"THERE are two teams out there, but only one is playing cricket" is Paul Kelly's reference to Bodyline. England could not win the contest of bat and ball so resorted to attacking the body. It is a tactic they have used in this Test series. Like the stumping of Jonny Bairstow, pictured, it's within the rules, but not really the spirit of the game.
The Times of India, a news organisation in the most cricket mad nation on earth, reported the result and added the dismissal was controversial, but did not mention the spirit of the game. The New York Times explained the rules, that it was like a baseball runner not having his foot on base and that the English crowd were upset. It also failed to mention the spirit of the game.
Commentary in Australia points out that Bairstow tries this type of dismissal regularly, and last year in New Zealand an English slips fielder threw down the stumps in a very similar situation, but Stokes didn't call the batsman back. There was never a mention that these past incidents were not in the spirit of the game.
Perhaps to understand the true spirit of any game we should turn to Vince Lombardi. The Super Bowl trophy is named after him, and he said "winning is not everything, it's the only thing". That being said, I can't wait for the third Test.
Carlo Rendina, Lambton
Testing times but great results
IN reply to Kerry Grace ("Cricket's poetry in emotion", Letters, 4/7), you may write poetry about the Aussie Test team, but I believe you did not watch the match and read only the media reports. I will back this up by saying that England's wicketkeeper Bairstow did the same thing to our batsmen, but missed the stumps.
Second, we were denied a fair catch by Starc, which I am sure you would have agreed with. Third, what Alex Carey did was completely in the rules and the batsman should have known this.
Come on, give our cricketers a pat on the back for their last two Test results.
John Morgan, Karuah
Bowled over at Sunak's input
BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's cheap comments about the Australia cricket team infringing the moral code of cricket don't hold water. The umpires adjudicate over the spirit of the game; the English player went out of his crease while the game was still in play and was clearly out; the umpire's decision.
Of more concern were the members of the MCC's unsavoury behaviour to our players. Congratulations to Usman Khawaja for standing his ground in the face of those remarks. To the British PM, be warned: "green and gold" will never fold.
Grahame Danaher, Coal Point
No need to Labor point on Voice
IN her analysis of the drop in support for the "yes" campaign for the Voice ("When it comes to change, doubt is a strong restraint", Newcastle Herald 4/7) Karen Barlow makes the observation that the 'no' side "seeds ... dubious information" throughout mainstream and social media about what the Voice actually is. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, the darling of the 'no' campaign and the go-to person for 'factual' information among many 'no' advocates on this page, recently said that "there are a number of reasons to oppose Labor's Voice ..." - which is disingenuous at best and a straight out lie at worst. Labor had nothing to do with creating the Voice concept; Indigenous Australians did that after being commissioned to do so in 2017 by Price's own party.
While he endorses the concept, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is simply taking the request to the Australian people. Price, a canny politician, recognises that making this a Labor vs LNP 'contest' will garner more opposition. I believe she is making the referendum into something it is not, and using Indigenous Australians to progress conservative ideology at the Voice's expense. Shamefully, it's working.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Let's get the referendum over with
IT is apparent that some people are in love with untruths about the Voice and the referendum. Example: the Voice will have unlimited powers that affect all areas of government? Rubbish. The truth is the Voice will provide advice on matters that are only about Aboriginal people.
Aboriginal people are already represented by Aboriginal people who are in Parliament? Rubbish. The truth is the Aboriginal people who are elected to Parliament were elected by all Australians in their electorate who have a vote, regardless of background.
Aboriginal people will get something the rest of the country will not get? Rubbish. The truth is Aboriginal people will get a say about rules that affect them directly, just as all other people already do.
The Voice will divide the country? Rubbish. The truth is the present system and years of prejudice have labelled Aboriginal people as inferior, and that needs to change. For those who point out the prejudice affecting minority groups in our community, I agree we have a problem. We seem to be so insecure about ourselves that anyone who is a bit different is seen to be some sort of threat. Get over it. I wish that people would get more activated about the maritime heritage of Newcastle that does affect us all rather than the trumped-up issue of how the Voice is bad.
