Rather than “the cricket’s on the radio”, the companion sport for this summer is becoming “the BBL on FOXTEL.” For pubs, couches and campsites with access, the Big Bash is the preferred distraction. It is carving an undeniable place in the holiday landscape, but some parts still worry me. The music, for example. Especially in [Read more]
Echoes and regrets: notes on 2011
January 2, 2012 by 3 Comments
Vin Maskell reflects on a handful of music moments 1 Seeing Clare Bowditch. Hearing Clare Bowditch. Seeing and hearing Clare Bowditch singing songs recorded by the late Eva Cassidy. Call it a tribute concert. Call it cover versions of cover versions. Call it a fine night of music. A very fine night, tinged inevitably [Read more]
2011 – Looking Forward, Looking Back
December 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The angel sounded – the sentinel horn, The final quarter of the old year gone; It’s been a good year for the team up in heaven, Got the best of the Draft in Two Thousand Eleven. Yabby’s the coach of this team for the Ages, With Doc as the skipper of the BeSainted [Read more]
The Wizard of Oz
December 31, 2011 by 8 Comments
While the focus of attention has rightfully been on the MCG for the past four days another no less enthralling contest has been unfolding in the Northern Hemisphere. The World Darts Championship is now approaching the pointy end of the competition and never has the event been more exciting or unpredictable. After seemingly months of [Read more]
If i was an AFL coach….
December 31, 2011 by 7 Comments
In all honesty i can’t see the day where there will be a female AFL coach. Just look at the other codes as proof. Soccer has the balding/salt and pepper haired, red faced animated males who look like they are about to explode on the sidelines from stress. Same goes for tennis, majority of coaches [Read more]
Resumption of Play
December 31, 2011 by 9 Comments
Rahul Dravid and Gautum Gambhir are in the tunnel, waiting for the resumption after Lunch, Day 4, Boxing Day Test. They’re early and await the umpires to emerge from another tunnel further along the boundary. India is 1/24, chasing 292 for victory. Opener, Gambhir is on 6 runs; Dravid, 5. Both men are [Read more]
Australia v. India, First Test of four, MCG, Day 4 (29 December 2011)
December 30, 2011 by 19 Comments
Australia (333 & 240) defeated India (282 and 169) by 122 runs My co-founder of Royal Park Reds CC, Dave Nadel and I took our seats in the MCG stand named for the first of only two Australians to score a double-century in his last Test. (Know the other one?) Assuming that most [Read more]
Australian Somali National Football Championships finale
December 30, 2011 by 1 Comment
The cream of Australia’s refugee football talent is on display for the final stages of the 2nd annual Australian Somali Football Championships at JJ Holland Park in Kensington on 29-30 December 2011. This year’s event saw the Australian Somali Football Championships grow from 8 to12 teams featuring four (4) interstate teams, seven (7) [Read more]
An afternoon at The Albert
December 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
It’s the weekend before Christmas. Saturday December 17 to be precise. My wife has kindly volunteered to do the gift shopping this year. With all obligations, both at work and home, met I find myself with a free afternoon. I’ll spend my spare time watching some local cricket. I’ve taken a short tram ride down [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: New Year 2011 to 2012
December 30, 2011 by 3 Comments
Just as well that this is a time of year when many people neither know nor care what day of the week it is – a look at the racing fixture would hardly help. This weekend offers an unusual cast of meetings. The regular Saturday afternoon habit is delayed to a NYE under lights at [Read more]
Collapse, followed by Collapse
December 29, 2011 by 1 Comment
Boxing Day Test Match. Australia v India. Day 3, December 28, 2011. At 9-30 sharp, I am outside the Stag’s Head Hotel waiting for Holty and Elliott, two of our club’s Pommy cricketers who are over for the summer. I have decided to drive in today: I’ll get home more rapidly and I’ll be sober. [Read more]
Top Australian Albums of 2011
December 28, 2011 by 11 Comments
by Andrew Fithall Last year I wrote about my top ten albums for the year, but there were no geographical boundaries. For some reason (probably the influences of my radio station of choice) this year my music perspective has become a bit narrower. This list is following that trend. My top twelve (couldn’t settle [Read more]
Vics to the rescue
December 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Australia v India; 1st Test; Day 2; 27 December 2011 by Ben Jensen My brother joined me today on the train trip up from Geelong, the train only about half full with cricket fans, about same as day 1 but we wonder if the Aussies were in better form would it have been full, [Read more]
Standing on the outside looking in
December 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
by Tony Robb Greetings to all. The past 12 months have seen a change of career for your Canberra correspondent. It has resulted in an increase in writing output but sadly in the form of reports about injured workers and not about sport. There are only so many ways one can describe the ebbs [Read more]
A different rhythm
December 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
There is a different rhythm watching test cricket in WA. It isn’t because of the weather or the people or even magnetic anomalies caused by large hunks of underground iron – it’s because it starts at 7.30 in the morning. I grew up here, so there is a familiarity to the experience. I can’t say [Read more]
Born again cricketer
December 26, 2011 by 1 Comment
Footy in winter, cricket in summer. Quintessential. Time honoured. The way it should be. Like most Victorian kids growing up in the 90s/00s I would spend the cold months living and breathing football and then when the place would finally warm up it was backyard and club cricket. And then like many other youngsters, I [Read more]
Long Day’s Journey to the ‘G
December 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This would have to be the most eventful first day I have encountered for a Boxing Day test match. I arrived at the Mildura airport on Christmas Day en route to Melbourne via plane for the big game. Total travelling time of 1 hour and five minutes. I kiss the ground at Tullamarine seven and [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Sports “Objectivity”
December 26, 2011 by 5 Comments
“I just call it as I see it”. The mantra of a commentator – sports, politics, whatever. But that’s not always the case. As Richie would say, “Welcome back to the cricket”. Bill’s pumping up the Vics, Tony’s stirring couch Aussies and the watchers whinge of blatant bias. Who would have thought? Remarkably, though, they [Read more]
Boxing Day Blog
December 26, 2011 by 12 Comments
Play is under way at the ‘G. Gloomy skies but no substantial rain. Will Australia’s questionable batsmen get the better of an Indian attack with several question marks of their own hovering? Fire away sports fans.
Cricket: the post-Christmas lunch form of the game.
December 25, 2011 by 10 Comments
It is heading towards midnight here in Brisbane. The kids have carefully laid out Santa’s smoko in front of the fireplace; it seems Santa prefers mince pies and water served in a Dora the Explorer cup. We have been to the Christmas Eve service at St Andrews on Wickham St in the city where we [Read more]
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