Author: Rick Eyre

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 31 Dec 21

Posted on

My first Big Bash game, ten years on

December 30 2011: My first attendance at a BBL game, my only game in the Big Bash League’s first season, and my first to a T20 match in almost six years. Sydney Thunder versus Melbourne Renegades at ANZ Stadium (as Stadium Australia was known at that period). It was scheduled for the evening of what would have been the fifth day of the Boxing Day Australia versus India Test, which thankfully ended in four.

There was never any doubt in my mind about which BBL team I would seek to support. The Sydney Sixers’ glitzy narcissistic image was a turnoff from the start, so despite the blandness of the name and the logo, Sydney Thunder it was.

Despite my pre-match protestations that I wouldn’t be tweeting from the game… I did.

Stay till end for the Fox Sports News report on the game.

(In case this page loads slowly because of all the embedded tweets, they can all be read on one Twitter page within this search range.)

My first comment about pyrotechnics at BBL games, a proud tradition that I have expanded ten years later into the hashtag #saynotopyro
Fidel Edwards finished with 4-0-30-1, the most expensive of the Thunder bowlers.
Abdul Razzaq joined Shahid Afridi at the crease for the Melbourne Renegades.
Ronald (Andrew) McDonald would later join the Sydney Thunder to become part of their BBL05 championship squad.

Sydney Morning Herald match report: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/afridi-sparks-surprise-win-for-renegades-20111230-1pfxb.html

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 30 Dec 21

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 29 Dec 21

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 28 Dec 21

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 27 Dec 21

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 26 Dec 21

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 25 Dec 21

Posted on

83, a film review

 Warning: if you don’t want to know who won the 1983 Cricket World Cup before seeing “83” then stop reading here. 

Behind-the-scenes sports documentary series weren’t a thing in 1983, so in 2021 director Kabir Khan attempts to fill the void with “83” – the fictionalised account of the Indian cricket team’s unexpected triumph in the World Cup. What could have been a trite, standard underdog-sports-team-made-good pic is boosted by a big budget, an epic canvas and meticulous casting – and almost brought undone by over-the-top patriotism, with the climax buried beneath a loud and bombastic musical score. 

The undoubted highlight of the film comes with the expertly produced action scenes re-creating India’s eight matches in the World Cup, combining highly choreographed match play featuring lookalike actors, blended with original television footage. A fine cast led by Ranveer Singh in the central role of Indian captain Kapil Dev does very well to capture the flavour of dressing-room shenanigans and tensions although the comedy dialogue is a little too obvious at times. A cameo appearance by the present-day Mohinder Amarnath playing his father Lala is a poignant and inspired piece of casting. The scenes of a young Sachin Tendulkar watching the final felt contrived and unnecessary. 

I didn’t come into the screening of “83” with high expectations, and for those people with no interest in cricket there is simply too much detail to make it worthwhile for them. But for Indian cricket fans needing a dose of patriotism, this film will do its trick for its 162 minutes running time. For the rest of us who love cricket it is the meticulous action scenes that make “83” worthwhile. 

My rating: 8/10 

Posted on

Tweets by @rickeyrecricket for 24 Dec 21

Proudly powered by WordPress