Bill Storer, Charlestown
Are there limits on speaking up?
MICHAEL Hinchey ("Voice held to a higher standard", Letters, 4/7): regarding the Voice to Parliament, the detail we have is that the Voice will determine what matters it chooses on which to advise government and or the Parliament. I think it is quite disingenuous for the 'yes' proponents to say it will advise only on matters that affect Indigenous people when the report indicates no limit on what the Voice may regard as relevant for its advice. Unless the government intends to impose limits through legislation, my understanding is the Voice itself will determine what those matters are.
Daryll Hadfield, Redhead
Political costs of vote may be high
WITH the ability to legislate a Voice to Parliament without it being put into the constitution and with the chance that it will be unsuccessful anyway, my hope is that Anthony Albanese will come to his senses and call off the referendum.
However, if Mr Albanese decides to charge on regardless, and force Australians to vote in this unnecessary, costly and highly divisive Voice referendum, it will be the Prime Minister and Labor generally who will have to carry the consequences, burdens and scars of having done so if it is defeated.
Clive Jensen, Merewether
The sweet taste of cafe kindness
I PASSED Soul Cafe and saw dozens of young people unloading pumpkins from a truck. It was raining, but they soldiered on. When I asked, I was told that they were from a group called Pumpkin Run all the way from Armidale, where they grow them and donate them to charities. I was offered one, a reminder there is so much kindness in the world if you look for it. I will remember them fondly when I am eating my baked pumpkin, pumpkin soup and mash.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
I WOULD love to hear what Jonny Bairstow has to say about his controversial stumping at the hands of his counterpart Alex Carey. If he was completely honest, he would admit it was a fair dismissal, as he has attempted to do exactly the same thing on more than one occasion. I believe it's simply sour grapes from the English and, if they're not happy with it, the MCC needs to change the rules. It's also a bit of justice over the not out decision given to Mitchell Starc's brilliant catch on the boundary. What goes around comes around.
Neil Meyers, Warners Bay
FURTHER to Grant Agnew's (Short Takes, 4/7) point about the complaining Poms, how about the behaviour of some MCC members towards our team? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they the ones who made the rules that allowed us to do what we did? Then the English captain referred to the "spirit of the game", but it seems that only applies if it benefits his team.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
I SAW Linda Burney on TV the other night proclaiming that she was sure the Australian public would do the right thing and vote "yes" in the Voice referendum. Might I suggest Ms Burney should not count her chickens until they are hatched. She should also remember the adage, faith is admirable but blind faith, well that's another thing altogether. As I see it, the "yes" vote is nowhere near being considered the winner.
Ian King, Warners Bay
DARRYL Cumming (Short Takes, 4/7), my drainage issues across the road from Pilkington Park turn two soon. Don't hold your breath, both issues will probably outlive us.
Darren Sparks, North Lambton
I READ an interesting article recently by technologist Matthew Dickerson on the running costs of electric vehicles. Even taking into account the conversion of coal-fired energy to power, the fuel efficiency is higher than a petrol or diesel car. Plus, we can breathe easy knowing that tail-pipe emissions are zero. Another good incentive for those in the market.
Anne O'Hara, Wanniassa
YOUR recent report that a luxury home at Fingal Bay had sold for a record $3.9 million is nothing surprising in this market. But, in my opinion, the gross obscenity of this display of the nation's inequality was the fact that it was reported that the buyer was proposing to demolish this amazing six-bedroom, four-bathroom property to build an even more luxurious home ('$3.9m for bay knockdown', Herald 29/6). I am sure those in our society sleeping rough on these record cold nights would give their all for the use of these bedrooms.
Frank Ward, Shoal Bay
FOR the record, it's not Newy. It's Newie.
