For a start, he was bowling within the rules. My main issue with last week in Ponting broke the rules (cheated) and the ICC is too weak to do anything about it, as well…

Well said. It’s archaic, and in these increasingly “professional” days it’s being abused. And not only by the fielding team either.

Join the crusade.

Actually if I was to get up-in-arms about anything in cricket, it would be that test that we had against Australia a few years ago when…

Well said. It’s archaic, and in these increasingly “professional” days it’s being abused. And not only by the fielding team either.

Join the crusade.

My view (FWIW) on the scrum problem was the complete lack of any rhythm from Barnes in his chanting

Yep, that was my thoughts in the original post

You may laugh HG, but cricket fans will understand the importance of this.

What's interesting in cricket is the penalty doesn't affect the game in play.

Basketball, 24 seconds is up, shot clock is done, you turnover the ball.

Rugby you delay the game you get penalised or marched 10…

I don't get it. Aren't they all slow? :)

You may laugh HG, but cricket fans will understand the importance of this.

Rome's burning.

I think Mackintosh's problems come down to the fact that in ANZ Cup the referee's have stopped using the word pause

I'm not a prop, but I would have thought the scrum is about the forwards acting as a single unit in putting the hit on. Even if Mackintosh does…

the International Jihad on Slow Over Rates

I don't get it. Aren't they all slow? :)

Want to vent your sporting spleen?

Link: sign this. Now

A cancer on world cricket.

Do your bit.

Thanks

Oh, and if you're playing pool/snooker then to guarantee your opponent misses that vital shot simply stand behind the pot they're going for and ever so slightly waggle your cue from hand to hand ...

I play competitive and social pool in bars where that can see you ending up…

But that's everyone to lean ... if…

Guilty as charged your honour.
Waikato Stadium: The only place in the world where "more cowbell" is a legitimate command and not a reference to an SNL sketch...

My partner won't let me buy a cowbell. :(
Of course he's of the opinion that I'd end up taking it to…

And our new work-horses are Read, Messam and Thompson (I know, duh)

Oh and we can estimate what McCaw would've done if he was on the field all game (sort of, it's based on the performance…

What's clear to see in Tracey's numbers (after playing with the numbers in excel for a few minutes) is that we had a much more productive second half. For example we made 45 tackles in the first half and 59 in the second. From informal observation this often…

Ten, unless adidas have stopped putting logo's on their boots.

Dunno about the Blacks, but my adidas boots have one logo on each side of each boot... Plus one at the rear.

Killer fact — first three to the breakdown rankings:
Thomson (19), Messam (19) McCaw (18), Boric (18) and Read (17).

Note that McCaw was only on the field for 20 minutes. Freak.

you respect your opponent

You can still respect your opponent by saying, in a loud and raucous, voice how much you would really rather that he did not make the kick. Afterwards, if he makes the kick, you applaud politely, if he misses you keep quiet (unless the miss causes…

Yeah, I was called by HoS reporters on Friday and asked to offer comment on alternative scenarios for the election result.

Russell, what did you have to say about the alternate reality that saw a sweeping victory to United Future?

The crowd you get at Murrayfield's different from the crowd you'd get at Hampden Park; Hampden Park when Scotland plays is legendary.

Queen's Park, on the other hand...

The famous Italy v. West Germany 4-3 game from Mexico 1970 would be an "Italy +1" result, then? Not the same ring to it at all.

Yeah I suppose it wouldn't be as good in football where there are heaps of 1-0 victories (though apparently the most common is 2-1)

I've often thought that if you're trailing any points you score should be subtracted from your opponents score. Hence every final result would be a points differential... yeah I'm weird

The famous Italy v. West Germany 4-3 game from Mexico 1970 would be an "Italy +1" result, then? Not the…

You don't really play to win at all, do you?

No I don't, I yell to win. And the best thing I can do, after an opposition score, is save my throat (possibly soothe it with a sip of beer) for more shouting later

I've often thought that if you're trailing any points you score should be subtracted from your opponents score. Hence every final result would be a points differential... yeah I'm weird

I will always applaud any points scored by the opposition, but only after I groan. I will never boo an opponent (unless they have done something unsportsmanlike, in which case I shall chant "off")

You don't really play to win at all, do you?

So the Herald computer is full of archived celebratory reporting of the last few world cup finals?

All possible timelines since the dawn of the Internet exist somewhere within the Herald mainframe. Around the turn of the millennium Garth George's consciousness was accidentally uploaded into the system, and he has…

written before the result is known

So the Herald computer is full of archived celebratory reporting of the last few world cup finals?

