Category Archives: baggy green

That Fat Bastard Shane Warne

David Runciman reviewing No Spin –Warne’s Autobiography

When​ the Australian cricketers Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were exposed tampering with the ball during last year’s test series in South Africa there was, along with all the faux outrage, some genuine incredulity. Why did they take such an insane risk? The subterfuge was so cack-handed – rubbing the ball with lurid yellow sandpaper, perfectly suited to be picked up by the TV cameras – and the potential rewards so slight that they seemed to be putting their careers on the line for next to nothing. Confronted with the filmed evidence, Smith confessed straightaway. As conspiracies go this one barely got to first base, since almost no thought had been given to keeping it secret. They can’t have wanted to be caught. Each of the three culprits looked distraught in the aftermath. But it does appear that they didn’t think getting caught would matter much.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricketing icons, cricketing rules, foul tactics, memorable moments, performance, politics and cricket, spinning art, taking the piss, technology and cricket, unusual statistics

A Cricket Fanatic become Cricket Book Lover

Stephen Basso

Today’s post brought a book from England. My long-suffering wife smiled and inquired politely about it, knowing full well that it would be another book about cricket. More specifically, about players and officials, from anywhere on earth, who have had some fame or infamy in that great game that is a passion for so many of us.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, cricketing icons, fair play, patriotic excess, sportsmanship, unusual people

Harry Solomons, the Sri Lankan Aussie “Invincible” from St. Aloysius, Galle

Harry Solomons, the Aloysian Australian Invincible, in Australian colours…. the same combination as his alma mater, St, Aloysius, Galle …. playing for Australia’s Over Seventies against New Zealand this February 2020 –where, he says, “we  beat NZ in our only 70s International on tour…… [and]  I played the full 6 matches on tour”. Harry then presents snapshots of the “emotional cap ceremony.”

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, cricket and life, cricketing icons, performance, player selections, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people, welfare through sport, work ethic

Bradman’s Last Hurrah! A Duck!

Dan Coliasimone, in ABCnet, 1 February 2020, where the title runs The inside story of Don Bradman’s final innings duck”

“Out from the pavilion came the short, slight, little figure whose name will still be in bright lights as long as cricket is played.” This is how a contemporary newspaper report set the scene for Sir Donald Bradman’s last innings.

Bradman b. Hollies… 00 — Photo supplied by State Library of South Australia

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Ashes Tests, Australian cricket, baggy green, Bradman, child of empire, cricket and life, cricketing records, English cricket, farewell game, performance, sportsmanship, unusual people, unusual statistics

Odd Fellows These Aussies

England’s traditional fan group Barmy Army has brutally roasted the Australian cricketers after they revealed their jersey for the 2019 World Cup.

The fierce rivalry between Australia and England is known to all. Both the top cricketing nation will lock horns on June 25 at the home of cricket – Lord’s on the grand occasion of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 which England are Wales are co-hosting. There are still a couple of weeks for the quadrennial event to kick off but the rivalry between England and Australia have already gained steam. The famous fan group of England – the Barmy Army – has posted photoshopped images of David Warner, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon with sandpapers in the hands of the latter two whereas ‘Cheats’ written in David Warner’s jersey. Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, cricket and life, taking the mickey, violent intrusions, world cup squad

An Older Mad Hatter Moment in Aussie Cricket -Mike Atherton in 2017

Michael Atherton, in The Australian, 20 November 2017, where the chosen title is I’ve never seen a circus like this in 30 years of Ashes cricket

At one stage, it would not have been a surprise to see the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit or the March Hare on stage. In nearly three decades of involvement in Ashes cricket, I cannot recall witnessing a more bizarre post-match circus than that which presented itself after the conclusion of the Gabba Test.

Cameron Bancroft, left, and Steve Smith following Australia’s Ashes Test win at the Gabba. Picture: AAP.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Ashes Tests, Australian cricket, baggy green, memorable moments, michael atherton, performance, taking the piss, technology and cricket, unusual people

“A Floating Allrounder” — That is My Role and Goal says Ashton Agar

Ashton Agar wants to be as good as he can at everything. He wants to be adaptable, to be able to pad up at any time for his side, and be the floater who can go bang from the first ball.

Agar introduced himself to the world in 2013 as a 19-year-old left-arm spinner who smacked a 98 on Test debut, while batting at No. 11, on an Ashes tour. His career didn’t quite take off from there as expected. He has played only 26 international games so far, and has only become a limited-overs regular in recent times.

Ashton Agar played a solid innings Getty Images Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, Indian cricket, performance, player selections, spinning art, work ethic

A Sri Lankan in the Baggy Green

The Australian Over Sixty Team in England in 2017

This is the Photo of Australian Cricket team over 60 which toured England in 2017. Seated second from left is Asoka Wijerathne, who was a student of Mahinda College from 1959 to 1965, Son of Mr.Tiddy Wijerathne . I think first Sri Lankan to wear the baggy green cap for Australia. …. Photo courtesy of Dr Ben Dayarathne of Perth via Ranjit Gurugamage in Facebook

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, cricket and life, memorable moments, unusual people

Darren Lehmann’s Awkward History and Position

Daniel Brettig, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, where the title is “Lehmann at heart of cultural contradiction”

As hard as the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland tried to be clear and strong about the gravity of events at Newlands and the governing body’s need to put things right in the minds of the game’s followers at home and around the world, there was an inherent contradiction between his words and actions.

In the early moments of his address at the Johannesburg Holiday Inn, Sutherland spoke stridently about how this was about far more than the ball-tampering incident itself. “It’s about the integrity and reputation of Australian cricket and Australian sport,” Sutherland intoned. “Ultimately it’s about whether Australians can feel proud of their sporting teams. That depends as much on the way players conduct themselves as much as it does about winning or losing. All about how we play the game.” Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, baggy green, cricket and life, Daniel Brettig, fair play, politics and cricket

Fernando and Moncrieff on the Aussie Cricketing Kolahaalaya

ONE: Errol Fernando to Emil Vanderpoorten, 26 March 2019

I have heard that there is another person who shares my name and now you say that you have his address. If this is so,please tell me something about him, presuming that he really exists!

Let me answer your question about Aussie cricketers by telling you that during my school days I was an avid supporter of the Australian Cricket team. My heroes were players such as Keith Miller and Neil Harvey.When I arrived in Melbourne in 1963 I quickly found my way to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and started watching the Test matches.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Australia Cricket, Australian cricket, baggy green, child of empire, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing rules, patriotic excess, politics and cricket, taking the piss, unusual people, verbal intimidation