Warnie reakons he will be ready in a few days for T20 action… hmmmm … least he saved the bacon

Is it because the Tiges are done for the 2011 AFL season?  Or maybe because I caught an over or 2 in passing of the Eng V India Test at a Foxtel sales desk in a QLD shopping centre?

I have never been a big fan of the “hit and giggle” of the Twenty20 form of the game, but have found myself even looking forward to the new Big Bash comp!!!!

So the question is …. which Melb based team to support? There is the MCG based Melbourne Stars, captained by Cameron White and sporting one of my fave Victorians Peter Siddle. 

On the other hand there is the Etihad Stadum based Melbourne Renegades captained by Andrew McDonald with a delicous pace attack and the long-suffering Brad Hodge in toe.

And the winner is????????????????????????????????????????

The Melbourne Stars

The fact that the stars are playing at the home of cricket and that the Renegades have imported a controversial ball tampering all rounder sealed the deal.

… for now ;)

aftershake:

I’m sick of all the Ponting-bashing I’m seeing. People need to fucking stop it!

People would do well to remember that this current state of Australian cricket has been rapidly approaching us for about 2-3 years now. Ponting has been the one who has (pretty much single-handedly) held the downfall…

(Source: crissren)

The 4th Ashes test match has finished early on day 4 here in Melbourne with a crushing defeat to Australia.  England have outclassed Australia yet again to retain the Ashes Urn with one game remaining.

Australia can still draw the series, but that little bloody urn is out of reach till the next Ashes series in a few years.

I have been going through a rough patch at the moment, and not being able to turn on Channel 9 or listen to ABC’s grandstand and see/hear a competitive Australian team do battle….is disappointing.

Its funny how sport can give you an escape… and how much you take some things for granted.  Watching/Hearing the Aussie Batsman falling like flies without so much as a whimper was like an added kick in the guts/nuts.  Albeit that the Poms bowled well and, apart from their brief lapse in concentration at the WACA (blaming the WAGS?), have outclassed and outplayed the Aussies… the insipid performance of our boys is heart breaking.

I know that people will say I am a sore Aussie loser … but any fan of any team should be allowed to feel shyte when their team (weather being a recent powerhouse or not) is ….. shit.

So… whos to blame? Should there be any finger pointing at all?  No?  well maybe..

Ponting
Is it Ponting’s fault?  Well I don’t know about his captaincy … but if your a number 3 bat and you don’t get a score in any innings of any game in a series.  Should he drop down the order a bit?  My thoughts are that he won’t want to.  Reakon he would retire before dropping down the order and/or giving up the captaincy.

Selectors
Is it the selectors fault? hmmmm …. you gota wonder… maybe not so much for the decisions made this series … but in the years leading up. 

Should we have blooded more youngsters and worked on a deeper squad.  Probably…. the years of Warne, McGrath, Gilly and Hayden feel soooo bloody far away now.  How about some planning??!

Aussie Batsman
Watson has batted well… but should he be opening? hmmmm … The surprise of the series has been Hussey who has stood up (despite the last 2 innnings) when the top order has crumbled.  Clarke, North, Ponting… tsk tsk tsk.  Smith and Hughes might be ok… but may need the added confidence of a stronger team around them.

Aussie Pace Bowlers
At times the aussie pace bowlers lacked some mongrel! At the WACA (yea yea its a seamers pitch) we saw a bit of mongrel, but, with the exception of Siddle, I wouldn’t be too happy with the peformance.  Can an aussie swing a ball?!!!! HELLOOO!!! 

Spinner
Hauritz got shafted…. but he is probably not cut out for the big stage.  Smith in the team as a battsman and Clarke doesnt get much of a go.  I tell ya … they better play a spinner in Sydney.  As Harris is probably out after breaking down yeserday, you would think the 12th man for the last 2 matches, Beer, would be a shoe in….. you would think.

Poms
Maybe the Poms were just too good ;)  nuff said on that one hey? hehehe

Rant complete… vented … feeling better?
errrr no

kaatieee27:

Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
Today Aus failed to regain the ashes
And Ricky Ponting is going to lose his job

Yeh i don’t care if that didnt rhyme, point is oh geez Australia sucks at sports now

But Collingwood are premiers so hey, who cares :)

Go Pies

Kaatieee

The Australian dominance of world cricket is definitely over!  It seems every time I blink they have lost another game.  Whats going on?  Is this a temporary form slump? or some dead wood?  Or maybe the other cricketing nations have not only caught up to the Aussies, but have overtaken them, and are turning back and flicking us the bird?

Last night the Aussies succumbed to Pakistan in a Twenty20 match in Edgebaston.  This on the back of a 50 over series loss to the old enemy England. 

There looks like one more Twenty20 game against Pakistan for the Aussies to “right the wrong”…. but players like Michael Clarke need to stand up!

The main concern will be if the Aussies can return home and wrestle back the Ashes urn in November.  I am starting to have my doubts that they can.  Lets hope that they use the upcoming couple of Tests against Pakistan to get back into the groove and do us proud.

The Aussies defeated Pakistan by 34 runs in their firsts match of the Twenty20 World Cup. Watson clubbed 81 off 49 balls while David Hussey scored 53 of 29. Nannes and Tait both claimed 3 wickets each off their 4 overs.

Nice start to the comp….. but …errrr ….. still can’t shake the feeling that Twenty20 is not the best format of the game for judging a quality cricket team.

Australia has suffered a 1 run defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in a practice match prior to the Twenty20 World Cup in the Windies. 

There may be concerns centred around the aussie spin attack (Smith and Hauritz) who failed to take a wicket.

hmmmm….. or is this just a case of the randomness of the smallest form of the game?

It seems Michael Clarke is heading home early from the tour of New Zealand citing “personal” reasons.  There are unconfirmed reports that this is related to the storm that his, soon to be wife, Lara Bingle finds herself in.  It should be noted that Pups old man is pretty crook with cancer, and his sudden return may be related to this.

While not supportive of Brendan Fevola’s alleged actions against Bingle…I am left wondering her motives for taking him to court.  This incident occurred a few years ago, and as her popularity was bottoming out (some would argue she was never popular), she took on new management.  The following day .. BAM! she is on the front page of all the papers saying she is taking Fevola to court. hmmmm…….

I don’t want to bang on about what Fev has allegedly done, and the impact on Bingle etc.  Fev is a meathead and Bingle is….. well… you decide.

My main concern is for poor ol’ Pup.  If he is cutting his cricket short for this crap… well…. he better be bloody sure this is the right bird for him.  Cos I think he should be seriously considering kicking her to the curb.