Australia v India – First Test, Day 1: Heavyweight Bout Begins

Smokie Dawson presents his Day 1 report of the 1st Test clash Australia v India in Adelaide. The two heavyweights of Test cricket slug it out with the Aussies slightly ahead.

Almanac (Music) Memoir: Freshwater Creek: are you ready to rock’n’roll?

In his prose piece this week, KD writes about an early gig his band, Murmurs, played at Freshwater Creek Hall, near Anglesea, Victoria, in 1980. He recalls being surprised – and more than a little concerned – about how the gig was advertised.

Almanac Life: There is a great joy in being useful

Peter Robertson explores the joy of being a useful person and making a difference to life.

Australia v India – First Test, Day 1: Tight Test cricket

Citrus Bob Utber reports on Day 1 of the Adelaide Test between Australia and India – three sessions of very tight cricket.

Almanac (Footy) Poetry: The footy

Ah, the pleasure of that first leather football in the hands of a young boy! Bill Wootton remembers it well.

Brendan

Brendan Sheehan, a Bloods man through and through as well as a Life Member of both the Footscray Hockey Club and the Victorian Hockey Association, is remembered touchingly and honoured suitably by his friend Chris Bracher.

Australia v India: First Test Blog

Our rolling Test cricket blog returns for you to add your comments and observations as each of the four matches unfolds. Tell us the way you see it!

Australia v India – First Test: The summer of Test cricket starts today!

The summer of Test cricket between Australia and India starts today with the First Test at Adelaide Oval from 2.30pm local time. Follow the match and the following three Tests with the Almanac’s expert observers headed by ‘Citrus’ Bob Utber.

‘Keith Sherwill……Country Cricket Legend……’ by KB Hill

KB Hill recalls the lengthy and varied career of Benalla cricket legend Keith Sherwill.

Almanac Cricket – Time to rewind: A recent history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia

To whet the appetite for tomorrow’s First Test, Sean Mortell looks back at the last decade of Australia v India contests in Australia.

Almanac Baseball: Mannymania

Brian The Ruminator is very, very excited that a Red Sox legend will be playing in this season’s Australian Baseball League.

Almanac Cricket: Blue sky cricket thinking

Bernard Whimpress isn’t a big fan of some of the ‘blue sky thinking’ that surrounds the Australian test squad.

Almanac Rewind: Villain? Virat Kohli and the Hadlee effect

As this will be Virat Kohli’s last appearance of the Australian summer, it’s worth reprising Dave Brown’s piece from several years ago, when he tried to figure out the nature of, and the reason for, the Australian public’s response to Virat Kohli. An interesting read given the water that has flowed under the bridge since then for several of the characters mentioned.

Almanac Rewind – Mike Sexton in India: Finding Cricket and Space in Delhi

With the test series against India beginning tomorrow, let’s revisit this piece from Mike Sexton, published late last year. A taste of modern Dehli, and an insight into modern Indian cricket. (If you didn’t get a copy of Border’s Battlers at the time, it’s well worth it – Ed).

Almanac Cricket – Australia v India, First Test: Call for reporters

Citrus Bob Utber invites writers to report on the First Test.

Almanac Footy: Ron Reeves – I’ll do it my way

Ron Reeves was born and bred Collingwood. Matt Watson takes a look at the life and times of the 1958 Collingwood premiership player.

Almanac Life: Reclaiming my Stolen Football Youth

Mark Hodgetts details his love, loss and reacquaintance with football and how it has long played a significant role in his life, even when he left the fold of footy entirely.

Almanac Cricket: Vale Eric ‘Fritz’ Freeman, a man for all seasons

Fritz Freeman, as South Australian as his moniker, played cricket for Australia and footy for Port Adelaide. His love of the two games has never dimmed, as Mike Sexton writes in this beautiful tribute. Eric Freeman passed away last night.

Almanac Music: The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers

‘The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers’ Vol. 1 is a great blues based album finally released twelve years after it was recorded.

Almanac Poetry: Ghost Train

This week’s poem from Kevin Densley is set in the Geelong Show’s sideshow alley when he was a kid. The Ghost Train horror ride existed there among other attractions such as Jimmy Sharman’s Boxing Tent, the Bearded Lady and Vanessa the Undresser.