During my early visits back in the ’80’s that huge stand you see on the right of picture didn’t exist, no, just the boundary rope, grass and another cricket field. The bar consisting of a rather large tent serving cans of beer out of galvanised bath tubs filled with ice took pride of place, other then that we just stood around and watched the cricket!
The 3rd and deciding test starts today, 10.30 my time (8.30 gmt.)
David Warner has spiced things up during the week with allegations of ball tampering cheating misappropriate use of the ball during the Aussie batting collapse at St George’s Park and been fined some $3,000.
Irrespective of the result The Proteas will remain the number 1 ranked test nation, should the Aussies win they climb up to 2nd, not bad considering where they were a short 6 months or so ago.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Nice cartoon. 🙂
Good evening, Soutie
A great first day of play. Warner should, of course, keep his mouth shut and just let his bat do his talking. That bat was in glorious voice today.And total respect to Pup for standing up to that pounding.
I’m thinking you might already be happy with a draw?
Moving on, congratulations to your Under-19 side on winning their World Cup in Dubai today. Bosch looks like he’s going to be a great asset to you in the coming years.
In case you didn’t notice, ‘we’ beat the Aussies for third place and we beat Namibia for thirteenth place.
I’m probably wasting my time by writing this comment, but Boadicea says it’s OK, and that’s good enough for me. 😀
In the red corner –
A bowler, over two overs, delivers his balls with the express intention of injuring the batsman. He does not attempt to take the batsman’s wicket, but does his level best to maim. The crowd bays for blood, while the commentators eagerly anticipate the pain and incapacity to come.
It is all quite legal and accords with the current laws of cricket. Nobody complains, not even the recipient.
In the blue corner –
A player speculates on the possibility of ball-tampering by the captain of a team that has a member who has previously been found guilty of this practice by the sport’s governing body.
The player is fined several thousand dollars and abused by all and sundry for exercising his inalienable right to free speech.
To me, this is crazy, upside-down behaviour. Worship the aggressor, who is utterly at variance with the spirit of cricket, but punish the innocent who has done no more than call it as he sees it. Makes me shudder. 😥
Andrew Symonds and Simon Katich spring to mind.
May I add that I’m a little tired of the present culture of muzzling free comment. In any other sport the total collapse of one side would be investigated… I’m not suggesting for one minute that SA cheated …
But, as I taught both my children and grandchildren, once someone has been found to be less than honest there will always be a lingering question mark over their actions in the future.
‘Fool me once – shame on you, fool me twice – shame on me’.
Good morning JM
To be honest after the first hour I was thinking here comes 500.
I’d like to think that the Proteas too can get a similar score on this pitch, which probably means not enough time for a result. Unless we can knock the Aussies over for under 50 in their second dig but what are the chances of that? 😉
Didn’t the U/19’s do well? The whole tournament (selected important matches of course) was televised down here, we were switching between matches to keep updated but after the Pakkis only managed 131 we always thought that our lads would take it.
I wasn’t aware of the ‘minor placings’ So Eng beat OZ? that should give the Barmy Army over in the West Indies something to drink too, their opportunities have been few and far between of late 🙂
Howzit Bearsy.
I didn’t see much of the after tea session (Super Rugby has started) but I’ve seen the odd highlight and read a few reports, I’m no fan of persistent short pitched fast bowling but it’s all part of the modern game now and don’t blame us, it was your lot wot started it (Lillee / Thomson)
I wasn’t intending to blame you, Soutie; I dislike it just as much when Mitch or Ryan are doing it. But then I prefer spinners to quicks. Easier to watch and far more skilful..
I don’t think we started ball tampering though – that’s you lot and the Pakis, innit? 😀
Ha ha, unlike Mr Warner, I’m quite happy to leave any allegations of impropriety of any sort to the 2 onfield umps, (remember Daryl Hare?) , the 3rd ump, the match referee, the 27 or so TV cameras, the hundreds of press and their army of photographers and of course the thousands at the ground with their own high tech cameras with instant access to various social media outlets.
I’ve always been a believer of “what happens on the field, stays on the field”
I’d have difficulty enjoying a beer with my opponent if that wasn’t the case, I’m happy to leave any bitterness to the respective managements and PR people,
Good morning, Bearsy. Your #3.
I am no fan of ball tampering and think it should be penalised severely when proven to have taken place.
But I’m afraid that I do not believe that Warner is an innocent of any sort. On the contrary, I think that he has shown himself now and in the past to be a petty little man with a short fuse and an agenda:-
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/david-warners-offfield-year-to-forget/story-fni2fnmo-1226841977041
He is also a sublime talent and I really enjoy watching him bat. I would still prefer it if he kept his silence and the peace off the field and left it to his captain and coaching team to raise issues such as ball tampering and to the umpires and cricketing authorities to do their job without his assistance.
And, in my usual Jock-centric mode can I just lay claim to to us being involved in the development of ‘persistent short pitched fast bowling? Asyou probably know, Douglas Jardine of Bodyline infamy was born in Bombay but had an unbroken North British ancestry. Smiley thing.
