David EdwardsSporting Mind Australian Sporting Moment
December 30th 2006 13:47
Welcome to Sporting Mind as we countdown the ten biggest Australian sporting events of 2006.
The top ten was whittled down from a finalist group of eleven, and has been arranged by its importance to the game, the overall popularity of the sport, the media coverage the moment got, the overall global reach of the competition, and the potential historic relevance of the moment.
So without any further ado, here is the first annual
Sporting Mind Australian Sporting Moment
#10. Jason Gillespie’s 201 not out against Bangladesh
This was important because we saw an end of the era, a major player in the dominance of Australian cricket, perform the unthinkable.
Jason Gillespie, who at his peak was the best bowling partner with Glenn McGrath, came onto the field in Chittagong as night watchman on the close of the first day with a previous high score of 54 not out in his career, and did not leave the pitch until the forth day with a double century on his card, and the unbelievable score of 201 not out.
It was a massive moment for Gillespie. He was recently dropped from the Test squad after Australia’s disastrous Ashes loss to England, and was only placed back in the squad due to key injuries to Tait and Kasprowicz.
With one last chance to show his strength, he was able to show some class, grabbing the bowling figures of 3/11 off 5 overs in the first innings, but it was his batting that stunned the world.
However, it seemed that his ability to score a century against the odds was not enough for Gillespie. The Test against Bangladesh was the final time he placed on the baggy green, and with the new pacemen like Stuart Clarke and Shaun Tait nipping at the Test spots, it seems like his moment in the sun is over.
At least he will have the memory of performing an amazing double century, and become one of the 14th players in Test history to take 200 Test wickets and score a century.
For this historic reason, Gillespie’s amazing double ton was named as number 10.
# 9. Mundine – Green fight
The Mundine – Green fight comes in as number nine not due to a fantastic match, nor due to a Title fight drawn to the wire, but rather the media coverage that the fight got.
For months, it became a major talking point for all sports fans. Will Mundine be able to make his actions speak as loud as his words, or would ‘The Machine’ be able to take ‘The Man’ on? For the majority of the lead up, many fans sided up to either camp, and for the first time in years many people were drawn back into the world of boxing.
It was great because in a massive year of sport, a relatively minor sport in Australia like boxing became the support of the sporting public, and for one night, it was once more became a bout of kings.
For the record Mundine won in 12 rounds, and was in fact an interesting fight to watch. But nothing could match up to the media hype it gave for months beforehand.
#8. Sydney Swifts Record Unbeaten Season
On the first of September, when many sporting minds begin to focus on the AFL and NRL finals series, a historic event had unfolded.
The Commonwealth Bank Trophy Grand Final for the national netball league was between the Sydney TAB Swifts and the Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds. The Swifts were able to dominate the game, thrashing the Thunderbirds 65-36, but it made them the first team in Australia to go through the season undefeated in 47 years, in any sport.
With only St. George Dragons only recording the same feat, back in 1959, the Sydney Swifts were able to go through 14 rounds and two final matches without losing a single match.
As football, rugby, soccer and basketball all making some noise throughout the year, netball did make some more waves than expected. The Grand Final was able to earn a little bit more interest than usual with media coverage, and the popularity of the game did increase in the cut throat world of supporters. But the historical mark the Swifts made in 2006 ensured that the netball competition would be a bit more healthy in 2007.
#7. Queensland Victory in State of Origin 3
In the biggest representative competition between both New South Wales and Queensland, the 2006 State of Origin literally went down to the wire, with actually three states holding their breath.
As the series was tied up 1-1, the deciding match was played at a neutral ground, the Telstra Dome in Melbourne. Queensland, trying to win back series since 2002, was able to thrash NSW 30-6 in the second match, but were unable to display the same sense of attack for the most of the final match.
NSW, with the trophy in their mind, was able to manipulate and control the game to their tempo, and with ten minutes to go and leading the game 14-4, seemed confident that they would be champions for the fourth year in a row.
But that is where their plan went wrong.
Lead by a try by Tate, and beautiful work by Jonathan Thurston, the Maroons were within a try with nine minutes remaining. Then the man of the series, Qld captain Darren Lockyer, was able to score the sealing try with 5 minutes remaining to wrap up the series.
It was a fantastic competition, and as rugby branched to try a grab more supporters around the nation in 2006, it was a fantastic way to grab some attention. It means that the State of Origin in 2007 will be fought as hard as any match in the NRL. Stayed tuned for the fireworks.
#6. Japan’s One, Two in Melbourne Cup
It is always the race that stops the nation. Where everyone will pause working for six minutes at 3:00 pm to see who will win the most prestigious horse race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup.
After the last year’s fantastic run by Makybe Diva, to notch three successive Melbourne Cup victories, many pundits were claiming that the race itself would not be able to hold as much drama in 2006.
But they were wrong.
With a number of international horses in the field, it was not one but two horses not from our soil to take the top two places. Japan’s Delta Blues, ridden by Japanese jockey Yasunari Iwata, and Pop Rock, ridden by Damien Oliver was able to tear down the final 400 metres away from the pack, and in one of the closest races in Melbourne Cup history, Delta Blues was able to notch the win away from his stablemate, all by a nose.
It was another historic moment for the massive race. Not only was it the first time that an Asian-raised horse won the race, but the first time it was 1-2 from international horses. It was also the first time that an jockey from Asia was able to claim the glory.
After the 2005 race where Maykbe Diva stole the hearts of the nation, many thought that the race would not be the same in 2006. But after the dominance from the international pack in the race, let me guarantee you that the next Melbourne Cup in 2007 will grab more interest than ever before.
