Two Australian cricketing giants leave us with unmatched legacies

An art school teacher makes a painting to pay homage to the former Australian cricketer Shane Warne in Mumbai on March 5, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 10 March 2022
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Two Australian cricketing giants leave us with unmatched legacies

  • In separate eras, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne delighted in making life for English cricketers and supporters very uncomfortable, and sometimes embarrassing

Cricket and the wider world have been stunned by the sudden loss of two greats of the Australian and international game, Shane Warne and Rod Marsh. I was fortunate to have seen them both play and watching their on-field personae gave some clues as to their off-field ones.

Warne’s hunting down of batsmen, physically and psychologically, implied a shrewd operator who pushed boundaries. He admitted as much, saying that he would not have liked to face himself on the pitch. He was, for many, the finest leg spin bowler of all time.

Former Australian captain, leg spinner and celebrated commentator Richie Benaud had no doubt, pointing out that when he took his final, 248th, Test wicket, he had played 63 Tests. It took Warne the same number to reach 300 Test wickets.

The art of leg spin bowling is the most difficult variety to master, especially in achieving consistent accuracy. Strong wrists and fingers are needed. In Warne’s case, these were developed after, aged six, he broke both of his legs and used his wrists to propel himself around on a trolley. Out of adversity came strength. However, Warne’s ambition was to play Australian rules football in Melbourne, but he did not make the grade. What a loss to cricket he would have been.

Unlike Warne, young Marsh was determined to make cricket his life, rising from the age of eight through the various cricket grades in Perth. Despite his tough and craggy competitiveness, Marsh had a keen sense of the spirit of cricket. This was apparent in several events. First, he was the wicketkeeper when his captain, Greg Chappell, ordered his younger brother, Trevor Chappell, to bowl the last ball of a match against New Zealand using an underarm delivery. This deprived the striker the opportunity to hit a six, which would have leveled the scores. Marsh stood arms folded, shaking his head in dismay, disbelief and disappointment at this blatant contravention of the spirit of cricket.

Although, at the time, it was not breaking the law, Benaud, commenting on the incident, called it “one of the worst things I have seen done on a cricket field.”

A second example was during the Centenary Test between Australia and England in 1977 when the match was in the balance. England’s Derek Randall had been given out, but Marsh insisted that he was recalled since Marsh knew that he had taken the ball on the bounce.

His brash and aggressive exterior, walrus mustache and squat physique concealed a humorous, thoughtful, astute person. The first impressions that Marsh made on the fearsome Australian fast-bowler Dennis Lillee, were that “he was a scruffy, overweight, beer-swilling intellectual, a pianist and a good singer.” Later, they became formidable allies.

After retiring from Test cricket in 1984, Marsh spent four years commentating, before spending 10 years as coach and director of the Australian Cricket Academy. Surprisingly, in 2001, he moved to head the England and Wales Cricket Board’s National Academy. The following year, much to the shock of many English cricket supporters, this one included, he also became a selector, staying until 2005, when England regained the Ashes. What a delicious irony this was, one of Australia’s most rugged competitors, fiercely “anti-pom” on the field, helping the old enemy to beat his own country, for which he played with such distinction in a long career.

It might have been so different. In his debut in the 1970-71 Ashes, Marsh made glaring errors and was christened “Iron Gloves,” leading to calls for him to be dropped. The selectors stuck by him and he went on to be the scourge of England and its long-suffering supporters for another 13 years.

There is a similarity with Warne in that his early performances for Australia were inauspicious. Midway through his third Test match in 1992, he had taken a single wicket and conceded 335 runs. Then, he claimed the last three wickets for no runs, clinching a remarkable 16-run victory for Australia. Such stunning match-winning performances were to characterize his career.

In 1993, Warne announced himself to England with his very first Test match delivery there. The so-called “Ball of the Century” swerved toward the leg stump, pitched outside it, turned sharply past the defensively positioned bat and clipped the off-stump bail. Warne described the ball as a fluke, but it immortalized his reputation as a showstopper. By the time he played his last Test at Sydney in January 2007, he had taken 708 Test wickets, of which 195 were English.

Needless to say, his landmark 700th wicket was taken against England in the previous month at Melbourne.

