The Surfer
Show me the money
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
AAP reports the 15 players in the Australian squad will get a win bonus of more than A$180,000 for their World Cup victory. It’s especially good news for Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, who didn’t play a game.
All members of the squad will share equally in the $US2.24 million ($A2.71 million) prize money awarded to the winning team, according to Cricket Australia.
The perfect template to ruin a sport
The post-tournament flack continues to fly three days after the end of the World Cup
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The post-tournament flack continues to fly three days after the end of the World Cup. In The Times, Simon Barnes pulls no punches about the format and execution of the whole thing:
It had everything, mismatches, one-sided games, games that didn’t matter much, games that were simply short of action or drama or interest. International sporting organisations across the world are invited to study this event long and hard: it is the perfect template for the ruination of a sport.
How can sports administrators make such crass errors? Simple. They aren’t interested in sport. They are interested in power. The more countries you involve, the more power you have. The more money you make from a multi-nation tournament, the more power you have.
Full postInvesting in New Zealand's future
Michael Donaldson, writing in The Sunday Star Times looks at the existing system, suggests changes and picks his possible 15 for the next World Cup.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Michael Donaldson, writing in The Sunday Star Times looks at the existing system, suggests changes and picks his possible 15 for the next World Cup.
A possible 15 for the 2011 World Cup: Daniel Vettori (captain), Peter Fulton, Lou Vincent, Todd Astle, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Corey Anderson, Jacob Oram, James Franklin, Brendon McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori, Jeetan Patel, Hamish Bennett.
Full postHeads should roll for final farce
While Malcolm Speed steadfastly continues to insist that the World Cup was a success – and as he seems to judge most things in terms of revenue, he may be right – the media is united in its condemnation of the event, with the farcical scenes at
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
While Malcolm Speed steadfastly continues to insist that the World Cup was a success – and as he seems to judge most things in terms of revenue, he may be right – the media is united in its condemnation of the event, with the farcical scenes at the end of the final to the fore.
Mike Selvey in The Guardian leads the way:
The World Cup, the final of which began in spectacular fashion before descending into the unseemly realms of the bizarre, was awarded eventually to Australia in such farcical circumstances that it would have been no surprise to see Steve Bucknor drop his trousers to reveal polka dot underpants and inquire if there was anyone for tennis.
A fast bowler who never knew when to stop
Dick Motz, the first New Zealand's bowler to reach 100 Test wickets, has died in Christchurch.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Dick Motz, the first New Zealand's bowler to reach 100 Test wickets, has died in Christchurch.
The Waikato Times, which rates Motz as the fifth best seamer that New Zealand ever produced, hails him as:
"He could be a shock and a stock bowler. Extremely courageous and durable, with a fine fast bowler's hatred of batsmen."
'One of the worst' World Cups says Chappell
Andrew Strauss, Scyld Berry, Ian Chappell and Kumar Sangakkara dissect the 2007 World Cup in The Sunday Telegraph , and, in their deliberations, Chappell comes to the conclusion that it was the worst in the tournament's history.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Andrew Strauss, Scyld Berry, Ian Chappell and Kumar Sangakkara dissect the 2007 World Cup in The Sunday Telegraph, and, in their deliberations, Chappell comes to the conclusion that it was the worst in the tournament's history.
Atherton: I think it's ridiculous, the number of Associate Member countries that have been involved. The World Cup should be about showcasing the very best.
Berry: Ian, you played in the first in 1975 and have seen the following tournaments, how do you rate this World Cup?
Chappell (never known for pussy-footing): One of the worst. Four decent games out of 50 is not a very high percentage: the Ireland v Zimbabwe tie, Sri Lanka's games against South Africa and England, and England against West Indies. The main reason to play a one-day game is to have a close finish. Maybe there have been a couple of other good games along the way but too many one-sided matches. One of the few good things to come out of this World Cup is that the two best teams reached the final.
Full postDark ruled McGrath out of tribute over
Ricky Ponting wanted Glenn McGrath to deliver the last over of the final, but bad light ended that plan
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Ricky Ponting wanted Glenn McGrath to deliver the last over of the final, but bad light ended that plan. Jon Pierik reports on McGrath's farewell in the Courier-Mail and in the same paper Robert Craddock rates the Australian squad.
Over in The Australian Pierik writes about Adam Gilchrist’s secret squash weapon. His batting coach Bob Meuleman offers his reasons for the experimental exercise.
Full postOut-going McGrath names his best XI
Glenn McGrath says he’s happy to go out on his own terms in his column in the Sunday Telegraph
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Glenn McGrath says he’s happy to go out on his own terms in his column in the Sunday Telegraph. He also lists his toughest XI to play against and tells how the prankster and selector Merv Hughes wanted to drop him.
He told me that, as I effectively replaced him in the Test side in 1994, he was looking forward to getting square by sticking the knife in and ending my Test career. He said he was disappointed I announced my retirement before he had the chance to swoop. Merv, of course, was only joking.
In the Sun-Herald David Sygall looks at a possible Australian line-up for the 2011 World Cup. Mark Waugh rates his best team of World Cup performers in the same paper.
Full postA bloated shambles of a competition
As the World Cup finally ends - yes, honestly – the flak continues to fly in the direction of the ICC
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
As the World Cup finally ends - yes, honestly – the flak continues to fly in the direction of the ICC. In The Daily Telegraph, Jim White is in no doubt about the target:
“Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council, despite presiding over the most over-stretched, bloated shambles of a competition, despite his organising committee redefining the term criminally short-sighted, is to carry on, refusing so much as to contemplate handing over to someone else.”
The Mirror is equally unimpressed, despite Speed’s admission that the tournament was too long:
“He might have added that it has also been wholly uninspiring and suffered from poor attendances, a lack of decent atmosphere, too many one-sided games, and hosted by a team which dragged the tournament down even further.
Australia plan to attack Murali
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Ricky Ponting wants wickets in hand during the middle stages of the final so they can attack Muttiah Muralitharan and the other Sri Lankan spinners.
"We can be a bit more aggressive and a bit more positive against them and try and put their slow-down sort of guys through the middle, put them under a bit pressure," he said in the Herald Sun.