Cricket Reads

[1910]

I have finished KP's book.

Wasn't too bad, bit whingy in places and not enough cricket writing- too much "he said this he did this." He hates Flower and hates Prior. English dressingroom sounds like a great place!

Also read the "Miracle Match"

Best cricket book I have read in a long while- great read on the Queensland v Western Australia One Dayer in 1976 by Brayshaw- who played in the famous game.

Great stories and just the details of the game are great. The game and the book would make a great DVD story.

 

[1910]

• Robert Craddock
• From: The Courier-Mail
• November 06, 2014 10:00PM

IT’S been rumoured for years and now it’s confirmed. Sachin Tendulkar is not the person we thought he was.
After 25 years of bashful silence at last we have met the man behind the mask.
And what a ruthless force of nature he is.
Let’s just tell this straight.
Tendulkar, as confirmed in his just released autobiography, is a highly political animal, a dangerous enemy who knew the bottomless power he possessed and used it shamelessly — and secretly — like a master puppeteer when it suited his team’s cause.
Tendulkar’s saintly public image was always the sum of how he looked, what he said and how he said it.
With a sweet, handsome face and smile that would melt a concrete slab, he always looked more lamb than lion as a man despite his great batting feats.
Align that to his boyish, high-pitched voice that always sounded so inoffensive and the fact that he barely expressed a strong opinion about any cricket matter in his 25-year career you have Sachin neatly categorised in as the choir boy who wandered on to a cricket field and decided to stay.
But when his autobiography was released worldwide on Thursday the choir boy ripped open his robes and pulled a loaded gun from a holster.
Tendulkar opened fire on Greg Chappell for allegedly trying to undermine Rahul Dravid; Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting for appealing for a catch that wasn’t out; Adam Gilchrist for having double standards; Ian Chappell for urging him to retire and Australia in general for the Monkeygate scandal.
Far more significantly than all of these, he owned up to leading the rebellion, which had his team insisting they should fly home if a suspension against Harbhajan Singh over the Monkeygate affair was not quashed (which it was).
This from a nation so outraged when the West Indies recently abandoned a tour of India.
Some felt Tendulkar played it smart.
He spent his international career saying next to nothing about anyone, created as few problems as he could for himself and just went about batting ... batting ... and batting.
And then, when safely set up with pipe and slippers in retirement and with his key adversaries nowhere to be seen ... kapow!
But there is a sense of hollowness about his words. Shame he could not have unleashed his best punches when his opponents were in the ring with him.
It always sat oddly that Tendulkar’s lifelong hero is John McEnroe.
But those who know Tendulkar well used to say that Tendulkar loved McEnroe’s brain explosions because that was how he sometimes felt himself but he was never bold enough to reveal his inner self to the world.
Now he has done so. We may never think of him as kindly again but as least we got to meet the real man.

 

[fenomeno]

What a dumb article, Did a primary school student write this?

Tendulkar's conduct on and off the field was exemplary during his whole career, How is that being painted as a negative?

Of course people will disagree with his views and opinions, It happens with every autobiography and its hard to argue against what he has written.

 

[1910]

What a dumb article, Did a primary school student write this?

Tendulkar's conduct on and off the field was exemplary during his whole career, How is that being painted as a negative?

Of course people will disagree with his views and opinions, It happens with every autobiography and its hard to argue against what he has written.

You've missed Crash's point- that was people's opinions of Sachin because he never said anything but he's now changing that with his book where he's giving opinions on people for the first time and showing us what he really is like/thinks.

Exemplary might be going too far- wasn't that exemplary changing his story about Roy from I didn't hear to he didn't say monkey. One of the versions has to be lie.

He's wrong anyway in the book saying Ponting didn't have to act- He did- ICC rules say if a racial complaint is made you have to go to the umpire and report it. Sachin obviously meant sweep it under the carpet and allow racism.

Trying to get a tour called off because the other team won't let you be racist- not that great.

Using your influence to get a coach sacked- poor.

 

[Ari Gold]

It's not reading but Crash had a tv show coming up where he interviews a bunch of cricketers to get their stories. Not sure when it starts.

 

[fenomeno]

You've missed Crash's point- that was people's opinions of Sachin because he never said anything but he's now changing that with his book where he's giving opinions on people for the first time and showing us what he really is like/thinks.

Exemplary might be going too far- wasn't that exemplary changing his story about Roy from I didn't hear to he didn't say monkey. One of the versions has to be lie.

He's wrong anyway in the book saying Ponting didn't have to act- He did- ICC rules say if a racial complaint is made you have to go to the umpire and report it. Sachin obviously meant sweep it under the carpet and allow racism.

Trying to get a tour called off because the other team won't let you be racist- not that great.

Using your influence to get a coach sacked- poor.

