The Pig Flies

So long Scotty Styris. It wasn't always perfect , or even conventional, but it was often entertaining.

Here Comes The Sun Little Darling!

Last night's effort by Rossco, Styris "The Old Tusker" and the Kiwi bowlers was uplifting to those of us living in the deepest antipodes.

After months of lousy weather we have a couple of days of sunshine and our own cricketers playing ball. Winning ball.

Now I have been a Blackcaps supporter for long enough to know not to bet my house on them winning the World Cup, or the next game, but it is great to feel emotionally involved in cricket again.

Easy Fellas

Good to see a bit of toe to toe in last night's game.

I started thinking about these two teams as big/little brothers but in reality they are more like cousins. They see each other about once a year (unless there is a special occasion like a wedding, funeral or World Cup) and every time there is a bit of a sort out to establish who has got bigger or meaner since the last time they met.

The analogy falls apart, of course,  because there is no room for the pretty cousin who has "developed" since the last time they caught up.

This Little Piggy

Cheer up Styro the great thing about being an allrounder is you can stuff up batting and then come back and take a crucial three wicket bag.

How Names And Diseases Mutate

Swine Flu
to
Pig Fever
to
Styris Virus
to
H1N1

A Little Bit Of Lady

Miss Field has blogged today about the lack of detailed coverage of the Women's World Cup. While I would never contradict such an illustrious fellow blogger I would point out this is the third image in a row from that tournament, so I am doing my bit. Besides they all look a lot better than Jesse Ryder and Scott Styris!

The Return of the Styronator

Scott Styris, the least suave international cricketer, is back. Sure he still looks out of touch, plays and misses, gets dropped off every third ball, but he is still there. Every so often he manages to sneak one through the field and very occasionally he unleashes the cover drive.

The one thing you can say for sure about The Styronator is that he doesn't panic. 5 overs left, lots of runs needed, he can play and miss five times and still not self destruct. Of course everyone else is tearing their hair out.

One of the greatest super powers of them all is to not care how you look.

Struck Out

Why when you are in trouble, wickets tumbling, would you revert to the cross bat swipe? Perhaps because if you are only playing hit and giggle you no longer need self discipline as part of the skill set. A good reason to make the games winner take all.

A Life Less Suave

We have added a new friend to our blog roll. A suave and possibly debonair individual who produces his own insights under the heading of Republique Cricket.

Good taste is never out of fashion but our new friend has got us thinking about who might be the least suave cricketer currently walking to the crease.

In my humble opinion Scott "Piggy" Styris must be in contention for such an important title, even given his smart casual pose - any other ideas?