Thursday, March 26, 2009

30 years ago tomorrow


We had a look at the unauthorised biography of Kim Hughes for Australian Rules: check it out here.

We're not as level-headed as Football Therapist Les Everett: we know he would have excised any mention of the Rottnest incident in the review.

It was the rest day of Australia versus Pakistan at the WACA: 28 March 1979. The Golden Boy made a paltry 9 in his team's first innings. On the rest day some reporters had gone to the beautiful island to fish; most of the players headed there too. Journo Mike Coward was working in his Travelodge Motel room.

"Catch of the day came to him. 'Oh,' said the maid, 'nice old bunfight last night.'"

A party attended by players from both teams was a "ripper". Beer bottles saild from balconies, a car was damaged, a motel door busted.

As you may now, what happens within the team often stays within the team - but the pre-Rotto party was different. The cops had been called.

"But once the police were involved you knew you had a responsibility, because if suddenly there was a court appearance and you hadn't done your job properly you'd be in more trouble than the early settlers," Coward told Christian Ryan.

Marvellous stuff. Australia won the Test by seven wickets.

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