World Cup Report Match 3: South Africa v Zimbabwe

Scorecard

Either South Africa took their neighbouring opponents a tad too easy, or Zimbabwe took the bull by the horns, because for all but the final 12 overs of South Africa's innings, the less experienced team had the upper hand in this match. The final result almost flattered the World Cup favourites, and one wonders what was said in their dressing rooms this evening.
For the third match in succession the team that won the toss decided to field, and for the third match in succession they lost comfortably. However, South Africa teetered slightly at 4/83 in the 21st over, Amla, du Plessis and de Villiers all out. One more wicket could prove to be conclusive. Miller and Duminy would have been as aware of this as most, and batted sensibly from this point, adding 100 runs in the next 19 overs without playing a stroke in anger.
Then the crash began. In the final 11 overs, South Africa's pair scored 159 runs. It was an amazing exhibition of power hitting from two set batsmen. Sure, the wicket was true. Yes, the ground was small and clearable. But the bowling was atrocious. From the very moment that Miller and Duminy moved into overdrive, accepting that the time to accelerate had arrived, Zimbabwe's bowling plans crumbled. They had no answer, no discernible idea on setting a field and bowling to it. Full tosses, half trackers, slower balls - all were delivered and all were dispatched. Perhaps they were planning on a full bowling strategy, but if they were it was abominable. They are not the only team that appear to have no plan to bowl at the death, but this was carnage.
The real tragedy of those final overs was shown in their own chase of an insurmountable 4/339. Zimbabwe started well, didn't lose early wickets, and maintained a pace of around six runs an over, reaching 2/190 in the 33rd over. While they were never going to be able to chase down the total required, they showed great intent. Imagine if in those final 11 overs they had only gone for 100 runs? That really should have been the maximum - and if they had, they would have finished three runs from the South African total. In the end, their score of 277 was commendable, but surely must have clearly indicated where they lost the game.
South Africa may have won by a comfortable margin of 62 runs, but was it dominating? Apart from Philander with the ball, their other strike weapons appeared far less dangerous than has been intimated in the lead up. Like their 4-1 loss in the ODI's in Australia in November last year, the big names don't seem to scare their opponents as much as they probably should. It's early in the tournament, but I would be surprised in their coach wasn't working them very hard in the next few days to find some better form.
Zimbabwe have shown they have a lot to give here, and that they certainly have enough to reach the quarter final stage if they can make some small improvements. South Africa have the win they required, but at the cost of their invulnerability in the tournament.

World Cup Report Match 2: Australia v England

Scorecard

Eoin Morgan started the day by winning the toss, and surprisingly, unbelievably, sending Australia in to bat. He ended the day with his fourth duck in five ODI innings, punctuated only by an innings of 2, and presiding over a defeat of 111 runs which has only re-confirmed the depths of England's woes in this format of the game, and leaves them struggling to work out how to right the sunken ship.
Early on, it COULD have been so different. Anderson and Broad had the new ball moving enough, and Aaron Finch hit the sixth ball of the match straight to Chris Woakes at forward square, only to see it squeeze through his hands for two runs. he should have been out for a duck, and who was to know how costly that would be. Even then, despite going at seven runs an over, England had brought Australia to peril at 3/70 - Warner clean bowled by Broad, Watson edging behind the very next delivery, and Smith failing to reach double figures before chopping on. Captain Bailey has apparently already resigned himself to being moved aside when Michael Clarke returns next week, but his restorative innings alongside Finch was critical to Australia's chances. He didn't look great, and few shots seemed to hit the middle, but his innings of 55 off 69 runs was invaluable. If he is cast aside next game, having been captain over a winning team all summer, and having played that innings, then our selection panel has a lot to answer for.
After the first half a dozen overs, Finch was good. He still hits the ball too much in the air when it isn't necessary, and he still had some fortune, but his knock of 135 off 128 balls was as good an innings as you could wish for from your opening batsman with his team in trouble. He mightn't be the complete product yet, but he is getting there. Maxwell, Marsh and Haddin played the finishing job to perfection, as England just lost it completely in the final overs, and a score of 9/342 was always going to be too much. The farce of the situation came when Stephen Finn, who had been belted from pillar to post all game, once again flying in the face of those who believe he is a great one day bowler, had his final three deliveries belted by three different batsmen down the throat of three different fieldsmen in the quest for more runs, thus not only securing Finn a five wicket haul (5/71 off ten overs) but an undeserved rubbish hat-trick. Englishmen laughed as they left the field. Sums up their attitude in the current climate.

