[KF's latest Discharge-sent on 27/12/10]
“Ricky’s actions as captain of his country were unacceptable.”
“He apologized for his action and stated that he has nothing but respect for the umpires.”
Don’t you just love press offices. What a load of Bull.
We’ve seen the tantrums before of course, most amusingly with Gary Pratt’s 15 minutes of fame and just like football managers with similar compunctions, it’s always when taking a beating that they take particular umbrage with the officials. It’s never the fault of the captain or manager or players themselves.
I understand the Punter wants another crack at the Ashes in England. Try not to chuckle. It can’t be up to him any more. He’s fast becoming an embarrassment, as are the team he claims to have picked (from the 12 names he was given?!?!). Taxi for Ponting methinks.
I’ve been harping on about Australia picking unfit players through this whole series. As soon as Punter broke his finger dropping a catch at Perth, it was almost inevitable he wouldn’t be fit for Melbourne, but say he was, then show he wasn’t. And so it came to pass. I would be surprised if he hasn’t got more big ton’s in him at Test level, but they are increasingly fewer and farther between.
My previous piece of journalistic jocularity identified the dangers of winning the toss in this series. Seems I misinterpreted the trend, which wasn’t winning/losing the toss, but actually batting first. The question might be ‘who is worst at setting a 1st innings total?’ While England haven’t been up to much in this department, like most things in this series, the hosts have been much worse. 98 all out on Boxing Day!!! Compounded by Strauss/Cook making 157-0 straight after!!! This must be rock bottom for the baggy greens. Too much for Australia’s paying public who voted with their feet in no uncertain terms long before the end. If you’re going to bray for pommy blood when McGrath/Lee/Warne/Hayden/Gilchrist etc are in their pomp, try giving Hughes/Smith/Doherty/Hilfenhaus some support when things aren’t going so well. An amusing aside, Xavier has more series wickets than Homehelp.
Sad to watch (I claim to myself to be neutral). When this series has erred into genuine competition it’s been really good. Most of the rest has been English pundits not quite knowing how to report the first time since at least the 1980’s that England have been genuinely better. Usually they’re claiming Imperial superiority after a session where, say, Hayden & Gilchrist were restricted to 220 runs off 27 overs in fog on a farm track. Now that their team are sticking it right up their tormentors, they can’t seem to bring themselves to say outright (Boycott aside) exactly how superior they are. Too many false dawns in the past temper any triumphalism, but when its so obviously a bright sunny day now, why not just say what you see? As I believe I’ve been saying since the Ponting/Haddin toys out the pram (Ponting, huff, really???) in the 2nd test. Incidentally, it was Haddin again stoking Pontings petulance (and subsequent official rebuke) in this Test claiming a catch when Watson at 1st slip didn’t go up for it at all.
Who knows what the Aus XI will be at Sydney (Dregs, Chucker, Huffy??). Will any Aussies fans even turn up? Who will be the captain? England have ran out of good records to beat. Australia keep getting worse.
My only advice to them now is to play the next series in Perth and bat 2nd every time. Just remembered, this Test is only two days old. I’ll be accused of counting chooks again. Well I’ve counted mine and I’d recommend you count yours.
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