The Wrap - Woo Easy

1. The World Cup ODI Final. Travis Head has arrived. Such an awesome striker of the ball and what an innings! It could go down as one of the greatest wins in cricket history by an Australian team. Making the final was a great achievement but winning it was next level. Smith did not produce in his last ODI World Cup and Marnus produced as predicted.

The bleatings by former Indian players (Mohammad Kaif was always a goose as Warnie said in his biography. Kaif wanted a room upgrade in the IPL and Warnie intervened..."I am the only one with a big room...grab your bag son and move on").

Ronnie McDonald and Pat Cummins have made a dent in world cricket already...world Test Series win, Ashes retained and a ODI World Cup win. Cumball!

Played in front of 92,000...very quiet fans. India should never lose tournaments of any nature with their strike power.

How about Josh Inglis in the T20 arena. 100 off 45 balls. Is Carey now finished? Do selectors look ahead to the next Ashes.

2. EPL. Wide open and Man City have not set the world on fire. Haaland has another 14 goals to date and is leading the way. He could just back up on last year's record at this rate. Ange has a test tonight. Another loss won't help his cause. Robbie Williams may be penning different lyrics!

3. Golf. Is Cameron Smith losing it? The most extraordinary outburst in this tournament. Appearance fee banked and out the door, but very odd. Min Woo-Lee too good at -20!. Poised and composed till the end. Great future ahead there.

4. Davis Cup Tennis. Hard to believe that Australia plays Italy in a final. Last time that happened it was with the great former Epping politician - John Alexander. Lleyton Hewitt (World No. 1 for 80 weeks and in the top ten longest streaks in the No. 1 world's best position) is coaching the house down. Bought a house at Glenhaven and carving it up! No Djokovic to contend with in the final but Sinner will be tough. 

5. Everton. Perennial Premier League relegation ice skaters. Docked ten points and likely to go this year. Massive legal cases loom for their indiscretions re financial mismanagement and unfair advantage gained. man City face similar. Will they relegate them? Chelsea too? Interesting times.

5. RIP Paul Sait. Tough as teak.

6. Newcastle Knights. Re-signing key players (Saifiti, Best) and Coach O'Brien, but getting some gun English players and a few other ducks in a row... starting to build nicely.

7. 150 Year Test. Interesting to see we are almost up to the 150th celebration between Australia and England (1977 was the Centenary Test of course). Big MCG celebration assured there.

8. Rugby Australia. What else can they get wrong? Honestly. Sacked the head, the coach and what next? It is a comedy show.

The Wrap - Garden of Eden

1. ODI World Cup. A super win v South Africa in the semi final on a tough deck. Great bowling by Starc and Hazelwood to launch it after a tight opening. Lots of key early wickets consigned South Africa to the World Cup dustbin again. They do struggle under pressure. Travis Head can turn games on their head - even with the ball so it seems! He and Warner are absolutely key to our chances in the final.

What about the anticipated 130,000 crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium?  Talk about a lions den. This will be an experience of a lifetime for the Aussies and make for excellent viewing in the next edition on Prime! Such a big stage, but the likes of Rohit Sharma, Gill, Kohli, Iyer, Rahul... these are top class players on their decks. Not to mention the best attack in world cricket - Bumrah, Sami, Siraj, Jadeja... and Ravi Ashwin is not even playing! (He and Kohli have never seen eye to eye).

Kohli is magnificent. 50 ODI tons is pretty amazing, beating Sachin Tendulkar. 

After a rough start, Australia have surely overachieved. However an innings of mastery by Steve Smith tonight is due. So is Marnus. This is the stuff of legend. Not sure how Zampa will go against these Indians. He needs to get more loop and bowl a little slower at times. I doubt they will be quaking in their boots. If we had Shane Warne however...

A bad tournament for Green, Stoinis and Carey (his petulance with the binoculars in the Ashes may have betrayed his true character a little). Warner and Starc have been magnificent. A coming of age tournament for Zampa, Mitchell Marsh, Head and Inglis...these guys are our future for a while. Age will decimate the team soon. 

2. Eddie Jones. When does he leave the country? Too much press for a guy who should be a lot quieter after recent events. McLennan goes too and will learn that recruitment defines each and every one of us in our professional lives.

3. Socceroos. Meaningless World Cup qualifiers must annoy a lot of club teams. Honestly, they travel like kings and look to be some of the most sour, dour and boring individuals on earth. The sense of "team" is interesting. It looks a lot about "me" in these parts. Graham Arnold is a legendary coach however. No EPL of course this week.

