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Here come the effigies
By Will 6 months ago, 36 Comments »
Surprisingly delayed, but here come the effigies of the three doomed members of the Sydney Test: Ricky “boooo” Ponting; Steve “Edges” Bucknor. And Mark “give us a” Benson:
Here’s how to make your point. LOTS OF FLAMES AND FIRE AND BURNING THINGS:
I have to tip my hat to this one though. Inspired use of the roadside donkey:
All in all, a disgraceful turn of events. Let them abandon it and let them bugger off home. Just spoken to my Indian friend who diplomatically asked my opinions on it. I told him how India have dug themselves a hole, and continue to act as though Australia have nicked their dummy. He and his mates, all Indian, agree. I fear he and they are in the minority.
Get over it.
36 Comments »Video of Harbhajan and Symonds sledging
By Will 6 months ago, 41 Comments »
Well why not? Here are the winning pair in their now infamous day three tussle. The best line is from Ian Chappell right at the end, when he says “I’m not sure Matthew Hayden would be my choice as UN peace-keeper”. Hayden was an intermediary, stepping in to break things up.
Click here if you can’t see the video above.
41 Comments »Harbhajan banned; India apoplectic
By Will 6 months ago, 57 Comments »
So Harbhajan Singh has been banned for three Tests after calling Andrew Symonds a monkey. This is the correct decision, but the fallout could be quite monstrously messy.
There are already reports (from the never-really-to-be-trusted Press Trust of India) that India are considering abandoning their tour of Australia. Judging by the splenetic feedback we received today at Cricinfo (much of it was unprintable and vile), the issue many people have isn’t with Harbhajan but the umpires. I watched a TV news channel in India hold an impromptu discussion surrounding it. “Umpired out in Sydney” screamed the headline. “India fall victim of umpires” read another. One member of the audience said that if Bucknor were to visit India, he wouldn’t return alive. It was greeted with warm applause.
Yes, India, I’m afraid you were victim of some absolutely horrific umpiring decisions and I’m sure Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor will be penalised accordingly. But do not expect players to walk: this is not part of cricketers’ clauses in their contract. It is up to the umpires to adjudge whether a player is out or not and, if they say it’s not out - then live with it. There is a vast amount of luck involved in sport; what comes around goes around.
Frankly, I find the BCCI’s decision to demand an investigation into the umpiring pathetic. Every other country has series like these, where decisions go against them, but everything related to Indian cricket seems to be magnified to an extraordinary level; that they are victimised and the whole cricket world is against them, when it is not. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Indian government get involved in the next few days.
Equally, the attitude of Ricky Ponting and some of the Australians was extraordinary in the extreme. Appealing to Benson for Dravid’s wicket, which was turned down, Ponting sunk to his knees and was muttering away as though nothing had gone Australia’s way in the entire Test. Come off it, Ricky. In situations like these, when you’ve clearly had the immense rub of the green, some diplomacy and dignity would count for rather a lot.
What a shambles. Happy new year everyone.
57 Comments »Symonds was called a ‘monkey’ by Harbhajan
By Will 6 months ago, 98 Comments »
This is very messy indeed. Apparently - and this is to be taken with a bucketful of salt - Harbhajan Singh called Andrew Symonds a monkey during their altercation yesterday. This is according to Chetan Chauhan, the India team manager, who also says the term “monkey” isn’t derogatory in India. That may be the case, but neither is it a glowing term of endearment; given the history between the pair, this excuse is pretty pathetic and smacks of a management desperately bailing themselves out. The whole affair needs nipping in the bud immediately, beginning with banning Harbhajan for the default period of such an offence (I think it’s either two Tests or four ODIs).
The problem some people will have, I imagine, is one of double standards; that Australia are allowed to sledge and no one else is. Sledging isn’t (or shouldn’t be) racist. Harbhajan’s alleged term isn’t a sledge, it’s a racist slur.
It’s pretty depressing that it should overshadow what has been a fascinating Test by all accounts. Worse still, what impact will this case have on the future of international cricket? Last year, I went to a number of Associate matches in Kenya and Ireland. And before each game, a variant of the following rule (clause 3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct) was read out (at most of Kenya’s venues, but only some in Ireland because the PA often forgot):
…language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethic origin…
How crap and depressing it would be if this became standard practice at all international games. But, in the world we live in these days, this could easily become the norm.
Your thoughts on the issue are welcome.
98 Comments »Video highlights of VVS Laxman’s hundred against Australia
By Will 6 months ago, 3 Comments »
This is only a short glimpse - one over, in fact - but he takes 18 off Mitchell Johnson and it’s well worth watching. Do post a link to the full highlights if you see them lurking on tinterweb.
Match scorecard here.
3 Comments »Australia’s lone pessimist speaks out
By Scott 6 months ago, 4 Comments »
Happy New Year from a thoroughly sun-drenched and baked Adelaide, where we’ve just finished our 4th 40 Celsius day in a row. Any English readers who wish to swap some cold and rain, please leave a note in the comments.
Meanwhile, the media hereabouts are starting to get stuck into the Indian team after their performance in Melbourne. Steve Waugh came out and said that Australia could stretch their winning run, currently at 15 Tests, to 30, if they continue their current form. If Steve Waugh thinks that, I shudder to think what Glenn McGrath thinks.
I was glad to see that Ricky Ponting has generally looked to just win the next game and not come out with any big statements of this nature. I think Australia will have their work cut out for them to hold India in Sydney. It is worth remembering when you look back at India’s poor performance in Melbourne that they’d only been in the country a little over a week, and their one warm-up fixture was washed out. I certainly expect India to put up a much better showing on a ground that suits their game. There will be a lot of runs and it will be hard work for the Australian bowlers to get India out this time around.