England's batting again fell apart early, leaving no opportunity to contemplate a victory surge. the destroyer was the mild mannered all rounder Mitch Marsh, who almost doubled his previous tally of wickets from every one of his total one day matches in one innings, taking 5/33 from nine overs. Australia's fielding was magnificent, stopping runs in the field, and the catching, especially that of Brad Haddin and Steve Smith was beyond spectacular.
Just to show that the farce was not over, England had put on 36 for the final wicket, and with James Taylor on 98, this is CricInfo's description of what turned out to be the final ball:

41.5

Hazlewood to Taylor, OUT, full and straight on middle and leg, Taylor looks for a flick and seems to have almost fallen over. Big appeal from the bowler, umpire Dar thinks and then gives it. Taylor immediately reviews it and it appears the ball might be skating down leg. Century still on the cards, it would seem. Funnily though, Aaron Finch had come up and started shaking hands with Taylor thinking the match was done. But wait, Dharmasena was checking for the run-out as the batsmen were looking to sneak a leg bye and it appears Maxwell has found his target to leave Anderson short of his ground. But how can that be considering Dar had given it out lbw and that means the ball should be dead, right? The question is, was he run out before the umpire's finger came up or was it after.... Taylor keeps telling it is dead ball, repeating it over and over, but Australia are already shaking hands and the umpires confirm that Anderson is indeed run out

As it turns out, it should have been a dead ball, and the game should have continued. However, as seems to be a recurring thing with these two umpires, the incorrect decision was made.

Australia has therefore made it through its first match unscathed,and can now look to push forward in their quest for a fifth World Cup crown. England must try and pick up the pieces, and find a way to rejuvenate themselves without the media shadows throwing out names like Cook, Stokes and Pietersen as the reason they are not winning matches.

World Cup Report Match 1: New Zealand v Sri Lanka

Scorecard 

Having played 6.5 ODI's against each other before this first match of the World Cup, you could be forgiven if these two teams were sick of the sight of each other before the toss was made.
Perhaps the biggest error came after Angelo Mathews won the toss, and decided to insert New Zealand - surely a mistake in such a big tournament.
New Zealand was sublime in moving smoothly to a total of 6/331 with everyone barring Ross Taylor making a score. Best of all was for the Black Caps was the innings of Martin Guptill, who played sensibly and serenely in making 49 at the top of the order. Corey Anderson's belligerence in the death overs along with Luke Ronchi put the total from a good one which would trouble their opponents to an almost unbeatable one.
Sri Lanka's bowling for the most part is just not up to it. Malinga looked underdone, and should improve in worth as the tournament progresses. Mathews probably erred by not bowling himself at the end of the innings, and whether that is from trying to protect his own figures or a genuine belief his other bowlers were better suited is open to opinion.
In reply Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising at 1/124 in the 22nd over, but then lost Thirimanne, Jayawardene and Sangakkara for five runs in eleven balls, which finished the match as a contest. Southee and Vettori were fantastic for the Kiwis, while Adam Milne bowled extremely lively, and showed he is going to be a handful in the future.
In the end, all of the questions that were answered in the previous three weeks were reinforced here. New Zealand are at the top of their game, and if their squad stays fit they are a big chance of winning the World Cup. Sri Lanka are an ageing outfit, with little bowling, and relying heavily on Dilshan, Jayawardene and Sangakkara to score enough runs (about 350) for them to win a game. They will no doubt make the quarter final stage, but the chances of progressing past that are very very slim.

In It to Win It: The Australian Cricket Supremacy / Peter Roebuck. 2007

In It to Win It: The Australian Cricket Supremacy by Peter Roebuck

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I was a great admirer of Peter Roebuck's thoughtful and eloquent newspaper articles in regards to cricket. It was he, along with a couple of others, who inspired me to consider journalism as a future career, but also inspired me to write about the things I loved, rather than what people thought I should write about.
This book is thoughtful and eloquent, and full of the stylised language that Roebuck was renown for. His informative views are well thought out, and well researched, as well as giving the reader a portrait of the times he is describing. My only real problem is that, because it is Roebuck at his best in terms of language, it can be a tough trail to follow if you cannot appreciate his written work. In fact, even those who can (I, in fact) found it to be a tough read.
He is a great loss to cricket journalism and prose, but if you have not read his work before, this may not be the best place to start. Old columns at CricInfo or the Sydney Morning Herald would be a better starting place.



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Golden Boy: Kim Hughes and the Bad Old Days of Australian Cricket / Christian Ryan. 2010

Golden Boy: Kim Hughes and the Bad Old Days of Australian Cricket by Christian Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Kim Hughes was one of my cricketing idols when i was growing up. Ironically my other two were Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee, given the relationships between the three in the course of their career.
This is a terrific book, not only of Hughes' career, but the turbulent era that surrounded his career in the times of Australian cricket. It is a bold telling of the story, with plenty of bones lain bare for all to read about. The only sticking point is the people who made themselves unavailable for interviews by the author, including Hughes himself and his closest confidantes, and Lillee and Rod Marsh amongst others. Their testimony along the way could have been instructive, but quotes from them from other sources still illuminated the story.
Christian Ryan has done a great job here, and it was a trip down memory lane for me - through those troubled times being an Australian cricket lover in the 1980's



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Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold / Mark Schultz. 2014

Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold by Mark Schultz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I read this in anticipation of seeing the movie when it was released. As an autobiography of someone I knew very little about, but had a vague memory of from my youth, I found his life story interesting without being riveting. To a wrestler or fan of wrestling I'm sure the technical detail Mark goes into in regards his matches and training would be fascinating - to a layman it tended to drag a little in places. His relationship and discussion of manner of John du Pont were also interesting. Sure, I may have gone into this expecting a different type of story, but it wasn't the loss many people believe.



