A TAIL that wags = An Essential Now for Test Teams

Gideon Haigh, in The Australian, 31 Decmeber 2011, where it had the title: “Year-long evolution of a tail”

EARLY on the final morning at the MCG on Thursday, a half-volley was stylishly despatched by a tall left-hander to the extra-cover boundary. A handsome stroke: long stride, full flow of the bat, flourishing follow-through. “Shot, Huss!” was one’s reflex response from a distance. Except that on a second look the cover drive’s author was not Mike Hussey but James Pattinson.

In the aftermath of victory here, Australia’s arrived-at pace triumvirate of Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus have basked in deserved praise. But the game also involved the continuation of a decidedly useful trend, a year in the making, of the Australian tail selling itself dearly.

Aussie cricket knives on the slash after debacle at Newlands

Predictably Australian cricket writers have pulled out their bayonets as well as machetes and are piercing and hacking  their cricket team. See the items referred to belwow. That said, I must say that the slash and burn has not extended to conspiracy theories and muckraking of the sort that feature when the Sri Lankan side does poorly … or even when it loses a final after doing well to get there! Again, Michael Clarke’s summary criticism of slef and team was as on the spot and not marked by bromide and veneer. It reveals sense and sensibility, as well as fortitude and determination to fight back. Web Editor.

*”Post-mortem results for the Nightmare at Newlands are obvious: heads must surely roll,” by Peter Lalor in The Australian 12 Nov. 2011,

* “Horrible’: Australia bowled out for 47,” by Greg Baum, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 Nov. 2011.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/horrible-australia-bowled-out-for-47-20111111-1n9wv.html#ixzz1dTDQ8SjV

Carl Rackemann as farmer politician … so Sanath is not alone

Michael McKenna, in The Australian,22 September 2011

CARL Rackemann put the fear into batsmen when he took the ball – now the former Test cricketer’s ambition of taking to the field of politics is gathering the same pace his once-devastating bouncers had.  A third-generation Kingaroy farmer, the 12-Test bowler is firming as the frontrunner to win the state seat of Nanango, held for 40 years by former premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, as a candidate of Bob Katter’s Australian Party. The start-up political entity is expected to win registration within days from Queensland’s Electoral Commission, as the party ramps up its campaign to challenge the political mainstream at the next state election, due by March. Party insiders are boasting of a campaign war chest that will exceed $2 million, with more than $500,000 already donated from a disparate band of backers that includes a union, an arms dealer and fishing and ethanol lobbyists normally welded to the Nationals.

That underarm moment in World Cricket History …. so Un-Iconic

 1 February 1981: “Richie Benaud said this the most disgraceful thing he had seen on a cricket field. On February 1, 1981, New Zealand were playing Australia in the third of the best-of-five finals of the World Series in Melbourne. 15 were needed off the final over, to be bowled by Trevor Chappell, younger brother of Ian and Greg. It came down to seven off the last ball with Brian McKechnie on strike. Captain Greg instructed Trevor to roll the ball along the ground. Underarm bowling was still legal, even if unethical, and Chappell’s unsporting act was roundly criticised. After the incident, underarm bowling was banned.” — http://www.sharegoodstuffs.com/2011/09/crickets-most-iconic-moments.htmhttp://

Iconic Momens of World Cup Celebration

                                                                                                      

 Edgbaston, 17 June 1999:     “Australian players celebrate after running out South Africa’s Allan Donald in the World Cupsemi-final inBirmingham on June 17, 1999. A massive misunderstanding in the final over between last-man Donald and Lance Klusener, who had batted heroically to bring SA within a run of a win, ended the game in a tie. Tournament rules allowedAustralia to reach the final, which they won, beginning their decade-long domination of international cricket.” –http://www.sharegoodstuffs.com/2011/09/crickets-most-iconic-moments.html

  Lahore, 17 March 1996: “The Sri Lankan team swarm unto thepitch to share the joy of Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva after they completed a decisive victory  in the Final of the World Cup.”

Note umpire Steve Bucknor with a stump–is that a souvenir or the stump with audi-or camera cam?

Sri Lanka milks Australia

4,500 cows imported from Australia

…… Headline in The Island 10 September 2011

Tom Moody’s tough talk leads Shaun Marsh to the Baggy Green

Peter Lalor, in The Australian, 6 September 2011

Pic from ZeeNews

SHAUN Marsh is set to make his Test debut in Kandy this week, but he has had the baggy green withheld and withdrawn too often to get ahead of himself.  The West Australian’s father, Geoff, was a veteran of 50 Tests and although Shaun grew up around cricketers and was exposed to all elements of the game, there was one thing that was off limits – his dad’s baggy green. “He kept it away from us kids,” Shaun said. “We didn’t see it too many times. It was hidden.”

Geoff wanted his children to understand the value of the cap, to know it was no play thing, nothing that was handed down from father to son. It was a sacred object and one you had to earn.

Aussie Country Boys strike Pay Dirt at Galle

Peter Lalor, in The Weekend Australian, 3-4 September 2011

Pic from AFP

 NATHAN Lyon had a dream. Country boys don’t dream too big, but he had ambitions. The agricultural worker’s son from rural NSW wanted one day to make it right to the top of the pile and be the head curator at the Adelaide Oval.  As a teenager he packed up his bags and moved from Young, a cherry-growing district with a population of a little over 7000, and moved to the big smoke. Once in Canberra he gained an apprenticeship as a groundsman, working for four years watching the grass grow at Manuka.

Things really started to happen for him when he landed a job with the ground staff at his field of dreams: the Adelaide Oval. To this point Banjo Patterson had done a rough draft of the hungry-looking part-time cricketer’s script, from here on in the bloke that penned Shane Warne’s improbable script took over and hammed up the story line.

A Fi’fer Spinner sends Aussie hopes soaring

Peter Lalor in Galle, from The Australian , 2 September 2011, where the article had the title “Quest for A Spinner bears Fruit”

Pic from AP

HOLD the celebrations, for it may be a mirage, but if it is not, then the long, desperate and occasionally delirious search for a spin bowler appears to be over. Nathan Lyon, the 11th man to try to fit into Shane Warne’s glittering jacket, came to the Galle Test having played just five first-class matches. He left the field two sessions later having taken 5-34 from 15 searching overs on a pitch that was a spinner’s dream. Australia had a lead of 283 with four wickets in hand at the close of play on a day that saw 16 wickets fall and only 220 runs scored. The visitors dismissed Sri Lanka for just 105, then fell to be 6-115 themselves on a pitch that is a nightmare for batsmen. Michael Clarke held together the second innings with a fighting 60 from 80 balls. He was only the third batsman to pass 30 in the game.

Australia is in a commanding position in the game, which will struggle to last four days unless the weather intervenes.