I came across this article, and thought it was so well written, that I would post it. It’s not about rugby, but enjoy anyway.
Who is the best coach in world cricket? Nobody knows for sure, but he was born in Cape Town, batted left-handed and very determinedly in Tests, is 44 years old and will be a prominent figure at the Lord’s decider next Thursday.
Scyld Berry – telegraph.co.uk
While Duncan Fletcher rebuilds his reputation after India were wiped out in England last summer and Australia last winter, the title of best current coach is being contested by Andy Flower, as England’s coach, and Gary Kirsten, as South Africa’s.
They have so much in common, in addition to their birthplaces, ages and style of batting: like having a brother who also played Test cricket and personalities of the strong and silent kind.
You would happily send your children to either if they were form-teachers. But the approaches they have had to take have been very different.
Flower had to beef England up. The team’s culture, when he took over in 2009, was essentially soft, and born of the bad habits of county cricket: do enough to keep your place and, if things go wrong, blame someone else.
Flower, therefore, has had to use as much stick as carrot. He had to educate the England players in the original, etymological sense: by leading them out of themselves so they realised where they should be heading.
Along with Andrew Strauss, he introduced a pursuit of excellence that had never been known in English cricket before, other than pockets like Yorkshire before the 1970s or Surrey in the 1950s.
The proof of Flower’s pudding lies in the medals. He was coach of the England team that won the 2009 Ashes against all odds and retained them in
Australia; that won England’s first global trophy, the last World Twenty20; that went to number one in the world Test rankings last August and is still there, if hanging by a thread.
Kirsten has had to calm South Africa down, since taking over last year.
Whereas Flower had to make soft men tough, Kirsten has had to soften tough men and make them more rounded human beings. He lets them practise when they want to, but ensures that when they do they practise intensely.
Hence the South Africans’ four-day visit to Switzerland before this tour to learn life-skills in the Alps. Players who have systematically choked at the sight of the finishing line – not least in their last World Cup quarter-final – have learned that there is more to life than cricket, and that if you want to win you must not be petrified of losing.
South Africa’s declaration at Headingley had Kirsten’s signature on it.
There was a very remote possibility of England scoring 253 off 39 overs, although it would have been better than 1 in 100 if England had got their batting order right (Strauss and Jonathan Trott down the order to block out for a draw, not numbers three and four). But in risking a loss, South Africa twisted England’s knickers a bit more before Lord’s.
Before Kirsten came along, no South African captain – except Hansie Cronje for his own nefarious reasons – made a declaration that gave the opposition a sniff. The age-old objective was to rule out any prospect of defeat, and only then to think of winning.
South Africa, under Kirsten, are becoming a different – and far more dangerous – opponent. His mellow approach took India to the last World Cup in spite of all the pressure of being the favourites playing at home.
He realised that giving Sachin Tendulkar all the throw-downs he wanted was the key to a happy dressing-room, and did what it took.
Kirsten, with South Africa, has had the advantage of dealing with less complicated characters than Flower. Kevin Pietersen, as he tries to play a whole IPL season and change the ECB system, would be a challenge for King Solomon if he took his eyes off the Queen of Sheba and started coaching.
Pietersen wouldn’t be the batsman he is if his personality wasn’t so abnormal and difficult to handle; he proves, if nothing else, that coaching is no science.
Or maybe Pietersen is not one for the form-teacher at all, but the headmaster…
The Best coach is whoever got the best cricketers. Anyone can tell me who was the Australian coach when they won those records amounts of tests and world cups in a row? Or who coached the Windies in their magic years in the 70’s? Anyone? No? Didn’t think so
Gazza is a class act, all round. He deserves his achievements, they didnt come easy.
This is bloody hilarious. Laughed my backside off. Don’t take it serious gents, but look on the funny side of it. Brilliant! Hope you Stormer and Bulls supporters have a sense of humour. Saw someone post this on keo. A damn good laugh. Enjoy…hehehe.
@ Puma:
“!”Those who beat me on Superbru leave the room ….
