World Cup wrap up..

Last night was the World Cup Final, and Australia were worthy winners of the game.  The three highlights to me.

(1) Starc's first over to McCullum, just brilliant bowling, and got the reward he deserved. It set the scene, rather than deciding the match.
(2) Smith's composure and calmness when he came out to bat.  Fitting he hit the winning runs.
(3) McCullum's grace and dignity in defeat. Seeing him chase each ball as if it was the first over, his post match speech and press conference, running to Clarke to shake his hand after he was dismissed, (along with a number of other NZ players). Just pure class.

The honorable mention, would be Clarke - on one level it was sad he wasn't there at the end, but at the same time, he got to walk off the ground to a standing ovation, which he deserved.

The low light, Channel 9's coverage.  How on earth did Shane Warne get the nod for the post match interviews, we learnt more about the players drinking habits than anything else, only Watson and Clarke were asked about their opponents. Disappointing that Mark Nicholas announced Dan's (rumored) retirement to the world while neglecting to mention Misbah-ul-Haq or Shahid Afridi.

Highlights of the World Cup:
(1) The tournament dominated by the bat - 4 scores of over 400, 2 double hundreds, 38 centuries... The average strike rate was in the high 80s.
(2) Admist that, two bowlers stood up above the others Trent Boult and Mitchell Starc. Fitting that Starc was player of the tournament.
(3) The two matches which will live in my memory and which highlight the beauty of cricket were the Afghanistan v Scotland game and the South Africa - New Zealand semi-final.

So proud of the NZ team.

'Footy's' back ...

We've been enjoying the Cricket, SuperXV Rubgy and the NRL for a few weeks now, but next weekend sees the beginning of the AFL Season..   In short, hoping for redemption this year. That is, if the Swans make the grand final, they show up for the game.

Here's my prediction for the top eight

1. Sydney 2. Port Adelaide 3. Hawthorn 4. Fremantle
5. Geelong 6. North Melbourne 7. Richmond .8 Adelaide

I think Sydney will play Hawthorn or Port Adelaide in the Grand Final. But there's a lot of water to go under the bridge before we get there.

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Super Rugby
Very impressed with the Hurricanes, a few All Blacks were rested last night and the team beat the Rebels 36-12, to go 6-0 for the season.

NRL
The two games last night were great advertisements for the game, with Parramatta upsetting the Rabbits, and the Bulldogs running down the Tigers with a golden point field goal.   One thing I've thought since it was introduced, is that it should be changed to a golden try. That's to say, if you score a try - game over, but with a field goal or penalty goal you play the ten minutes out.

Tomorrow, before the Cricket starts, the Warriors and Brisbane play in the NRL, before the game they will mark the fact that the Warriors have been in the competition for 20 years. Hoping for another win, to consolidate a reasonably good start to the season.

World Cup Cricket
The final sees the two best teams in the tournament playing for the right to be called World Champions. I am hopeful that the BlackCaps will lift the World Cup for the first time. I've been so impressed with McCullum and the team for the past year or so, not only for the cricket they have played, but the spirit they have played the cricket in. This piece from Martin Crowe is a must read. 

25 years in Australia

I have now lived in Australia for 25 years. It's not news to anyone, but the longer I've been in Australia, the attachment I feel towards New Zealand grows. That's not to say I don't like Australia, its just NZ is part of who I am. A lot of this piece echoes my sentiment, even if it is in places unnecessarily provocative.

So, this post is a little about NZ, a little about Australia, and the rivalry between. The recent world cup clash added another chapter.(and maybe a meeting in the final will too....)

What better place to start than with some of my lasting memories in Trans-Tasman sport.

Cricket

• Hadlee's 9/52 and Crowe's 188 (1985/86)
• Whitney & McDermott batting out most of the last hour against Hadlee in Melbourne (1987)
• Both McGrath & Warne's highest test scores came against NZ (Gillespie and McGrath put on 114 for the tenth wicket, McGrath made 61, 2004),
• Warne made 99 before he decided to offer catching practice in 2007.
• The 2007 Chappell-Hadlee trophy series - NZ chased over 340 twice (and won the series 3-0)
• Bracewell's 6/40 (and Warner's hundred) in Hobart. (2011)

Rugby Union

• George Gregan's tackle (1992), Mortlock's intercept or Carlos Spencer's pass, (2003), numerous last minute penalty goals or tries (by Burke, Kefu & Eales). Does anyone else remember Eales stopping a penalty before it went over the crossbar. 
• The All Blacks flawless 43-6 win in torrential rain (Wellington, 1996)
• Lomu's try after the siren in the first Rugby Union international at Homebush. The All Blacks won 35-31; and the test has been described as the best played.
• The one Bledisloe cup I saw at ANZ Stadium (won 50-21 by the All Blacks, 2003)
• The miracle in Brisbane last October.

