US cricket pitch in Pakistan

I may need to revise my previous opinion after seeing the TV footage and photos of President Bush batting and bowling in Pakistan. The BBC and the Washington Post online edition have some photos of the President in the nets, while the latter offers a brief explanation for US readers:

"In the afternoon, Bush, a former owner of the Texas Rangers, took a swing at cricket, hitting a few balls and bowling -- akin to pitching -- with about two dozen children. He presented them with autographed baseballs."

A cricket pitch in a US Embassy and a President giving autographed baseballs as gifts? What are we to make of these? A none too subtle attempt to win hearts and minds or, shock horror, the beginnings of a promotion of a baseball-cricket hybrid (a further development of 20/20 "cricket")? We cricket purists will need to watch this carefully. Will Mr Howard support us or will he continue to follow in the President's footsteps whereever he walks ?

Update 7 March

The blog A Yobbo's View has three photos comparing the bowling actions of Messrs Howard, Bush and Murilitharan. Comments posted so far have focused on the legality or otherwise of the actions; I'm also interested in the immediate consequences. The PM's delivery, the video of which was repeated on Offsiders on ABC TV last Sunday, landed near his feet, whereas the President's was short but did hit the pitch.

Further update (with link to video) 11 March

To check out the video of Mr Howard's delivery see here. In fairness to him (I am not a Howard hater, only a critic of many of his policies and his bowling style) remember that this was taken a year or so ago. On this week's visit to India, according to some coy references buried in media reports, he wisely refused to chance his arm again.

Jordanhill Railway Station

Why a post about a 118 year old Scottish railway station? Because it's the one millionth English language article posted on Wikipedia . A considerable achievement by any standard. Even in these times it's hard to believe that so much data, information, knowledge and even wisdom has been put on line and into the public domain.

John Quiggin , who at last year's Adelaide Festival of Ideas presented a session at which he composed a Wikipedia entry for the event anticipated the million article milestone with a blog posting.

Loose canon

I've just come across an Andrew Bolt rant from last week in which he, in the process of firing a few shots in the direction of a few well known (but maybe not to his readers) cultural figures, reveals his own canon (or selection thereof).

"Love the higher arts though I do – murmur sweet things to me of Dickens, Conrad, Parmuk, Borges and van Gogh". What a group; but just a moment, who is "Parmuk"? Surely not the Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk. If this is the person about whom Mr Bolt invites us to murmur sweet things to him I'd like to know which of his novels he's read, and why he rates him so highly. I've just finished reading Snow. It's a bleak and challenging work, with few "sweet things" which lingered in my mind. This is not to condemn it, quite the contrary, but I wonder whether Mr Bolt admires, as I do, the man for speaking out about the hypocrisies of his native land or whether he genuinely discerns any "higher art" in his work.

On the same wavelength as our outback brethren

In today's Australian Ashleigh Wilson (or should it be Wison - as the online edition spells it?) contributes a Wry Side piece which will resonate with anyone who's ever undertaken a long drive in the outback (or even between the south-eastern capitals). I can't challenge his stats of percentages of drivers who wave and how they do it though I was surprised that so many truck drivers responded to his waves. Last year when I drove down the Stuart Highway my priorities when approaching trucks were to make sure I avoided them and to slow down to avoid being buffeted too vigorously by their slipstream (? is that the right word?). Cars, even those travelling rapidly, generally don't have the same buffeting potential.

How much to we pay MPs (to speak to them)?

In yesterday's Advertiser Rex Jory has a good piece "Milking the lunch circuit for party funds". The title sums up the issue and his views well.

Green light for Tim Flannery; and another endangered species identified

Prof Flannery has been under the (parish) pump lately for speaking his mind in a TV commercial about the perils of global warming. Today's Advertiser has a brief report (not online) saying that the allegedly offensive commercial has now been approved for screening.

Now that one battle has been won the next one looms: the Sunday Times reports that an impressive coalition of (the willing?) researchers have identified another endangered species. The head honcho Prof Manning is described as "a specialist in evolutionary psychology at the University of Central Lancashire": how long does it take for university staff to produce enough inbred progeny to sustain a chair?

Decide for yourself.

President spins as pitch crumbles

The Pakistan Daily Times reports that President Bush, when asked in an interview with Indian journalists how he would choose between a cricket match and a Bollywood movie, replied "I'm a cricket match person...I appreciate it. As I understand it, I may have a little chance [presumably on his forthcoming visit to the sub-continent] to learn something about cricket. It's a great pass-time."

It's odd that Mr Howard, our self-confessed cricket tragic, doesn't seem to have mentioned, let alone encouraged, the President's interest.

Update 1 March: The London Daily Telegraph reveals more about the President's reported preference for cricket. He apparently knows what cricket is but isn't aware of what Bollywood movies are.

Big day on Parade

Photos of Parade food,wine and music festival.




Clockwise from top left

1. Visible police presence #1: Mounted police (horses and cycles) patrol the side streets.

2. Keeping up appearances: Bob Ellis (is he writing speeches for someone?) in coat, tie and VIP marquee.

3. VIP marquee: council CEO Mario Barone in black shirt : elected councillor (on right of picture) waits patiently to speak to him.

