After the debacle of the first test, the second one proved to be a lot more entertaining. And the final local professional wrestling show for me for the year made this a great weekend for sport. We see the end of the V8 supercars for 2009 and get some more soccer demands. It’s the latest view!
Cricket
International
West Indians Tour Of Australia
Second Test – Australia v West Indies
West Indies 451 & 317; Australia 439 & 5/212
Completely different game; you’d have thought it was a completely different West Indies team that took the field! If this was Sheffield Shield, they would have won the first innings on points. In Australia’s first innings Watson finished day 2 on 96 runs… and was out third ball the next morning without making his century, so he is yet to score a test century. In the same innings, young spin bowler Benn from the Windies took 5 wickets. You would not have believed this was the same West Indian outfit we saw last week. Then in the second innings Windies captain Chris Gayle scored his first test century against Australia while his team struggled a little (he actually carried his bat, starting as an opener and finishing as the not out batsman), but they still all put in a fine effort. It’s just a shame that Australia played for the draw and not the win.
Sheffield Shield
No shield action this week.
Ford Ranger Cup
Victoria v Queensland
Queensland 5/261; Victoria 241 (48.4 overs) – Qld won by 20 runs
After last week Queensland have rebounded strongly. Victoria had their chances, but just could not capitalise. They lost too many wickets at regular intervals in their run chase.
Tasmania v New South Wales
NSW 177 (40.3 overs); Tas 7/178 (45 overs) – Tasmania won by 3 wickets
Last week’s efforts against South Australia seem to have rejuvenated the Tasmanians to a point where they made the strong New South Wales team look ordinary.
Western Australia v Victoria
Victoria 8/277; WA 5/279 (49.3 overs) – Western Australia won by 5 wickets
Good, high scoring game which really came down to the sire, Western Australia winning with just three balls to spare. Another good game, but two losses for Victoria in a week is not a good sign.
Women’s National Cricket League Twenty20
Tasmania v South Australia
SA 6/123; Tas 4/126 (19.5 overs) – Tasmania won by 6 wickets
1 ball remaining! Much like the men last week, Tasmania and South Australia put on a damn entertaining match. These two teams seem to bring the best out of one another in cricket, and it will be interesting to see if that can be translated into better results across the board next season.
Women’s National Cricket League
No matches this week.
Soccer
Australia’s bid for a World Cup has been dealt a blow by the AFL saying they will not agree to two things: putting off eight weeks of their competition, or forcing AFL clubs to give up their training facilities to visiting World Cup teams. They also have to give up time the year before so Australia can hold the Confederate’s Cup, which all World Cup host nations must do. So two seasons interrupted. And, seriously, why should they agree? They will get nothing out of a soccer World Cup. The people who would come for the World Cup would not be interested in any other football code, let alone one as confusing to the novice as Australian Rules Football. Maybe some interest at first, but that means nothing really. Soccer will get all the attention and the rest of Australia’s sports will be forced into shut down so they can’t even be showcased for a minority who may want to see them. Word is that with the AFL putting this forth, the NRL will consider doing the same, and so either FIFA will have to deal with it or, more likely, Australia will miss out.
Shame, but the demands to be placed on a country of only 20 million people with only 7 to 10 major cities in which soccer is a minority sport is ridiculous. (By the way, it seems that some are claiming the World Cup is bigger than the Olympics. In number of countries involved, actual participants, events/games and television audience, the Olympics out-do the soccer World Cup. So where does this bizarre statement come from?)
And then they wonder why countries like Australia only take soccer seriously once every 4 years.
A-League – Round Seventeen
Wellington Phoenix 1 drew with Melbourne Victory 1
Adelaide United 0 def by Newcastle Jets 2
And things go from bad to worse for Adelaide.
Sydney 4 hammered North Queensland Fury 1
Gold Coast United 2 def Central Coast Mariners 1
Perth Glory 1 drew with Brisbane Roar 1
W-League – Round Ten
Last round of the women’s league, surely the most entertaining soccer in Australia this year to date.
