MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Sisters Day Out

An Yvette Wroby special as she attends her first day of Test Cricket for 34 years, and muses on the similarities between cricket and art. The occasion transcended the match, as it often does for Yvette.

A Christmas Miracle? A Yuletide Greeting from John Harms

A Christmas greeting from JTH and the Almanac. [He witnessed a Christmas miracle – Ed]

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Should I Have Stayed in Bed?

Tom Martin, who knows a fair bit about the bat and ball, and his wife fly to Melbourne for their first Boxing Day at the MCG. Here’s how the Martins’ day panned out. And how the Australians’ and Indians’ days did as well.

[Tom has one of the forewords in this year’s Footy Almanac. A reflection on the idea of the cult hero as personified by Matt Spangher. Ed]

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Captain’s Knocks Both Sides Of The Tasman

After a Christmas Day of travelling for lunch then back home for some hard fought cricket on my hand-crafted pitch at home before a late dinner, I was looking forward to a day on the couch watching some quality Test cricket from the Aussie and Indian teams. While Boxing Day was indeed spent on the [Read more]

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Ode to an enigma

Andy Frame finds his inner bass-baritone voice with this Johnny Cash Boxing Day tribute to SR Watson.

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: A balance of inconsistencies

John Butler tells of contests within contests, moments within movements on Boxing Day. “Test cricket can often be decided as much by the accumulation of small details as any great acts of brilliance.”

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: By The Numbers

Stat geeks; rejoice! Mick Jeffrey presents a beautiful set of numbers to add to Boxing Day Test history.

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Batsmen, Not ‘Batters’

Bob Utber’s summer of cricket continues as he settles in at the Temple Down the Road for day one of the traditional Boxing Day Test.

MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Scores from Snowy Sapporo

Yoshi Imagawa, our man for all sports and all seasons, reports on the snatches of the Boxing Day test he caught up with in Sapporo.

MCG Test, Australia v India: Call for cricket writers

Almanackers old and new are invited to submit their stories of the 2014 MCG Test. What did you notice? Where were you? Let us know your preferred day.

What Yoshi Thinks About Cricket

Yoshi Imagawa’s love affair with all things Australia and New Zealand continues. Having fallen for Australian Rules and the All-Blacks, is siren song of Test cricket now calling to Imagawa-san?

Joe Burns’ debut century: a win for the little guys

Joe Burns century on debut is a victory for the traditional understanding of club cricket and its link to first class cricket, writes Norths’ team-mate Wally Wright.

Cricket Italia Team of the Century

Damian Balassone builds on recent Almanac conversation around sports players of Italian heritage with this: the Italian cricket team of the century. Did he miss anyone?

SPD Smith: shake it off

E.regnans spots similarities between the bearing of SPD Smith and that of Taylor Swift.

The spirit of the game – off the long run, on the high horse

Dave Brown is off the long run to mount his high horse and dig one into the ribs of weak-kneed, lily-livered cricket umpires not enforcing rules against time wasting and sharp practice.

Gabba Test, Australia v India – Day Four: Apologies to Ian Healy

Bob Utber’s wrap of the final day at the ‘Gabba – complete with a Mea Culpa on his all-time Six Best Queensland Cricketers.

Gabba Test, Australia v India – Day Four: Indians Not Tough Enough in the End

Rulebook has one eye on the Pembroke Kings and one eye on the Test match and gives this neat appraisal, concluding the Indians lacked fight in the second dig.

Dice Cricket – Stats Entertainment

As a child, did you ever play dice cricket? “Swish” Schwerdt did, and he took it to extremes…

‘Gabba Test, Australia v India – Day Four : The Chase is On (live comments)

The run chase is on at the ‘Gabba with Australia needing 128 for an outright win. Despite some resistance from Dharwan, who made 81 before being caught leg before by Nathan Lyon and Yadav with a cavalier 30, the Indians were all out for 224. Share your thoughts below as the Australian chase down a [Read more]

Gabba Test, Australia v India – Day Three: A Symphony in Four Movements

Peter Baulderstone watched Day 3 at the Gabba dazzle like a Mozart symphony. Can we cancel the 50 over World Cup flog, and make this an 8 Test series?