In his last Test match in England at the Oval in 2005, drama continued to follow Warne. Although he claimed 12 wickets in the match and bowled a spell of 31 overs, he will be remembered for dropping a crucial and straightforward catch. This was offered by Kevin Pietersen, who saved the match for England, when he had scored 15, surviving to reach 158. In an effort to recover Australia’s advantage, Warne bowled a spell of 31 overs, at the end of which he received a standing ovation, coupled with chants of “Warnie dropped the Ashes.”

It was also the time when the crowd was variously reported to have chanted “bet you wish you were English” or “we only wish you were English,” to which Warne took off his hat, doffed it and bowed. How they loved it.

Warne was theater, a cricketing genius, with a shrewd cricket brain and relatable human frailties. His blond hair, earring, sunblock and tendency to chubbiness oozed nonconformity. He strolled to his delivery stride, before looping the ball with unerring accuracy, capable of spinning it prodigiously. The respect that spectators and most fellow professionals had for him was clear, as it was for Marsh. Both harbored largely unrealized captaincy aspirations. As players in separate eras, they made cricket life for English cricketers and supporters very uncomfortable, sometimes embarrassing. Nevertheless, it was a privilege to have watched these skilled entertainers in action.


Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

Updated 20 June 2025
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Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

  • The ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals 2025 will bring together 1,400 students, 310 teams, and 113 schools with contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools

ABU DHABI: The 15th edition of the ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals kicked off at Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a record-breaking number of participants from across the country. This year, 1,400 students representing 113 schools and 310 teams are competing in a series of STEM-focused competitions that run until June 22.

The event, a flagship initiative in the UAE’s youth and education landscape, aims to foster skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects and competitive challenges. The finals include contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools, which emphasize engineering, design, sustainability, and teamwork.

Throughout the week, students will demonstrate their abilities by engineering miniature race cars, developing branding and sponsorship strategies, and presenting their projects to judges. The winners of the F1 in Schools category will represent the UAE at the global finals later this year.

Ali Al-Beshr, general manager of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “This year’s finals showcase the ambition, creativity, and skill that define the ADNOC Yas in Schools program. We are proud to support ADNOC’s commitment to youth empowerment, sustainability, and STEM development, and to watch the UAE’s next generation rise to the challenge.”

The competition aligns with national priorities to nurture a knowledge-based economy and promote sustainable innovation. Notably, many participating teams include students from underrepresented groups, with sustainability integrated into their engineering designs and presentations.

Since its inception, the program has contributed over 1 million hours of student engagement across more than 1,100 schools nationwide. The event supports ADNOC’s corporate social responsibility efforts and aligns with the UAE’s broader goals in education, sustainability, and economic development.

The winners will be announced during an online awards ceremony scheduled for June 24.

 


No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

Updated 20 June 2025
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No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

  • Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single “Dust and Glory”
  • The song blends Italian and English and mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner

ROME: Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single, “Dust and Glory” that was released Friday.
The song, which blends Italian and English, mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner.
It’s a tribute to the struggle and beauty of life’s journey, and “the fine line that turns dust into glory.”
There’s also an accompanying four-minute music video featuring private footage from the childhoods of both Italian stars, with current scenes filmed at Bocelli’s home in Tuscany.
“Talent doesn’t exist; it has to be earned,” Sinner says in the recording.
“Sharing this journey with Jannik was fascinating,” Bocelli said. “We’re from different worlds but close in commitment and discipline in the constant search for authenticity and beauty. I have always been his fan, fascinated not only by his talent, but also by his humility and his inner strength.”
Sinner added: “I am very honored and happy to be part of this project with Andrea, who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice, a flag of our country in the world. I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs, all this is a strong emotion.”