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Stephen King / Revival. 2014

Revival by Stephen King

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I went into this having been mostly disappointed, if not bored, with the past three or four of Stephen King's books. Thankfully, this one grabbed my enthusiasm immediately, and held it all the way through to the (somewhat unsatisfying) conclusion.

I enjoyed how the story followed the intertwined lives of the two main characters over different periods of their lives, and how the obsession (and madness) of Charlie Jacobs evolved as his life marched on, while Jamie Morton's life went through its own twists and turns.

Without wishing to give away the ending, it seems to make a leap just a bit too far into the outlandish for my reading of the novel. King's endings rarely finish without a touch of the supernatural about them, but I did think there would be a conclusion that dealt more in... reality... than this probably does. Still, for me it was a return to a style closer to what I have enjoyed of his work in the past than some of his other recent efforts have been.



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AVANTASIA - Dying For An Angel (feat. Scorpions' Klaus Meine)

The New Tiger Takes The Australian Apart

Photo courtesy of abc.net.au

What an absolutely magnificent round of golf played today by Jordan Spieth in the final round of the Australian Open at The Australian golf course today. With every other golf struggling to keep their score under par, Spieth came out and fired a faultless 8 under 63 to win by a street from Rod Pampling.
Extraordinary stuff. he never looked troubled, never appeared to become flustered or under pressure. he just kept increasing his lead as the day went on. as good a final round of golf you could ever wish to see.

But... was it just a little spooky that, in a week where the number 63 has become synonymous with the passing of Phil Hughes, that Jordan Spieth fired that exact number to win the Australian Open?...

Vale: Phil Hughes 1988-2014

Why do I weep for a young man that I never met, that I never knew, whose hand I had never shaken nor whom I had ever had a chance to have a conversation with?

Phil Hughes was the epitome of what we want our greatest sportsmen and women to be. He was a prodigy, fulfilled in his second Test match with a century in each innings. We wanted him to succeed. When he was seen to fail in the eyes of some, and then dropped (unfairly by many), he didn't sulk or sell his story to the media. His finest line was always "if I keep making runs, my chance will come". And he kept scoring runs, and he kept getting chances, and each time he was cast aside - more often than not a borderline call - he reiterated his stance. This is what we wanted from our young sports stars - the will to fight for their place based on performance, not through media bleating. His determination was obvious, and almost always supported by his winning smile.

Everyone who has played the magnificent game of cricket will be devastated today. We all know how close you become with your teammates, and the joy of playing in a team and a club, and how close your relationships become with fellow cricketers, based solely on the game. That even extends beyond that, to players in first class and international level, the connection of watching the game, and imagining yourself in their position, the joy of winning, the agony of loss.
Each one of us has been hit by a cricket ball, some much more seriously than others. We have all faced the fear of injury from a fast bowler, and dealt with it in our own way during our careers. None of us could ever imagine what has happened to Phil actually happening. And it is frightening and scary, but more than anything else, deeply devastating.

Why do I weep? Because an obviously terrific young bloke has been taken away from all of us before he was able to capitalise on his obvious talents, and turn himself into a cricketer to whom we could hold aloft as one of the best of his time. But more than that, I weep for a young man who had his whole life in front of him, and to be taken at the age of 25 in such a way is the greatest tragedy of all.

Phil Hughes remains on 63 not out, and I weep for an innings that will never be completed.

Phil Hughes Fighting... Again...

He burst onto the scene five years ago, a nineteen year old with all the talent in the world. A duck in his first Test innings, followed by a half century, and then a century in each innings in his second Test. His future was set.

Almost from that point, he seemed to get short shrift. In order to shoehorn Shane Watson into the Test team in England in 2009, he was sacrificed without due cause. From here, he was constantly criticism for his technique, though he continued to plunder first class bowling attacks everywhere. He fought back, made the Test team again, and was then dropped. Back again... dropped. Each time without what anyone could consider a fair chance to try and consolidate his spot.
He even ended up being moved around the batting order. Opening, number 3, number 4, number 5, number 6. From game to game. Even innings to innings. And still, he found himself discarded, dspite his best efforts, and despite some fine innings. He even made the ODI team, made two centuries, and was then dropped.

Today, it was obvious that Michael Clarke would be ruled out of the Test next week, and today's batsmen would be fighting for his place. And according to plan, he had moved to 63 not out, giving the selectors every reason to think he would be the man to make the Test squad.
And now, having been hit by a bouncer that he was far too early on, he finds himself possibly fighting for his life in a critical condition after surgery.

