1. MCG Pitch. Interviewing the head groundsman before a Test is fraught with danger. Especially when they talk of a 10mm grass surface left on the pitch. It may not seem that much, but it sounds horrific to the layperson, especially when the ball moves around so much. Apologising afterwards is a little pathetic too. Fancy rolling out the heads groundsman to bake him publicly. The drop in deck is the issue.
Incredible how we now have three of the biggest seaming decks in world cricket now (Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne). Sydney will no doubt serve up a couple of wet days which will help the broadcasters get to a fifth day! Are we meant to feel sorry for Cricket Australia? Hardly. They are money grabbing and their pathetic inability to make the BBL a dominant force tells us that THEY are bad for business.
The batsmen however seemed disinterested in gutsing it out. They played like they had already won the Ashes. The Steve Smith impact was cut short for the same reason... he was reckless in exposing the tail when batting and slow to bring Boland on in the fourth innings as well. He wasn't at his best either. Rarely is he ever bowled.
2. Batsman on Notice. Weatherald, Marnus, Usman, Green and Carey all gave in far too easily. They also did it in two successive innings each. The Green run out, the Usman catch at fine leg, the Marnus silly drive...pathetic really.
All of them bar Carey are on notice and some careers will again come under the spotlight before and then in Sydney. Green bowls so infrequently to warrant his spot, but bowling at 140kph makes him valuable. If only the captains (Cummins and Smith) saw it too. His fielding has been so so, and his batting extravagant and ill disciplined. Ironically, his age is probably saving him more than anything else at present.
Our long list of failed all rounders spring to mind... Trevor Laughlin, Gary Cosier, Peter Sleep, Bruce Yardley, Tony Dodemaide, Simon O'Donnell, Trevor Chappell, Greg Matthews, Brendan Julian, Mark Waugh (averaged 40 with both), Steve Waugh, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh all failed in one of the two disciplines. If a great bat, their bowling was ordinary and vice versa.... or ordinary in both.
Green is no Jacques Kallis. Yet England just peel them off... Tony Greig, Ian Botham, Freddy Flintoff and Ben Stokes are all well above our lot. Even Richie Benaud and Allan Davidson only averaged in the 24 range with the bat in Tests. (Paul Reiffel averaged better with the bat after a smiliar number of tests - 26.55). Keith Miller was the last legendary Australian all rounder who excelled with bat and ball... seventy to eighty years ago. They are hard to find.
3. Next SCG Test. A 3-2 series result looms based on our batting form. Our batting has been suspect for a long time. We need some new blood. These advertisements for cash are taxing on the body. Nathan Lyon, Pat 'The Cash' Cummins and Hazelwood have all struggled with the weight of silly advertisements. The cricket can get quite inconvenient, but so long as the cash rolls in!
4. Sydney to Hobart Yachting Race. It is hard to find anyone who actually cares. The footage and race coverage has been unchanged and ordinary for the past 50 years. You get footage travelling out the heads, a few still photos, a dodgy satellite phone link or two and that is about it. No scorecard or ongoing update. Boring. Then the champagne shot on the dock in Hobart and that is it. Poor footage and sadly the rich blokes retire it all for a year and sip their champagne. Are we meant to cheer?
5. BBL. Some cracking games so far, especially by the Melbourne Stars (the only franchise that has never won it!), but how the comp lacks star power. Most of the 'stars' are in South Africa for their version. It has been on the decline for the past four or five years. Incredible batting is quite stunning - especially at the Gabba, but the bowling struggles. Remarkably, Peter Siddle is still dominating.
The Thunder are dreadful again never having secured a top bat since Hussey and Kallis dominated for them. They already have five wooden spoons and look set for a sixth this season.
A Vlandy's type slot for BBL - all private stakeholders world wide - is surely the future. One from 'SportsBet'..'TAB'...'NEDs'...Channel 7...Foxtel...Telstra... Toyota and an energy company and they are all set.
6. NFL. One and a half rounds remain and the play offs are upon us. The Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks look safe. The Bears too. The Patriots should roll the Jets...then the Dolphins. They have had a remarkable year.
7. EPL. Aston Villa have had a great season currently sitting in third spot with Man City above them in second spot. Awesome seasons and extended undefeated stretches for both clubs. Arsenal lead, but don't look super convincing at present. The three relegated teams are almost determined - Wolves (2), Burnley (12) and West Ham (13 points). Tottenham and Notts Forest both continue to look shaky.
8. Winter Olympics 2026. "It's Your Vibe" is the theme... if you live in a country or a part of a country with snow. Bring back Cool Runnings...or Jana Pittman.
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