3 @ Puma:
4 @ Pietman:
Shall I post that Youtube Clip as an Article on R-T?
… Think I will…
@ Puma:
Thats hilarious! Like a giant Durbanville!
Made me laugh out loud.
@ grootblousmile:
I posted it to my facebook page, too good not to share.
6 @ Stormersboy:
Hahaha. M. Crikey I almost choked on my sarmie. Just took a bite and clicked on that clip to watch. Jeepers I laughed till the tears rolled down……………hahahahaha. Brilliant.
5 @ grootblousmile:
It is very funny boeta.
5 @ grootblousmile:
hahaha. You could boeta…hehe.
10 @ Puma:
I did…
@ Puma:Ja some classic lines in there. I wonder who made it? Its the sort of thing Katman would do…..
12 @ Stormersboy:
Could be. Have no idea. Just saw someone there on keo put this link up. Just looked in there late and was eating a sarmie when clicked on it. Damn almost choked with laughing.
So in the Olympics our last medal hopes are with these four:
Women’s 800m – Caster
Women’s Kayak single 500m – Hartley
Women’s Javelin – Viljoen
Men’s BMX – Sifiso
Not sure if there are any other that can pick up a medal from here. So hoping we get another medal or 4.
haha Long time since I photoshop mmmm
@ Puma:
200m mens could bring out a shock. Heres hoping!
The Jedi People’s Republic of Nu Zeelind, is one are the greatest nations of breast loving beer drinkers as well as being the world’s largest producer of milk. A fact which is interesting because before we got there none of the animals even had any breasts.
The country is located as far from everywhere else as possible.
Sport
Sport is very important to New Zealanders, due mainly to there being nothing else to do. Rugby is the most popular sport, both League and Union. The national rugby union team is known as ‘The All Blacks.’ The popularity of this nickname has led it to be adopted by other national sport teams, including: hockey – ‘The Black Sticks’; basketball – ‘The Black Hoops’; cricket – ‘The Black Bats’; and badminton – ‘The Black Cocks.’ All like to perform the Haka.
Population
Sheep Sheep are feared animals in Nu Zillind, much as cows are feared to Hindus. In New Zehland, all first-born children must be sacrificed to the sheep-god, Akatawhenua, to gain his blessing over the family. Sheep are not allowed to be harmed under any circumstances (to harm a sheep is punishable by death), and all citizens must do the biddings of a sheep if asked.
Maori (Mowri/Mouldy)The Maori have lived in New Zealand for several generations longer than anyone else bar the Mori-Ori (known as ‘lunch’ in the Maori language.) Their talents include riding whales; founding political protest movements; creative writing (application forms for government benefits) and going to the Chatham Islands for a feed.
Samoan – 80% of South Auckland’s population are Samoan, the rest are Tongans and Fijians, which is the same thing . Flights to Auckland are notoriously expensive because Air New Zealand is only capable of accommodating about 10 Samoans per 747 jumbo jet. The Samoan population has grown so ‘large’ that Samoans are now New Zealand’s third largest export after Sheep and ‘Lord of the Rings’ T-shirts. Los Angeles and the Japanese Sumo Wrestling Federation are the largest importers of New Zealand-grown, 100% Organic Samoans.
Asians – the Chinese own all takeaways and the Indians all the dairies. So great has the influence of Asians been that some of Auckland’s suburbs have been renamed: Howick (now Chowick), Pakuranga (now Japuranga), Highland Park (now Thailand Park) and rumours abound about a westward move with New Lynn becoming “Shao Lynn”.
The remaining population comprises tourists from the Pacific Rim and rich Asian drug-lords & their gambling cartel monkeys from the streets of Hong Kong. Chinese asians are usually seen balancing their accounts and laundering their crime money
17 @ Spooony:
Plastiek Lepeltjie,
You must’nt drink this hard, this early!
Seriously!
@ grootblousmile:
I had to stop drinkin, cuz I got tired of waking in my car driving ninety
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