Aussies V Zimmers - ODI - MCG

[Donny]

Rain has delayed the start of Zimbabwe's innings.

[El_Draus]

The Game has been abandoned due to rain so unfortunately no result.

[Donny]

The final farewell to Hookes

By Ron Reed - Fox

DAVID Hookes was farewelled for the second - and last - time at the MCG last night.

Hookes' adopted home town took its turn to pay its respects at the innings break of the one-day international match between Australia and Zimbabwe.

A crowd of not many more than the 10,000 who turned out for the former Test batsman's funeral at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday observed a minute's silence and watched a video clip about him on the big screen.

It was preceded by a recording of one of Hookes' favorite songs, You'll Never Walk Alone by the 60s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Many waved blue and white placards bearing the single word Hookesy, provided by Cricket Victoria, and briefly chanted his name afterwards.

And as happened in Adelaide, a bat and a cap were placed beside a set of stumps out in the middle - the difference being that the headwear was not the red playing version used by the South Australians, but the blue baseball version the Victorians use for training.

The former South Australian star never played for Victoria but was the highly-popular coach of the Bushrangers when he died, aged 48, last Monday week following a clash with security staff at a Melbourne hotel.

Hookes' widow, Robyn, and their two children, Kristofer and Clarice, were not at the game, Cricket Victoria chief executive Ken Jacobs said.

The family were so pleased with the response to the funeral that they asked cricket authorities to cancel a planned memorial service at the MCG next week, a decision that has received unanimous approval.

Hookes' many friends and fans all believe he has been laid to rest appropriately.

[Donny]

Rain, but who cares?

By Robert Craddock - Fox


RAIN last night ruined a tantalisingly poised one-day game between Australia and Zimbabwe ... but did anyone really care?

The 55,000 empty seats at the MCG yesterday told a vivid story of a nation losing interest in a lopsided series for which next week's finals cannot come quickly enough.

Australia made 9-263 from their 50 overs and rain intervened in the tea break to wipe out the rest of the match after Damien Martyn had recaptured a measure of form with a lively 42 off 40 balls.

Melbourne audiences traditionally find international sporting contests as irresistible as a flame to a moth but at the start of play there were around 10,000 spectators in attendance - about the same number that attended David Hookes' funeral two days earlier.

The poor turnout has provided food for thought for Australian administrators, who may have to look at ways of tinkering with the traditional format of three teams, particularly when one is as weak as Zimbabwe.

It is difficult to recall a match involving Australia at the MCG with a flatter atmosphere.

Australia's decision to send out a weakened batting side threatened to backfire before they advanced to a solid total in a match of no consequence on a damp, slowish pitch.

Storm clouds swirled and lightning bolts crackled around the ground for much of Australia's innings, though none of the on-field action was anywhere near as electric.

Australia were saved from mediocrity by a smoothly-paced 56 off as many balls from Michael Bevan, who was his normal gap-threading, quick-running self as his low-risk game bankrolled a competitive total.

Though they have improved throughout the summer and have fought well with limited resources, Zimbabwe have failed to win and their drawing power is almost zero.

Zimbabwe sent Australia into bat hoping for early seam movement but their pace attack was jolted by an early blitz from Martyn.

With just one half-century at international level this summer he needed a little more than 42 to halt the criticism. Again he teased with his potential, before exiting when his job was half done.

His eight fours included some cavalier drives when he took two steps down the wicket and smacked paceman Heath Streak over the infield for four. His work off his pads also contained some sweet moments and it came as a surprise to see him trapped lbw by Streak when he appeared set to fully snap the shackles of his slump.

The lacklustre feel to the day was embodied by Australia's batting effort, which seemed to lack concentration.

Even Michael Clarke had a rare off day, letting go a ball from Blessing Mahwire that flicked the top of his off-stump, no doubt causing plenty of celebrations among Mahwire's 19 brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.

Australia went in a batsman short to give their allrounders a chance to find form and Ian Harvey (23) and Brad Haddin (32) appreciated the chance to bat with plenty of overs in hand.

For a while it seemed skipper Ricky Ponting would be the man to ignite proceedings but he fell for a relatively subdued 35 off 58 balls when he swept spinner Ray Price into the deep.

[JLC]

The heading to that same article in the herald sun read

VB = VERY BORING

Lmao

jlc

[Donny]

"The 55,000 empty seats at the MCG yesterday told a vivid story of a nation losing interest in a lopsided series ... "

I think that's over the top. It quite surprised me this match attracted more than 10,000 spectators on a rainy day.

Whoever the third team is, if they've not won a game to this stage people aren't going to flock through the gates on a rainy week day to see two teams go through their paces.

[JLC]

Probably half of those turned up to say farewell to Hooksy.

jlc