The Wrap - Hogwash

1. Marnus Labuschagne. His two innings in Sydney (with plenty of help from the super talented Steve Smith) have helped shaped the game. Like Warne and Andrew Symonds said though (BTW, who thought putting the two of them together was ever going to be a good idea? Last time in England it landed in a disaster on that Ashes tour), he needs to iron out some stupid immature bits to his game. Asking inane questions from short leg, blowing bubble gum bubbles (often this signals he will get out soon) and the ridiculous exaggerated "no run" antics need to be removed from his game. Smith is no better on this last one. None of that does any favours to him. Stick to run outs, great catches and poise at the crease. He has been a remarkable find. 

Warnie has probably summed up many thoughts of viewers (and he is teflon man at the best of times), but Roy always seems to be a bit too extreme. It started with chasing drunks and shoulder charging blokes running onto the field... then a string of silly advertisements. As many runs as Marnus has and will score, would have been a better memory.

2. Steve Smith. How good is this bloke? Smith (62.07) has now edged ahead to have the best Australian Test Cricket batting average since the great Adam Voges (61.87). Marnus currently averages over 60 in his 17 tests too. A fair start.

3. Nathan Lyon. Wicketless in this Test thus far. A million appeals and DRS nightmares (Paine has a problem on his hands...maybe Smith will get the captaincy again after all. Alex Carey or Daniel Hughes surely comes into the team. I like Nick Larkin too. Carey can play and might just replace the woeful Wade as well).

Lyon needs to roar and guide the team to victory! He needs to show class and patience on a favourable deck. That or give Allan Border the ball!

4. Racism - Sydney Tests. This Indian squad sometimes sound like Australia when we used to tour India in the 1970s and 1980s and whinge about the accommodation, the food, the weather, the people and everything else... The ugly side of racist taunts has no place in any part of our sport and society - including to our Aboriginal brothers and sisters - but to say it has happened for years revisits the famous two right handed gloves from the time wasting Ishant Sharma, the Michael Clarke wickets test... but I firmly remember Laxman and Tendulkar scoring so many runs it was ridiculous. That kept the fools very quiet.

5. Bumrah. He has done it at least twice now, but he is a spoilt brat sometimes. His latest trick? Knocking the bails off the stumps when the umpire rules against him...at the end of the over or between balls. Not when coming in to bowl - but when returning to his mark. I saw it Day 1 and again today. Fool. Such players should be penalised runs which go against their bowling eg. 20 runs.

6. Tests - Perfect Storm. The drums are beating louder. The Gabba Test could be off still, especially with an Indian loss tomorrow at the SCG. India seem very churlish at present. They need Shastri to exercise some leadership.

7. NFL Play Offs. Tom Brady has proven his class with a fine display with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the things on the side of your buccan head). Meanwhile the New England Patriots sit at home. He was the difference and was moved on a trifle premature - especially when the Patriots had no ready made replacement.

8. NRL. No known catastrophes this week on 'Idiot Watch'. There is always a later pre-season goose or two...or an Australia Day cruise aftermath. AFL's Jonathan Patton is keeping them busy south of the border.

9. BBL. When will we see our first instance of five runs from one of the three caps worn by the skipper of a BBL team falling onto a saved or fielded ball? Are these umpires losing it? Are they going to catch COVID from a player in the bubble? Impossible, but this nonsense continues.

We had one bloke - Popeye - not even signal a power surge the other night and Carey and Finch needed to sort it out. That bloke is hideous. Watch out for him. He has the Southern Cross tatoo on the forearm. Popeye. He also specialises in LBW decisions off the bat.

The Wrap - Big Bubbles, No Troubles

1. NRL. Are we serious that Penrith's Brent Naden - who apparently tested positive to cocaine - is now right to resume pre season training with his club? Great work by the doctors and club officials. Assuming the public media reports are correct, how can this occur? Sure, the 'young player with mental health issues' argument will be rolled out, but this is a really poor example for the code and for every aspiring league player. I cannot believe V'landys has not stepped in here. The precedent is staggering. Old mate James Segeyaro surely comes back and any other number of players... Reni Maitua, Sandor Earl and the gang (Ben Barba, Jason Smith, Jarrod Mullen, Karmichael Hunt, Mick Gordon, Kevin Proctor, Jesse Bromwich...) may be tuning up their solicitors.

