Submitted by rickeyre on
Not since the Harlem Globetrotters last beat the Washington Generals has a foregone sporting conclusion been so rapturously and emotionally received by a sell-out crowd.
All over by lunchtime. Australia 5, England 0. Warne 708, McGrath 563, Langer 7698, Buchanan 68-11-10. Lots to reflect upon and digest, but that will have to wait for this evening.
Submitted by rickeyre on
Yes it's that time again, when the populists and the ignoramuses (or in John Howard's case, both) call for the urn holding the original "Ashes" to be kept in Australia. At least until England wins again.
As Malcolm Fraser used to say: Let me be quite plain.
Submitted by rickeyre on
Was this just another Pommy sledge, or a pagan ritual aimed at raising Sir Neville Cardus from the dead?
Submitted by rickeyre on
Submitted by rickeyre on
190: The approximate number of overs left unplayed when the Melbourne Test finished two and a bit days early.
244,351: The cumulative number of spectators at the MCG over the three days of the Test, an average of 81450 per day. The record cumulative crowd for a Test in Australia was 350,534 for the MCG Test against England in 1936-37, a six-day Test thus averaging a mere 58422 per day.
Submitted by rickeyre on
Melbourne cricket fans denied two days' unbridled adulation of Shane Warne as Test finishes early. Film at 11.
Submitted by rickeyre on
I was just about to congratulate Andrew Symonds for being the first non-white person to score a Test century for Australia in men's cricket. Of course, he's the second... one Jason Gillespie beat him to the punch by eight months.
Still, it's testimony to the conservative, imperial institution that Australian cricket has been over the past century and a half. It's getting better - very, very slowly.
Submitted by rickeyre on
"It wasn't enough for Melba to become one of the greats of the Golden Age of Grand Opera. She wanted to be the greatest. her glorious voice took her to the top; her ruthless determination to overthrow any rival kept her there long after the voice had begun to decline. Revealed in this relentlessly candid yet sympathetic study is Melba the drama queen, the monstrous prima donna, the canny businesswoman, the generous and kindly friend, the unique star who refused to fade."
Submitted by rickeyre on
Submitted by rickeyre on
Well I'll be.
I really thought he was going to stay on for the 2009 Ashes. What we will now see is a SCG dead-rubber which plays second fiddle to Warnie's swan-song in the manner of Steve Waugh 2004.
Here's the SMH report broken just a few minutes ago.
I wonder if Cricket Australia will give him a gold watch, or maybe a gold mobile phone...