Through his whole career, Phil Hughes seems to have been fighting for respect, for his career, at every turn. No matter how many runs he has made, he has had to fight against the detractors. And through all this he has carried on, saying all the right things, smiling, and kept making runs.
We may never know if Phil was going to be selected for next week's Test now. Just more short shrift for a guy who has never given in. All we can hope for now is that, for once in his cricketing career, he doesn't get short shrift through this terrible accident, and that he pulls through with his life fully intact.

Cricket Notes - November 4, 2014

Asia Again a Bridge Too Far

The past two weeks has brought the Australian cricket team and its supporters back to earth and underlined some home truths about the way cricket is played, and that there needs to be a different way to approach these situations. It is perhaps not the complete doom and gloom that some are suggesting - and it is the size of the defeats that is perhaps the biggest problem - but an overview of the two Tests reveals similar problems to what occurred in India eighteen months ago.

Pakistan outplayed Australia. The conditions suited their team, and they exploited them far better than the Australians did. Pakistan won both tosses and were able to bat first on both occasions. Their batsmen showed patience early on, waiting for their opportunities, before feasting on tired bowlers late in their innings. Australia managed some good partnerships, but then often lost a clatter of wickets immediately that they were broken. For the most part the Pakistan bowlers were patient, tight and bowled to their field. Australia were unable to bowl to a plan, and the fields, while inventive, probably did not suit what needed to be done, which was build pressure.
Much has been made of Australia's shortcomings on the sub-continent, having won only one Test match (in Sri Lanka) there in all countries over the past seven years. This is true, and speaks of Australia's inability to find a team capable of squeezing out victories in such situations. Two things that have not been mentioned about this are as follows:-
Firstly, when Australia lost only one Test between 2000 and 2007 in these areas, they had the greatest team and players on the planet. Batsmen such as Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Steve and Mark Waugh, Lehmann, Martyn, and most of them superb players of spin. Then there were bowlers such as McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, Lee, Warne and MacGill, who could bowl brilliantly in any conditions. And then there was Adam Gilchrist. This team was a once in a generation or seven team, and their achievements cannot be used in comparison to the current team in any fair way.
Secondly, over that same seven year period, all of the sub-continent teams combined have only won one Test in Australian conditions, that being India when they lost 2-1 on the "Monkeygate" tour. In any fair comparison of the relative strengths and weaknesses of all teams, surely this statistic must be brought out to help explain the severe difference in conditions faced by all teams when they play away from home. Certainly, you hope to compete and win in someone else's backyard. Unfortunately, only the great teams are capable of that, and this team is far from great. The only team currently able to say they are capable of this would be South Africa, and even their quickly evolving team has some questions mark on their ability to do so.

Warner, Smith, Marsh and Johnson return to Australia with their reputations safe or even enhanced. Warner played with typical freedom and ease, and though his dismissals can sometimes be infuriating, if he keeps scoring the runs he is currently then his indiscretions can be somewhat overlooked. Smith played two wonderful innings, both under pressure in trying to save games in the second innings. He continues to grow in substance with the bat, especially against spin bowling. If only he would spend more time in the nets perfecting his bowling he would be the perfect asset. I don't play Test cricket nor practice at all, and I can still land five out of every six deliveries where I want to. Surely a guy who ONLY plays or practices cricket should be able to do the same thing. Mitch Marsh has made a terrific start to his Test career. He learned from his experiences with the bat in the 1st Test, and used them to played brilliantly in both innings in the 2nd Test. A great sign, to see a kid taking what he'd learned and using it so quickly. He was also economical and accurate with the ball, and will be very useful when conditions are more suitable. Mitch Johnson was magnificent with the ball, and well used by his skipper. He also batted well in the 1st Test, albeit with some luck, which deserted him in the 2nd Test.
The skipper was disappointing, and by his own admission, especially given his usual poise against spin. His aversion to batting at number 3, on wickets where spin was dominant, and with his ability against spin bowling, again defied logic. Was he making a statement against the dropping of Alex Doolan, who he obviously supported to retain given his comments on Test eve? Or did the selectors insist Glenn Maxwell was selected as the number three? Whatever the reasoning, Clarke had the chance to lead from the front, and did not take it. Chris Rogers made starts in both innings of the 1st Test, and two failures in the 2nd. He will know he needs to continue to make runs at home if he wants to make a return to England next year.

Will the selectors admit the folly of their disgraceful decision to dump Alex Doolan, whose career is practically finished now, to play Glenn Maxwell at number 3 in a Test match. Doolan may have failed in the 1st Test, but surely he deserved the chance for redemption, given he had scored a century in the warm up match the week prior. The arrival of Lehmann and new selectors was supposed to bring solidity and temperance to the selection process, and discard the chopping and changing of teams in quick succession which brought about so many problems in India last year. Yet, it has happened again. In any review of this series, the decision to remove Doolan and O'Keefe after the 1st Test needs to be put at the top of the list. The result probably would not have changed, but at least these two cricketers, if they had failed to make an impact again, would have just cause for believing their time in the Test arena was over. Now it probably is anyway, and unsatisfactorily so. The selection panel's obsession over Glenn Maxwell is reaching Watson-like proportions, with similarly bleak and empty conclusions. His dismissal, most especially charging down the wicket in the first innings, speaks volumes for mistaken decisions at all levels regarding his selection.

