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Charitable cricket
By Mark Tilley last year, mid-February, 22 Comments »
Australia have levelled the five game one day series with New Zealand, after a 6 wicket win in Adelaide – but the cricket was overshadowed, in part, in the wake of the disastrous Victoria bushfire. Sponsors of the series, Commonwealth Bank, pledged to donate $5000 for every six hit in the game and $100 for every run scored, meaning that by the end of play they had raised just over $6 million, via donations from players, TV viewers, cricket boards etc.
Australian squad member Peter Siddle, not playing in the game, spent the game roaming around the crowd, asking for donations from generous members of the Australian cricketing public. Siddle’s family live in an area affected by the fires and he revealed that a member of his family had lost friends to the deadly blazes.
It’s good to see that in a time of a national crisis that cricket and sport in general can still play it’s part, however small or trivial. The incentive to hit sixes and raise more money could have also increased not only the entertainment factor but the chance of players giving their wickets away. However, batsman were not to be deterred and as Michael Hussey crashed a six over long on to win the game, their was a sense not of one team winning and one losing but of both doing their part to help out.
The obscene amount of money raised will certainly play it’s part in the rebuilding phase of this tragedy and cricket, on this occasion, can be proud of it’s collective self. It’s always heartwarming to see teams and nations rally when their countries are in crisis – Sachin Tendulkar’s wonderful hundred to beat England in Chennai last December was a tribute to those lost in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
This act of generosity from both Australia and New Zealand and the sponsors of the series ensured that although Australia have fought back from two matchs down, the saddening loss of life will still be at the forefront of Australian minds. Good on them.
And, by the by, it looks like it’s going to be a cracker of a series decider in Brisbane on Friday.
22 Comments »It’s gone for a maximum
By Will 4 years ago, at the start of March, 6 Comments »
Bloody one-day cricket. It’s ruining commentators. No sooner has Mike Atherton shamed his colleagues with an effortless and elegant description of a boundary (“Languidly stroked for four”) than another screams “Oooh oh, it’s gone for a maximum”. I hate that expression. What’s wrong with “It’s gone for six”? Pah.c
6 Comments »Australia vs South Africa wrap
By Scott 4 years ago, at the start of February, 5 Comments »
I’m not the only one bored with the VB series going this long. I listened to the radio for most of the day while watching the play, as I was getting close to an act of violence if I had to listen to any more of Tony Greig’s insufferable inanities. Peter Roebuck was clearly even more bored then I was since he was more keen on discussing his charitable foundation’s activities in Africa then the game, and he follows my lead in calling for the format to be scrapped.
The game itself was actually good, and Adam Gilchrist was back to his sparkling best, scoring 88 off just 66 balls, with 14 glorious boundaries. His innings was theoretically terminated by a mis-played pull shot, but the actual thing that got him out was the commentator’s curse; as he passed 80, they started talking about double-centuries. He admits he was thinking about it himself, so obviously he got out.
Ponting, Martyn and Hussey all tucked in as well against a very weak South African pace attack, and settled on 344. Chasing that monster of a total, South Africa were just on the edge of possibility until Mark Boucher got out after scoring an excellent 76. They ended up with 287 for 6, which is a huge score in itself.
So a pretty meaningless game in the great scheme of things, but an entertaining fixture, at least compared to what happened in Melbourne on Friday. The difference was that the pitch here was good.
Statistical oddity- Australia scored 344 for 7 in 50 overs, with only one 6 for the innings. And that didn’t come up till the 46th over. Australia scored 300 in 45 overs, without going over the rope once. Bizzare.
5 Comments »