Kane Richardson: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Kane Richardson powers down the grass on ‘greens and beans’.

What he said:

“When we go out to field and I’m standing at point, they ask me if I’m going to start eating the grass or not. “

Kane Richardson, South Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer, has turned vegan with a vengeance.

Terming the perception that a fast bowler has to “eat meat and drink alcohol” a stigma, the Aussie said:

“I didn’t want to eat animals. I challenged myself to stick to it, I guess it’s a diet but it’s not really a fad, it’s something you believe in.

I’ve done it for a year and-a-half, two years now but over this pre-season I’ll probably challenge myself to go vegan (a person who does not eat or use animal products) and train hard and see if I can do it and perform in four-day cricket.”

Richardson still enjoys his beer though.

He added:

“I’ve watched a lot of documentaries on it, and whether it’s right or wrong, I don’t know if that can be sustained the way people are gorging through food.Especially in Australia, we’re pretty spoilt with what’s available.

It’s just something I thought long and hard about and tried to change and have stuck to it since.

It’s just something I had to change with all the injuries that I had.

I did a lot of research on it. If it’s something that’s going to help me play for longer than I’ll definitely try it.

I’ll be vegetarian the rest of my life, it’s whether I can go full vegan, that’s the question.”

Peter Siddle, at the SCG vs. South Africa in January 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peter Siddle is the other Australian bowler who embraced vegetarianism.

Richardson said:

“I know Sidds (Peter Siddle) is the same, he’s quite big into that.

He’s got a platform in the media and he can try and help the way people treat animals, especially in India, it’s quite tough to see.”

What he really meant:

“My teammates can’t tell wheatgrass from any other kinds of grass—including weed!”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’d chew the cud if I weren’t clever enough to carry veg snacks in my trouser pockets  such as raw carrots and fresh mini-tomatoes.”

Michael Clarke bites the Ashes dust

“Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone, and another one gone

Another one bites the dust

Hey, I’m gonna get you too

Another one bites the dust

How do you think I’m going to get along, 

Without you, when you’re gone

You took me for everything that I had, 

And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy, are you satisfied

How long can you stand the heat

Out of the doorway the bullets rip

To the sound of the beat”

Steve Waugh never conquered the Final Frontier that was India. He never captained the Aussies to a series win on the sub-continent.

A cricket shot from Privatemusings, taken at the third day of the SCG Test between Australia and South Africa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Similarly, the Ashes remained Clarke’s bugbear, his Waterloo.

A bad back, a sore hamstring, an injured then retired Harris, a missing Haddin and a lackadaisical Johnson all added to his woes.

The cup overflows and not with Ashes.

The skipper’s out, stumped.

Clarke leaves behind a great legacy as a batsman and skipper. Many believed that he did a wonderful job of rebuilding the side after the departure of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and later Ricky Ponting.

But the replacements were not quite bunnies and thus the task of rebuilding anew falls on the young shoulders of Steve Smith.

The Pup is an old dog.

Clarke will always be remembered for his tact and sensitivity in tackling the shocking demise of Philip Hughes. He was the epitome of a gentleman and statesmanlike in his demeanour. His emotional oration moved his listeners to tears.

He will be missed on the cricket field.

Aaron Finch: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Aaron Finch is almost eye-lined by a pyrotechnics eruption.

What he said:

“I might need to touch up my eyebrows.”

Australian T20 skipper Aaron Finch is understandably furious at nearly being singed by a coloured flame-thrower during the first T20 game against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval.

Finch said:

“It shocked me quite a bit. I sort of stood off, waiting for them to go off.And they didn’t. It wasn’t until I started to walk in. It gave me a bit of a fright.

I thought they must have pulled the pin on them for that time – and then bang. It was a shock, I can tell you. I might need to touch up my eyebrows.

I think it might have been last year or the year before when Dave Hussey almost got his head blown off. Probably a bit more care has to be taken towards the players and anyone who is nearby.”

Cricket Australia responded quickly:

“We have apologised to Aaron for the incident last night.We have clear operating procedures in place for the use of pyrotechnics at matches.

They include strict rules about safe operating distances with respect to players and fans.

Clearly there was a breach of that last night which we take very seriously and have addressed with the contractor concerned.”

What Finch really meant:

“I’m not flame-retardant especially not my eyebrows nor my hair.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Now, that was a fiery game of cricket, wasn’t it?”

