The final day at the G saw a brave defence by Mahela J and Angelo M with Mahela equalling DGB’s 29 test centruries and Angelo missing out by 5 playing the same windy woof that caused his demise in the first innings. Five wickets to Ryan Harris was the best performance in an attack that [Read more]
Marvin Vaas is ‘Indisposed’
September 4, 2011 by 6 Comments
Tragedy in Galle? Was it the tuk-tuk? Was it the humidity? Or simple ‘over excitement’ at Australia’s victory. The Almanac’s intrepid correspondent Marvin Vaas was mysteriously indisposed and unable to file a fourth day report from Galle. The last sighting of Marvin is below. Almanac Admin
Aussies Ward off Sri Lanka
September 4, 2011 by 8 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz The inevitability of Australia taking the last five wickets and taking a 1-0 lead against Sri Lanka was delayed by several events. Firstly by another almost inevitable occurrence, morning rain in Galle, after just a few minutes of play. Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews had time only to take the [Read more]
Day 3 at Galle; mixed metaphors at the G.
September 3, 2011 by 2 Comments
DAY THREE AT GALLE I often wonder what journalists do when there is no play. They sit and chat about yesterday’s play and so it was this morning. Strangely there is no music that Marvin Gay wrote about yesterday but the atmosphere is one of happiness which to me epitomises life in Galle. After [Read more]
Marvin Vaas survives day three
September 3, 2011 by 5 Comments
Sri Lanka v Australia First Test Day 3 by Marvin Vaas We’re finally becoming accustomed to the vehicular madness that is the A2 Galle-Colombo road. The journey to the ground hasn’t been without its considerable scares though. Across the road from the Galle market, hundreds gather on the beach wishing to purchase some fresh-off-the-boat Indian [Read more]
FIONA AND ME
September 2, 2011 by 3 Comments
There is nothing better than being in the right place at the right time and so it was for me today. Just before play as I wandered around the ground I stumbled across Fiona Copeland who was anxiously waiting for her son’s first appearance at the bowling crease for Australia. She introduced herself and we [Read more]
More from Marvin Vaas
September 2, 2011 by 19 Comments
Sri Lanka v Australia First Test Day 2 by Marvin Vaas As sporting grounds become increasingly sterile and homogenised, the Galle International Stadium remains one of world cricket’s gems. The fort and the Indian Ocean provide spectacular backdrops. Outside the ground at the pavilion end, chaos reigns. Dogs, the occasional cow or goat, tuk-tuks, cars, [Read more]
Australian batsmen battle on a dusty first day wicket
August 31, 2011 by 17 Comments
by Marvin Vaas We arrive to a fully covered Galle International Stadium. It hosed down overnight. And there’s still some serious moisture in the air. A number of our touring party break out in a muck lather. If we were racehorses parading in the Flemington mounting yard on Derby Day, you’d promptly rule a line [Read more]
An Australian in Galle on Test eve
August 30, 2011 by 10 Comments
There is much conjecture among cricket purists here in Galle regarding the makeup of the Australian side, and the predicted behaviour of the pitch. Experience and reliability are important components in the selection conundrum, particularly with regards to the formation of the bowling attack. It’s comforting to know that the recently-published and damning (in many [Read more]
More headaches for the Australian selectors (whoever they are these days)
August 30, 2011 by 4 Comments
Here we are on the verge of another Test series and selection issues are probably clouding the thinking of Michael Clarke and other important decision-makers in the Australian set-up. Khawaja or Marsh, Siddle or Copeland, one or two spinners? How can we be so uncertain of our best XI when we’ve had nearly nine [Read more]
Exposed as a fraud
August 24, 2011 by 12 Comments
by Brendan McArdle It’s been a big week in Australian cricket. The much-awaited Argus report has been well received by most in the cricket community, and it was a hard-hitting document which, although two years late in its inception, should have beneficial effects for the future of our game provided the right people are put in [Read more]
A T20 match with relevance
August 10, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Brendan McArdle As a general rule the conservatives among us take a bit of convincing about the significance or otherwise of two T20 matches played immediately before a five match ODI series with three Test matches to follow. But without doubt the second of the Sri Lanka – Australia matches played on Monday was as exciting [Read more]
Australia-Sri Lanka preview
August 6, 2011 by 1 Comment
After all the negative talk about what’s happened in the recent past, all the controversy over selection, and all the speculation about the outcome of CA’s review, the Aussies are back into action from tonight in Sri Lanka. Two T20s precede a five match ODI series, and there’ll be a lot of players looking to [Read more]
Tired India bullied by England
August 3, 2011 by 7 Comments
by Brendan McArdle England’s second successive victory over India at Nottingham on Monday was another example of the impressive cricket it has been playing in recent times. It contained all the elements we have come to expect from the very good international teams of the past – potent bowling, resilient batting with depth, and [Read more]
England win determinedly at Lord’s
July 28, 2011 by 9 Comments
What a fitting finish to cricket’s 2000th Test match at Lord’s last Monday: a full house on a fifth day thanks to some innovative thinking from the MCC, a cosmopolitan and infectious atmosphere, and plenty of hard and meaningful Test cricket. It was a joy to behold for Australian cricket connoisseurs following the [Read more]
Murali v Swanny
July 21, 2011 by 1 Comment
Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q8m43-YLd4&feature=player_embedded Almanac Admin
No Ball!
June 13, 2011 by 1 Comment
Dravid ct Hayden Bwld Johnson (no ball): From boxing day 2007. Johnson had tied Dravid down for ages by bowling wide of off stump, but then lured him into a rash shot with a slightly closer ball only for it to be a no ball. The only Australian fieldsman not in the shot was fine [Read more]
Simon Katich Unloads
June 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Simon Katich was scathing in his press conference responding to the news he had been omitted from Cricket Australia’s contracted players list for the coming year. There are many Almanackers who would feel he voiced what we’ve been saying throughout last summer. You can listen to what he had to say here: http://www.sportal.com.au/mediaplayer/audio/Cricket/simon-katich-has-selectors-in-his-sights-10584 Almanac Admin
Reflections on a royal wedding and other miscalculations
May 5, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Jim Young (author of Any Old Eleven) Thirty years ago, before plastic was invented, the first thing you had to do in a foreign country was make sure your banking arrangements were in order. In London that meant a trip to The Strand, where the local representatives of all Australia’s banks huddled under the [Read more]
It’s time to take the Australian cricket team back
It’s time, says Gerard Whateley. Time for cricket fans everywhere to take back ownership of the Australian cricket team in the face of management that runs beyond negilgence. Read Gerard’s article at the link below, then add your thoughts here. LINK: It’s time to take the Australian cricket team back. Almanac [Read more]