Onto WACCA

looking forward to more questions being asked of both batsmen and bowlers, the new lineup is looking ok

NZ abandon tour match after Aus 1/503

They came closer to saving it than I thought they would

We can still get a draw. Even if we don't, we've improved on our last visit here!!


Andrew, are you ready for another Bledisloe Cup match (why is it called that?).
I'm not sure who I want to win.
Every team I've wanted to win, so far, has lost. Usually to Aussie! (England, Wales, Scotland, Argentina!)

It was a no-ball!

Well done Allister Cook.  I seem to remember Ben and I in the office the last time England were here. They lost an early Strauss, but we said don't worry, Cook and Trott are in (this was not long after THAT Ashes series down under (no Andrew, not one of THOSE, THAT one) so we'll be OK. We weren't, it all went wrong and we lost 3-0.
But this week, however, has been just what you expect from Cook.

As impressive as 13 hours of batting is, I don't think I was remotely surprised at any point. This is just Cook being Cook. It's why we love him so dearly. Wonderful stuff.
It was hard to explain on Tuesday (watching cricket on my birthday never happens) to non-cricket colleagues down the pub that just because they've got 500, doesn't mean we're rubbish and it's all over.
Sheffield Shield rules and a bonus point for the first innings lead, please. Might add a teensy bit of interest to middle-eastern/sub-continental batting tracks like this one. Wow, as pitches go this is a shocker.
Imagine if Bell had held those two catches on day one.

I'm sure we'll see a draw tomorrow, but I look forward to belated-birthday dinner and presents at my folks house with the first two rugby quarter finals!
Come on the northern hemisphere! Apart from France. But I won't mind if they beat the All Blacks.

Brave Blossoms

Is anyone else pooing themselves with excitement over the Rugby World Cup? Japan v SA, ay. Cor, blimey!
And the NRL (and SuperLeague) Finals?
Andrew, are you up for Hawthorn's second chance in WA? My friend very recently moved to Perth from here and has been overwhelmed by the sports coverage. Wall to wall NRL and AFL. They don't even have an NRL team out there. Him and his boy are going to their first AFL game to watch their new local heroes; against your mighty fighting Hawthorn.

Good to see Hales in the Test squad, finally. I'm a little surprised his lack of runs at international level in the ODI series didn't put them off, but that is surely a good thing.
A month to go before the attempt to avenge our last disaster trip to the UAE. 3-0 reverse when we were best in the world.

Stay in touch.

Victory or Die!

Ok, so that might be over-selling a series decider on Sunday, but it does allow me to let you know the new Motorhead album is awesome and it opens with this.

That was a cracking day's cricket again. Ebb and flow that 20 overs doesn't allow, after a big (start from) Willey, the Aussies fought back in a match winning way - I thought at the time.
England had a little wobble to keep us all interested.

England's third highest ever successful run chase; the highest total on an ODI defeat for the Aussie's against England (I think, I worked that out based on a pre-series stat that they never lose to us if they score 300+).

Maxwell is some cricketer. Bat, ball and field.

There was even almost a tense finish. Nice big (hit from) Willey to seal the deal.



Hales has "hit a bad run at the wrong time" according to Cricinfo. OR, he's struggling against the World champions. I hope he has a big(ish) one on Sunday.

In other news,
Yorkshire won the title again. I don't mind this, in fact it's quite impressive especially when you consider how many chaps they've had off with England for much of the season. It's quite galling though to me on a training course with the most Yorkshireman man I've ever met loving every minute of their decimation of Middlesex to rack up the few bonus points they needed on day one as their next nearest rivals (after Middlesex), Notts, fell apart against..... Graham Onions. Remember him!?!?! Awesome, chap.
Speaking of which, where's old Chris Jordon gone? He was good before the world cup, right?

Anyway, Back to Manchester... Same pitch as t'other day. Twin spinners a-hoy!!!!

Finally, a big argument on the field!

Listening on the radio when it happened, it sounded outrageous.

Watching on the highlights it looked like Stokes used his hand to 'obstruct the field'.
OK, maybe he didn't intend to stop himself from being run out, but he did stop the ball. Shane Watson had no reprieve for LBW, even though he didn't mean it.

Here I go defending Steve Smith again: the spirit of cricket should only come in to it if the ball was thrown deliberately to hurt Stokes, which is wasn't.
Sorry everyone, but I'm actually on Smith, and Australia's, side for this one.

Here's hoping for an England win this afternoon to keep the series alive.