4. Visible police presence #2 Voluntary breath testing (advisory only). Does this mean that the real breath testers are advisory only?

Zimbabwe win again (or at last) but against....?

Zimbabwe have defeated Kenya . So what? It was hardly a crushing defeat and looks from the scorecard as if they struggled to get there.

It's also worth noting how many of the Zimbabwean cricketers seem to be of European descent: even the new, hastily appointed captain Duffin (who did vindicate his selection by making some runs in his first one day international).

Gentlemen callers

The one day interstate cricket final was played today in Adelaide and it turned out to be as good an advertisement as you could wish for for 50 overs a side cricket. NSW crept over the line to win by one wicket, after it looked as if SA had surrendered to some tight NSW bowling but had got back into the game thanks to Shaun Tait. For the full score see here.

It was also the last match of the season televised by Channel 9, so it gives me a reason (not that I really needed one) to give my opinions on some of the TV and radio cricket commentary this season.

Channel 9 TV: comments on the best three

# Mark Nicholas

Gradually easing into the role of Channel 9 front man, and rightly so. He is extremely polished in his presentation and, as I noticed during both test and one day internationals when I was present at the ground, is able to run an al fresco (ie with music and ads blaring in the foreground) discussion with three or four of his colleagues and to keep them focused. Appearance isn't everything, but he could do with a new hairstyle (or hairdresser) so that the gentlest zephyr doesn't ruffle his hair and distract his audience from what he is saying.


# Richie Benaud

Remains a very perceptive commentator who is able to read a game well and communicate his reading succinctly. Gradually becoming commentator emeritus, though I'd like to see him around for a while yet.

# Simon O'Donnell

Wasted on the lunch show during the tests; constructively forthright when he gets a chance to comment on matches being played. Today he gave two examples of this:

(1) Criticised Brad Haddin (NSW Captain) for ostentatiously spitting the dummy when a player dropped a difficult outfield catch. Anyone who has played cricket at any level knows that if a catch is dropped you shouldn't abuse them but say "don't worry, catch the next one" to the erring fielder.

(2) Stated that Jason Gillespie has lost a metre of pace even though he's still bowling quite well.

The others are all in their way competent, as you'd expect from people who've been doing the job for many summers.

ABC Radio

Jim Maxwell and Glenn Mitchell are sound but not flashy and are supported by generally good comments from Peter Roebuck and, in his folksy way, Geoff Lawson. Kerry O'Keefe is sui generis though some of the other "experts" tend to see the game through spectacles of their own tinting eg Damien Fleming is apt to recall his test hat trick every time a wicket falls. Peter Walsh is able to call and comment on several sports knowledgeably and is invariably enthusiastic and his dress flamboyant, as the photo of him above dashing onto the field at the end of the first one day final shows.

He, Maxwell and Mitchell are quintessential ABC people, and there's not the slightest hint of left wing bias about them (unless they are calling one of the football codes and the play moves in that direction). Even Piers Akerman last week described Jim Maxwell as "sagacious".




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A demonstration in support of free speech or a reminder that some things don't change as rapidly as we might wish?

Yesterday's Guardian and today's Observer report on a march of unionists (of the Ulster variety) in Dublin which apparently didn't meet with the approval of all the local citizenry.

Read my lips

Jack Schafer in Slate has produced a "slide-show essay" on US TV newscasters , or the "Aryan sisterhood" as he calls them (somewhat inaccurately, as he does discuss "male outliers"). Worth a look and a read of his snappy text.


Update 27 February

Today The Independent publishes a piece by Arifa Akbar which may shed a little more light on the above.

Second class wait here

What have airport queues got to do with democracy and citizenship? Everything, says Mary Dejevsky in an Open Democracy piece.

A moment of happiness captured

Original post 24 January

Today's Australian has a magnificent photo which captures a moment of happiness shared by some Aboriginal children in a pool at Jigalong in Western Australia with Shane Gould and Fiona Stanley. It would be nice to think that such scenes could be replicated, or might in the near future be replicated, elsewhere in Australia

Update 25 January:

When I went to check the link to the photo today I was surprised to see a picture of the PM, also captured in a moment of happiness, looking relaxed and comfortable. I can't find the photo on the Australian's website though it must be somewhere as they're selling copies for 40 bucks, but the story in words is here.

How to be pukka: a prominent Australian's advice

Original post 23 February: Should someone have saved our gracious queen?





The front page of today's Australian has a photo of Germaine Greer addressing the Queen of Australia, who seems to be taking what looks like an earbashing with very good grace. Any suggestions for a caption? And who is the woman in the middle? And one more: is the male in the background facing the camera Clive James?

Recently, in its report of the Kerry Packer memorial service, The Australian listed all those who attended. Can we have the same for Her Majesty's reception or does new money trump always trump old in these matters?


Update 24 February:

Ms Greer has given her version of her visit to Buckingham Palace in The Guardian . Some of this is reprinted in The Australian's "Cut & Paste" section though for some reason it is omitted from the online version.