Of course Sachin never said anything, Like I said, He acted a certain way during his playing career, The way he should have and now that its over, He's written an autobiography as you'd expect and he has offered his opinions in it on a variety of issues. What did you expect the autobiography to have in it? Of course he was going to comment on various players, To think otherwise would be naive.

Compared to 99% of the athletes, Yes his conduct has been exemplary.

Who has more integrity? Ponting? Adam Gilchrist? lol. No point in going over the monkeygate situation, Its a he said she said scenario thats been flogged to death. Allow racism? So you believe without a shadow of a doubt that Symonds was racially abused?

He simply suggested that in his view it would have been better to talk it over with Kumble before going ahead with the complaint.

Using your influence to get a coach sacked is poor? Well i guess it is, But how is that surprising? You think if Ponting and Co. or Clarke and Co. felt their coach was doing a terrible job and alienated every single one of the senior crickets, They wouldn't use their influence to get rid of him?

 

[Bucking Beads]

Sachin was a crock. I called it years ago.

 

[1910]

Of course Sachin never said anything, Like I said, He acted a certain way during his playing career, The way he should have and now that its over, He's written an autobiography as you'd expect and he has offered his opinions in it on a variety of issues. What did you expect the autobiography to have in it? Of course he was going to comment on various players, To think otherwise would be naive.

Compared to 99% of the athletes, Yes his conduct has been exemplary.

Who has more integrity? Ponting? Adam Gilchrist? lol. No point in going over the monkeygate situation, Its a he said she said scenario thats been flogged to death. Allow racism? So you believe without a shadow of a doubt that Symonds was racially abused?

He simply suggested that in his view it would have been better to talk it over with Kumble before going ahead with the complaint.

Using your influence to get a coach sacked is poor? Well i guess it is, But how is that surprising? You think if Ponting and Co. or Clarke and Co. felt their coach was doing a terrible job and alienated every single one of the senior crickets, They wouldn't use their influence to get rid of him?

Which was all Crash was saying- so you've bagged him when you agree with him.

Roy has no reason to make it up- he did it before and proven he's racist and he got caught out again. He should have been suspended the first time. We all know why he wasn't, they used the fact they bring in so much money- and don't worry I am just as disappointed with AC that they let it go on so India didn't go home.

Kumble wasn't on the field- rules say you have to report to the umpire straight away. Ponting did it 100% right. To do anything else would be to allow racism. Why does it need to be talked over- unless you want to change someone's mind or try and change the course of action?

Don't care who does it- better ways than whiteanting a coach.

I notice you avoided the part where he changed his story.

I haven't read it yet so I can't comment on the book but the shine has gone off him over the monkey thing and lying. I am happy he is providing decent comment and insight in the book though.

 

[Broncoman]

This is very controversial but I honestly think that Harbarjahn's comments didn't get as much attention and the umpiring did because Harbajahn was indian. If an Australian player racially abused an Indian player they would be hammered to all parts of the world for it. We just played to the whistle and can't control the umpires decisions on that last day and the Indians could easily have drawn that game. It was one of the greatest wins at the death I've seen and it's a shame the game is remembered for other things.

By their logic it was perfectly fine for Singh to abuse Symonds but wrong for us to react

 

[fenomeno]

Which was all Crash was saying- so you've bagged him when you agree with him.

Roy has no reason to make it up- he did it before and proven he's racist and he got caught out again. He should have been suspended the first time. We all know why he wasn't, they used the fact they bring in so much money- and don't worry I am just as disappointed with AC that they let it go on so India didn't go home.

Kumble wasn't on the field- rules say you have to report to the umpire straight away. Ponting did it 100% right. To do anything else would be to allow racism. Why does it need to be talked over- unless you want to change someone's mind or try and change the course of action?

Don't care who does it- better ways than whiteanting a coach.

I notice you avoided the part where he changed his story.

I haven't read it yet so I can't comment on the book but the shine has gone off him over the monkey thing and lying. I am happy he is providing decent comment and insight in the book though.

My bad, I didn't mean to avoid that point of yours, Tendulkar changing from 'I couldn't hear' to 'Harbhajan must have said 'Teri ma ki' was him going with his team mates' account instead of Symonds. (this is according to his book so take it for what its worth) He is a human being who has opinions just like everyone else does. I simply said he played the game the right way and his conduct was as good as anyone's during his career, On and off the field.

Not sure why everyone is up in arms about him offering his opinion on guys like Ponting and Gilchrist. These are the same blokes who were getting drunk and punched in night clubs to appealing for catches that were clearly grounded. They don't have a leg to stand on as far as integrity goes.

Funny how according to you we are supposed to believe Andrew Symonds of all people, I loved Symo but he was a pretty stupid bloke who didn't have much going for him upstairs.

I bagged Crash because the whole article is a huge over reaction. I guess it gets people talking so he got what he set out to achieve.

