The Buzz
Symonds says McCullum is a lump of what?
So sometimes it’s a bit hard to make sense of Andrew Symonds, but his radio interview with Australian comedians Roy and HG on Triple M on Friday was particularly hard to work out
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
So sometimes it’s a bit hard to make sense of Andrew Symonds, but his radio interview with Australian comedians Roy and HG on Triple M on Friday was particularly hard to work out. He was talking about New South Wales’ decision to hire Brendon McCullum for their Twenty20 final and Cricket Australia will decipher the recording to determine whether Symonds should be punished.
“They're trying to use him [McCullum] as the out because he's a Kiwi,” Symonds said. "Yep, we love to hate them, but he's the lump of s..., sorry, lump of cow dirt, that people are thinking of. Now to get away from that, the actual topic is about playing cricket and getting into a final.
"To get yourself to that position and if you haven't brought anybody in, personally I wouldn't be changing a winning team. It doesn't matter about McCullum, mate, he could have been Irish, he still would have got it.” Are you keeping up?
“It's not his fault, he's doing his job and trying to earn a wage. But what happened here is an injustice. I said Daniel Smith, his opposite number, was going to miss out. But they said this morning that Daniel Smith is going to play, but at the end of day somebody is still going to miss out.'' Something is definitely missing.
Full postWhat's in a name?
So cricket won't be India's national sport - not for the moment, at least
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
So cricket won't be India's national sport - not for the moment, at least. Populism be damned, India's sports minister, MS Gill, a highly respected former bureaucrat and Himalayan mountaineer, not only batted for hockey but also took swipes at cricket and Sachin Tendulkar. "Hockey is a spiritual sport in India and is directly related to one's heart," he said, drawing a distinction. "Let cricket be as it is."
He was evoking that spirit when he pointed to how cricket had changed. "Those players [of the past] would face balls at 90mph with very little protection - there would just be a thin cap and cotton clothes. Now, however, there is all sort of protection, head gear, shoulder gear and things like that. In fact, a batsman is so covered with protective gear that if I go into the middle to bat one might say (Sachin) Tendulkar is playing."
Full postSilence of the Vaughan
Cuts across the editorial departments of most of the UK’s national newspapers have been well documented, with the Daily Telegraph being among the leaders, cutting back many established journalists while hiring past and present players to plug
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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In October the paper announced that Michael Vaughan had joined their ranks. "He will be a real asset to our cricket coverage," gushed Mark Skipworth, the executive sport editor. “His experience of captaining the England cricket team and being one of the best batsmen in the world puts him in a remarkably strong position to comment on cricket.”
In December Private Eye noted that Vaughan had produced only one article – on golf – but it seemed that the departure of his successor, Kevin Pietersen, would allow him to spill all and offer a unique insight into captaincy alongside also-sacked coach Peter Moores. Vaughan had, after all, worked with Moores for the majority of his time as coach.
Remarkably, Vaughan, has remained silent on the matter, raising the question that if this is not something he feels able to comment on, what on earth is.
Full postAdding splice to a post-match curry
However late it is, and however many post-match beers you might have had, it might be best to avoid popping into the Mandarin House in Knighton, Wales where the owner showed his love for the game by using a rat-gnawed cricket bat to stir a pan of
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
However late it is, and however many post-match beers you might have had, it might be best to avoid popping into the Mandarin House in Knighton, Wales where the owner showed his love for the game by using a rat-gnawed cricket bat to stir a pan of curry. That, and the presence of rats in the kitchen itself, led to owner Chun-Hung Cheun being fined £2000 by Brecon magistrates.
Full postDreadlock holiday
It’s not quite the equivalent of convincing Merv Hughes to shave off his moustache but it’s close
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
It’s not quite the equivalent of convincing Merv Hughes to shave off his moustache but it’s close. For five years dreadlocks have been a key part of Andrew Symonds’ image but now he is gearing up to them chopped off for charity.
As part of the World’s Greatest Shave, which raises money for the Leukaemia Foundation, Symonds will get rid of the locks on live TV on February 14.
It remains to be seen whether it will be akin to Samson losing his hair, although the publicity shy Symonds sees at least one benefit. "I am looking forward to it,” he said. “I will be able to sneak around a little bit more.”
