Warning! This is a cricketing blog so please ignore it if that is not your ‘scene’.
We all know, of course, that the DT is not as good as it was. I first started reading it in the days when Slightly Grumpy’s dad, TE Utley, was a leader writer. The ‘Peter Simple’ column was unmissable every day and Andrew Alexander’s Parliamentary sketches were brilliant. Every day or so, you were privileged to read the obituary of some ordinary individual who had performed extraordinary feats of valour in their lifetime. ‘Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven’ as the boy Wordsworth opined.
Moving on, maybe the DT has slipped from the pedestal that my youthful memory places it on but I personally believe that its Sports Section is still a major strength. For a start, it has reconciled me to the need for Brian Moore to have existed. I used to really hate the torn-faced, arrogant little waste of space when he hooked for England but I can not deny that he is a superlative and perceptive writer on all rugby-related matters.
And so to cricket and the Third Test. Two superb articles from Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne today.
Now I like Michael Vaughan and I like Shane Warne but only one of them can be right this time. Roll on 2 am GMT in the ersatz Perth.
Boadicea's Chariot 
I ignored your warning, John, but my father was an avid fan of the Daily Telegraph and so was I, but since he is, alas, no longer with us, I don’t know how he would feel about it today.
I’m not a fan of cricket but I am a fan of the Utley family. Slightly Grumpy is now back Elsewhere, which is one of the reasons I pop in occasionally.
We shall lose, JM. Mark my words, it will be an embarrassing whimper.
I think the final decline of Australian cricket was fully brought home to me last night on the News when Ponting observed that “the team is relaxed”. Well, they shouldn’t be! They should be hyped up, fighting mad, ready to slaughter the opposition. Not relaxed – that’s unAustralian! 😦
… I agree about the demise of the Telegraph.
Hi Bearsy.
In Shane’s article, I do think that he is making a bit too much of Beer, possibly because he has invested a fair bit of his own credibility in pushing so aggressively for his selection.
But one paragraph worries me:-
‘It takes a while to get used to the length in Perth. You need to bowl a bit fuller than you normally would on any other pitch in Australia. That is one of the reasons why Mitchell Johnson will come back in. He knows how to bowl in Perth conditions.’
Nobody can deny that Johnson has been a class bowler in the past and may be one again. Anderson has to be suffering from jetlag whatever they say. Tremlett is an unknown quantity at this level. I realise it’s probably only a Jock thing but I also worry about the fact that ‘we’ are due a batting collapse. It’s all been going far too well, in my opinion.
I do, of course, hope that you are right and that I am wrong.
I’m hope I’m wrong, too, but your guys are on a roll. 😥
JM – you may find this article interesting.
It’s going to be 5 looooong days of cricket.
The Perth test starts at 4am our time, with scheduled close of play being 11am. I do hope that it finishes on schedule ’cause S.A.’s game against India starts at 11am (that’ll be the world’s no.1 against the world’s no.2 )
14 hours hours of non stop, top class test cricket for five days!
Good evening John and all cricket lovers,
At work tomorrow I will resemble something from the Walking Dead. I was lucky, shift-wise, with the first two tests. Alassie, my luck has ran out (Katiched?).
The cricket writers at The Times are also first class. Michael Atherton must be one of the most talented writers writing today; a very educated man. Gideon Haigh is also a good read. Since The Times online service went “pay per view” I’ve bought the paper edition. My reasoning being that The Daily Telegraph is still accessible online.
I haven’t checked thoroughly but I don’t see any signs of the South Africa/India series on our satellite stations. Pity, as this looks stunning on paper. Although, as someone once said, you don’t play on paper.
Update*update*update
The SA/IND test is on after the Ashes Test on Sky Sports 1. My TV guide simply said cricket and I assumed that meant the Mighty England. I’ve no chance of catching the second game and will have to hope there’s a highlights programme later.
Sorry to monopolise this post. After this I’ll get me coat ( © Old Movie Guy- I love that line).
The Sunday Telegraph writer and Wisden editor is one Scyld Berry. Scyld? Shome kind of Janism, shurely. Regarding Wisdens there’s a good deal at the AC Black company. Some recent Wisdens are for sale at the princely sum of £1. I’ve already bought a pile of them for Mrs JW’s Christmas. She will be delighted and surprised. 🙂
http://www.wisden.com/default.aspx?id=45
“Billy the trumpeter was chucked out of the ground by the idiots on security but has been let back in. He has paperwork from Cricket Australia that states he is allowed to bring his trumpet into the ground.”
You’ll find my thoughts on the Barmy Army here
What a disastrous first session. Punter & Pup must be put out to grass after this match. Hughes – who? Once again it’s down to Mike Hussey. 😥
Yes, England bowled superbly, but once upon a time Aussie batsmen would have coped.
A better second session. Good performances from Hussey and Haddin, as might be expected, and Mitch (so far) showing signs of a return to reasonable batting form. But overall – yuk; it’s England’s game, set & match. 😦
Update*update*update
It’s been bucketing it down in Pretoria the last couple of days and it’s still raining up there. Forecast is clearing today and clear for hopefully the next 4 days.
I doubt if they’ll play today the outfield is waterlogged, best case scenario would probably be play sometime between lunch and tea if it stops raining now. 😦
Er….Beer isn’t playing, is he?
The Aussie tail batted well again. 268 all out. Not necessarily a disastrous start. England starting v slowly – with a couple of chances already.
Yeah, we have a tail – shame we don’t have a head.
Hussey missed a catch again. 😥
Update*update*update
The skies have cleared over Pretoria, looks like play might get underway at about 3pm (13:00 GMT)
We got 3 hours of very entertaining cricket, suffice to say that the Indians don’t like pace, bounce and our wickets.
If you get an opportunity make a point of watching the run out by Petersen/Boucher one of the most remarkable that I’ve seen.
Soutie, good evening.
Just watched the highlights. You’re right, of course. A truly remarkable run-out. I think that Boucher could have had a career in American football. What a superb snap!
Steyn and Morkel are seriously good and a joy to watch when they are in their pomp as they were today. Just can’t believe that the pitch could have so much bounce in it after all that rain. In the commentary that great Australian, Kepler Wessels, said that the cars in the basement car park of his hotel, which was 800 yards from the ground, were completely submerged.
Off to bed now to be ready for 2.30 am. Still worry that it could go all pear-shaped in Perth but hope not. And, with all due respect to the memorable Petersen/Boucher run out, my abiding memory of the day will be that Collingwood catch.
That was a fantastic catch from Collingwood. It was the immediate aftermath that gave me cause for concern. I’m referring to the cricketing custom of celebrating a catch by launching the ball in the air. Collingwood does this and is mobbed by team-mates. Now he threw the ball straight up yet it didn’t seem to hurtle back to Earth and wreck havoc on the rejoicing England players. The ball, to all intents and purposes, done a runner. One for Scully and Mulder to investigate.