Tag: South Africa

Cricket’s Abyss


Peter Roebuck is dead? What would a cricket season be like without this venerable source of entertaining commentary? I’d listen to him on ABC every summer and read his columns in the Sydney Morning Herald – and I think I’ve been doing that for maybe 20+ years. In a way, maybe because I read SMH and heard ABC radio commentaries more than followed TV ones, he was an even more omnipresent character than Richie Benaud.

I thought cricket had plumbed the depths after the debacle of Michael Clarke‘s team in the first test in South Africa. Roebuck’s passing feels like cricket would be in an abyss and I have a feeling this summer will be an indeterminably long one.

I was just reading his latest column and he had said a lot can happen in a week. I wonder if he knew just how ominous that sentence could have also sounded.

Rest in peace, Peter Roebuck.

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Cape Town Commitment


The Cape Town Commitment is set out in a 49 page document, something many of us struck with the modern disease of not reading anything more than 120 characters, would probably find a tad too long to plough through.

Perhaps for this reason this summary has been produced and at the least, all Christians, particularly leaders, ought to read. Hopefully we get to the full document as well but this should be the very least start.

Like many Lausanne Movement statements however, this commitment struck a chord with me in every single statement professed.

Why then hasn’t it had more traction here in Australia? Is it because our church scene mimics the American scene somewhat and our idea of global Christianity is really more American/UK/Australian Christianity?

In the context of the diminishing importance of the Christian faith to the society in these countries, this would be most ironic. If we really are attuned to what God is doing in this world today, the Lausanne Movement must be heeded ever more closely than before.

Scot McKnight thinks American churches have become tribal – only thoughts, movements, trends, people who emanate from America mattered to American churches. I often think Australian churches can be equally “tribal” in our ways.

So Long Punter (Ponting retires)


I will always remember the Boxing Day Test match in the MCG in 2005. Ricky Ponting scored centuries in both innings against South Africa and I was there in the MCG in the first inning. A mate rang to ask I come to his barbie but I said I was at the MCG and wouldnt miss what looked like the Punter’s tonne – my first in the G. I’m glad I hung around for the landmark and it was special.

Thanks for the memories, Punter.

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