Raving Rulebook No.4

Comments

  1. Not quite into Cricket mode yet “Book”, with finals beginning on Thursday night, but the cricketing landscape has certainly shifted.

    Gone are the days of young South Australian kids dreaming of playing for their state & working for SGIC. This generation it’s all about “joining the bash” & “making shitloads of cash.”
    IPL is a massive carrot. Do your weights, get the best pound of wood money can buy, knock the skin off the ball & who knows? Who can blame them?

    Something has to suffer. Usually a compact technique that can conquer the swinging ball in England. The bowling is interesting though. Never have spinners who can ‘take the pace off the ball” been more in demand.

    Players now have a sumptuous menu to choose from:
    Test
    IPL
    T20 in any country
    50 overs (remember them)
    One thing still remains; catches win matches.

  2. Cricket…. just embarrassing. As for our tennis players, what appalling role models they both are. Keep up the good work Book.

  3. Australian Cricket has reached a turning point. Until there is more separation of White Ball / Red Ball cricket we will continue to flounder.Mixing the two is proving to be very challenging- Cricketers such as Warner now are ridiculously wealthy so therein lies the problem. Get the dollar signs out of their eyes at an administrative level and make decisions to enable cricket to reemerge in this country. More money to grade cricket in Australia and improvement to standards at this level, SA to get in line with the rest of Australia and get rid of Redbacks league, have more funding for a 2 division competition in Adelaide. ( By the way how does a suspended NSW player Stephen O’Keefe get to be over there!! – John Holland played in the trials in Darwin – took 4/1 – O’Keefe wasn’t there but they call him up anyway- This is a major cultural problem right now for Aussie Cricket) -Crows v GWS – GWS too many players out for too long – their team is functioning at about 80% capacity – Adelaide mids have grown enormously particularly Sloane Crouches and now Douglas – Sydney have struggled whenever there has been good pressure on their back half. Geelong / Richmond – can’t have Richmond – inconsistent with ball use – I rank them behind Geelong with Selwood playing. Port wins – WC midfield too inconsistent.Sydney too strong inside and more consistent pressure in Dons back half. Tomich ha! Ha! Attitude stinks and shows little pride in himself or his country – needs to go away Kyrgios the die may have been set – needed better people around him – buys into all sorts of excuses so I have doubts about whether he will ever get near the highest level of tennis when it matters – Needs to sort his hip out and then work with an old school high end coach to get the best out of himself.No 1 advice too him – stop talking until you can be respectful of himself and others.
    Very thought provoking commentary Rulebook and what a fantastic venue to have it located in.

  4. Connect with your comments on the tennis players, Rulebook. First and foremost role of a sports club that develops juniors is to grow good people connected to their community (imo). These lads have come through tennis’s talent pathways and now seem totally lost in their mid 20s. Something has failed.

    Don’t really see enough of grass roots cricket to comment (other than that BBL has led to a massive spike in junior participation) but agree entirely re. O’Keefe.

  5. Just like Mr Magoo, you’ve done it again, Rulebook.

    O’Keefe selection is mindblowing. Aussies would have been better to pick a Batsman who can chuck down a few spinners. Watching Lyon in the first innings of the second test proves that no spin can get wickets. Every one was the arm ball!

  6. Re cricket,too much t20 focus plus shield,grade and district seem to be played on mainly flat tracks so we get blokes that can’t play a ball that moves or spins,also leads to young spin bowlers leaving the game as get sick of being belted out of the park. Tennis yeah can’t get enthused with those to arrogant self centred brats and don’t get me started on the footy bye,was also bemused by the Rance captain decision.Hope we can get off to a good start and kick straight Thurs. night,are you doing a write up on the Redlegs sad debacle in the elim. final or is it best to just look forward to next season?

  7. There weren’t too many teams or players left out of your raving this week, Rulebook! Nice to get the unfiltered feedback on the recent sporting events and issues. Keep up the good work.

  8. Selectors must go. Pick some guys who can play spin. Seriously is Maxwell Cartwright and Wade a test 5 6 and 7?

    Agree re O’Keefe disgrace should have copped a 1 year ban at least

  9. Cricket is in a dire state that’s for sure. On top of the points you make, how many kids are growing up with back yards big enough for a decent game of backyard cricket. Waugh twins honed their games on a sloping driveway.
    GWS have won 1 game at AO against poort.
    AA team in many respects is irrelevant thus the need for controversy.
    Adelaide by 24pts
    Geelong by plenty
    Sydney in a canter tuning up for a genuine flag tilt
    Eagles by 1pt after the siren

  10. Jeff Milton says

    Lots of issues in cricket with no good solution.
    The Big Bash is so popular with all ages especially the young generation so it is going to dominate domestic cricket. Not going to get international players playing Shield Cricket so the only way to boost the standard is to boost the standard of club cricket so that those coming into first class cricket from below are better.
    If Richmond were to win through to a home prelim there won’t be a spare seat at the MCG.
    If GWS ever hit their potential they are unbeatable.
    Just hope it doesnt happen this finals series. Unlike when we beat them in round one it won’t be 35 degrees on Thursday night. Home crowd and a switched on Crows team can hopefully force them into errors.
    As for the tennis who cares about those 2 Such a waste of talent but sooner they drop off the scene the better. Hope the other K, the young South Aussie can get his body right because he is worth cheering for.