2. SCG Test Cricket. There is something very unusual about a mandatory mask rule in Sydney and then allowing a 20,000 crowd at the cricket. Nothing at all to do with the SCG Trust of course... or the new stadium policy and rebuild at Moore Park. The SCG Trust? Stephanie Brantz, Michael Crismale, David Gilbert, Nihal Gupta, John Hartigan, Peter Ivany AM, Alan Jones AO, Kerrie Mather, Maurice Newman, Barry O'Farrell, Katie Page, Phil Waugh. A little influence there perhaps?

The big difference to the rugby league, rugby, soccer, is that it is an all day event. I think that is the strange bit. However, Kerry Chant would not give you breakfast if she thought it was dangerous. 

Interesting comments by the Shadow State QLD Health Minister "Well, if the Indians don't want to play by the rules, then don't come". This will fire the BCCI up, being told they need to follow the rules. There is an Indian strategy here too. A victory in Sydney will almost assure the Indians of a ICC World Test Championship (2019-2021) gig and will negate a useless fourth test (Why we ever have series that are an even number of tests is beyond me). See the progress points below.

3. Indian Cricketers/ Australian Cricketers. Is it any surprise that we are continuing to see spoilt cricketers behaving like prize clowns with little regard for anyone but themselves? It is a growth industry. Blissful ignorance as if they are demi-gods. Possible COVID breaches from the Indian cricketers... the COVID bubble protects the professional sportsman from themselves chiefly. It also keeps more of them away from others so there will hopefully be fewer issues...but then online and social media becomes the greater risk.

Watch for pathetic Indian Cricket Board excuses (Although sympathies are extended to Ganguly of course...a fierce competitor). Did they actually tell the players? Cricket Australia are hardly covering themselves with glory. An agreed outdoor eating rule? That sounds ludicrous. 

4. NRL Off Season. Not sure if Peter V'landys was behind it (!), but the closure of niteclubs in Sydney should prevent a few more off season issues.

5. BBL Umpires. After their glorious work from last week, we saw an LBW off the bat this week. We see no balls not called and overstepping bowlers unchecked. There is a complete lack of talent in the umpiring ranks. I wonder how much contemplation of the over rates/ players, 'power surge' windows, fielding circles, Duckworth-Lewis, no ball and wide rules all get in the way of the basics?

6. BBL High Achievers. Glenn Maxwell is in fine hitting form. Shaun Marsh has looked powerful. Josh Philippe is one of our best. So are Riley Meredith, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey, Tanvir Sangha, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Liam Hatcher, Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Ellis, Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies. I am starting to think that there should be an end of season 'best of' game, as voted by the fans. COVID won't allow this of course, but this would be a huge success - esp. if at the Gabba...north (uniting QLD and NSW) v south? (Heat, Sixers, Thunder v Stars, Renegades, Strikers, Hurricanes, Scorchers).

How bad are the Renegades? They are back to the bottom of the heap. Poor imports seem to be their specialty.

7. A League. Hard to believe that Sydney FC will not be in the finals and contesting for the dunny seat trophy again in 2021. They seem to be the most professional and most prepared - without excuses and dramas. Surprising to see The Mariners actually winning anything. About time.

8. EPL. ManU have come screaming back into contention now that the same number of games have been completed. Liverpool and ManU are now three points ahead of Leicester and Everton. A lot more ups and downs in season 2020-2021. Tottenham doing a lot of good things... West Brom and Sheffield United look cooked already.

9. New Zealand Test Cricket. The best Test nation in world cricket?  That sounds dream-like, but everyone knows they cannot possibly lay claim to that if they travelled to play tests. The vast majority of their Test victories since 2016-17 are at home on decks that they are most familiar with - not hospitable for international teams. COVID has assisted them. This Jamieson, the big blonde quick looks good on the seaming, rising NZ decks.

The Wrap - Rexona Umpiring

1. Test Cricket. Australian Test Cricket batting has been bad for twelve months. Burns is a laughable selection. I am sure that if you were an opener in Shield cricket you would be none too pleased. Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Marcus Harris? Steve Smith single handedly kept us afloat, but as for some of the others. Wade is not a Test opener either. There just seems to be too many excuses for mine. Green needs more guidance, but has the goods bowling at 140kph+...impressive numbers  He needs to watch his hands hold up.

I would like to see Tim Paine be a little more attacking at times. He can be negative with one less slip or no leg slip. The only way we win is to take wickets.

Jadeja is an old pro cricketer who knows what is required and when. He plays key moments better than most other cricketers world wide. Rahane was brilliant!

