Cracker of the match
What the eff? Who decides these man of the match awards?
In Friday’s match, the award went to Michael Clarke for his 98, despite the fact that Elliot’s 61 clearly decided the result of the match. Clarke even takes the blame for the loss on Friday. And he was right to some extent – excuse me for being uncharitable, but his inability to take the match away from New Zealand, despite his long, long partnership with Michael Hussey, did as much to lose the match as it did to save the innings.
So the precedent was set. The biggest innings wins the award, not the best or the most influential.
It was clear right through Sunday’s match that Australia were going to take the match. But I took great satisfaction in Elliott’s 115, convinced that it would deny Haddin (109) the award. But someone changed the rules on Saturday, and Elliott went unrewarded again.
Well, applying my own arbitrary criteria, I’m awarding Elliott a double Waitangi weekend Crucket cracker of the match award.
Also, a shout out too to Vettori. Despite the ABC commentators repeated insistance that Bracken is the no. 1 ODI bowler, we’re going by the website, which puts you comfortably at no. 1.
Proper respec’ to the whole team in fact. When the commentators stated that NZ had “pushed into no. 4 in the rankings” they were clearly unaware that the two months we spent at no. 5 were a blip and that we’ve had a pretty comfortable home in the top 4 since 2004.
