Australian cricketer Beth Mooney came within touching distance of becoming the first centurion in the Hundred women’s competition on Friday, scoring an unbeaten 97 against last year’s runners-up Southern Brave in Southampton.
Fresh off her triumphant Commonwealth Games campaign, the 28-year-old smacked the highest score in the 100-ball tournament’s short history on her London Spirit debut, guiding the side to 4/155 in front of 9000 spectators at the Ageas Bowl.
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Mooney needed nothing less than a six off the final delivery to reach triple figures, but the left-hander could only muster a two.
Birmingham Phoenix young gun Will Smeed remains the only cricketer to have scored a century in The Hundred, achieving the feat against the Brave in the men’s competition on Wednesday.
Mooney, who passed 50 in just 32 deliveries, struck 17 boundaries in the 55-ball demolition, combining with New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr for an 87-run second-wicket partnership.
But the Queenslander’s heroics weren’t enough for the Spirit to secure victory, with the Brave chasing the 156-run target with six deliveries to spare, courtesy of a 34-ball 65 from Player of the Match Danni Wyatt.
It was the English opener’s third half-century in The Hundred.
“I’m really happy to have contributed to a win and just to get the win on the board is really pleasing,” Wyatt told Sky Sports after the six-wicket win.
“My job at the top is to go out there and be brave and fearless, and if it’s in my area go for it.
“It’s a great start. Beth Mooney batted exceptionally today and we knew it was going to take one of us to go out there and do what she did.”
Australian leg-spinner Amanda Jade-Wellington, the Brave’s highest-wicket taker last year, was the pick of the bowlers on Friday, claiming 3/30 from her 20 deliveries.
Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole continued: “Beth Mooney was outstanding, and she makes you feel as a captain and a bowler you don’t have a clue where to put your fielders out. But Danni showed what a good track it was, and I’m really pleased to get a win.
“We go again against Oval on Sunday. It’sa quick turnaround and it’s quite a warm few days as well, but it’s exciting.”
Highest Individual Score in the Hundred women’s competition
97* – Beth Mooney, LS vs. SB (2022)
92* – Jemimah Rodrigues, NS vs. WF (2021)
78 – Smriti Mandhana, SB vs. WF (2021)
76* – Shafali Verma, BP vs. WF (2021)
76 – Rachael Priest, TR vs. LS (2021)
Mooney was a crucial member of the Australian team that won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham last week, scoring 61 (41) against India in the final at Edgbaston.
She was the T20 tournament’s highest run-scorer with 179 runs at 44.75 and a strike rate of 133.58.
Mooney currently sits at No. 1 on the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings, narrowly ahead of Australian teammate Meg Lanning and New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.
The Spirit will next face the Northern Superchargers at Headingley on Sunday, with the first ball scheduled for 8pm AEST.
Salman Rushdie remained hospitalized in serious condition Saturday after being stabbed at a literary event in New York state in a shocking assault that triggered widespread international outrage, but drew applause from hardliners in Iran and Pakistan.
The British author, who spent years under police protection after Iranian leaders ordered his killing, underwent emergency surgery and was placed on a ventilator in a Pennsylvania hospital following Friday’s assault. His agent said he will likely lose an eye.
“Salman Rushdie — with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced — stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience,” Biden said in a statement.
On Friday, a 24-year-old man from New Jersey, Hadi Matar, rushed the stage where Rushdie was about to deliver a lecture and stabbed him in the neck and abdomen.
Beyond Rushdie’s eye injury, the nerves in one of his arms were severed and his liver was damaged, according to his agent Andrew Wylie.
The fatwa followed publication of the novel “The Satanic Verses,” which sparked fury among some Muslims who believed it was blasphemous.
“For whatever it was, eight or nine years, it was quite serious,” he told a Stern correspondent in New York.
– Assailant raised in US –
Security was not particularly tight at Friday’s event at the Chautauqua Institution, which hosts arts programs in a tranquil lakeside community near Buffalo.
Matar’s family apparently came from a border village called Yaroun in southern Lebanon.
Matar was “born and raised in the US,” the head of the local municipality, Ali Qassem Tahfa, told AFP.
“I was very happy to hear the news,” said Mehrab Bigdeli, a man in his 50s studying to become a Muslim cleric.
