The Weekly A-Z

You won’t hear those two words emanating from the offices of Cricket Australia on Tuesday. Despite taking full advantage of the public holiday by scheduling three Big Bash League matches back-to-back-to-back on January 26, the game’s governing body in this country will not refer to the occasion as Australia Day and has removed any references of the sort in its promotion of the day. Interesting!!!!

For the first time since his high-profile trade, we got to witness James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving suit up together for the Brooklyn Nets yesterday. Though they were beaten 147-135 in double overtime by the Cleveland Cavaliers, we were afforded a glimpse into the potency they possess as a unit. The trio combined for 96 points, 24 rebounds and 23 assists. If egos can be left in the locker room, the Eastern Conference is theirs for the taking.

If you are looking for some of the best (or worst) on the planet, find a suitable couch or bar stool on Sunday to watch Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier lock horns in a UFC lightweight stoush that is likely to decide the next title challenger. It’s fair to say the pair have listeners that make a rugby union veteran’s ears look like a school footballer.

The tennis players who have bitched and moaned because they are being required to do 14 days of hard quarantine are so far removed from the real world, it makes even the most placid individual’s blood boil. The scenario is less than ideal, granted, but they were warned it was a possibility. There are countless people throughout the world doing life far harder then them. Melbourne had a lockdown that extended beyond 110 days last year. Get a grip.

Sometimes it’s best to be careful about what you wish for. The Australian cricket side was desperate to play at the Gabba this summer rather than head to Perth to set foot on the world-class Optus Stadium. The reason? Because their record at the Gabba was imposing. Well, the loss to India put to bed the argument touring teams couldn’t get the job done there. Australia had been unbeaten in 31 consecutive Tests at the Gabbatoir, winning 24. The reset button has been hit.

We have seen it with the Big Bash League, A-League and NBL over the summer. Now the AFLW has amended rounds one and two to counteract the COVID-19 situation. What will the home-and-away AFL season look like? It would be naive to think it will not have a hurdle or two to overcome.

Terrific to see Richard Garcia engineer a dominant 5-3 victory over Adelaide United at HBF Park on Wednesday night in his first official A-League home-and-away assignment as Perth Glory’s new coach. United had played two games entering the game, but were no match for an offensive-minded Glory, who were clearly on the same page in a sign Garcia has made an immediate impact.

If you know who Tim Paine’s successor as the captain of the Australian side will be, you are a more informed person than most of the cricket-loving public in this country. Paine’s hold on the job regarded the most important in Australia other than the Prime Minister was brought into sharp focus following the 2-1 series loss to India this week. Rather than revert back to Steve Smith, let’s hope Paine can soldier on for another 12 months and a suitable candidate is then revealed.

Brian Goorjian continues to do wonders with the Illawarra Hawks, reinforcing the argument that there has never been a better coach in the NBL than the American. Having returned to the NBL after a prolonged stint overseas, Goorjian has lifted the Hawks to a 3-0 start, their most recent win over the Brisbane Bullets displaying the cohesion and discipline defensively that are hallmarks of sides mentored by the veteran.

Glen Boss has decided to base himself in Melbourne for the next month to ensure he is not going to miss any high-class mounts should the COVID-19 situation turn a little murky. It makes perfect sense. He is committed to Bivouac, who will resume in the Lightning Stakes (1000m), while Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet and Boss will reunite in a trial  at Geelong next week.

International cricket in Pakistan is back on the agenda, with South Africa touring the country for the first time in 14 years. The first of two Tests gets underway on Tuesday. The Proteas players are only allowed out of their hotel to train and are being shadowed by a host of elite SSG commandos with automatic weapons at the ready. It is not the first international action we have seen in Pakistan since tours were suspended following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009, but it is another significant step forward.

This evening’s final of the Nights Of Thunder (1730m) at Gloucester Park features the up and coming Thats Perfect, who looks destined to win better races than this. He isn’t a flash price, but if he repeats his heat run, his rivals will have their work cut out. Good horses winning good races is good to see.

As soon as Shaquero crossed the line first in last Saturday’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), his career at stud was assured. The son of first-season stallion Shalaa, Shaquero already boasted a victory in the Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at Randwick in October. Irrespective of what happens for the remainder of his racing career, he is worth eight figures in the breeding barn.

