be mopped up by the speedy Johnson and relentless Clark. With a glut of fast bowlers in the country at the moment (Hilfenhaus and Noffke not even getting a look in), we could be entering another era in Australian cricket.
MacGill did not return phone calls to officials at cricket headquarters in Melbourne who are desperate to know what steps he is taking to fix his knee problems and regaining fitness.
This has left some CA officials wondering if MacGill is serious about regaining fitness in time for the Boxing Day Test.
| Posted by JC on Wed 28 Nov | 44 comments |
The Limited Overs Hangover
On reflection of the 1st Indo-Pak test one thing very apparent was the limited overs hangover. Some of Pakistan's first innings dismissals emphasizes my point. Let's take Salman Butt's wicket. He was bowled by a good inswinger from Zaheer Khan due to poor shot selection. A ball which he should have played back to, he tried that cute late cut which led to his dismissal. This was one of many abysmal shot selections in just one test match. And accross the Arabian Sea the Kiwis were all at sea aginst some good quality pace from the proteas. Why has the quality of test cricket come down so drasctically?
An overdose of ODI's and T 20's have brought the quality of the game to a new low. Batsmen have lost temperament and so have bowlers. Many bowlers nowadays are just running in without thinking. The game has become too impulsive. As a result we may see some moments of brilliance like Yuvaraj's 6 sixes and Malinga's 4 in 4 but looking at the big picture the result of the limited overs overkill is that the game has been left cruder, crasser and less skilled.
Just a glance at the schedules for the last few years and the forthcoming fixtures say enough. Most test series comprise of just 2 tests and many tests in the future are likely to be chucked for ODI's and the new rage 20 20. (Whats the harm for the ICC if they get their sum of cash?)
In 2015, say, we are most likely to have tours comprising of 1 test match, 3 ODI's and 11 T 20's. Or the ODI game could be scrapped altogether and in its place we could have 2 T 20 matches. Game 1 in the afternoon, Game 2 in the evening. Triangular series could finish in just 3-4 days. Test matches could become like exhibition matches. I stand disgusted just at the thought of it.
So, if some of you are with me, what do you think we can we do? Absolutely nothing! The public is what made T 20 such a big success (India winning also did help!) And I see a gradual transition taking place with cricket becoming more of a commercial sport rather than a purist's game. So what do you see through the crystal ball? Will cricket remain the same in a few years time?
| Posted by Ajesh Nag on Tue 27 Nov | 2 comments |
Having a Clear Policy
While never a big fan of Johnny Howard, his one redeeming feature in my eyes was always that he was a cricket tragic, just like me.
When Channel Nine began to stuff around the everyday battler who wanted to watch the 2005 Ashes series but not have to pay for it, JH stepped in and promised us all that we would get it free to air. For all his faults, and they were considerable, he kept his word. When Steve Waugh retired, JH made him Aussie of the year, respecting the achievements of a man who encapsulated the Aussie battler (I'll forgive you for where you put Tugger on your cricketer's list this time Warnie but don't do it again). And maybe some of you will remember the charming conversation between Dizzy and little Johnny in the Nine commentary box a few years back; I forget but I'm thinking it was the Boxing Day Test 2005?).
Now that we have a new leader in OZ I want you to join with me in asking him what his policy is regarding the most important issue on earth. Iraq, Work Choices, and FTAs are all important Mr. Rudd, but please tell us, what are your thoughts on cricket?
PS: Any information on Rudd's disposition to the game of all games would be greatly appreciated.| Posted by TA on Mon 26 Nov | 13 comments |
Misbah ul Haq's tragic run out
Losing your wicket is always painful. Even worse is losing it in a moment of stupidity (I'm thinking Damien Martyn's runout in the 2005 Ashes when Michael Vaughan caught him jogging). But you have to feel for Misbah ul Haq, not far from a century in a closely fought Test match between Pakistan and India, after this embarrassing effort:
Thanks to Jeet for the heads up.
| Posted by JC on Mon 26 Nov | 8 comments |
Coming out of retirement Part VII
We started this week's game needing 234 runs to avoid an innings defeat. When play started, only four of our team had arrived. Lucky we were batting! It meant I had to bat first drop. In just 6 innings, I've batted at number 9, 4, 2, 5 and 3. Eventually, they'll find a spot for me where I'll score some runs.