Stayed tuned tomorrow, the final day of the year, to grab the top five sporting moments in 2006.
Until next time, sports minds.
The top ten was whittled down from a finalist group of eleven, and has been arranged by its importance to the game, the overall popularity of the sport, the media coverage the moment got, the overall global reach of the competition, and the potential historic relevance of the moment.
So without any further ado, here is the first annual
Sporting Mind Australian Sporting Moment
#10. Jason Gillespie’s 201 not out against Bangladesh
Jason Gillespie, who at his peak was the best bowling partner with Glenn McGrath, came onto the field in Chittagong as night watchman on the close of the first day with a previous high score of 54 not out in his career, and did not leave the pitch until the forth day with a double century on his card, and the unbelievable score of 201 not out.
It was a massive moment for Gillespie. He was recently dropped from the Test squad after Australia’s disastrous Ashes loss to England, and was only placed back in the squad due to key injuries to Tait and Kasprowicz.
With one last chance to show his strength, he was able to show some class, grabbing the bowling figures of 3/11 off 5 overs in the first innings, but it was his batting that stunned the world.
However, it seemed that his ability to score a century against the odds was not enough for Gillespie. The Test against Bangladesh was the final time he placed on the baggy green, and with the new pacemen like Stuart Clarke and Shaun Tait nipping at the Test spots, it seems like his moment in the sun is over.
At least he will have the memory of performing an amazing double century, and become one of the 14th players in Test history to take 200 Test wickets and score a century.
For this historic reason, Gillespie’s amazing double ton was named as number 10.
# 9. Mundine – Green fight
The Mundine – Green fight comes in as number nine not due to a fantastic match, nor due to a Title fight drawn to the wire, but rather the media coverage that the fight got.
For months, it became a major talking point for all sports fans. Will Mundine be able to make his actions speak as loud as his words, or would ‘The Machine’ be able to take ‘The Man’ on? For the majority of the lead up, many fans sided up to either camp, and for the first time in years many people were drawn back into the world of boxing.
It was great because in a massive year of sport, a relatively minor sport in Australia like boxing became the support of the sporting public, and for one night, it was once more became a bout of kings.
For the record Mundine won in 12 rounds, and was in fact an interesting fight to watch. But nothing could match up to the media hype it gave for months beforehand.
#8. Sydney Swifts Record Unbeaten Season
On the first of September, when many sporting minds begin to focus on the AFL and NRL finals series, a historic event had unfolded.
The Commonwealth Bank Trophy Grand Final for the national netball league was between the Sydney TAB Swifts and the Medibank Adelaide Thunderbirds. The Swifts were able to dominate the game, thrashing the Thunderbirds 65-36, but it made them the first team in Australia to go through the season undefeated in 47 years, in any sport.
With only St. George Dragons only recording the same feat, back in 1959, the Sydney Swifts were able to go through 14 rounds and two final matches without losing a single match.
As football, rugby, soccer and basketball all making some noise throughout the year, netball did make some more waves than expected. The Grand Final was able to earn a little bit more interest than usual with media coverage, and the popularity of the game did increase in the cut throat world of supporters. But the historical mark the Swifts made in 2006 ensured that the netball competition would be a bit more healthy in 2007.
#7. Queensland Victory in State of Origin 3
In the biggest representative competition between both New South Wales and Queensland, the 2006 State of Origin literally went down to the wire, with actually three states holding their breath.
As the series was tied up 1-1, the deciding match was played at a neutral ground, the Telstra Dome in Melbourne. Queensland, trying to win back series since 2002, was able to thrash NSW 30-6 in the second match, but were unable to display the same sense of attack for the most of the final match.
NSW, with the trophy in their mind, was able to manipulate and control the game to their tempo, and with ten minutes to go and leading the game 14-4, seemed confident that they would be champions for the fourth year in a row.
But that is where their plan went wrong.
Lead by a try by Tate, and beautiful work by Jonathan Thurston, the Maroons were within a try with nine minutes remaining. Then the man of the series, Qld captain Darren Lockyer, was able to score the sealing try with 5 minutes remaining to wrap up the series.
It was a fantastic competition, and as rugby branched to try a grab more supporters around the nation in 2006, it was a fantastic way to grab some attention. It means that the State of Origin in 2007 will be fought as hard as any match in the NRL. Stayed tuned for the fireworks.
#6. Japan’s One, Two in Melbourne Cup
It is always the race that stops the nation. Where everyone will pause working for six minutes at 3:00 pm to see who will win the most prestigious horse race in Australia, the Melbourne Cup.
After the last year’s fantastic run by Makybe Diva, to notch three successive Melbourne Cup victories, many pundits were claiming that the race itself would not be able to hold as much drama in 2006.
But they were wrong.
With a number of international horses in the field, it was not one but two horses not from our soil to take the top two places. Japan’s Delta Blues, ridden by Japanese jockey Yasunari Iwata, and Pop Rock, ridden by Damien Oliver was able to tear down the final 400 metres away from the pack, and in one of the closest races in Melbourne Cup history, Delta Blues was able to notch the win away from his stablemate, all by a nose.
It was another historic moment for the massive race. Not only was it the first time that an Asian-raised horse won the race, but the first time it was 1-2 from international horses. It was also the first time that an jockey from Asia was able to claim the glory.
After the 2005 race where Maykbe Diva stole the hearts of the nation, many thought that the race would not be the same in 2006. But after the dominance from the international pack in the race, let me guarantee you that the next Melbourne Cup in 2007 will grab more interest than ever before.
Stayed tuned tomorrow, the final day of the year, to grab the top five sporting moments in 2006.
Until next time, sports minds.
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