“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”
Groucho Marx
Monthly Archives: March 2014
Super Rugby 2014: Round 5 predictions
Here is this week rugby preview: http://pinkrugby.com/2014/super-rugby-predictions-rd-5-2
Another great round of rugby awaits!
Quote of the Day
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Confucius
Cricket: Sheffield Shield points table right now …
At lunch on day 3 of the final round of games in the Sheffield Shield the points table (for those teams still in the running) looks like this:
New South Wales 28 points
Western Australia 26 points
South Australia 26 points
Queensland 24 points
South Australia will not add to its points tally. There are a number of possible outcomes that could still arise:
- If New South Wales win outright: they will go to 34 points and Western Australia will remain on 26 points.
- If Western Australia win outright: they will go to 32 points and New South Wales will remain on 28 points.
- If New South Wales and Western Australia end up drawing there will be no change to the points from this game.
- If Queensland win outright: they will go to 30 points.
- If Queensland lose outright or draw againt Victoria: they will stay on 24 points.
That being the case, the finals could end up looking this way:
- If Queensland do not win outright: the final will be between New South Wales and Western Australia with the only issue in dispute in Canberra being the venue.
- If New South Wales and Queensland win outright, the final will be in New South Wales (likely Canberra) between New South Wales and Queensland.
- If Western Australia and Queensland win outright, the final will be Western Australia between Western Australia and Queensland.
The regular session is reaching an exciting crescendo with all eyes on Canberra and Melbourne for the next moves made by the teams.
Quote of the Day
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Australian in South Africa 2014: Is an S7 game good for cricket?
Australia and South Africa played out a seven over a side fixture in Durban over night with Australia the victor by five wickets in the last over the game.
Obviously I am happy that Australia was victorious. I never tire of an Australian victory. I wonder though whether the incessant focus on shortening the game is good for it.
The game has already been shortened into the commoditised form that is T20 cricket. Allowing a “game” to be constructed over a minimum of 5 overs (which is the current playing condition) can not be good for the fans who have paid good money nor the players. There is an issue of player safety here: I understand that the players and team management of the teams had already agreed to abandon this game but were over ruled by the ICC; playing on a damp field for an hour and a bit can not in the players’ interests.
I am not a fan of the shortened form of the game. I have been overt about that. If we are to have this form of the game imposed on us then what actually constitutes a game must be considered. 30 balls for each team can not be a game surely.
Just a thought but if the game can not run for at least 10 overs a piece then it must be abandoned. Equally, if the players and team management decide it is in the interests of the game that the game be abandoned then that decision must be respected.
T20 cricket is about the fans and getting more of them to the game. Putting on a short display with players who do not want to play can not be good for them.
Shumpty Speaks 