While the 2009 international season gets into full swing in England with the 20/20 World Cup and impending Ashes contest, there will no doubt be plenty to talk about - so in order to balance the current events with the discussion created by them I am introducing a new segment. Six observations of the game this week
THAT'S SIX 6S IN THE OVER!
- We weren't sure whether to laugh or sigh as 20/20 World Cup Hosts, England were beaten by the Dutch
- Those of us supporting New Zealand couldn't do either, but instead close our eyes and pray as the Scots almost inflicted a loss on us
- ...and unfortunately the means of our success, Ross Taylor, is cause for just as much concern as he continues to hit across the line as a default shot; he is a great off-side player that will cheat himself out of a fine career if he doesn't get his brain in gear
- The Yellow Australian Machine looks as rusty as in 2005, with poor batting, sloppy fielding and thoughtless bowling
- ...on the bright side they got rid of those terrible 20/20 uniforms from last year!
- Finally, at least in this 20/20 tournament we don't have a seven minute add break chopping up the action - good riddance
Andrew Symonds
In a newspaper we find kindly written obituaries to the people whose lives have sadly ended and unfortunately this courtesy has not yet been extended to the career of Andrew Symonds. The speed at which people have rushed to denounce him and highlight their own 'never-wavering' support of ending his career is appalling and to any lover of the game, comes across as opportunism and sports journalism at its worst. I would like to provide a better account of his colourful and controversial career.
People sat up and noticed Symonds in 2003 when he scored 143* against Pakistan and although I didn't see the innings, there has been nothing but praise said of it because he came in with his team FIVE down with few runs on the board. The innings saved Australia's World Cup campaign after it was deflated (Shane Warne's drug ban) - a point apparently forgotten by Ian Chappell.
http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/407791.html
One innings I did see was his 156 (127) against the Black Caps in Wellington where Australia had lost wickets and he carried them well past 300. The highlight was THREE consecutive sixes off Chris Cairns. At the SCG, he helped Ricky Ponting rescue the team from 3-13 against Sri Lanka and ended with 151 (127) as Australia turned around a 1-0 finals series.
Both innings revealed a master ODI batsman that, when in, was able to hit any delivery to any part of the ground and just didn't look like getting dismissed.
The public is quite aware of his drinking problems in 2005, 2007 and in the last six months but too often the events are taken out of context. For instance, granted he did drink before the game against Bangladesh in 2005 - a game that should be remembered for the shock result not his absence - but he did come back and win that series for Australia with fine performances with bat and ball (winning man of the series).
The 'gone fishing' incident was the possibly the worst received as it was reported as selfish (although it was a mistake by him not an intentional rebuke). We must remember that Shane Warne was accused of and often proven to have perpetrated, far worse things but many allowed his on field brilliance to redeem him in their eyes; does Symonds have to be a Wisden Cricketer of the Century before he gets such treatment?
The worst was Peter English of Cricinfo, who produced a terrible piece within a day of Symonds being sent home from the 20/20 world cup where the controversies caused by Symonds and those where he was the victim were blurred to paint the picture of a spoilt individual. This allowed the slight of hand where English reduced his cricket talent to 'slogging to midwicket' as opposed to the brilliant ODI all-rounder that he was. The whole article reeked of a conservative bias that managed to include a tacky and irrelevant quip about the Australian Budget deficit. I was ashamed as a cricket-traditionalist to read it.
http://www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/407431.html
Some might say we deserved better from Andrew Symonds and those that look up to cricketers as role models probably did but he certainly deserved better from us, the people who enjoyed his career on field.
Well that's it from here and I hope to see you again
It's good bye for now
Loving the links Baz, good stuff.
ReplyDeleteRe Rossco, I remember his ODI debut (in Napier if I remember correctly) when he spanked three glorious boundaries through the off-side (before running himself out, but that's another matter). He really is good on both sides of the wicket, it would be nice if he'd show it more often.
OK, so I just looked at the scorecard and I'm wrong, it was only one four that day, but from memory he did have an excellent cut shot and cover drive
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