Day three at the MCG leaves Bob Utber revelling in the joy of watching Test batting at its finest. Kohli’s Nureyev to Rahane’s Helpmann, followed by Harris’ fightback with the ball as the shadows lengthen, is Test cricket at its finest.
MCG Test, Australia v India – Day Three: Nureyev and Helpmann in Cricket Whites
December 28, 2014 by 3 Comments
MCG Test, Australia v India-Day Two: Passing the Baton to new generations
December 28, 2014 by 7 Comments
Luke Reynolds tells how Stephen Smith won the hearts and mind of his young sons on their first day of Test Cricket.
MCG Test, Australia v India – Day Two: The Bradman-esque Compiler of Runs
December 28, 2014 by 3 Comments
Bob Utber ponders why Victorian cricket has fallen off the pace while watching Steve Smith, Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris wrest control of the third Test from out of India’s grasp
MCG Test, Australia v India – Day Two: Sinking Popeye
December 28, 2014 by 39 Comments
Rulebook’s take on day three; some exquisite stroke play from Steve Smith, while MS Dhoni’s captaincy leaves everyone scratching their heads.
MCG Test, Australia v India – Day Two: Tweetlotto
December 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Despite being handicapped with a failing phone battery, Mick Jeffrey tweeted his way through Day 2 at the MCG. His Twitter trail stands as a record of the day (“Call that leg bye, ump…”).
MCG Test, Australia v India – Day One: Sisters Day Out
December 27, 2014 by 3 Comments
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
December 27, 2014 by 14 Comments
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?
December 27, 2014 by 4 Comments
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
December 27, 2014 by 5 Comments
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
December 27, 2014 by 3 Comments
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
December 27, 2014 by 9 Comments
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
December 26, 2014 by 4 Comments
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’
December 26, 2014 by 3 Comments
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
December 26, 2014 by 4 Comments
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
December 23, 2014 by 15 Comments
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
December 23, 2014 by 4 Comments
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
December 23, 2014 by 10 Comments
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
December 22, 2014 by 19 Comments
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
December 21, 2014 by 3 Comments
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
December 21, 2014 by 9 Comments
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.
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