Category: Sport

You and I should trust our Captains, Soutie

You were worried that Graeme Smith had declared too soon, and I was equally worried about Michael Clarke’s decision – even more so when Tendulka and Laxman had taken the Indians over halfway in the run chase for the loss of only three wickets.

But I was wrong, and following Clarke’s astonishing/well-deserved/fluky dismissal of the Little Master and Hilfenhaus’ elimination of Laxman, I felt I could relax a bit.   The Indian tail wagged far too well by putting on another 120 or so, but we were still 68 ahead when the tenth wicket fell.  Plus an innings, and a day to play it in, of course.

Looks like your guys are well on track to deliver your own innings win on day four, so Graeme turns out to be as astute as Michael – and we armchair tragics should have confidence and STFU!! 😆

Has Erasmus been bribed?

It was bad enough when he gave Hussey out yesterday with absolutely no evidence, and disappointing when Ian Gould repeated the error with Ed Cowan, but his refusal today to agree to a perfect lbw that should have seen Ashwin walking back to the pavilion was breathtaking in its audacity.

Erasmus has been got at.

By the way, what’s happened in SA?   How come Sri Lanka are ahead? 😕

End of an Era.

Johnny finally acknowledges what we all knew and hangs up his International boots…

To say I have played through four World Cups, two Lions tours, 91 international games and a ridiculous number of injuries and other setbacks gives me an incredibly special feeling of fulfilment.

Not a bad achievement at all, I would hazard to say.

Not just a kicker…

Sevens rugby, 2011 – P.E.

My programme

Never in my wildest dreams did I envisage watching international rugby right here in the Eastern Cape in the middle of December.

This week was historically reserved for the first of our summer holiday cricket tests, always played at St. George’s Park and always well attended. That was until the thieving, fraudsters who now run S.A. cricket sold out to bigger unions. ‘Our’ test is now going to be played up in Pretoria, most Pretoria residents are now on holiday and probably at the coast enjoying the sunshine and beaches or off at a game park, there will be nobody at Centurion but when has common sense ever prevailed over administrators lining their pockets?

Back to the rugby.

The 2 day event is billed as ‘Rugby’s biggest party’ take my word for it, it is!

What a day, what an event, rugby like you’ve never seen, non stop action, 21 games yesterday, starting at 11:15am finishing with the final just after 8pm.

Party, party, party, music, music, music, dancing girls, the most amazing camaraderie that I’ve witnessed both in the stands and on the field, ever.

It all took place at our brand new (okay, it’s 18 months old now) stadium built for the FIFA 2010 world cup, The Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

Below is a pictorial of my day (yes ladies, it’s not all about rugby but the day, feel free to have a look :))

Continue reading “Sevens rugby, 2011 – P.E.”

Work-boots !!

Farewell to Bellerive Oval in Hobart.   A local boot manufacturer has acquired the naming rights for squillions of dollars, so this famous Tassie cricket field will now be known as the Blundstone Arena.   Since their elastic sided workboots are known by all Aussies as Blunnies, that’s what it will probably come to be called.

But I am delighted to say that many people have sworn to continue to call it the Bellerive Oval;   I’m one of them. Continue reading “Work-boots !!”

Curiouser and curiouser

The Independent today reports that when Scotland secedes from the Union, it (no, not she) will align itself with ….. (fanfare)….wait for it, Scandinavia. (Pause while you digest that).

Now that seems to me to make eminently good sense: a clutch of little countries huddling around the Mother Hen (the oil and gas industry), giving each other moral support against the big, bad Euro-lands and the Auld Enemy. So far so guid.

But, but, N, S and DK are all independent monarchies! And Scotland can’t take ours with them, innit? It can co-opt the Princess Royal, I suppose, but can they declare her Queen? OK, why not? Then the Royal Regiment (which they also plan to filch) won’t have to change its insignia.

It will all take some getting used to. Plus ça change…….

For the intrigued…..http://www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/news/snp-would-join-the-scandinavian-circle-if-country-was-independent-6272464.html?origin=internalSearch