No, no, I’m not going to the land of the wheel clamper or that place where the supermarkets / banks rule supreme!
I’m not going where black isn’t and white shouldn’t.
In fact England is coming to me!
Perhaps I should say us.
Bought our tickets for the Test Match today (thank you Eastern Province ANC branch for insisting that your comrades here in the Eastern Cape have an opportunity to watch world class rugby [and no, you’ll never get my vote])
Yep, the English are coming (oops, was that Paul Revere?) we’ll be here to welcome them!
Members may recall when I took my daughter to watch England play in the FIFA 2010 world cup, I’ve bought her a ticket for this one but she doesn’t want to come along 😕
Boadicea's Chariot 
But why doesn’t your daughter want to see the match, Soutie?
I’ve just googled it and for a mere £1745.00 one can fly over and take in the not only that match but the earlier one in Coca Cola Park. I’ve no idea is this is still available but it doesn’t sound like a bad deal, if you are a rugby fan, that is!
I can understand why your daughter is reluctant, Soutie. 😉
Please, please don’t call a game of rugby a test. This is not cricket.
Hi, theroyalist, this is what Wiki says,
“The first recorded use of the word (test) in relation to sport occurs in 1861[2] when it was used, especially by journalists, to designate the most important (but at that stage non-international) games played as part of a cricket tour by an unofficial English team to Australia and it is thought to arise[3] from the idea that the matches were a “test of strength and competency” between the sides involved. When official and fully representative Australian and English cricket and rugby teams began touring each other’s countries a decade or so later the term gradually began to be applied by journalists exclusively to the international fixtures on each tour, though this was not widespread until well into the 1880s.[4]
Although the ICC tightly controls the application of “test match” status for cricket, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has no similar rules or regulations concerning the official awarding of “test match” or “full international” status in rugby union.[5] In rugby union test match status and caps may be awarded by either team’s governing body regardless of the decision of their opponents.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_match_(rugby_union)
There is no question in my mind and I am sure the minds of most rugby fans that when a national team tours another country, international matches are rightly referred to as Test Matches.
No cheating, but when and between whom was the first international cricket match played? (According to Wiki!)
Morning Ara, she isn’t the sporty type, I had to insist that she join me for the World Cup game, that is a once in a lifetime experience, test matches? well there will be many more opportunities.
I absolutely hate the hijacking of our arenas by big business, I will only refer to that stadium as Ellis Park (have you seen my poem?)
I must say that under 2 grand seems more than reasonable, shall I book us a table for the Friday night 😉
Sipu
Mid 1870’s (77?), Aus / Eng, I’ll guess Sydney (only ’cause I seem to remember the centennial test was played at the SCG)
I know that the 1st SA / Eng test was played right here at St George’s Park
Morning Sipu
I remember Hockey and Netball using the word Test to describe internationals
Howzit TR
I recall your world cup virgin comment when we were chatting about my daughter watching the England game, as I said to Ara, I had to insist then but I’m not too phased about her decision this time 🙂
Hi Soutie
“The first officially recognised Test match commenced on 15 March 1877, contested by England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where Australia won by 45 runs.[5] England won the second match (also at the MCG) by four wickets, thus drawing the series 1–1.[6] This was not the first international cricket match, however. That was played between Canada and the United States, on 24 and 25 September 1844.[7]”
Who’d a thunk it?
Typical of the Yanks to claim precedence. 😮
The USA are also reigning Olympic Rugby Champions.
We should rename it the World Series then.
R 500 what a rip off! (± £40)
To watch my local provincial team play at this venue is usually R 50, my tickets for the HSBC Sevens (a full days rugby starting at 11am and finishing at 8:30pm) were only R200.
I was saying last evening that I thought that this was the most that I’d ever paid for an event in this country, then I was reminded that I paid R 540 for my ¼ final world cup seats (Brazil v Holland) and that they were discounted by 75% for locals giving a ‘market value’ of ± R 2200!
Talking of things cricket I note that a Sri Lankan batsmen was mankaded earlier on today..
“Ashwin mankaded Thirimanne”
Any ideas ❓
Soutie, market forces, eh? If you want to see Chelsea vs. Napoli (second leg, Champs League) you can pay £165 – 265!
#14 – The bowler stumped the non-striking batsman before bowling ‘cos he was out of his crease. Mankade was the first guy to dismiss a batsman this way. But the Indians withdrew the appeal on the basis of good sportsmanship – they shouldn’t have. 😦
See this article.
Hello everyone,
To entice your daughter, tell her to bring a book with her, Soutie. 🙂
Drat, too late. I knew that the US and Canada was the first Test match but who will believe me?
I did not know that Mankaded was the name for this type of dismissal. It amazes me that it doesn’t happen more often as non-striking batsman are always out of their crease. Couldn’t the bowler, at the top of his delivery swing, rotate down and throw at the stumps in the one movement? This should be easy to do and could be funny to watch if the bowler misses the stumps enabling the batsmen to run byes.
It must happen before he begins his delivery swing. Dat’s da rules! 🙄
Double drat!
They should change the rules. 🙂
FYI, according to Bearsy’s link, the rules have been changed.
“That, despite the rule changes last year, which clearly state the bowler is “permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker.””
“The rule change last year – allowing the bowler to run a batsman out any time before he has released the ball as opposed to previously when he would have to remove the bails before entering his delivery stride – was one aimed at taking away the unfair advantage the batsmen gained by leaving their crease early.”
Morning all
Mankaded who would have thought it?
I read it for the first time during yesterday’s game 😕
Anybody care to have a guess at how many South Africans will be on the field at the beginning of our Test match on June 23?
22?
Wot no local umpire?
Hee hee Bearsy
The English rugby team is going the same way as their cricket, they don’t seem to be able to find 11 or 15 starters out of their 60 million population.
I have a feeling that at the start of the match their could well be 17 South Africans on the field!
Morning Janus
I doubt it, one thing is for sure, it won’t be the Kiwi Bryce Lawrence (the one whose interpretations of the law during our quarter with Oz at the RWC were beyond belief)
He’s actually been stricken off the referee panel for officiating in our games!
Whoops, sorry! I see the word “test” and I think of cricket. Didn’t notice that the subject was Rugby. Bad Bear. 😦
Bearsy, are you really giving up membership when Boa’s Chariot takes over?
Of course the ‘Australian’ who caused all the angst amongst SA fans during THAT RWC encounter, so ineptly managed by Bryce Lawrence, was a Zimbabwean by the name of David Pocock. But it seems you are only a foreigner if you pay for England.
Janus – as the sticky post says, as soon as WordPress complete their process, I shall be neither owner, administrator nor author. Like anyone else, I shall be able to comment (subject to the moderation black list).
OK, I’ve got it. I was afraid for one heart-rending moment that you might flounce. 🙂
I’m pleased to report that you aren’t on the list (yet ;))
Have you got the T20 on? Looks like a win for NZ, and a series win (2-1) 😦
Btw, England whitewashed Pakistan in the ODIs. 😮
Soutie – too busy with picking Boadicea up from the airport and getting to know her again! 😕
But I did watch SL thrash India in the ODI yesterday, which was edge-of-the-seat stuff. 😀
BREAKING NEWS
New Zealand CHOKE! 🙂
Needing just 10 off the last 2 overs they fail, and that included a front foot no ball!
SA win by 3 runs and take the series 2-1 🙂