It’s never over til it’s over

It’s the end of summer, school is back but that’s the furthest thing from my mind as I stride out to bat in my U14’s grand final. Earlier GWB made an under par 132. It’s a hot day. I’m full of emotions. My determination to win leads a shaky backline of fear and disgust. You [Read more]

Knackers v Overland: a case for the mind, the body and the soul

by Straight Break Sport, some Greek with too much red wine in him decided, is about the mind, the body and the soul. That’s our problem. Of all the civilisations on which to base ours, we are stuck with the damn Greeks. They invented the gymnasium, which is not like the gymnasium in the United [Read more]

Almanac XI v Overland XI – Almanac Captain’s report

by Andrew Gigacz I believe it’s part of the unwritten ethos of the cricket commentating fraternity that at least once in a career the phrase, “well bowled, well played and well fielded; good cricket all around”, must be used. Had any of that fraternity been at Gillon Oval on Sunday to call the Almanac XI [Read more]

Almanac v Overland Photo Gallery

Evidence for the prosecution provided by Marion Butler (at least one family member had something to show for their efforts).

Almanac XI primed

by ‘Straight Break’ Members of The Almanac XI made their way to the old Brunswick St Oval cricket nets last Sunday, and put in a strong session, in preparation for the much-anticipated fixture against Overland this coming Sunday. Peter Flynn put his captaincy aspirations in jeopardy by not turning up, while Gigs Gigacz served his [Read more]

Gideon Haigh’s book launch

I’m afraid I’ve done it again – that is, dashed off a new book. It’s called OUT OF THE RUNNING. It is about the 2010-11 Ashes series. You can see it here. https://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?SBN=9780670076017 It has Michael Clarke on the cover. Sad to say, despite the small fortune he must have spent on them, none of [Read more]

GIGA BITES 2 – Director’s Cut

Below is a significantly extended version of Giga Bites, which appeared in the Saturday Age on 12th February, 2011.   by Andrew Gigacz   DRAWING A LONG (SUPER) BOW(L) Super Bowl XLV was played this week and the Green Bay Packers’ winning score of 31 should have come as no surprise, especially given the fact [Read more]

Dis a Bill ity

I am bitterly disappointed at not being considered for the inaugural Knacker Cricket team. I have sought an opinion from a leading Tasmanian human rights lawyer and I must inform the organisers that an injunction will be placed on the game if I do not receive satisfaction.

SILVERWARE AT LAST: THE T20 BIG BASH FINAL 2010-11

Adelaide Oval, 5 February Finally, the silverware. Fifteen long years. I was there. I hadn’t intended to be but a mate who’d been having his ups and downs asked if we could catch up at the Oval, have a beer or two. Agreed.  ‘See you there.’ We’d have a beer or two. The Redbacks didn’t [Read more]

Cricket Australia gets it wrong….again.

Cricket Australia has announced its chosen eight teams for next year’s Big Bash. Now I don’t really care about the success of the competition anyhow, I agree with John Harms’ comments that T20 is undermining traditional cricket. Nevertheless, if you were going to base a competition on “city” teams rather than the traditional State teams [Read more]

The Footy Almanac XI selected

The selectors are pleased to announce The Footy Almanac XI for the match against Overland on Feb 20. The team is: C.W.J. Little J.R. Butler A.T. Gigacz David Bridie T.C. Riordan T. Ivins D.A.C. Dawson P.J. Flynn C.D. Down Dave Goodwin G.C.J.D. Haigh Neil Belford (??) J.T. Harms (subject to a fitness test – and [Read more]

Details of the Footy Almanac XI’s inaugural match.

The Footy Almanac XI v Overland To be played for the Jack Clancy Cup, currently sitting on the bar at the North Fitzroy Arms. 20 February, 2011 from midday At the historically significant Gillon Oval, Brunswick (corner Victoria and Pearson Sts) All welcome. The bar will be open to purchase drinks and nibbles. Or you [Read more]

Billy Midwinter and the Clyde Hotel

The Clyde Hotel, scene of the launches  of the 2009 and 2010 editions of The Footy Almanac, has a great sporting link. The landlord was once Billy Midwinter, the only man to play Ashes cricket for both England and Australia. Peter Flynn uncovered two great yarns about Billy. Click on the links below to reveal [Read more]

East Coburg Blues

By Paul Daffey The day was beautiful, with clear sunshine beating down on a verdant outfield, which was the most that could be said for it. In a cricket sense the day was horrible. I was playing my second annual match for the East Coburg fourths. We (these things happen quickly) were expected to win [Read more]

Selection frustration

by Darren Dawson The name Brett Forsyth would be familiar to only the keenest of cricket fans. Don’t fret if you have never heard of him. Forsyth is a batsman who plies his trade for Dandenong in Premier (District) Cricket, the level immediately below the Bushrangers. It is worth noting that Forsyth, with 632 runs [Read more]

Abdul’s Australian summer

Check out this piece, published on Cricinfo 12 months ago, from writer Chris Ryan (leg-spinner and author of Golden Boy). http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/447092.html

Calypso Capers on Cross Street

Last November Footscray Edgewater Cricket Club announced they had acquired the services of Surrey County Cricket Club captain Rory Hamilton-Brown for the remainder of the 2010/11 Premier Cricket season. This was quite a coup for the Dogs. Hamilton-Brown debuted for Surrey in 2005. He was named captain of the England Under 19 team in 2006, [Read more]

The Almanac XI

Yes, folks, The Almanac XI is looking for players for the big challenge on Feb 20. Three things: One, if you’d like to play please nominate by comment here, using the time-honoured terminology of the ABC Cricket Book. RHB, ROS. Creativity insofar as explanations of strings in the bow are concerned may work favourably with [Read more]

Haigh unloads

Gideon Haigh could be speaking on behalf of many at the Almanac with this withering assessment of Cricket Australia’s performance this summer, from Cricinfo. His aim proves much more unerring than Australia’s bowlers. http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/497175.html

Prepare to Scream

I went to the T20 match between Australia and England on Friday night at the MCG. On the train going in from Merri (where the MCG’s centre wicket once came from) I looked at the plastic card-ticket on the lanyard that hung around my neck. It had a barcode, and a clear warning that no [Read more]