Dear Aussies....

[X-ray]

@ Toy Boy

Ja, it is. And like many of the Dutch-derivative 'delicasies' it is really nice. There is a thing called 'skilpadjies' too. The original skilpadjie ('tortoise') is minced liver wrapped in lard, but the version I have is lamb mince and spices, wrapped in a thin layer of beef and cheese (almost like a beef olive). It is like this (puts finger tips together and touches them to mouth, eyes closed)

[X-ray]

Ja, I would like to bowl a skilpadjie or two on 'Freddy' Flintoff's noggin !!!

Go AUSSIES!!!!!!

/me starts pacing up and down, waiting for justice....

[X-ray]

Sports commentator X-ray takes the mic:

X-ray: This is the last ball of the over and McGrath is going to go around the wicket to Flintoff.



X-ray: Unbelievable!! The ball seems to have come apart! Some of it carried to Gilchrist while the rest of it appears to have hit Flintoff on the visor...he's down! I don't know if he's hit it. Have you ever seen anything like this, Geoff?

Geoff Boycott: well Gilchrist definitely thinks Flintoff is out. The Australians are congratulating him already even before Venkat has seen the replay. Flintoff is okay, I think that one surprised him a bit, he's wiping his visor now...let's look at the delivery again-

X-ray: yes, I think McGrath bowled this a bit shorter than the last one and it caught Flintoff off guard. Look how the skilpadjie has impacted the pitch...if you freeze it there, you can see how the beef unravelled slightly...

Boycott: the mince has separated from the outer layer of the skulpakky and Flintoff has found himself facing a two-in-one delivery. Of course it's the outer layer that counts, but he seems to have taken a swing at the mince.



X-ray: I think you're right, Geoff, Flintoff hit the mince and it's gone up into his visor. If you look at it...just there, back a frame...the beef layer touches Flintoff's glove just there. I think he's out, Geoff.

Boycott: Yes, there it is-

< Aussies in the crowd cheer as the red light comes on. Flintoff walks off, shaking his head >

X-ray: He's been given!! Flintoff goes for 17 runs at a time when England needed stability.

< A young Australian girl hands something to Flintoff as he approaches the steps to the dressing room>

Boycott: Isn't that nice to see...one of the young ladies has offered Flintoff a piece of bread to go with the mince in his visor...

[X-ray]

Dear Aussies

What the hell is going on? This isn't cricket, my mates. First two beatings at the hands of the counties and now Bangladesh is giving you the goose.

I sincerely hope you boys sort this out: I spent a lot of money getting this Australian flag tattooed on my arse you know.

Tomorrow I wanna see some real cricket from you lot, okay? I wanna see England go down!

[X-ray]

 :lol:

This isn't about immigrants, old bean, it's about sport...tut tut

[X-ray]

It's not so simple. I don't automatically support any given team based on whether I pledge allegiance to any given country.
For example, back in the day when he was good, if Wayne Ferreira (SA) was playing Tim Henman I would support Henman. Why? Because he is a better sportsman, and I don't like Ferreira because he is sullen and moody. That doen't mean that the South African authorities will be demanding that I relinquish my South African passport, it just means that I am not a fan of Wayne Ferreira.
The same applies to other sports. Just because I support Australia in the cricket against England, doesn't mean they have my automatic support for all other supports, such as swimming for example. It comes down to the team, and whether I like them or not. Just because a team represents a nation in a particular contest, doesn't grant that team 'immunity' from criticism, even from its own citizens.
I'm not a British citizen yet, but when I become one, I'll be looking out for little clauses in the oath that I must swear, just to make sure that I am not automatically expected to support the England cricket team with patriotic fervour.  ;-)

[X-ray]

Well, no, because both Henman and Ferreira have represented their countries (and it is especially in that capacity that I didn't support Ferreira) so your football analogy is not applicable.

Being a national team does not grant you immediate and unquestionable support from citizens or residents. Support is earned (and it can be taken away) otherwise such support would be mandatory or legally enforced.

[X-ray]

"...Would you stop supporting a team you like if they became really really crap?..."
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That's an interesting one. I suppose it would depend how they became crap. If there wasn't any skullduggery involved (remember my boys and their match-fixing shame a few years ago) then I would still support them. Unfortunately there is always the possibility of politics involved when a sport is at national level (quotas, etc) and that can make a team crap.

Here's one for you: would you stop supporting a team/club because it got bought by a foreigner?

[X-ray]

It appears that one of the saffers helped England win today. That's just to get at me, isn't it?  :oops:

[X-ray]

"...Yes, an immigrant that loves his new country!..."
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Country...not necessarily....
The Pound...definitely

Here's another question...surely those saffers must be naturalized British citizens to play for the England team? What I mean is, shouldn't we be calling them 'defectors' instead of immigrants?
I on the other hand am neither, because I have dual South African and Italian citizenship.

[X-ray]

"...Why do you need to bother getting a British passport if you already hold an Italian one? Surely you have all the same rights/benefits/priveleges as a Brit because you have EU citizenship?..."
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Because, contrary to what you may assume about me (based on my attitude towards your cricket team) Britain and I have a mutually beneficial future. Being a British citizen is the most sensible thing for me to do, especially in light of the fact that I am getting more and more involved in forensics and it is only a matter of time before I find myself handling matters of a fairly 'official' nature if you take my meaning.