Wrap - Silent D

1. Cricket. It is obviously here to stay, but night Test cricket has a long way to go. The change in the behaviour of the ball at night with dew and in the cold changes the whole game. I think it is too dramatic a shift. It does however break open the game and stop batsman getting featherbed conditions. Think India. The spectre of teams slowing down their over rate and bowling more overs under lights is a real issue. Score in the daylight or you are doomed!

Liked the steel in Hanscomb. His Big Bash batting has won many of those games where he showed the much needed grit and determination. Even hitting the winning runs in Adelaide was done with class and intent. He knows his game. Don't like Maddison at all. Lumbering. Slow. Patterson was the pick and they missed him at a key moment. The temperaments of Warner and Smith have been under full examination recently. Some cracks. Too much cricket? (Too much of the tough cricket that people remember perhaps?).

Not getting too excited about the future in winning a dead rubber. Renshaw had more edges than a fifty cent coin in that second innings.

2. Is anyone surprised the great toothless and clawless (clueless?) tiger of the ICC cannot suspend for ball tampering? They talk tough as usual, but no results!

It will surprise no one that despite being 5/180, Virat Kohli is 50 and hunting down another 100 in the latest Test v England. Unflappable and unbelievable.

3. Peter Nevill 179 not out. Matt Wade will need to swim faster. His mouth works. He just needs to get his bat and gloves working too. Common problem? Bad footwork. Maybe colour blindness under lights is an issue. I liked De Kock's intent and work as keeper. Known as 'Silent D' to his mates.

4. Wallabies. A disappointing result v Ireland. Lots of hoopla and zero in the end. Maybe a few more blokes playing last week might have helped. England under Eddie Munster keep marching on!

5. Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumoulolo. These blokes can't remember to behave let alone any NFL playbook. No chance. Publicity freaks.

6. The rugby league performance was outstanding v NZ in England. Darius Boyd was excellent as always. We might actually have some tough NSW players on the up on the back of this...Dugan, Merrin, Cordner, Ferguson...They may have learned a bit more than we thought.

7. EPL. Some tremendous work by the big three: Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City. The big guns are out in a ding dong battle. Arsenal, Tottenham and Man United have restored world order in the EPL once more. No one else can win it in 2016/17.

Wrap - Answer The Phone

1. So there we were thinking Cheika was in line for another clown mask - and suit - but the Wallabies win for a 3-0 record. Foley has done really well abroad. Not sure if they have it in them v Ireland and the Poms. The Cooper love affair needs to end. He is simply not up to it.

2. Test Team. Never has Shield cricket had this much attention. Handscomb is a gritty cricketer. We need more grit. I get the feeling that Ferguson's temperament is a problem. His brother's is that's for sure. What the hell is going on with Warner? Rash shots in the last Test. Rash shots in the Shield. He needs to show more steel.

As was pointed out to me, Voges copped one on the emblem that dropped him. Barely saw it. Time to retire.

I must say Nic (no 'k') Maddinson is a passenger. Lacks consistency and will not last. Great to see Mennie and Ferguson gone - both out of their depth. They join a few famous names as one test wonders...Emery, Law, Malone, Faulkner, Hastings, Young, Blocker Wilson, Nicholson, McGain, Manou, Casson, Cullen, Davis and the bad Wayne Phillips. Pat Cummins too.

3. Greg Chappell is not the answer. He has a terrible record as a selector and administrator (great cricketer...but) and I was very surprised to see his brother Ian defend him in Sunday's paper. Youth policy or craziness? He will claim credit, but mass hysteria is not the answer either. Renshaw, Wade, Lehmann, Maddinson, Dean, Patterson, Head...these blokes peel off 50's...there was a time you needed to peel off tons to make a Test team.

Graham Hick as batting coach? He is terrible. A selfish cricketer who was good on county featherbed decks.

