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Awards are like that, just awards. You can't eat them, just store them. Unless they come with a new car or whatever. That is what I thought Nathan Astle should have won for his season's work (interrupted by a broken finger) but it went to a Protean. Anyway Nathan won three at the annual Shell New Zealand session, a fair sign that he must have run the new car close. It augurs well for his World Cup, especially as he is still looking for more consistency. That will be the key to our chances at the Cup, not only with Astle. Everyone will need to be consistent but this is a characteristic that is developing in the side. It was great to receive a really positive e-mail from one supporter who is adamant we will win the Cup. His contribution will be posted in the Fan Tails section of our new cricket.xtra website due to open just before the Cup commences on 14th May. Have a look at it; it is a really compelling argument. PWC Rankings Our high standing in the current list, around fourth or fifth, is supported by Astle's place at 7 and Chris Harris at 11 in bowling. There is a clutch of players behind these two stars and this is a key to our chances. We have solid performers down through the ranks so if we can achieve consistency will have a real shot at the Super Six second round. New Zealand Cricket Honours A nice touch at the Shell Awards nights was the presentation of handsome Black Caps to five of our most celebrated captains; Wally Hadlee, John Reid, Jerry Coney, Martin Crowe & Stephen Fleming. I had the privilege of playing with or against the first two in the 1950's and I was struck by the enormous mana that they both carried on and off the field. Reid had the ill luck to suffer glandular fever while at Hutt Valley High School otherwise could have become a double All Black for he was a brilliant rugby back as well as an outstanding young cricketer. He played for our Wellington club side and gave us youngsters a terrific boost. There were those who scoffed at his being a teetotaller for boozing was very macho at the time. John shouted the team a dozen at season end, a considerable gesture in those days. Hadlee was a very organised cricketer with extremely correct technique. I bowled my legbreaks to him for a whole afternoon once in Christchurch and was quite pleased with my figures of 3-85. Wally wasn't one of them for I couldn't get the ball past his bat. He played so straight that my feeble spin was no match for him. The three victims were all rabbits. As a keen competitor old Wally wasn't beyond a few tricks. I was his opposite captain in one club match when he set us 140 to win in about 90 minutes. In those days play finished at six o'clock and when we got off to a flier Wally realized he had to slow us down. There were all sorts of field adjustments and much polishing of the ball to the extent that Doug Reid, a fine leftarm fast bowler, obliged my entreaties to get on with it by running in to bowl while Wally was still adjusting his field. He wasn't popular for that! At six p.m. we were nine down and needed four to win so it was my turn to adjust. I came out on the field waving a pair of gloves but the batsmen said, "Go away, we don't need fresh gloves!" Then number eleven snicked Reid through slips for four! Wally took it on the chin for he is a sportsman at heart, but I think he felt he was robbed. Common Tators Have you noticed how the expression "a little bit" has crept into the vernacular? It is now in constant use, just as "you know" was invariable some years back and is still used by some as a way of covering their hesitancy. I can understand sportspeople who are unversed in vocal communication but professional commentators really surprise me with their "little bit.' I have heard it used four times in a single sentence by a cricket caller, as in "He is moving the ball away a little bit, getting a little bit of seam, but is a little bit short of a length to trouble the batsman more than a little bit." A little bit fatuous, isn't it? How about slightly, marginally, partly, fractionally, partially, moderately, somewhat? There are plenty of good English words without resorting to that banal and hackneyed expression. Count "a little bit" for yourself sometime and feed me back your bit. Send Dave your thoughts on our chances in the World Cup. | ||||||