None of Lyon, Siddle or Starc improved their stock on the tour. Siddle was steady, and did as well as he could in the conditions. His immediate future may rest on what is happening back home in the Shield while he toiled on unforgiving wickets. The returning Ryan Harris in Grade cricket, and bowlers such as Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chadd Sayers and Josh Hazelwood are taking wickets and enhancing their reputations. Unfortunately for Siddle and Starc - who was again for the most part extremely disappointing - their chances may well have been buried in the desert sands of the UAE. Nathan Lyon, despite a couple of chances missed by his fieldsmen, looked tame in conditions to suit his bowling but against batsmen raised on facing it. A wrist spinner would have been better for the conditions, and both Fawad Ahmed and Adam Zampa have made promising starts to the domestic season. Lyon is a favourite of the selection panel however, and his immediate future is probably not under threat.

The chance to win in Asia must now wait for a couple more years. Whether or not Australia will be better prepared, and with better ammunition, on the next occasion is something that we can only wait and see.

"Keeping" the Faith

The ODI's against South Africa don't start until next week, but in trying to find their best combination for the upcoming World Cup, the selectors have shown most of their hand for these November trials. One selection that has been made purely in the order of resting a senior player is that of Matthew Wade, who will keep in place of Brad Haddin for the first two matches - though given his injury in the Test match it would appear Australia will need a replacement through the whole ODI series.
Is this a case of the selectors simply deciding this is not the time to blood a new keeper with an eye to the future, or are they steadfastly retaining faith in the skills of Wade as reserve keeper? His form in the Matador Cup was unexciting, especially in comparison to that of people such as Chris Hartley, Peter Nevill and Tim Paine in particular. Arguably the best of the lot is current NSW third string keeper Ryan Carters, who retains his place in the top XI simply as a batsman who fields. The irony of Wade's selection is that he would rank last as a gloveman of all the current State wicket-keepers, Carters and T20 keeper Ben Dunk included. Even more ironic is that while Wade made 59 with the bat in the Shield game against NSW, Chris Hartley scored 145 and Peter Nevill made 87 and 45 not out. Yet here he is in Australian colours again. In a world where it would seem highly unlikely that Brad Haddin will be playing in twelve months time, the queue to grab his spot in all three forms of the International game is well and truly on. At this stage, the selectors are either backing their judgement that Wade will be ready for the role, or they are in a holding pattern, not willing to choose any successor at this point in time, to give all the candidates the full season to make their charge for the position.

Cracking Start to Shield Season

With spots in the Test team likely to come up for grabs during the season, and position in the Ashes touring squad certainly available, there were some terrific performances in the first round of the Shield played over the weekend.
South Australia lost only six wickets in defeating Queensland outright, after the Bulls had posted 8/443 declared in the first innings of the match. Chadd Sayers must surely have put his name front and centre for Test selection, taking 9/82 for the match including 6/34 in the second innings, his best analysis for both innings and match, his career figures now stand at 126 wickets at 22.93, and he must be close to odds on to be in the squad for the Brisbane Test next month. Callum Ferguson made 100* and 65* and Tom Cooper 75 and 68* to push their claims for higher honours again, with both possibly in the mix for the World Cup squad and certainly in consideration for Test places down the track. Chris Hartley's 142* for Queensland would have continued to push his claims for the Australian wicket-keeping position in the near future, while Adam Zampa took 3/103 and 4/45 to continue his impressive start to the season.
The Justin Langer inspired Western Australia continue their victorious start to the season, seeing off Tasmania at the W.A.C.A. Fekete and Rainbird took all 12 wickets to fall for Western Australia between them, but apart from 100 from Ed Cowan their batting was not up to the task.
The Victorian 2nd XI defeated the NSW 3rd XI comfortably in the end, with their under strength bowling attack being taken to the cleaners, while the batsmen all got starts and little else.

30 Years On - 1984 Killer Albums (Part 7)

Ride the Lightning was the first Metallica music I ever heard, albeit it was at the beginning of 1986 and not at its release of 1984. Thirty years on from that release date, and everything that makes it one of the best and most admired albums of the metal is still there and relevant to listeners new or old.