Netball

• The closeness of the Netball results most tests are decided by a handful of goals, I can only remember two which were won by more than six goals. Both NZ and Australia have won in Extra-time.

A few other sporting memories (which don't involve Australia)

Cricket

• Most recently Guptil's 237* (highest score by a Kiwi; highest score in a World Cup Game, and the second time Guptil has batted all 50 overs in an ODI)
• Crowe's 299
• McCullum's 302
• Corey Anderson's 36 ball hundred (until earlier this year the fastest ever).
• It says something about the NZ team that in ODI Cricket, NZ have 3 entries in the top 10 highest successful chases.
• Crowe & Jones shared a 467 run partnership for the third wicket in 1991, 
• Watling shared in an unbroken stand of 365 with Williamson; and a 352 run stand with McCullum
• Ronchi & Elliot's 267 run stand for the 6th Wicket in the ODI against Sri Lanka earlier this year.
• As an aside Hastings and Collinge (1973) had the highest stand for the 10th Wicket until Agar & Hughes (165) and then Jimmy Anderson & Joe Root (198) both went past their stand of 151. 

Rugby

• At school watching the All Blacks game against Italy during the 1987 world cup
• The drop goal in 1995, the two French disasters; this song sums it all up
• Madly refreshing a phone during the last few minutes of the World Cup Final in 2011. 
• The miracle in Dublin (2013)

Rugby League

• Any win by the Kiwi's is one to cherish, given they are so rare (the World Cup win in 2008, the 24-0 win in 2005, and last year's Four Nations where they beat Australia twice) would be the highlights. :) 

Other sports... 

• The America's Cup Win (and retention) before the amazing loss in the 2013 series (they led 8-3 before losing 9-8.
• Can't forget the All Whites being the only undefeated team at the 2010 World Cup, despite leaving at the group stage. 
• The Breakers - who were the first team from NZ to win in an Australian competition, and earlier this month won their fourth tittle in the past five years.
• The Phoenix have done really well in the A-League and may not have a better chance to win the competition

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Cricket World Cup (Week 5)

Three games to go.... and the last four standing are Australia, India, New Zealand and South Africa.  There's a nice symmetry about the Semi-Finals - the most successful team Australia (4 titles) playing the defending champions India, and the challengers South Africa and New Zealand fighting for their first appearance in a World Cup Final.

World Cup Best XI
I'm making three changes - Guptill to replace Amla, Maxwell to replace Faulkner and Boult for Southee. Imran Tahir is unlucky, but I'm keeping Dan for his catch today ;)

1. B. McCullum (C) (NZL) 2. M Guptil (NZL) 3. K. Sangakkara (SL) 4. A.B. deVilliers (S Af) 5. V. Kohli (Ind)
6. G Maxwell (Aus) 7. M. Dhoni  (wk) (Ind) 8. D. Vettori (NZL) 9.  M Starc (Aus) 10. D. Steyn (S Afr) 11. T Boult (NZL)

First thoughts on the Semis
Australia v India: the World Cup means so much to the players & fans than all of the other games on the tour to date.  You have the feeling Australia will handle the pressure better than India...
New Zealand v South Africa: South Africa have been good, but not great in the tournament so far, with losses against India and Pakistan (and both chasing). The signs from the game against Sri Lanka were good for their bowling. A line ball call with NZ probably a nose in front...

Footy season?!?

While the AFL seasons starts in April, the Super Rugby Season started three weeks ago, and the NRL have just finished their first game with Souths defeating Brisbane.

I'm really looking forward to heading up to Newcastle on Saturday to watch the Warriors play the Knights in their first game of the season. The Warriors are usually slow starters to the season - though hopefully not this year.  In terms of predictions, I suspect the Warriors will make the eight, but how high depends on their consistency, and my tip would be for South Sydney (or Canterbury) to win the Grand Final.

On to the Super Rugby, surprised to say that the Hurricanes have won three from three and are at the top of the table, though it is early days at the moment. Consistency has been their struggle in previous years, so hopefully they have resolved that little battle. (They have a bye this weekend and play the Blues the following week)

Onto the AFL; despite their disappointing performance on Grand Final day, I would still put the Swan's in the mix for top four (maybe Grand Finalists). At this stage my pick is a Swans-Hawks grand final (with a Swan's win) .

The NZ Breakers have made the Grand Final series of the NBL comp, after finishing last a year ago.

