Saturday 27 July 2013
Thought of the Day: Wattos' Christmas Gift?
Though, once again, it seems Christmas can't come soon enough.
Sign of the Times: Boof has a back up plan
Given the most recent Test result & Cricket Australia's history of treating recent coaches, it seems "Boof" Lehmann is on the front foot in planning for life after Cricket.
Tuesday 23 July 2013
Sign of the Times: Telstra isn't profiling its customers very well
I received this text from Telstra yesterday:
Not sure why they think that would be of interest to me, but I'm not quite offended enough to switch.
Not sure why they think that would be of interest to me, but I'm not quite offended enough to switch.
Monday 22 July 2013
Thought of the Day: Australian cricket has poor timing
The second Ashes Test ended in London in the early hours of Monday morning (Melbourne time) with England winning by one of the largest margins in history. The loss was particularly compounded by the Australian teams inability to bat according to the demands of the game, seemingly unable to cope with a Test situation.
As dawn actually broke and the good cricket following people of the Australian eastern seaboard went to work they were greeted with news from Cricket Australia, about the Big Bash League.
The Big Bash League (BBL) is Australia's premier Twenty20 cricket tournament, involving private clubs (not State teams) that play off over the summer months.
The BBL has had some success in recent years, with fairly good crowd sizes that compare well with other summer sports (e.g. Basketball & Soccer) and even better than Sheffield Shield crowds.
However, the placement of the BBL in the middle of the summer causes obvious disruption to the Sheffield Shield season, as well as the development and performance of the players at a form of cricket that lasts for more than 20 overs.
Given that the majority of Cricket fans are distressed about Australia's ability to bat for more than 20 overs, I would suggest that CA has done more to hurt its own product than promote it.
As dawn actually broke and the good cricket following people of the Australian eastern seaboard went to work they were greeted with news from Cricket Australia, about the Big Bash League.
The Big Bash League (BBL) is Australia's premier Twenty20 cricket tournament, involving private clubs (not State teams) that play off over the summer months.
The BBL has had some success in recent years, with fairly good crowd sizes that compare well with other summer sports (e.g. Basketball & Soccer) and even better than Sheffield Shield crowds.
However, the placement of the BBL in the middle of the summer causes obvious disruption to the Sheffield Shield season, as well as the development and performance of the players at a form of cricket that lasts for more than 20 overs.
Given that the majority of Cricket fans are distressed about Australia's ability to bat for more than 20 overs, I would suggest that CA has done more to hurt its own product than promote it.
 |
| Soon you can watch him score 6 runs in less overs! |
Wednesday 17 July 2013
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Thought of the Day: Google Maps have some odd default addresses
Looking for directions from my office to the Grattan Institute brought some interesting 'auto populate' fields in Google Maps. Are these just popular addresses for people, or is there something more to it?
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| For the record, I don't work in Israel, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, USA or China |
Top 5: Observations from the First Test
The First Ashes Test at Trent Bridge was a great example of why Test Cricket is a great game; 5 days of play came down to the last day with the last batsmen trying to scrape runs together and save the day.
That it came to such a dramatic end will surprise many, particularly those who were making comments about this being the worst Australian touring side to visit England since the mid-eighties and more recently when James Pattinson bowled a wide for the first ball of the Test.
There was a great deal of controversy throughout the game, not least involving the Decision Review System (DRS), which is nothing new. The system that allows team Captains to review a certain number of umpiring decisions through the course of a game is never going to be an exact science. Give the power to the third umpire.
Aside from this though, there were several other notable observations, including:
England have 3 bowlers:
While England named 4 bowlers (Finn, Anderson, Broad and Swann), only 3 of them looked like they were actually wicket takers. Finn stopped being dangerous once the pitch changed after Day 1 and was largely responsible for helping Ashton Agar (the Australian number 11) get his eye in and hit a world record 98 on debut.
Joe Root managed to chip in and get the wicket of Ed Cowan in the second innings, though this was more due to Cowan than any effort on Roots part.
The bowling stocks were so empty by Day 5 that Alastair Cook, the English captain, simply bowled his best bowlers (Anderson and Swann) into the ground, there was simply no-one else to go to.
Starc is the #11:
Australia tried a different batting line-up in both innings, with Agar coming in at #11 in the first, then #8 in the second. Most of the other bowlers moved around the order to accommodate this, apart from Mitchell Starc, who kept the #9 position and made 1 run for the match. Given that Siddle and (particularly) Pattinson both scored valuable runs or at least looked like they could, Starc should be moved to #11 where his T20 swatting belongs.
Australia need a time machine:
While Australia where able to stay competitive in the match, it was largely due to the ability of the bowlers to take 10 wickets for relatively low scores in both innings. Further, the wickets were spread amongst the bowlers, showing that there is some balance and options in the side.
