Australia has the Ashes safely in its keeping. Nominally, the rest of this series is a ‘dead rubber’, the sort that, historically, Australia did poorly in. But Warne and McGrath are bowing out after Sydney; Warne is on 699 test wickets; McGrath has a point to prove before his last series, the one-day World Cup.
If this series looked forgettable, that forgetfulness has fallen by the wayside now. Australia still has a very good side, and MacGill will fill Warne’s shoes admirably for a year or three. Likewise Stuart Clark for McGrath. But the team – and Australia’s place in world cricket – is changing. Clark is a Sydney University law student, a man who considers the law library one of his favourite haunts. MacGill is a wine connoisseur notorious for reading novels in the dressing room. The departure of two greats will pull us back to the pack as the likes of Haddin and Jaques, Johnson and Tait, find their feet.
These last two tests will grant us an opportunity to see the last of Warne and McGrath in the long form of the game. We should treasure it, as do those old-timers who treasure their memories of seeing Bradman bat. The likes of them – especially as they were paired so naturally, for so many years – will not be seen again.
Crossposted at Sidelined, Australia’s leading sporting blog.
59 Comments
All that matters this time of year: the cricket.
Beating the Poms is never forgettable.
Poms batting, MCG pitch playing low already (so what’s new) and rain threatening. Terrific.
Errr, I know nothing about cricket.
Is it good?
Warney’s got 700, Lee bowling well, rain seems to be holding off.
And Darlene, if I get to Melbourne, I’ll teach you about cricket.
Now, really, who would select Murali over Warney ? Hope he gets a ton as well !
Poms out for 159; Aust 2/49 at stumps. Wonder who’s brilliant idea it was to reintroduce the concept of the nightwatchman?
And what about the Warner?
You beat me to it re nightwatchman, Helen. As lee was walking in I said to my wife “not a good move!”
Steve Waugh didn’t believe in sending in night watchmen. Hope Ricky’s learnt a lesson. You lose a night watchman like that and you lose a very valuable late mid-order, early tail-ender.
Still it mightn’t matter much. We finished the day only 111 behind with 8 wickets intact.
If the English team was a horse or a dog you would demand a swab to find if someone was doping them.
Australia should declare and give them some start in the second dig, that way there might be some interest left in the game on day 3.
Especially Lee, whyisitso. Right now he’s hovering on the border between ‘excellent lower-order nuisance’ and ‘bowling all-rounder’. He shouldn’t just be sacrificed like that.
Maybe Punter was being lazy, didn’t want to bat for an over and was worried about his average ?
BTW- what is it with the dyed blond look – why do the younger fellas go for it so much ? Stuart Clark looks much more authoritative than Lee, for example, cos’ he doesn’t have silly dyed hair !
Warne and 700
And gentlemen in Australia now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks
That watched with us upon Saint Stephen’s day.
What a day – Boxing Day 2006. And it was the 25th anniversary of another special day at the MCG – a day I was lucky enough to be present at with my son, who counts it as one of his special memories. We returned on 27 December to see Lillee break a record.
http://www.mcg.org.au/default.asp?pg=historydisplay&articleid=52
Well well well (apart from being three holes in the ground). Very close and interesting game in prospect. Harmison has found his mojo.
Amazing how you remember details from when you were a kid. I attended most days of this match at the MCG in 1950, and the current match reminds me so much of that one. All innings were completed and neither team reached 200.
It’s tempting to say that the MCG has always favoured bowlers in the same way Adelaide has always favoured batsmen. But of course the MCG wicket now is far different from back then. For one thing the whole ground was re-levelled for the 1956 Olympics.
Hayden and Symonds doing Queensland proud.
Symonds playing like a true champion. Hope he keeps it up. And yair, it took two Qlders.
Roll eyes, but smile benignly!
It is probably tempting fate but I would love to see Symonds get a century. He is a quality player and has not live up to his potential. Anyone who enjoys fishing and pig hunting must be alright.
“He’s a Queenslander…..A great Queenslander …Ahhh…. I wanna boff him”
Bill Lawry
Symonds has a woeful technique and was under great pressure coming into this innings and what did Freddy do?
Give him free runs
One thing which annoys me about the selection policy of CA is that players such as Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds are selected despite ordinary form….however, both men have taken the opportunity given them and made the most of it. I am pleased for Symonds and wish him well. A century at the MCG when Australia is in trouble….it does’t get any bettter than that.
We should mention the benefit Australia has had from the Umpires.
Symonds technique means he only get runs on flat tracks unless the umpire is generous.
Rudi K (another Queensland resident) has had a shocker….The Big Unit was out twice yesterday.
Both Hayden and Symonds have been given decisions that would have gone the other way in 2005.
in 2005 England had two bowlers who always took wickets with the other three taking some at some stage. That is the big difference together wwith the fact that allrounders rarely click which is why geniune ones have low batting averages and high bowling averages.
Pick Freddy purely as a bowler.
Homer = Joe Btfsplk
Always going around with a black cloud hanging over his head.
For you younger folk Joe is a minor character in the brilliant cartoon series Li’l Abner – your essential nay sayer and pessimist.
better as a brilliant musical with the best song ever about politics
I reckon we should all start calling Freddy a “fat lad” again- to spurr him on.
MtB did get a few gifties yesterday, but Symonds has played very well today. For whatever reason, Rudi doesn’t like giving LBWs any more – doesn’t matter who’s bowling.
England are woeful…..they are so weak they couldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding.
Frankly I’m hoping Freddy goes the tonk, just to restore some semblance of balance.