In Pakistan, a spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan –- a party that has staged violent protests against what it deems to be anti-Muslim blasphemy — said Rushdie “deserved to be killed.”
British leader Boris Johnson said he was “appalled,” while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attack “reprehensible” and “cowardly.”
– Write memoir in hiding –
But his 1988 book “The Satanic Verses” transformed his life. The resulting fatwa forced him into nearly a decade in hiding, moving houses repeatedly and being unable to tell even his children of him where he lived.
Since moving to New York, Rushdie has been an outspoken advocate of freedom of speech and has continued writing — including a memoir, “Joseph Anton,” named after his alias while in hiding.
Australian leg-spinner Alana King paid tribute to the late Shane Warne in epic fashion, becoming the first female to take a hat-trick in The Hundred as Trent Rockets defeated Manchester Originals by 43 runs.
King finished figures of 4-15 from 20 deliveries, took a spectacular diving catch and was also handy with the bat in hand, scoring 19 from nine balls.
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Alana King of Trent Rockets celebrates dismissing Kate Cross. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
speaking to Sky Cricket post-match, a classy King was just happy to get the win.
“Pretty special but as I said, I’m here to do my job for the team and I’m glad it came off today,” she said.
“It was a fresh wicket today, it was a bit dry and hoping there was some spin and there was. Stoked to get the win and happy I can contribute.”
It was a particularly special performance for King, who made history on the same ground that Warne bowled the ball of the century in the 1993 Ashes series.
“I hope he’s looking down and pretty proud that I’ve spun a few today,” King said.
“Just a special place Old Trafford.”
Alana King did Shane Warne proud. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Earlier, Australian cricketer Beth Mooney came within touching distance of becoming the first centurion in the Hundred women’s competition on Friday, scoring an unbeaten 97 against last year’s runners-up Southern Brave in Southampton.
Fresh off her triumphant Commonwealth Games campaign, the 28-year-old smacked the highest score in the 100-ball tournament’s short history on her London Spirit debut, guiding the side to 4/155 in front of 9000 spectators at the Ageas Bowl.
Mooney needed nothing less than a six off the final delivery to reach triple figures, but the left-hander could only muster a two.
Birmingham Phoenix young gun Will Smeed remains the only cricketer to have scored a century in The Hundred, achieving the feat against the Brave in the men’s competition on Wednesday.
Mooney, who passed 50 in just 32 deliveries, struck 17 boundaries in the 55-ball demolition, combining with New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr for an 87-run second-wicket partnership.
But the Queenslander’s heroics weren’t enough for the Spirit to secure victory, with the Brave chasing the 156-run target with six deliveries to spare, courtesy of a 34-ball 65 from Player of the Match Danni Wyatt.
It was the English opener’s third half-century in The Hundred.
Beth Mooney of the London Spirit. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“I’m really happy to have contributed to a win and just to get the win on the board is really pleasing,” Wyatt told Sky Sports after the six-wicket win.
“My job at the top is to go out there and be brave and fearless, and if it’s in my area go for it.
“It’s a great start. Beth Mooney batted exceptionally today and we knew it was going to take one of us to go out there and do what she did.”
Australian leg-spinner Amanda Jade-Wellington, the Brave’s highest-wicket taker last year, was the pick of the bowlers on Friday, claiming 3/30 from her 20 deliveries.
Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole continued: “Beth Mooney was outstanding, and she makes you feel as a captain and a bowler you don’t have a clue where to put your fielders out. But Danni showed what a good track it was, and I’m really pleased to get a win.
“We go again against Oval on Sunday. It’sa quick turnaround and it’s quite a warm few days as well, but it’s exciting.”
Highest Individual Score in the Hundred women’s competition
97* – Beth Mooney, LS vs. SB (2022)
92* – Jemimah Rodrigues, NS vs. WF (2021)
78 – Smriti Mandhana, SB vs. WF (2021)
76* – Shafali Verma, BP vs. WF (2021)
76 – Rachael Priest, TR vs. LS (2021)
Mooney was a crucial member of the Australian team that won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham last week, scoring 61 (41) against India in the final at Edgbaston.
She was the T20 tournament’s highest run-scorer with 179 runs at 44.75 and a strike rate of 133.58.
