Monthly Archives: January 2016

January 8, 2016 · 12:45 pm

Is T20 Cricket suffocating the Test arena?

Will Swanton, in The Australian, & January 2016, with the title “Will T20 kill Test Cricket?” …http://www.theaustralian.com.au/summerliving/will-the-t20-big-bash-league-kill-test-cricket/news-story/be5eea4091a313a21cc8ff2232dfaedc

The first international Twenty20 match was a joke. Australia faced New Zealand at Auckland’s Eden Park. Kiwi players wore wigs and fake moustaches. Glenn McGrath replicated Trevor Chappell’s underarm delivery. Umpire Billy Bowden issued a mock red card. Players organised an in-house competition for the best retro 1980s outfit. It was the unveiling of the cartoonish format of a trad­itional and earnest sport.

AAA-WILL S Continue reading →

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Filed under Australian cricket, Big Bash League cricket, child of empire, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, T20 Cricket

January 3, 2016 · 7:59 am

SOS. Save Sri Lanka Cricket.

Michael Roberts:  “Sri Lanka’s Cricket Governance needs Overhaul”

 AA= SLCThe constitution of Sri Lanka’s cricketing arena is in need of an overhaul –a radical refurbishment. Indeed, the necessity is even greater than the recognized need for reform in the political constitution for the island.

Cricket is big business and attractive for political wheeler-dealers with personal business interests that can compromise the promotion of cricket in the island. Gideon Haigh has recently indicated how the can of worms within and around the Indian cricket scene is now being exposed by the Rajendra Mal Lodra inquiry. Sri Lanka does not need such a witch-hunt. What we Sri Lankans need is a solid overseeing structure for cricket administration, preferably one that is distanced from parliamentary elections and their periodic overturns in Sports Ministers. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketer politicians, Gideon Haigh, Indian cricket, politics and cricket, sportsmanship, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people

January 3, 2016 · 3:27 am

Lodha et al: Exposing Indian Cricket’s Can of Worms

Gideon Haigh in The Weekend Australian, 2 January 2016, where the title is “Three Judges opening the tin on Indian cricket’s giant can of worms”

LODHRA--www.aninews.in

When he retired as India’s Chief Justice in September 2014, Rajendra Mal Lodha, a frugal, pious Jain from Jodhpur who regards judicial office as a “divine duty”, had in mind a quiet life, during which he might write a book. A different ­literary work is about to make him among the most important men in cricket. On Monday morning, Delhi time, Lodha and two other retired judges, Ashok Bhan and Raju Varadarajulu Raveendran, will present to the Supreme Court the final fruits of a year’s examination of the workings of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the de facto seat of power in world cricket. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricket in India, financial scandal, Gideon Haigh, Indian cricket, IPL, unusual people

January 2, 2016 · 1:18 pm

Usman Khawaja hits the headlines in OZ

I.

Usman Khawaja: the pull shot that proved he would be a star

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Filed under Australian cricket, unusual people, Will Swanton, work ethic

January 1, 2016 · 10:18 am

Travis Head rains sixers on the Sydney Sixers

Travis Head reigns

during the Big Bash League match between the Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval on December 31, 2015 in Adelaide, Australia.

Travis had smashes sixers–Getty

An extraordinary innings by young Travis Head retrieved what seemed like a hopeless situation for the Adelaide Strikers in their BBL match against the Sydney Sixers – an event I was privileged to see. At the end of the 17th over the Strikers were 126 for 5 and needed 51 runs from 18 balls –a strike rate of 17.00!

Well, well. They reached the target in 15 balls! See the details below. It was fundamentally a Head show – since Adil Rashid scored 2 runs from the one ball he faced. …. Michael Roberts Continue reading →

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Filed under Australian cricket, Big Bash League cricket