This album was a step up from their debut Kill 'Em All, without losing the elements of thrash that made it the standout it was. The start of the opener "Fight Fire With Fire" draws on that immediately, the clean guitar beginnings lulling the listener into a state of ambiance, before cranking into the thrash guitar riffs that envelops the speakers into the heart of the song. Just brilliant. I will never forget the day when, on a school bus trip we asked the driver to put this album on over the stereo. The beginning of the album brought responses from many of the girls on board of "Wow, isn't this nice music!"... before the anguished cries of "OH, what is THIS shit!" as the real guitars kicked in. The perfect response to the start of the album, from lovers of metal and detractors alike. The title track "Ride the Lightning" follows, and in turn moves into "For Whom the Bells Tolls". "Ride the Lightning" is dominated by the guitars and Hetfield's squealing young vocals, while "For Whom the Bells Tolls" is distinguished by Cliff Burton's bass warbling through the song, wah wah pedal on full. Great stuff.
Two tracks on this album highlight what made Metallica stand out from the crowd. The first is "Fade to Black", what some people in the mid-80's called Metallica's 'sell-out' song - how wrong they were, and little did they know what the 90's would bring in that regard! "Fade to Black" instead showed all the strengths of the band, without losing the intensity of their music. It is one of their signature pieces, because it showed that as a thrash metal band their were able to diversify without losing their roots (certainly, at this stage of their career anyway). "Fade to Black" has been the song I have played on every stereo I have bought since this time, to judge if it is good enough to stand up to my music needs. That's how I feel about the strength of this song.

Shifting onto Side 2 of the album, and the goodness just keeps on coming. Opening up with the brilliant "Trapped Under Ice", the speed returns in true style and hammers along with glee. The hugely underrated "Escape" follows. It seems to be a song that has slipped through the cracks of Metallica folklore, and I for one have never really understood that. Hetfield's vocals in particular are great in this song. Perhaps part of the reason for this song's undervalue is that it is followed by "Creeping Death", certainly one of Metallica's most favoured. Thirty years later it is still as good as it was back in the day. A gem. The closing song on the album is the second of the two songs that helped Metallica pull away from the crowd. The instrumental "The Call of Ktulu" is an amazing song, combining every great aspect of the Metallica legacy. It too combines those clean guitars with the thrash and heavy metal throughout different stages of the song, telling its own tales even without lyrics to do so. The building crescendo to finish the album is majestic, and puts an exclamation mark on what is a classic album.

Ride the Lightning still stands the test of time, and thirty years on is still as important as it was when it was released. The memories and nostalgia that it brings up for me whenever I listen to it continue to make this one of the finest albums of its genre.

Rating: Feel no pain but my life ain't easy, I know I'm my best friend.  5/5

Cricket Notes - October 28, 2014

Test Spin Woes With Both Bat and Ball

In light of the overwhelming defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the 1st Test, the usual suspects have been thrown up by journalists and fans alike as to the root cause of the demise, and the solutions to problems faced with trying to recover in four days to arrest and reverse that defeat. One thing that everyone knows won't change will be the pitch and the weather, so it is the Australians who must adapt quickly if they are to provide a better fist of the occasion.

The batting is where Australia failed to match their opponents in a situation where they should have done better. Alex Doolan ran out himself out in the first innings after a tedious hour at the crease, and then played back poorly in the second innings when he needed to consolidate on the fourth evening. Having copped a pace barrage at number three in South Africa he is now faced with spin from both ends in this series. It's a tough initiation, but one he needs to come to terms with quickly if he wants to be retained in the squad. Looming large over his shoulder is the ever present (when ever he is fit) Shane Watson, while there is every chance Phil Hughes could slot in at number three for the 2nd Test here. You would hope that the selectors would give Doolan the chance to redeem himself on Friday, given his century in the warm up match. Given the chop and change in recent times that is not an absolute given.
Michael Clarke, Australia's best player of spin, faced only a combined 22 balls in both innings. In these conditions, against this attack, the question of the skipper batting at number three should be raised again. If spin is going to be prevalent, he should be the man coming in to face it. Everyone knows he won't do this, and more is the pity. He should have done it in India last year, and he should do it now. Despite this, he needs to lead from the front in the 2nd Test. If he gets going it increases Australia's chances tenfold. Mitch Marsh was solid on debut without contributing heavily on the scoreboard. The jury is still out as to whether he can hold his spot at number six at this time, but the overs he bowls are needed on this tour to give the others a rest. A good contribution with both in the next Test will at least see him in with a chance of playing against India in December.
Warner, Rogers and Smith all batted well, though only Warner with his century in the first innings was able to go on and make a big score. Each showed the patience that is required in this setting, though each will be disappointed with the way they were dismissed in each innings. They will need to do the same again come Thursday. For once Brad Haddin was unable to save the team, and though he had a couple of lives Mitch Johnson was terrific in scoring 37 and 55.

