Sunday, June 11, 2023

The Wrap - Lame Hypocrisy ALIVe

1. Test Championship Cricket - Australia v India. The Oval always dishes up an interesting pitch. Love the iconic ugly gas / water tank in the outfield. The 444 chase suddenly does not look as daunting when it is split across two days. The nerves will be jangling and Kohli, Rahane and Jadeja are BIG, BIG game players. Incredible records for all three. Jadeja is the best all rounder in world cricket by a long way. Hopefully we will not be talking world records and 'best ever' in tomorrow's paper. This Shardul Thakur never seems to miss when he plays Australia though. His batting is amazing. He is another all rounder to watch.

Which brings us to the talented Aussie all rounder, Cameron Green. Classic catches galore, but he also disappoints in big moments with the bat and needs to prove his worth under pressure against quality bowling attacks. A definite second innings catch... funny how everything is expected to fall India's way when you are as entitled as their players and fans are. Nice to see Shastri agreeing it was a catch. Very rare from their commentators.

A great game, helped by clear skies. This is the type of weather that will help Australia on the Ashes tour...if the rain and overcast skies come our way, we will struggle with the bat. Travis Head and Steve Smith - superb both. Khawaja and Warner need to move their feet energetically or perish. They both looked very tired and lazy. Warner's terrible effort in the slips was even more worrying.

2. LIV Golf - PGA Golf Truce. So when the filthy lucre comes around to the PGA, they take it, betray their loyal players and claim that this is because of a better way forward. The hypocrisy is incredible and then they talk tough too... suspensions and fines? Please... not a chance. A nice little investment portfolio awaits the loyal players so they say, but there is a lot of credibility at stake... resignations are surely not far away. A few players might prefer the cash. Greg Norman's reputation is battered... the great white guppy.

All the while Rory McElroy ploughs on at the Canadian Open...third overnight.

3. NRL Round 15. The upsets keep flowing. Souths lose...Cronulla lose... Dolphins smashed and Tigers limp again. They even have Luke Brooks rejecting a contract renewal! No surprise, the club have sought Munster, Pearce...Moses. Brooks needs to move on, but not lots of options out there for him.

Dylan Brown has completely let his team down and a reminder has been sent to the Integrity Commission that the meagre $5K fine (with a promise to defend his privacy in court) for sex in a public toilet all those years ago has potentially spawned worse behaviour. The Eels struggle every long weekend and the Bulldogs will be tough. A win for Parramatta and an extra bye will have them firmly in the top six! They have a very favourable for and against as well to position themselves well with a few extra wins. Brad Arthur beats the Brian Smith Parramatta coaching record as well. 52% win record is still too skinny.

The Broncos have four free points from byes still owing and are favourites for the minor premiership now. A top victory v Newcastle, who have improved a lot it must be said.

NSW Origin. Going to be an interesting team - and a losing team when announced this week. Hard to believe Nicho is the right man. The Storm did a number on him on Sunday which will not have helped. Matt Moylan's defence is not good either. Melbourne smashed the Sharks and underlined how hard they are to beat. 

4. AFL. The lack of urgency by the Swans at home v St Kilda was appalling when the game was on the line. They have become a bunch of complete under performers. Incredible lack of energy and drive...regardless of injuries. Mediocrity and going out backwards. Hawthorn on the other hand belted the more fancied Brisbane. Richmond also nailed Freo. Spirit. GWS hanging in there.

5. Man City. Their incredible treble is now confirmed - FA Cup, EPL Championship and the Champions League (1-0 v Inter Milan) winners. Best in quite a long time! (1998/99 ManU team was the last one). 

6. Ange Postocoglou - Tottenham Hotspurs Coach. What an outstanding achievement and just reward for his work. A big time promotion now as a coach in the top flight! he has the second best winning record as manager at Celtic ever!

7. NBA. The Denver Nuggets are on the cusp of their first NBA Championship. Up 3-1 v Miami Heat.

8. Stanley Cup. The Las Vegas Golden Knights lead the Florida Panthers 3-1 as well. The engraver is getting twitchy!

9. Novak Djokovic. He will become the highest ever Grand Slam winning player if he wins tonight v Casper Ruud. That will take him to 23 Grand Slam wins...one ahead of Nadal. It will possibly never ever be beaten. Carlos Alcarez was very disappointing in his semi final loss to Djokovic.

Iga Swiatek also won a tremendous final v Karolina Muchova.. who joins the long line of '-ovas' who have contested women's Grand Slam tennis finals.... Navratilova... Sharapova... Kuznetsova... Kitova... Sukova...Mandlikova...Cibulkova...Safarova...Pliskova...Vondrousova!

 It is Swiatek's fourth Grand Slam win (three French Opens, one US Open). She is 4/4 wins in finals!

10. Super Rugby. Hard to find this sport anywhere in the media, but the Waratahs were duly belted - and the Reds - and the Drua. The Waratahs are such an ongoing annual disappointment and no Michael Hooper next year either. However the good old Brumbies hold our fortunes as usual. The Chiefs will be tough, but if there is a team who can win, it is them!

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