  11. Jill Tathra says

    Maybe I`m just not that into cricket but for me we can`t always be at the top just as those who are on the bottom wont always be there. Sorry but my “summer” sport is watching tennis but if none is on I may watch a bit of cricket.

    As for tennis it has been ruined by the screamers. Once it was just the girls but now quite a few of the fellows have to yell too. Yes they may grunt groan or yell if they have ad chased a ball side to side but not EVERY time they hit the ball. The 2 Aussie guys, Kyrgios and Tomic, are an absolute disgrace to the game and to our country. Kyrgios also is a disgrace to himself as he does have a lot of talent unlike Tomic. These 2 things, the screaming or grunting and the 2 Aussies, have ruined tennis for me and I do so love to see a great game.

    C`mon the Crows this is our year. I just wish they didn`t play night games as I get so worked up I can`t go to sleep after!

  12. Raving Rulebook says

    Lachy unfortunately I couldn’t agree more.LL thank you.Bill spot on more money desperately needs to be invested in to grass roots ( all sports really) the selection of O Keefe is a total and utter disgrace in every possible way the 2 tennis clowns dead set shockers.Crows desperately need,Sloane to play can’t see them winning without him thanks re venue thank you

  13. Raving Rulebook says

    Dave interested re what age groups has the spike been in junior participation,re tennis is it a sign of society now days selfish outlook with a lot of the youth in that sport seemingly v self centred and its there right rubbish.MarcD the selection of O Keefe is just mind blowing even if they decided it had to be another left arm orthodox it HAD TO BE HOLLAND.( nothing wrong with only arm nude balls any one would have thought it was Raj) GH flat wickets have a lot to answer for combined with the bats and boundaries coming in don’t help spin bowling.Rance a weird decision almost like they were trying to create some controversy and a talking point kicking straight just so vital and no decided I didn’t want to put myself in a compromising situation writing about the legs.thanks,Paul.Raj yes may be our weakest middle order since World Series and O Keefe at least a year.AD v good point re backyards and geez I hope your tips are correct.Milts yep vital re the future of the game re the standard of club cricket hope it rains thurs night and agree re the tennis.Jill the bloody screaming and squealing in tennis how much of it is tactical so it’s harder for the other player to pick up the pace and spin put on the ball ? More than a tad nervous about thurs night ! Thanks folks

  14. Chris Harcourt says

    Good stuff Rulebook.
    Agree with you re Australia test team – selectors have no idea about picking a team for the sub-continent. Even more disappointing that they keep picking the same losers. Bangladesh should have been the opportunity to blood some new players.
    AFL – crows, Tigers, Syd and Port. The latter two could win by plenty.
    All Australian team – surprised both Sloane and J Kennedy (Syd) missed out. Norwood had a poor season….very disappointing finish!!
    Go Tigers!

  15. I am finding it difficult to watch cricket these day’s as I feel the shorter form of 20/20 is slowly killing both test matches and 50 over formats.
    And in my opinion Australian cricket has suffered because of it.
    As for this week’s finals clashes in the AFL I think:
    Crows to get the job done over Gws by 23 points.
    Cats to win a close one over the Tigers 9 points.
    Swans to decimate Essendon by 8 to 9 goals.
    West Coast to win in another tight tussle by 13 points.
    Lastly but not least I think the AA team was extremely controversial this year on a few fronts.
    1: Rance named Captain
    2: Why was Joel Selwood in the final team.
    3. Why the hell was Matt Crouch named on the bench and not in the starting lineup.
    May not be significant to some people but to me it was .

  16. Martin Rumsby says

    Cricket is at an interesting stage in its evolution with financial rewards for players being a major influencing factor. T20 is the cash cow that enables players to extend their careers and their earnings. The first test loss to Bangladesh was not a good look coming hot on the heels of the protracted player strike. The relevance of test cricket will be measured this summer by the success of the Ashes series.

  17. You’ve done it again Rulebook. Good work mate!

  18. charlie brown says

    Great analysis of the cricket, footy and tennis. Love how we get a non sanitised view of current issues (with some dry humour to boot!). What can SACA do re district cricket? Repeated attempts to encourage clubs to merge has failed. We’re still left with a bye each round which could mean that a batsman gets one hit in a month. Is reducing the number of clubs even the answer to improving the standard of A grade cricket? Agree with others that a welcome outcome of BBL is a spike in the number of juniors playing. What do you think about the changes to junior cricket playing conditions eg reducing length of the pitch etc?

