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David Lord spends his waking hours keeping abreast of what’s happening in the world of sport around the world and is one of the pre-eminent voices on sport in Australia. David has been deeply involved in two of the biggest sporting stories - with World Series Cricket in 1977 and professional rugby in 1983. In those early days of WSC, David was managing Jeff Thomson and Vivian Richards. Withdrawing “Thommo” from the original WSC ended up in the High Court of England, described by David as “not a top tourist resort”. In 1983 he signed 208 of the best rugby players from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France to play an international pro circuit. The concept didn’t get off the ground, but it did force the IRB to get cracking and bring in the World Rugby Cup, now one of the world’s great sporting spectacles every four years.
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Many pundits have selected Marcus Stoinis in the Auusie line-up to meet Afghanistan at Bristol in a day-nighter to kick off the defending champions'…
From the moment David Warner and Steve Smith appeared on the Southampton ground last night, the English fans kept booing the two Australians over…
For starters, the Australians have three world-class opening batsmen in David Warner, Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja - a good problem to have. But…
Australia's best batsmen, David Warner and Steve Smith, have completed their 12-month suspensions for ball tampering in South Africa, but the pundits have predicted…
Cameron Smith will be the only one left of the five modern day superstars of rugby league when Cooper Cronk hangs up his boots.…
It's no coincidence the three longest-serving Prime Ministers - Sir Robert Menzies, Bob Hawke, and John Howard - were all passionate sports lovers. Sir…
If David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins play to their ability, Australia will retain the World Cup. For Warner and Smith,…
With the vast majority of Australians bored to sobs with the Federal election, five sporting events around the world have delivered in the most…
Wallaby Israel Folau is an acknowledged devout Christian, no argument, but his Instagram posting of drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators…
Captain Warren Whiteley best summed up how his Lions beat the Waratahs 29-28 at Ellis Park overnight. 'We got some crucial penalties today". Indeed…
Samu Kerevi will be the first chosen when the selection panel of Michael Cheika, Scott Johnson and Michael O'Connor name their first Wallaby squad…
Two days ago veteran flyhalf Bernard Foley said that without Israel Folau the Waratahs had to nail the detail and the execution every time…
Israel Folau's rugby future rests in the hands of a highly-qualified panel consisting of John West QC, Kate Eastman SC, and John Boultbee. West…
The South Sydney versus Brisbane clash at ANZ Stadium was billed as the game of the season, but Wayne Bennett turned it into one-way…
As David Warner left an almost capacity Hyderabad home stadium last night, the faithful were on their feet farewelling their champion left-handed batsman who…
Shark prop Thomas du Toit's blatant professional foul on Jed Holloway at Bankwest Stadium last night saw the Waratah lock on his way to…
In Sydney, rugby is predominately a North Shore and Eastern Suburbs sport, with fans loath to travel further than ANZ Stadium in Homebush, and…
When Wallaby coach Michael Cheika met with Rugby Australia in August last year, his job was on the line. The men in gold had…
There was never any doubt Luke Keary would be a pivotal player in the Roosters' campaign for back-to-back NRL premierships. It was proved again…
Champion flanker and enforced No, 8 David Pocock hasn't played for the Brumbies for six weeks and won't be on duty against the Jaguares…
KCOL, agree with the vast majority of your points, but my point is how can the Waratahs, a centrally located franchise, boast so many Wallabies on their roster who can turn in sub-district fourth grade standard rugby as easily as they have their fans on their feet with spectacular rugby?
Scott Johnson cops a reality check in Newcastle
Paul, Finch got lucky, and he was the first to agree he was frustrated he didn’t turn over the strike more often, he kept finding fieldsmen with deadly accuracy.
And don’t dismiss Pat Cummins’ 3-9 as being the equal of Handscomb and co, Cummings had to pick up the slack where the batsmen nearly blew it.
You can bet on 266 not winning too many World Cup games, and Finch will need to regularly feed Warner the strike in the Australian games.
Aaron Finch falls just shy of an all-time Australian ODI record
Insult, read my answer to Paul just above, you bet I’m serious.
Aaron Finch falls just shy of an all-time Australian ODI record
Paul, you say my comments are false, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
How about doing some homework before you start throwing stones in glass houses.