Googli Hoogli: Jacquie Hey invades Cricket Australia’s male bastion

Greg Matthews: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

Greg Matthews Fumes Over Punches Not Thrown

What he said:

“One thing he got wrong was that he did not put one on Clarke when he should have.”

Former Australian off-spinner, Greg Matthews, opines on the spat between Australian opener Simon Katich and current skipper Michael Clarke.

Katich and Clarke were involved in an altercation in 2009 during which Katich grabbed Pup’s throat.

Cricket Australia have summoned Katich to a disciplinary hearing for claiming that Clarke was responsible for his Test sacking. Clarke denies the accusation.

Speaking to Foxsports, Matthews said:

"Can anyone truly, and I don’t care if the press are here or not, can anyone just truly say to me what did he get wrong?”

Matthews added:

If a guy speaks his mind, wouldn’t you rather hear what’s really going on in there, the way it really was?
Who would you rather go into war with? This cat (Katich) or Clarke? Or Andrew Symonds for that matter? Everyone forgets about Andrew Symonds getting flicked as well. Truth doesn’t happen in this game anymore.

Matthews feels that Katich would have made a better skipper:

"Pick this guy (Katich) as captain, get (Tim) Paine in as vice-captain I tell you what, we’d be doing a lot better than how we’re doing today."

The disciplinary hearing is scheduled for November 21, 2011. Katich is represented by sports lawyer, Darren Kane.

In related news, Australian radio broadcaster, Alan Jones, threw his voice behind the disgruntled opener.

Speaking to the Sun Herald, Jones said:

These people want robots. Cricket Australia don’t employ Simon Katich. What’s he guilty of? He’s guilty of having an opinion … There’s not one sporting person in Australia who would agree with what’s being done to Katich.

[Cricket Australia] could not justify dismissal on merit. Now, is he a bad example? Has he behaved badly? He’s a role model to all cricketers. His standards, his manner, his values and courtesy have shone and they’re the reasons why he was touted as a future Australian cricket captain and why he was brought from Perth to captain NSW.

And now he’s being presented as some sort of pariah. It won’t wash … Cricket Australia are playing with fire.

What Greg Matthews really meant:

“What’s a punch-up without a punch?”

What Greg Matthews definitely didn’t:

“Who’s punch-drunk?”

Tim Nielsen: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"We are 100,000 per cent behind Australia being the best cricket team in the world.”

Tim Nielsen welcomes the changes in Cricket Australia’s structure. The shake-up will force current national coach Nielsen to reapply for his position, if he wants it.

Nielsen said:

“I think the most important thing is it’s been an exhaustive look at how we’re going to get Australian cricket back to where it wants to be, number one in all forms of the game.”

"You don’t do that by skirting around the edges and having nice, feel-good looks at things and hoping you’re going to fix things up by doing them the same way.”

What he really meant:

“The positive is that I can reapply for my position whereas  Greg (Chappell) got the boot and Andrew (Hilditch) saves face by claiming he does not want a full-time role. Also, I get to choose the players from now on.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“No, I didn’t know that England are No. 1 now. None of us did. ”

Ricky Ponting: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"I would have liked to have another old bloke around the group with me, yeah."

Ricky Ponting “pines” for Simon Katich’s company in the Australian side. The former Australian captain and Michael Hussey are the only senior cricketers in the current Test squad. Ponting believes that Katich’s dropping is a warning shot across their bows by Cricket Australia selectors.

What he really meant:

“Hussey and I could do with some company—our age.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“We’re geriatric.”

Stephen Smith: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“If he’s not in the top 25 Australian cricketers – and I can’t find one better opener than him on that list, let alone two – then I’ll go hee for chasey.”

Australia’s federal defence minister, Stephen Smith, criticises Cricket Australia’s omission of Simon Katich from the list of 25 centrally contracted players.

What he really meant:

“If Simon Katich is not a current top 25 Australian cricketer, I’ll be hornswoggled.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Who’s Chasey?”

Simon Katich: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

“If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.”

Simon Katich makes no bones about his displeasure at Cricket Australia’s selection policies in a press conference outlining his cricketing future.

What he really meant:

“Australian selectors are chimpanzees.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’m very ape with Cricket Australia’s decision not to renew my contract.”

Andrew Hilditch: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I’ll just keep doing it until someone wants me to stop.”

Andrew Hilditch, national chairman of Australian selectors, intends to continue as long as possible.

What he really meant:

“Are you telling me, someone wants this job???”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Cricket Australia and I are wedded for life.”