The (known) issue here is the lack of experience and skill amongst the Australian batsmen. Chris Rogers showed his team-mates how one can bat in England, playing the ball late and guarding his wicket. Rogers also seemed to provide confidence to Shane Watson, who had his best match with the bat (and ball) in a long time.
While the some of the other batsmen (Smith, Hughes) are still young & could be forgiven for not having the experience needed, the same cannot be said for Clarke or Cowan. Clarke has scored more than Wilt Chamberlain did off the field of late, so should be given some leniency
Cowan, though, has only one test century to his name after 18 tests and clearly needs to develop the type of calm Rogers has at the wicket if he is to survive, but where is this experience to come from?
Cook is no Captain:
Slightly controversial, particularly given England won the game, but one of the big weaknesses of the England team seems to be strategy and leadership. As mentioned earlier, Cook seemingly had no idea on how to win the game, so simply kept bowling Anderson and Swann until they were knackered. This is a poor plan for winning what is essentially a ten-test series.
Further, the fields set for Agar were all short, looking to prevent singles. Once Finn started bowling short & Agar started pulling, no adjustment was made until he was already set. England looked slow and arrogant in their belief that Agar couldn't bat.
Once things did start to get tense there were meetings happening all over the ground, with even past-captain and seemingly fringe team-mate Kevin Pietersen getting involved. It certainly didn't seem like the English team had a plan with each player knowing their role.
2013 is so 2005:
As mentioned earlier, many English commentators were expecting to win this series comprehensively due to their seemingly all-around superiority, this doesn't seem so likely now.
What it seems we have now is a very good, experienced team that has a few stars and is on the wane playing against a largely inexperienced team with lots of potential. If anything, this reminds me more of the 2005 Ashes series, which England won 2-1 by overcoming the famed Australian team that had started to age and wane.
Incidentally, Australia won the first Test in 2005 before losing that series. An omen for this one perhaps?
That it came to such a dramatic end will surprise many, particularly those who were making comments about this being the worst Australian touring side to visit England since the mid-eighties and more recently when James Pattinson bowled a wide for the first ball of the Test.
There was a great deal of controversy throughout the game, not least involving the Decision Review System (DRS), which is nothing new. The system that allows team Captains to review a certain number of umpiring decisions through the course of a game is never going to be an exact science. Give the power to the third umpire.
Aside from this though, there were several other notable observations, including:
England have 3 bowlers:
While England named 4 bowlers (Finn, Anderson, Broad and Swann), only 3 of them looked like they were actually wicket takers. Finn stopped being dangerous once the pitch changed after Day 1 and was largely responsible for helping Ashton Agar (the Australian number 11) get his eye in and hit a world record 98 on debut.
Joe Root managed to chip in and get the wicket of Ed Cowan in the second innings, though this was more due to Cowan than any effort on Roots part.
The bowling stocks were so empty by Day 5 that Alastair Cook, the English captain, simply bowled his best bowlers (Anderson and Swann) into the ground, there was simply no-one else to go to.
Starc is the #11:
Australia tried a different batting line-up in both innings, with Agar coming in at #11 in the first, then #8 in the second. Most of the other bowlers moved around the order to accommodate this, apart from Mitchell Starc, who kept the #9 position and made 1 run for the match. Given that Siddle and (particularly) Pattinson both scored valuable runs or at least looked like they could, Starc should be moved to #11 where his T20 swatting belongs.
Australia need a time machine:
While Australia where able to stay competitive in the match, it was largely due to the ability of the bowlers to take 10 wickets for relatively low scores in both innings. Further, the wickets were spread amongst the bowlers, showing that there is some balance and options in the side.
The (known) issue here is the lack of experience and skill amongst the Australian batsmen. Chris Rogers showed his team-mates how one can bat in England, playing the ball late and guarding his wicket. Rogers also seemed to provide confidence to Shane Watson, who had his best match with the bat (and ball) in a long time.
While the some of the other batsmen (Smith, Hughes) are still young & could be forgiven for not having the experience needed, the same cannot be said for Clarke or Cowan. Clarke has scored more than Wilt Chamberlain did off the field of late, so should be given some leniency
Cowan, though, has only one test century to his name after 18 tests and clearly needs to develop the type of calm Rogers has at the wicket if he is to survive, but where is this experience to come from?
 |
| Ideas, anyone? |
Cook is no Captain:
Slightly controversial, particularly given England won the game, but one of the big weaknesses of the England team seems to be strategy and leadership. As mentioned earlier, Cook seemingly had no idea on how to win the game, so simply kept bowling Anderson and Swann until they were knackered. This is a poor plan for winning what is essentially a ten-test series.