That pink ball will seam around everywhere. If any of our bats crack 50 under lights it will be a miracle. Conversely, you watch Kohli bat and marvel at his skill. He is the world's best by a long way.

A worry seeing the South African cricket team defend their captain who has already been found guilty of ball tampering before. I remember another South African cricketer who was also captain who proved less than clean!

4. Steve Johnson at GWS has injured his thumb getting his phone out of a bag and needs surgery. What sort of phone was that?

5. Mal Meninga has some steel. His teams just do not seem to crumble and lose. We will see. A win here gives him life as the Aussie NRL coach.

6. Not so with The Springboks. As the South African cricket team's stocks rise, their rugby plummets. Awful losses to Japan and Italy may see them sign up some Sheffield Shield nuffies too. Hard to imagine their stocks have fallen so badly.

7. Speith's win of the Stonehaven Cup (great name) was impressive. Can deliver under pressure this lad. Hard to believe he is World No. 5. Hope he has not got too many world leaders' phone numbers on his phone. Greg Norman is a knob...fancy carrying on with that crap.

Wrap - Seven Eleven Test Cricket

1. Seven-Eleven Test Cricket. Two for 3? 4 for 8?

Smith did a courageous Kim Hughes to score over half the runs. But 85...what an embarrassment! We looked like a panicked team. Warner's loose shot was awful early for a bloke of his genius. Unwittingly, he played it on a day when the spineless indulgence of other team mates was on show. 'Carpet' Burns missed an awful one. Khawaja...typical lazy footwork. Voges is too old and now done. Lyon has become pedestrian and the addition of 'carpet' Burns and Ferguson did nothing. Mennie looked average it must be said - but what about Rod Farce...his prediction that he would bat better than a few proved true. Second top score.

Would anyone care - or notice - if the High Performance Manager Pat Howard got the bullet? James Sutherland is also an excuse maker who needs to go. Cash over performance is his go.

What about youth: Pat Cummins (get fit son! Only Eric Grothe Snr and Brett Papworth...and Jana Pittman have you covered for injuries), Kurtis Patterson (NSW), Travis Head (SA), Jake Lehmann (only International father and son coach-player combo ever?), Peter Hanscombe (VIC)...inject some long term prospects into the picture.

2. Cricket Sin Bin. When will we see the sin bin introduced in cricket for persistent whingers, whiners, those not acting in the spirit of the game or for dissent. It is overdue.

3. Tasmania. Can someone please tell me why we bother to play Test Cricket in Tasmania? They are low producers of quality players these days. Their pitch is awful. Weather is worse. It looks like a backwater (just like the NZ v Scotland league game in England)

4. South Africa. Philander is a cracker. He and Rabada are awesome! Add Steyn and no one comes close. Leaving Morkel out is a luxury no other team holds at present. What about the mental strength of this South African cricket team? With AB to come back in as well! That Quentin de Kock must also be a good fighter with a name like that. Can bat!

5. Scotland v NZ in league...18-18? Turn it up. A wet deck changes everything over in England. NZ should have been up for it and they have been a massive disappointment. Typical Warriors underachievement.

6. The A League needs a revamp. It is just not capturing the imagination yet this year. The quality is improving, but its profile is not. David Gallop did the same thing to a game called rugby league. No vision and dynamism.

7. Sydney FC. Powering along and undefeated. Nearly guaranteed a semi final spot now. Graham Arnold is a wily old bugger. Not much is ever missed. Some excellent recruits. On the other hand, the defence of Western Sydney Wanderers is appalling. They cannot win it with that lot and are anchored mid table now.

8. Wallabies v Scotland. A close thing, but who cares? Ireland and England will be tough. Two away wins in a row is a bit new. How you train all week and make basic errors week in and week out I'd never know...Thankfully South Africa are in more strife than us.

9. F1. Can Hamilton beat Rosberg in Brazil to keep the show alive? With any luck, based on the extraordinary hoodoos which have been overturned in 2016, Michael Schumacher may just recover as well. Here's hoping.

