Sydney Thunder pre T20 era XI
As part of a debate that developed downstream from a team listing put together by Brad Hodge and tweeted by @7cricket a few days ago (see below), I have assembled a hypothetical Sydney Thunder squad of players from the pre-T20 era. Criteria for inclusion: They must have played for a club (or a predecessor) that […]
Father’s Day
Today, the first Sunday in September, is Father’s Day in Australia and New Zealand. On Friday it was announced that Steve Waugh is Australia’s Father of the Year for 2005. My congratulations to him.
Steve Waugh’s last day at the office
Kumble bowls. Waugh sweeps. He lofts it high in the air. Tendulkar waits just inside the square leg rope and takes the catch. And it’s all over.
A Test on steroids
With one day remaining in the Sydney Test, Australia needs 433 runs to win with ten wickets in hand. It shouldn’t be possible. Shouldn’t. But this Test – and indeed many Test matches lately – have been so unusual that it can’t be absolutely ruled out. We’ve seen an exhilirating four days of batting at […]
The curse of the retiring captains
It was nineteen years ago – January 1985 – when Clive Lloyd played his 110th and last Test, his 74th as captain, leading the West Indies against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. A world-beating team at the peak of its form, the West Indies was expected to trounce Australia as they had done throughout […]
John Howard’s Great Moments in Sport 2003
The crowning achievement of self-styled sports fanatic and Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2003 came at the final of the Rugby World Cup in November. After the Wallabies lost an exhilarating game on an extra-time field goal, JH looked like he was going to burst into tears as he handed out the winners’ medals […]
On the Gabba Test
The honours finished fairly even in the Brisbane Test between Australia and India. If anything, Australia had slightly the upper hand.. but much less so than most people were predicting.
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 […]
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 […]
Boof playing pretend Australian captain
The ICC are holding their annual meeting of all the Test captains at Lord’s on Monday. Eight of the ten Test captains will be there. The West Indies will be unrepresented, with Carl Hooper apparently unavailable. More interesting is the fact that the Australian Test captain won’t be there. Steve Waugh isn’t making the trip, […]