  19. Raving Rulebook says

    Chris the selection of O Keefe is bizarre and a complete and utter disgrace can’t see the Crows winning without,Sloane.JU no doubt,20 20 serious effect on technique to say the least re all aust selection of Rance weird and almost like the selectors were trying to create some controversy and a talking point.Selwood had a fantastic start to the season line ball with,Kennedy and Sloane for mine.Martin yes appalling look for the game re the dispute and losing to Bangladesh and a vital ashes series in so many ways.thanks,Tim.Charlie yes there are 2 many district teams but just seems merging a club has been put in the 2 hard basket.District cricket must concentrate on,QUALITY NOT QUANTITY re starting at 1 o clock not 11 and far less,Sundays so the guy who is 39 odd but no chance to play shield cricke keeps playing the game needs experienced players like Bob Blewett,KG,Clacker Clarke,Bunger Hurn teaching the next generation the game has lost that and it definitely is the poorer for it.Fantastic that the short form of the game has resulted in more juniors the challenge is to keep them playing thru adulthood innovative programming like Friday nights is needed
    No definite solutions but the game must have a crack at trying new things to survive thank you

  20. Couldn’t agree more Rulebook; cricket is cannibalising itself. The administration is a disgrace. Maybe The To & Froms will give it a lift. Maybe more tours from Sub-coninental sides will help. But I’ll pick you up on one thing. Last year everyone said Richmond didn’t have the list. I argued that there was nothing wrong with the list; they just weren’t playing good football. Well now Rulebook Old Son, they are. As Scarlett O’Hara said, shaking a fist at the Heavens as she scrabbled in the fields of her war ravaged Tara, to grow turnips for the pot – I’ll never be Ninth again.

  21. Raving Rulebook says

    Wrap to say I am stunned what has occurred at Richmond is a understatement yes while they had the benefit of a soft draw to do what they have done is remarkable to change the game plan and create the manic forward pressure while clearly having a lack of quality talks has in a lot of was been the footy story of 2018.
    While underestimating the list I still feel it is no where near as talented as a lot of others which makes it even more significant we wait and see what happens in the finals
    ( shattered re Sloane can’t see the Crows winning without him ) thank you

  22. Four big games this weekend Raving. Can’t remember a more even September. Don’t sell The Chardonnays short. The Rabid Adelaide Mob is as good as a four goal wind. Apart from that, I’m not so sure GWS is anything more than an outstanding list.

  23. An Outstanding List. Wrap, that’s the best description of them since someone called them Frankenstein.

    They remind me of all the best kids in the Under 15s. Adam Treloar too. But if the penny ever drops for them…

    Which leads me to ask, for whom has the penny dropped?

  24. True, it’s a big test for The Striped Marvels on Friday night, but I’ve seen a fair bit of them under Coach Hardnose, and this year I’ve seen something different. As I’m sure you did when Bomber Thompson found his coaching sea legs down at Kardinia Park. And I’ve seen the players go from a list to a team. Underestimate them at your peril.

  25. Wrap, I was thinking of your description of GWS as ‘An Outstanding List’.

    I certainly don’t underestimate the current Richmond.

  26. Yeah, no, I got that Harmsie. I might have misread your question about the gravity challenged copper coin.

  27. Now I’m getting it.

  28. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Nice one RR,
    Marlboro Man music huge improvement. Like the backdrop. Aussie Cricket is still trying to emulate Waugh/Warne/Gilchrist years while not respecting their opposition. Bad combination when you don’t have the skill to adapt.

  29. Luke Reynolds says

    Fine work Rulebook. Lacking of tour games making the first Test of a series really hard for touring teams. Australian cricket has it’s problems, but think these problems are shared by every other Test nation.
    Alex Rance as All-Australian captain?? Still waiting for the punchline to that joke….

  30. You were saying Raving? No Sloane no Crows? Better check out Matthew 8:26 for your chastisment. No scorpions this time. But Eddie said, don’t let it happen again.

  31. Raving Rulebook says

    The Wrap you nailed it re just a outstanding list I thought there star power would be the difference I made the fatal error of not acknowledging and respecting the last 6 selected v happy to be proven wrong
    Classic case of the super star juniors not buying in and lacking role players ( I have sledged myself re write up of game hasn’t gone on site yet.( be interesting to see tonight re how nmuch more bye in there is again from far less individually talented) Phillip couldn’t agree more talk the talk but can’t walk the walk overall .Luke I am just so angry re lack of warm up games it’s a lack of respect for the overall good of the game and yes good that we won the 2nd test but geez like GWS massive questions re our best possible side for the ashes
    thanks folks

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