Central Coast Mariners 0 def by Sydney 1
Newcastle Jets 0 slaughtered by Brisbane Roar 6
Canberra United 3 def Adelaide United 0
Perth Glory 2 def Melbourne Victory 0
So our table looks something like this:
1 Sydney 7 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, Goal Difference 15
2 Central Coast Mariners 7-1-2, GD 17
3 Brisbane Roar 6-3-1, GD 15
4 Canberra United 4-2-4, GD 5
5 Melbourne Victory 4-2-4, GD –1
6 Perth Glory 4-1-5, GD –11
7 Adelaide United 0-3-7, GD –24
8 Newcastle Jets 0-2-8, GD -18
Boxing
IBO Cruiserweight Bout
Danny Green v Roy Jones Jr
This was a totally amazing fight. Not one serious pundit gave Green a hope in hell, and yet he won by TKO against one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in the first round. Here, from YouTube, is the fight in full http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oud8CxDuUOg which is truly amazing to see. Jones seemed to take Green lightly, and Green was tentative. And then Green had Jones on the canvas once and that was it, like a shark he smelt blood and went in for the kill, punishing Jones until the referee had no option but to stop the bout.
There were two losers out of the fight though. Apart from Jones, Australia’s mouth of sport, boxer Anthony Mundine has come out of it badly. Not only was he refused entry to Green’s after party with his entourage, but he spent the press conference for his next fight talking about Green. But Green finally has the upper hand. Where the last fight between the two was at Mundine’s whim (different weight class, Mundine’s choice of venue, Green lesser share of the purse) and resulted in Green losing on points, Green has now put himself in the box seat and Mundine will have to bow to what Green wants, and he is not going to like it. Green’s next opponent looks like being Bernard Hopkins, while Mundine is fighting a coal miner named Rob Medley in January.
Basketball
NBL Round Eleven
Townsville 73 def Cairns 64
New Zealand 91 def by Wollongong 93
Gold Coast 69 def Cairns 68
Perth 94 def Townsville 89
Adelaide 84 def by Melbourne 87
What a game. Yes, I am saying what a game about basketball. It went to overtime, and but for a fumble it would have gone into double over-time. But after the match some of the real interest started. Julius Hodge, US import dumped by Adelaide and picked up by Melbourne disrespected the Adelaide crowd and the city after the match and had to be given an escort off the court and away from the building. This was Melbourne’s first win in a while and if they could show this intensity all the time then they would be up there with all the rest of the teams fighting for the finals. Having said that, the NBL has gone back to their old ways of placating Melbourne by investigating the Adelaide team, administration and supporters while letting Hodge get away with his childish actions. For all their talk of a new basketball world in Australia, how quickly they fall into old habits.
WNBL Round Nine
Sydney 101 def AIS 49
Townsville 79 def Adelaide 71
Bendigo 70 def by Canberra 76
Dandenong 112 def Perth 66
Logan 64 def by Adelaide 79
Bulleen 110 def Perth 79
Auto Racing
V8 Supercars
Sydney 500
Final race of the year in what has been an exciting year in the V8s. And with potentially more manufacturers joining in and US television coverage, the future looks bright.
Race 25
1st Toll Holden Racing Team – Garth Tander (Holden Commodore VE)
2nd Ford Performance Racing – Mark Winterbottom (Ford Falcon FG)
3rd Fujitsu Racing – Jason Bright (Ford Falcon FG)
4th Garry Rogers Motorsport – Lee Holdsworth (Holden Commodore VE)
5th TeamVodafone – Jamie Whincup (Ford Falcon FG)
Race 26
1st Jim Beam Racing – James Courtney (Ford Falcon FG)
2nd Garry Rogers Motorsport – Michael Caruso (Holden Commodore VE)
3rd Ford Performance Racing – Mark Winterbottom (Ford Falcon FG)
4th Supercheap Auto Racing – Russell Ingall (Holden Commodore VE)
5th Wilson Security Racing – Fabian Coulthard (Ford Falcon FG)
Overall Driver Championship
1st Jamie Whincup
He won it with his fifth placing in Race 25.
