Hot

M.J Rowles at Albion Park on a nice sunny day.
It is impossible to explain how hot is was standing there taking this photo...

Shane Watson - It's Not Your Bloody Decision!

For the past seven years, various captains, coaches and selection panels have been trying their utmost to shoehorn Shane Watson into the Test team, at any cost, including the very success of the team itself.

Just days before the start of the 2006/07 Ashes series in Brisbane, Shane Watson had been inked in to bat at six and bowl overs, and Mitch Johnson was preparing for his Test debut. In the weeks leading up to this Test, Watson has let it be known that he thinks he is the man to open the batting in the Test team, given that Justin Langer appears out of sorts.Many thought this to be foolhardy. I certainly did.
Then (surprise, surprise) Watson got injured during training, and was unfit for the match. Michael Clarke came in to replace him, and Stuart Clark was chosen instead of Johnson because of his perceived accuracy as against Johnson's waywardness. As a result, Clarke averaged more than 50 for the series, Clark topped the bowling, and Australia won the series 5-0. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Shoot forward to 2009. Australia lose the 2nd Test at Lord's for the first time in almost a hundred years, after their bowlers were unable to finish off England's tail in the 1st Test. England lead the series 1-0 when, realistically, Australia should be at least 1-0 up. Wunderkind Phil Hughes, who just months earlier became the youngest batsman to score centuries in each innings of a Test match, is suddenly usurped in order to fit in Shane Watson, a middle-order all-rounder of sorts, into the side as an opening batsman. Watson has again been sending around the message that he is ready to be Australia's opening batsman, and has now somehow fulfilled that prophecy. The result of the series is again decided by selections, though this time by leaving out a spinner on the dusty track at The Oval, Australia surrender the Ashes. One can only imagine how Hughes' confidence has been shattered by his swift removal from the team despite still averaging over 45 in Test cricket.

Over the next two years and a half years he played 16 Tests, scoring 1456 runs at 50.20 with the bat with two centuries, and 29 wickets at 27.72 with the ball. His problem continued to be his inability to convert starts into big scores, and the constant threat of breaking down when he bowled. In essence, he did not make the most of the good form he showed.

Now though, he seems to be playing on fumes. In the last two years, he has played 12 Tests, scoring just 611 runs at 27.77, with no centuries. No one who has played in that period has survived the axe with a similar record. Phil Hughes was dropped after 11 Tests brought 563 runs at 28.15 (before his re-appearance in December). Marcus North managed 14 Tests with a return of 644 runs at 29.27. Usman Khawaja was given just 6 Tests for his 263 runs at 29.22. Shaun Marsh cobbled together 7 Tests for 301 runs at 27.36.

None of these mentioned players has a worse record than Shane Watson. Of course, up until now, the captain/coach/selectors have always harped on that it is his all-round skills that he is chosen for, the fact that his more-than-handy bowling is essential to the team's balance. But now Watson/coach/selectors are making sure the media knows that he wants to be selected as a batsman only, and that he feels he is the person to open the batting again. The NERVE of this guy!! It obviously isn't enough that he has received preferential treatment at the hands of the selectors in the past, now he is starting up the machine once again in an attempt to find his way back into the Test team.
It isn't unheard of for allrounders to eventually give away their bowling due to injury and concentrate on their batting. Steve Waugh is the obvious example of this. Of course, at the time Waugh was averaging about 60 with the bat in Test cricket, and his place was assured.
And so Watson has targeted Ed Cowan's place in the Test team. Cowan has received some grief of late because he averages in the mid-thirties (like Watson), but doesn't dominate attacks in the way that Watson apparently does. Cowan has scored 722 runs at 32.81 in his 13 Tests. While that isn't startling, is it worth of being replaced by a batsman who has averaged less than that over the past two years?
There is no doubt that it would be preferential for the team if the opening partnership contained a left and a right handed batsman. That would be one of the things in the selectors mind as they weigh up this 'dilemma'.

In the long run, what makes me angry about all of this is that on the surface, it looks as though one player who has fairly average stats in Test cricket is constantly getting a better deal than every other player in and outside of the Test team. The stats above show that every other batsman who has similar statistics has been excused from the team, bar one.

With Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey now both gone from the Australian team, it is now time for a complete revamp, and that means making Shane Watson earn his recall to the Teat team through weight of runs in first class cricket. Until he has proven he can do this, AND not get injured in the process, he should not be selected.

Of course, you and I know that that isn't going to happen...

The Start of the Catastrophic Weather Day?

I don't really know how this is going to end up, but here is how Albion Park looked this morning, given that it is predicted that we are going to reach 44 degrees today...

The temperature at 6.30am this morning

The view from the Deck at 5.45am this morning.

The view from MJ Rowles Albion Park looking south east at 6.30am

New Look ODI Team Not to Everyone's Fancy

ODI Squad for first two matches against Sri Lanka.

George Bailey (capt)
Phillip Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Aaron Finch
David Hussey
Brad Haddin (wk)
Glenn Maxwell
Steven Smith
Mitchell Johnson
Ben Cutting
Mitchell Starc
Clint McKay
Xavier Doherty.

There has been quite an uproar about this team, in the main because the selectors have chosen to leave out Mike Hussey after his announcement that he will retire from all International cricket at the conclusion of the Australian season.

Haddin Back, Selectors Axe Hussey

So let's go through the sore points and see what we can discover:

• George Bailey as captain as the team. Well to be honest, isn't this just logical? Michael Clarke needs to rest. He needs to be fully fit for the Test tours of India and England. Bailey has only failed on two occasions to make double figures in ODI cricket, at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 77. As a result he is assured of his position in the team, despite what many may think. he has also shown himself to be a good captain, both with Tasmania and with the national T20 team. Having lost the experience of both Ponting and Hussey, Bailey is the best qualified person in the team make-up to take on the captaincy.
• Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja have been two of the top three batsmen in domestic one day cricket this summer (with Aaron Finch the third), so on form their selection is justified. There is also no doubt that the selectors want these two both playing longer innings than the Big Bash would allow them, given that both are very likely to be chosen on the next two Test tours. They both need time in the middle, even if that is only in a 50 over game rather than a 20 over game.
• Whether both Warner and Wade need a rest is open to question. Warner is in good form and is perhaps our best fielder. Resting him now seems a bit odd, surely a rest closer to the Indian tour would suit him better. I would have thought Wade needs the remedial work on his keeping after a somewhat shoddy display overall with the gloves in the Tests. Giving Haddin a couple of games back in the national colours won't hurt.
• Maxwell and Smith are both playing for the same spot in the team. Given Smith has reneged on his bowling in recent times a-la Cameron White, it would seem he is a fill in.
• Ben Cutting deserves a chance at International level, but he has been hosed on at least three occasions this season in one day cricket. It seems a strange point at which to give him a game. He appears to have been chosen more for his rear-end slogging that his bowling. He and McKay would also appear to be dueling for the same spot in the team.

With the retirements of both Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, and the injuries to Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, that means that four of the top six from Australia's ODI team from 12 months ago are currently unavailable. Last year Peter Forrest was given an extended run in the ODI team, which brought one century and some other promising starts, before he failed to produce in the West Indies and England. George Bailey now filled that gap, with opinion varied as to his success or failure in that position. New players need to be found as the team continues to grow older - Clarke, Watson, Bailey and David Hussey all resides over the age of 30.

Australia's success or failure in the ten ODI's coming up against Sri Lanka and West Indies may decide the fates of a number of players. More than ever, however, what it does show is that form with either bat or ball can propel you into the national team, and at the moment even quicker than has been the case in the past twenty years.

"Why is Golf Called Golf?!"

Another belter of a day, though with little breeze to cool everything down. Breakfast was again held on the deck, with some sad and mournful thoughts of having to return to work tomorrow being the order of the morning.

Maddi had a birthday party to attend today, as it happens at the mini-golf set-up at the driving range at Primbee. This worked out fairly well, as Helen has been wanting to have a go at golf, and so we all decided to go. We left Maddi with her fellow partyers while we all headed out onto the range.
Strangely enough, Helen couldn't understand why, after hitting 10 or 12 balls, that she wasn't hitting her driver 300 yards straight down the middle of the fairway. Then, when the onset of a blister on her hand brought on the conclusion of her first attempt at golf some 150 balls later, she was disappointed.
Jess and Josh also had their first go at driving a golf ball with specially modified clubs courtesy of the pro, and they had a great time also.

