2018 in review - Sport

Probably my last post reflecting on 2018, and the topic for this one is sport.

Cricket

• 2018 saw records set for the highest team totals in One Day International cricket. The New Zealand Women's team scored 490 against Ireland. The 490 included an unbeaten 232 from Amelia Kerr. Her 232 is the highest scored by a Women in One Day International Cricket. In the Men's game, England scored 481 against Australia in their One Day Series. As an aside, it seems we are seeing higher totals scored both batting first and chasing. Maybe it is the influence of Twenty 20 but we will see. 
• The BlackCaps had a great year, winning three test series - against England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. To me it is such a shame they don't play more Test Cricket. NZ's biggest and smallest victories (by runs) came during 2018. 
• Still on the topic of not enough Test Cricket, after the Women's Ashes I certainly felt the Women should play more Test Cricket. The other highlight from cricket during 2018 was Elyse Perry's double century in the Ashes test. Elyse is a star, and I'm certainly keen for my son and daughter to look up to her. 
• I find it hard to write about T20 because the matches and series just melt into each other. That said, congrats to Australia who won the T20 World Cup held this year. 
• A little on Australia, clearly a disappointing year not only in terms of results, but also in terms of how they've played. I am happy for Paine to have been elevated to captain, but it is frustrating watching him captain the side, letting the game drift, not prepared to try things from left field. With Warner and Smith out, he certainly needed to do something. Though with Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon I'd argue he has the best bowling attack in the world. South Africa did give me pause to reconsider, if they can have Steyn, Philander, Rabada and Olivier all on the field at the one time. 
• Hard to really argue with CricInfo's Test team of the year

AFL

• Was an interesting year, with Collingwood and West Coast making the Grand Final to everyone's surprise. 
• It's no secret, I am glad West Coast won, will be interesting to see what this year brings. Have we seen the end of the era of domination by Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney? Can GWS actually live up to their potential. 

NRL

• Don't think the Warriors will make the eight, but time will tell. Shaun Johnson can be brilliant, but he's not consistent enough for me. Will be interesting to see who his replacement is. 

Other

• The Football World Cup was held in Russia, with France being the eventual winners.
• In tennis, it was a good year for Ash Barty and Alex de Minaur, and hoping we'll see good things from them during the Australian Open and throughout 2019. Not sure where Kyrgios and Tomic are at, but hopefully they'll be fit for the season. 
• Onto Rugby Union - while the All Blacks may have played and won more tests than anyone else in 2018; my team of the year is Ireland. Not just for their impressive win against the All Blacks, but the series win against Australia and the Six Nations Championship.  

Onto 2019

• Looking forward to 2019, and the Asian Cup Football tournament in January, the Cricket World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, and the Women's Football World Cup in June which Australia have an outside chance of winning are my highlights. 

2018 in review - a beginning

Given its now the 17th of December, I thought it is about time to start my year in review series.  I'm going to begin with books.

Surprisingly I exceeded my goal for reading this year and read just over 30 books for the year. I’ve read quite a few heavy and challenging books which has made it tough going in places through the year. 

So of the books that I did read the three that stood out to me are Leigh Sales Any Ordinary Day, Clementime Ford’s Boys Will be Boys, and Lizzie Marvelly’s Growing up F in Aotearoa.

As always there were a few that were tough to leave out Kon Karapanagiotidis The Power of Hope, Rob Bower’s Outspoken, and Rachel Held Evans book Inspired.

Each of these books has challenged me in different ways. Leigh Sales book was particularly good given I could relate to closely to the content, as I’m living a similar experience to her interviewees.

Boys will be boys really struck me, and was quite a tough read, especially the letter to her son that concludes the book. Her letter struck me as it contains so much of what I want to tell my son, and how I want him to grow up.

While Lizzie’s book is predominantly about growing up in Aotearoa (New Zealand), sadly it is hard to doubt women growing up in Australia have a different experience.

I share Kon and Rob’s visions for Australia so their books were also challenging reads. I will certainly be trying to reread their book, and want to work at seeing their vision be achieved. Rob’s book was particularly hard hitting, because the church he leads, is the church I want to be part of.

On my reading list – Hard Choices (Hilary Clinton), Pete Sampras’ autobiography, a collection of letters written to former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s memoir (Becoming).