2nd Will Davison
3rd Garth Tander
4th Craig Lowndes
5th Steven Johnson
Other Sport
Hockey – Champions Trophy Final: Australia 5 def Germany 3
Australia came from behind to win their tenth Champions Trophy in field hockey.
Professional Wrestling
Riot City Wrestling – Battle For Supremacy 2009
To start with, smaller crowd than normal, but loud and into it! Without the annoying members the audience felt more inclined to let themselves go. We have two new commentators tonight – Luke Santamaria (who comes out to apologise in advance for his efforts tonight, which wasn’t necessary as he did well) and El Presidente (who comes out and cuts a promo for being new commissioner, but he maybe should have apologised; a lot of what he had to say we could not hear). And finally Dan Stazer refereed the whole night, did not make any blatant foul ups and it was by far his best effort yet. Kudos to that man!
1) Brad Smyth v Voodoo.
Voodoo looked more cut than ever. Dan found Savannah Summers (who accompanied Brad) hiding knucks in a turnbuckle and he ejected her! Started with a tie up, even match up, back and forth. Too fast to keep up until they finished with stereo drop kicks into stereo kip ups. Brad went out to abuse the crowd, then back in for more back and forth reversals until a knee to the head stopped Voodoo. Brad took over to a snap suplex for 2. Brad in the corner, working him over, until Voodoo came back with a backcracker. Whisper in the wind from Voodoo for 2. More reversals led to a chopfest. Three spinning clotheslines from Brad for 2, reverse neckbreaker for 2. Voodoo went up top, missed a double stomp, but Brad hit the superkick. Brad went up, Voodoo hit a top rope enziguiri. Brad managed to reverse a Destroyer to a fireman’s carry to double knee gut-buster. Brad then went for the Destroyer, but Voodoo got the roll up for the 3 and the win. Afterwards Brad threw a tantrum in the middle of the ring. Good opener, fast paced, and got the crowd into the show. I’m hanging out for the 25 minute match between these two now!
2) Plasma v Marvel.
Plasma gets a good pop. Long feeling out process to start with some solid chain wrestling. Plasma with a double axe-handle for 2. Marvel back with a knee and elbow to the head, then using lots of holds to wear Plasma down. Marvel with an arm-bar head scissor combo. Plasma made a brief comeback, Marvel stopped it with a suplex for 2, then a dropkick to Plasma’s back. Marvel hit a hiptoss to double chicken wing submission, then a jawbreaker on his knee. Plasma came back with a Thesz press then a series of punches. Powerslam for 2, neckbreaker for 2, then a sharpshooter, but Marvel made the ropes. Marvel then turned the tide with two elbow to the back of the head and a cradle driver for 2. Marvel choked Plasma on the ropes then locked in a cobra clutch, but Plasma made the ropes. Marvel with a double pump handle bomb for 2, then neckbreaker for 2. Plasma with a cross body off the ropes for 2, then t-bone suplex for 2. Plasma with a series of head butts then a flying shoulderblock, but missed a big boot. Marvel grabbed a dragon sleeper in the middle of the ring, Plasma’s hand fell three times, Marvel with the win. Okay match, with some missed spots, but Plasma is definitely improving all the time. And my main thought watching this one: Back to the 80s!
3) Intergender match: Fuzion & Savannah Summers v Miami & ?
