Well fancy that ... six of the ten member countries of the ICC have rejected former Australian Prime Minister "Honest John" Howard in his bid to become a Vice President. Zimbabwe, who have the most reason of all to wish Howard the et u Brute treatment haven't had their say yet. Australia, England and New Zealand are supporting him and the Kiwis had to be talked into it!
Poor bugger is a bit stuck. After all, its only a small electorate and he's plumb out of kiddies to jump off balconies or reds under the dressing sheds ... oh, hang on, that was Ming ... well same difference.
Still, its not as though he's not used to rejection. First it was the Australian people, led admirably by his own elctorate, she of the rhyming surname showed him the raised umpires finger and now this. In between, he underwent a medical procedure for a colon transplant which also failed ... the arsehole rejected him.
John, looks like you'll just have to get used to the idea of watching something without running it.
A particular devotee of Howard, the very clever Pat Drummond, once sang a song called "What Goes Around, Comes Around" and I reckon it might be applicable here but I'll settle for sharing some "Lonesome Johnny Blues" with you.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Who Would Have Thunk It?
In a first, especially considering its India, changes have been made to the up coming tour of India in October such that instead of playing 7 ODI's, Australia will now play two Tests instead of not as well. Four of the fifty over games have been traded in for two Tests.
It must be the first time that a one day schedule has been even part replaced by the longer form of the game. Is it too much of a leap to think that some backlash is happening against the "Hit 'n Miss, Splash 4 Cash" policies of the former President? In the words of John Fogerty (well, almost) ...
"The man from the magazine said I was on my way.
Somewhere I lost connections, ran out of games to play.
I came into town, a one night stand, looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! lord,
stuck here by Modi again."
It must be the first time that a one day schedule has been even part replaced by the longer form of the game. Is it too much of a leap to think that some backlash is happening against the "Hit 'n Miss, Splash 4 Cash" policies of the former President? In the words of John Fogerty (well, almost) ...
"The man from the magazine said I was on my way.
Somewhere I lost connections, ran out of games to play.
I came into town, a one night stand, looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! lord,
stuck here by Modi again."
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Live on Dreamers
As a man personally, experientially and professionally qualified to be dreamer, its nice to see a young man fulfil his dreams and play for Australia.
Overnight, Josh Hazelwood, the Bendemeer Bullet, made his debut for Australia against the Poms in the Old Dart. He bowled seven reasonable overs in an Australian loss and fetched up a maiden wicket with his stock delivery, the one which cuts back in. It's a delivery his hero, Glen McGrath, used sparingly but to devastating effect.
Like the rest of you, he's now had a speaking part in one of our dreams and has a numbered yellow cap. What price the SCG next January against the same opposition for the best part of the dream to come true ... Hazelwood reaching forward with a quivering hand to take his Baggy Green from a tall man in a pink shirt?
Go ahead you aging dreamers ... smile.
Overnight, Josh Hazelwood, the Bendemeer Bullet, made his debut for Australia against the Poms in the Old Dart. He bowled seven reasonable overs in an Australian loss and fetched up a maiden wicket with his stock delivery, the one which cuts back in. It's a delivery his hero, Glen McGrath, used sparingly but to devastating effect.
Like the rest of you, he's now had a speaking part in one of our dreams and has a numbered yellow cap. What price the SCG next January against the same opposition for the best part of the dream to come true ... Hazelwood reaching forward with a quivering hand to take his Baggy Green from a tall man in a pink shirt?
Go ahead you aging dreamers ... smile.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Jones Plan
Pardon me for thinking the heading is an oxymoron but Dean Jones has proposed some interesting suggestions now that Cricket Australia has announced its intention to trial split innings in domestic one day games.
Read the The Jones Plan
Of course Jones goes further, as he often does but at least the static one day game is having more than its bells and whistles tinkered with. The problem has always been to bring incentive back to bowlers to take wickets rather than trying to be like well adjusted bowling machines who bowl on a line and length which might limit runs scoring. As soon as you take the kill away from a tiger he's unlikely to hunt.
Why not limit the batting in two split 25 over innings to the batsmen i.e only the top six can bat for their team. This way, the crowd gets to see the best batsmen bat. If five wickets are exhausted in twenty overs, so be it. The batting order starts again for the second 25 overs. This gives bowlers the incentive to take wickets and suddenly we have a contest again. No power plays and only two fielders outside the circle in the first twenty five and three in the second. A new ball for each 25 over innings. Don't alter the toss as even though its an act of chance, its part of the strategy of the game ... however, teams to be finalised after the toss so that both sides can put their best squad of batsmen and bowlers on the field according to conditions and when they will bat/bowl. Bowlers to bowl a maximum of five overs per innings.
If the aim is to entertain the crowd, then all the bonuses are in that direction. They see the best batsmen bat - no wasted time in the last ten overs with tail enders - and the best bowlers bowl.
That's the Lango Plan.