For starters, 266 is not a winning score, only 55 percent are successful. Pat Cummins made it a winning score by claiming 3-9, dismissing three of the top four Pakistan batsmen early.
Finch was the main problem in posting just 266. He was dismissed on the fourth ball of the 42nd over.
You have rated Finch a boundary hitter, and that’s a fair call, yet in 136 deliveries he hit one six, and five fours – very uncharacteristic.
More importantly, he faced 74 dot balls in a team total of 153, so the other 79 dot balls were spread among the other seven Australian batsmen who took strike.
Bottom line Paul, it’s your claims that are proven false.
Aaron Finch falls just shy of an all-time Australian ODI record
Graham, for Steve Smith to bowl his leggies, his elbow surgery had better be 100 per cent healed.
Aaron Finch falls just shy of an all-time Australian ODI record
Correct Paul, 50-over cricket isn’t ALL about belting, but it is ALL about turning over the strike.
For Finch to chalk up 74 dot balls on his own in a team total of 153 is unacceptable, thanks to him constantly finding fieldsmen.
Aaron Finch falls just shy of an all-time Australian ODI record
PW, the ball obviously comes into play as soon as the bowler commences his approach. Until he delivers, the non-striker must hold his ground. Pretty simple, hardly poorly-worded.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
Kersi, I so idolised The Don I read his “How to play cricket” and “Farewell to Cricket” books dozens of times as a cricket mad kid in shorts, and that’s why I was always a walker, and never left the non-striker ground before the bowler had delivered, because The Don said so. There was an over-rider to leaving too far, just in case my batting partner smacked a straight drive so hard it touched the bowler on the way that could cannon into the stumps to run me out. There were three other Don Bradman musts that I strictly followed, moving in with the bowler in the field towards the batsman, scratching a mark on the ground so I could return to exactly where the captain originally placed me, and always backing a return from a team mate to stop over-throws. Simple musts, but very effective basic cricket The Don’s way.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
Your first comment PP V11 is right on the money, the rest would be comic relief for awhile, but become boring if overdone.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
Totally wrong TCL, Buttler screwed himself. When Ashwin stopped in his final stride yesterday Buttler was well out of his crease which translates to him illegally leaving his ground well before Ashwin would have delivered.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
By your own admission Nathan, Buttler was cheating long before Ashwin would have delivered the ball.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
Geez yourself Nathan, by your own admission, and in fact, Buttler was out of his crease (cheating) when Ashwin stopped his delivery, so on your bike Jos for a second time.
Jos Buttler is a two-time Mankad loser
liquorbox, Rugby Australia’s worst decision was signing Michael Hooper to a five-year $6 million contract when he wasn’t even the best seven in the country, and that’s still the case.
On top of that he is Wallaby captain by default, taking over when David Pocock was the incumbent, but missed two years with successive knee reconstructions.
But don’t overlook the fact this column is all about what the selectors will do, not my thoughts.
And there’s no way Hooper will be dumped altogether to sit back with his feet up spending six mill over five years doing nothing.
A sneak preview of the new Wallabies selection panel's first meeting
You blokes obviously don’t know Scott Johnson, nor Michael O’Connor, you seem to think Michael Cheika will steamroll them into backing whatever team he wants.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and if Cheika thinks that he’s in for a rude awakening.
Johnson, and O’Connor, by their very nature are both strong-willed, and very experienced, so there will be many times when Cheika will be outvoted 2-1.
Besides, Rugby Australia didn’t select Johnson, and O’Connor, just to be a rubber stamp for Cheika.
They were put there to reign in Cheika to stop out of form players being selected, and others being selected out of position.
And that’s exactly what will happen.
A sneak preview of the new Wallabies selection panel's first meeting
Papi, my suggestion is as far removed from political correctness as you can get, it’s recognising that there wouldn’t be rugby league if it was only the players who coached themselves, and ran the game as well.
It takes a lot of people in the overall mix, and the best of them deserve a lot more recognition than they currently get.
It’s a pretty fair bet Papi you were born long after television coverage became blanket.
But prior to television it took word pictures in the stories Tom Goodman, Ernie Christensen and Alan Clarkson wrote in newspapers, with Frank Hyde and Tiger Black making rugby league come alive through radio with their version of word pictures from the sideline in the rain.
They did it tough, but they were the foot soldiers in making rugby league the sport it is today.
