Three snippets for Cricket tragics

I posted this yesterday, but on reflection I felt that it was not really saying anything, so I deleted it. But since nobody else is posting (except dear old two-face), here it is again. It’s better than a blank page! 🙄

Luke Wright
As you are probably aware, our new domestic “get the public interested with glitz and glamour” competition is currently under way between eight teams in the T20 Big Bash.

What you may not know is that each team includes one or two players from overseas.   Chris Gayle, for example, Dan Vettori and so on, most of them well-known in Australia.

I had not previously been aware of  Luke Wright, a young Englishman playing in the Melbourne Stars, although I must have watched him at the Gabba a few weeks ago.   But yesterday in Tassie, against the Hobart Hurricanes he hit 117 off 60 balls, a phenomenal achievement that included nine sixes.   Luke may not be good enough for the English Test Team, but the crowds at Bellerive Oval loved him.

Travis Birt
He may have ‘only’ managed 51 off 23, but Travis achieved a hat-trick of sixes for the Hurricanes.  Have a squiz at the video clip.

Predictions for 2012
For those who haven’t already read it on Cricinfo, here’s a link to a wonderful article written by Sidin Vadukut, who uses his crystal ball to tell us What will happen in cricket in 2012.   Sidin has a way with words, and doesn’t mind who he pokes fun at.   Most enjoyable. 😀

Now that’s my kinda President

Eric Cantona has asked French mayors to back his bid for President of the Republic

That’s the problem with monarchy – we never get a chance to be ruled by a man of the people like Eric. He’s passionate, popular and apolitical and wasn’t a bad footballer either. Angela Merkel would swoon in his presence too. Best of all, if he came across Mandelson he’d kung fu him bigtime*!

* a reference to Eric’s treatment of an abusive spectator when he was red-carded.

Anthony Worrall Thompson cautioned over cheese and wine theft

Oh dear, poor chap. Most embarrassing that he was caught shoplifting from Tesco in Henley on Thames. In this part of the world, it is considered déclassé to admit one shops in Tesco, never mind being caught helping one’s self.

I cannot think why he didn’t choose Waitrose for his cheese and wine.

Half cut

I’m always intrigued by the nanny state’s efforts to control my consumption of alcohol. For years they’ve published guidelines like ‘no more than 3 or 4 units a day’ – which I reckon is hardly table stakes for anybody who enjoys a drink! I mean, I like a half or two before lunch and a glass or two of red with the meal – so that blows my quota for the whole day, branding me a soak beyond redemption!

William Hogarth

Courtesy William Hogarth

And (wait for it) the latest advice is that the old ‘units per day’ advice misleads us into thinking that a drink every day is OK. It ain’t (allegedly). We should have two alcohol-free days a week. So far nanny hasn’t stipulated which days of the week but no doubt she will.

Am I misguided in thinking that almost everything we consume is inherently bad for us if consumed to excess? Even our cups of tea, daily greens and doctor-repelling apples? So why pick on my daily tipple for special attention? Nanny is already taxing it out of sight.

For more sage words, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16443240. Thank you.

Aussie tourist’s bungee cord snaps

I couldn’t believe my eyes this morning when I watched this clip on SKY news. For those who haven’t witnessed it here’s the video.

The young Australian woman survived the fall, got to the river’s side, was treated by paramedics and airlifted to a hospital here in South Africa.

The news clip that I watched included perhaps a 30 second interview with her, so matter of fact, (remember her feet were still tied together when she entered the water!) so brave a truly remarkable young women.

Continue reading “Aussie tourist’s bungee cord snaps”

Concrete Cows

A trip to a large shopping centre is not necessarily my choice of how to spend a Saturday, but with a dying freezer (the bottom part of our fridge-freezer is no longer taking anything below -6c) we had to come to a decision promptly, and Milton Keynes has a very large store where we could actually compare, choose and order – all in one go. Continue reading “Concrete Cows”

Flying Colours

Reading about the tragic ballooning accident in New Zealand got me thinking back to our own ballooning days. It started with an article in our local paper offering a balloon flight with our local club to the first dozen readers willing to write a sizeable cheque to the club’s designated charity. Husband was right there with the chequebook and on the appointed day we drove with our excited children to the Black Horse pub in Great Missenden, the club’s  HQ which had a large field beside it. On arrival husband was immediately put to work as a crew member on his designated balloon while I  was instructed to keep the children out of the way.  You can see why from this photograph.

Balloons being prepared for flight

Continue reading “Flying Colours”

Monday, 9th January

Well, that’s it! 2011 has been and gone, as have all the festive guests, and even the NSW has returned to work today, so I am rattling around The Cave like a spare part with only a mountain of laundry for company.

Being at somewhat of a loose end, may I remind all Charioteers that apart from being the festival days of Santa Marciana and Sáo Julião, next Monday, 9th January also marks the WOLF MOON of 2012, albeit somewhat earlier than last year. No doubt Bearsy and Ferret could explain to a thick wolf why this should be – oscillations in orbits, changes in the axix of rotation of the respective bodies and suchlike?

During last year I came across a marvellous site provided by an excellent photographer playing games with the Moon Laurent Lavader. He sounds a bit French to me, but no matter. Well worth a visit.

So, belated greetings for 2012 from me and the NSW. Don’t forget to have a howl with me on Monday night wherever you are in the world. It’s good for the soul, y’know.

OZ