Comment backfires as dicky knees, fingers, hammies take toll
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday November 7, 2009
AND everyone was worried we'd be playing the West Indies Second XI this summer. With the Aussies dropping like flies over in India, perhaps Australia will be fielding its Second XI also?Chris Lauchlan, Chipping NortonSundries too costlyWelcome back, Peter Roebuck! Regarding India's surge towards the No.1 spot in one-day cricket, here are some questions for him. Is Graham Manou considered a better wicket keeper-batsman than Brad Haddin? If not, why wasn't Haddin sent to replace Tim Paine if he's fit enough to play for NSW? And in the match against Western Australia on Sunday, NSW bowled 44 overs and conceded only three extras, while against India the previous day Australia conceded 23 sundries, not counting all the runs scored off free hits. Is Ricky Ponting satisfied with that? Once the bowler has measured out his run up, why doesn't Ponting simply walk over and move their marker back four inches. That should do it. Are the selectors and the bowling coach happy with the wides and no-balls? If not, why do they tolerate it? Drop players who continue to infringe. It seems the only response that will correct the problem. Without all the extras, Australia most likely would have won.Ian Walters, SydneyTime to man upShane Warne €“ after testing positive for a banned diuretic in 2003 €“ said his mother, Brigitte, gave it to him. Now, Andre Agassi has alleged that his father, Mike, supplied amphetamines to him before a match in a tournament in Chicago ("Agassi says father gave him speed before match," Herald, November 2). Why do famous sportspersons need to blame someone else for blatant indiscretions? Why don't they be honest and take some responsibility for their actions?Steve Barrett, GlenbrookCut their fundingPerhaps we should become a sporting nation of the past if so many sportspeople hate their sport ("Green and gold champions plead for a sporting chance", Herald, October 31) as many have been competing since they were six years old ("Hate for their source of wealth and fame", Herald, October 31). The need to win greatly overshadows the joy of sport for many professionals. Perhaps with the bureaucrats running sport, money may go towards young Australians enjoying their chosen sport rather than being groomed as Olympic medal winners. Why should so much money be spent in the hope of an Olympic medal? I think the Crawford review is correct in advocating a cut in sport funding.Lindsay Somerville, LindfieldWallabies please noteSomeone needs to make the Wallabies aware that rugby is a game played by 15 players at any one time, not just one, it involves holding and passing the ball to a teammate and not the opposition, it is about tackling opponents, running at the line, and lasts 80 minutes. What was witnessed last Saturday in Tokyo was something altogether different, but not unusual for an Australian team. A pox on all at the ARU! I'll never watch another Australian game, ever.Graeme Rankin, Holder, ACTRacing is not a sportThe orgy of coverage of the Melbourne Cup in Wednesday's media is nauseating, not least the incident immediately after the race when a flack gratuitously assaulted the winning trainer to get a sponsor's cap on his head. Even worse, this fawning media coverage virtually took over the sporting sections of the nation's newspapers. When will the media accept that racing €“ gallopers, pacers and dogs €“ is not sport. It's a profession, a trade and a business for trainers and hoops and for a very limited circle of professional punters. It should not take up space in the sporting section. Punters who like to describe themselves as "sportsmen", as is the tradition, are fooling themselves. Have a look at your typical punter: pudgy, ruddy, unfit, gasping and chronically desperate. Racing and punting are spectator pastimes. Much like the opera or music, or the stockmarket. Indeed, I can see no difference between punting on the nags and the dishlickers and punting on stocks.Paul Ellercamp, Gymea
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