David EdwardsAustralians Around The World Unite In Victory
November 6th 2006 12:12
Well the past 24 hours have been very successful for our nation on the sporting front. Two different sports have been dominated by our citizens, and both have come out with very different results.
First of all lets look at the success of the baggy green boys in India. In the small hours of the morning, Australia was able to successfully win its first ever ICC Champions Trophy over the West Indies cricket side in Mumbai.
Australia, who have been the dominant side of the competition for a number of years, was able to earn the trophy that has always just been out of our grasp. But through perseverance, and our talent on the pitch, we were able to beat the West Indies by eight wickets to claim victory.
The tournament itself was a very unsettled affair for our boys. Not only did we lose to the Windies in the first match of the tournament, but there was a lot of criticism in our squad, and as we enter one of the biggest summer seasons the side has experienced for some time, it was a time where they had to stand up on a global scale to prove that they are indeed up for it.
The final match was a perfect example of this. Completely differing in how we played the last time we met West Indies, we led them to bat in the first innings, and was able to systematically whittle down their line-up without too much effort. From there it was a breeze to win the championship, winning the match in less than the required 50 overs.
In a completely different hemisphere, Australia faced up to our ‘old’ rivals in the International Rules competition, Ireland, and once more was able to claim victory. In a game where violence once again grabbed the limelight, the AFL side was able to beat the Emerald Isle in the hybrid game 62-39, and won the tournament on aggregate. It was once again a systematic win, and the boys will now finish of the tour as champions, but with rather a black mark across over their head.
It is fair to say that the International Rules tournament has not been easy on our boys over the last few years. Brawls have been opening up left right and centre on the field, and in the last game where more than just a few punches were thrown, the whole concept of the game is now up in arms as it has the potential of becoming just a violent way for the best of the best to finish the season.
So what does this mean for both codes? Well in cricket it is a great step up as they face their biggest challenge, reclaiming the Ashes from our foes the English. As the first test is only mere weeks away from starting, the Champions Trophy win will give us a huge psychological advantage going into the first Test in Brisbane. Plus with a major tri-nations tournament followed closely by the World Cup next year, they are in a perfect position to stamp their dominance on the code.
The International Rules is a completely different story. Lack of real following, plus with the last two season being marred by fights, brawls, and more recently proof that our best players (ala Fevola) cannot keep calm representing out nation, the entire competition is up in arms.
Their will definitely be a review into the competition now, and personally their has to be quite a few changes, including a more serious punishment system in place for violence on the field, before the game will be take seriously as competition. But at the moment all we can do is congratulate our boys in winning their respective matches overseas, and lay back and think about how our nation has really placed their names in the book for the best sporting moments this year so far, with so much more to look forward to.
Until next time, sports minds.
First of all lets look at the success of the baggy green boys in India. In the small hours of the morning, Australia was able to successfully win its first ever ICC Champions Trophy over the West Indies cricket side in Mumbai.
Australia, who have been the dominant side of the competition for a number of years, was able to earn the trophy that has always just been out of our grasp. But through perseverance, and our talent on the pitch, we were able to beat the West Indies by eight wickets to claim victory.
The tournament itself was a very unsettled affair for our boys. Not only did we lose to the Windies in the first match of the tournament, but there was a lot of criticism in our squad, and as we enter one of the biggest summer seasons the side has experienced for some time, it was a time where they had to stand up on a global scale to prove that they are indeed up for it.
The final match was a perfect example of this. Completely differing in how we played the last time we met West Indies, we led them to bat in the first innings, and was able to systematically whittle down their line-up without too much effort. From there it was a breeze to win the championship, winning the match in less than the required 50 overs.
In a completely different hemisphere, Australia faced up to our ‘old’ rivals in the International Rules competition, Ireland, and once more was able to claim victory. In a game where violence once again grabbed the limelight, the AFL side was able to beat the Emerald Isle in the hybrid game 62-39, and won the tournament on aggregate. It was once again a systematic win, and the boys will now finish of the tour as champions, but with rather a black mark across over their head.
It is fair to say that the International Rules tournament has not been easy on our boys over the last few years. Brawls have been opening up left right and centre on the field, and in the last game where more than just a few punches were thrown, the whole concept of the game is now up in arms as it has the potential of becoming just a violent way for the best of the best to finish the season.
So what does this mean for both codes? Well in cricket it is a great step up as they face their biggest challenge, reclaiming the Ashes from our foes the English. As the first test is only mere weeks away from starting, the Champions Trophy win will give us a huge psychological advantage going into the first Test in Brisbane. Plus with a major tri-nations tournament followed closely by the World Cup next year, they are in a perfect position to stamp their dominance on the code.
The International Rules is a completely different story. Lack of real following, plus with the last two season being marred by fights, brawls, and more recently proof that our best players (ala Fevola) cannot keep calm representing out nation, the entire competition is up in arms.
Their will definitely be a review into the competition now, and personally their has to be quite a few changes, including a more serious punishment system in place for violence on the field, before the game will be take seriously as competition. But at the moment all we can do is congratulate our boys in winning their respective matches overseas, and lay back and think about how our nation has really placed their names in the book for the best sporting moments this year so far, with so much more to look forward to.
Until next time, sports minds.
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Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by TheCoach
And yes, these could came back to haunt me in later days, but at the moment it is how both codes are panning out