I actually think India have a good chance of winning at Sydney- they have two quality spinners, and good enough fast bowling, and some quality batsmen. They just have to bat first, perform with the bat, and put the Australian batsman under some real pressure when India bowl. Australian batsman haven’t had to deal with pressure for a while, and if that happens it will be a real test for them.Anil Kumble’s team has one injury worry though that could put a spanner in the works, with a cloud over Zaheer Khan. Zaheer bowled well in Melbourne and would be sorely missed.
4 Comments »Clark in ball-tampering shocker
By Will last year, at the end of December, 18 Comments »
The frighteningly named Adolf emails with reference to Australia’s win over India:
I would like to highlight the over before lunch on 29th Dec 07.
Channel 9’s camera’s caught Stuart Clarke picking out the seam of the ball with his fingernail. Surrounded by Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds!(Hmm…interesting….wonder if that’s why he was so successful….)
There was a nervous murmur as the commentary team went dead at that moment for a few nervous seconds…..only then the stupid cameraman realised his folly and cut that frame out.
Guess Aussies are above the law, and don’t tamper balls and "there will be no investigation….."I saw, and 12 other people in the room saw this including the kids…..crying shame….they don’t need to do this to beat the Indians!!!
There’s only one suitable response to that:
Another fine victory is just the present for Australia at Christmas
By Scott last year, at the end of December, 2 Comments »
Australia wrapped up the First Test against India today, winning by 337 runs in a commanding display. It would have been especially satisfying for Ricky Ponting and his merry men because it was done on a pitch which was tailor-made for Indian tastes, being slow, low, and having turn. But India’s batsmen were never able to come to grips with the tightness of Australia’s bowling, and so they were strangled to death by persistent bowling.
India’s bowling was honest, with Kumble in particular bowling some fine spells. But India’s efforts were totally sabotaged by the pathetic support that they got from the field. Time and again poor fielding from India turned ones into twos, and twos into threes. Over the course of the match, Australia probably stole close to 100 runs through poor Indian fielding, and saved close to another 100 through the excellence of their own fielding.
So Australia take a 1-0 lead. India must turn things around quickly as the Second Test in Sydney starts on the 2nd of January; only four days away. India made a present of this Test for Australia, and it remains to be seen how much more generous the Indians are prepared to be to the Australians; a team who don’t particularly need the gifts of their opponents.
2 Comments »Christmas cricket
By Will last year, at the end of December, 8 Comments »
Now that England’s misery has been put on hold until the New Zealand series in 2008, attention turns to the southern hemisphere. It’s probably the first Christmas for 10 years that I’ve not had Sky to watch Boxing Day Tests, so I was a bit peeved when I woke up this morning to see what a good day India had enjoyed against Australia at Melbourne. Peter English:
Groups of Australians spent the afternoon wondering whether they were being unpatriotic for smiling when India started running through the home team. For the first session those local supporters who demand nothing but dominance by Ricky Ponting’s men were satisfied with the direction of the game. Their disgruntlement when it changed in the second session was offset by the joy felt - and heard - at the ground by cricket supporters who are desperate to see Australia challenged. After the first day there is hope this series might be the fair fight fans have been craving since the 2005 Ashes.
It promises to be a cracking series between the best two sides in the world. Whether it will match or better the 2005 Ashes is impossible to predict (and unlikely, I’d imagine) but any team who can challenge Australia gets my vote of confidence. Even if it is India…
Several thousand miles away in Port Elizabeth, West Indies have raced to 190 for 3 on the first day against South Africa, with Chris Gayle launching a terrific 66 from just 49 balls. Have a read of his innings - he took Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn apart. Brilliant stuff and I can’t wait to see the video.
8 Comments »Minister fails Tebbit’s test
By Will last year, at the start of December, 6 Comments »
From AFP this afternoon.
6 Comments »A junior British minister admitted Wednesday that he would fail the
so-called “Tebbit test” by supporting India over England at cricket.Parmjit Dhanda, communities and local government minister in Prime
Minister Gordon Brown’s government, noted that his parents had a Sikh
background in the Punjab although he grew up in West London.“I’m unashamedly a supporter of Liverpool Football club and I fail
Norman Tebbit’s cricket test by supporting India against England at
cricket,” he said, during a debate on Christianophobia in London.Tebbit, a minister under conservative premier Margaret Thatcher in
the 1980s, caused outrage when he suggested that immigrants moving
here should back the English team rather than that of their country of
origin.
Ghats out
By Will last year, at the end of November, No Comments; be the first!
And from the parks of Mumbai to the Western Ghats just outside near the city.
The next Dravid, Sachin or Dhoni?
By Will last year, at the end of November, No Comments; be the first!
He could be here…nice shot of cricket being played in a Bombay park.
India v Pakistan, 1st Test, Delhi, 4th day
By Will last year, at the end of November, 1 Comment »
The fourth day from Delhi and we have a cracker on our hands. Pakistan lead by 167 with five second-innings wickets remaining. Ripper. Here’s the scorecard.
1 Comment »One-innings thrash at Delhi
By Will last year, at the end of November, 1 Comment »
The first Test between India and Pakistan is turning into a bit of a thriller, in case you hadn’t noticed. Pakistan limited India’s lead to just 45 and Salman Butt and Mohammad Yousuf have both raced out of the blocks. But no - Yousuf has gone! Well well, this really is interesting now. Pakistan lead by 104…
1 Comment »Kashmir willow
By Will last year, at the end of October, 3 Comments »
Nice shot of a bat being made from Kashmir willow