The team of the World Cup (so far). For me the automatic picks at this stage are:

B. McCullum (NZ) (c) 
K Sangakkara (SL) (wk) 
A.B. de-Villiers (SAf)
D Vettori (NZ)  
M. Starc (Aus)
T Southee (NZ) 

12th Man: Shaiman Anwar Butt (UAE), currently the highest run scorer in the tournament. 

It is a toss up between Amla and Warner - and at the moment, I lean slightly to Amla, Steyn hasn't set the tournament alight yet, but you know he has that match winning performance in him.  Faulkner is a certainly a match winner, and by the end of the tournament, I suspect he would have done enough. Kohli's form in Australia has been electric so I'd include him. It is hard to find places for both Boult and Southee, maybe by the end of the tournament, it will be warranted. I'd pick Vettori as the spinner - he's been brilliant to date, his role against Australia was crucial to the result.

My World Cup XI
1. B. McCullum (C) (NZL) 2. H Amla (S Af ) 3. K. Sangakkara (SL) 4. A.B. deVilliers (S Af) 5. V. Kohli (Ind)
6. J. Faulkner (Aus) 7. M. Dhoni  (wk) (Ind) 8. D. Vettori (NZL) 9.  M Starc (Aus) 10. D. Steyn (S Afr) 11. T Southee (NZL) 

Concert Review: Roxette, Sydney Opera House steps

Last Wednesday night I went and saw Roxette play on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. I've always wanted to see a concert and Roxette had always been on my list of bands to see. Hearing some of these songs performed live, took me back to the 1990s. Boom Crash Opera played support, and I honestly didn't recognise the guitarist as he walked passed or any of the songs.

Per & Marie (and the band) were having so much fun on stage, and was great to see that the chemistry between them hasn't changed.  Per often seems like a young boy living his dream. 

The first thing that was clear from the beginning of the concert was Marie wasn't well. At times it didn't seem to matter and others, it was like she just couldn't quite hit the notes. I hadn't known this, but she had a brain-tumour removed, and sometimes suffers the effects of this. 

Main Set: Sleeping In My Car // The Big L. // Stars // Spending My Time // Crash! Boom! Bang! // Crush On You // She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio) // Watercolours In The Rain / Paint // Fading Like A Flower // How Do You Do! // It Must Have Been Love // Dressed For Success // Dangerous-Waltzing Matilda // Joyride.
Encore: Listen To Your Heart // The Look.

A few of the things I loved about the concert. Maybe its cheesy, but the instrumental version of Waltzing Matilda played by the guitarist was pretty cool, (It wasn't Hendrix's Star Sprangled Banner, but fun nevertheless). Marie sang 'Spending My Time', which has always been one of my favourites, and one I would probably have been disappointed if they hadn't played. The other highlights were the crowd singing 'It Must have Been Love' (and stuffing up the words), the audience reaction to 'Joyride' and 'The Look', and I quite enjoyed hearing Per sang 'Crash! Boom! Bang!

All in all it was great fun night.

Cricket World Cup - Week Two...

Time to reflect on the tournament so far.  The two matches of the tournament for me, were the UAE v Ireland and the Afghanistan v Scotland games. Partly because given they're not traditional rivals, and they are players we have not seen, they add some much to the sport's history.

For this reason, it will be sad to see the Associate nations not in the next tournament. Partly because every game the 'associates' play is meaningful, the Associate v Associate games seem to be more competitive than the games between 'test-playing nations'.

So, on to the revised predictions:

Pool A: 
New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka; England, with games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan to come, will sneak in.

Pool B:
Pool B seems to be a little tighter. My tips would be:
India, South Africa, and then two from Ireland, West Indies and Zimbabwe. If Ireland beats Zimbabwe they should make the quarter-finals, but with games against South Africa & India you would imagine their net-run-rate will suffer.

A little on the Aus v NZ game:
I was surprised to read that before Saturday's game, NZ hadn't played Australia in a ODI since 2011 (in the last world cup). Especially since the Chappell-Hadlee trophy was established for ODI's between the two nations.

The Australia - New Zealand game was great, because it reminded you that cricket is a contest between bat and ball. In an age when the average run-rate is going up and the game seems stacked in favour of the batsman. I was really impressed with Vettori since he allowed to NZ to settle back down after Australia's excellent start.

The game highlighted the importance of good captaincy.  McCullum backed his bowlers and bowled Boult out. You wonder what the outcome would have been if Starc had been bowled out.

Looking forward:
The Bangledash v Scotland (Thu) & Ireland v Zimbabwe (Sun) games are the two I'm most looking forward to this week.  Bangledash need to keep winning to put pressure on England.