[bazzap]

I just read an article on CricInfo today saying the current culture of the Australian cricket team is Steve Waugh's fault. The same article also calls Steve Waugh a cheat.


Written by a bloke called Osman Samiuddin who turns out to be a Pakistani cricket writer


Fancy a Pakistani labelling Steve Waugh a cheat? Obviously coming from the high moral ground of Pakistani cricket








Watched the NZ/England Test today from Christchurch. Good comeback by the Poms but the best thing for me was the lovely old-fashioned cricket ground. Far better than the soulless stadiums we use in Australia these days for Test cricket


Just my two bobs worth

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by bazzap

I just read an article on CricInfo today saying the current culture of the Australian cricket team is Steve Waugh's fault. The same article also calls Steve Waugh a cheat.


Written by a bloke called Osman Samiuddin who turns out to be a Pakistani cricket writer


Fancy a Pakistani labelling Steve Waugh a cheat? Obviously coming from the high moral ground of Pakistani cricket








Watched the NZ/England Test today from Christchurch. Good comeback by the Poms but the best thing for me was the lovely old-fashioned cricket ground. Far better than the soulless stadiums we use in Australia these days for Test cricket


Just my two bobs worth

Actually Baz thats an interesting point. In Oz you have some massive grounds, more like Premier League Football stadia. There was talk of why England didn't have or build a 40,000 to 50,000 capacity purpose built cricket stadium. An opinion was formed that this wouldn't represent what English cricket traditionally stands for. The philosophy is you start with the pitch and pavilion and then evolve from there. Stands are added, as necessary, at various stages as the ground grows.

Best example is Lords where Victorian Architecture meets Modern. Relatively small playing area on a pitch that slopes down from The Grandstand to The Taverners Stand. Its all a bit eccentric really, mixed in with some good old fashioned snobbery from the MCC. Although I believe the SCG and MCG do have some old type stands and a scoreboard at one.

Anyway back on topic. After Smith bubbling on telly, well crocodile tears really, the attitude seems to be more of what you get from EPL Players etc who think they are blameless and are never accountable. Seems like its spread to cricket Down Under. Thing is they have been held to account by the Oz public and now must incur their wrath. This starts at the top though. Apart from the fact that this stuff should never have occurred once it was evident the following should have immediately resigned: Coach, Captain and Vice Captain as between them they are responsible for anything that every player gets up to on or off the field of play. To plead ignorance/innocence is pathetic. If you didn't know what was happening, your incompetent, if you did know then your held culpable.

[bazzap]

It's all about the IPL at the moment. No other cricket happening other than the start of the English county season.


Have to say that I do enjoy watching the T20 game. Totally meaningless with zero team loyalty (for me) but good entertainment. I follow whoever is playing against Royal Challengers Bangalore coz they are captained by Virat Kohli. He may be the best batsman in the world but what a wanker. He can be so arrogant at times. Since he has taken over the Indian Test captaincy, he has never had the same team in consecutive matches. Obviously likes to assert his control over the team.


The big plus is getting to see a lot of players that you don't normally see in the international games. There is still life in a few of the old fellas too. Chris Gayle & Shane Watson both scoring tons in the last couple of nights. Gayle taking Rashid Kahn to the cleaners and hitting four consecutive 6's certainly put him in his place.


Getting a decent signal on my Android box. Watching it on Sky Sports Cricket channel in HD. Excellent picture and works 90% of the time. Listening to the English players in the studio during the breaks is OK too. Would have thought Bairstow should have been playing in the IPL.


Another plus is that it takes my mind off the Australian Test team. It still brings a tear to my eye when I think about what those three bastards have done.


On a lighter note, I still carry that piece of sandpaper in my wallet that Adam gave us earlier this month. Looking out for some yellow stuff as I want to have the real thing. Might come in handy one day.