Full postEngland cause flight detour
Travelling on the same flight as an international cricket team might be exciting for fans but it could also be a nuisance to those passengers hoping to arrive at their destination on time
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
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The passengers apparently had no clue about the detour, and the flight crew did not know its purpose until the pre-flight briefing. "It's very exciting isn't it – the England players on board and all that?" one of the crew told the Guardian. "It reminds me of the time we had the James Bond lot on board and we went to Panama."
To mollify the passengers for the two-hour delay, they were given England-branded cuff-links and an autographed picture of the Test squad that played the home series against South Africa in 2008. Not everyone was happy. "I think it's a bloody cheek, I do," said one passenger. "I found out last week that we were going via St Kitts, and then only because I phoned Virgin to confirm my flight. They didn't phone me. I would rather give up the cuff-links and arrive on time."
Full postBotham springs to KP's defence
Satirical magazine Private Eye notes the angry response of Ian Botham to the sacking of Kevin Pietersen as England captain, with the standard attacks on “buffoons in blazers” and “chinless wonders who rule Lord's”.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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“They knew he wasn't going to be a yes man, no man, three-bagsful man,” Botham wrote in the Mirror. “They knew he was single-minded, they knew he wanted to do the job his way … I thought he was showing a lot of promise as captain, and even though England lost in Chennai, he deserved a lot of credit both for leading the team back to India after the Mumbai massacre.”
Private Eye then points out Botham fails to mention that he is chairman of the sports agency that manages Pietersen. “In the previous three years in which he has opined [on Pietersen] he has never seen fit to mention this conflict of interests,” the article concludes.
Full postPollock hopes to swap greentops for putting greens
What does an allrounder do after he retires
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
What does an allrounder do after he retires? Tries for a career in golf. It was something Kapil Dev thought about and Shaun Pollock, who stood down last year after a decorated career, is considering the move by entering some amateur tournaments in South Africa.
“Having been a professional sportsman for all those years, you have those competitive juices in you and they are not going to vanish overnight, so you need an outlet,” Pollock told the Courier-Mail. “I have always enjoyed my golf and I think that’s where I can put all my competitive energy at the moment.”
Pollock’s handicap is now down to one and he is no longer held back by long tours affecting his form and focus. However, he will also spend some time over the next month playing beach cricket in Australia.
Full postDon't try calling Monty
Monty Panesar is forever talking about the right areas - well, while on holiday in South Africa after England's tour of India he found himself in the wrong area.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Monty Panesar is forever talking about the right areas - well, while on holiday in South Africa after England's tour of India he found himself in the wrong area.
Walking near the Wanderers ground in Johannesburg he was stopped by two 'police officers' who claimed they were searching for drugs. The men asked for Panesar's mobile phone, and the ever-obliging left-arm spinner handed it over after being told he would get it back at the top of the hill. Lo and behold his phone was never returned.
"They took our mobile phones and stuff and said they were would meet us at the top of the hill," he told the Guardian. "They didn't appear in view. We weren't surprised. It wasn't particularly terrifying. We didn't get roughed up or anything."
Full postChina fail despite baby boom
As if there weren’t enough statisticians in the world, someone, somewhere, has calculated that when China played Maldives in the Asian Cricket Council Challenge this week the population differential was around 3300
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
As if there weren’t enough statisticians in the world, someone, somewhere, has calculated that when China played Maldives in the Asian Cricket Council Challenge this week the population differential was around 3300. Still awake? Ok, China’s population is roughly 1.30 billion and the Maldives 386,000, so China is 3368 times as populous.
Within minutes the anoraks had come flooding out of the cupboards in bedsits across the world. The net result was the 2007 World Cup match between India (1.15 billion) and Bermuda (66,000) was identified as producing an even greater disparity, around 17,420.
Baring any major improvements, this record seems to set to stay unless Cayman Islands (52,000, with more registered businesses than people) storm into a World Cup. The Falkland Islands, an Affiliate member of the ICC, has only 3000 inhabitants of the non-penguin variety and is a good long-term bet.
And for the record books, outpopulated or not, Maldives cracked 376 for 7 from their 50 overs before China were dismissed for 61.
Full post