Read the The Jones Plan
Of course Jones goes further, as he often does but at least the static one day game is having more than its bells and whistles tinkered with. The problem has always been to bring incentive back to bowlers to take wickets rather than trying to be like well adjusted bowling machines who bowl on a line and length which might limit runs scoring. As soon as you take the kill away from a tiger he's unlikely to hunt.
Why not limit the batting in two split 25 over innings to the batsmen i.e only the top six can bat for their team. This way, the crowd gets to see the best batsmen bat. If five wickets are exhausted in twenty overs, so be it. The batting order starts again for the second 25 overs. This gives bowlers the incentive to take wickets and suddenly we have a contest again. No power plays and only two fielders outside the circle in the first twenty five and three in the second. A new ball for each 25 over innings. Don't alter the toss as even though its an act of chance, its part of the strategy of the game ... however, teams to be finalised after the toss so that both sides can put their best squad of batsmen and bowlers on the field according to conditions and when they will bat/bowl. Bowlers to bowl a maximum of five overs per innings.
If the aim is to entertain the crowd, then all the bonuses are in that direction. They see the best batsmen bat - no wasted time in the last ten overs with tail enders - and the best bowlers bowl.
That's the Lango Plan.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Happy Lango
Happy man tonight. The sleeping Waratahs giant is waking up. "Build it and they will come" was the philosophy and it's happening.
On Sept 24-26th this year, the first true Waratahs Reunion will take place in Armidale to celebrate - almost to the day - the 60th anniversary of the first Waratahs game in Sept 1950. There will be a game of cricket on the Saturday afternoon against Easts at the Sportsground - the same opposition and the same venue as Waratahs first premiership in 1952-53. A dinner on Saturday night at The Wicklow Hotel, one of the two longest serving sponsors of the club. At the dinner, caps marked with the traditional Waratahs emblem and each players individual player number will be distributed and the Best Waratahs 12 of all time - voted by the players - will be announced. On the Sunday, there will be some laid back golf.
The website http://waratahscricketclub.blogspot.com carries all the info and so many memories which are building as the research is built from individual newspaper files and then organised and placed up for everyone to sift through.
If you read this and have other contacts who played for Waratahs, let them know. By the end of the week, invitations will be made ready and distributed just as far as we can.
More info from the website 0r from contacting Lango at plangsto@bigpond.net.au or 0438028917.
This event may never happen again unless we run with it the first time. The responsibility for its success doesn't lie with me or the organising committee of Garry Holloway, Tim Bindley. Andrew Davis or Tony Bennett. We can only put it on ... its up to you to make it a success.
Your old mates are calling you ...
On Sept 24-26th this year, the first true Waratahs Reunion will take place in Armidale to celebrate - almost to the day - the 60th anniversary of the first Waratahs game in Sept 1950. There will be a game of cricket on the Saturday afternoon against Easts at the Sportsground - the same opposition and the same venue as Waratahs first premiership in 1952-53. A dinner on Saturday night at The Wicklow Hotel, one of the two longest serving sponsors of the club. At the dinner, caps marked with the traditional Waratahs emblem and each players individual player number will be distributed and the Best Waratahs 12 of all time - voted by the players - will be announced. On the Sunday, there will be some laid back golf.
The website http://waratahscricketclub.blogspot.com carries all the info and so many memories which are building as the research is built from individual newspaper files and then organised and placed up for everyone to sift through.
If you read this and have other contacts who played for Waratahs, let them know. By the end of the week, invitations will be made ready and distributed just as far as we can.
More info from the website 0r from contacting Lango at plangsto@bigpond.net.au or 0438028917.
This event may never happen again unless we run with it the first time. The responsibility for its success doesn't lie with me or the organising committee of Garry Holloway, Tim Bindley. Andrew Davis or Tony Bennett. We can only put it on ... its up to you to make it a success.
Your old mates are calling you ...
Andrew in The John Again!
There's a bit more to this Andrew Johns fiasco than meets the eye.
The public reaction has been beautifully stage managed by the media to achieve maximum outrage ... first it breaks that Timana Tahu has left the NSW State of Origin camp ... then Joey Johns is named as the culprit ... then a racial slur is suggested ... everyone is devastated ... recriminations ... resignations ... if only the NSW pack could be as affective as the media scrum.
Let me make it plain, Johns words describing Greg Inglis are a racial slur and in modern Australia - as Darren Lehmann found out a while back - they are not appropriate. Further, Johns didn't act in this way because he has bipolar disorder. So what follows, are not a defence of his actions or his illness but rather some less passionate views on the situation.
Johns colourful adjective and noun were used as part of speech he was giving to the NSW players, reportedly to gee them up for the upcoming battle against Qld. He had also referred to himself as "white trash from Cessnock". As yet, no news from the working class town in the coal soaked lower Hunter Valley as to their feelings about the description. Perhaps we have enough evidence to accept his statement about himself and his origins but the only point in raising it was that he was already using colourful language by the time he reached his comments about Inglis. In fact, he would have been asked to get the boys up. Like Lehmann before him, he wasn't in a public place and he wasn't directing the comments at Inglis or any of his family. That doesn't make the comment right but it reduces it from the stark black and white tones the public is now being led to by the media and brings it back to at least shades of grey.
