John Townsend

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Blogging from Brisbane - the lead-up

The first thing you notice about Brisbane is the heat. I hadn't been to the Queensland capital for two years but walking out of the airport - bags on the carousel by the time you get to it so it takes five minutes from unbuckling your seatbelt to...
Thu, November 26, 2009, 7:40 am WST
Aussies aren't quite in disarray, but it's close

It's just as well the West Indies have only about four class players and a handful of promising types.Given the chaos in Australian cricket ranks at the moment, anything approaching a tough and mature touring team would stretch the national team just...
Mon, November 16, 2009, 11:06 am WST
Johnson needs overs to be ready for Test summer

Mitchell Johnson should be on the first plane home from India.In fact, the moment the last ball was bowled in Guwahati on Sunday, the big left-armer should have packed his bags and headed home to Perth.Reports from India indicate that Johnson will be...
Tue, November 10, 2009, 10:47 am WST
WA's Robinson an opener from the old school

Wes Robinson's tough Sheffield Shield century at the SCG is a victory for every back yard cricketer who has ever dreamt of being plucked from obscurity to raise his bat on the big occasion.The left-hander has produced a tremendous victory for substance...
Tue, November 3, 2009, 6:57 pm WST
Coaches, let swing be king

Remember the days of Mick Malone and Ken Macleay bowling great hooping out-swingers into the sea breeze at the WACA Ground?Or, for those with more miles on the life clock, does the name Ray Strauss conjure images of a cricket ball swerving away from a...
Fri, October 30, 2009, 11:02 am WST
History repeats for Captain Katich

Simon Katich has been vindicated and only eight years late.In 2001, the WACA had the far-reaching idea of playing a club cricket championship involving the domestic champions from four different countries.It was like the T20 Champion's League but...
Mon, October 26, 2009, 12:59 pm WST
In defence of 50-over cricket

Shane Warne is the greatest bowler I have seen in a lifetime of watching, playing and now reporting on cricket.Despite the claims of Lillee and McGrath, Marshall and Ambrose, Akram, Hadlee and the chucker Muralitharan, no one surpasses Warne as the most...
Thu, October 22, 2009, 4:55 pm WST