Category Archives: Cricket

Sri Lankan cricket team attacked by terrorists

Posted on by

screengrab_wideweb__470x3480 I have to admit that I’ve been disappointed with Australia not touring Pakistan since 1998, citing the tired old line of security concerns for the continued cancellations.

However, my view has now most certainly changed with today’s news that terrorists have attacked the Sri Lankan team bus!

At least eight players in the Sri Lankan national cricket team were hurt when masked gunmen fired on the team bus in Lahore while being driven to the Gaddafi stadium on Tuesday.

Thilan Samaraweera, scored back-to-back double centuries in this series, apparently has a thigh injury and is in hospital. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene was slightly wounded in the foot, another had been injured in the chest, and that veteran bowler Chaminda Vaas had been injured and “carried off on a stretcher”. Kumar Sangakkara is also amongst the injured

Five Pakistani policemen were killed, the city police chief said.

Needless to say the Test and tour will be canceled, and it’ll be a very long time before anyone plays cricket in Pakistan again. What a sad sad day for the sport.

Moses on the pitch

Posted on by

I’ve got the advance word on half time entertainment for this Friday’s Waratahs match. It’ll be me, in a sumo suit, racing three others around an obstacle course with the winner getting $500 from HSBC and going into the draw for a trip to South Africa to watch the Lions in Durban… which considering I have family in Durban, I’d be quite keen on!

There’s further details of what I know so far over at Green and Gold Rugby, but at least this time I’m being asked to go on the ground, quite a change from last time…….

To set the scene, I’d been drinking beers at The Oval with 1,000 of my closest friends whom I never yet met.. the Kiwi’s put up a pitiful ODI performance and the game finished several hours early. Let me make it clear I would never do this during a game, however in the context of the match being over and about 200 other ANZACS giving it a shot, it was all good fun.

Here’s the story on cricinfo where you’ll find the quote “It was no-holds-barred stuff – many of the tackles on show would have resulted in a sin-binning had they taken place on the rugby field, and there are doubtless some bruised bodies this morning”.

It’s certainly something I’d never do at home in Australia.. the fines are HUGE. I was told by security as they were kicking me out that if I did it at the Oval again I’d be fined 10 pounds. The guy wasn’t happy when I pulled out a tenner and said take this if I can have another go

To get an idea of our sobriety you just need listen to the commentary by my mate who is filming, and also appreciate the section of the video where he goes artistic and starts filming in portrait. Gold Timbo, Gold.

I got pretty hammered by security, you’ll see the cop run in with a boot and hear the whole crowd go Ooooowwwwwww

Bryce goes down on Ponting but still no cap

Posted on by

51595149 Bryce McGain has made the ultimate sacrifice to break into the Australian XI, alas his ball service does not compare favourably with Cameron White’s and he’ll have to wait until Durban for another chance to impress his skipper downstairs.

Asked about the botched head job, Ponting gave the following comments:

Bryce was quite ill up in Potchefstroom and he’s actually gone down again overnight today.

“Quite ill”, hardly glowing praise for the right arm tweaker who by all accounts delivered a long spell on a sticky wicket. Not even going down on Ponting again overnight today was enough to convince the timezone confused captain that Bryce was able to consistently hit good areas, McGain coming up short on several occasions.