Geez Red, if you followed the media, you'd think the boys were the blokes who nailed up the bearded one. The pollies I take with a pinch of salt, they sniff the wind and act accordingly. As for Boof, Smith and those involved in the plot and act, what a bunch of dickheads. It's the popular thought in the streets, that not only they thick, but a bunch of bullies who are finally getting their just deserts. We've had it up too the back teeth with the win at all cost attitude of the team. The sad thing is, up until now, the team has taken a pride in their sledging and so called gamesmanship. ****ing ****ers. I think Boof has been driving this terrible attitude along, and deserves the axe which is just about to befall him. And Smith, Warner and the rest of the leadership group deserve more than a slight penalty. As far as I can tell, at the moment, that idiot Smith is up for a one match ban. If that's all he gets, then the ACB needs a right royal kick in the arse. My wife doesn't follow the sport, but even she is as pissed as can be.
A wonderful email from a bloke called Ian Forth, on the subject of Australia's current cricket problems. Cricket has turned from a sport to a ritual in Australia. The team song with the wattle, visiting the graveyards in France, and of course the Legend Of the Baggy Green. This coincided with a time that the team were all but invincible, so, practices became sanctified, and indelibly associated with outcomes. (Hint: note how monotheism emerged in the Old Testament). So when Michael Clarke tried to head off before singing the song he was nearly throttled. The Baggy Green became a sacred item - literally; Steve Waugh wore one that was battered beyond recognition. It was a holy relic. The G was referred to as ‘sacred turf’. That’s right cricket became, to all extents and purposes, a cult. Or a religion, if you prefer. Trouble is that if rituals are transgressed condemnation is wild and fierce. To Australians cheating at cricket became blasphemous. The only fitting punishment for such impiety becomes excommunication. It was easier when cricket was cricket. Not forced to do double duty in binding a fragile society, forever unsure of its place in the world, together. Smith, Warner and Bancroft are now going to be taken to a place outside the city walls and ritually stoned.
Surely hanging from the Sydney Harbour Bridge rather than stoning???? I seem to remember there was a furore a few years ago at an Australian test match where one of the Australians refused to walk even though he knew damn fine well he should have. In the press conference later he admitted he should have walked. Then there was the infamous underarm bowl...............
There's plenty of column inches left in this. I can't believe the investigators can turn up one day and hand out sanctions the next. I get the sending them home bit as that is akin to be suspended pending investigation in a normal job but surely they need need more time to carry out a full investigation. The Bancroft kid has had an eventful introduction into test cricket following his date with Johny Bairstow and now this. I've always felt Warner was an odious little ****e. I bet Root and De Kock are having a little chuckle at his situation. There has been a bit of a frenzy in the British media too and some doesn't sit comfortably with me, particularly the holier than though attitude of some. Michael Vaughan speculating that they were cheating during the Ashes - they didn't fookin need to you spanner - and the Beeb's Dan Roan deserved a left hook off Lehman at the airport. The weekly 90 minute cricket programme on Radio 5 live had 85 mins devoted to this and only 5 on the shambles in New Zealand so at least one Aussie (our coach) is happy with this diversion.
That under arm stuff was a bit of a low act, one they were rightly admonished for, but as against this ball tampering saga, the under arm delivery wasn't against the laws of the game at the time. This ball tampering was blatant cheating, it's an outlawed offence. I have to admit though Jana, that Chappell call against NZ still haunts us today.
Question for you folk: Does anyone know of a website or app that will tell you the starting/match odds on Football matches for a specific team/division for this season? For example - My team St Mirren have dominated the Scottish Championship this season and throughout have often been higher odds than you would expect for a team in 1st Position so i'm interested to see the LSP for the year.
WARNER & SMITH BANNED FOR A YEAR...!!! Captain Steve Smith and vice-skipper David Warner have been banned for a year by Cricket Australia over their recent ball-tampering in South Africa. Cameron Bancroft, who carried out the cheating, was given a nine-month ban. The three had already been sent home from Australia's tour - before a fourth Test begins on Friday - amid widespread condemnation stretching beyond sport. Australia's prime minister Malcolm Turnbull had said the affair "bitterly disappointed the whole nation". Smith, 28, and Bancroft, 25, have also been suspended from captaining Australia for at least the next two years. Warner, 31, will not be considered for "any team leadership positions in the future", Cricket Australia said. Still don't get that all of the bad eggs have been thrown out myself... Reading all the stuff on Warner I would be surprised if he ever got back to wear the baggy green as not one person has a single good word to say about him...!! Smith, well, as talented as he is he will either come back to carry on playing the standard of cricket he has been praised for, he is top quality, but is now tarnished as being a bit think... It's a real mess that I don't think has been totally cleared up. How has Lehman dodged this bullet I do not know...!! It will be very interesting to see how Cricket Australia re-build their team now moving forward from this debacle...
I must admit Cyc, although I didn't see it at the time, I've seen them since, the pictures of the 'under-arm' ball has gone down in cricketing history. It's pretty awful to watch but as you say it wasn't against the laws of the game at the time...
The cricket memes are off and running. There are a few good one here. https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/Proteas/27-of-the-best-oz-ball-tampering-memes-and-jokes-20180326
Well it looks like we now have the Champion's League semi finalists for 2017-2018 and after all the pretenders have been vanquished we should be down to the tournament warhorses: Real Madrid - 11 (?) wins. Liverpool - 5 wins Bayern Munchen - 5 wins Barcelona - 4 (?) wins Funny old world innit! I could of course be completely wrong. Could not be bothered (just back from piss-up in Koln) checking the UEFA website so my figures might be incorrect.
Given those stats just how Man City were the bookies tournament favourites going into the game last night beggars belief. They've been wonderfully entertaining in the EPL but their defence got properly found out last night. Kyle Walker! At fault for 2 goals last night, at fault for the Wigan goal that knocked them out of the FA Cup. All for just the £50 million . At least the return leg should be a rip roaring affair which is fine for me without a dog in the fight.
Holy ****. The rumours were that the guys in the Australian 4000m team pursuit were breaking the world record in training, it turned out to be true. Smashed the record in the final. 3.49.804.
The mighty Men's Team Sprint outfit from New Zealand again win another gold medal. These three guys have been together forever and have won 3 world titles. Brilliant.
An outstanding swim by England's James Wilby in the final of the 200m breaststroke. He came from third at the 150 to mow down Scotland's defending champion Ross Murdock. Wilby took a massive 2 seconds off his semi time.
Jesus I love sport. The womens 4x100m free record has just been lowered by an amazing six tenths. The Australian record holders have just bettered their old mark.
