Friday, January 15, 2016

2015 - Favourite NZ Sporting moment

I may have posted this in one of my sports posts, but the Halberg Awards are coming up, and there is a viewers choice for the sporting moments of the year. View the full list here. Here's my standouts. 

(1)    The Football Ferns win against Brazil.
(2)    Grant Elliot’s innings against South Africa, and his sportsmanship after it, in the World Cup Semi Final     
(3)    The Kiwi’s winning the ANZAC Test against Australia in Rugby League – the first time in 17 years.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

2015 Cricinfo Awards

One of the highlights each year is reading the nominations for the best individual performances in the different formats of Cricket for the previous year. I've picked my favourite from each category. Read the full list of nominees here:

Test Cricket:

Test Batting performance of the year
Easy to pick Ross Taylor for his 290 against Australia in Perth. Ross Taylor broke one of Cricket's oldest records (The highest score by any visiting batsman in Australia, Tip Fosters made 287 in 1903/1904), and given his form going in to the Perth test it took everyone by surprise. But I'll pick Iqbal's 206 - the highest score for Bangladesh. He shared in a 312 run stand for the first wicket in Bangladesh's second innings (the highest opening stand in the third or fourth innings in test history), saving the test match.

Test Bowling performance of the Year
One of the more perfect bowling performances I can remember. Australia's full innings lasted 114 balls. I still scarcely believe this scorecard, given it was on the opening morning of the fourth Ashes test with so much at stake.

One Day Internationals:
ODI Batting
One of two centuries Mahmudullah made during the World Cup and this innings drove Bangladesh to a competitive total, which NZ after a few anxious moments chased down.
Hon Mention Elliot's 84* in the World Cup semi final, not only for the innings, but for one of the moments of the World Cup - the photo of Elliot reaching out to Dale Steyn will live long in the memory. 

ODI Bowling
Starc's spell almost won the game for Australia, after a Trent Boult led New Zealand had bowled Australia out for 151.
Hon mention: Tim Southee (NZ), 7/33 
Best bowling figures for a NZ in ODI cricket, and the best bowling figures at the 2015 World Cup.

T20 Internationals

T20 Batting
Others have made higher scores, but he guided South Africa who at one stage needed 107 off 61 balls.
Hon mention: Gayle's 90 which kickstarted the West Indies successful chase of 231 (the highest score made batting second in any T20).

T20 Bowling
Harder to judge what makes a good performance in T20, dot balls are as important as wickets. Interesting looking at the best bowling figures for 2015, all but four are all from players in Associate teams.

I'll make it easy and pick Wiesse's 5/23.

Captain of the year:
Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) who inspired the Bangladeshi team to one of their best years in international Cricket.
Hon Mention, Brendan McCullum, for both the style of cricket he's inspired NZ to play, and the results through the year. (Tests 4-3, 1 draw, ODI 18-5, 1 no result)

Disappointing that there's no Female cricket of the year on CricInfo, but there will be next year :)  I would give it to either Elysse Perry or Meg Lanning, probably the two most consistent women cricketers across all formats last year. Though Jess Johanson's performance in the Ashes would put her up there too.

Friday, January 08, 2016

2015 In review - books

I haven't read as many books this year as I was intending too, but thought I would write about the books I did manage to read through during 2015.

Searching for Sunday - Rachel Held Evans
Rachel’s journey with the church – even in Australia context I find it easy to relate to the stories she tells. Love the authenticity and honesty she writes with. Definitely pick up the album by Amanda Opelt (Seven Songs), it’s a perfect accompaniment.

Out of Sorts - Sarah Bessey
Probably my favourite book for 2015. I can totally relate to the journey Sarah has been on. The chapters on the practice of lament, and Christian community are the best thing about the book. Sarah’s writing style is so conversational as well making the book easily accessible.

As an aside the song best capturing a message I took from Bessey and Held Evans books is Jars of Clay’s Shelter, from the album of the same name.

In the shelter of each other, we will live, we will live (In the shelter) 
In the shelter of each other, we will live, we will live (You will never walk alone) 
In the shelter of each other, we will live, we will live (In Your arms are all around us) 
In the shelter of each other, we will live, we will live (In Your arms are all around us)

If there is any peace, if there is any hope 
We must all believe, our lives are not our own 
We all belong God has given us each other 
And we will never walk alone

Class act - Maxine McKew
McKew looks at the education system, and what some schools are doing right.

This Changes Everything - Naomi Klein
On the changes our world needs to make to adjust to the changes in our environment. A confronting read, and I find it hard to argue with its key message. Our world is changing, our environment is changing, and we need to adjust to these changes.

Keating - Kerry O'Brien
The book is a transcript of Kerry O’Brien’s interview with former Prime Minister Paul Keating. I was a fan of Keating in the 90s, and vividly remember the night he was voted out. Keating is one of a few politicians with a vision of what Australia could become. It was intriguing reading his reflections, both on his time in politics and the current state of Australian politics. Sadly, we don’t have any leaders like him in our current Parliament, who are more interested in shaping opinion than following opinion polls.

The Narrow Road to the Deep North - Richard Flanagan
The only novel on the list, I quite liked Flanagan’s writing style and the story he was telling.

A Thousand Wells - Jena-Lee Nardella
Tells the story of how the charity Blood Water was formed, as well as an autobiography of one of its founders Jena Lee.

In progress
  • A Path Appears – Nick Kristof and Cheryl Wu Dunn, so far, the book is a powerful reminder that however dark this world seems to be, there are people working to make a difference, and people who have inspired others to seek to bring change to the world. The world changes one person at a time, and we don’t know how powerfully we can shape the lives of those around us.  
  • Chasing Shadows - Tim Lane. Peter Roebuck is one for my favourite Cricket writers. Roebuck had a sense of the game, understood its spirit, its characters, and had a vision for its future. I loved listening to him on ABC Radio. Along with Benuad he was one of the voices of summer. So I’m interested in reading the book to find out more about him and his life.