Mooney currently sits at No. 1 on the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings, narrowly ahead of Australian teammate Meg Lanning and New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.
The Spirit will next face the Northern Superchargers at Headingley on Sunday, with the first ball scheduled for 8pm AEST.
Chris Hemsworth enjoyed a day out in Byron Bay to celebrate his 39th birthday on Friday.
The Thor star headed out with his three children and wife Elsa Pataky for brunch before she went walking with friends, including Luciana Barroso.
Actor Chris opted for casual cool in an all black outfit as he played the doting dad, cuddling up to his daughter India, ten.
Chris Hemsworth enjoyed a day out in Byron Bay to celebrate his 39th birthday on Friday
At one point, he had one of his twin boys Sasha, eight, clinging to his back in a big hug before the family’s food arrived.
Meanwhile, Elsa, 46, opted for white jeans and a gray jumper which she sweetly shared with son Tristan.
She wore the same outfit as she went for a stroll with Matt Damon’s wife Luciana, 46, and a group of friends.
Hollywood hunk Matt, 51, is enjoying a relaxing family holiday with his wife in a New South Wales resort while the couple spend time with the Hemsworth family.
The Thor star headed out with his three children and wife Elsa Pataky for brunch before she went walking with friends, including Luciana Barroso
Actor Chris opted for casual cool in an all black outfit as he played the doting dad, cuddling up to his daughter India, ten
At one point, he had one of his twin boys Sasha, eight, clinging to his back in a big hug before the family’s food arrived
Meanwhile, Elsa, 46, opted for white jeans and a gray jumper which she sweetly shared with son Tristan
She wore the same outfit as she went for a stroll with Matt Damon’s wife Luciana, 46, and a group of friends
Hollywood hunk Matt, 51, is enjoying a relaxing family holiday with his wife in a New South Wales resort while the couple spend time with the Hemsworth family
Chris pictured listening intently to his wife Elsa
It comes as Elsa graced the internet with a photo of Chris seemingly nude in the bath with a parrot on his head on Thursday.
The Spanish model and actress shared the snap to celebrate Chris’ birthday.
‘Happy birthday to my favorite parrot trainer, kids handler and wife tamer,’ she captioned the Instagram post.
It comes as Elsa graced the internet with a photo of Chris seemingly nude in the bath with a parrot on his head on Thursday
The Spanish model and actress shared the snap to celebrate Chris’ birthday
‘Happy birthday to my favorite parrot trainer, kids handler and wife tamer,’ she captioned the Instagram post
The Hemsworth boys appeared to have taken their father’s boisterous side as Sasha climbed over the dinner table and Tristan got inside his mother’s jumper
She continued, ‘There’s nothing you can’t do. We love you to the moon and back,’ before writing more in Spanish.
Elsa uploaded the photo alongside two others, including one of the Thor star wrestling with their three children.
The third picture was a black and white still from Thor: Love and Thunder, in which Elsa cameoed as a ‘wolf woman’ who was a former lover to Chris’ character.
She continued, ‘There’s nothing you can’t do. We love you to the moon and back,’ before writing more in Spanish
Elsa uploaded the photo alongside two others, including one of the Thor star wrestling with their three children
Chris and Elsa boast one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood, but some fans may not know the pair actually tied the knot just three months after going public as a couple in 2010.
The actor hasn’t been shy about discussing his rushed nuptials, telling Good Morning Britain in 2016 that it was a spur of the moment decision.
‘It did happen quick and it just felt right, it made sense,’ Chris told the show when quizzed on how fast his relationship with Elsa progressed.
The third picture was a black and white still from Thor: Love and Thunder, in which Elsa cameoed as a ‘wolf woman’ who was a former lover to Chris’ character
Chris and Elsa boast one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood, but some fans may not know the pair actually tied the knot just three months after going public as a couple in 2010
The actor hasn’t been shy about discussing his rushed nuptials, telling Good Morning Britain in 2016 that it was a spur of the moment decision
The lovebirds started dating in early 2010, and they tied the knot in a low-key ceremony in December that year.
‘There was no great plan to any of it to be honest. We were on holiday and we said, ‘Why don’t we get married too?’ And then the next minute… There probably should have been some planning but it all worked out,’ he mused.