Once you have decided to go, you are honour-bound to accept the house rules. Or so it seems to me. So once I crossed the gilded threshold of Buckingham Palace I didn't kick off my shoes, sit on the floor, light up a cigar or complain about the stinginess of the hospitality. I didn't buttonhole the Queen and ask her what she meant by serving wine from Chile and New Zealand at a reception for Australians working in Britain. And I did curtsy. Sort of. More of a bob really.

And later

Before entering mosques, mandirs and gurdwaras I take off my shoes. This is not because I believe in the God of the Muslims, the Hindus or the Sikhs, or any God, but because my hosts will be offended if I don't.

There have been occasions when I have been taken as a VIP visitor to holy shrines, and nothing but arrogance was expected of me, but I have offered reverence just the same. And I fancy the priests and the faithful have both appreciated it. When I went at dawn to the burning ghats in Varanasi I didn't take a camera; because I sat silent and still in my little boat, it was allowed to drift right up into the lee of the ghat, which was where I saw death full-face for the first time. I don't go into cathedrals in shorts and, if I remember, I wear a long skirt to Henley. Part of it is me wanting to show that though I am a hick from the sticks, I do know how to behave.

Like Ms Greer I've always removed my footwear before entering mosques and temples (on one occasion embarrassing myself by revealing a holey sock). My experience last year at Varanasi was however different to hers. When I went on a boat before the sun rose over the Ganga I did take a camera and used it (without flash). I didn't ask for the boat to go near the burning ghats (which are a relatively small proportion of the total) nor did I approach close to them later on foot,as I felt that to do so was to intrude too far into the religious practices of the Hindus. I was merely following my instincts: perhaps Ms Greer has received guidance from a power higher than herself?

Greens reign on Parade, or worst cask scenario?

This Sunday the Parade food, wine and music festival will be held in Norwood . In previous years the council's attempts to micromanage the event, eg by banning beer sales on the grounds that a beverage with plebeian connotations is not appropriate for such a hi-falutin' event, have ruffled more than a few feathers. This year, according to the official brochure "The Festival is a Green Event". Does this mean that it is part of the Greens election campaign, or merely that the peacekeeping authorities , presumably including some of the additional police promised by local resident Premier Rann in his electioneering, will remove bottles with the utmost rigour? As the brochure says:

The Parade is a 'GLASS FREE ZONE'. Due to licensing restrictions, no alcoholic drinks are to be served in glass bottles. Any glass bottles, whether purchased at the event or not, may be confiscated. This restriction will be enforced by police, liquor licensing and security personnel.

Taken literally, this edict limits wine sales to cask wines, which may come as a surprise to many of the winemakers whose products are on offer, unless they're using the event as a test marketing exercise for new varieties of container. I must say that the prospect of having sparkling wine poured from a cask (or a plastic container for that matter) doesn't appeal to me. But then everyone who's attended the event in the past will know that the gastronomic delights available are served on paper plates with, if you're lucky, plastic cutlery.

The "Master Glass Artist" who is programmed to give demonstrations of glass blowing must also be concerned about having the fruits of his labours confiscated.

David Irving given prison sentence

Although today's Australian reports that holocaust denier David Irving's defence lawyer was hoping for a suspended sentence in consideration for a guilty plea, the BBC reports that Irving has been sentenced to three years in prison.

The Australian's story has some interesting background information, including that in 2004 724 people were charged in Austria with holocaust denial or related offences (though apparently few were imprisoned). The BBC site contains some good links to other media reports.

No doubt there'll be a lot of comment about the decision, which Irving has said he'll appeal against. IMO Irving is a disingenuous ranter but imprisoning him, while unlikely to make him a martyr as some are claiming, will keep him on the margins of fame (celebrity?) instead of letting him slip out of the public mind.

Racist abuse closes cricket chat channel

The Age reports that a BBC chat cricket channel has had to be closed because of racist abuse. Yet another reminder of Orwell's description of international sport as war without the shooting.

Great performances as Australia wins series 2-1

The Australian has printed a picture of Ricky Ponting's catch in the cricket final last night. It is one of the greatest catches I've ever seen.

Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich's centuries were also pretty good in their different yet complementary ways.

Blue over Curly

Today's print media devote a fair bit of space to the Michael Leunig cartoon hoax. The Australian and The Age as you'd expect adopt different positions which are reflected in the headlines of the former's first editorial "Poison Pen's Perils: Who knew Curly Pyjama was so big in Tehran?" and the latter's story "Caught in a hoax, Leunig finds it no laughing matter." Not unexpectedly some elements of the international media including the BBC have picked up the story.

Some interesting points have emerged from the affair to date:

1. The allegedly offensive cartoon was published in 2002 on the ABC's Media Watch website, where as I post it is still available. It would be interesting to hear Mr Balding's attempt to reconcile this with his banning of the Danish cartoons.

2. Today's Crikey suggests that the hoax was the work of persons connected (or with access to) Chaser. The SMH (but not The Age) has updated its online story to reflect this.