February 2005

Pakistan has beaten New Zealand by five runs in the first 20-overs-a-side international at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

It happened on November 23, 1984. Bad weather delayed the start of the game, which was set at twenty overs for each team when it finally got under way. Pakistan made 157 for 5, New Zealand were held to 152 for 7.

Despite Mudassar Nazar's four-over haul of 4/27, it was Saleem Malik (41 from 40 balls) who was named Man of the Match. See the scorecard for further details.

It's probably the only time that indoor cricket is officially embraced by the outdoor game. The European Cricket Council's annual indoor championship was decided on Sunday in the Danish city of Herning. Congratulations to Greece, who beat the host nation by three runs in the final.

The ECC website has a video clip of Denmark losing their final wicket, and the jubilation of the Greek camp as they win their first European Indoor title since 2002. Was Euro 2004 ever this exciting? (Well, yes.)

Our heartiest congratulations to the mighty Loren Schoenberg. Loren is the winner of the glamour prize at the 47th annual Grammy Awards, that for the Best Album Notes.

Loren wrote the album notes for The Complete Columbia Recordings Of Woody Herman And His Orchestra & Woodchoppers (1945-1947).

(Remember that next time you visit the Royal Easter Show.)

The Jets beat North Sydney 28-4 at Henson Park tonight in their Premier League trial match which doubled up as the first leg of the Frank Hyde Trophy.

Newtown scored seven tries to one, with kicks at goal not being taken in this game. Newtown are a feeder team for Cronulla this year, while Norths have become a feeder for the Melbourne Storm.

It wasn't a bad crowd at Henson Park for a mid-February trial game, probably 500 or so.

It must be a slow news day in the United Kingdom when the BBC can devote hours on end to social announcements.

If only we all received hours of air time on all the news channels plus analysis from constitutional law experts when we got engaged.

Best wishes to Chas and Cammie, and commiserations to Lleyton and Bec's publicists.

Soup or Bowl thirty-nine is in progress in Jacksonville, Florida. The Fill a delphia Bagles are leading the Boston Patriot Act 7-0 with 8:30 remaining in the 2nd quarter as I speak. All I want to add is that The Guardian are doing live comms.

Yawn.

"Justice is distorted, and our economy is held back, by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims..."
- GW Bush, State of the Union address, 2.2.05

I'll say just two words - 1: James. 2: Hardie.

(Thanks to Rahul Mahajan for drawing my attention to this.)

We know it had to come. His place at the Cubs had become untenable at the end of the 2004 season. But the trade came rapidly this week. Sammy Sosa is now a Baltimore Oriole.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Zurab Zhavnia, has died as the result, apparently, of a gas leak at a friend's place, with whom he was staying. This is a story worth following. Here's the BBC report, including a video clip.

Imagine being asked to vote in an election where two-thirds of the candidates were not identified. What sort of democracy could give you the right to vote, but not the right to know who you are voting for?