Today In Sport

The past few weeks has been a wild ride in the world of cricket.  From the beginning of the “World Title of Cricket” matchup between South Africa and Australia to the potential end of international cricket, at least for a while in the nation of Pakistan after the attack on the Sri Lankan players and the umpires.

There are so many series’ happening at the moment it’s hard to know where to look sometimes.  Obviously everything has been overshadowed by the terrorist attack in Pakistan during their series with Sri Lanka.  Many teams had refused to tour Pakistan lately with India being the latest due to unrest and bombings in the country.  Sri Lanka has always tried to maintain an open door policy with regards to travelling to Pakistan and stepped into the void left by India.  This would now be looked at like a bad decision by most but some of the players seem determined to go back whenever possible.

The umpires on the other hand will not be going anywhere near any place with Stan on the end of it for a long while.  I believe they are thinking of avoiding all people named Stan as well just to be safe.

But on to the actual games on the pitch, the South African juggernaut got sideswiped by a bunch of kids from Australia on some kind of joyride.  After his first innings rush of blood, 20 year old Phil Hughes has become a run machine for the Aussies.  His wacky batting style has bamboozled the Proteas attack and they are struggling to figure him out.

The Aussies went into this series with the most inexperienced bowling lineup since time began.  But the likes of Hilfenhaus, Siddle and McDonald have supported new superstar Mitchell Johnson and part timers like newcomer Marcus North and the ever reliable Michael Clarke.  It would seem some of the Sth African batsmen looked at the lineup and forgot that they actually still had to bat to beat us.  They looked like they thought they could just hold their bat and score runs.  Didn’t really work out that well for Graeme Smith did it?

So Australia remains as the number one team in Test Cricket.  Was there ever really any doubt….except from everyone including me?  It appears the only people who really thought they could do it were the players themselves (and maybe some of them were faking too).  But good on Ricky and his band of merry men for doing the fine job they are….doing.

Elsewhere India was flogging New Zealand in some meaningless one-dayers and England was being beaten by the West Indies.  Actually further to that end, I have a massive bone to pick with one Paul Collingwood.  Are you really still claiming that “catch” you took off of Simmons?  You know the one I mean.  Last time I checked you can’t catch the ball and then have the ground help you to complete said catch.

If this is how England try and “win” games then I hope Ponting doesn’t enter into the Gentlemans Agreement on catches during The Ashes.  At the moment The Ashes are looking like a good bet for the Aussies if things continue like they are.

Let’s just hope that Test Cricket continues to be as interesting as it has been lately.

Today we see the start of a series that is the closest that cricket will ever come to a World Championship series.  South Africa and Australia play a 3 Test series to determine the number 1 Test Cricket nation in the world.  Australia, the current and undisputed (well a little bit disputed) number 1 nation and Champion of the World.  South Africa, after winning the series in Australia has earned a right to challenge for the title.  It’s Liddell v Couture, Ali v Foreman, The Rock v Stone Cold….lets just say it’s big.

South Africa are without question playing some of the best cricket in the last 10 years right now.  Australia has taken over their most inexperienced squad since….well, ever.  Just look at the 1st test in Joburg and the Aussies have 3 debutants.  It’s a recipe for cream filled disaster.  Can the Aussies turn their summer around and make the South Africans nervous and retain their title or will the Proteas finally reach the summit of a title they believe is rightfully theirs?

I guess we will just have to wait and see…but I think it is pretty obvious that we are screwed.