With the ball Johnson and Peter Siddle did everything that could have been asked of them as seamers in those conditions. Though they did not appear to get the ball to reverse too much, they didn't concede easy runs and kept as much pressure on as possible. It is doubtful that either Ben Hilfenhaus or James Faulkner could have done any better than Siddle's effort. The only possible threat to his place for the 2nd Test is Mitch Starc, whose greater pace and better ability to reverse the older ball could prove to be a more potent weapon in these conditions. As he also tends to bowl around the wicket 80 percent of the time, it would not be like picking two left hand fast bowlers would be a problem in regards to similar bowling styles.
The two spinners were mostly ineffective, certainly in comparison to their Pakistan counterparts. Steve O'Keefe has never been a big turner of the ball, and has always worked on wearing down batsmen for his wickets. His selection for his Test debut was deserved after multiple successful years in the Sheffield Shield, but he is never going to be a match winner. As the second spinner, he did his job to the best of his talents in the 1st Test. Nathan Lyon was, for the most part, dreadfully disappointing again. There were a couple of half-chances off his bowling, but nothing that really inspired any great hope for the spectators. What was most frustrating was that he didn't seem to want to change his plans to try and make the batsmen have to think about what they were doing. He rarely changed his line of attack, he rarely changed his field to try different ideas. At times it was difficult to work out how he was trying to dismiss the batsmen. He only turned the rare delivery more than a couple of inches, and yet the Pakistan spinners sometimes turned it square. A lot of time has been invested in Nathan Lyon as Australia's number one spinner, and occasionally he has come through. The 1st Test proved once again that Australia needs to find a wrist spinner in order to be effective on these types of wickets, and that Nathan Lyon is still only keeping the seat warm for when the next spinner in line comes forward to take their opportunity.

The 2nd and final Test starts on Thursday, and unless some things change rapidly, it will also be the final Test in the careers of some of the Australians. The hierarchy will be desperate to slot Glen Maxwell into the team somehow, while both Doolan and Siddle will be nervously awaiting the team announcement. Whatever the makeup, if the skipper fails with the bat again, then it will be very difficult for Australia to square the series.

Positives and Negatives of October ODDs

The domestic one day season has been run and won, with Western Australia triumphing with a mix of youth and experience. Adam Voges and Michael Klinger led the way of the old guard, while the bowling of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Joel Paris and Ashton Agar was vital in the finish. New South Wales made the final with only three recognised batsmen and three wicket-keepers. Usman Khawaja showed he is still a big chance to resurrect an Australian career, Chris Hartley a chance to begin one. Cameron White reminded everyone that he is good enough to play at the highest level if given an opportunity. batsmen thrived at North Sydney Oval, bowlers could only wonder how to contain teams on a ground the size of a postage stamp.
Many so-called experts have criticised the tournament being played over one month, with the majority of matches in one city (and last season all in one city). Perhaps it is unfair to the visiting teams, though Queensland last season and Western Australia this season have won the tournaments away from their own home grounds. What it does do is allow players to concentrate solely on their one day skills, and that those who find form with bat or bowl (see all players listed above, and many others) are able to cash in on that form. If the schedule returned to how it has in the past - often a four day Shield game followed by a one day game between the same opponents the following day or day after - then would players have been as successful? Would Khawaja have been as dominant coming off a four day game, perhaps batting on a raging turner on the fourth day of the Shield game to batting on a road in the one day game? And what about those players who are now pigeon-holed as first class players only or one day players only? They'd be playing for their state once every 2-3 weeks, instead of every 2-3 days.
There is a reasonable argument that, in a World Cup season, the one day domestic season has now been completed, and candidates will not have any further games to push their cause for selection. In the changing climate of world (but especially Australian) cricket, this is the case with all forms. The Big Bash has hijacked the holiday season, with no Shield cricket played for two months, and yet Test teams still need to be named. It is the way of the world, and players are now more often being chosen in one day cricket on their Twenty20 form, so this argument is somewhat irrelevant in the current cricket world.

The only disappointment in the current format is the crowds, or lack thereof. Some fantastic one day cricket was played throughout the month of October, but barely anyone was at the ground to witness it. Does it need to be better promoted? Does it need to have games bunched around the Friday/Saturday/Sunday areas to encourage more people to go? 20 years ago I was a part of the consistent 15,000 strong crowds that journeyed to North Sydney Oval each season to see domestic one day games, and they were always great days and spectacles. Surely there is some way this can be brought back again? If the series was played in Perth, where massive crowds flock to the Big Bash, would the crowds be larger? Of course, that would require Channel 9 to agree, and have games played in prime time. Surely that's a winner?
I think the concept of a "carnival" is a great way to start the Australian summer. Play it in Perth, show it on TV around the country, give Perth people a chance to host it. My suggestion to make it a bigger and better tournament in 2015/16.

Matador Cup One Day Team of the Tournament 2014

Can the West Indies Survive in World Cricket?