No dice SL. Freddy needed a big innings and failed.
We will crush them in the next 20 minutes.
We should now view Australia – India as the true major international cricket rivalry.
England (especially Freddie) care more about their earrings than turning around a situation (like remember Australia yesterday at 5/80 ?)
Rudi has rediscovered his love of LBWs.
Only Monty and Read had any obvious desire to remain on the field !
Rudi did some dodgy stuff today and yesterday. Like not out when stuff was out, and out when stuff was not out.
Don’t worry about England. Australia’s batting effort was pathetic. 7 players failed to make double figures.
The bowlers + Queensland batsmen won it for us.
CA will be hurting with all the pre paid tickets they have to refund.
Most people will be dissapointed with the England performance, but the Australia team is magnificent. to pull it out from FIve for not many in the first innings and then to go on and win by an innings is something else.
I’m really, really pleased about Andrew Symonds finding his mojo at test level.
….yes, but he’s gotta keep it up. The ghost of Glen Trimble’s test career will forever haunt Queenslanders !
Correct me if I’m Wrr..Wrrr.. (that word) but Glenn Trimble never played a test… his spectacular implosion was at the ODI level. As for Queenslanders being haunted ….”Fish fear us and Women crave us”…just look at the bumper sticker.
That’s what I thought, too. I seem to remember Richard Hadlee giving him a reprieve in the outfield but that he failed to capitalize.
….yair it was an ODI – you are right .50 cal. But I am not a true Queenslander (just a Mexican ex Brisbane resident), so never hesitate to remind Queenslanders of Glen’s unfortunate day !
Are you a cockroach (ie a Queenslander who has moved to NSW and worn the blue) or a truely blessed individual who has had the god given opportunity to live here…where He (blessed be his name) resides in October?
….Glenn’s first over was more erratic than Harmison’s and he never recovered. I seem to recall that Graham Yallop was captain and quickly took him off. He certainly didn’t get a second over.
50 cal
No, I am a New South Welshman who received tertiary education in Brisbane. I have always worn the Blue with pride, and have a strong dislike for the Brisbane Broncos (believing that it would be pointless to try to appear “assimilated “).
Gotta agree re Broncos….Wally may well have been a bastard but he was our bastard.
You’re a tad harsh on Glen he played two matches scored four runs and bowled 4 overs at 8 runs an over.
Which University? Did you gain an appreciation for Rum?….like Helen did
Ahh, someone from Northern NSW. Before UNE got off the ground, people from there nearly always did their tertiary education at UQ.
SL
UNE is in Armidale, which is why I never went there. Comparing Brisbane and Armidale is a no-brainer ! It would be like CHOOSING to study at USQ !
But you are right – I grew up in Coffs bloody Harbour.
And 50 cal, I did not gain an appreciation for rum, although I conducted numerous experiments with the stuff. Didn’t mind the original Power’s though.
Went to UQ 1989-94.
I don’t know why Glen was ever picked in a one day side in 22 innings at state level he scored 380 runs which included a century and he never took a wicket. His first class stats were much better. He was selected in the really dark days during the 1980s. It is a shame that a bloke is remembered as he is….but I suspect he should never have been picked in the ODI side.
Well……now that I know you are a UQ alumni I have a much improved appreciation of you.
50
I remember that his first (and last over) was a mixture of full tosses going 3 metres over the batsman’s head, and bouncer landing at deep fine leg. You could’t help but feel for the bloke – I suspect he was a last minute substitution when someone else (probably 2 or three players) was suddenly unavailable – he was not properly prepared for his debut and just mentally crumbled. Sort of like Freddie now, I suspect !
I can barely remember the incident save that it was ‘cringe” material. I am not so sure about Freddie. He is a class act. He should not be captain….bowlers rarely make good captains. England have suffered from poor captains of recent times. Nasser Nostrils was hopeless. In the fourth test the field settings were quizzical. The England team’s bowling was the problem. They should have played Monty in Brisbane and adelaide. Alan Border was the only Captain I ever saw who played well in a losing side. For Flintoff he comes in too late to make a difference if he is coming on at 5 for not many he doesn’t have much chance. Pietersen should have batted at three with Bell and Collingwood to follow. As for the bowling line and length would have served them all well.
I largely agree – Freddy can play well, he showed that in Brisbane and Adelaide in the first innings. And, as Ian Chappel continually queried, why wasn’t Pitersen coming in at 3 ?
But a cheap shot is a good shot and I couldn’t help having a go at hapless Freddy .
Ian Chappel is imporoving as a commentator. While Ritchie, Bull and Tony bleat on with the same old same old and Slatts seems to be a living advert for prozac or what ever, Chappel gives insightful comments. I have for many years played the radio and forgotten all about the Chanel 9 team but the Skull is becoming a pain. Chappel and Healy seem to want to teach the listeners something about the game.
As for the cheap shot God would not have made it painful to be kicked in the goolies if he didn’t iplan for them to be kicked
Ian Chappell is improving as a commentator ?
He’s been at it a while now. Must be laying off the sauce.
Jimmy, that means we were contemporaries. I was there 1990 until half way through 1994. We probably met – Darlene thinks she at least saw me there – UQ was small enough for that.
yes, I think remember seeing you walking in the Great Court during your pariah days ! I seem to remember someone pointing and saying “that’s , like (whisper) Helen Darvildenko”.
I’d graduated by the time my success de scandal arrived, but I was a prominent lefty on student union council for 2 years.
Yes, I was a bit doubtful of my memory – and having not returned to Brisvegas (since my 1994 graduation) I must have imagined it.