‘Honestly, we had both our families on holiday at the same time, just randomly, and we said this is a good opportunity with everyone together so we just did it.’
‘It did happen quick and it just felt right, it made sense,’ Chris told the show when quizzed on how fast his relationship with Elsa progressed
Together with their children, they now reside in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay.
Last year, Elsa revealed the surprising secret behind her enduring marriage was laughter.
‘We enjoy doing the same stuff and Chris has a great sense of humor and knows how to take the sting out of things,’ she told Hello! magazine.
Together with their children, they now reside in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay
Disney has overtaken Netflix in the global race for streaming customers. But there’s a catch. Actually, there are many catches.
The headline numbers are that Disney as an entertainment megalith now has 221.1 million subscriptions to Netflix’s 220.6 million accounts.
While that looks like Disney has surpassed Netflix in the streaming wars, that 221.1 million number is a combined figure of Disney+ customers as well as US services Hulu and ESPN. Netflix only has the one brand so it’s not a like-for-like comparison.
Of that total figure, Disney+, which launched in late-2019, has amassed 152.1 million subscribers worldwide. It increased its membership by 14.4 million subscribers, more than the 10 million that was forecast.
That’s catch number one in the Disney versus Netflix narrative.
The more revealing asterisk comes when you drill down into the numbers around average revenue per user (ARPU), as industry publication Variety you have donated
ARPU is an important measure for finance types because it reflects how much each customer is worth to a business. The higher the ARPU, the more money each customer is spending with the business.
According to Variety, Disney’s ARPU in the US and Canada was $US6.27 per customer per month compared to Netflix’s $US15.95 for the same region. Disney’s subscription price in the US and Canada is significantly lower than Netflix’s.
The difference in ARPU is even more glaring in India and Southeast Asia where Disney is only making $US1.20 per month to Netflix’s $US8.83 in APAC.
While it may seem like ARPU is something that investors and money people care about, ultimately it will affect audiences.
In a bid to increase that ARPU, there’s currently a lot of movement around pricing.
Disney has announced US prices for Disney+ will increase by 38 per cent in December, from $US7.99 to $US10.99 per month, at the same time as the introduction of an ad-supported membership tier which will be priced at $US7 .99.
Disney+ will roll out the ad-supported option globally in 2023.
In Australia, Disney+ is priced at $11.99 a month. It launched at $8.99 a month but increased the cost in February 2021 when it added the Star sub-brand to its platform.
Locally, Star houses Disney’s more adult-oriented programming and includes many of the exclusive movies and shows that are made for Hulu in the US. This has included series such as dopesick, WeCrashed and the upcoming critical sensation Bear.
Netflix will also introduce an ad-supported membership tier from 2023.
Netflix had previously eschewed introducing advertising on its platform with co-chief executive and co-founder Reed Hastings rejecting the idea.
The company did an about-face in April when it revealed it had for the first time in a decade gone backwards in its subscription numbers.
An ad-supported tier is one of two main tactics Netflix is deploying to arrest its declining membership. A cheaper subscription option could be attractive to existing and potential customers feeling the pinch of global economic and inflationary pressures.
And advertising revenue from brands may increase Netflix and Disney’s ARPU.
Netflix’s other plank in boosting its subscriber numbers is to crackdown on password, a common practice which is a violation of its terms and conditions but is done by 100 million of its customers.
Netflix is trialling two forms of a crackdown in smaller territories in Latin America, both of which means charging customers an extra fee for sharing their login details beyond their residence.
The American streaming market is going through a tumultuous period due to increased competition and economic conditions.
Earlier this month, Warner Bros Discovery announced it will combine its two streaming services, HBO Max and Discovery+ following its merger. The Warner Bros Discovery move could signal the long-awaited consolidation many in the industry have flagged for some time.
In Australia, there are more than a dozen paid streaming platforms, ranging from broad appeal brands such as Binge*, Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime Video to niche products such as Shudder, Hayu and Shelter.
According to Roy Morgan data published in February, 74.5 per cent of Australians accessed a subscription video-on-demand platform across an average of four weeks in the three months to December 2021, an increase of 2.5 per cent.
The most popular service remains Netflix, followed by Foxtel Group*, which owns Foxtel, Binge, Kayo and Flash.
