How damned rude! Good King Nathan has just taken a wicket and everybody is celebrating except Ponting, who seems to be trying to extract Peter Siddle from his ear ... where else could he be?
What is Ponting's problem? Is he not happy another wicket has fallen? Is he not eager to celebrate one meaningless wicket when the series as a whole is all but lost? Are Siddle's buck teeth chafing his eardrum?
If he's worried that My Nathan is going to be next on the injury list, he clearly hasn't been reading my blog or else he'd know about the invincibility factor.
Christ ... Mitchy's getting a bit touchy feely there, isn't he? Perhaps he's hoping the greatness will rub off ...
10 thoughts on this post:
A bit touchy feely huh? Well Australians have had a long summer, possible without girlfriends/wives and a mixture of injuries, painkiller injections and beer isn't much help either. Things are bound to get weird around the dressing room.
Yes, I haven't been watching photos of other teams as I have the Australian one, so maybe they all do it (?), but it does seem to me that the Aussies get much more huggy and touchy than usual these days ... maybe you're right. Perhaps we need to ship them in a load of prostitutes?
Greatness may rub off....lolz
Easy. Ponting hates him. This is no joke. I think he can't stand him. If you have been following Punter's official statements all summer you will have seen that he avoids mentioning him (Ashes!), and if he has to mention him it will be a rather half hearted praise, even if NMH basically won the game for Oz; he is permanently trying to downplay NMH's importance. There were also some weird scenes on the balcony (during several Oz innings). I think Nath is too kind to everyone. He is always very respectful to the opponent, not to speak of his team mates. Also he loves playing cards with his beloved Punts. Maybe he doesn't realise it. But I don't think that Punter is a great Hauritz fan.
I also remember one thing Jarrod wrote. In the context of the final test, he said that it was obvious how much more comfortable the quicks felt with Stuey around, in comparison to NMH. But I think the young guys in the team like him. This is all just speculation, but Punter's wording has often made me furious, so, maybe I just have some weird ideas in the head.
I've noticed that, Wes, and I think it is why NMH went on about the card games a lot in his Ashes blog - to make it look like he and Ponting are the best of mates and try to kill any speculation.
Disagreeing with Punter on the timewasting of Anderson and (can't remember who??) at Cardiff, and doing it so publicly, probably didn't help his cause but I liked it - he was honest. Sir Steven (we are not worthy) would have done the same thing, I reckon. Always treat the opposition with respect off the field and kick their arse on it.
I felt that trying to use North as the main spinner at the Oval, instead of Hauritz, was an insult and I suspect Ponting had a lot to do with that. I also think Katich likes Hauritz a lot and made such a scene about his "bravery" in that CLT20 deliberately to make a statement.
Note also that Hauritz went public a week or two ago saying he doesn't think he will play much in the test series against West Indies. I think Ponting is making him feel unwanted again. Did he learn nothing from the Oval?
Panesar, Sid.
Monty. Bloody. Panesar.
Unforgettable. I am still grinding my teeth. Monty probably won them the Ashes with this nail-and-tooth-fight, and they kicked him in the butt for that. The partnership with Anderson may not have been as glorious as the already legendary Hauritz-Lee collaboration in SA but remarkable enough for me to put Jimmy Anderson on the smack list for a while (and stubborn Colly, who had been batting before them for about 10 years).
I agree to everything else you wrote, but we shall not shed Punter's bad light on Marcus here. I have highest respect for that guy and he did an awesome job there considering the circumstances and thus he is now sacrosanct in my book :p
Punter was also the only one who later on refused to admit the selection error. Even the selectors admitted it. I so wanted to slap him with shoes.
Yes I read that Nath suspects not to be playing much in the tests but I hope the selectors have watched his performance since the Ashes with open eyes. Commentators say he bowls "terrific", and in England they already praised him in highest tones during the ODI series. There is no reason not to play him, not only for the useful change in pace and style but now he has enough experience and confidence. His ability to take wickets should not be a matter of doubt anymore. I hope.
I forgot: Kato is the man. I like this guy heaps. Kato Kult. Didn't realise he likes NMH that much but that's even better :D Making a statement against Punter must get rewarded, I praise thee oh Mighty One, who calls himself Shimon Kaddidsh, hallelujah.
No, no - I didn't mean any disprespect to Marcus; there will never be disprespect of my Captain on here. I do occasionally disprespect Mussey (because he is no longer my captain and he's getting old) and Dussey (because he defected to Victoria) and Simon (because he denies his West Australian-ness - but that doesn't wash with me because I knew him as an obnoxious teenager at midland guildford so I just tell him to shut up) and occasionally Shaun Marsh (because he drops catches and denies NMH wickets) but never EVER Lord Marcus of Perth.
Anyone who does, does so at their own peril ...
Wow. Punter hating Hauritz? I think people are reading waaayyy too much into things. As far as what I've seen and read, Ponting has been nothing but positive towards the new players. However, there was a time where we saw his frustration during the Indian TEST series but since then he has backed some of the new brand. Personally, I don't think Hauritz made much of an impact before the Ashes and thats why he wasn't consistently selected in the team. I still feel he is not TEST material. I see him containing and picking up a few in return but thats pretty much it. He is not an impact bowler,atleast thats what I've seen so far. He is a well suited for ODIs and has been great for the team in the ICC championship. He played a big part in it.
I just feel this blog is turning into an obsession with hauritz then anything else lol!
"Wes" and I have gotten a bit carried away on the Hauritz obsession lately, to be fair. First, we found each other - which was nice because there aren't a great deal of Hauritz fans around! - and then it was difficult not to get excited when the rest of the Australian team is dropping like flies and he continues to go from strength to strength.
But I never wanted this to be the Nathan Hauritz blog, so maybe it is time to tone it down a bit.
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