Cricket: The Australian shine of disappointment

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 24: Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith (capt) of Australia having a chat with the umpires during day 3 of the 3rd Sunfoil Test match between South Africa and Australia at PPC Newlands on March 24, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Newlands has been a very telling centre point for one of Australia’s darkest days of cricket; if not the most.  It stems back to before the Ashes of the summer just gone; heck, probably goes further back with the culture and “bully attitude” some talk about in world cricket.  Australians are rightfully disappointed at their national cricket team doing something woefully silly.

Then it came and bit captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft where it hurts the most.  The light has finally been shed on what was – as Smith put it – a “premeditated action by the leadership group” – then exposed all the scraps and crumbs behind it, which had already begun to surface in recent months.

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Clarke’s career beats everything else

Clarke acknowledges the crowd (photo: from thepeptalk.com.au)

For all the rubbishing of Australia over their disastrous defeat at the hands of England at Trent Bridge, Michael Clarke has been at the centre of it in many ways.

The on-field leader, Clarke demands and takes responsibility for his now former charges, as of the end of the Ashes series. 

Cricket: Saying goodbye to a little champion personally

Tributes for Phil Hughes left outside the South Entrance at the Adelaide Oval (photo: Davis Harrigan)

It has been one of the most emotional weeks of cricket during my lifetime.

I did not know the man Phillip Hughes – aka “Hughesy” or “Boof” – but I saw him play many times live and on TV.  The situation that unfolded this week, bringing the cricket world to a standstill, truly hit home when I attended a women’s Twenty20 game between the South Australia Scorpions and the Australian Capital Territory Meteors on Friday, at Adelaide Oval No. 2, behind the spectacular main ground.

Phil Hughes; talented and now gone at 25

Phil Hughes (photo: Cricket Australia)

The cricket world is hurting this week.  I’m hurting. The news rocked us all.

The age of 25 is far too young; what hurts even more is the death was on a sporting field, with the sportsman doing something he loved.

Cricket: Day/night test cricket a pink blow to the heart

Kane Williamson of NZL v West Indies; shots like this may disappear with the pink ball (photo: WICB Media/Randy Brooks)

As the traditional form of the game, test cricket is not something that can – or should – be radically altered.

Now, though, that scene has the potential to change.

Cricket: Spinning our way into the unknown

James Muirhead playing for the Melbourne Stars (photo: SMH/Getty Images)

Australian cricket saw what could be considered its best summer last year – the last one came against India just a couple of short years back.

Breaking down the constituents, one topic of interest has seemingly plagued journos, critics and fans alike; why is there so much talk about the choice of a front-line spinner?

Cricket: Southern Stars 3-peat a major boost

 

Australia’s cricketers celebrate their WT20 triumph (photo: Cricket Australia)

Australia’s female cricketers returned this week from what was a gutsy and determined World Twenty20 campaign in Bangladesh – and they returned with silverware.

Throughout the course of the tournament, the quality of the performances was high, and the games enthralling.  Forget that the crowds were small, or that most overseas viewers could not tune in visually until the semi-finals. 

Cricket: World Twenty20: Did Australia blow expectations in Bangladesh?

The expressions from Bailey & Starc sums up Australia’s campaign (photo: Getty Images)

Australian Twenty20 captain George Bailey had big shoes to fill, after the national side won an astonishing 12 of 13 games against England during the recent summer.

Travelling to Bangladesh red hot on form, things took a turn the moment Pakistan wielded the willow in their first group game in Mirpur.

Cricket: WNCL T20: Queensland breathe fire over Meteors for maiden state title

The Queensland Fire celebrate another ACT Meteors wicket @ the WACA (photo: Cricket Australia)

 

Queensland Fire batsman Delissa Kimmince put on a show at the WACA on Friday, pummelling her way to a match-winning 78 from just 52 balls as Queensland took a resounding seven wicket victory and a maiden WT20 title.

Cricket: Where has the notion of “select the experienced” gone?

Matthew Hayden in One Day Colours (photo: The Age)

Well, one answer could be nowhere.  The experience still exists, but is forgotten amidst the desire to select the brightest prospects as mere “pups”.

Ten years ago, Australia’s test side was comprised of experience, runs and depth.