Flutey intrigues, while Bond still grates

A plenitude of world-class sport at the moment ensures there are many issues of note to contemplate.

Here are a couple of them.


In years to come, one notable trivial sports question could well be, "Name the Samoan that captained the All Blacks in a test on the end-of-year tour in 2008 and name the Maori who played for England against them?".

Of course, Keven Mealamu has just led the men in black against Scotland and ex-Hurricane, Riki Flutey has been selected at second-five in Martin Johnson's English team.

Flutey's selection really intrigues me. Here is a player who literally played in every position at first-class level in New Zealand and gained a reputation as a jack of all trades and master of none.

No wonder then that Flutey has relished being played solely at second-five for Wasps and now England.

He's on record as saying, "I never was able to settle in my career back home. I could never get used to any one position."

I fervently hope that we don't hear one Isaia Toeava express similar sentiments sometime in the future, given he has been and still is being shunted from position to position.

TO BOWL OR NOT TO BOWL

Since he bowed out of yet another tour with injury, this time on the Black Caps' visit to Bangladesh, I was pleased to see Jacob Oram give a strong hint that he is thinking about being available just to bat in future Test series.


This is a big call from a cricketer recently voted as the world's top, one-day all-rounder. But I'm certain it would be the correct decision for both Oram and the Black Caps.

Prolonging his injury-infested bowling career will surely endanger his batting future while John Bracewell and his team doesn't deserve the uncertainty that will surround Oram, should he choose to bowl.

Oram has common-sense and modesty in abundance and can be relied upon to know when his bowling days need seriously curtailing.

I'm afraid I can't attribute the same sense of sound judgement to some recent utterances from ex-Black Caps quick, Shane Bond.

When asked, given the right circumstances, if there's any possibility that he would play for the Black Caps again, Bond stated that he was still very upset with New Zealand Cricket and was not likely to accept any invitation to do so.

Now, Bond obviously feels some reason to be aggrieved in the way he was released but, surely, this pales in comparison to the support and loyalty that New Zealand Cricket extended to Bond throughout his career of sporadic appearances on the field.

I reckon when you divide the number of balls Bond bowled for the Black Caps into the money NZ Cricket kept on playing him season after season, it probably amounts to 100 dollars plus a delivery.

Add to that the never-ending patience that Bond received from his employer and his recent petulance is way out of order.

So much so, I'm convinced Justin Vaughan and co. are best advised to grant Shane Bond his wish on a permanent basis.

Your thoughts on any of the above please.

YOUR COMMENTS

6 - 10 of 10 Entries
< Previous Page  |
1  |
2  |
Next Page >
conrad_fitzgerald - posted Nov 11 06:55 pm
Maybe you all didn't know Flutey was a Maori...
haydenjshaw - posted Nov 11 08:41 pm
Conrad it has been changed. It did initially say Maori not Samoan. Great work from the 'sport expert' again.
conrad_fitzgerald - posted Nov 12 12:08 pm
Cheers Hayden. Maybe not all dumbasses then. I apologise if anyone was offended by being called one. Finding myself sticking up for the man was a strange place to be. Not entirely comfortable.
basilbrown@rocketmail.com - posted Nov 14 07:58 am
Once again, we've got the two-headed viper known as hjshaw/cfitzgerald spraying their venom. In the common vernacular, why don't you get a life? What gets me is how you both are obviously so quick to devour mits's contributions...and then look for something to slag him over. Never mind any of the good stuff. Thats cos what turns you on the most is loving to hate. How tragic your lives must be. Once again I wanna say I wouldn't know mits if he sat next to me. But I really do find
basilbrown@rocketmail.com - posted Nov 14 08:03 am
....you hate merchants pitiful and annoying. One slip like calling Mealamu a Maori which I'm pickin was probably a typo or whatever.. sets off your vitriol. I also think that the way the mits never responds to your hatred suggests he appreciates your loyal readership. He maybe above stooping to your level but I'm happy to signal you out as the dorks you obviously are.
Post a comment
6 - 10 of 10 Entries
< Previous Page  |
1  |
2  |
Next Page >

 
To post a new comment, you must Sign in first.

YAHOO!XTRA SPORTS:

ALSO ON YAHOO!XTRA:


Search:
Advertise with us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Help
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! All rights reserved.
Yahoo!Xtra: A Yahoo!7/Telecom New Zealand Company.