10. The return of a Brownlow? How ridiculous from the AFL. Let it go. No one else wants a Brownlow with an asterix handed out at a local RSL Club.

Wrap - Clown Town

1. Test Cricket. There are a few home truths from this Test disaster v South Africa in Perth:

a. Peter Siddle looks honest and is no doubt a lovely bloke, but words like "plodder", "boring", "no seam movement", "old", "tired" and "hopeless" spring to mind.

b. We consider ourselves as a cricket nation as the only ones who ever get dud umpiring decisions.

c. Steve Smith's first session of captaincy on Saturday was awful. Blokes saving fours...no attack. No spirit and spark. In fact Smith's footwork and batting is suffering as the team comes under heavy pressure.

d. Nathan Lyon could be finished. He will become a carpenter and turn doorknobs instead.

e. Peter Nevill's batting will see him ended. Handscombe is the heir apparent - or the bloke from WA (especially if Rod Farce is still a selector).

f. Starc better get wickets with the new ball, because he gets more erratic with each subsequent spell.

g. Warner. Remarkable and talented. The best thing he offers is a reminder to all the boring batting coaches in world cricket that attack beats defence. Barry Knight...Bill Madden...exit left and take the cobwebs with you.

h. Voges is on his last chance(s). His second innings failure may sound the death knell.

I. Mitchell Marsh. End it please. A double ton is his only hope. Unlikely.

j. Khawaja. A lot of talk and not much action. A lazy cricketer who is not big on 'team'. A better second innings effort after a near miss gossa.

k. What makes a run out single so bloody important? Maybe hang around and you can score plenty of other singles?

2. Australia v NZ Rugby League. Why does Mal rest Cronk? One of the most ridiculous selection decisions in recent memory. Disrespectful to the jersey in some respects. I wonder how Mal would have taken to being rested himself? Yet the Kangaroos still win with trademark toughness. Thurston too good. An intriguing structure where we could still miss out even though we have won two from two. Surely 'head to head' counts when teams are tied. Seemingly not. A wet deck will test us.

3. State of Origin - NRL Grand Final Location. I am going to be bold here and say that the State of Origin series winners should host the Grand Final in their state. That is a huge prize and would boost interest. You heard it here first. I also think that each team should have two "International" picks as well, who once they have played on that side, can never be selected on the other side of the border. Chances of this? Zero.

4. The Cubs. An amazing end to a tremendous week of World Series action. After 162 games, finals, playoffs and a 3-3 World Series decider...into the extra 10th innings...what a season! Some sort of show! The curse of the Billy Goat is over...waiting since 1908 has ended...long may goats harvest on Wrigley Field. A tremendous fairytale with a string of away victories. A famous, famous victory!!!

5. Cheika. Is the arm in a sling evidence he was a clown after all? Or just bad timing? Could not have been worse. Why worry about the press? You look a clown reacting to it all. Memo to Michael: The press is never going to be favourable in NZ. A great win v Wales. Is it just me or do they not function in daylight over there? Why is every game at night? Have the Wallabiues ever looked so good over there?

6. All Blacks. Their loss to Ireland continues this amazing hoodoo breaking year of 2016! Maybe the arrogance has caught up with them...momentarily?

7. Tasmanian Cricket. It has reached rock bottom. George Bailey is finished too. They have been awful this year - and last year.

8. Andy Murray. The latest (and oldest ever) World No. 1. A brat as champ sadly. Novak's decline has been incredible. From unbeatable to being rolled. There is an untold story here...drugs? depression? women problems?

Wrap - Iron Brain

1. Rod Marsh has officially lost the plot. He has signalled his exit as a selector and it cannot come soon enough. They specialise in getting daft fools in that role... Hilditch... Invers... Marsh. Fancy saying that Joe Mennie is in the Test team because he bats better than others - and Jackson Bird misses out. Rod Marsh would have dropped Glen McGrath on that score. Known as "iron gloves" early on in his career, Rod Marsh is now known as "iron brain".