4. NRL Salary Cap Concessions. It does seem ludicrous that other codes with no salary caps can stop the progress of the game. Rugby's "world stage" line is struggling for traction a bit now. Nick Politis has got Joseph Suaali in line for a return. It might happen sooner that we thought.

On signings, it is really slim pickings these days. Astute investment in youth is needed now more than ever. Matt Moylan gone overseas as well... a good move.

5. Swans AFLW. Smashed, but a semi-final win in their first year is pretty impressive. Good for the game of AFL which seems to be growing and growing in strength. No big blokes who wallop you mercilessly impresses mums and dads.

6. Sheffield Shield. Renshaw picks up a double fail. Harris marginally better. No one really getting runs although a bloke by the name of Beau Webster (Tasmania) continues to excel. In all forms of the game. A power hitter and a sensible player under pressure. NSW in all sorts of bother again. They need a batting coach and selectors who can spot promise. Dropping Sangha and Jack Edwards (injured?) is not a great move when the blokes coming in get nothing either. 

7. Novak Djokovic. This guy is a slick machine. Into the final of the ATP Finals v Sinner. Absolutely smashed Alcarez who has a lot to learn to regularly beat the best ever player in world tennis. This will shatter all records here. The bad news? He's not finished yet either!

The Wrap - Maxi Taxi

1. World Cup Cricket. Mitch Marsh is back in town and crushes 177no, carving up the minnows. Two World Cup tons now. I guess someone has to do it, but it bodes well for the finals. The Glenn Maxwell innings v the Afghanistanis was pretty amazing too in the tight circumstances. Can't imagine a 201no in most forms of Australian cricket for some time to come. Our batting is just not that strong at any level.

Warner sits on 499 runs for the tournament after 9 games. He is such a special talent. Marsh has hit 426 runs and Maxwell leaps up to 397 runs (Quentin de Kock leads on 591 runs). 

Zampa, the tennis ball thrower, has the most wickets at the World Cup - 22. At 18.91 mind you too. A great tournament.

2. Bangladesh Cricket - 'Timed Out' dismissal. Bangladesh are one of the most underperforming teams in world cricket. Sri Lanka had achieved a lot more than them at a similar stage in the top flight. They look a little more feisty than most and yet they lose for fun. They need to improve their bowling... and stop finding silly outs and conflict as their way forward. Angelo Matthews needs a rocket too. Silliness. Sri Lanka have sacked their entire cricket board too. Chaos.

The last bloke 'timed out' in world cricket was Greg Dalton in hotel cricket in the mid 90's, unpacking a case of beer.

The Bangladeshis were duly thumped by Australia and cricket fans shed no tears. Mercifully England bow out and so do Pakistan. Both highly inconsistent teams.

At the end of the group stage, we are best placed v South Africa and need three or four wickets earlier than most - de Kock, van der Dussen, Markram et al. Nothing new there. The deck at Eden Gardens seams around a fair bit, esp. under lights. Really hard to chase runs on that deck, so it will be a 'win the toss and bat' scenario... or perish!

3. Imperatriz. This horse is something special, even if it is from NZ. Too quick for Alligator Blood, Mr Brightside and In Secret over 1200m at Flemington. It has won eight Group 1s now...incredible. Six this year. It has joined the greats of Australian racing now. Yet the owners did not run it in the Everest? Crazy. "She prefers left handers" - running counter-clockwise...what? The quickest horse in the business!

4. Rugby League - Bulldogs. They can find controversy easy enough. Still missing a half back for mine, but a stronger team. More experience now. If they flop in 2024 there will be heads rolling...Gus' mainly. Bronson Xerri has extreme pace which will compensate for losing Jake Averillo, but Xerri's hands and passing/ ball skills were always suspect. It will be interesting to see what he has developed in his enforced lay off.

5. Ange Postocoglou. A thumping loss at home to Chelsea 1-4 was not good mid week. Ill disciplined play with send offs did not help. Another loss to Wolves 2-1 after being up 1-0 for most of the match too. Serious injuries are depleting the team now... an interesting time ahead for the three time consecutive EPL Manager of the Month (something very few managers have achieved). ... suddenly the Ange song has gone a bit quieter.

