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Michael Slater’s commentary
I wonder if Michael Slater has talked his way out of the Channel Nine commentary team. Twice today he called “great shot” when batsmen hit catches. It’s obviously not a great shot if the hitter gets out. I liked Slater’s daring as a batsman, but he’s a pretty ordinary commentator, in my opinion. »
The courage of Sutcliffe and Blair
Most Australians are dismissive or ignorant of New Zealand sporting achievements. They beat us at rugby most of the time and we beat them at cricket most of the time. That’s the extent of our interest and understanding. I overcame parochialism and wrote once about how I enjoyed reading The Book of Fame. It traces the... »
Tom Wills: charmer and scoundrel
I’ve just finished reading a great yarn by Greg de Moore on Tom Wills: His Spectacular Rise and Tragic Fall. Thomas Wentworth Wills (1835 – 1880) is described in the book’s subtitle as a “charmer, scoundrel and visionary sportsman”. He was certainly all of those things; a fascinating man, a sporting hero laid to waste when... »
C’mon Aussie C’mon
Australian minds turn to cricket on Christmas Day. The Boxing Day Test is a highlight on the national sporting calendar, along with the Melbourne Cup and the AFL/NRL grand finals. Browsing YouTube tonight I came across the original video of C’mon Aussie C’mon from the 1970s. Cricket in that era went from an amateur sport to... »
Alice Springs cricket premiers 1988
I can’t claim much glory in my cricket career. The best effort is contributing to the Federals Club at Alice Springs winning the C grade premiership in 1987-88. »
Symonds needs to go
Andrew Symonds was involved in a selection incident involving Bangladesh for the second time today when he missed playing for Australia in Darwin. Symonds was late for a team meeting because he had been fishing. He was sent home and dropped from the series. Bangladesh are easybeats and Australia won comfortably, but what about Symonds? »
Usain Bolt stuns Matthew Hayden
Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt surprised international journalists when he said Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden was his sporting hero. “I am a huge fan of Matty Hayden and he’s a cool customer out in the middle and I like his style,” Bolt said. Most of the international media listening to Bolt’s interview didn’t know who Hayden... »
Embarrassing sporting photos
There’s a good discussion on the cricket website Cricinfo about sportsmen being caught in embarrassing photos they would rather forget. The most recent example is former England cricket captain Mike Atherton shaking hands with Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe in 1996. »
Special moment
The 1982-83 Melbourne Ashes Test is special to me for several reasons. I was 15 years old and it was the only time my Dad took me to the city alone for consecutive days. We stayed at a motel in Carlton and made our way to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) each day for five... »
Respect the baggy green
Australian cricketers wore VB promotional caps on their opening match of the West Indies tour overnight, causing a furore among die-hard fans and former players. “Money talks, you’re selling your pride, selling the baggy green, what price is it? It just cheapens things,” former Test player Greg Matthews said. “Personally I would have worn my baggy... »