Cummins the champion
There is no doubt Australian cricket skipper Pat Cummins deserves to be ranked alongside the great fast bowlers of Australian legend- the likes of Ted McDonald, Charlie Turner, Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller, Dennis Lillie, Jeff Thomson, and Glenn McGrath.
The handsome ‘boy from the Blue Mountains’ is a once in a generation star of the game.
It is rare for a fast bowler to lead Australia but Cummins has the chance to become also a legend in that role.
But he should take ownership of an often lamentable over rate – something the hopelessly weak International Cricket Council is too gutless to address.
Many Aussie captains have been bold leaders such as Richie Benaud, Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting. They realised the paying public deserved value for their money and would not have condoned the crowd-killing batting of Khawaja, Labuschagne and sadly of late, Steve Smith.
These guys are not in the World War trenches, they are playing a game that in the now crowded modern sports market must entertain.
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Some thoughts on the cricket summer to date:
Crowds have been good and will be huge when India is here next year and the Poms in 2025-26.
The Big Bash is also back after a decline in the COVID years.
Dave Warner deserved his massive farewell to the Test arena in Sydney. He was always a brilliant entertainer who drew spectators through the gates.
Pakistan, though beaten 3-0, was always competitive and played some great cricket. Their innings on day one at Sydney was the most thrilling opening day at the famous ground for many years.
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When is Australian selector George Bailey and his panel going to start planning for new players to replace ageing members of the current side?
The general public would like to see a couple of the following introduced quickly – Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Short, Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson. All would do well and be great crowd pullers.
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The pink Test day is a wonderful annual part of the Sydney Test. This time round it raised in excess of $6 million for the Jane McGrath Foundation, which has put hundreds of breast cancer nurses across rural Australia.
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Young Phoebe Litchfield, from Orange, New South Wales, is fast establishing herself as a superstar of women’s cricket.
A brilliant century and player of the series in the recent ODI’s in India she has won high praise for the humble ‘bush’ product who first hit the headlines as a 16-year-old.
She joins the long list of Aussie cricket stars who have come from country areas across Australia.
Varia
Many of the services once taken for granted are fast disappearing.
Banks no longer exist in hundreds of regional towns across Australia. Cheques are on the way out as we head towards a cashless society.
Post offices will soon be restricting deliveries to every second day and rural communities will inevitably suffer.
The scene below depicting a young girl posting a letter at the village post box will be no more.
This is the price we pay for progress in a modern world where we become susceptible to scammers and cyber criminals more and more.