That morning, keen to develop some run scoring options, I practised on-driving in the nets with Gaz (who showed much improved bowling form one week into his own come-back). So I kicked off my innings pushing one through a vacant mid-on for two. They immediately plugged the hole, choking off my main scoring shot. Back to Plan B - blocking.
However, I did unveil a new scoring shot - the snick! I scored two boundaries nicking through the slips. The fielding captain persisted with one slip, strange considering they had a 230 run first innings lead. When I nicked another that narrowly evaded first slip, the bowler nearly popped a vein. It's great when the bowler loses his nut.
Finally, Piney and I managed to see off the opening bowlers. First change was a gentle left-arm medium pacer. Piney warned "you DO NOT want to get out to this guy" which was meant to reassure that he was nothing to worry about. It actually got me sweating that he might get me. After blocking out his first over, his second over featured a slower, full ball that I drove hard at and missed. At the end of the over, Piney advised "he bowls the slower ball with the arm".
Now I've never been able to detect those subtle signs from the bowler like how they grip the ball, arm speed, where the shiny side is. I'm awestruck that Gary Sobers could immediately pick the length of a delivery based on the position of the bowler's arm when he releases the ball. So when Piney talked about the bowler's arm speed, I nodded thoughtfully, as if he was giving advice I could actually use.
Next over, lefty bowled a full toss outside off stump (I think it may have been the slower ball again). After being penned up with good line and length, I gave this a full blooded drive and succeeded in hitting a catch straight to cover. Out for 16. My batting average creeped up to a paltry 12.5 - still tail-ender stuff but as our tail starts at around #6, that makes me middle order. At least I managed to get us past our first innings total, departing at 2 for 89.
The good news is we avoided an innings defeat. The bad news is we set them a whopping 11 runs to win. As the chances of taking 10 wickets were fairly slim, the captain decided to open with spinners and I took the opening over! My second ball was a Stuart Macgill special - a high full toss down the leg side that was sent for six over square leg. The next ball was a wide outside off, missing the pitch. Crap, I'll be lucky to get a spell next week! The match could've ended that over but the non-striker complained he'd miss out on a hit. So the rest of the over was blocked out (at least I didn't bowl any more pies) and the winning boundary was hit off the second ball in the next over.
So we lost by 10 wickets, I only got 16 and bowled two pies in my only over. Other than that, a great day! Piney got a ton, we put on 240 and had a lot of fun sledging our own players. And I'm told our consecutive 10 wicket losses were against the top two sides so hopefully next week will be a little more competitive. Go the Cavs!
| Posted by JC on Sun 25 Nov | 6 comments |
Pura Cup match - NSW Bluetongues v Tap of Massies
The Tap of Massies (tas) have struggled to get over the news that Ponting no longer wants to captain his state, opting instead to hand over the reins to a Western Australian. Rumours are that Rick(y) feels with his commitments to the national cause he won't be able to keep up the heavy workload of 2 games in 5 years with the tap of massies.
Which brings us to this weesk Shield clash. The NSW Bluetongues are in a superb position, having dispatching Hilfenhaus and his merry men to all corners of the SCG amassing 7/512 declared with centuries to Forrest and Haddin (again).
In reply the tap of massies are 9/214 sniffing the sweet scent of a follow-on. It's overcast with a lot of low lying cloud cover in Sydney right now so enforcing it is a likely option for Katto.
Doug Bollinger has led the attack with 6/21, taking his season figures to 20 wickets at 13.1 , a superb return from 5 innings work. The real shame for Doug (apart from no advanced hair sponsorship) is that with Lee, Clark and Macgill coming back he'll probably be peeling the oranges unless we decide to let Stewie push the Wolfblass trolley and dish up 5 quicks.
