From one silly season to another

Summer is a time for sunshine, picnics, parties and holidays. Sport is an important part too, but cricket is generally the break for Aussies from the rigours of football (whether it be AFL or Rugby) season, a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy some relaxing entertainment; can of beer in one hand, and an outstretched finger in the other, to soak in the sun and catch some runs.

So why is this night different from all other nights, ask those who have heard a lot of noise and a little of cricket. The simple answer is, this time, someone fought back. Not just in the cricket either, it would be one thing if Australia had just been outplayed on the field for the first time in 3 years, but the fightback also came off the field. For once, the foul mouthed Aussies had someone spitting in the other direction. It wasn't just whitewash predictions from the fast bowlers and stick it up their ass calls from the batsmen, because this time the opposition were not to be outdone, in fact quite the contrary!

Had it come out to just play cricket, India would have been respected greatly. Australia had not lost or drawn a test since 2005, but India forced them to suffer one of each in the space of 2 games, and then made the World Champions look like amateurs by winning the Tri Series finals 2-0 for the second year in a row. But it was one veteran spinner's war of words that dominated the tour, from the phantom 'monkey' taunt, to the constant 'I don't like them either' responses and cheap Indian pride stunts performed by the 12th Man (yes we're talking about Harbhajan again), not to mention the increasing amounts of spectators getting ejected. On face value, it sounds a lot like scenes from federal Parliament but this is cricket, the way the Aussies like to play it: aggressively. Their other favourite component is success, but we all know what happened to that one. However, India managed to drag themselves down to the Australian level, and lost a lot of respect as a result. Even youngster Ishant Sharma was seen puffing his chest and acting like a much more experienced bowler than he really is. All this isn't to say that the Australians are any better, they aren't, but that doesn't mean that India must try its hardest to be liked even less.

Despite the poor sportsmanship all round, some pretty good cricket was seen all round, but it wasn't enough to stop the sighs of relief erupting all around as cricket season finally came to a close, and football season made its way back in.

Though AFL's preseason is already completed, domestic cricket reaches its pinnacle this week when Victoria takes on New South Wales at the SCG in the final of the Pura Cup. New South Wales will celebrate the achievement of coming first by dropping its entire pace attack for three international players, including one who has played two matches all season for them, and taken one wicket all up (including a wicketless Pura Cup match). Now don't get me wrong, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken (Michael Clarke is also coming back from international duty) are all fantastic players, but to drop the players who got them there in the first place is a big slap in the face for their hard working youngsters. "Get out there and play your best cricket, but no matter how well you play, you'll still be dropped if our Aussie internationals are available," seems to be the message. Mark Cameron was last year dropped for the Pura Cup final when Matthew Nicholson returned from injury, despite taking 5 wickets against Tasmania a fortnight earlier, and he will now be dropped for Lee and co. despite having taken 27 wickets this season at 17.51. Two years in a row the promising 27 year old has had his confidence shattered, which reminds me of the time Victorian skipper Paul Reiffel declared with Michael Klinger on 99 a few years back. It promises to be an exciting clash though, with the star studded New South Wales team taking on a more settled but less spectacular Victorian side.

Of course, no AFL pre season competition is complete without cries of not trying/caring, and a fair bit of controversy to back it up, but this year's reached new heights when Swans coach Paul Roos was accused by the AFL of deliberately throwing a match. Perish the thought! A team not trying their hardest? Now that's a new issue in football! Of course this is a bit more serious than a team not trying their hardest, but is less serious than a team tanking most of the latter half of the season.

Sanity prevailed of course, and Roos was found not guilty, but it didn't stop the conspiracy theories from Roos, who claimed that the AFL hates him, ever since they called the swans 'ugly ducklings' several weeks before they ended up winning the premiership. Apparently Andrew Demetriou and co are out to get him. Get a ticket and wait in line please Paul.