2. Test Cricket Fumbles. There was some really poor catching on Sunday which cost Australia. None worse than that effort by Travis Head at the end. Honestly. So poor for a Test player. He disappoints too often, yet has a lot of talent. He is in trouble if he doesn't produce in the second innings.

3. Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc. As good as they both are, is it harsh to say that neither seem to get wickets when we need them most? Lyon rarely gets first innings, upper order wickets. Maybe because he doesn't open the bowling, but interesting stats below...

4. Kane Williamson. How good is this bloke? 22 Test tons at 52.50...not bad. He is hard to toss. Non-descript...like the bloke who reads your gas meter!

5. The BBL. Slowly picking up impetus. Nicholas Pooran (West Indies) was awesome on Saturday night for the Melbourne Stars. A big hitter and crisp! One to watch. Daniel Hughes was amazing too in reply. Liking this young Oliver Davies for the Sydney Chunder as well. A clean hitter of the ball. The Renegades were awful. The Sydney Sixes will be hard to beat again. They bat deep. Does there need to be so much noise from the ground MC at these games? Chris Lynn has more injuries than Eric Grothe.

Loving the shoe wear in season 2020-2021... Faulkner looks like he is wearing his school shoes, Rashid Khan looks like a tourist in Bali for the first time with his blue shoes and Chris Green's blue shoes are just shocking against the fluro outfit. Maybe a kid who visited the Nike shop for the first time.

6. BBL Umpiring. These BBL umpires are terrible. The number of howlers is extraordinary. You have to laugh that they then go to Hawkeye for the commentary team! What about for the players and crowd? This Nathan Ellis could become an Australian player.

The BBL umpires are worse than the umpire's decision in that Rexona advert where the umpire rules against his boss. Clearly too far forward and a shocking decision. He would get a start in the BBL with that!

7. NRL. We didn't have to wait long...an arrest of David Fifita and then a wedding cancellation from Mitchell Pearce. Poor Mitchell, his decision making has been questionable at times on and off the field, especially under pressure. 

8. EPL. Arsenal burst back to life and knock over Chelsea which is terrible from them. Leicester continue to sparkle while Man U and Man City circle ready to strike Liverpool. 

Wrap - Paine Staking

1. Skipper. Tim Paine really staked his claim as the longer term skipper with an innings when it mattered in our first innings v India, something he has been a little poor around since his arrival to be frank. He stamped his arrival when it mattered this time in the first Test of the summer. The batting of Travis Head is under the microscope. He under delivers frequently. Not sure Wade is a long term solution, but he fights hard which we all admire. Everything about Cameron Green looks good - especially his humility.

Joe Burns was shocking to be honest. In the first innings awful and then the same early on in the second innings. The only one off the middle was one off his shoulder. He was squaring up terribly to the short of a length ball. Lunging to the fullish ball too. As soon as he started playing shots (something Langer did well in his career when under pressure to be fair), he transformed. Nice to see his aggression against the short rubbish from India. 

Warner in for Burns I suspect. Wade will be nervous as that will be it for him if dropped.

2. Indian Batsmen. The Indian batting effort in the second innings was curious. All out for 36 is a complete embarrassment. Very few if any Indian players put the boot in however in the media. They are very reluctant to bag their own players. They will never get into the lucrative inner circle if they criticise. Instead there is the hollow compliment to the Australians. So many batsmen got edges it was amazing. The bowling length really troubled them. Hazlewood getting 5/8 is so much like U/10s it is scary! Not to mention the pink ball which was seaming around like a tennis ball with tape on it!

No Kohli will make for an interesting tour from here on. He is a gun.

3. COVID. Where is Peter V'landys when you need him? As the COVID-19 pandemic hype grows, the Sydney to Hobart yachting race has been canned, talk of the SCG New Year's Test being canned... All the while, the MCG Test continues without a whisper. I bet there is no one at Cricket Australia talking to V'landys. They need an overhaul. The A-League is also floundering without too much of a plan. 

4. Golf. Young Charlie ('The Cub') Woods is looking like his old man Tiger and playing like him too! A great swing for an eleven year old.

5. Boxing. Paul Gallen was fortunate and probably should have been knocked over. Lucky to get the decision. On the other hand Tsyzu looks to be capable of some serious international inroads. 