The NSW Bluetongues are 2 points adrift of Mexicans with mobiles (vics) with a game in hand, so will be looking forward to regaining their rightful place at the top of the Sheffield Shield table.
---
Update 2.05pm ; as I predicted (perhaps Katto has been reading this blog in the inning break), the follow-on was enforced. Tassie have been much more resolute in their approach this time, accumulating 14 runs for the loss of just 4 WICKETS!
Bollinger was has taken them all, one off the first ball of the innings, then his second over was . 1 W W 4b W. Tidy.
| Posted by Moses on Thu 22 Nov | 8 comments |
A Jihad on Speedblitz
One thing that really grates my goat with the professionalism of modern sport is teams and grounds selling naming rights for cash.
The worst victom of this cash-grabbing phenomonan is the NSW 'Speedblitz' blues. This cringeworthy excuse for a moniker has made it much more difficult to support the team. Seriously, Speedblitz? It's a freaking anti-speeding campaign and has nothing to do with cricket or NSW. WTF is that meant to inspire? Has anyone approached Morgan Freeman to throw on the costume Driving Miss Daisy and dance around the boundary as a mascot?
I really try to support the NSW Blues, we've got a great team this year even when missing our 6 Baggy Green representatives.. but I just can't get past the obscene name. Enough is enough. Every media release seems baked in speedblitz references and I just can't take it anymore. A Jihad on Speedblitz!
So, by the lack of power vested in me by no-one at all I hereby declare from this moment forward the NSW Cricket Team will be known as 'The NSW Bluetongues'
When threatened, a Funnelweb rocks back on its hind legs and lets venom drip down its fangs. A dog raises its hackles, growls and bears its teeth. As for the Blue-Tongue, its defence is to show that it has a big blue tongue. To reinforce the threat, the lizard stands its ground, hissing and drawing as much attention to the tongue as possible. Confronted with such an odd sight, one can't help but think that there is something to fear about tongues afterall.If we must obtain a naming rights sponsor then one couldn't go past these these guys.A cross-industry promotion with an icy pole company could get sporting fans walking around with a blue tongue, to ensure they share the lizard's novel trait.
Note: Credit for the name goes to Convict Creations.
| Posted by Moses on Thu 22 Nov | 4 comments |
How the Liberals can win
Here's how I see it. Little Johnny wants to get re-elected and has buckleys of doing so based on his current set of policies. He needs one big mother of a rabbit to pull out of his eyebrow laden hat, and I think I've found it.
To appreciate the beauty of this plan, you must understand what it is that makes Aussies tick, namely:
- Cricket
- Beers in Summer
- Giving it to the Poms
- Days off work
Imagine the political gain that would be realised if all these pastimes could be combined into one voter swinging event. I give you Shane Warne Day, to be held on the nearest monday to the 24th of March each year.
As it happens this date is exactly 462 days after we regained the Ashes in Perth on December 18th, which is incidentally the same period of time that the Poms have held the trophy in the last 18 years.
Many new cricket-based traditions could be established on Shane Warne Day, and I'd love to hear readers suggestions for these. Here's some to get you started:
- 'Drink like Boony' - 52 beer minimum
- 'bowl like lil Johnny' - easier after 52 beers
- 2BL's Hottest 100 sixes by Gilly
- and at the end of the day everyone grabs a whacking stick for my personal favourite 'Tonk a Pom'
| Posted by Moses on Wed 21 Nov | 19 comments |
Coming out of retirement Part VI
Last week, Virtualgaz offered to bowl at me in the nets before the next club cricket game. So on Saturday, we dragged our ageing carcasses down to the local school nets and practised for an hour. Gaz turned up with a bat that appeared to predate the Bradman era, heavily taped with chunks taken out of it indicating it may have been used as a shield during World War I (we both opted to use my new Grey Nichols instead). Although our bodies felt the impact of 60 minutes of hard batting and bowling the next morning, it was definitely worthwhile - I worked on developing some consistency with my legspinners. In other words, reduce my "pie rate" (motivated by Stuart Macgill as a cautionary tale).