You'd be filthy if you were Joe 'Carpet' Burns too. Had two bad tests in Sri Lanka on a bunsen bruner and is now banished for Rod Marsh's Western Australian connection with the other Marsh family - Shaun and Mitchell. The tell me Shaun Marsh has been in and out of the Australian team EIGHT times. Dale Steyn must be salivating!

Mitchell Marsh has to be the new Shane Watson. Lots of promise - no results. Please don't even think...don't even think...of replacing him with Moises Henriques. Travis Head is a better cricketer than both of them.

2, I'm getting sick of Michael Clarke as well. He is now telling people to "move on" about the Katich issue and others. Hello Michael? hello? This is your new book sunshine...you are trying to make more money, yet again. We are over you. We are more over you now we know Channel 9 have you on their commentary team.

3. The 'tell all' cricket book...please. Johnson...even Brad Hogg....same manager perhaps? Even Mark Nicholas is writing one - an absolute bore. Max Walker was the doyen.

But why is Lehmann writing a book? Career over? Great news that he now thinks he shouldn't have selected certain blokes for an Ashes tour...who else has he got in that frame now? He needs to start winning. Lehmann has been listening to Rod Marsh and compromising himself by not choosing to coach this tour but not that tour...get your act together Darren. Ricky Ponting looms large.

4. Love an England rugby league test in slippery conditions. New Zealand relish that too. They will be hard to toss there. We have a strong chance, but will need to be up for the grind. Wayne Bennett is starting to annoy lots of people too.

5. Jose Mourinho. The nuts on the cart are loosening. The wheels are coming off. ManU are stalling on 15 points and the patience of owners and fans is being tested. Tevez is being sought...!

6. The Cubs. Sitting at 1-3 down after two losses at home (!), they are under the pump. The curse of the billy goat needs to be ended but there is that North Sydney Bears feeling about them. They can find a way to lose. They are staring down the barrel.

Wrap - Reverse The Curse!

1. What is it with past Australian sports stars? (think Hackett, et al...Jana Drama...any number of footballers and league players...). To be arrested and detained in Japan requires some special hard work in being a dingbat. The people there are outstanding - quiet, respectful and placid. Wayne Gardner should ring Robert Allenby for some media tips. He handled his ongoing brand destruction appallingly.

2. I noticed that India (..red carpets please and oversized cheques for everyone at the ready servants) are considering the use of DRS technology. Please. Who gave them the right to defy world cricket for so long? Dohni should retire. Thank goodness Kohli (he who is hated universally) can be a little future focused.

3. Pat Cummins looked quick on TV in his comeback (yes...footage came via the rabbit ears antennas via Africa of the Matador Cup). By the way, the marketing team there at Matador must have some coin to waste. A good win by NSW. The great MOOOIIISESZ Henriques scored plenty.

4. A-League. It fills a big void of action at this time of year. Like the intensity and some solid crowds. Where is the wife's best friend - the Big Bash?

5. Wallabies. All week we heard how the hoodoo will be broken, how we will bounce back...past champions...old photos of the slim Allan Jones (success can make you fat)...and what do we get? BLOT. Hopeless joke of a referee. All these debutants just kids playing against men. Witches hats really for the NZers to run around, over and through. They do a North QLD in the last 15 minutes this mob. They pile on the points!

Chieka is kidding isn't he? He is fast losing the plot. Fancy worrying about what New Zealand newspapers do and say. They are crazy fans and manic exaggerators who love to win. 'Don't personalise it or it will break you' was the best advice he received. He behaved like a clown indeed.

6. You may have missed it but the Cleveland Indians (smashed the Bluejays) are into the World Series v the Chicago Cubs who won v the LA Dodgers today. Can the Cubs do it - or will the curse of the Billy Goat continue to plague the Cubs who have not been into the World Series since 1945? This is a major story for the Cubs and Chicago. A huge week ahead.

