You may or may not have noticed a distinct lack of outside edge action of late for which I sincerely apologise. Having recently taken the big step and moved in with the beloved Pony (girlfriend) a variety of factors have caused the blogging gods to conspire against me, bringing my recent re-invigoration to an abrupt halt. Namely a complete lack of internet connection for the first three weeks! But I'm back and let's get down to business with a quick summary of the last months greatest hits….
1. Dan the Dictator ousts Andy "Trotsky" Moles
If the Boys in Black weren't already enough of a one man band Dan's Stalinist purge of the Mole has only served to reinforce his hegemony. Actually, I'm being a bit unfair. Whilst I'm by no means a student of the Chappelli school of thought, i.e. "the coach is something players get into at the end of the day", I do believe that a successful coach must have a strong hand (e.g. Rixon - not Braces), and most importantly must have the respect of the Captain and the senior players. Whilst the girls locker room method of dismissal may have been poor, the result I cannot disagree with. Sorry Andy, but nice guys sometimes do finish last.
2. Winning in the Desert
Fantastic result from Dan's men to finally win an away series against Pakistan. Even if we did conspire to almost balls it up. Whilst Aamer and Ajmal blew their team mates match-fixing aspirations and caused me to sweat on the way to work we eventually pulled through.
The series was an interesting one. Studded with batting collapses; one feels that apart from McCullum's return and a general shot to the arm in terms of confidence I can't really see too many positives to be taken. Redmond won't keep his place on Ryder's return, and I'm still not convinced about Macca at the top. It would just be nice to see a New Zealand batting performance where all four of the top order contributed.
As for the bowling, good to see Southee and Oram get some overs under their belt, and Millsy somehow manages to hold onto the No. 1 ODI spot. Bondy is well past his best, but can still occasionally scare the living shits out of most. Will be interesting to see how the lads get on when they don the ol' whites…
3. The Bakery dish up the first win of the season…
After a shock first week cancellation, the magical clouds parted and the season has got underway amongst scenic Churton Park surrounds. The Bakery were up against last year's bronze medallers - the Onslow Raging Stags. An otherwise unconvincing Bakery batting display was punctuated by a swashbuckling 49 from Dungey, and an Abo-esque cameo from Kisses saw the lads post 215. With a flat deck, the sun out, and the boundaries short one suspected we were a few short of something imposing. However the Bakery pace men quickly whipped the cream off the top of the metaphorical Onslow batting donut, and despite a late order rally a 111 run win was secured. In the field Buckets was sorely missed with the Bakery shelling catches like peas. One unfortunate irish immigrant must have felt the ball was a homing missile, somehow managing to find its way in and out of his hands (or off his chest) on at least 4 occasions.
A quick scan of the weekend results sees the Bakery standing tall as the only team to top 150. The possibility of 2 from 2 has this blogger certainly salivating at the mouth. An intriguing encounter against Thorndon on an early season Karori seamer this weekend awaits…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
90 minutes away from destiny...
There truly is nothing more mind boggling in sport (the Duckworth Lewis system excluded) than figuring out how the All Whites after playing such international football powerhouses as Vanuatu and Fiji are now only 90 minutes from the World Cup. Even that we can qualify after playing the fifth ranked Asian side is a little beyond me. I mean, how can that possibly be fair. We qualify on an Oceania ticket, without even having to play bloody Australia! They've gone and thrown their lot in with the Asians, because god forbid they ever have to face the qualifying nemesis Uruguay ever again!
But still, there is much to be said for playing the cards your dealt, and this will truly be the most gilt edged opportunity the All Whites have had to qualify for the biggest sporting event on Earth. Mind you anything's got to be easier than the veritable round the world trip that faced our lads in '82.
Our bookies certainly don't think we stand a chance. They had our boys out at $7 to win away, and are still underdogs at the TAB to win at home. And realistically, they're probably on the money. All the hype of the Nil-all draw aside, our boys were on the backfoot from the first kick of the game. Quite how Salman Isa missed the open goal after rounding Paston will haunt him for the rest of his life should the Bahraini's choke in Godzone. Still, to proliferate the proverbial - stranger things have happened. This may be the only chance in my lifetime I ever get to see our boys make a World Cup - dramatic yes, but we Kiwi football fans are somewhat pessimistic.
I'll be heading along to the Caketin come November 14th to watch history in the making, and so should you.
But still, there is much to be said for playing the cards your dealt, and this will truly be the most gilt edged opportunity the All Whites have had to qualify for the biggest sporting event on Earth. Mind you anything's got to be easier than the veritable round the world trip that faced our lads in '82.
Our bookies certainly don't think we stand a chance. They had our boys out at $7 to win away, and are still underdogs at the TAB to win at home. And realistically, they're probably on the money. All the hype of the Nil-all draw aside, our boys were on the backfoot from the first kick of the game. Quite how Salman Isa missed the open goal after rounding Paston will haunt him for the rest of his life should the Bahraini's choke in Godzone. Still, to proliferate the proverbial - stranger things have happened. This may be the only chance in my lifetime I ever get to see our boys make a World Cup - dramatic yes, but we Kiwi football fans are somewhat pessimistic.