In the afternoon, I arrived at the ground just after a downpour with a puddle at one end of the pitch. Naturally the opposition sent us in and when both our openers fell for ducks, I was walking in at 2 for 1. The situation required defensive batting - fortunately the only style I know. I blocked out the overs and the field tightened and closed in.
At one point, I was struck on the body by a rearing delivery. Having learnt you never rub the sore spot when hit by the bowler, I stood stoically, pointedly not rubbing the spot. I don't think anyone noticed but I was still proud of myself :-) Next over, Belly got hit in the box. A distinct "clonk" was clearly heard across the field. One of the slips called out "it's okay to rub it, mate". An obvious exception to the no rub rule.
Eventually, I nicked a full outswinger. Batting for 18 overs, I left at 4 for 50 but only amassed 12 runs. I'm starting to think the Jason Gillespie style of batting is not working - if I'm gonna be out in the middle for so long, I need to add some scoring strokes to my kit bag (the bulk of my scoring came from a top edged pull shot and a late cut through the slip cordon). Maybe we'll work on that next weekend, Gaz?
Our innings collapsed badly from there, all out for 82. And unfortunately, the opposition were known for their batting, not their bowling. We took the field and got tonked. I was desperately keen to have a bowl and test out my newly honed legspin action. But the afternoon wore on and every single player in the side had a bowl before me... including the wicketkeeper! Eventually, with half an hour before stumps and the opposition on 3 for 280, the interim captain (our usual captain was not in charge today) asked if I wanted to bowl.
"Yeah!" I exclaimed.
"Uh... what do you bowl?"
So after what seemed an interminable wait, I finally came on, keen to test out my leggies. My first delivery bounced twice before reaching the batsman. Not quite John Howard level of incompetence but still embarrassing! The tall, gangly batsman (who'd just notched a half-century) tried sweeping but somehow missed and tripped over himself. Dodged a bullet there.
Okay, so my first ball was marred by Steve Harmison style nerves. However, the second delivery also bounced twice. Bizarrely, gangly guy played a studious forward defence - like he was facing a rampant Murali on a 5th day Sri Lankan turner rather than Stuart Macgill on a belter with a sore elbow. Fortunately, I found my length for the rest of the over and got through it with just a few singles.
Traditionally (at least in the two instances I'd bowled to date), my second over is where the batsmen decide they've had their sighter and wind up for some big hitting. Today was no different. Gangly guy for some reason was having trouble putting me away but the other batsman, a short, stocky guy, was quick on his feet. I'd deliver a good length ball and he'd dance down, smashing it on the full over my head. The shorter balls were pulled or cut. My second over conceded several boundaries. Yep, yet another two over spell.
However, the captain said I could have one more over (I like this interim leader). A lucky reprieve, or so I thought. Stocky guy continued to put me away at will - unfortunately our slowest fieldsman was at deep mid-off and I don't think his heart was in chasing down the straight hits. For my last delivery, I thought I might as well have a punt and give the ball more flight, hoping to tempt stocky guy down the pitch and get a stumping. He charged and made it a low full toss, hitting across the line and slicing it straight back at me for a simple caught and bowled. Sweet!
So that wicket bought me a fourth over - well into unchartered territory. Even better, I was bowling to a new batsman and gangly guy who was all at sea facing legspin. Late in the over, he charged, missed and was stumped! The umpire called an end of play - a wicket on the last ball of the day and figures of 2 for 23. The next day, I flicked through the Sunday Mail - buried in the sports scores were the results from our game:
Sure, the text is two millimetres tall. But it's still pretty cool seeing your bowling figures in print. Even more satisfying was getting to bowl a four over spell. Next week, we bat to save the match.
| Posted by JC on Tue 20 Nov | 7 comments |
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