Ho hum.

It was a difficult enough decision for the ECB to agree to permit their touring team to stay in Karachi during England's coming tour. But now they're being asked to show solidarity with staff of the Karachi Pearl Continental by boycotting that hotel during their time in the city.

According to the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF):

It may be time for the ICC to allow the Power Play to be neutralised by the Super Off Switch, except on those occasions where it is run off the Mega Double Adaptor when the Ultra Fuse Box is not overloaded.

- Gideon Haigh, The Guardian, 6.10.05

I expected that ticket sales would be paltry for the Johnnie Walker Super Series, but I am watching the telecast of the toss in first game at the Telstra Dome, and the stadium looks almost deserted!

Granted that many people will turn up after work, but those stands are almost empty.

An amusing irony to the opening of Channel Nine's telecast today if you recall Mark Nicholas' fond farewell to Richie Benaud on Channel 4's coverage from The Oval just 23 days ago. Lo and behold, there's Mark and Richie on the box again. As if there was any surprise about that.

The following media release from the United Nations last Friday:

Pakistan and India national cricket teams appointed United Nations Spokespersons for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education (IYSPE 2005)

The national cricket teams of Pakistan and India are appointed Spokespersons for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education (IYSPE 2005) in recognition of the outstanding example both teams have set in overcoming regional tension and encouraging peaceful relations.

The Bradman Museum at Bowral is host to a two-day exposition this weekend entitled the Festival of Cricket.

I won't be there, but it looks like a fun two days for everyone, without a single game of cricket being played! ABC Local Radio is broadcasting live from the Festival of Cricket this afternoon (Saturday), you can listen live online by accessing the realaudio stream here. As I speak, they're interviewing Bill Brown.

Thank goodness for the wellbeing of the Australian media that Shane Warne is back on our shores. After all, Aussie politics has been so darn boring over the last couple of weeks...

Warne, who unlike his Hampshire team-mate Kevin Pietersen is a respectable father of three, flew back into Melbourne early this morning. Here's a three-minute MP3 report on Warne's press conference at Tullamarine Airport from the ABC's AM program (the first few seconds sound like the product of sloppy editing).

Just what on Earth is Pietermaritzberg's own Ashes hero, Kevin Pietersen, doing rubbing the proverbial shoulders with the World's Greatest Argument for a 100% Inheritance Tax Herself?

Three items about cricket on America's NPR (National Public Radio) over the past couple of weeks.

Congratulations to Geoff, who won our Ashes and More Test Cricket Tipping Competition, having selected 10 correct results out of the 12 Tests played since mid-July.

Runners-up were: Stu (9), Andrew (8), Ubersportingpundit (6). The final results are here.

Thanks to all who took part. This will be my last tipping competition under the present format, at least until I can source some better software.