Pitched online – by Bobby
It is no coincidence that the Cape Cobras are doing well this season and head the log in the 1-Day Cup. Apart from the talent they have available, they also boast the services of arguably one of the best coaches in world cricket in Richard Pybus, and that’s no exaggeration!
I was fortunate enough to have him as one of my lecturers at Technicon and was particularly impressed by the way he approached the game and its various facets. I recall him placing particular importance on the mental approach to the game which wasn’t something cricketers really knew much about in the mid-90’s. That, along with his technical expertise, explains his success as a coach. In my opinion he would have made an excellent Proteas coach.
So far the Cape Cobras, Chevrolet Warriors and Chevrolet Knights have booked their places in playoffs. The 4th and final team is yet to be determined between The Sunfoil Dolphins and Bizhub Highveld Lions. Disappointingly, the Titans have not been able to repeat their form of past seasons when it comes to the 1-Day Cup and currently have a firm grip on the wooden spoon.
The Dolphins have a slight advantage as they lead the Lions by 3 points on the log and a win against log leaders, the Cobra’s, will be enough to guarantee their place. The Lions however need to win their game against the Knights and hope that the Cobras do them a favour by beating the Dolphins to win their place in the final playoff spot. Both these fixtures take place on Wednesday.
Leading players: Titans and Proteas middle order batsmen, Faf du Plessis, is leading the total runs scored with 433 runs at an average with 72 runs per innings and Cobra’s swing bowler, Charl Langeveldt lead the wickets taken column with 16 at an average of 23 runs per wicket.
RWC 2011 – An afterview by Paul
I recently read Dan Retief’s overview of RWC 2011 with great interest: www.danretief,com
Aside from his objective perspective on a number of issues, he also states the following:
On a worldwide scale the gentlemen who run rugby, the IRB, will no longer be able to ignore the fact that they have allowed the game they administer to stray so far from the statutes of its law book that it is at different times unintelligible, puzzling or simply laughable.
There can be little doubt that the application of the laws changed dramatically once the World Cup got underway and it is time that Bernard Lapasset, Bill Beaumont et al stepped in and put a stop to what has become a farce.
It goes further than that: the laws of the game have become so complex that fair application thereof by the referees is a daunting, if not impossible task. While we armchair critics take great delight in pointing out mistakes made by the referee I suspect we often reveal a scary lack of knowledge. Luckily it is normally just the wife, children or the dog who is subjected to our pearls of wisdom.
The phenomenon of “stop-gap” legislation is of course not restricted to sport; every time somebody finds a way around a specific piece of legislation, a set of preventative measures are put in place. The end result is such a clumsy vehicle that it often defeats the purpose of why it was implemented in the first place.
What we need to see is a drastically simplified set of rules governing the game. The experiment in the Varsity Cup with a change in the points scoring system is yet another example of a reactive, rather than pro-active attempt at bringing back running rugby.
We do not need more rules. We need simplified rules that are applied consistently.
This, of course, applies equally to all matters legal in this country, including financial services.
Manie se Moordkuil
Darem nou net daardie tipe kuil wat mens nie van jou hart moet maak nie, sug ou Manie. Die moord en doodslag los hy maar liewer vir die kriminele en die nuwe Sewes span van Fidji.
Die ou is erg beswaard oor die sport al minder raak soos die jaar uitloop. Hy voel amper soos die oubaas in een van Arno van Zyl se stories oor die oom wat so deur sy vrou ge-“henpeck” is.
Saterdagoggend kom die seun by die kombuis in waar die oom met sy beker koffie sit, en die tante staan en stryk. “Pappie, ek het vir ons kaartjies vir die voetbal op Nuweland.”
Die tannie loer so onder haar kuif deur en sê: ”Pappie sal nie vandag Nuweland toe gaan nie.”
Later die middag kom die ander seun daar aan om die rugby saam met sy pa te kyk. “Wat van ‘n lekker biertjie, Pappie?”
Tante: “Pappie sal nie vandag ‘n bier drink nie.”
Eendag, daar die dood die tante af.
Die oggend van die begrafnis sit die oom, met ‘n bier, in sy pajamabroek en frokkie voor die TV, wat op die Lingerie-kanaal gestel is. Die dogter merk hier kan fout kom en sê: “Pappie sal moet begin klaar maak. Die troue is oor ‘n uur.”
Waarop die oom antwoord: “Pappie sal nie vandag begrafnis toe gaan nie.”
Voorspoed vir die week, ou Grote.
