A quick shot from the hips

Straight Point asked me below about my thoughts after the Sydney test. In sum, all I can say is the following: scrap the match referee; introduce three appeals per test for disputed decisions; forget the silly business of taking anyone's word for catches; never, ever, under any circumstances get the respective cricket boards involved in any on-field disputes. In sum, keep matters on the field, with the umpires, and use technology judiciously. Its all pretty simple really. (Yeah, I know, I exaggerate, but cricket is a game that really does reward you for sticking to the basics and keeping it simple). And especially with the ludicrous exaggeration and over-hyping the media can indulge in, it makes even more sense to keep things on the ground, not off it. This whole spectacle of midnight tribunals in response to official complaints, the injection of a false, pompous, code of honour into a highly professionalized, global game, and the inability of a sports governing body to come up with a coherent set of rules for the use of technology in conjunction with umpiring has been depressing to say the least.

I'm glad the cricket has started; I love test cricket and this is as good as it gets. Onwards!