Just another case of Tall Poppy Syndrome which is rampant in our sport/society.

For what its worth, I despise Harbhajan, The guy was an A grade scumbag who probably deserved a lot more than he got.

I just think its hilarious that people are assassinating Tendulkar's character just because he has an opinion.

 

[1910]

Ian "Sticks" Brayshaw has made a valuable contribution to Australian cricket and its history with his latest book, The Miracle Match.
A Gillette Cup semi-final between Western Australia and Queensland at Perth's WACA Ground on December 12, 1976 might seem to have few, if any, claims to such an august title.
But this was no ordinary one-day match, and fittingly this is no ordinary read because Brayshaw has shrewdly blended the improbable happenings of that eventful day with insightful pieces on, and interviews with, some of the great players and characters who were involved in it.
The powerful line-ups, in batting order, were:
WA: Bruce Laird, Ric Charlesworth, Rob Langer, Kim Hughes, Craig Serjeant, Rod Marsh, Ian Brayshaw, Bruce Yardley, Dennis Lillee, Mick Malone, Wayne Clark.
Queensland: - Viv Richards, Alan Jones, David Ogilvie, Greg Chappell, Phil Carlson, Jeff Langley, John Maclean, Graham Whyte, Jeff Thomson, Denis Schuller, Geoff Dymock.
On a Perth pitch that was livelier than usual, WA were sent in to bat by Chappell, and were dismissed for just 77 in 22.5 eight-ball overs, with seamers Dymock and Carlson taking three wickets each, Chappell two and Thomson one. Only three WA batsmen got to double figures - Charlesworth (25), Langer (15) and Yardley (19); five failed to score - Hughes, Serjeant, Marsh, Lillee and Clark.
Marsh, WA's captain, tried to rally his players, saying: "There's a big crowd here. Let's not let them down. Let's make 'em fight for it." Lillee responded with: "Make 'em fight for it be buggered. We're going to beat these bastards!"
Within two hours Lillee was accepting the Man-of-the-Match award for figures of 4 for 21 off 7.3 overs, having dismissed Richards (0), Ogilvie (9), Chappell (2) and Schuller (0), as Queensland were routed for 62 in 20.3 eight-ball overs. Clark took three and Malone two.
Six weeks later, in the cup final at the MCG, WA defeated Victoria in another thrilling, heroic effort. Needing 165, WA slipped to 74 for 7, 125 for 8 and 139 for 9 before last pair Malone (47 not out) and Clark somehow survived long enough for Malone to clinch victory with an inside edge off medium-pacer Trevor Laughlin for four to fine leg off the third ball of the final over.
Within four months, the cricket world would be rocked by the news of the formation of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.
Introducing part of his interview with Hughes on the semi-final, Brayshaw writes: "Kim Hughes brought another slant to the discussion - one that was never far from anyone's minds during those years leading up to WSC", and he quotes Hughes as saying: "Talking about the money we got that day - and it was the same for all of us, from the captain down - we later found out that the bloke on the gate, a lovely old fellow, got more than we each did for playing!
"And it was a huge game, televised Australia-wide and featuring such world stars as Richards, Chappell, Thomson, Lillee and Marsh, with a big crowd in attendance. Unbelievable entertainment, and all we got for the part we played was 18 bucks. A ten, a five, a two and a one - all notes in those days!"
Brayshaw supports Hughes by writing: "And the competition sponsor actually paid more money to each of a handful of 'dolly birds' who floated around the ground during the game, promoting its name and products. It was a good thing that money wasn't king for cricketers back in 1976."
Brayshaw's chapter on Hughes, headed "A Flawed Diamond", is a revealing feature of the book, but so too are those on Richards, Chappell, Lillee, Marsh, Thomson and others, and especially readable are the comments most have on each other.
As a capable middle-order batsman, medium-pace swing bowler and sound fieldsman, Brayshaw, now 72, was a fine all-round cricketer in strong WA teams from 1960-61 to 1977-78. In 101 first-class matches, he scored 4325 runs at 31.80, took 178 wickets at 25.08 and accepted 108 catches. His career highlight was taking all ten wickets (for 44 off 17.6 eight-ball overs) in Victoria's first innings of 152 in the Sheffield Shield match at the WACA in October 1967.
If he had been in his prime at various stages over the past 35 years, he would have been preferred ahead of several inferior players who have represented Australia in at least one of the three formats of the game.
Importantly, in the context of this book, the 25th he has written or co-written, Ian Brayshaw, MBE was always regarded by his peers as a gentleman cricketer, on and off the field, and he continued to be admired and respected as a journalist/commentator-cum-author.
The Miracle Match is another reminder of his talent and decency.
The Miracle Match
By Ian Brayshaw
Hardie Grant Books
A$29.95