Youtube "Steve Bartman Baseball Fan" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq8G81oOHhY for one of the most wild stories on a bloke who helped perpetuate the curse. He is still hunted and in hiding in Chicago today!

The Cleveland Indians are looking to shower further glory on the Cleveland people after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship this year. However forget a super rare three-peat...the poor old Cleveland Browns (NFL) are limping along at 0-6. They are gone.

7. Loving the EPL as always. Bumped into "Chelsea TV" the other night on Fox. It fair dinkum looks like they are filming a colour comp game from Parramatta Park! Amateurish. Fox need to negotiate heavily with Optus and get a share of the action.

8. Looking forward to seeing England function in rugby league under Wayne Bennett. If it starts to rain or snow, they could dominate.

9. Winx. Awesome and amazing!

Wrap - Hoodoo Breakers

1. Phil Hughes. Why are players being cross examined about comments on the field? This cannot be useful to anything other than a negligence suit against Cricket Australia. Comments did not kill. An unsafe workplace? I suspect the batting helmet manufacturers should have been called. Sure, sledging needs to be addressed - by umpires who should be able to 'bin' players at First Class level. This will stop it. However, I get the feeling that the lack of resolution is driving a hate campaign against a few of them. What will it achieve? I must say what I have said time and time again - Cricket Australia will have a hefty legal bill if a kid or adult is hurt now as they play games protecting their procurement policy on helmet design. Improve the bloody things and lead the way worldwide.

2. Australia v NZ. There is something awesome about Test rugby league being played in front of a big crowd - in daylight - with one ref. Sure, a few errors and dodgy calls, but authentic league.

3. Very troubled to see a player without tattoos and wearing black boots. Should be banned.

4. Australian Cricket. This summer could be an absolute watershed in the game's short term future in Australia. We have been belted 3-0 by Sri Lanka and 5-0 by Sth Africa and still we wheel out excuses. Bottom line? We were arrogant and terrible! Warner the only star. Big Bash and the Matador Cup need to be listed as distinct selection trials. The time is ideal if you are coming through the ranks.

Is there a more injured sportsman than the VIC quick bowler, James Pattinson. Tha answer? Yes - Pat Cummins. Then Couter-Nile...Starc...

5. Tim Cahill. Some sort of goal from 35m out. Lazy goalkeepers who have not played the world's best before take note. Give 'em an inch....

6. Sydney FC on fire with 8-0 to start the year. How about lowly Newcastle knocking over the Brisbane Roar 4-0? Incredible. 

7. Interesting to see Las Vegas firming as the new home for one of the most travelled of NFL football teams - the LA Raiders. Could actually bring a bit of spirit to Vegas after many years of nothing but money obsession.

8. Major League baseball. The team left: Cleveland Indians v Toronto Blue Jays (2-0 Indians up - best of 7 games). LA Dodgers v Chicago Cubs (1-0 Cubs up- best of 7 games) The Curse of the Billy Goat has haunted The Chicago Cubs. They are poised to break it...or are they? 108 years of grief?

Please read the following to brush up with history:

The Curse of the Billy Goat is a sports-related curse that was supposedly placed on the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave game 4 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers at the Cubs' home ballpark of Wrigley Field because the odor of his pet goat (named Murphy) was bothering other fans.^[1][2] He was outraged and allegedly declared "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more," which has been interpreted to mean that there would never be another World Series game won at Wrigley Field. The Cubs have not won a World Series championship since 1908 or played in the World Series since 1945.

9. A big year for underdogs and hoodoos:

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA winners after 46 years

Cronulla Sharks NRL winners after 49 years

Western Bulldogs AFL winners after 62 years

Leicester EPL winners after 132 years

10. I cannot believe Sam Mitchell was given the Trade punt from Hawthorn this week. The fabric is fraying. This should be what Sydney do to Keiran Jack soon.