Packer's World Series Cricket

[Dry Rot]

What did you think of the WSC games played?

Was it a necessary reform for the sport for its stars to be properly paid or just expedient for Packer to grab the rights and raise the Nine Network's revenues?

Had Packer not stepped in, what would have happened to Australian cricket?

[The Coon Dog]

I was too young to understand the politics of it all.

I did love WSC tho. My Dad took me out to Waverley a few times.

It was a shock the first time I saw coloured clothing on the players, particularly as the Windies were donned in pink!

Some memories of WSC:

1. The ads for McDonalds featuring the West Indies players, such as Wayne Daniel & you got a free poster if you could recite: 'two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion on a sesame seed bun' in 4 seconds.

2. Who remembers this song?

You've been training all the winter
And there's not a team that's fitter
And that's the way it got to be
'Cause you're up against the best you know
This is Supertest you know
And you've go to beat the best the world has seen

Lillee's pounding down like a machine
Pascoe's making divots in the green
Marshy's taking wickets
Hooksey's clearing pickets
And the Chappells' eyes have got that killer gleam
Mr Walker's playing havoc with the bats
Redpath, it's good to see you back
Lairdie's making runs
Dougie's chewing gum
and Gilmour's wielding willow like an axe

C'mon Aussie c'mon c'mon
C'mon Aussie c'mon c'mon
C'mon Aussie c'mon c'mon
C'mon Aussie c'mon

3. Dennis Amiss & Tony Greig wearing those helmets.

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/01/01/wbhelmet_wideweb__430x268.jpg
Rick McCosker & Tony Greig.

4. Wayne Daniel hitting Mick Malone for a huge six off the second last ball to win a one dayer. Richie Benaud siad, he's hit that many a mile.

5. The Windies used to train at the nets at the Whitten Oval. It was amazing to see Viv, Clive Lloyd, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, Derek Murray etc.. at close quarters. We used to watch after school & stand behind the nets (it wasn't safe anywhere else). The speed which they bowled was frightening. Even tho we were behind a wire net, we still shit ourselves everytime a batsman left one or played & missed.

[Dry Rot]

Hey, point #5 is amazing. You were very privileged to see them at close range like that.

Was Waverly good to watch cricket at?

[Sockeye Salmon]

5. The Windies used to train at the nets at the Whitten Oval. It was amazing to see Viv, Clive Lloyd, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, Derek Murray etc.. at close quarters. We used to watch after school & stand behind the nets (it wasn't safe anywhere else). The speed which they bowled was frightening. Even tho we were behind a wire net, we still shit ourselves everytime a batsman left one or played & missed.

I was standing about where first slip would be when Richard Austin (?) edged one from Roberts and if it wasn't for the net it would have hit me in the mouth. I didn't see it coming.

[Sockeye Salmon]

How about:


It's on again this summer
We'll take on any comer
The question is who will make the team
Will the wild and wooly new boys
Bat the tested, tried and true boys
There only is eleven vacancies

Will it be the Rocket, Rodney Hogg?
Or will 'Shirley' Thomson get the job?
A test just wouldn't be the same
Without 'em shouting Lillee's name
And they tell me Lenny Pascoe's running hot!

For openers we're looking pretty good
With bats like Darling, Hilditch, Laird and Wood
With Border, Hookes and others
And the mighty Chappell brothers
I tell you boys the year we're looking good!





There was also a face off v the Windies. I can only remember a bit of it.

Australian player: Wheel 'em in, we'll whack 'em for six
West Indian: Don't make me laugh, you're givin' me a stitch
A: What about our pacemen?
WI: Brother we'll disgrace them
All: We'll sort it out when we get on the pitch!


There's another one as well but I can only remember a few lines. I'll post it when I remember it.

[Dry Rot]

With bats like Darling, Hilditch, Laird and Wood


There's some funny old batsmen in there.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Remembered it.

This year's the year for sweet revenge
This year there's no such thing as friends
We'll be in there tryin'
To tame the British lion
We'll bring him to his knees, just watch him bend

We'll wear Australia's green and gold with pride
It's been a while since we've had such a side
The history books will say
Australia's finest day
Gentlemen, we'll tan their flamin' hides!

[BulldogBelle]

Gosh, that is awhile back now. I used to love watching WSC. It put some excitement back into cricket. I think WSC I think Max Walker.

And as for the famous tune - it is a classic and will always be remembered.

[The Coon Dog]

I even liked the logo:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/5907/untitledav2.jpg

I got this from Wikipedia.

The Players

Australia: Ian Chappell (captain), Greg Chappell, Rick McCosker, Ian Davis, David Hookes, Doug Walters, Rod Marsh, Ray Bright, Dennis Lillee, Max Walker, Len Pascoe, Bruce Laird, Martin Kent, Rob Langer, Wayne Prior, Gary Gilmour, Ross Edwards, Richie Robinson, Kepler Wessels, Mick Malone, Ian Redpath, Trevor Chappell, Kerry O'Keeffe, Jeff Thomson, Graeme Watson, Graham McKenzie, Ashley Mallett, Dennis Yagmich.

Rest of the World: Tony Greig (captain), Alan Knott, Derek Underwood, Denis Amiss, Bob Woolmer, John Snow (England); Mike Procter, Barry Richards, Clive Rice, Garth Le Roux, Eddie Barlow (South Africa); Mushtaq Mohammad, Javed Miandad, Asif Iqbal, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan, Haroon Rashid, Sarfraz Nawaz, Taslim Arif (Pakistan).

West Indies: Clive Lloyd (captain), Roy Fredericks, Gordon Greenidge, Michael Holding, Viv Richards, Jim Allen, Collis King, Derek Murray, David Holford, Andy Roberts, Wayne Daniel, Lawrence Rowe, Joel Garner, Albert Padmore, Desmond Haynes, Richard Austin, Colin Croft, Bernard Julien, Rohan Kanhai, Lance Gibbs.

Who is Dennis Yagmich???


There is lots of info on WSC here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Series_Cricket