Better yet, Helen also finally learned why golf is CALLED golf.
It's because "F*#K" was already taken.

Afterwards (even though their father/husband would have preferred to have gone home and watched the cricket) we headed to Little Lake in Warilla for a paddle to cool down after a warm day.

Stop the Presses! Someone's in the Water!

Just to prove that it is possible for me to actually go into water without melting like the Witches of Oz, we all headed back down to Albion Park pool this morning for another dip for an hour or so. As Helen sunned herself on the edge of the pool, I was forced to take the plunge to keep the children happy.

Josh has been improving his swimming at Sue's Swim School, and so today we worked on it some more, with and without kickboard. By the end he was swimming halfway across the pool to me and then back to the edge, so he's doing OK for a Peters male in regards to swimming.

We had coffee and/or Milo on the Deck on our return home, which was then followed by sausage sizzle for lunch on the Deck, with a lovely breeze keeping our temperatures down to high 20's while most other places in the country are experiencing almost 40 degree days.

Grocery Shopping and Test Match at Peters Stadium

We had a wonderful family outing today. It was a family shopping trip to Albion Park Woolworths for groceries. How lucky our kids are, being taken to exotic places and bought luxury items!

WOOOOO!!! New washing basket!!!

Having sacrificed one session of the 3rd Test to do the shopping, I then sacrificed the first hour of the last session in order to satisfy Joshua's continuing fascinationg with cricket - the playing side of cricket.
It was tough, make no bones about it. The wicket deifinitely requires some rain, but all in all the dustbowl played well. Josh compared it to playing in a desert, and the two bottles of water he skulled at the end of play were testament to that.

Tony Greig

There was a lovely tribute to Tony Greig at the 3rd Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Sydney this morning. Tony died from a heart attack that was no doubt related to his lung cancer on December 29, and he will be missed in the cricket world.

Bill Lawry remembers his mate and famous partner

On Facebook a few days ago I put my own thoughts, which went as such:

Tony Greig

In 1977 my grandmother made sure she bought the first four editions of the Woman's Weekly, because each week they had a part of "Cricket - The Tony Greig Way". I wore out those inserts reading about Tony's thoughts on batting, bowling and fielding.

As a result of this series, although I barracked for Australia in the Centenary Test played in March of 1977, I hoped secretly that Tony Greig would score a hundred and take 10 wickets. Instead he got smashed by David Hookes, and I had my appendix removed on the final afternoon of the Test, meaning I didn't see the end and Dad had to go back and forth to the TV in the waiting room to watch it.

Tony was also party to making me hound Mum to buy Nutri-Grain for breakfasts. His ads with Greg Chappell, sprouting such classic lines as "Invite the whole team around for breakfast" and "They're like mini cricket bats with holes in them" was enough to make me want to eat it. I was not disappointed when finally given the opportunity.
 
My first bat at the age of 11 was a St. Peter bat (SP), which had been Tony Greig's equipment sponsor through his career. It was a great bat that I oiled and sanded with love.

When Billy Birmingham turned up with "It's Just Not Cricket" in 1984, the world discovered how amusing Tony Greig actually was. From this moment on he was viewed in a completely different light as a commentator, and i think he certainly played up to this, and it made him a better commentator as a result.

I did not always agree with his opinions, but I admired his championing of Sri Lanka and South Africa in particular. Though he was also very important in pushing India as they became the ruling power of world cricket, he was not afraid in vocalising his disappointment in the BCCI not using the DRS technology. Anyone who followed his Twitter account would know that he was never afraid of airing his opinions, no matter how much flak he copped from his followers from all over the world.
Through Twitter I was fortunate enough to have a number of conversations with Tony on a number of subjects in the past two years. One in particular when it was raining in Galle in 2011 was funny and informative.

Tony made you think about the game, putting forward statistics that then provoked discussion and argument both in the commentary box and in the lounge room. After The 12th Man albums, Tony entertained as much as he analysed, and his stints of commentary were never boring.

He has been noticeably missing in commentary this season, and now he will never return.

