Posts
Loading ...Articles tagged as: australian
A bit about Michael
By Mike last year, mid-April, Comments
G’day,
I’m very glad to bring to the table my perspective and thoughts on world cricket. In short, I am an Australian living abroad in the USA, approaching 30, attached to a Yankee wife who knows more about cricket than an American should be allowed and have two ‘half-n-half’ children who at times confuse baseball and cricket but wield the willow nonetheless.
I’m a passionate, energetic, one-foot-forward instead of back kind of bloke. Until recently I played cricket for a team which was a 5 hour drive away. If I cannot convince you of my cricket madness through that stat alone nothing will.
Cheers and thanks for having me.
CommentsWelcome to Scott
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of November, Comments
I’m delighted to announce Scott, from Ubersportingpundit, will be posting his thoughts on this great game here at the CoU. Scott’s been blogging a lot longer than most, and I’m sure everyone here will enjoy hearing his insightful views - with an Australian twang, too, which ought to balance things a little here!
Go for it Scott - knock ‘em flying!
CommentsPhoto of a lone Aussie at Old Trafford
By Will 3 years ago, mid-August, Comments
Lone Aussie
Photo taken by Charlie Sutton @ Flickr.com.
Another excellent shot from Charlie, picturing a very lonesome Australia at Old Trafford. For those not interested in photography, I apologise; I’m a rather tragic photography freak. Combined with my love of The Great Game, cricket photography is like a manna from Heaven!
Charlie..just a thought, this could be even more effective as a cut-out..not sure how you’d do it (isolating just the yellow Aussie) but it would look fantastic. Keep shooting and sharing (everyone).
UPDATE (August 18): And Charlie’s done it, see below. Looks brilliant!
“So this is what it’s like to be English”
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, Comments
The Australian paper The Age today has perhaps the most interesting and thought provoking article about Australia’s problems at the moment.
In it, it is said Richie Benaud has already forecast defeat for the Australians - as has Christopher Martin-Jenkins who, frankly, isn’t known for his early forecasts:
Australia may have retrieved some ground after their humiliation against Bangladesh, but if Harmison bowls as fast and rhythmically as he did yesterday, England will win the Ashes.
Blimey. This is what I feared, and probably what Vaughan fears: over confidence by English media. Yes, of course they’ve every reason to feel pleased with their team’s performances so far. Yes, Australia have underperformed but, as The Age is keen to mention, “We are only two weeks into a 14-week tour and the first Test is a month away.”
The following part of the article drew me in most, though:
ances before losing the series in 1995. The question is no longer whether Australia is too dominant for the good of cricket (and Bangladesh’s win was good for world cricket). Instead, Australians in England are enduring an uncomfortable role reversal; they are feeling what it is like to have been an Englishman in Australia for the past 16 years. It must be hoped that the Australians can restore discipline, shake off the rust (any complacency is surely gone) and take advantage of a kind itinerary to find form before the Tests. The past week has offered a sobering foretaste of what losing the Ashes would be like.
I think therein lies the elation for the English in the past week: Australia, this is what it feels like, and aint it nasty? The clouds of pain and humiliation of years of Ashes defeats have been lifted in a week of sunshine and victory. But I don’t subscribe to Benaud or CMJ’s views about the Test series, yet; all this week has demonstrated is England are a force, and are making Australia take notice. Nothing more, nothing less.
CommentsEnglish supporter’s view. By an Australian.
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, Comments
Great article in the SMH here, with an equally great title: English hopes rise from ashes but supporters dare not fan the flames
Add another beating for the Australians in a one-dayer at Somerset - albeit one executed largely by a South African and a Sri Lankan - and the temptation must be for Englishmen everywhere to run down to Earl’s Court, assail the nearest Aussie bar tender and make his thoughts known.
And a particular gem:
The admission made, you are then greeted with a grateful smile: “Do you really think so? Mmm, yeah, well, yeah, our boys are certainly better than they were. But we’ll have to see when the real stuff starts, won’t we?”
Of course, this touchingly restrained response is not fully reflected in the tabloid press - in which Australia were branded “a bunch of sheilas” and England were declared winners of the “Thrashes”. The lid has been kept held down rather more firmly in the so-called “quality” papers, where cricket writers have tied themselves in knots coming up with ways to acknowledge that the Twenty20 hit and giggle did not really have much bearing on the Ashes, while at the same time hinting that it really did.
Worth a minute of your time…
CommentsAn exercise in psychological warfare
By Will 3 years ago, mid-May, Comments
Nothing to say - just read it. You’ve got to admire his chatter - on top form, even for The Bastard
CommentsSteve Waugh’s baggy cap
By Will 3 years ago, mid-May, Comments
This looks like old news, but neither I - nor Yahoo News - picked up on it. A cricket collector by the name of Keith Attree was given one of Steve Waugh’s baggy green’s, and it’s now going up for auction. Although according to the auctioneer’s, Charles Leski, it appears this was back on March 23. Maybe it’s taken this long to get it cleaned!