Roy Morgan estimated Australians use on average 2.7 subscription video-on-demand services, up from 1.8 a year earlier.
*Foxtel Group is majority owned by News Corp, publisher of this website
Does she EVER age? Makeup free Elsa Pataky, 46, looks years younger as she lands in Byron Bay for her husband Chris Hemsworth’s 39th birthday with her daughter for her India Rose via private jet
By Jimmy Briggs For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky and their daughter India Rose arrived in Byron Bay on Thursday just in time to celebrate the Thor star’s 39th birthday.
The pair landed by private jet at Ballina Airport, and the Spanish actress looked excited to be soon reunited with her hunky husband.
The glamorous star sported a casual look, wearing a baggy white top, cream trousers and a black wide brim hat.
Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky and their daughter India Rose arrived in Byron Bay on Thursday just in time to celebrate the Thor star’s 39th birthday
The Covid conscious star was also wearing a face mask draped around her chin and accessorized her look with a gold pendant necklace.
Makeup free she looked half her age and she left her hair out in natural waves.
Elsa was carrying three large bags as she walked down the runway, one of which may have contained the birthday boy’s present.
It comes after Elsa recently enjoyed a trip to Bali.
During the vacation, she posted some racy videos of herself dancing in a string bikini at a poolside resort.
The pair landed by private jet at Ballina Airport, and the Spanish actress looked excited to be soon reunited with her hunky husband
Meanwhile, Chris’ personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared a birthday tribute to the actor by posting to Instagram some never before seen embarrassing snaps of a pre-fame Chris.
In one photo, a teenage Chris is seen with acne and daggy hair while dolled up in a tuxedo to attend his school formal.
Chris paid his own tribute on Instagram to Elsa last month for her 46th birthday.
The glamorous star sported a casual look, wearing a baggy white top, cream trousers and a black wide brim hat
Elsa was carrying three large bags as she walked down the runway, one of which may have contained the birthday boy’s present
The Hollywood star shared a precious photo of the pair, which showed a very buff Chris sitting on her petite lap while sharing a laugh on the set of his movie Thor: Love and Thunder.
I thanked Elsa for ‘always being my rock to sit on but way comfier.’
The couple share three children together, daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8.
Chris Hemsworth ‘s long-time personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared some awkward throwback photos of the Thor star to mark the Hollywood star’s 39th birthday – including this embarrassing school formal photo
Chris paid tribute to his wife of eleven years, Elsa Pataky, on her 46th birthday on July 18
The Thor star was seen taking his children for an afternoon surf at a Byron Bay beach on Wednesday.
The actor’s daughter, India, nine, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, both eight, were seen running down the beach with surfboards tucked under their arms.
Daddy daycare! Chris Hemsworth was seen taking his children for an afternoon surf at a Byron Bay beach on Wednesday.
The four, all dressed in black wetsuits, started their adventure running headlong into the sea.
Later, they swapped their surfboards out for kickboards for some more in-the-water fun.
At one point, Chris appeared to help a young surfer out of a rip before directing her to a safer part of the beach as she lugged her large surfboard.
A while after, India was seen clinging to her father’s back as they waded through the shallows, looking for the next swell.
Hunk: Chris showed off her muscular physique in a skintight wetsuit
Warm up: Chris ran on the sand as he warmed up for his surf
Mini-month: The actor’s daughter, India, nine, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, both eight, were seen running down the beach with surfboards tucked under their arms. (Pictured: India, right, and one of the twins)
Siblings: India ran into the sea with one of her younger brothers
Towards the end of the afternoon, the hunky actor swept his daughter up into his arms and carried her out of the sea after a wave crashed into the two of them.
Chris shares her three children with his wife Elsa Pataky whom he married in 2010.
The family resides in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay.
Thor to the rescue! At one point, Chris appeared to help a young surfer out of a rip before directing her to a safer part of the beach as she lugged her large surfboard
Advice: India looked up to her dad as he gave her surfing advice
Proud: Chris proudly watched over one of his young ones as they ran straight for the water
Last month, Chris said he is working on more and more films in Australia.
‘My focus ever since I had any sway was to shoot here in Australia due to, on a personal level, being at home with my family, but also because of the awareness that I had about what was possible here when it comes to the talent ,’ I told The Daily Telegraph.