Further, the fields set for Agar were all short, looking to prevent singles. Once Finn started bowling short & Agar started pulling, no adjustment was made until he was already set. England looked slow and arrogant in their belief that Agar couldn't bat.
 |
| Another solid strategy from the school of Captain Cook. |
2013 is so 2005:
As mentioned earlier, many English commentators were expecting to win this series comprehensively due to their seemingly all-around superiority, this doesn't seem so likely now.
What it seems we have now is a very good, experienced team that has a few stars and is on the wane playing against a largely inexperienced team with lots of potential. If anything, this reminds me more of the 2005 Ashes series, which England won 2-1 by overcoming the famed Australian team that had started to age and wane.
Incidentally, Australia won the first Test in 2005 before losing that series. An omen for this one perhaps?
Thursday 11 July 2013
Thought of the Day: When it comes to sporting development, size doesn't matter
A report in The Age written by the appropriately named Laura House today put forward the argument that Australia will lose sporting superiority as a result of greater urbanisation & the associated lack of recreational space.
While there is some base-level logic to this argument, it doesn't take into account the amount of highly successful sportspeople that come from urbanised areas that are short on recreational space such as backyards.
Indeed, many professional sports people in the USA come directly from heavily urbanised areas, though they have succeeded in the sports available to them (e.g. Basketball, Tennis). South East Asia has produced a raft (or the appropriate collective noun) of excellent table-tennis players, where space is also limited.
Even here in Australia, the cricketing family of the Harveys famously learned to play in the alleyways of Fitzroy.
Using this as a comparison, the days of games of backyard cricket or kick-to-kick may be on the wane in Australia, but this by no means will lead to a reduction in sporting development. More influential will be participation rates, with the emphasis being on parents to let their children out of the house to participate & "play".
While there is some base-level logic to this argument, it doesn't take into account the amount of highly successful sportspeople that come from urbanised areas that are short on recreational space such as backyards.
 |
| Rio de Janeiro, seen here heavily urbanised. Not seen are sportspeople or ridiculous bikinis. |
Indeed, many professional sports people in the USA come directly from heavily urbanised areas, though they have succeeded in the sports available to them (e.g. Basketball, Tennis). South East Asia has produced a raft (or the appropriate collective noun) of excellent table-tennis players, where space is also limited.
Even here in Australia, the cricketing family of the Harveys famously learned to play in the alleyways of Fitzroy.
 |
| Good for variable bounce, and syringes. |
Using this as a comparison, the days of games of backyard cricket or kick-to-kick may be on the wane in Australia, but this by no means will lead to a reduction in sporting development. More influential will be participation rates, with the emphasis being on parents to let their children out of the house to participate & "play".
Wednesday 10 July 2013
Thought of the Day: The Quokkas aren't that bad
Sporting news in from Africa tells me that losing just took on another dimension.
Helps make my own efforts seem not so bad.
Helps make my own efforts seem not so bad.
 |
| Sort of. |
Monday 8 July 2013
Thursday 4 July 2013
Question of the Day: Is Edward Snowden a Bothan?
Leaking information on the empire to Rebel groups? Sounds like it has precedent.
Snowden had best be careful.
Snowden had best be careful.
Wednesday 3 July 2013
Lesson of the Day: Husic should learn to bowl
When Australian-born politician, Ed Husic, was recently sworn into the cabinet following on from last weeks political change there was more than normal the level of response from the public (read: none).
Husic is a self-described non-practising Muslim and took the oath of office on the Koran, rather than the Bible or whatever it is people use to represent them speaking the truth. As a slight deviation, why don't we get politicians to keep their 'truth speaking' books with them at all times?
But I digress.
On the same day that Husic was abused for not taking his oath on the Bible (why are there no complaints when atheists take the oath?) Fawad Ahmed became and Australian citizen and possible inclusion in the Australian Test cricket team to much acclaim.
While Ahmed didn't turn heads (get it? pun on turning the ball) in his recent game with the Australia A team, he is arguably the best leg spinner we have in the country at the moment.
The lesson here? If Husic wants to avoid these sorts of ridiculous torts in future, he needs to work on his googly.
Husic is a self-described non-practising Muslim and took the oath of office on the Koran, rather than the Bible or whatever it is people use to represent them speaking the truth. As a slight deviation, why don't we get politicians to keep their 'truth speaking' books with them at all times?
But I digress.
On the same day that Husic was abused for not taking his oath on the Bible (why are there no complaints when atheists take the oath?) Fawad Ahmed became and Australian citizen and possible inclusion in the Australian Test cricket team to much acclaim.
While Ahmed didn't turn heads (get it? pun on turning the ball) in his recent game with the Australia A team, he is arguably the best leg spinner we have in the country at the moment.
The lesson here? If Husic wants to avoid these sorts of ridiculous torts in future, he needs to work on his googly.
 |
| Husic, pictured here not wrist-spinning. (photo courtesy of abc.net.au) |
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