Why deny them the recognition they deserve long after their death?
And to call them mediocre is an insult.
When will Wayne Bennett be a Hall of Famer and an Immortal?
Morning Max, obviously you had nothing better to do at 8.29am.
When will Wayne Bennett be a Hall of Famer and an Immortal?
Paul, what sort of a sport would rugby league be without coaches? They are the lifeblood of the sport.
Take Wayne Bennett’s 810 NRL games that translates to roughly 2430 training sessions, or 7290 hours. Add to that the countless hours the coach views tapes of games in his own time, and in Bennett’s case that’s over 32 years of coaching in the NRL alone, not counting rep, or international games.
And all through he’s had to make those training sessions interesting, or risk boring his roster to death which would be counter productive.
No Paul, the coach deserves to be on an equal footing as the players, especially Wayne Bennett.
When will Wayne Bennett be a Hall of Famer and an Immortal?
Seriously suggest Lano that you keep your hard-earned in your pocket, and don’t have a bet during the World Cup.
A lot to learn for the Wallabies from this weekend's Six Nations action
Tooly, for some unfathomable reason the Pools, and current world ranking, were editorially killed.
Pool A – Ireland (2), Scotland (7), Japan (11), Samoa (17), and Russia (19).
Pool B – New Zealand (1), South Africa (5), Italy (14), Canada (21), and Namibia (22).
Pool C – England (4), France (8), Argentina (10), Tonga (13), and USA (15).
Pool D – Wales (3), Australia (6), Fiji (9), Georgia (12), and Uruguay (16).
As you can see, the Wallabies have the toughest draw as the only Pool with three nations ranked in single figures.
And apologies to the Welsh boyos with editorial changing the description to boys.
A lot to learn for the Wallabies from this weekend's Six Nations action
JamesH, how do you explain the fact Shane Warne, Brett Lee, and Brendan Julian all agree with me that Pat Cummins should open the bowling?
At long last, Pat Cummins receives the new ball
jameswm, it’s a pity you don’t do your homework before you make ridiculous statements.
MS Dhoni has batted five times this summer against the Australians for 51, 55*, 87*, 59*, and a first ball duck.
The 51 off 96 balls was a strike rate of just 53.12 at the SCG where he copped plenty for not getting on with it when Australia won by 34 runs.
He didn’t make that mistake again.
The 55* off 54 with a strike rate of 101.85 in Adelaide led India to six-wicket win.
The 87* off 114 with a strike rate of 76.31 at the MCG saw India home by seven wickets.
And the 59* off 72 with a strike rate of 81.94 at Hyderabad led India to a six-wicket win.
All far better than Glenn Maxwell’s four off 18 with a strike rate of 22.22, the worst strike rate of his entire ODI career among the 75 of 83 times when he’s scored runs.
In case you’ve missed the point, the other eight digs were ducks.
At long last, Pat Cummins receives the new ball
TJ, it’s not a question of what Glenn Maxwell has done to me, it’s what he’s done to himself.
He’s on the outer with the selectors purely due to his strange batting changes that vary between world class, and suburban C grade.
There’s no argument that on his day Maxwell can be spectacular, destroying international attacks with disdain.
Then there are days like the BBL final, and again last night, when Maxwell’s on another planet altogether.
That’s why the selectors don’t trust him, and he has nobody but himself to blame.
He’s also one of the greatest fieldsmen cricket has ever seen, but when he’s in the other planet mode he drops sitters.
Go figure.
At long last, Pat Cummins receives the new ball
spruce moose, fair comment, but Justin Langer has often said – “We know Aaron Finch will come good”.
Does the “we” refer to Langer’s co-selectors, or does the “we” suggest Langer and Finch “know” he’ll come good?
Whatever the answer, it’s not working.
How can Justin Langer justify selecting Aaron Finch, but sack D'Arcy Short?
There’s no guessing Paul, it’s plain obvious pigeonholing has been operating for years.
How can Justin Langer justify selecting Aaron Finch, but sack D'Arcy Short?
I’m not being wise after the event Jeff, I’m saying rotation is wrong. The best footballers are paid the most money to be on duty at every game to win a Super Rugby title, that’s the first priority. Once that campaign is over, then the priority is the World Cup.
Scott Johnson cops a reality check in Newcastle