Victorian Premier Sledges "Backwater " Adelaide

People in South Australia are very sensitive when people say bad things about Adelaide, which is very common. This morning, talk radio has been overflowing with aggrieved residents voicing off at the Victorian Premiers off the cuff backwater comment on Adelaide. It is the main story in the local rag, but barely gets a mention in Victoria. Chip on the collective shoulder?

That said, Melbourne and Adelaide are still considered very nice places to live in a global survey. I agree, not having lived in Melbourne, but it does have much worse weather, which is high on my criteria of a nice place to live. I noticed that Kathmandu, where I lived for a year, is in the bottom ten. That may be true, but it is a lot more interesting.

And James, the Honorary Representatative of Geelong in Slaviastan just had to put the boot in (rhymes with Putin). Perhaps that should be his Presidential tag line.

I am definitely of the yes but it is part of the appeal crowd. This morning it was 20 degrees and raining in Melbourne. Here in Adelaide we had 30 degrees, blue skies and sunny. Petty? There is plenty more. Actually we learned today that South Australian Police are the most honest in the nation. Victorian Police don't have that reputation and their Police Chief wants to become a member of the Atheneum Club, an all mens snooty club. Good Luck.

Cricket Makes a Monkey out of a Molehill

Just Monkeying Around?

The Fourth Umpire is Burned in Effigy

Just Donkeying Around? Who would be an Umpire?

Darryl Hair Where Are You? All is Forgiven

Umpires were back in the effigy burning business as most of India and the Indian Cricket Team huffed and puffed about the Sydney Test, marred by unsportsmanlike behaviour, terrible umpiring, racism charges and the aftermath, with the normally fairly thoughtful Peter Roebuck calling for the Australian Captain to be fired. Serious stuff and the biggest thing to hit world cricket since Darryl Hair accused the Pakistanis of cheating.

Many have called for the umpires to be fired and fair play and the spirit of the game to be magically restored. Not likely, with the Indian Captain accusing Australia of not playing in the spirit of the game and a senior Indian player quoted as saying:

"We have been treated unfairly by the umpires, cheated of a favourable result in the match, are playing a team that cheats and lies quite blatantly, even while pretending to uphold the spirit of the game. The worst of it is, they get away with everything, every dirty tactic, every dubious call."

Nice!

I watched some of the test and saw the last hour, which was gripping television. Cricket can be a glorious, riveting and ugly affair. This was certainly one example that met these criteria.

No doubt commercial considerations will make everyone get together and be nice. Besides we have tickets to the Adelaide Test. Who said a little bit of niggle wasn't good for selling tickets.

As an aside, Harsha Bogle, the Indian cricket commentator on the ABC said that calling someone a monkey was not racist in India. That may be true, but with the history of the monkey taunting of Andrew Symonds in India and the aftermath, it was to say the least ill advised. Especially so given the sensitive nature of the Australian cricketers, who would never sledge an opponent. I just don't think that Ponting, Hayden and the like have any moral high ground to stand on. More like a a molehill than a mountain. Seems to me that they are being a little prima donna like and a trifle precious. No wonder they are being accused of being cry babies by former Test Captains.

I think that the major issue is the loss of face by the Indian team and that some kiss and make up will be necessary. I wonder if that is culturally appropriate? Entertaining all the same. Nothing like some bad publicity to raise the profile of the game and interest in its product.

It's Just Not Cricket - 50 Famous Sledges

And yes he is on the list (more than once).

"What problems do you have, apart from being unemployed, a moron and a dork?"

It is not surprising how many of these come from cricket, given all the time that they spend sledging each other.

And Number 1, the one nobody heard other than Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi.

As the Embers Burn Out

There has been a wide variety of views around the internet

The Australian View

From After Grog Blog (Aussie Cricket Fanatic if ever there was one. Don't go here for sympathy if you are a Pom. It is relentless)

Dads Army 5 Duds Army 0

From the BBC Cricket Team



The English Commentators View (Self deprecating, humorous, zen like, despairing...)

"That was amazing," he says. "Pietersen going third ball has made me genuinely happy. As if all the pain, the lack of sleep, the humiliation, frustration, longing, anger, regret, bitterness, churlishness, and fear engendered by the last couple of months has vanished in one beautiful edge. I want to have a party. I want to kiss you all. I feel euphoric and free and weightless and joyous. I feel 17 again. It's my first kiss, my first sunset, my first steps rolled into one. Is anyone else feeling like this? I don't understand it but it has changed my life. Any Australians out there I pity you, because you will never experience the true euphoria of one who has hit rock bottom discovering that bottom is merely a door to another purer world. I am zen. I am cricket. I am the ball. I am love."

Comments from a Frustrated English Fan

The Tin Drummer said...

On the other hand - what is there to say? If I were a commentator, what _would_ I actually say?

"Welcome to the f***ing SCG, it's a f***ing rubbish day and E****** are f****** s***, going down by *** wickets again..."

Jeez man, what the hell are you supposed to say in the face of epoch making incompetence??? Given that it took my pathetic life savings to see 1998/99 I feel qualified to comment here - I love England but by God I hate cricket sometimes.

Australians also sledge and bat better

Pietersen to Symonds "Here comes the professional fielder" Symonds response, a match changing innings of 156.

Collingwood sledges Warne and Warne comes back with "An MBE for making 8 at the Oval", heard clearly over the stump cam on the radio commentary and a match changing innings of over 70.

Interesting that in the last Ashes series in England that it was a spinner (Warne off Pietersen), who "Dropped the Ashes". This time it was Giles (off Ponting).

In my office yesterday it was like communal last rights as huddles of my colleagues sat around the two television sets quietly enjoying the last moments of this Ashes series. I just enjoyed the last few moments of Kerry O'Keefe, the funniest commentator going.

Now on to the big bash and the tedious triangular series. I will have to find some other form of entertainment until March 14, when the cricket haggisbashers get their day in the sun in St Kitts and Nevis with the Australian One Day Team.

At least the Scots are good at sledging.