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Extraordinary Twists
By Dave Crowe
Posted February 5
Yesterday I opened the batting for the Cricket Society against the Counties Crocks in the delightful country town of Waiuku. Now there's nothing unusual about that, except that if you would like to know more about the extraordinary Waiuku Cricket Club have a peep at Auckland live, linked to this site.
Nor was there anything unusual about the first over but the last three balls of the second over were bowled to me with no protection behind the short cover about ten metres away. I decided to go for the boundaries and hit three deliveries, slightly uppishly, exactly where I was aiming. From my point of view the short cover fielder, who shall be nameless, saved three fours with great stops. From his team's stance, amidst great hilarity, he had dropped three catches off three successive balls.
It all raises the question - who is right? Does Muralitharan throw, or not? Some say he does straighten his deformed right arm and that the amount of straightening doesn't matter, he chucks. If that's true, why is he still bowling? The umpires should be calling him every ball for I can't see the difference between one delivery and another.
As they don't call every ball they are discriminating and remember there are only three of them, all Aussies. One of them was officially sick and another tried to profit from a book about his dissembling behaviour. The third has been involved in some issues that are described in the yarns of our upcoming new cricket site.
Personally I think Murali should be left alone. His "crime" is to possess an amazingly flexible wrist and supple fingers, with which he obtains prodigious spin. The act and subsequent fine of Ranatunga in his support was like a wet tram ticket, although curiously it was the maximum fine permitted the adjudicator. As we suspected the whole performance was staged on the orders of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
Cricket the Winner
At the same time Pakistan and India were playing their first test together for over ten years. In a twisting game Pakistan eventually emerged by the tight margin of 12 runs. It looked all over when Tendulkar was in full flight but he and Mongia both fired their sticks with tired swishes and India lost its last three for 17 after looking dead set.
Wasim Akram had inspired his men with his leadership and then at the end the Pakis did a lap of honour and were given an ovation by the Indian crowd! Now that's a twist that would never have happened near the border but in the southern city of Madras they are obviously more sportsmanlike, or less warlike.
Our Umpires are Rated
Steve Dunne and Doug Cowie are both on the World Cup panel and that is a tremendous recognition for umpires here; two of the world's top 12 for New Zealand.
They deserve every recognition although, like all umpires, they have their moments.
My concern is how they occasionally disagree with me. I'm sure I'm not alone!
Shell Cup Climax
The major semifinal was more like an anti-climax for Canterbury truly revenged their defeat of last year at Trustbank Park in Hamilton. It was McMillan again and this time he excelled himself by reverse sweeping a six! Now there's a twist if you like. The grand final at the Basin Reserve on Saturday ought to be a cracker. I'm looking forward to it.
Proteas arriving soon
They have announced their touring party and the preview will be available on our new XTRA Cricket site coming soon. There will be biopics on the players and an exclusive interview with Stephen Fleming, as well as some historical recollections of cricket between South Africa and New Zealand.
Email Dave your thoughts. | ||||||
