Mangled Thoughts

Look at his performances in the first three Tests: 200-odd runs and 20 wickets. What a little bottler!

This is a turnabout, I admit. My habitual practice has been to revile Warney as a self-engrossed yobbo, intelligent enough to be cunning but not enough to be shrewd, and lacking Merv Hughes’s redeeming comic dimension.

But that was before England developed three belligerent fast bowlers with reverse swing.

inside the earringed spiv was a fat, bald bloke with a bushy red beard trying to get out….

Frank Devine has discovered he likes Shane Warne, it’s either that or, he wails, the Oz 11 is doomed.

They are doomed anyway, the English bowling has been terrifying and there will be no let up. First time another team has driven the Oz top order to the distraction fear induces. Warne has made the collapse seemlier but not happier.

Ponting has had the bad luck to be appointed captain when the team which trundled out victory after victory is heading for the granny retirement village, playing cricket with plastic bats and balls. An exaggeration? Well, ask any retired pro whether they’d take to the crease against bowlers weilding leather case of steel and whose action is as it should be, terrifying.

A team once, in the early 80’s, had a ring in, a pro-bowler, for a match against a varsity 11. The batsmen felt and did like those who had to face the speed demon Dennis Lillee : take the crease, face up and, as the bowl is released, flee. Amusing, against a Lillee complaints against bodyline seem rather limp. Not to, that is, make any mistake as to how nasty the bodyline is but, it’s a quibble when Lillee’s missiles were just that, bone smashing missiles. Now, the English are carefully working over the Oz bats without let up.

Gold, swift-winged Revenge, when it comes, is a stunning animal - just ask Chief Bastard, and Mr. Devine, they are both stunned.