I'll be heading along to the Caketin come November 14th to watch history in the making, and so should you.
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Record snowfalls? Freezing Southerlies? Must be time for a Summer Preview...
While New Zealanders batten down the hatches after a week of freezing temperatures, closed roads, crazy gunmen, and record snowfalls I thought the time was ripe to crack out a preview of the Summer ahead...the summer of cricket that is! Who knows when the fuck the warm weather's going to arrive...
The Champions Trophy is now over bar the self-congratulation and ICC wankery (how anyone can claim the organisation of this tournament was perfect when the stadia were empty and the final was played on a Monday is beyond me). From here we head into a huuuuuge summer of international leather on willow for home fans.
As you can see the Pakis grace our shores before Christmas for a strange three test-only tour. The University Oval, the Basin, and Seddon Park get a pre-Christmas airing. Their last tour of the land with the long white cloud was a tempestuous two-test affair marred by batting collapses, and Shoaib at his most potent. The Boys in Black will be looking to exact a bit of revenge against a good Pakistan side, over the course of a rare 3 test series. My picks: 1-1 (1 rain affected draw).
The Pakis are but an intriguing appetizer however for..........the Bangladeshi's. Quite why these guys (sic. kids) are coming at all is beyond me. This stinks of quota filling and New Zealand's new standing at the foot of test table. Mind you, the poor sub-continental cousins are coming into their own lately and certianly gave our boys a shakeup last time we were in their flood-ridden part of the world. Shakib al Hasan gave us an awful fright with both the willow and the cherry last time we graced their barren lands, and as usual Ashra-awful will be a pocket rocket for every five minutes he's at the crease. The Kittens are here for a whistle-stop single test, three ODI tour in February. Oh and there's one of those hit and giggle games as well. If our boys don't put them to the sword there really isn't any hope of remotely competing with.........My picks: Tests: 1-0; ODIs: 3-0; T20: 1-0.
The Australians! The convicts arrive here in late February for a "full" (well as full as we get these days) two-test, five ODI, and lets not forget the double dollop of hit and giggle. This is where the summer really gets going. At the height of their post-Waugh powers the Green and Gold's subjected our lads to an abject humiliation, and despite Ashes defeat they will be looking good to back that up. Wellington and Hamilton are traditionally result wickets, mind you there's a good argument that whenever New Zealand play it's a result wicket (for the opposition!), but late March is a funny time to be playing test cricket in New Zealand, and the weather could have an important say. New Zealand however will be wanting to put up more of fight in the pajamas; I still shudder at the thought of the 5-0 humping got last time. With Bond back, and building on the momentum of the Tigers tour I'm hoping we can at least keep this one alive until the 4th, or 5th game. One feels our entire ability to compete however will rest on what sort of side the Ockers choose to send out here. I mean, they'll be fresh off home tours from the Pakis, and the West Indies C team, and staring down the barrel of a large and strange tour to "Pakistan" (who now play their home tests in England), so there will be a few tired bodies who may get rested. And who can forget that amazing series last time the Ozzies left out a few regulars! My picks: Tests: 0-1 (1 rained out); ODIs: 2-3; T20s: 1-1.
Bring on those lazy days of summer..........
The Champions Trophy is now over bar the self-congratulation and ICC wankery (how anyone can claim the organisation of this tournament was perfect when the stadia were empty and the final was played on a Monday is beyond me). From here we head into a huuuuuge summer of international leather on willow for home fans.
As you can see the Pakis grace our shores before Christmas for a strange three test-only tour. The University Oval, the Basin, and Seddon Park get a pre-Christmas airing. Their last tour of the land with the long white cloud was a tempestuous two-test affair marred by batting collapses, and Shoaib at his most potent. The Boys in Black will be looking to exact a bit of revenge against a good Pakistan side, over the course of a rare 3 test series. My picks: 1-1 (1 rain affected draw).
The Pakis are but an intriguing appetizer however for..........the Bangladeshi's. Quite why these guys (sic. kids) are coming at all is beyond me. This stinks of quota filling and New Zealand's new standing at the foot of test table. Mind you, the poor sub-continental cousins are coming into their own lately and certianly gave our boys a shakeup last time we were in their flood-ridden part of the world. Shakib al Hasan gave us an awful fright with both the willow and the cherry last time we graced their barren lands, and as usual Ashra-awful will be a pocket rocket for every five minutes he's at the crease. The Kittens are here for a whistle-stop single test, three ODI tour in February. Oh and there's one of those hit and giggle games as well. If our boys don't put them to the sword there really isn't any hope of remotely competing with.........My picks: Tests: 1-0; ODIs: 3-0; T20: 1-0.
