Evergreen Styris Sizzles as Mitch Melts Down

Ross Taylor took out the man-of the-match award, and fair enough, but it was veteran all rounder Scott Styris who ensured that Australia’s late season wake-up call continued.  All summer, Australia has bathed in the success of an undefeated campaign.  Win after convincing win.  However, many had doubts about the strength of their opposition.  It was suspected that the status of the West Indies and Pakistan was weak, but just how weak?

One clue was that the West Indies returned to the Caribbean to be beaten in a T20 by Zimbabwe.  And now more evidence.  New Zealand has not exactly had a taxing summer, “locking horns” with Pakistan (and not prevailing) and then Bangladesh.  However, they have already managed to beat Australia twice.

Unsurprisingly, the ugly Australians made an appearance.  When are these guys going to grow up and start losing graciously?  Answer: When they get a new captain.  There is nothing to be proud of in behaving well when you win.  Johnson got so worked up about being belted by Styris that he head-butted him.  Styris was wearing a helmet but that is no excuse for Johnson.  And what did he receive as punishment?  A fine.  A slap on the wrist.

But back to Styris.  I was surprised to see him in the line up yesterday.  Not that I don’t regard him well – he is a fine cricketer – a world class ODI all rounder, in fact.  The surprise was that I thought he was history.  I’m ashamed to say that I don’t follow New Zealand cricket closely, but I do at least glance at the scorecard of every international cricket match.  And I didn’t recall noting Styris this summer.

Having done some research, I can announce that Styris is almost 35 years old and has been playing for the Black Caps since 1999.  And it is true that he did not play for New Zealand this summer.  He has not played a Test match since 2007 and he played just four ODI matches last year.  Yet, there he was, coming to the crease with the match in the balance (NZ required 72 runs from 11 overs with five wickets in hand) and Taylor just dismissed.

And it got harder from there.  Wickets continued to fall.  At the fall of the eighth wicket, 30 runs were required from just 22 balls.  It is an indication of Styris’ class that this was achieved with ease (and had a fight with Johnson on the way).  The scores were tied still with five balls to go and Styris clubbed a six to settle the matter, just to bore if up the Aussies. Styris and Bond actually scored 35 from just 18 balls.  Sensational stuff.

John Howard for President

John Howard is to be made president.  How strange.  To a leader who was a conservative and a royalist, the term “president” would seem to be anathema.  However, this is not the case for the former Prime Minister of Australia when it comes to the ICC.

John Howard has been nominated by the Australian and New Zealand cricket boards to become ICC Vice President.  This follows a long stand-off between Australia and New Zealand while they debated the relative merits of their own candidates.  For the record, New Zealand preferred Sir John Anderson, their former chief.  So did Roebuck, but who cares – just because Anderson has experience in cricket administration.

With the way the ICC works, in 2012, Howard, who will be 72 years old will become something he would never have believed:  The President.

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/450524.html