Chris made his latest film, the Netflix science fiction drama Spiderhead, in Queensland.
Fun in the sea: Later they swapped their surfboards out for kickboards for some more in-the-water fun
Piggyback: India was seen clinging to her father’s back as they waded through the shallows, looking for the next swell
Cute: Chris gave his daughter a piggy-back ride
This is how it is done! Chris looked determined as he caught a wave
Close watch: Chris kept an eagle eye on India as she struggled with her kickboard
Just like dad: She tried to catch a wave just like her father
His production company, Wild State Productions, brought Thor 3 and 4, Extraction 1 and 2, Spiderhead and Interceptor to film in Australia, the paper reported.
‘Life is sweet. It is great and I couldn’t be happier,’ Chris added.
‘If you had said or asked me 10 years ago where I would like to be, this is it.’
Cuddles: Towards the end of the afternoon outing, the hunky actor swept his daughter up into his arms and carried her out of the sea after a wave crashed into the two of them
Family: Chris shares the three Hemsworth kids with his wife Elsa Pataky whom he married in 2010
Home: The family resides in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay
After winning a seventh-straight gold medal in the men’s hockey at the Commonwealth Games, it must be asked: are the Kookaburras the greatest team to ever perform on this stage?
Put nationalism and individual events to the side for a moment. For sheer excellence and dominance sustained over the history of the Commonwealth Games, it’s hard to argue that any other team across any sport, comes close.
In Birmingham, the Kookas’ juggernaut rolled on with a thumping 7-0 win over India in the gold medal match.
The Kookaburras stand triumphant with their gold medals.(Getty Images: Elsa)
It all started in Kuala Lumpur 1998, when hockey was brought into the Games. There, the Kookaburras dropped a pool stage match to South Africa.
It remains the only game they’ve ever lost.
That’s a total of 41 out of 42 matches won over 24 years, scoring 33 goals and conceding two in the seven gold medal deciders.
“It’s a great team dynasty, really proud of the history that we have,” co-captain Aran Zalewski said.
“Every team that comes is a different team, new venue, new players, a lot of first time Commonwealth Games guys here, second time Commonwealth Games guys, so we know that we have to come out and perform, and we pride ourselves on performing well here.”
But the Kookas are more than just a series of impressive stats.
With such a crowded sporting scene in Australia, we sometimes don’t appreciate the full spectrum of talent we have across a whole range of sports, including hockey, which only tends to attract mainstream attention at the Olympics or Commonwealth Games.
But it’s time we actually sit back and fully appreciate what the Kookaburras have brought to men’s hockey, and Australian sport, over the last two decades – and the path this current generation is forging.
“We really just enjoy being on tour and spending time together, and I think that’s the best thing about this team,” Zalewski said.
“Good harmony, and we all want to challenge each other. It’s not all roses, we have to get the best out of each other and raise the tension at times.
“And we do that, and we’ve got a level of respect and trust and value that allows us to do that.”
Near flawless final caps off seventh heaven
The casual observer could look at the 7-0 score line in the final and think it was an easy romp.
But India is one of the best teams in the world – having won bronze at last year’s Tokyo Olympics – while the Kookas memorably claimed silver in a penalty shootout heartbreaker.
The reality is the Australians didn’t let India get into any flow, stifling them from the opening whistle in a masterful performance. It was an emphatic statement after they were nearly knocked out in the semis by England.
The crowning moment was the second goal – perfection for purists, as the Kookaburras whizzed out of danger on the edge of their circle, with six players involved in beautiful interplay, finished off by a Nathan Ephraums tap in.
The Aussies responded to their slim semi-final win over England by putting five past India in the opening two quarters.(Getty Images: Elsa)
The defense was just as entertaining to watch as the goal fest. When caught in their quarter, which wasn’t often, they played patiently, backing their skills to slip through a crowd of Indian players, and getting out of trouble.
Even while leading 5-0 and the game already won, Matt Dawson thrust himself in the line of fire to block an Indian shot.
It was characteristic of every player’s effort in the decider: they play hard, they play every ball, and they play to win every single moment, no matter the score.