The more important information we don't have is whether this was an isolated incident or are these colourful and offensive metaphors part of the Andrew Johns vernacular? A yes to the first half of the question continues the argument to lighter shades of grey but a yes to the second part moves us more strongly to ebony.
So imagine you are Timana Tahu and sitting there when Johns lets fly with his dark vaginal analogy. You're shocked, surely and likely offended and the bloke who said is someone you've known for a long time. What would you or I do? Wouldn't we spark up and tell him to cut it out. Maybe, for the sake of team morale before such an important game, you might seek Johns out afterwards and explain how the comment affected you and probably, you'd demand an apology in front of the team. That's about the strength of it, yes?
No. Tahu went back to his room, packed his bags and left and rang the media.
Does that strike anyone else as odd?
I'll accept that he has made a stand against racism but that's about the only thing Tahu has done right throughout these past few days. There are other agendas to be served, for which Tahu is receiving good pay, great press and top status in his chosen sport - well, his chosen sport this year. Wouldn't a quieter approach - remember softly, softly catchy monkey - have been the better approach? This ugly stance of trial by media which Tahu initiated and the loss of Johns from the coaching staff would have been justified if Tahu's situation was untenable. It wasn't. If Johns was irresponsible in not choosing appropriate language, Tahu is at least as culpable in not trying to resolve the issue. Both acted without thought.
Then, they are footballers.
I have experienced racism and no matter what side you stand on, its ugly and angry and there are never any winners. Johns was wrong but his public trial being played out in pubs, on the Internet and encouraged by a media always hungry to blood-let success, is having evidence from past wrongs unfairly added to the slate. Meanwhile Timana Tahu's agent negotiates the deals to be made.
Go back to Melbourne now Craig. You're wasting your time.
The public reaction has been beautifully stage managed by the media to achieve maximum outrage ... first it breaks that Timana Tahu has left the NSW State of Origin camp ... then Joey Johns is named as the culprit ... then a racial slur is suggested ... everyone is devastated ... recriminations ... resignations ... if only the NSW pack could be as affective as the media scrum.
Let me make it plain, Johns words describing Greg Inglis are a racial slur and in modern Australia - as Darren Lehmann found out a while back - they are not appropriate. Further, Johns didn't act in this way because he has bipolar disorder. So what follows, are not a defence of his actions or his illness but rather some less passionate views on the situation.
Johns colourful adjective and noun were used as part of speech he was giving to the NSW players, reportedly to gee them up for the upcoming battle against Qld. He had also referred to himself as "white trash from Cessnock". As yet, no news from the working class town in the coal soaked lower Hunter Valley as to their feelings about the description. Perhaps we have enough evidence to accept his statement about himself and his origins but the only point in raising it was that he was already using colourful language by the time he reached his comments about Inglis. In fact, he would have been asked to get the boys up. Like Lehmann before him, he wasn't in a public place and he wasn't directing the comments at Inglis or any of his family. That doesn't make the comment right but it reduces it from the stark black and white tones the public is now being led to by the media and brings it back to at least shades of grey.
The more important information we don't have is whether this was an isolated incident or are these colourful and offensive metaphors part of the Andrew Johns vernacular? A yes to the first half of the question continues the argument to lighter shades of grey but a yes to the second part moves us more strongly to ebony.
So imagine you are Timana Tahu and sitting there when Johns lets fly with his dark vaginal analogy. You're shocked, surely and likely offended and the bloke who said is someone you've known for a long time. What would you or I do? Wouldn't we spark up and tell him to cut it out. Maybe, for the sake of team morale before such an important game, you might seek Johns out afterwards and explain how the comment affected you and probably, you'd demand an apology in front of the team. That's about the strength of it, yes?
No. Tahu went back to his room, packed his bags and left and rang the media.
Does that strike anyone else as odd?
I'll accept that he has made a stand against racism but that's about the only thing Tahu has done right throughout these past few days. There are other agendas to be served, for which Tahu is receiving good pay, great press and top status in his chosen sport - well, his chosen sport this year. Wouldn't a quieter approach - remember softly, softly catchy monkey - have been the better approach? This ugly stance of trial by media which Tahu initiated and the loss of Johns from the coaching staff would have been justified if Tahu's situation was untenable. It wasn't. If Johns was irresponsible in not choosing appropriate language, Tahu is at least as culpable in not trying to resolve the issue. Both acted without thought.
Then, they are footballers.
I have experienced racism and no matter what side you stand on, its ugly and angry and there are never any winners. Johns was wrong but his public trial being played out in pubs, on the Internet and encouraged by a media always hungry to blood-let success, is having evidence from past wrongs unfairly added to the slate. Meanwhile Timana Tahu's agent negotiates the deals to be made.
Go back to Melbourne now Craig. You're wasting your time.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What Gives With Jim?
Am I sicker than I thought or is James Sutherland starting to make sense?
T20 & Test teams May Be Different Players
T20 & Test teams May Be Different Players
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