Wrap - Thunder Chunder

1. Another BBL season and another disastrous one for the Sydney Thunder. They can shoot themselves in the foot like no other franchise. Excuses tend to dominate - lost Khawaja and Patterson to injury before the start of the season, Hussey as well...Sandhu, Cummins to international duty. If you saw McDonald's pathetic dismissal v Stars you will definitely agree he needs the axe and quickly.

However a special vote of criticism needs to go to the management who continue to produce pathetic pitches. The pitch in Spotless Stadium was woeful - and diabolical at best. How they can present this as good enough is beyond me. The Thunder management should sack the ground crew with McDonald. They are costing them victory - and costing them crowd numbers...

If you look at the Scorchers and the Heat, the crowds know there will be a good deck and plenty of runs. Drop in pitches are pathetic - as evidenced by the MCG pitch this year. Get back to basics.

2. Nick Kyrgios. Are you Seyrgious? For all his promise, this bloke is quickly heading down Tomic Avenue. He needs to walk in a bit closer and hear this. You are becoming a caricature of all that is wrong with tennis. The haircuts, the suits, the injuries...the scandals (soon). We are over tennis brats, big time. Pull your head in and play tennis and don't become a self centred brat who loves himself to death...mystery viruses and pulling out of tournaments. Open your eyes and get your hangers on to get their noses out of the trough too. Wake up.

3. Asian Cup. Why is it that Ange Postocoglou has that dopey look of loser about him so often? Two bright wins (4-0 each) and then back to the usual blame and mumbling, eyes averted from the camera. I can hear knives sharpening. Some of those crowd numbers have been spectacular.

4. Interesting to see Shane Watson hit another 40. Starc has stepped up - thanks to Warnie - and is bowling fast. I must say that Maxwell is a worry. He folds under pressure too often. Meek and lame dismissals from brain snaps better be eliminated sooner rather than later or he will have a degree from the University of Cottee's by the end of the World Cup.

5. Chelsea v Man City is hotting up in the race for the best team...hard work at this time of year, but entertaining! How good are Southampton going? No relegation, but maybe even Champions League! The back end of the season will be a test for them.

6. Some awesome power hitting in the ODI series in South Africa. AB De Villiers a ton off 31 balls. Incredible. The bowling from the Windies however was simply awful! The ground is a joke too. But, it is a good wicket. Chris Gayle has been awesome too.

7. The biggest choke in world golf happened last night too, when Martin Kaymer blew a ten stroke lead in Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. When France’s world No. 357 Gary Stal can win an event like this, you marvel at the talent of these blokes at the top end. None are members at Parramatta Golf Course..

8. Robert Allenby. Talk about a big night out. Chucked out of the boot of a car? Kidnapped? Found by a homeless woman? Terrible if true, but I suspect there is more to the story. Sounds like he was mouthing off and got pinned. Dave Warner better watch out.