Loading ...
As Australia gets ready to meet New Zealand in the first Test in Wellington, starting on Friday, let us go down memory lane and recall the first ever Test between the neighbours 64 summers ago.
Kersi Meher-Homji is based in Sydney
A member since April 2009
Website: kersioncricket.blogspot.com
Kersi Meher-Homji loves: Cricket
Kersi Meher-Homji's favourite sporting team is Indian cricket team, Australian cricket team, Parramatta in NRL
Kersi Meher-Homji says:
Kersi, described by The Sydney Morning Herald as 'a legendary statistician', has written for many publications, including The Times of India, The Illustrated Weekly of India, Sport & Pastime, The Cricketer, The Wisden Cricket Monthly, Australian Cricket, Cricketer, Inside Edge, and The Australian.
Currently he writes regularly for Australian publications Inside Cricket, Inside Sport and occasionally for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun-Herald; and is the sports editor of The Indian Down Under (Aus).
He contributes thought-provoking and controversial viewpoints on The Roar.
Kersi has published 12 books on cricket including Famous Cricketing Families, Out for a Duck, Six Appeal and the bestsellers The Waugh Twins and Cricket's Great All-rounders.
No team mates yet.
Greg,
Hodge anf Gillespie suffered from the embarrassment of riches syndrome Australia was going through before the embarrassment of poverty since 2008. Pity it is a bit late for them to come back. Or is it?
Gillespie is the fourth player after England’s Andy Sandham (325 & 50), Australia’s Bill Ponsford (266 & 22) and West Indian Seymour Nurse (258) to score a double century in his final Test, scond player after Nurse to hit a double ton in his last Test innings and the ONLY one to be made Player of the Match, Player of the Series and make a double ton in his final Test. Strange? Cruel?
The explanation was that Gillespie’s great performance was against Bangladesh. Also he was in the team as a fast bowler and not as a batsman. And Australia had a surfeit of quickies in 2006.
That explanation does not apply to Krejza. We have a famine of spinners now.
'Krazy' Krejza's crazy non-selection (17)
April 28th, 2009
Thanks, Greg.
When writing my book “Dramatic Debuts and Swan Songs” in 2001 (ABC Books), I had interviewed Rodney Redmond on phone in Perth. (Another Kiwi, Richard Collinge settled in Sydney, had given me his contact details.)
An accountant, Rodney, was then coaching South Perth Clubs in Grades 1-4. He was quite philosophical about his dropping after scoring a century and a fifty in his only Test appearance. “Had it not been for the unavailibility of John Parker and Vic Pollard, I may not have played a single Test, let alone score a debut century.”
Krejza will be consoled to know that WH Ashley for S Africa v.England, Cape Town, 1888-89 took 7-95 in his only Test innings. Also Charles “Father” Marriott captured 11-96 (5-37 and 6-59) in his only Test, England v. WI at The Oval in 1933. His victims included the great George Headley.
At least Krejza got a second chance. May he get at least one more!
'Krazy' Krejza's crazy non-selection (17)
April 27th, 2009
Sam,
Murali was not the first to bowl the doosra in a Test. Pakistan;s Saqlain Mushtaq was the pioneer.
Hauritz searching for doosra (2)
April 27th, 2009