Anyhow, Steve aint happy according to AFP:
CommentsWaugh’s management told Charles Leski Auctions in a statement Friday: “Steve Waugh has never given away one of his Test baggy green caps. To auction this item is a misrepresentation of the truth.”
Dean Jones applies to be Indian cricket coach
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of May, Comments
Dean Jones, after much speculation as to who might be interested, has formally applied for the position of coach of India. Tough bloke, Jones - could be a very interesting time for Indian cricket if he’s appointed
CommentsDenis Lillee bowling with 9 slips
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of April, Comments
Denis Lillee bowling with 9 slips
Photo taken by mailliw @ Flickr.com.
I found this photo here - borrowed it and put it onto Flickr for prosperity posterity. Denis Lillee bowling to 9 slips!
Warne “publicly humiliated younger players”
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of April, Comments
Shane Warne will go down in cricket history as the greatest spinner the world will ever see. But, surely, his greatest feat has been in the enlivening of the game: he is a brilliant, absorbing entertainer who most cricket fans would pay to watch even standing at 2nd slip, or batting…let alone twirling his arm over. There’s no one like him.
With entertainment comes controversy: he’s been involved in several off-the-field problems with dodgy text messages, and dodgy women, and dodgy drugs and dodgy other things. However, today’s latest “Warne Shocka” involves him on the field, by a very bitter and upset Chris Adams. Adams claims Warne, with great intent, tried to “humiliate” a number of Sussex’s players in the recent (and exciting) county game. This is not good news, of course - if Adams is correct. But I can’t help feeling it’s one failed English batsmen’s cheap shot at one of the greatest players in history.
Sledging is par for the course. Some would say - me included - that the English game could do with a bit of edge to it, a bit of hard-arse play out in the middle. And as Adams admits, Warne was the perfect gentleman off the pitch:
Off the field he was outstanding and the first person to congratulate us and say what a great game it was, but I have lost a lot of respect for him because of the way he behaved in this match.
In his enthralling book, which I read a few months back, Shane mentions a Pura Cup match which had the rarity of having a number of then-playing Australian Test cricketers. (not got the book at hand - perhaps someone can fill in details if they know the players concerned). These Test cricketers had obviously become great mates over a number of years - and yet, the match itself was played harder and with greater intensity than a Test match. I think that sums up today’s storm in a tea-cup, unless Warne did indeed cross the “decency boundary” and went too far (but we’ll never know).
For once, the BBC almost jump off the fence to make a scathing remark. But they didn’t. So I’m interpreting it for them:
Adams, 32, played a handful of games for England in the late 1990s. Warne, 35, has a world record 583 Test wickets and will aim to add to that tally when the Ashes series starts at the end of July.
Precisely: Adams, grow up and grow some testicles. I’m sure Matt Prior, who is a potential ‘keeper for England this summer, will in retrospect be thankful of Warne’s “outburst”: he knows what to expect if he makes it to the Test arena! County cricket is still weak, and harbours weak individuals. Crack on, Warney.
CommentsHampshire v Sussex highlights
By Will 3 years ago, mid-April, Comments
To save you going to Sussex’s poorly designed, IE-only, popup-riddled website, right click here & choose Save As to see video highlights of today’s game (7MB), as mentioned yesterday. It’s worth downloading if only to see a stupendous C&B by Warne to dismiss Adams. Man, he’s got great hands! Great slipper, too.
I was also pleased to see Chris Tremlett in action. He’s the son of Tim Tremlett, ex Hampshire himself and I think was Hampshire’s coach (maybe still is). Chris is 6 foot 7″ - same as Curtly Ambrose - and is down on Cricinfo as RMF, but he looked nippier than that in the highlights. The English selectors do have their eye on him.
CommentsCricket video highlights
By Will 3 years ago, mid-April, Comments
I found this from the BBC - Sussex have launched a TV website, where they plan to provide fans with highlights and clips of their games. What a brilliant initiative. Sky Sports do this on the games they cover (see here for more on that), and Surrey too have done something similar. So this is great news - Cricket is entering the modern age and embracing technology for its fans.
When I first got into Cricket 10 years ago - and it very quickly became an obsession as I vainly attempted to replicate Curtly Ambrose’s action! - coverage was really pretty awful. The winter tours at that time were starting to be covered by Sky Sports in Britain - but no one had Sky back then, unless you wanted a satellite dish the size of a small car clamped to your house. News excerpts on the radio; news video reports on the 9 o’clock news and the morning newspapers were all we could hope for. Brief analysis during the 60 second video footage on the news became an art-form as my Dad and I would both argue over whether Stewart was lucky or not to be given out LBW. Now though - just turn on your PC, and you have video highlights when you want it - brilliant.