First, nice mix of Savannah & Fuzion’s music. Miami’s mystery partner is announced as Mimic, and they are announced at a combined height of 11’10. The roof blows off the place as Mimic comes down. Mimic and Fuzion start, establishing evenness. Fuzion with an eye rake to a clothesline, stops to bad mouth Miami, Mimic takes him down. Tag to Miami, double suplex on Fuzion for 2. Miami to Savannah’s foot, tag in Savannah. Savannah with a leg drop to the back of the neck for 2. Miami to the corner, Savannah with an elbow, then a full nelson bomb, drop kick to the back, tag in Fuzion. Clothesline for 2. Quick tag to Savannah, corner clothesline, bulldog for 2. Tag Fuzion. Off the ropes Mimic gets a blind tag. Fuzion spine buster on Mimic, Miami a spine buster on Fuzion. Savannah dumped, Miami with a splits kick to Fuzion’s lower abdomen. Mimic double knee to Fuzion in corner, then clothesline for 2. Tag Miami, double pancake for 2. Fuzion chokeslam Miami to corner, choke, then tag in Savannah. Savannah foot choke in corner, tag Fuzion. Fuzion kick to Miami’s face, tag Savannah. Butt hit on Miami in corner, drag to the centre of ring for 2 twice. Miami comes back, off ropes, Fuzion with foot to the back. Savannah runs Miami’s face on the ropes to as hair toss. Savannah cheap shot elbow to Mimic, then hair toss to Miami. Fuzion chokes Miami on the outside. Savannah butt splash on the ropes for 2. Miami spring neckbreaker, tag to Mimic, but the ref didn’t see it and does not allow it. Meanwhile Savannah gets a fake tag on Fuzion. Fuzion with the triple suplexes on Miami for a pair of 2 counts. Miami to Savannah’s foot, tag Savannah, works Miami’s arm, rear chin lock. Tag Fuzion, choke in corner, some cheating, tag Savannah. Fuzion with a backbreaker to a leg drop Demolition decapitation. For 2! Miami Samoan drop on Savannah, one for Fuzion, tag Mimic. Mimic goes to town on Fuzion. Senton on Fuzion for 2. Mimic face buster, moonsault to Fuzion’s back for 2. Fuzion with low blow, choke in corner, tag Savannah. Savannah, mimic stare down. He can’t bring himself to punch or kick her. Savannah goes to knees to beg Mimic’s forgiveness, low blow, slap. Mimic blocks another slap and kisses her. Fuzion in, Mimic clotheslines Fuzion to outside, suicide dive onto Fuzion. Savannah chops Mimic, he sets her up for SegaMega Driver, Fuzion makes the save. Fuzion with a nasty DDT, Miami with a gutbuster on Fuzion. Savannah big boot to Miami. Mimic gets Savannah in corner, Fuzion saves, tag to Savannah (finally). Fuzion whips Savannah into Mimic who then gets monkey flipped. Savannah to top, rana on Mimic for 2. It all breaks down until Mimic throws Fuzion out where they fight on. Savannah knees Miami, Miami face plant Savannah for the three count. Whew! Good ol’ fashioned tag formula and the crowd really got into it. The whole intergender thing concerns me on a personal level (as I have said before), but the match itself ended up being something of a blowoff to the Mimic/Savannah break-up angle.
4) Jim Raze v Del Taurino (with Marvel)
Taurino starts overpowering from the outset. Raze manages to get Taurino over the top rope. Back in Taurino with a boot to Raze’s face, slam, two jumping elbows for 2. Taurino misses a corner charge. Raze stinger splash, running enziguiri, 2. Taurino powers out, overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Butterfly suplex for 2 twice. Ref distracted so Marvel can choke on the outside. Raze with a missile dropkick, chops him to the outside. Outside ring, Taurino catches a cross body, hits fallaway slam. Raze sunset flip, then rolled back outside. Exchange of elbows, Taurino suplexes Raze back in for 2. Taurino running powerslam for 2 twice. Splash in corner, Raze replies with spinning forearm off the ropes, turns a sidewalk slam into a DDT, 2. Taurino atomic drop, clothesline. Marvel sets up Razer, Taurino mistimes, hits Marvel. Raze with a Russian leg sweep, top rope guillotine leg drop for the 3. After the match El Presidente berates his masked men. Another good match, but the big/little dynamic was off somewhat. It felt like part of the match was missing.
