Adelaide has seen some remarkable finishes to Australia-India Test matches, but this year’s was a beauty. It’s not often a team can give away 556 runs in the first innings of the match and come back to win. Congratulations Sourav and the gang. Continue reading “On the Adelaide Test”
When the Waugh is over, Got to start again
The Sydney Test of January 1984 was a special event, as announcements came through during the match that both Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee were to play their last Test for Australia. Although the match itself was nothing spectacular – Australia beat Pakistan by ten wickets – there was plenty of emotion as Chappell ended his career with a big century and Lillee ended his with a five-fer. Twenty years later, the Sydney Test of January 2004 will be no less special. Continue reading “When the Waugh is over, Got to start again”
Australia 3 New Zealand 0: Not the rugby score
On the eve of the Rugby World Cup semi-final between Australia and New Zealand, it’s worth looking another rivalry between the two countries that wasn’t quite as intense as it should be. Continue reading “Australia 3 New Zealand 0: Not the rugby score”
The Waugh-Tendulkar Trophy: Noble thought, but…
Adam Gilchrist was playing populist for the media on Saturday when he aired his thoughts of having a one-day game between Australia and India held every January 26 for the “Waugh-Tendulkar Trophy”. Continue reading “The Waugh-Tendulkar Trophy: Noble thought, but…”
The 1999 Sheffield Shield – Pura Milk Cup changeover
A bit more about the sudden name change for Australia’s first-class cricket competition from Sheffield Shield to Pura Milk Cup in November 1999. Continue reading “The 1999 Sheffield Shield – Pura Milk Cup changeover”
Kenya plays second fiddle to Uganda
The ups and downs of Kenyan cricket continue. After their amazing – if somewhat lucky – appearance in the semi-finals of the ICC World Cup earlier this year, Kenya has failed to qualify for the Under-19 world championships to be held in Bangladesh next February. Continue reading “Kenya plays second fiddle to Uganda”
Brilliant batting but brittle bowling
Australia is the outstanding Test team of our time, there can be no doubt. They have a batting lineup whose depth and talent is of historic proportions. Matthew Hayden demonstrated amazing staying power with his world record 380 against Zimbabwe at the WACA, while Adam Gilchrist is an extraordinary player to be coming in to bat at seven. The bowling, however, does not have the same immense depth to draw upon. Continue reading “Brilliant batting but brittle bowling”
Missing the Bangladesh ODI in Darwin
JH visited Darwin on Monday August 5, where he attended the Darwin Cup (and failed to pick the winner). On Tuesday and Wednesday August 6 and 7 he headed east to northern Queensland to visit aboriginal communities in Weipa. Australia played Bangladesh in a one-day international at Marrara Oval, Darwin, on Wednesday the 7th – the first ODI ever held in Darwin (which had staged the First Test between Australia and Bangladesh almost three weeks earlier). JH wasn’t there.
Maybe if Australia was playing England, or South Africa, or New Zealand….? Of course, Bradman never played against Bangladesh, nor did Menzies ever watch them play.
JH was quizzed about his non-attendance at the cricket on Tuesday the 5th on Darwin radio station Top FM by Daryl Manzie. The relevant extract from the interviews is as follows (source):
MANZIE:
Okay. And lastly Prime Minister, you’ve enjoyed our Darwin Cup. We’ve got the cricket against Bangladesh, again a one-day match, here tomorrow. You’re not tempted to stay an extra day?
PRIME MINISTER:
Much and all as I like cricket, I can’t get into a situation where I see every cricket match that takes place. I’d like to, but I have some very important commitments in the Cape York area. I want to meet the people in the Cape York Land Council, I want to learn something of the programs they have there involving restrictions on the consumption of alcohol and the very big link between alcohol consumption and violence against women. And I’ll have to give this one a miss.
As a Prime Minister, JH doesn’t appear to have had much interaction with Bangladesh. The then-PM of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, visited Australia in October 1999, and Howard’s office issued a short press release to announce that fact. Despite the brevity of the statement the PM’s office did find space to mention that:”Of course our two countries also share a love of cricket. ” (Source)
JH spoke about his meeting with Sheikh Masina in a radio interview with David Hookes and Gerard Healy on 3AW a couple of months later:
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when you are dealing on very serious matters, and that’s not to put our topic of sport down, but more serious matters with the heads of State of other cricketing playing nations. Is it used as an icebreaker?
PRIME MINISTER: …when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh was out here recently she told me very enthusiastically how the interest in cricket had burgeoned in Bangladesh as a result of Bangladesh beating Pakistan in the one-day game in the World Cup. And you could tell from her that the game was really going to continue to grow and she was very appreciative of the interest the Australian Cricket Board was taking. But your point is right.”
Hayden 380
Bravo to Matthew Hayden for a brilliant innings and a new world Test record of 380. And for grabbing some of the media spotlight away from the Rugby World Cup on its opening night. Continue reading “Hayden 380”
Zimbabwe and race quotas
There’s been a lot of friction in Zimbabwean cricketing circles over “black quotas” in team selection. I believe that an “affirmative action” policy is important for the long-term development of the game in Zimbabwe. It’s a pity that the ZCU is not being open and transparent about its motives. Continue reading “Zimbabwe and race quotas”