6. Meg Lanning. Retired and gone. One of the very best of her long career. Such an elegant, sensible bat and a composed leader through an era when Australian Womens' cricket has been the dominant world leader in a single sport.

7. Sydney Swans Womens AFL team. Into the semis from nowhere... great spirit and skill. AFLW is becoming a more watchable game now. They beat the Suns in their elimination semi final and now play the top ranked Adelaide. The games are usually so tight, anything might happen here.

8. ATP Finals Tennis. Novak Djokovic is looking to take a record breaking seventh ATP Finals singles win in Turin, Italy this week. The old 'Masters Cup'. He will move past Federer if he does. In doubles, John McEnroe and Peter Fleming were doubles champions for seven years in a row (1978-1984). Seven is the record in doubles, six in singles.

9. NSW Sheffield Shield. And then suddenly they win. Intriguing they can nail WA and all their stars, but struggle against others. More runs, more wickets and less blokes preening themselves and telling everyone they are hitting it well in the nets. Has there ever been a batsman who has not hit them well in the nets? No pressure, high rotation and no fielders!

WA do themselves no favours. So many of their players simply cannot bat on pitches outside WA. Not good for national selection.

The Warner opening spot remains an open contest. I suspect some will want Mitchell Marsh there longer term to play that Warner role. Marcus Harris? Matt Renshaw? Cameron Bancroft... Where is Will Pucovski.. where's Wally?

The Wrap - Kiwi Revenge

Rugby League. What a terrible loss! New Zealand were sharp and may be showing a turning tide in the rugby league world order as the Pacific Islands and Maori players dominate the NRL too. They were too strong and tough. Australia mention a 'bad attitude' and 'complacency'... surely not. This was an international final, even though the crowd made it look like a park final. Very concerning that it was the Australian Kangaroos who lost so easily. 30-0 is a record loss and the proud work of bygone eras may see Mal Meninga in strife long term too. 

Conversely Michael Maguire adds a Pacific International win to his CV. Impressive that he could get the most out of his team against such odds. Maybe 'Tiger Town' was an aberration on his career where he has won the comp with Souths as well of course. Hopefully NSW Blues redemption awaits.

Could be time for a few of those players to rest and recuperate. Fisher-Harris and Moses Leoto especially.

ODI Cricket. Nothing better than beating England in cricket - no matter what format. The Poms played with such recklessness. Coach Matthew Mott will be back in Australia before we know it. What a misery that experience has been. 

Adam Zampa continues to get wickets - mainly caught - but he takes them at key moments. Leg spin is such a powerful art. The batting still is of concern. Steve Smith needs to break the shackles at some point. Kohli and de Kock are running rings around him. He may be closer to retirement than we want to admit. Still a legend of the game.

It would not be cricket without a drama from the Marsh family. Hopefully Mitchell can make a comeback and contribute. Stoinis getting runs is rare gold. Cameron Green too.

Looks like we are in the semis after a woeful start. Playing Afghanistan and Bangladesh yet and two wins may see us avoid India which would be valuable. The groundsmen will already be preparing an absolute turner for the final. India must be $1.01 to win. They are dominant - and should be screaming favourites.

Horse Racing - Melbourne Cup. Confident that Gold Trip with JMac on board can double it up. Like Without A Fight and Soulcombe (a place). Vow and Declare is not hopeless and would join Peter Pan as the only other horse to win the Cup twice after a gap of years.

Archer (1861, 1862), Peter Pan (1932, 1934), Rain Lover (1968, 1969) and Think Big (1974, 1975) are the only others outside of Makybe Diva (three times - 2003, 2004, 2005) as multiple winners.

Given recent events, it stands to be a NZ horse who wins - especially with rain forecast.

EPL. Tottenham take on Chelsea this week to retain top spot. It will be a close one with Chelsea itching for a victory after a few dismal outings. Man City hammered Bournemouth 6-1 without Haaland scoring once (!) who was injured at half time. 

MLB. Texas Rangers crush the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 where Aussie, Craig Shipley (ex Epping Boys HS) is in the senior management. A great achievement but a quiet and humbling exit.

Shield Cricket. NSW continue to fall (although beat WA in an ODI game). Charlie Wakim from Tassie may become a possible batsman to watch int the future. No one is blowing the door down however. So inconsistent and lacking the hard edge. Back in the day, Dene Hills, Jamie Cox, Michael di Venuto, Stuart Law, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love used to peel off the tons every week and none of them played Tests!