Cricket

I have a feeling that Bancroft will be made an example of, and Smith will be teflon coated. The ICC is notoriously lax at making examples of big name players

I hope this doesn’t completely taint Smith’s reputation in all seriousness. He really is one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen.

I’d be much more comfortable if it were all pinned on Warner.

So we get the ashes back now right?

They did seem to get more out of the ball than our bowlers - who have impeccable character, of course - could manage.

The thing that Bancroft said which made me smile was "wrong place wrong time". WTF. It looks like he implemented something the 'leadership group' put together. Moaning about getting some back from the South African players and fans.

They look like bullies, act like bullies and fail like them too. Such a talented side as well.
Jeez we are not great at the minute but Aus can't half make a bollix of having a great bowling attack and a couple of very fine batsmen. But when Nathan Lyon is the instigator in chief (along with the predicable and all round funster DW)it's very hard to view them now with anything but contempt.

Finally, some cricket in Auckland and hopefully a full day/night. Great weather down in Christchurch too, so radio is on while gardening.

This is the smoking gun. I want the cost of my flights to Perth and tickets returned. And for the 60 pints of weak lager I had to drink to make it bearable.

https://twitter.com/dpcoverdale/status/977663181198974976?s=21

Haha Root falls on last ball of the day. Possibly off the finger that was broken the ball before, looked extremely sore.
Gonna be a fun day tomorrow, could be a few showers in the afternoon. Don't think there will be enough to significantly shorten the day's play.

We picked a good week to score 58 and not cheat.

Lovely weather today, although I still think Eden Park is shit. Don't see us batting out tomorrow either.

Eden Park is shit. It's shit for rugby too. It's too small for cricket and too big for rugby. No one with half a brain thinks otherwise.
I'm absolutely loving watching Aussie domestic sports shows at the moment. They're apoplectic with rage, it's very entertaining.

Fabrace is a solid bloke

apoplectic with rage

That they did it, or that they got caught?

I think it's something to do with the fact that the Aussie cricket team has been put up on a pedestal domestically, but internationally everyone thinks they're arrogant grubby gobshits. They take their sport seriously in Aussie, and cricket is the true national sport because of the footy divide. It's anger at the team they worshipped, and shame that they're a laughing stock internationally.
I'm enjoying the schadenfreude.

Any comment from @hippy?

No idea what's happening. Saw a few ball tampering tweets from OG badtmy on my timeline but it's the wrong kind of aerodynamics for me to take an interest. If it's Aussies doing it, it shows how far downhill we've gone since I left. Cunts.

NZ Herald put together a Cheats XI:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12020224

Athers opens the batting....

No Chris Cairns tho? Allegedly.

Christ the grammar/spelling in that is awful.

Mohammad Asif (Pakistan) Spot fixing
Asif was banned for seven years and given a one-year prison sentence for his role in the 2010 match-fixing scandal. He didn't play against for his country.

What about Kane Williamson for chucking?

Haha, yes! I think there’s a reason there are no comments allowed on that article.

Saying a bad word about the Kiwi's? Madness. Got into Christchurch this morning, feels like your typical small English town that's a bit run down.

I'm not one for memes but some of the sandpapergate stuff has been gold

Welcome to Christchurch. It's still a bit (lot) knackered from the earthquakes but getting there slowly.

Lehmann resigning later today according to the papers.

Yeah, had a walk around the centre, felt rather bleak. Dinner at Samurai Bowl was decent though

As for Sandpapergate, Warner has left the team WhatsApp group and gone on the piss with 'non cricket mates', that's about as club cricket as it can get...

I'm not one for memes but some of the sandpapergate stuff has been gold

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/sandpapergate-funny-memes-responses-bancroft/

Faves are the autograph kid and the Amazon review...

I think Steve Waughs comments were probably the deciding factor.

They played a lot of cricket together as well.