6. Raelene Castle. She keeps landing the big gigs. SportNZ CEO now. She must have some talent.

7. NRL. No outrageous scandals this week, but maybe because it is Christmas!

8. EPL. Liverpool are warming up now with a 7-0 victory. Arsenal have been terrible with Everton dusting them. Liverpool well poised, but a few teams are huddling up close to them. Very interesting this year.

Wrap - Can Openers

1. Openers. The lack of decent opening batsmen at present is a big concern. Joe 'Carpet' Burns surely can't play after 5 runs in four innings against the Indians this summer. They have his measure! Then genius Coach Langer (who is under pressure) suggests Shaun Marsh should play. That would be Marsh's seventh call up to the team! Staggering that Langer's allegiance cannot be separated from the future of the country's team. Is the answer not simple... Green has to play. Then we need one opener and we need to convince one of our current top six to open as well!

If Green plays we only need one opener... Marcus Harris = Opener 1 and Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Wade, Green, Paine, Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazelwood. 

When the bouncer is outlawed, openers will be in plentiful supply! The pink ball Test cricket is farcical as well and will die off soon. Too much night time advantage to the seamers. 

2. BBL - T20 Batsmen. The fascination with all rounders in cricket is mystifying. Although Cameron Green is a special talent. Rare, but most teams simply do not have enough batsmen. Often times, does it really matter who goes 0/30? Hard to think it does. I noticed another all rounder, Roston Chase in the Windies Test team picked up a pair on the weekend...not enough batsmen!

3. BBL Standards. The standard of players is a problem...I am with the TV executives here. Too many old names and no current ones. Why have we not got an IPL window so our best play? Can we not also have an Indian or two in each side? Our imports are sub standard. The ratings are tumbling already...except if you have the Cricket Australia calculator. Not a publicity campaign in sight either. 

Added to that, no DRS as it costs cash and the integrity of cricket is at an all time low. Hopeless joke.

4. Australia A. A complete disgrace. They got hammered and were awful. No spine. They all need to be asterisked. Joe Burns is woefully out of touch mentally and Swepson was horrible too. Thumped and belted on Saturday night. Again, not enough batsmen and an obsession with underperforming all rounders who bowl mostly.

5. EPL. ManU v Man City. Is the fierce rivalry waning? A tame draw.

6. Boxing - Gallen v Hunt. Gallen could be ended here once and for all! Hunt will not be a pushover.

7. NRL Rules Changes. Still the two biggest rule changes needed in the game go untouched: (1) When the ref rules a try...time off until kick off. (2) Throw the ball away or delay surrender of the ball (any situation) = a 25 metre penalty with quick tap permitted. These time wasting tactics need to be eliminated.

8. The Olympics. The Olympics are an expensive waste of money when you allow 'breakdancing' into the games...Sure we have had rhythmic gymnastics, synchronised swimming and a few other odd ones over the years...skateboarding, surfing, taekwondo, BMX biking, beach volleyball, rugby sevens, but surely this tops them all. 

9. The Panthers. Starting to get worried that big heads and big mouths are dominating in the club when big hearts and big reputations were once there. They have won nothing so far and will need to replace Tamou as well. An experienced forward is required to win a comp - Lazarus, Edge, Bugden, Nikau, Webke...it has been ever thus.

The Wrap - Wallabies Spoon

 1. Wallabies. Great anthem, but same rubbish product. Rugby simply refuses to shift to accommodate the modern viewer. As such, it is a park sport at best (bring back half time breaks in the circle on the field) and will never rake in the dollars that it did, once upon a time. There is a complete lack of patience with stodgy referees who believe the game centres on them.

We also need someone who can kick straight. Reece Hodge step aside. Diabolical draws v the Pumas. Honestly, mark them down as losses. The Spoon is ours again.

2. Cricket. The ODI series came and went and most people were wondering whether Mitchell Starc should ever be selected again. If he doesn't get a wicket in his first two overs, he is shot. Yet to get anything like runs in an ODI too. The frustration of Glenn Maxwell as the talented guy that rarely delivers is another challenge. Finch is cooked too. Far too slow in the field. Liked the look of Cameron Green - big, athletic and a powerful striker of the ball.

3. Justin Langer. Simply put, he should not be the coach of all forms of the game. Ricky Ponting is the best T20 coach in the world. We need to prepare for life after Langer. I am seeing some bad signs. This 'like for like' is the current rule. It suited India to put their replacement in, but it did not mean that our batsmen needed to turn it up when things got challenging. It was our fault and we wanted to blame India! Please. Langer needs to check himself.