The postponed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are on the brink. The IOC earlier this week was confident all would be good for mid-year, but the Games’ plight is bleak, with the Japanese Government having “privately concluded” it has little option but to suspend them indefinitely.

American golfer Justin Thomas bemoaned the fact he had lost fashion giant Ralph Lauren in the wake of his anti-gay slur that was picked up by television microphones playing in Hawaii recently. “I think disappointed is the wrong word … obviously I was upset,” Thomas said of the decision to sever ties. Here’s a tip, Justin. Don’t use the word “faggot” again. There’s one party at fault here and it’s not Ralph Lauren. Pretty simple really.

Police had that view of Brisbane Broncos powerhouse Payne Haas after an incident last weekend when he was charged with offensive language and intimidation on a night out in Tweed Heads. An imposing individual, it’s not the first time the young gun has found himself in the crosshairs of officialdom. How this plays out could well dictate whether he remains a chance to captain the Broncos in 2021.

Get in one early if you have backed or are thinking of backing Son Of A God in the Australia Day Trophy (1500m) at Ascot. The gelding was luckless early over 1400m a fortnight ago and from the low draw for Chris Parnham at headquarters tomorrow, looks the testing material.

The celebrated career of veteran quarterback Philip Rivers is over. Fifth on the list of passing yards behind signal calling royalty in Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre, the 39-year-old brought down the curtain on his time in the NFL after 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers and one with the Indianapolis Colts. It is increasingly likely he will be joined on his ride into the sunset by Brees after his New Orleans Saints’ loss to Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week in the NFC divisional round.

Cannot think of a better word to describe the two NFL conference championship encounters on Monday morning. We get to witness Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, two future Hall of Famers, go head-to-head when Tampa Bay jet into Wisconsin to play Green Bay before Kansas City (Patrick Mahomes) and Buffalo (Josh Allen) duel at Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC. Bring it on already.

The Perth Wildcats’ pursuit of a third straight NBL title was meant to start last weekend against the Sydney Kings and Melbourne United. COVID-19 upheaval put paid to that, delaying their season opener to this Sunday against the South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena. Better late than never.

Australian cricket fans love their fast bowlers to be lion-hearted and willing to do whatever it takes to remove the opposition’s best batsmen. The approach to their job is often a thankless one, but one that is undeniably important. It is why Mitchell Starc’s efforts in the final two Tests against India raised more than the odd eyebrow. He has been a great servant to Australian cricket, but Starc needs to be told that if he is to retain his spot on a regular basis, there can be no more picking and choosing in regards to effort. It must be unconditional. Like it is with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

While on the topic of Test cricket, the series success of India against Australia is good for Test cricket. I say that with a holistic view. India is obsessed with the game, but has a leaning towards white-ball action rather than the traditional format. The emergence of fresh new faces and a successful Test team will ensure the popularity of five-day encounters remains strong in the biggest cricketing market there is and that can only be a positive.

After a somewhat clunky start to their Big Bash League campaign, the Perth Scorchers have got to work. The addition of Liam Livingstone and Jason Roy at the top of the order has been telling, as has the contribution all the way through of Colin Munro. With the pointy end of the campaign fast approaching, the Scorchers have climbed to second and are in prime position to add another BBL title to the mantlepiece.

The Melbourne Renegades’ BBL10 campaign has been pretty average to put it mildly. However, there was genuine cause for optimism during the week with the display of Mackenzie Harvey. The 20-year-old nephew of former national representative Ian Harvey blazed an unbeaten 47 off just 21 deliveries to steer the Renegades home in their derby against the Melbourne Stars. An outstanding fieldsman also, Harvey is a talent of rare quality.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is a popular figure with the players, but it could be time for him to take a strong stance over their behaviour. The USA, like so many other countries, is struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFL has had its issues, but has progressed to the conference championship weekend. The NBA on the other hand is having to postpone games almost daily because of teams being unable to field eight fit players, the minimum requirement. Unless the players start to take the matter seriously and modify their lifestyle, it could lead to an in-season hiatus.

If there was any doubt the New Orleans Pelicans were Zion Williamson’s team, they were dispelled this week. The hulking 20-year-old  followed up a 31-point performance in the win over Sacramento with a 32-point haul in a loss to a quality Utah Jazz line-up. The No.1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Williamson averages nearly 23 points and seven rebounds in a career just 36 games old.