Victoria Falls
This is the last in my current nostalgia series. The photo was taken in October 1990 at Victoria Falls from the Zambian side.
I did a week-long tour of Zimbabwe and really enjoyed the spectacle of the falls. With another Australian, two Swiss and an Italian we hired bikes, hazarded the border crossing and took a glimpse from Zambia as well.
We paid a kid to watch our bikes while we walked a steep part of the bush track. We also haggled with traders for souvenirs and I picked up a nicely carved wooden hippo.
Pieter Willem Botha
The former President of South Africa PW Botha died on October 31, 2006.
He was already out of the political scene when I visited South Africa for the first time in 1990 and FW de Klerk had accelerated the reform process. Botha was seen as stubborn in the face of irresistible change but in terms of negotiating the transition his obstinacy may have helped make things smoother in the long run.
I mean that in the sense that all parties to the final solution made compromises they may not have done otherwise if change had occurred faster. The end result is relative peace and stability in South Africa today.
My wife Juliet is related to Botha on her mother’s side. The maiden name of Juliet’s mum is Botha and they came from George, which is close to where PW Botha lived in retirement at Wilderness.
A new Aussie
Juliet became an Australian citizen on 30 May 2006. She is pictured with the Mayor of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Mr Ron Yuryevich.
She is now a dual citizen of South Africa and Australia.
Vale Eddie Barlow
I think it’s true that you’re getting old when funerals outnumber weddings. Kerry Packer died, but he was overweight, diabetic, had a dodgy heart and was sick for a long time. It came as a greater shock to me that former South African all-rounder Eddie Barlow died this week, aged 65.
I saw him play World Series Cricket at provincial Traralgon in the late 70s. It was probably the biggest non-football crowd at the Traralgon Showgrounds, around 7000 people. Max Walker was playing too and I remember revelling in the atmosphere.
South Africa was isolated at that time and Barlow was a novelty. He impressed with his all-round skills. I think it was a game between Australia and the Cavaliers, or something like that. (more…)
Ricky Ponting is indecisive
Congratulations to South Africa on fighting to survive the First Test against Australia in Perth.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Australia’s decision not to declare earlier in the second innings helped South Africa to save the match.
I deliberately say it was "Australia’s decision" because fast bowler Glen McGrath confirmed as much when he told the media: (more…)
Waugh’s African idea
Former Australian captain Steve Waugh made an interesting suggestion recently that a composite African team should be given Test status along the lines of the West Indies.
West Indies isn’t a country. It’s a collection of islands and nations from the same region that share an interest in cricket. Some of the nations have very small populations and could never expect to compete at test level in their own right.
Waugh was concerned for the future of cricket in Zimbabwe, and he commented that the game is making great strides in Kenya and Uganda.
He also mentioned that composite East African teams competed at World Cup level in the 1970s.
I think the idea has much merit. Zimbabwe is no longer competitive and the future doesn’t look bright.
It makes sense to establish a federation that includes Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya and Uganda, with a first-class competition involving their national teams.