Is there any hope for the future of West Indies cricket? They were once the most flamboyant yet deadly cricket team on the planet. They did things their own way, and they were entertaining to watch, and their individual cricketers were fascinating. Under Clive Lloyd they became ruthless, and honed their brilliance to become the finest team in the world for almost twenty years. They were almost unstoppable. They were privileged people in their home countries, but they earned that through their results on the field.
What have they become now? Their aura was finally put to rest almost twenty years ago when Australia defeated them at home in 1995, and it has been a downward spiral ever since. Still, while they had Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose, they were still competitive. Since their retirements the spiral has deepened and quickened, and the current problems are becoming even more to do with money and less to do with cricket.
How does it come to a point that the West Indies Cricket Board set out a Memorandum of Understanding on schedule and pay for their cricketers, which is agreed to and signed by the West Indies Players Association, and yet is disputed by the actual players to whom the Players Association is supposed to be representing? And - not only has this happened, but how has this been occurring on a number of occasions over the past few years? Sometimes they were solved, yet twice virtual second team squads have been sent for tours. The senior players tend to pick and choose when they play for their country, depending on whether or not there is a more lucrative Twenty20 tournament taking place at the same time.
Test cricket in the West Indies must be in peril. When the obdurate and unparalleled Shivnarine Chanderpaul finally calls time on his wonderful career, the West Indies will have no batsman capable of playing a long innings, of settling in and doing what is required in a Test match to win or save the game. While this is becoming more generally true in all nations, it has affected the West Indies much more. Technique has disappeared, and desire to fight for the cause has dissipated as well. Watching their ODI captain Dwayne Bravo continue to flail at deliveries when his team is in trouble and needs a leader, or keeping himself out of the bowling attack when his team needs a wicket, or loping around the field when speed is of the essence, speaks volumes for the state of cricket in the Caribbean.

Is there a real threat that the West Indies will not play in the World Cup in a few months? I would say it is highly doubtful. What is true is that the nations of the world will be looking to shrink tours to and by the West Indies, rather than expand the amount of cricket played against them. One can only say that, no matter what the players problem is with their board and Players Association, pissing off their major benefactor in the Board of Control for Cricket in India by abandoning a tour of their country is perhaps the strangest and most ridiculous decision they could possibly have made. And it may be the first step in the dissolving of the West Indies as a cricket conglomerate.

DEHAAN - Full secret show of METALLICA - Orion festival - 8 June 2013 - HD

Gamma Ray "Master Of Confusion" Official Rehearsal Lyric Video (HD)

Nev's 40th Birthday - Saturday

A glorious day greeted us as we awoke on the Saturday of Nev's 40th birthday celebration. I was awake not long after 7.00am, which was a shame, but after reading in bed for awhile Helen and I got up and had some toast and coffee (black - no milk!) on the verandah outside our room in the morning sun.

Our bus and driver for the day was promptly outside our hotel at 9.30am, but given a bit of dragging of feet from those who were not quite in the best frame of mind, we didn't get going until about 9.50am. From here we headed to our first winery of the day, Mount View Estate.

Nev's 40th Birthday - Friday

Helen and I headed for lovely Abernethy in the Hunter Valley this afternoon, on the invitation to celebrate Peter Netherclift's 40th birthday. Mum and Dad were taking the kids, so we had the weekend to ourselves.
The place Nev had found was a pearler. Formally built as a pub to service the nearby mine, it was a disaster, as the mine closed one week after the pub was opened in 1926. It was then used as a mental health respite for many years, until it was bought and restored to its former glory, and is now hired out for weekends to groups, such as ours. All the original verandahs are in place, as well as the dining room and kitchen. The bar has been converted to an entertainment room with TV, stereo, games and large comfy lounges. The beer garden is a perfect spot (as we discovered) for everyone to congregate and talk and drink. Upstairs are the showers and bathrooms, as well as 12 rooms, with magnificent verandahs (which we also discovered later).

Holzy and Nev discussing worldly matters

We arrived just before 5.00pm, and sat around and drank and talked and met and conversed with the other gathered guests. Everyone brought their own drinks, and as well as the Holz Assorted Nibblies Tray which stretched across about three tables, everyone was set for the late afternoon.
Once final guests had arrived, we piled into three maxi-taxis and headed into town to Peden's Hotel for some dinner and more drinks. Good thing we didn't delay our arrival any later, as the kitchen was closing as we walked in. Crisis averted, I had my steak, vegies and mash and could feel well satisfied.
We were kicked out at midnight (and really? Even Cessnock closes early...) but taxi's had already been ordered so it was a quick return to Abernethy. Helen and I moved straight to bed, but it was 4.30am before the final revellers left the beer garden, having created their own karaoke until that time. I slept through most of it anyway (you get used to sleeping through noisy parties where we've lived over the years), but one could only wonder how some of the own guest-mates would be faring on the following day.

The Dream Becomes a Reality

It has taken about a decade for my original dream to come to reality, but finally the day has arrived. I have finally gotten around to converting my old desktop computer, adding an external hard drive, and hooking up my speakers, to form my own jukebox in the Metal Cavern.

It mightn't look like much, but now I have it set up, I can listen to any of my 2000 albums at any time, in any way I please.
The Metal Cavern moves closer to absolute completion.

TV Schedule for Matador Cup 2014

Games to be shown on Gem in October 2014