Crikey let’s hope not…but Aussie opener David Warner, more articulate with bat than mouth, is expecting verbal fireworks for the hosts’ crunch trans-Tasman clash.
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It’s being built up as the Warner v McCullum showdown, with the Black Caps’ star smashing more sixes than both Australian openers put together in the last 12 months.
There’s not a lot of love (apart from in Oz) for the punchy, pint-sized opener who says he expects plenty of attitude from a hostile 40,000 Eden Park crowd and the New Zealand players on Saturday.
“It’s not by fluke or chance McCullum has come out and scored the runs he has, but if we bowl well to him we’ll create the pressure and he’ll have a brain explosion,” says Warner.
“He seems like a great humble guy, but when we get on the field it’s going to be a different story. But I embrace it. They can give it to me as much as they want. I’ll just let my bat do the talking.”
Life after cricket #gymnastics haha. NOT!! pic.twitter.com/tPR00IqCtM
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) February 26, 2015
And the cricketing world just can’t wait to see which player can talk the walk.
Nothing to Bragg about
It can’t be long before the review system applies to catches beyond the boundary. Surely a third umpire will be needed to settle disputes over whether spectators actually held onto sixes belted into the crowd or not.
Especially when NZ $1m (Dh 2.75m) is up for grabs.
A company is offering that cash bonanza to crowd-catchers taking a six one-handed while wearing a sponsor’s T-shirt live on TV.
Wellington’s Jason Bragg was under a skier from Brendon McCullum and also under pressure from other spectators when he reached for the Kookaburra. He fumbled the take, but insists he caught it on the rebound. Which footage appears to confirm.
The sponsor has turned down his appeal saying the catch must be clean.
Ok now I get it. McCullum is just playing this World Cup to get as many Kiwis a share of the $1 million one handed crowd catch fund
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) February 20, 2015
Joyless Jason was offered a helicopter trip and factory tour but no share of the million bucks.
“It’s not like I was bobbing for apples at the fair,” he moaned, “There’s something bigger on the line.”
The number of catches in World Cup crowds has been impressive. But so far a share of the prize pot will be handed to brilliant beyond the boundary fielders, spectators Jamie Gough and Sunjay Ganda.
The Age of treason
You’d think after all the British Empire did for Australia , the locals might have a little more respect. Not so. Indeed no-one revels in the old country’s cricketing woes more than the Antipodeans.
Despite a modicum of Anglo-Saxon blood still coursing through their veins, Melbourne newspaper The Age devoted its whole front page to a photo of the Poms going wild…after beating Scotland.
It trumpeted: “World Cup Shock: England defeats Scotland.”
Meawnhile, Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has been using his rehab time to make TV adverts for a toothpaste company and giving the Poms a mouthful.
He strolls along a beach saying “Even the Poms are laughing at us” about the state of dental hygiene down under while urging viewers to buy the product and not look like Brits, crassly and erroneously famed for their poor orthodontics.
Benaud’s day out
Cricket-lovers everywhere will be pleased to hear that icon and all-round good bloke Richie Benaud has been seen out in public for a rare appearance since his beloved 1963 Sunbeam Alpine was totalled when it hit a wall two years ago.
The legendary 85-year-old commentator was touch and go in hospital for several weeks with multiple injuries and then faced more treatment for skin cancer.
“I am progressing.” – Richie Benaud on his health. #GetBetterRichie #AustraliaDay #AUSvIND #WWOS pic.twitter.com/dmAHP8FOwu
— Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) January 26, 2015
The great Australian (known for simple but endearing catchphrases down the decades like: “Good morning, everyone” and “My goodness me”) and his wife Daphne had lunch at upmarket Lucio’s in Sydney’s Paddington this week and watched some bat ’n ball on TV.
“I could never get rid of her,” said Richie. “She’s a bit worse for wear, but I keep her in the garage and have a look at her every now and again.”
Richie was of course referring to his car…not life-long partner Daphne.