Vale Tony Greig. Thanks for the memories. Your services at every level of cricket shall never be forgotten.

"The Power" Rules Again

After the finest Dart World Championships I have watched (and that has only been since 2008), Phil "The Power" Taylor is once again the world champion after holding off the red-hot up and comer Michael van Gerwen 7-4 in a wonderful final.

This year's championships had everything. Seven of the top eight players in the world made the quarter finals, and each match was enthralling. Michael van Gerwen threw a televised 9 darter in the semi-final against James Wade, and then almost did the unthinkable by throwing consecutive 9-darters, missing only on his final throw at double 12. Shivers down the spine stuff it was.

Science Centre Trip

With the day a little overcast and the kids a little stir crazy, Majority Rule decided that we would spend the day off at Wollongong's Science Centre and Planetarium.
It was my first trip to the centre, and Helen and the kids hadn't been for a coupe of years. By all accounts it has grown and improved since then. As we bought an annual family ticket when we went to Canberra last year and went to Questacon, it also gets us into Wollongong's centre, so we are making money into the bargain!

We arrived shortly after 11.00am, and left shortly before 4.00pm so it was a full day for everyone.

Jess and Josh check out the Machine of a Million Gears. Good luck guys.

Helen and Maddi check out the twister

Waiting for the start of the show in the Planetarium (not a great photo I'll admit...)

Peters Boys - one with summer facial growth.

Peters Girls - enjoying lunch.

Proof I finally completed The Cube. It did take some time however.

Foreman Madeleine keeps the brick conveyer belt moving.

"Lincoln" Enjoyable and Informative

Helen and I sat down and watched "Lincoln" last night, directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, and starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lewis. The fact that this film is not released at Australian cinemas for another 2-3 weeks was also a binus for us in our little living room.

"Lincoln" on Wikipedia

The film focuses on the final few months of Lincoln's life, as he tries to find a way to end the American Civil War, and also to get the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution passed into law.

Excellent performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, James Spader and Tommy Lee Jones make this great viewing, and has made me realise how little I know about this stage of American history. i shall be going to he library in the coming weeks to rectify this situation.

New Year's Day

With all three kids lasting until 1.00am with our NYE guests the Fulton's and the Kearin's, and with Helen and I not moving into the world of sleep until after 2.00am, it was a sleepy household that began the new year.

Majority Rule decided that we would take a trip to Albion Park pool for a swim on a day where the temperature reached a pleasant 30 degrees. Helen and the kids enjoyed 90 minutes of bliss, while I managed to avoid having to get more than my feet wet.

After KFC lunch on the deck (and let me say here that the Zinging Double is completely overrated trash, and that we won't need to go to KFC for another 6 months now), the kids played upstairs, while Mum and Dad enjoyed a game of darts with their new dart sets from Xmas. While overall our game hasn't improved, the new darts definitely make a difference. We should make the effort to play more. Perhaps when I move the dart board upstairs with the pool table into the Ultimate Games Room... but more on that dream later...

Helen also began her restoration of her parents' old furniture, and improvements have begun to show.

Josh also showed his prowess in cricket via Simon Katich in the Big Bash clash between Hobart and Perth.

Mum's 70th Birthday

We celebrated Mum's 70th birthday today at Angela's house, as the Wallace's and Parker's will be away on December 29. We had a great lunch, and played some marvellous Wallace cricket, and enjoyed the day.

Mum and her twelve grandchildren

Two Birthday Cakes!

Happy Birthday!

Granny returns to the crease.

You can see where her son got his cricket form from.

The Wallace Cricket Ground and Pavillion

Ridiculous Rotation Resting and Ricky's Last Stand

Can someone explain to me why, in a Test that will decide this series, and (ridiculously) the #1 Test team in the cricket world, that our top two bowlers are NOT being picked because they have had a heavy workload. What a disgrace, why not just spit in their face! Both Siddle and Hilfenhaus would not play if they didn't think they were capable. What happens now if Mitch Johnson (unlikely) and Mitch Starc (maybe) and either John Hastings or Josh Hazelwood go out in this Test and take a five-fa? How do you then justify dropping THEM for the next Test?! It's just a joke.

