Brissie is un-Australian!

Trust Brisbane.

I'd suggest that the venue should be changed if the weather forecast is looking categorically shabby, and let's face it, this game being a washout was almost a given (it's been pouring over there for weeks) but then again if this was the case we'd never have a game played in England.

Still, it's gotta bite if you paid $70 for a ticket and didn't get a full game. I declare that rain contravenes the spirit of the game. Fear not, the temperature is blistering here in Perth, and it's not looking to ease, let alone rain, for ages as yet. I daresay a full game will be played next Friday! Huzzah!

And speaking of the spirit of the game, Rohit Sharma was fined for dissent. He was given out and disputed it. Excuse me, but isn't that a display of particularly poor sportsmanship, o India the Righteous. Mind you, apparently he clearly wasn't out, so that is very disappointing, and yet again resurrects the third umpire debate.

To New Zealand (not literally, damn it), where England are proving to be a marginally superior team to the Black Caps. Boo! Dimitri Mascarenhas (who?) scored four consecutive sixes off Jeetan Patel in the first Twenty20 in Auckland (type that into your phone... it'll say Bucklame. Yay Bucklame!).

Poor Patel. Obviously the English don't feel the same affectionate tug at the heartstrings we Aussies sometimes do when we're on the brink of delivering the Kiwis a hammering. Not that it's ever stopped us delivering said hammering, but he could at least have spaced his sixes out a little more kindly.

I am waiting for New Zealand to improve. "The England" cannot be allowed to win. It is forbidden.

Finally, cricinfo has squeezed out some editorial about how Lord's and the Oval have been recommended as possible venues for next year's Twenty20 World Championship. Was there ever any doubt it would be at one of these two venues? Must be a slow news day, especially after the tumultuous last few weeks.

EDIT: Dimitri Mascarenhas went to Trinity College which is attached to the WACA. No wonder he was capable of four sixes in a row, the Australian lifestyle has obviously affected him. Hark!

Ranking the evil opponents

Losing is never a good thing, but it's worse to lose to some teams than others.

I've given this a lot of thought over the last few weeks. This is my list of shame.

8. Bangladesh - it's great to see them win, even at our expense.

7. Pakistan - they've had a rough twelve months or so. The sympathy vote.

6. West Indies - it's a close call but I put the Windies here. They're ok.

5. New Zealand - they are worthy adversaries but beating New Zealand is like punching your special little brother. And although their hatred for us is the equivalent to our hatred for England, we just pity them in response (because we're too busy directing any potential reciprocal feelings towards the poms, you see). So I feel sorry for them really.

4. Sri Lanka - a threat in the ODI arena.

3. India - although it is getting close to a tie with South Africa for second place, way back I've got a bit of Indian heritage, so I suppose there is a small allegiance. But let me emphasise, it's miniscule. Their recent antics have put them higher on the list of shame.

2. South Africa - they're so SMUG. And they say we choke. What is that about?

1. England - of course. All heritage is out the window when it comes to the poms. In fact it probably makes it even more unbearable to lose to them.

While India, South Africa, England and Bangladesh are firm in their respective spots, the others are open to change... depending of course, on their level of threat.