Wednesday 25 December 2013

I was there, and so was my mother

The outstanding Tony Tea (of here and here) sums up today's world record crowd:


It won't rank with the Tied Test/Warne's 700th/Steve Waugh's last ball hundred, but expect a 5-10% annual interest rate on attendance.

Monday 16 December 2013

Begin the begin


- 30 year old plus, internationally inexperienced opener unlikely to make it to the next Ashes.
- Uncertain pretty boy number 3.
- Questionable middle order in need of constant bailouts by lower order.
- Over 30 wicketkeeper unlikely to make it to next series.
- 30 year old plus fast bowlers.
- Unfashionable finger spinner, prone to be dropped at any moment.
- A talismanic captain who may or may not be around.

Australia/England are morals in 2015.


Tuesday 10 December 2013

Hello world... this is Test cricket.

Australia's unexpected Ashes success means the talkback listeners of the 3AW, 2UE et al. will have to resort to more traditional methods of venting about immigants, the decline of Western civilisation and all that. 




Fairfax Radio have bumped up the launch from Boxing Day of their commercial rivalry to ABC's long-standing cricket dominance. 


While ABC's lack of non-Test broadcasts has undoubtedly been to the A-League's gain time (Russell Jackson has a good article about the battle between cricket and soccer in Australia here), it will be interesting to see if the Fairfax Radio push has a notable impact on ratings. Undoubtedly, the CA coffers have already benefitted from the extra revenue garnered from bringing the commercials on board (Fairfax Radio to cover internationals, Triple M to cover the BBL).


As to the coverage, Tim Lane gets a welcome return to cricket broadcasting, but when you are touting a "former West Coast Eagle and Perth radio identity" as a star of your coverage, you are battling for angles. At least it's good to know that Perth has become a big enough town to have a "radio personality" beside this fellow


One can only hope Ian Chappell is given proper license to really go hard on the Les Favell stories. Waxing nostalgic about the 50s and 60s will play well with the listener base of talkback radio.


Manifesto

"Hold out when you're in doubt
Question what you see
And when you find an answer
Bring it home to me..."

An appropriate introduction in two ways. The title (of course), but it also takes an age to get going - much like my getting around to creating a blog in 2013.