England chooses to bowl first against India in test series opener at Headingley

Updated 20 June 2025
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England chooses to bowl first against India in test series opener at Headingley

  • The pitch has a green tinge and the weather is sunny and humid, the temperature topping out at 29 degrees on days one and two

LEEDS: England chose to bowl first against India in the test series opener at Headingley on Friday.
Both teams would have picked to field first. The last six test winners in Leeds bowled first.
The pitch has a green tinge and the weather is sunny and humid, the temperature topping out at 29 degrees on days one and two.
India, under new skipper Shubman Gill, has chosen to debut top-order batter Sai Sudharsan, give middle-order bat Karun Nair his first test in eight years. Shardul Thakur, who hasn’t played a test since December 2023, was preferred to Nitish Kumar Reddy as the fast bowling allrounder and Prasidh Krishna headed off uncapped Arshdeep Singh as the third seamer.
England named its team on Thursday, choosing at No. 3 in the batting order vice captain Ollie Pope over Jacob Bethell.
Lineups:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Bryson Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Lokesh Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.


Liverpool star Mohamed Salah among nominees for PFA Player of the Year award

Updated 20 June 2025
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Liverpool star Mohamed Salah among nominees for PFA Player of the Year award

  • The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season
  • The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association

LONDON: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was among six players nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year award on Friday.

The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season with 29 goals and 18 assists.

The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association – securing almost 90 percent of the votes, marking the biggest winning margin this century – and is the firm favorite to land the PFA prize.

Salah is joined on the shortlist by Liverpool team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Palmer, who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for 2023-24, was a surprise choice for the list given his struggles for Chelsea last season.

Rice starred in midfield for Arsenal, hitting a career-high nine goals while adding 10 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions.

Sweden striker Isak scored 23 goals for Newcastle as they qualified for the Champions League and ended a 56-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup.

Fernandes was one of United’s few bright spots in the club’s worst top-flight campaign since 1973-74, with eight league goals and 10 assists.

This year’s awards ceremony will be held in Manchester on August 19.


UFC Fight Night returns to Abu Dhabi in July with stacked card

Updated 20 June 2025
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UFC Fight Night returns to Abu Dhabi in July with stacked card

  • Robert Whittaker is bidding to hand Reinier de Ridder his first UFC loss in a clash that could earn the winner a lucrative title shot
  • Undefeated Movsar Evloev takes on UFC debutant Aaron Pico in a 5-round bout with potential huge title implications at featherweight

ABU DHABI: UFC CEO Dana White has revealed a strong card for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. de Ridder in Abu Dhabi on July 26 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

The main event will be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and highly-rated Dutch standout Reinier de Ridder whose seamless transition from the ONE Championship has been hugely impressive.

White took to social media to announce what promises to be one of the most thrilling Fight Night cards of the year, which will see No.12-ranked 185-pounder De Ridder, undefeated in his three UFC bouts to date, likely earn a middleweight title eliminator should he defeat Whittaker.

“De Ridder is a former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion and has finished every one he has fought in the UFC,” White said.

“He’s coming off a win over the top prospect in the sport, Bo Nickal. If De Ridder can beat Whittaker, it’s very likely he’ll be fighting for the No. 1 contender bout next. I am pumped for this fight because these guys are both killers — and they always come out and deliver.”

The main card boasts two five-round bouts and a stacked lineup of electrifying talent, former champions, and elite contenders — all coming together for one of the year’s most anticipated international showcases, marking the 21st UFC event in Abu Dhabi since 2010.

In the co-main event in Abu Dhabi, unbeaten featherweight Movsar Evloev takes on UFC newcomer Aaron Pico. Evloev, who will be looking to extend his eight-fight winning streak since his UFC debut in 2019, most recently outpointed Aljamain Sterling in a hard-fought unanimous decision at UFC 310 in December 2024.

Pico, long considered MMA’s top free agent, recently joined the UFC roster. A decorated collegiate wrestler and former Bellator standout, the 28-year-old currently holds a 13-4 professional record and arrives with major expectations.

White added: “Aaron Pico is a ridiculously violent striker and a very high-level grappler. He’s had hype behind him since he was a teenager because of his skill set and fighting style — people compare him to guys like Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier.”

Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan makes his return in a featured bout against rising contender Marcus McGhee. Yan will be looking to build on the momentum from a strong 2024, where he secured consecutive wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.

UFC Abu Dhabi Fight Card:

Robert Whittaker vs. Renier de Ridder - Middleweight

Movsar Evloev vs. Aaron Pico - Featherweight

Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee - Bantamweight

Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov - Bantamweight

Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault - Middleweight

Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov - Light Heavyweight