I hope we win, but if we don't, then we have a whole new panel of selectors that need to take a long hard look at themselves.

And on this #1 ranking... how can they honestly label Australia as #1 if we win this Test? We got flogged at home and away by the Poms, and flogged in India two years ago, and only drew with New Zealand at home last season. It would be a joke and an embarrassment to put our hands up and claim that title again befor we beat India and England away from home next year. THEN it would be deserved.

And finally, on Ricky Ponting's final Test for Australia.

Let's not preempt anything. Ricky - do not defend with a crooked bat, do not lunge forward early, do not poke at that ball on the off stump. Walk to the crease, doff your cap to the crowd - and then just take the bowling apart. Take the first ball to the mid wicket boundary, and the second to the cover point boundary. Do not let the bowlers settle into a groove. Hit them off balance, and don't let them recover. Now is the time to truly show how good you have been. Do not go out with a whimper. Go out in a blaze of glory.

Fathers Day

Father's Day got a little bit lost this year. Not in a terribly bad way of course, but when you have your parents-in-law over, and the afternoon is not only spent celebrating Father's Day for your father-in-law, but also celebrating your mother-in-law's birthday (which had been the previous Monday on August 27) and your father-in-law's birthday (which will be in two days time on September 4), well... you can see where the day may have lost some of its sparkle of being with one's kids.

Anyway. You get that.

Helen and the kids on Fathers Day 2012.

Got some good gear, as detailed below.

Josh made me a great jigsaw puzzle of a platypus, and coloured it himself (on far right), as well as a pencil holder for my desk, which he decorated himself. Good job Bucko! Maddi got me a cooler bag for my lunch, as well as a block of Roast Almond chocolate. Great job Mads! Jessie had her eye on something else for me, that one of her friends bought just before she could get it. However, I struck gold with the "Beer Glass With Bell"!, which I can ring whenever I want it refilled. It got a workout on father's Day, I can tell you! Super job JP! There were also some assorted little chocs, and of course th handmade cards. All great.

Topping this off was Helen getting Will Sheridan's Victorian Bushrangers shirt framed for me. It contains the signatures of Victoria's most recent Australian representatives - Chris Rogers, John Hastings, Peter Siddle, Cameron White and Andrew McDonald. The only pity is that wwe can't see Sherro's name and number on the back!

Breakfast on The Deck

Sydney Footy Day

After many attempts at plans to make a Sydney trip with the boys, and all of them having fallen through in the past, we got underway today, and had a smashing day.

Kearo and I left West Kiama around 9.00am, and after a journey catching up on what was happening in each others lives and talking about the usual subjects of sport and music, and especially enjoying the 17 hours journey up King Street in Newtown, we arrived at our first destination, that being Utopia Records in Sydney. I must admit that, with $875 in tax money ready to be spent on something for myself, I had wanted to find a piece of memorabilia to hang in The Metal Cavern. However, on perusal there really wasn't anything that was woth the money they wanted, and after an hour I decided to hang onto my money for another day.

The piece I had my eye on. $90 proved too much, given signature was only printed.

After Bono had arrived, and Kearo had made our only purchases, we headed down to Darling Harbour to meet Joel at the old James Squires Brewery, where we had a couple of pints of their finest and a bite to eat for lunch.

From here it was off to Homebush, where our first destination was Skoda Stadium to checkout the Greater Western Sydney Giants playing North Melbourne in the final round of the AFL season. It was our first look at the new stadium, and it really is set up well. GWS gave it to the Kangaroos too, only a couple of goals down at half time, and still a chance until about five minutes into the final quarter. Decent hot dog there too, the Atomic. Well worth checking out.

Pre-game at Skoda Stadium

Kearo, Joel and Bono enjoying the atmosphere

After this game was over, we headed across the road to ANZ Stadium to watch minor premiers Canterbury bury the under-achieving Roosters. The stadium has improved since I was last there, the action is not as far away as it once was. Kearo, as a Bulldogs supporter was ecstatic with the game. Bono, as a Roosters supporter, was less so.

Pre-game at ANZ Stadium

All in all, it was a great day. I haven't spent a day with my oldest friends in a long time, and I really wish we would do this more often.