In the Australia A v India game, Pujara (54) and Rahane (108no) were amongst the runs and James Pattinson was clearly our best. I suspect we will need every good ball he owns!

4. Captaincy Joke. Fancy putting Matthew Wade in as skipper of Australia (T20) ahead of Steve Smith. Please, when does the bloke get a break? Wade lacks credibility and should not even be in the team. Josh Phillipe is the best performed Australian keeper-batsman. The current CA administration needs a rocket. They can't get a thing correct.

5. NRL. Great to see some off season biff with a Canberra player again. Last year it was Curtis Scott. This year, Tom Starling. He looked like he was being a complete clown and then the biff. Far too common. After Ricky's reaction last year, I will be interested in how Ricky reads this one. And they signed young Hopoate as well. Hopefully his discipline holds.

6. Daniel 'Dry Shoes' Ricciardo. It is almost a weekly mystery how a different excuse seems to be made to explain Ricciardo's poor form. He is an under achiever in F1, despite the fairytale many want. Bring back Mark Webber. 

7. EPL. Kevin Muscat has been sacked from his club as coach in Belgium, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's job looks safe. ManU are back with a bang! Suddenly EPL order has been restored with ManU, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham all clustered at the top of the table. Sheffield United are almost spent already after 10 games. They will need a miracle!

8. Boxing and UFC Fighting. Every weekend the same story...dodgy officiating, massive injuries and outrage...until next weekend!

9. AFL Draft. Braeden Campbell from my son's junior team and a Swans Academy product looks to be in the frame for a top 5 draft pick. A great effort from a kid from Pennant Hills way. He lacks a little pace, but has steel and smarts.

10. Manny Ramirez. He has arrived to play for the Sydney Blue Sox this season (starting 17 December). He is an absolute legend of the MLB and has already made his mark in the new team. Already gifting his bats to young team mates, like my son. It is the pre-season team party that has me worried. ASADA are already all over the team!

Wrap - Keeping Up With The Smiths Part 2

 1. ODI Cricket. It's a long time since the Australian public was excited about a cricket season. Not sure fooling around with the traditions in Australian cricket works...start with Tests...ODIs in late Jan. The diversity of media forums these days also makes it hit and miss and so few actually ever care about commentators. Bull, Tony and Rich were legendary, but these days... Kerry O'Keefe, maybe Warnie is who you'd feed. Ponting perhaps...the rest... 

There has been no investment in media publicity by that shoddy Cricket Australia leadership for years now.

2. Warner Injury. Suddenly Pucovski has got the sprig tightener out... Carpet Burns must be a lucky bloke. He has done nothing. Dave Warner did not look too happy in the back seat of the station wagon leaving the stadium after getting injured. He actually looked like he was part of a family going on holidays to the North Coast after the old man had just launched a scathing summation of the family's behaviour.

Thank God Finch can bat, because he can't field and is a serious liability really. Skipper for how long?

Steve Smith was awesome. His hitting and stroke play was something else...back to back hundreds. Warner and Maxwell too. 

Not sure if Mitchell Starc deserves a spot in that team either. Wayward and wasteful. No early wickets...no glory.

3. Indian Batsmen. The strength of some of the Indian batsmen - as thin as they appear physically - is highly impressive. They generate power through fluid stroke making.

4. Humanitarian. Mike Tyson has turned into a lovely fellow. He did not seem too worried by yet another ridiculous boxing judgement v Roy Jones Jr. They have both still got lots of skill. Talk about wanting more money to have a re-match. Tyson looked well cut. Looking like the rest of us 50 year olds!

5. Thunder T20 Girls. Great success by that team. The standard of girls cricket has become a lot better.

6. English Super League. The end to that Grand Final when the missed field goal resulted in a try off the posts, was incredible. James Graham played there in the winning ..that bloke has played forever.

7. EPL. Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester look the goods this year. They are all falling over each other and leaking points, but intriguing nonetheless. Man City may finally be lifting their game. Sheffield United and Fulham can just about pack their bags already. Disappointing for them.

8. Rugby. The Pumas glory lasted a week. The All Blacks can do that to you. They have been doing it to Australia for the past 20 years.

9. Great Signing. Great to see Parramatta's new signing the reformed Bryce Cartwright keeping a low profile in his first week of a new contract...definitely has changed his spots. Out on the punt and in the papers with Corey Norman and Matt Moylan (who needs to get his head and body right). Corey is a great familiar face at the disco in Jupiter's...seen him there myself a few years back.