Australia 434 for 4 lost to South Africa 438 for 9.

Having not followed the game last night, I awoke with horror at the scoreline on the 7am news on the radio. As Tourism Australia would say, "bloody hell".

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/story/0,,1728691,00.html

Freedom of expression came at a high price for a teenager sent home from school for styling his hair like his cricketing hero Kevin Pietersen. Although Pietersen has now shaved off his trademark hairdo, its punk spirit lives on in 15-year-old Carl Ferris, right, who refused to go back to class after being ordered by teachers to get rid of his "extreme" style.

Congratulations to Andrew and Rachael Flintoff on the birth on Wednesday of their 6lb 14oz baby boy, National Public Radio newsreader and Alaskan mafiosi Corey Flintoff.
With the distinguished American broadcaster's birth coming thirteen days early, His Freddiness celebrated at Mohali on Thursday by winning the toss and scoring 4 not out.

The Marylebone Cricket Club has announced on Thursday the dates and venues for the Ashes tour of Australia in 2006-07:

I've just been fined $100 by two Revenue Protection Officers of the State Transit Authority for travelling on a bus with an invalid ticket. I don't know any further details. The officer confiscated the ticket and refused to tell me how it was invalid. His reply to my repeated requests for details were "You should know what date it expired" and "You should have a better idea of what's on your belongings."

Separation of church and state? What's that? The following resolution was passed by Baulkham Hills Shire Council at their meeting this week:

Rotation Of Earth Plunges Entire North American Continent Into Darkness | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Breaking news from The Onion.

JOHN HOWARD— Militarism and aggression are the foundations of his [Saddam Hussein's] regime. If you doubt this, consider his actions against Iraqi Kurds, against the Shiah majority—particularly the Marshland Arabs. Consider the estimated 400,000 combatants and civilians who lost their lives in the war that followed his invasion of Iran—

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/story/0,,1720845,00.html

At least I'm not flying the flag solo for cricket podcasting any more!

Robert Harvey (who is a great supporter of The Net Sessions) has started The Cover Drive Podcast. One edition so far, an interview with Rediff's (and Sight Screen's) Prem Panicker, recorded during the Third Test between Pakistan and India. An interesting interview, even if some of the current events are now dated. I trust there will be more of The Cover Drive. The website is www.coverdrivepodcast.blogspot.com.