Quick note for Aussies reading, and other Warne fans: he’s playing tomorrow, conveniently against Sussex, so you’ll be able to watch those highlights as of about 6pm BST.
CommentsWarne caught with pants down
By Will 3 years ago, mid-April, Comments
[Via Jagadish] - Warne’s been caught with his pants down…woops!
Glenn McGrath a softie?
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of March, Comments
Just came across this, at Middlesex’s website where McGrath last year spent a whole 30 days. Getting soft in his old age? He highlights 2 players us Middlesex fans have long spoken about, Ben Hutton and Ed Joyce. I think Joyce is a huge natural talent - quite similar in “class” to a young David Gower - but he’s still not qualified to play for England just yet (he’s Oirish)
CommentsPostcard from Glenn McGrath
THE Middlesex Cricket Club’s record book for the 2004 season notes my time with the Crusaders was short and sweet; just one month to be exact! However, I’ve marked it in my diary as a happy and fulfilling experience for a couple of reasons.
You see, apart from allowing me the chance to play First Class cricket in England, something I genuinely enjoy, my stint with the Crusaders also allowed me the opportunity to prove to Australia’s national selectors that I was ready for a recall to the international arena after overcoming a troublesome ankle injury.
The Middlesex officials, players and supporters appreciated the nature of my mission and offered me their total support. In return, I gave them my best. Admittedly my appearances out in the middle were limited, but I was determined to take wickets and to bowl as many overs as possible.
As for Middlesex, I am happy to be on record as saying I’m impressed by the nature - and spirit - of the club. It boasts talented young players and from what I observed each possesses a winning attitude towards the game.
Two team members who immediately spring to mind as players to watch are Crusaders captain Ben Hutton and the so-called “Irishman waiting to be an Englishman”, Ed Joyce.
The grandson of the great Sir Len Hutton, Ben, or Gibbo, has the pedigree to be a cricketer of above average ability. However, he strikes me as definitely being his own man. He’s a mature leader who knows how to get the best out of his players. As for his batting, well, it is top shelf.
Like Gibbo, Ed is a talented left hand batsman and once he qualifies to represent England I’m confident the English selectors will see to it that my Aussie team-mates and I have one or two arm wrestles with him out in the middle. It’s a challenge I look forward to!
Ed and Ben are but two of a talented bunch and it’s my view Middlesex will achieve great things if the players can continue to marry their collective ability with their positive mindset. I should credit coach John Emburey for his efforts to put the team on the right track. Indeed, their approach which has impressed me so much mirrors the example John sets at training and in the match day dressing room.
One of the great delights of my career has been playing at Lord’s, the home of cricket. Apart from being the scene of my Test career best of 8/38 during the 1997 Ashes series, I’ve long considered Lord’s as an almost sacred place. To have been privileged enough to call it my “home” ground, even just for a month, is very special. It was nice, too, to sit in the home dressing room for a change and enjoy the view.
I would like to take this opportunity to assure the good ladies of Lord’s who are responsible for the lunches and teas that I rate their efforts as the best ‘tucker’ (that’s Aussie for food) I’ve enjoyed at any cricket field in the world! I faced a definite danger of gaining an extra inch around my waist during my Middlesex stint!
Middlesex, my stay with you was all too brief, but I’ll long remember a month of good cricket, good people and good times. Thank you.All my very best wishes for the future,
Glenn McGrath
On tour with the Australian team
India.
October 2004
Slater’s poignant admissions
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of March, Comments
Although I had heard a little about Slater’s depression, it wasn’t until I read this article [via The SquizLog] that the whole truth became apparent.
I know about panic attacks and depression on a personal level, and it’s quite rare to hear of a sporting figure suffering from it (or perhaps more pertinently, admitting to suffering from it). It’s a sad but revealing read and worth 5 minutes of your time.
Now a commentator who talks like he batted – fresh, mostly relaxed and highly entertaining – Slater’s eye-sparkle remains but his body looks worn out for a 35-year-old. He hopes for a long career but worries the “fruit loop” reaction could hinder his prospects. If his bipolar revelation has that effect it would be a greater injustice than the lack of support he received as he careered out of international cricket.
I agree with the above regarding his “fresh” commentary - he was/is a good commentator. Better than many (Botham & Willis - give me strength), so hopefully Channel 4 will give him a contract this year. And, perhaps more importantly, hopefully him and Gilchrist can share a beer again one day.
Comments « Previous Entries