Not that I’m much of a fan of it either, preferring to watch spin like your good self. I agree that there seems to be a bit of a blood lust building up about its return to Test matches amongst the commentators and I hope it’s use is not going to spread. Unless ‘we’ can find another Trueman or Larwood, of course. Second smiley thing.
Picture from http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/180500/180561.jpg
Only 40 overs bowled yesterday (Day 2.)
Clarke has played a great innings, the Aussies are close to 500 but have we lost too much time in this test to see a result?
How will this ‘batsman’s paradise’ of a wicket perform after yesterday’s storm? Will the Proteas batsmen be able to fend off Johnson, Harris and Pattinson?
The weather for the next three days is clear, so we have ample time to find out.
Clarke declares on his overnight 494/7
Game on
And overnight, in other news Graeme Smith announces his retirement from international cricket.
I have to say – well I don’t have to, but I will – that I am more than a little amused by some of my colleagues comments, reinforced as they are by the events of the last day or two.
“What happens on the field stays on the field.”
No it doesn’t – and it hasn’t for years. Nice idea, but how about the racist taunts thrown by members of the Indian team at Andrew Symonds, which didn’t result in disciplinary action? Then there was the ball-tampering team that walked off the field when they were told off by the umpire – and the end result was that the umpire was not allowed to officiate at future international matches.
We’ve had robust characters in cricket for a long time now, and we’ve had more than a smattering of tennis players who scream first and think later. But without exception these characters have sure known how to play their game, frequently better than their smoothy mates. Simon Katich, Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann, John McEnroe, Roger Federer … they all blow their top (spit the dummy) from time to time, and the fans love them for it, or love to hate them for it.
Cricket “Authorities”, on the other hand, love to sack them for it. Makes ’em feel powerful, I guess.
Now Graeme Smith is leaving to spend more time with his family. Oh yes, of course. Now where have I heard that before? 😀
Should be a great couple of days of cricket ahead. Win, lose or draw, it should be worth watching.
Quiet here, innit? 🙂
We won. SA lost. Well, someone had to say it.
During the last session –
About time the umpires were fined for blatant bias. Or had their balls removed?
Never mind, both teams and the umpires were all smiles when they came off the field at the end. I staggered off to bed at 2:00 am Brissie time. Cricket tragic? What me? OK, I admit it. 😥
What a final day, what a final afternoon, what a final session, what a final hour!
What a series.
Hats off to The Aussies, what a turn around since their dismal tour of England last year, it’s a pity that we don’t play each other more often 😦
1st T20 here (St George’s Park) this Sunday, not sure if I’m going to go, we’ll see.
I made a big mistake and accepted a dinner invitation from my daughter. Neither she nor her husband are cricket fans. But they graciously put the TV on so we could, silently, follow the match.
Said husband was quite appalled at the empty stands – especially when we told him how little the seats cost! Daughter just said how boring it was…
We left relatively early on the excuse that they have to get up early for work, ‘ tho to be fair they do! And arrived home just after the 6th wicket had fallen.
I’m not as tragic as Bearsy – so went to bed. Obviously another mistake 🙂
Howzit Boa
The ground was relatively empty because it was of course a work day AND a school day, plus nobody wants to go and watch their team lose as was expected.
I thought we’d last till lunch but not tea, not in my wildest dreams did I think that the rearguard action would go down to the wire and the last 27 balls!
I believe that Newlands was sold out for the 1st three or four days.
By the way, Ray Illingworth was quite correct in reversing the on field decision re Philander, yes he gloved the ball, but his hand was NOT touching the bat!
I reckon that the Aussie public must be delighted with their team, after rolling over England at last a test, as I said earlier, I just wish we could play your lot more often.
Boa, it is perhaps worth mentioning that ticket prices relate to average income. That’s why Chelsea is an expensive 90 minutes. 😉
That would be an interesting exercise.
Tickets to our test (R40) are approximately 3x minimum wage of about R12/13 per hour.
That was Richard Illingworth acting as 3rd/TV umpire, not Ray Illingworth (pbuh), who is a horse of a different colour, over 80 and a man to whom I would doff my cap any day.
You must have seen recordings that I didn’t. 😀
What does the winning team get? A cup? A grotty little urn?
G’day Sheona –
Indirectly, it gives the Aussies $375,000. Click here to read more. 🙂
Richard of course 😦
Here’ s the trophy.
.. but they play for much more than silverware or money, don’t they?
I think the English min. wage is about £6 an hour for over-21s. £18 won’t buy a Pukka Pie at Stamford Bridge, let alone admission!! 🙂
http://www.thefootballticketmarket.com/english-premier-league-tickets/chelsea-tickets/
Thank you, Bearsy and Soutie, for the information. I like that trophy. I suppose that when the prize money is divided among the whole squad – do coaches, physios, etc get some? – it’s a nice little bonus, but not breathtaking.
The national minimum wage here is (I’ve just checked!) is $16.37 for adults, so Soutie’s 3 x minimum is about right. 🙂