Teachers, tossers and texters
Brydon Coverdale takes a look at The Week That Was
Brydon Coverdale
02-Jul-2007
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It's flippin' madness
They've probably been called worse in the past year, but this week the members of the ICC's board of directors were in danger of officially becoming a bunch of tossers. Coin tossers, that is. David Morgan and Sharad Pawar were both trying to become the next ICC president but the trouble was it looked like they might split the board's votes. Had that happened, the result would have rested on a coin-toss. Fortunately, the pair agreed on a plan whereby Morgan would take on the role for two years, with Pawar to succeed him in time for the 2011 World Cup on the subcontinent. Newspapers had fun with the idea, suggesting that a heads-or-tails solution might have been appropriately farcical after the way the World Cup ended. A board game could have been a fun way to break the impasse, and there are a few titles out there that appeal: Trouble, Balderdash, Nightmare ...
They've probably been called worse in the past year, but this week the members of the ICC's board of directors were in danger of officially becoming a bunch of tossers. Coin tossers, that is. David Morgan and Sharad Pawar were both trying to become the next ICC president but the trouble was it looked like they might split the board's votes. Had that happened, the result would have rested on a coin-toss. Fortunately, the pair agreed on a plan whereby Morgan would take on the role for two years, with Pawar to succeed him in time for the 2011 World Cup on the subcontinent. Newspapers had fun with the idea, suggesting that a heads-or-tails solution might have been appropriately farcical after the way the World Cup ended. A board game could have been a fun way to break the impasse, and there are a few titles out there that appeal: Trouble, Balderdash, Nightmare ...
Dr Foster went to Worcester
The nursery-rhyme would have us believe it's Gloucester where the good doctor stepped in a puddle right up to his middle, but if he had any house-calls in Worcester this week his unfortunate accident might have been repeated. The rain in Worcestershire was so severe that the Severn and Teme rivers broke their banks, flooding the county ground at New Road and leading to the cancellation of their Twenty20 clash with Warwickshire. "Around half of the ground is flooded at a depth of at least a couple of feet," David Leatherdale, the county's commercial manager said. Matches against Northamptonshire and Glamorgan had to be relocated to outgrounds and the clean-up and lost revenue was expected to cost Worcestershire upwards of £150,000.
The nursery-rhyme would have us believe it's Gloucester where the good doctor stepped in a puddle right up to his middle, but if he had any house-calls in Worcester this week his unfortunate accident might have been repeated. The rain in Worcestershire was so severe that the Severn and Teme rivers broke their banks, flooding the county ground at New Road and leading to the cancellation of their Twenty20 clash with Warwickshire. "Around half of the ground is flooded at a depth of at least a couple of feet," David Leatherdale, the county's commercial manager said. Matches against Northamptonshire and Glamorgan had to be relocated to outgrounds and the clean-up and lost revenue was expected to cost Worcestershire upwards of £150,000.
Goodbye, Mr Sinclair
What do Simon Katich and Mathew Sinclair have in common? Rather a lot, as it happens. Both are 31, both have played 45 ODIs and a similar number of Tests to each other (Sinclair 27, Katich 23) and both are top-order batsmen who have been in first-class cricket for a decade. They even share an unusual spelling of a common name - Katich's middle name is Mathew. They also both lost their national contracts for 2007-08 and that's where their paths diverged. Katich signed a five-year deal with New South Wales, potentially worth up to A$100,000 a season. Sinclair could only dream of such money and began topping up his income while considering a move overseas. Luckily for him, Hamish Marshall rejected his contract, letting Sinclair sneak back in on a NZ$45,000-a-year retainer. The Dominion Post rang Sinclair this week to see if he would take up New Zealand's offer. "Sinclair was told the news at 8.20am yesterday as he packed his lunch for another day of relief teaching at Napier Boys High School," the paper reported. "After last period he told The Dominion Post he intended accepting." And why wouldn't he?