But his error rate in test matches is really alarming. He’s a walking penalty too.

Loose forwards in NZ, we need to patent those genes or something.

Adam Thompson — so fast to the breakdown, so useless once he gets there. But he does seem to be improving a bit. If he can improve his effectiveness in that respect, he'll be a useful player.

From the little I've seen of him, he's a very good open field…

Weird, Gravatar seems to be picking up my image from somewhere, automatically. I presume it's either Last.fm or Facebook?

Anywhere that you used the same email address to register a gravatar as the one you used when registering for PAS.

Barnes is particularly precise though in knock-ons and (ironically now) forward passes. Perhaps he trained up after World Cup.

He still seems on occasion to get carried away in the heat of the moment. Before Borich was sent off he seemed to be getting excited and it was probably only…

On the other hand, hearing Rugby Park / Waikato Stadium go absolutely nuts when Grant Fox / Carlos / etc are lining one up makes me *so* proud.

Guilty as charged your honour.
Waikato Stadium: The only place in the world where "more cowbell" is a legitimate command and not…

Adam Thompson — so fast to the breakdown, so useless once he gets there. But he does seem to be improving a bit. If he can improve his effectiveness in that respect, he'll be a useful player.

Totally agree. He's like a spaniel running about and being exciting and grabbing…

I actually thought he was so consumed with the IRB's new "punish players for falling over" edict at the breakdown that he failed to spot a fell of a lot of offsides in the tackle.

He was bit. And I was particularly vocal when the Scotsman came through illegally and…

Now to the game. Wayne Barnes blew his whistle a lot, however, for the most part he was correct in his rulings.

I actually thought he was so consumed with the IRB's new "punish players for falling over" edict at the breakdown that he failed to spot a fell of…

Thats for a very good reason, they are written before the result is known... I kid you not.

Yeah, I was called by HoS reporters on Friday and asked to offer comment on alternative scenarios for the election result.

I did predict that Helen Clark wouldn't hang around if she…

I presume that the ABs, as top qualifier, were technically 'home' in Cardiff against the French last year, so had to change their tops, unless the rule has changed.

I think they drew lots prior to the tournament to determine change strips. Of course, if the French had kept their…

A classic example from Deborah Hill Cone this morning about all the confusion we are having over who will…

Ten, unless adidas have stopped putting logo's on their boots.

Good point i forgot to mention this. While the New Zealanders all have Adidas boots the Scots were wearing Reebok and Adidas (and possibly Mizuno?). It was most notable during scrum time.

I also think I may have miscounted Scotland's…

30 minutes into their delayed coverage of the All Blacks/Scotland match yesterday, ad break, they promote their 5.30 news and say "All Blacks beat Scotland". Duh. Having avoided radio and internet news all day, the channel showing the game gives away the result. Thanks.

Which is why when I heard…

Scotland NOT shouting and whistling and booing when the kick takes place – TOP WORK SCOTLAND

But I'm old skool when the game was above ONLY about winning. If it's ONLY about winning then why not allow handguns?

As a fan of the home team I am there to support…

On the other hand, hearing Rugby Park / Waikato Stadium go absolutely nuts when Grant Fox / Carlos / etc…

I think it would be helpful to give the score when writing about a sporting event, just for those of us who don't really care.

Can I just mention Prime TV here.

30 minutes into their delayed coverage of the All Blacks/Scotland match yesterday, ad break, they promote their 5.30…

And speaking of the white jerseys, I thought Scotland played in Navy at home and only donned the white when playing the All Blacks on the road. Do I have that backwards?

I believe so. All Blacks always seemed to play in white when Scotland came here.

I presume that…

The Herald does this as well. They also didn't have actual election results on Sunday morning. Lots of smug gloating, but…

But I'm old skool when the game was above ONLY about winning. If it's ONLY about winning then why not allow handguns?

This means that some players had eight Adidas logos on them! One on the jersey, one on the shorts, one on each sock, one on each long sleeve and one in each number on their back

Ten, unless adidas have stopped putting logo's on their boots.

As for sending out the B team? meh, I thinks Epsom Girls' under 13s…

A heap of potential there – lets just hope he doesn't turn into our version of Andrew Sheridan…

I think Mackintosh's problems come down to the fact that in ANZ Cup the referee's have stopped using the word pause. It's just 'Crouch. Touch. ENGAGE'

But I do agree with you that it is up to him to change the way he plays to suit the…

I think Mackintosh's problems come down to the fact that in ANZ Cup the referee's have stopped using the word pause. It's just 'Crouch. Touch. ENGAGE'