The Allan Border Medal

[The Sean]

I liked Rianna Ponting, Amy Hussey and Lee Furlong's dresses the most. Shame Jessica Bratich turned up in a see-through yellow sheet.

I've only seen the photos but I couldn't disagree more with this.

 

[duffer]

Haha, almost gutted I missed this.

Not sure how it could be a wankfest considering how poor Australia have been lately. Must have been some effort!

Normally when Aust have dominated for a year the night is a useless pat-yourself-on-the-back night.

You're ignoring the Nicholas factor.

 

[Jono]

Haha well he's been there when Aust have been very good, and he's the biggest ass-kisser of them all.

I just am trying to imagine him kiss-ass and over-dramatise/exaggerate the greatness of blonde Australian cricketers in a time of more losses than usual.

 

[Matt79]

Ponting had an ok year where he pretty much performed one match per series and was abysmal in ODIs, Clarke spent the year getting out right before stumps and becoming a massive liability in ODIs yet Katich, out and out the best player goes home empty handed.

2008

Ponting 1182 @ 47.28 SR 59.93
4 100 5 50

Clarke 1063 @ 50.61 SR 46.64
4 100 5 50

Katich 1021 @ 56.72 SR 49.46
4 100 4 50

Perhaps they just give it to whoever scores the most runs? Katich is far and away the best there.

AB medal considers both Tests and ODIs. Katich didn't poll many votes in ODIs this year. I agree he would have deserved the Test player of the year. Has there ever been an AB medalist who wasn't playing in both forms in the year they won?

And I guess there may have been an element of their leadership within the team, as (c) and (vc), being recognised, in the votes they received.

It's not worth getting bent out of shape - it is in no way any more definitive an assessment of who's the best player than the Brownlow is in AFL or the Dally M in League. Worth noting that Clarke, Hussey and Ponting smashed Katich in terms of votes from the umpires/media as well.

 

[Hoggy31]

Katich a picture of rugged masculinity. Bracken though, we should broker a deal - shave your ****ing head and we'll give you a test match.

 

[_Ed_]

Speech template for medal winners:

1. Acknowledge applause, make brief reference to teammate doing something antisocial at time of own greatest achievement.
2. Mention of privilege of playing for one's country.
3. Register surprise at being considered worthy of such acclaim (justified if Nathan Hauritz).
4. Remind all present just how much the baggy green means to them and to every Australian player in history, even the ones who wore skull-caps in the early 1900s. Attempt to sound sincere if one wore floppy white for majority of summer.
5. One more mention of the baggy green.
6. Ummm, privilege to play?
7. Talk about how we're a team in transition and everyone has to give 110%. Mention how much you miss Pidge and Warnie taking the pressure off you.
8. Self-indulgent blow-by-blow of your most shining achievement, that the cricket tragics already know about and the casual fans don't care about.
9. Fond recollection of batting/bowling/keeping/sledging in the North Hicksville under-9s and hearing Allan Border stoically preserving Australia's honour on the radio.
10. Baggy green again.
11. Privilege to play. Getting the hang of it yet?
12. Quash gay rumours (if under 30).
13. Baggy green (Steve Waugh only).
14. Lukewarm shoutout to long-suffering spouse.
15. Privilege to play.
16. Fin.

 

[Athlai]

Ponting and Clarke have both been poor in ODI's though and in 2008 Ponting's captaincy has never been so criticized. Just seems like a terrible choice in all.

Edit: Surely Johnson did more in both forms of the game than anyone?

 

[four_or_six]

I've only seen the photos but I couldn't disagree more with this.

I thought she was a bit more cool than that.

 

[pasag]

Worth noting that Clarke, Hussey and Ponting smashed Katich in terms of votes from the umpires/media as well.

Which to me seems like the quite achiever being overlooked in favour of his more 'glamorous' counterparts and Hussey - WTF?

 

[pasag]

I've only seen the photos but I couldn't disagree more with this.

One step away from the woman in the plastic raincoat in Blade Runner

 

[Matt79]

Ponting and Clarke have both been poor in ODI's though and in 2008 Ponting's captaincy has never been so criticized. Just seems like a terrible choice in all.

Edit: Surely Johnson did more in both forms of the game than anyone?

Criticised by people outside the team. Who were only one element of the voters. It's either his captaincy and leadership, or a view that his runs came at more important times or more difficult conditions, or purely reputation that got him up, as he obviously didn't score as heavily as some others.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Katich a picture of rugged masculinity. Bracken though, we should broker a deal - shave your ****ing head and we'll give you a test match.

You're just jealous of his missus.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Katich is anything but quiet. Umpires and media might have taken the foul mouth factor into account.

 

[Athlai]

Criticised by people outside the team. Who were only one element of the voters. It's either his captaincy and leadership, or a view that his runs came at more important times or more difficult conditions, or purely reputation that got him up, as he obviously didn't score as heavily as some others.

'Voters shown in their 2008 player of the year deciding process.
'It's 2007, it's 2007, it's 2007' "

 

[Matt79]

Reckon Johnson seemed the favourite because he finished the year in great form. But the voting is done game by game, and until Perth a lot of people, myself included, were basically undecided as to whether he had what it took to be a successful test bowler. He took 54 wickets @ 27, which is very good, but certainly not THAT amazing - certainly Clarke with 1100-odd runs at 50 has a case to say he was AS good, and what's more he was probably more even over the whole voting period.

He did get considerably more votes in ODIs that Clarke or Ponting.

 

[Matt79]

Meh, I'm not that invested in protecting the decision. I rate Clarke very highly, so have no problems with him winning. I'm just saying that the result is not as ridiculous as is being made out, even if you disagree with it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

FMD, I'm seriously sick of Kiwi's having digs.

Remember when we comfortably beat you in the middle of our worst form slump since the late 80's? I sure do.

Catch ya later.

 

[pasag]

Reckon Johnson seemed the favourite because he finished the year in great form. But the voting is done game by game, and until Perth a lot of people, myself included, were basically undecided as to whether he had what it took to be a successful test bowler. He took 54 wickets @ 27, which is very good, but certainly not THAT amazing - certainly Clarke with 1100-odd runs at 50 has a case to say he was AS good, and what's more he was probably more even over the whole voting period.

He did get considerably more votes in ODIs that Clarke or Ponting.

Don't think Johnson deserved it either, had one of the worst series I've ever seen in the West Indies and wasn't crash hot against India.

 

[Matt79]

Evening highlight

Photo Gallery - Cricket WAGS frocks and bling - Free Cricket images | smh.com.au

Bingle clear best in show for mine.

In that first photo of Mrs Zoolander, an unfortunate shadow at first had me thinking that I was seeing collar as well as cuffs..

Steve Waugh looked a bit weird tonight - is he getting puffy or is he unwell. And Katich looked like he's been on a bender and someone dragged him straight out of bed and into his suit and to the ceremony.

 

[Athlai]

Digs more against Ponting getting it than Clarke TBH. Thought Clarke was phenomenal in the Tests and Ponting merely okay. While both were tripe in the shorter form. Just seems very peculiar that these two would get the award for best player, as not many were predicting these two.