What do Simon Katich and Mathew Sinclair have in common? Rather a lot, as it happens. Both are 31, both have played 45 ODIs and a similar number of Tests to each other (Sinclair 27, Katich 23) and both are top-order batsmen who have been in first-class cricket for a decade. They even share an unusual spelling of a common name - Katich's middle name is Mathew. They also both lost their national contracts for 2007-08 and that's where their paths diverged. Katich signed a five-year deal with New South Wales, potentially worth up to A$100,000 a season. Sinclair could only dream of such money and began topping up his income while considering a move overseas. Luckily for him, Hamish Marshall rejected his contract, letting Sinclair sneak back in on a NZ$45,000-a-year retainer. The Dominion Post rang Sinclair this week to see if he would take up New Zealand's offer. "Sinclair was told the news at 8.20am yesterday as he packed his lunch for another day of relief teaching at Napier Boys High School," the paper reported. "After last period he told The Dominion Post he intended accepting." And why wouldn't he?
gr8 txt deal? y not
It was inevitable, really. When a new company, 6-Up, began a form of sports betting that involves punters text-messaging their wagers, there was only one man who could sell the product. It took a few months of negotiations and they even had to give him a share of the company, but 6-Up finally signed Shane Warne. The idea is that spectators can text what they believe will happen from the six balls of any over for a $5 stake. It could have all been a bit too close to home for Warne, whose mobile phone antics and betting connections made headlines during his playing days. But he's never been shy of making fun of himself and with Shane Warne: The Musical also opening last month, Warne seems set to remain a newsmaker even in retirement.
It was inevitable, really. When a new company, 6-Up, began a form of sports betting that involves punters text-messaging their wagers, there was only one man who could sell the product. It took a few months of negotiations and they even had to give him a share of the company, but 6-Up finally signed Shane Warne. The idea is that spectators can text what they believe will happen from the six balls of any over for a $5 stake. It could have all been a bit too close to home for Warne, whose mobile phone antics and betting connections made headlines during his playing days. But he's never been shy of making fun of himself and with Shane Warne: The Musical also opening last month, Warne seems set to remain a newsmaker even in retirement.
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Finding Hair in new places
No, this isn't another Shane Warne ad campaign. Darrell Hair made his international umpiring comeback this week, albeit at a slightly lower level than he is used to. Hair officiated on the first day of the Intercontinental Cup clash between Canada and the Netherlands in Ontario. He remains under contract with the ICC until next April but has had few engagements since the controversial Test at The Oval between England and Pakistan last August. He's still getting a bit of free travel - he was at the World Cricket League final between Kenya and Scotland in Nairobi in February - but is unlikely to umpire at Test level again. In the Canada match he was officiating with Roger Dill, a firefighter from Bermuda.
No, this isn't another Shane Warne ad campaign. Darrell Hair made his international umpiring comeback this week, albeit at a slightly lower level than he is used to. Hair officiated on the first day of the Intercontinental Cup clash between Canada and the Netherlands in Ontario. He remains under contract with the ICC until next April but has had few engagements since the controversial Test at The Oval between England and Pakistan last August. He's still getting a bit of free travel - he was at the World Cricket League final between Kenya and Scotland in Nairobi in February - but is unlikely to umpire at Test level again. In the Canada match he was officiating with Roger Dill, a firefighter from Bermuda.
No room at the inn
After a long and tiring flight it was the last thing they needed. Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose were called into the India squad as cover for Sreesanth and Ajit Agarkar, who had come down with a virus, but when the pair reached Belfast they couldn't even join their team-mates. It seems there were no vacancies at India's hotel. "All rooms have been taken so they could not get in here," a team source told the Times News Network. Sharma and Bose had to check in at a nearby hotel, La Mon Country Club, until some other guests departed.
After a long and tiring flight it was the last thing they needed. Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose were called into the India squad as cover for Sreesanth and Ajit Agarkar, who had come down with a virus, but when the pair reached Belfast they couldn't even join their team-mates. It seems there were no vacancies at India's hotel. "All rooms have been taken so they could not get in here," a team source told the Times News Network. Sharma and Bose had to check in at a nearby hotel, La Mon Country Club, until some other guests departed.
Quotehanger
"Jeez, that's going to be bad. I'm not looking forward to that." Shane Warne worries about England's indoor-smoking ban that began on July 1. Workplaces - that includes cricket dressing-rooms - must now be smoke-free.
"Jeez, that's going to be bad. I'm not looking forward to that." Shane Warne worries about England's indoor-smoking ban that began on July 1. Workplaces - that includes cricket dressing-rooms - must now be smoke-free.
Brydon Coverdale is an editorial assistant on Cricinfo