48 hours: Time to reflect on traditional values

While Ricky Ponting and his band of merry men are reviving their hold on the top order of world cricket, a hapless No. 11 batsman takes a shellacking.

Zimbabwe cricket is unlikely to emerge from its latest crisis in any form capable of taking oxygen on board, as if it could handle more death blows.

The Zimbabwe side were already receiving so many severe test beatings that five-day passes to their matches were about as useful as submarine louvres. Worse has followed.

There are sinister tones to the decision by the Zimbabwe cricketers, taken over the weekend, to call off a strike which was a protest against their cricket administration.

With Robert Mugabe's Government having taken control of the sport (through a Government agency headed by an Army brigadier), there are inferences that the cricketers might actually have feared for their freedom had they continued to strike.

Who would know what dangers the cricketers faced with that madman in control of the country? Zimbabwe cricket, like the nation, is in dire trouble.

And the ICC has been rendered powerless to change events caused by a man who gives the two-fingered reply to everything, from democratic rights to world opinion.

Hopefully the ICC can support Zimbabwe cricket in whatever way their cricket people feel is preferable and possible. But it looks like a case of just hanging on, for cricket and the country, until the despot is gone. Then hope may emerge.

At times like this we can reflect on the privilege of living in a country where freedom is valued and protected. And as Mugabe puts his strangling hands around another piece of Zimbabwean life, we might be relieved that our own Government allowed New Zealand Cricket the freedom to decide whether or not to tour that poor place last year.

* As for the Australian captain Ponting ... what a sight he is right now. As steely in a crisis as Steve Waugh, with added panache. His brilliance against South Africa overshadowed anything else seen on a cricket field during the past few days.

Far be it for me to argue with Scott Styris and company about practice and batting techniques - each to his own, however ...

You can only marvel at the speed, precision and extent of Ponting's footwork. It is also clear that his competitive nature was honed from formative years in rugged net duels with Glenn McGrath and co.

Not moving your feet to a great extent and ignoring the nets might work for a few, although the evidence is not overwhelming in Styris's case.

For any youngsters who are watching - as the commentators like to say - it would surely pay to rely on the more traditional methods which are serving Ponting so well.

The Styris way is like a few other dodgy things in life - something worth considering only when you are old enough to do so.

* Congratulations to basketball's Breakers on winning an away game. That it took so long is hardly a cause for celebration, of course. But better late than never.

In the battle of the battlers, our basketball team has displayed more promise than our professional soccer side.

This is a time to reflect on what might have been for two low-profile sports in this country.

With rugby and league having a break and the touring Sri Lankan cricket side hardly setting the world on fire, the Breakers and Knights could have grabbed a decent bit of publicity by contending.

* The withdrawal of Mark Philippoussis has taken some glamour away from the Heineken Open.

It's a familiar problem for not only the little Auckland tennis tournament, but also the Australian Open.

Coming so early in the season, after a short break, the Australian Open does not attract the calibre of field it might and players are reluctant to test injuries.

It seems inevitable that in the next few years the Aussie event will be pushed back to the cooler days of March so as to attract a higher-rated field with better fitness and form.

That will create a dilemma for Auckland.

Cutting adrift from the Aussie Open would not seem a good idea. Yet if the Auckland events were forced to follow Melbourne, it would mean clashing with (scary Jaws music here, da da da da da da da da) THE RUGBY SEASON.

* Yes, yes. We all know. Roy Keane told us, so it must be true. The FA Cup is a dead duck. The thunderous forces of football, which include Mr Keane, state the FA Cup must skulk in the shadows cast by the English football premiership and European competitions.

But there is still something tantalising about this fabulous old competition, including the confrontations between the well-heeled and the increasing numbers from the wrong side of the tracks.

While big clubs treat the FA Cup with a lot less reverence than they used to, when push comes to shove they don't like getting beaten either.

Case in point: a fabulous clash between Liverpool and Luton Town yesterday morning.

As per usual, the television coverage for the FA Cup is not a patch on that for the premiership.

Thankfully, though, Tommy "Ol' Onion Bag" Smyth wasn't in the commentary box, and a brilliant match ensued thanks to unfancied Luton taking a 3-1 lead, and full-strength Liverpool mounting a thrilling and successful comeback. The accompanying gesticulations from Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez suggested the FA Cup has life in it.

The match had everything: penalties, a penalty save, freaky goals, brilliant goals, a goalkeeper advancing into the penalty box, and enough skill - although maybe not of the quality that would bother Chelsea.

Cut-throat cup competitions often bring out the best in football. If Arsenal and Manchester United had shown more of this desperation and daring, they might have avoided a limp and self-defeating 0-0 premiership draw last week.

* For English football fans, the best news of the week - Thierry Henry's announcement that he will remain with Arsenal after high speculation that he would join Barcelona.

It would have been a bitter blow to Arsenal - already hurt by the sale of Patrick Vierra - and the premiership if Henry had departed. Chelsea are dominant enough without an Arsenal surrender move.

Highs and lows
* High: Kate McIlroy - another chapter in her Cinderella story. The world mountain running champ qualified for the Commonwealth Games in the steeplechase with a stunning run at Pakuranga.

* Low: Events in Harare. Sad for cricket, sad for a country.