Oztalgian

Just having coffee watching the "Pink Test" from the SCG. The pink test is where the McGrath Foundation raises money to employ specialist breast care nurses in the community. It is in memory of Glen McGrath's first wife Jane who died from breast cancer in 2008. In a novel way of getting funds during a low attendance Covid affected test match they have raised a record $2,200,000 in part by selling virtual seats at the game. There are a few things in the modern game that I think it could do without. The first is when did it become the done thing to fiercly fire the ball in to th

Now there is a blast for the past, I often used to see his name outside the Old Ice Stadium on the way down to the City Ground in the early sixties.

DJ360 Looking back that was one of the factors that led us to emigrate, we had just got married and bought our first house. With both of us working in good jobs we did not have much left after paying the mortgage at 18%, the gas, electricity and rates etc. I think after the end of the first year of home ownership we had actually paid for the front door knocker!

As the UK enters further lockdowns I despair of Plonker Politicians. In Australia our glorious leader Scott Morrison has decreed that he will not accelerate the approval process for any vaccine and the roll out of a vaccination program will not be rushed and would be rolled out as planned in March. The reason being is "that the situation is not yet catastrophic" I thought that one of the reasons to use a vaccination program is to prevent the situation from becoming a catastrophe? As posters on this thread have said Boris is yet again behind the curve on decisive actions that will ho

I don't think Invision understand the concept of Software Quality Control. Even the most basic testing would have found the problems everyone is having. I hope those who pay to run this site for us were not charged for this shoddy "upgrade"

The soundtrack of my youth grows ever quieter with the death of distinctive voiced Gerry Marsden. Thanks for the music. R.I.P. Gerry

When we emigrated in 1975 the only practical way of communicating with family and friends back home was by letter which took a week to get there and another week for a reply if they wrote back straight away. Phone calls had to be "booked" and were prohibitively expensive for just a few minutes. I remember one Christmas we spent $50 on a phone call, almost a quarter of my weekly wages. Telegrams were a no, no as they only brought bad news so when we had our first baby it was another expensive phone call. Nowadays it is a snip, video calls, e-mail for videos and photos, social media and pho

We sometimes do them in the microwave but make sure you pierce the skin in a couple of places as if they "explode" in it they effectively pebbledash the inside of the microwave and it is a bugger to get off. They are also good roasted on a very low heat on the BBQ. Unfortunately they are not in season here so they are almost impossible to get for your turkey stuffing at Christmas.

Spent a fair bit of time at a sister company of ours in Thomastown, and a supplier of specialised cutting tools Lovitts was in Greensborough. That is about as close as I got to Montmorency work wise. Wouldn't be too long a drive out to Yarra Glen, some beautiful countryside up that way.

Just seen the picture of Jimmy Greaves who has been awarded a MBE in the New Years Honours list. I have to say he looks like a proper geezer, after all he was born in east London. Still have not forgiven him for the goal in the semi final against Forest but congratulations to him and Ron Flowers for their gongs.

RR not when they get promoted at the end of the season and if Forest don't improve the could be playing Notts in Tier 3 in a couple of seasons

Friends of ours who are avid jigsaw puzzlers varnish and frame the ones they like best and sometimes give them as gifts

nonnaB That puzzle reminds me of a collage of cheeky British seaside post cards with big bums and boobs

Hi Marty, Another ten pound pom, Oztalgian here, now in Adelaide, but came out to Sydney in 1975, best move I ever made. Thanks to the folks on here I am still learning about Nottingham and the Shire I was born and brought up in. Whereabouts are you in Melbourne, I know it well from working in the automotive manufacturing sector for 40 years and often sat in a jam on the Tulla Freeway watching a plane take of thinking I should have been on that one.

The opposing fans will be singing "Relegation to you, relegation to you, relegation dear Forest, relegation to you" and it may well come true Even the Sheep are above us now on goal difference which is not surprising given Forest's goal scoring capability. We are only three points above the Owls who started the season on minus 12 points and will soon be flying above Forest if we continue not being able to score. I see the Stags home game was postponed because there was an inch of snow on the pitch? In mine and Ben's day they would have rolled it flat, cleared the lines an

I don't think so in these woke times if this is anything to go by. There has been a brand of Cheddar cheese called Coon in Australia since 1935. It was named after its American creator Edward William Coon who patented the Cooning method of fast maturing cheese. Following the BLM campaigns of this year the maker has said it will be renaming the cheese due to concern over a racial slur. What ballcocks! A new name has not been decided as yet. Any suggestions?

As soon as you heard John Arlott's Hampshire burr you knew that the cricket season was upon us. His picture painting commentary was so good you could literally close your eyes and watch the game. Ben, I don't think the above quote was ever said, it is probably an urban myth allegedly said by Brian Johnson and no recording exists. But he did actually say on air "There's Neil Harvey standing at leg slip with his legs wide apart, waiting for a tickle" Not forgetting Blowers and Aggers

Yet another SNAFU upgrade. I guess these guys do not do any quality control testing before they release an upgrade. I use the right side scroll bar to go right to the bottom of the listings as as the "unread content " icon works there unlike the one at the top of the page. What is the go with the "history"bar down the side of the posts? totally irrelevant. As is usual the search function remains about as much use as a chocolate firescreen

Just watching the Oz Big Bash League and two of the commentators on are terrible even worse than those doing the test cricket. Brian Lara's comments are interesting, for instance I never knew that he represented Trinidad and Tobago in three sports, Cricket, Football and Table Tennis. One of his football and cricket under 12 team mates was Dwight Yorke who was a decent opening bat and wicket keeper and we know what happened to him. Lara chose cricket and became one of the true cricketing legends.

Ben, Was it for this Ben the cricket tragic would go to all the games of his favourite county club and absolutely nothing would keep him away from a game. One day on the way to a game with one of his mates his mate said "Ben are you all right? You look a bit down in the dumps" Ben replied "I'm fine thanks but my wife is going to divorce me" "What grounds?" asks his mate. "Oh! Headingly, Edgbaston, Lords, The Oval, Trent Bridge, Old Trafford, ........ or this... Ben was always thinking about cricket. Eventually his exasperated wife said "A

Still watching the Boxing Day test between doing odd jobs around the garden. Given all the technology available to us today could someone tell me why we cannot make batting gloves that can manage to stay tight around the wrists for more than three balls. I know it is probably a nervousness thing but I wish they would stop all the fiddling with the gloves and helmets and get on with the game as the over rate is already so slow. In India's second innings if they get one and Tim Paine calls out "bowled Gazza" every second ball when Nathan Lyon is bowling I'll be putting my foot through the telly.

It's is a fine 30 deg here and just sat down for a coffee to watch the traditional Boxing Day test match from the MCG. It is on commercial free to air TV. The game is only six overs old and already I have ad nauseum. They show the same ad on consecutive breaks and why does almost every advert these days have to have someone singing and dancing in it. They are dong a great job of turning me off their products. Is it the same in the UK?

Just looked at the latest health advice re Christmas Lunch/Dinner they are telling us to open our windows. Will some one please tell me how does turning my computer on prevent you catching Covid?

Wishing you all a Covid free Christmas and a vaccination new year

As a kid I remember seeing my first black footballer. It was Lindy Delapenha playing for Mansfield Town in the late 50's. As a winger or inside forward he had a ferocious shot. Made over a hundred appearances for the Stags