5) Warship v TJ Rush
Warship cuts an anti-South Australia, pro-Warship promo. Whinges about losing to a referee last time, goes to hit Fan, TJ’s music interrupts. They trade punches to start. Warship outside, TJ follows, Warship beats on him. TJ rolled back in, kicked in stomach, leg dropped, forearms. TJ comes back, Warship stops with scissor kick. TJ with a head scissors. Warship catches TJ, backbreaker, back drop suplex. Warship with submission, TJ to the ropes. TJ escapes a powerbomb attempt to a suplex. TJ withy shooting star press, Warship with foot on the ropes at 2. TJ cannonball splash in the corner. Warship blocks a suplex, reverses to modified rock bottom. Warship removes top turnbuckle pad. TJ reverses a crucifix powerbomb into a headscissor. Double clothesline, both men down. Warship up first, climbs to the top. TJ powerslams him off for the 3 count. An okay match but they did not quite gel.
6) Jacko Lantern v GD Grimm for RCW title
Jacko is sporting a new red and black colour scheme. Push and shove to start. Jacko plays games, push and shove comes to nothing. Fast and furious reversals and dodges. Grimm grabs a headlock, Jacko reverses to one of his own, Grimm whips him to the ropes, grabs a wrist lock, Jacko reverses again. Grimm charges Jacko, Jacko drops down, pulling down the top rope and sending Grimm to the outside. Jacko follows, they fight, but Grimm gets the upper hand. Grimm back in, kicks Jacko in the face as he comes in, beals him over the top rope. Grimm with the corner foot choke. Corner clothesline, backbreaker, held, neckbreaker 2. Side Russian leg sweep for 2. Pounds Jacko’s head on the ground, 1. Grimm snapmare to surfboard to sleeper. Goes for the hangman sleeper but Jacko elbows out, hits a rope assisted backcracker, then a kick to the face. Jacko with a flying head scissor. He misses the knee and turns into a Grimm superkick. Grimm rams Jacko’s head into the turnbuckle, vertical suplex, 2. Grimm with another sleeper, Jacko elbows out but runs into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, then a second and held there. Jacko with a jawbreaker and a big boot to get Grimm over the top rope, then tope onto Grimm. He rolls Grimm back in, goes to the second rope and jumps to hit a double knee gutbuster on Grimm. Jacko with a cradle piledriver, then rear dropkick to the corner. German suplex for 2.9. Jacko misses a big boot and a double clothesline has both men up at five. Forearms and punches exchanged. Jacko with a foot to Grimm’s face, he returns the favour. Jacko tries again, Grimm goes downstairs. Grimm drags Jacko to the centre of the ring, Jacko mists him. Jacko with another boot. Jacko goes for his finisher, but Grimm hits the cut-throat for 2.99. However one Grimm curbstomp later and its over. Winner and still champ, GD Grimm.
Post-match: Grimm finds a chair, sets it up to Pilmanize Jacko’s head, hoes to the second rope. Jim Raze is out to make the save, but it beat down. Brad Smyth, Warship, Marvel, Del Taurino and Fuzion come out and lay into both men. Mimic, Plasma, Voodoo and TJ Rush make the save. Big brawl! Jack, the ring announcer calls for calm and calls owner Joe Greco out. After some to-and-fro, Joe appoints Jack interim commissioner. He threatens Grimm with being stripped of the title, then makes Grimm v Jacko II for the next show with TJ Rush as the guest referee. Match was very good, but maybe not the match that should have headlined the last show of the year. And what did Jacko do to get a rematch? He was beat clean. Slightly disappointing end to what was a great night. Not a dud match in there.
Now my opinions: Wrestler of the year: GD Grimm
Most improved: Voodoo
Rookie of the Year: Miami
Match of the Year: GD Grimm v Mimic III hardcore
Show of the Year: Rites Of Passage II 6/6/2009
That’s this view – November 30 through December 8.