The Australians! The convicts arrive here in late February for a "full" (well as full as we get these days) two-test, five ODI, and lets not forget the double dollop of hit and giggle. This is where the summer really gets going. At the height of their post-Waugh powers the Green and Gold's subjected our lads to an abject humiliation, and despite Ashes defeat they will be looking good to back that up. Wellington and Hamilton are traditionally result wickets, mind you there's a good argument that whenever New Zealand play it's a result wicket (for the opposition!), but late March is a funny time to be playing test cricket in New Zealand, and the weather could have an important say. New Zealand however will be wanting to put up more of fight in the pajamas; I still shudder at the thought of the 5-0 humping got last time. With Bond back, and building on the momentum of the Tigers tour I'm hoping we can at least keep this one alive until the 4th, or 5th game. One feels our entire ability to compete however will rest on what sort of side the Ockers choose to send out here. I mean, they'll be fresh off home tours from the Pakis, and the West Indies C team, and staring down the barrel of a large and strange tour to "Pakistan" (who now play their home tests in England), so there will be a few tired bodies who may get rested. And who can forget that amazing series last time the Ozzies left out a few regulars! My picks: Tests: 0-1 (1 rained out); ODIs: 2-3; T20s: 1-1.
Bring on those lazy days of summer..........
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
A trip down Reality Drive
Well the masochist inside of me had good fun extinguishing that little glimmer of hope whilst I suffered through the Black Caps Final disintegration last night. Our boys bad trodden a fine line all tournament; somehow staying afloat whilst being buffeted from all sides by injury blow after injury blow. But it seems losing the inspirational skipper before a ball had been bowled was too bigger hole to tape over and tie up with the ol' no 8 wire.
Methodical analysis is not the domain of this blog, but even so, to break down the loss certainly isn't hard. Our third string top order failed to deliver (where was Pig?) our lower order missed the added impetus of Captain Courageous, and our bowling attack lacked support after Bond and Mills threatened to go all '03 on the Aussies.
The writing was well and truly on the wall with our backs against it (insert third horrible underdog cliche here).
But still, heart must be taken from the fact we got this far. Certainly enough to keep that glimmer foolishly flickering ever so faintly....
Methodical analysis is not the domain of this blog, but even so, to break down the loss certainly isn't hard. Our third string top order failed to deliver (where was Pig?) our lower order missed the added impetus of Captain Courageous, and our bowling attack lacked support after Bond and Mills threatened to go all '03 on the Aussies.
The writing was well and truly on the wall with our backs against it (insert third horrible underdog cliche here).
But still, heart must be taken from the fact we got this far. Certainly enough to keep that glimmer foolishly flickering ever so faintly....
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Joke the Century
The Fight of the Century this was billed. What a joke.
Ali v Foreman; Frazier v Ali (I and II); now those were real fights. Tua took less than four minutes, and really only two punches to end months of hype and speculation. I mean, I last longer in bed than Cameron did in the ring. The undercard was a better prospect!
Cameron's career is over, Tua should retire while he's still got it.
Ali v Foreman; Frazier v Ali (I and II); now those were real fights. Tua took less than four minutes, and really only two punches to end months of hype and speculation. I mean, I last longer in bed than Cameron did in the ring. The undercard was a better prospect!
Cameron's career is over, Tua should retire while he's still got it.
Black Caps deliver their own knockout punch
Whilst all the talk about town may be surrounding a man who gets vowels and consonants mixed up (o for awesome anyone?) the BC's have delivered their own slightly more elongated knockout blow in the ol' RSA.
The sun was out so the pitch was hard and true, but a combination of tight lines and brain explosions meant the Pakis really blew a prime chance to post a more challenging total. There's a bit of chatter floating about surrounding Taufel's decision to trigger Akmal, but from what I saw there were 8 other batsmen who were more than happy to throw their wickets away like morals at the Big Kumara.
The inability to absorb pressure is a characteristic normally associated with all things surrounding New Zealand cricket, yet it was the Pakistanis today who were taught a fine lesson in patience by our boys in black. In particular with the bat in hand the contrast was laid bare; the Pakis desire to smash there way out of trouble was tantamount to hari kari in the circumstances, and on the state highway that was the Wanderers pitch. By way of comparison our boys made sure that every wicket was followed by a period of consolidation. Forefront in Vettori's mind must have been the run of batting collapses preceding this fixture, and this message was reflected in the approach of his batsmen, none more so than the man of moment Big G Elliott.
Vettori's decision to promote himself up the order was a master stroke, and certainly a classic example of his lead from the front approach to captaincy. Mind you, how things could have been different had Younis held onto that dolly from Elliott with 70 still required.
Moments of doubt aside, this was a quintessential New Zealand ODI win. No century, no 5-fer, certainly no mauling; just a tactical team victory built on partnerships, maximising the powerplays, and winning the little strategic battles. For that is the Black Caps at their best, a team together worth far more than simply the sum of their individual parts....
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