Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 40
March 4, 2022
Tragedies cast shadow as Australia make poignant return to Pakistan | Geoff Lemon
Australia’s return to cricket in the country was marred by news of Shane Warne, Rod Marsh and a terror attack in Peshawar
When it began, this day was supposed to be one of uplift. Australia’s return to cricket in Pakistan after 24 long years. The Rawalpindi Stadium outside Islamabad. A full crowd coming in to see a touring team go from abstraction to reality. Something historic, something to mark. It was a Friday, the centre of Muslim prayer, with an extended lunch break giving a spiritual heart to the day. There was poignancy, too, marking the loss of Rod Marsh. His death fitted our rough calculus of life: 74 years lived, younger than many, but a good life behind him with many misadventures survived.
So the lifting of the spirits remained. There was something of the circle of life and death, of fond farewells in one direction while something new begins. It built up through the afternoon, as the crowds flowed in after prayers to see their opening stand flow past 100, then their next pair do the same. A century for Imam-ul-Haq, someone tied to history for better or for worse thanks to his uncle, Inzamam. The past spoke through the present, even as Pakistan looked to move beyond its past.
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March 3, 2022
Australia plunge into unknown as cricket’s resurrection in Pakistan continues | Geoff Lemon
For both sides there will be a fair bit of making this up as they go along once the three-Test series gets under way in Rawalpindi
It was no surprise that, half an hour after the end of training was due, Steve Smith was the last man standing. Two days before Australia’s first Test match in Pakistan since 1998, the centre-wicket practice at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium that had been teeming with players saw their numbers dissipate through that spring afternoon. For a time Smith alternated batting with Usman Khawaja, facing Ashton Agar’s left-arm orthodox. Eventually, inevitably, it was just Smith, and one baseball-mitted coach throwing down ersatz spin. Just Smith in the Australian net, at least. On the far side of the same wicket square, having likewise outlasted his teammates, a couple of toilers bowled to Babar Azam.
The symbolism was plain. On either side, shot for shot, each matched the other for assiduousness. The two who lead the batting for their teams, the two carrying most responsibility. Babar is a classical stylist who can play at modernity’s frantic tempo, and has risen to captain the side. He is also a metaphor for cricket’s resurrection in his country: after three years of a record far too modest for his gifts, he peeled off three centuries in consecutive matches as soon as Tests returned to Pakistan.
Continue reading...February 14, 2022
Winter Olympics day 10 – as it happened
The two most recent snowboard slopestyle gold medalists have gone early in the big air event, and it’s the same story as it was in slopestyle this time around -- New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski Synnott lands an impressive trick, and the USA’s Jamie Anderson does not. Sadowski Synnott is the early leader, ahead of Japan’s Reira Iwabuchi and Miyabi Onitsuka.
The ramp has an additional platform built up top to add some length and allow the riders to get a bit more speed. The ROC’s Ekaterina Kosova checks it out and lands a beautiful 0. No, that’s not her score, but in an event that deals with 720s, 900s and 1080s, I’m not sure how else to refer to something with no rotations.
Continue reading...Winter Olympics day 10: ski jumping, freestyle skiing and Valieva latest – live!
The two most recent snowboard slopestyle gold medalists have gone early in the big air event, and it’s the same story as it was in slopestyle this time around -- New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski Synnott lands an impressive trick, and the USA’s Jamie Anderson does not. Sadowski Synnott is the early leader, ahead of Japan’s Reira Iwabuchi and Miyabi Onitsuka.
The ramp has an additional platform built up top to add some length and allow the riders to get a bit more speed. The ROC’s Ekaterina Kosova checks it out and lands a beautiful 0. No, that’s not her score, but in an event that deals with 720s, 900s and 1080s, I’m not sure how else to refer to something with no rotations.
Continue reading...February 13, 2022
Winter Olympics 2022 day nine: ice hockey, curling and more – as it happened
Norway shot to the top of the medal table with a good day in bad conditions, with Marte Olsbu Røiseland earning her third gold medal
Ice hockey: Slovakia up 3-1 now over Latvia, with three goalscorers.
And of course, make sure to check out our picture gallery from day eight. Some great shots as usual.
Continue reading...Winter Olympics 2022 day nine: ice hockey, curling and more – live!
Ice hockey: Slovakia up 3-1 now over Latvia, with three goalscorers.
And of course, make sure to check out our picture gallery from day eight. Some great shots as usual.
Continue reading...February 12, 2022
Winter Olympics 2022 day eight: skeleton, women’s curling and more – as it happened
Also, apparently people are mad about results in the skeleton? Each to their own I guess.
Ice hockey: Approaching the end of the second period, the USA lead Canada 3-2.
Winter Olympics 2022 day eight: GB women’s curling, ski jump final and more – live!
Also, apparently people are mad about results in the skeleton? Each to their own I guess.
Ice hockey: Approaching the end of the second period, the USA lead Canada 3-2.
February 11, 2022
Winter Olympics day seven: skeleton, ice hockey, curling and more – as it happened
Ayumu Hirano won snowboard halfpipe gold, Suzanne Schulting defended her 1,000m short track title and Christopher Grotheer won the skeleton
Shaun White won gold in this event in 2006, 2010 and 2018. He took fourth in 2014. He dominated the X Games for 15 years or so and also won a lot of X Games skateboarding honors.
He opens with a double cork 1440. That’s a stunner. He finishes with back-to-back 1260, one of them a McTwist.
Continue reading...Winter Olympics day seven: skeleton, ice hockey, curling and more – live!
Shaun White won gold in this event in 2006, 2010 and 2018. He took fourth in 2014. He dominated the X Games for 15 years or so and also won a lot of X Games skateboarding honors.
He opens with a double cork 1440. That’s a stunner. He finishes with back-to-back 1260, one of them a McTwist.
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