Ockenden wins his fourth gold medal
It may sometimes seem unfair to single out individuals after any performance in a team sport, but when it comes to the Kookaburras for the past 16 years co-captain Eddie Ockenden has been at the center of it all.
He now joins former skipper Mark Knowles with four Commonwealth Games golds.
Ockenden made his international debut for the Kookaburras in 2006.(AAP: Brendon Thorne)
“I’m really proud to have that, and it’s really good part of our history but it’s our team now, it’s our time,” Ockenden said.
“I’m just incredibly proud to have played with some of the guys I played with across all those four and just incredible friends, great teammates, great players.”
Zalewski says Ockenden is a much-loved member of the team.
“The best thing about Eddie we can draw on so many experiences. And just having someone that’s so calm under pressure, such a humble guy and just such a good fella, really.”
In Birmingham, he remained a bedrock in defence, the cool head needed in all situations, and at these Games he was not only a leader of the Kookas, but the unofficial captain of the entire Australian team, as the opening ceremony flag-bearer.
Ockenden (right) was Australia’s flag-bearer alongside Rachael Grinham at the Birmingham Opening Ceremony.(ABC News: West Matteussen)
He’s not comfortable with the spotlight remaining solely on him though, preferring to praise the players who have come in, particularly in the wake of major changes following the Rio 2016 Olympics where they finished sixth.
“The way we didn’t stagnate or drop even when we had new guys, we really improved surprisingly quickly and got to that amazing level, and I even think Tokyo last year, that was just the start.”
Australia’s all-time games record holder continues to rack up the caps: he’s now just a few shy of 400, and at 35, he doesn’t look like stopping any time soon.
“I’m feeling really good and fit, I’m just going to give myself a chance to make the squads and push for the team because it’s really tight for spots and it’s an incredible squad that we’ve got,” he said.
“There’s a lot of guys back in Perth [where the team is based] that could be here today, so it’s a really tight squad and I’ll just keep putting my name forward and doing my best.”
While Comm Games are nice, the Olympics are the ultimate prize for hockey players, and Ockenden hasn’t managed gold on that stage yet.
Paris is only two years away – so will he be there?
“Now you say ‘yeah, I’d like to go’, but it’s a bit more into it than that,” he said.
“It’s hard leaving my family all the time. You have to make sure your body is good, and your form is good, and then I think we’ll just see how it goes.”
And if the Kookaburras can continue building to gold in Paris, with Ockenden at the helm, that could take them from Commonwealth Games legends to Australian sporting immortality.
The family of a South Australian man who died while waiting for an ambulance on Monday night says the state’s health system is ‘broken’.
Key points:
Andrew died on Monday evening from cardiac arrest while waiting 42 minutes for an ambulance
His family remembers him as a loving father of two and says the system needs to be fixed
The state government says people should still call triple-0 in an emergency
The 47-year-old father of two, Andrew, died from cardiac arrest on Monday evening in a Plympton car park, where he had pulled over and called an ambulance after experiencing chest pain.
At the request of the family, the ABC has decided not to publish a picture of him or use his last name.
His family remembers Andrew as a “much-loved” partner, friend, family man and colleague.
Nathan Hutchison, the brother of Andrew’s partner, read a statement on his behalf.
“My partner Andrew was my soul mate and loving father to our children, my heart has been torn in two and I feel broken,” the statement said.
Nathan Hutchison says the health system needs to be fixed. (ABCNews )
“He’s going to be deeply missed, but will always be remembered and very much loved.
“We are devastated he’s been taken so soon.”
Mr Hutchison said that the system needed to be fixed.
“It’s just devastating for us,” he said.
“It’s very hard to put it in words, clearly there’s a system that’s broken and needs to be fixed.
The man suffering chest pain called triple-0 after pulling over on Anzac Highway at Plympton. (ABC NewsEvelyn Manfield )
“It’s tearing up my family. Fix the system.
“We do appreciate the work the first responders did when they arrived, and the community members did when they were there.”
Central Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Lesley Dwyer described the “awful” incident as “an absolutely tragic outcome” and said a full investigation would take place.
TAFE SA chief executive David Coltman said Andrew had been a well-loved member of staff.
“[He] was a highly regarded manager at TAFE SA and we are deeply saddened by his sudden passing,” he said.
“TAFE SA is providing support to [his] colleagues during this difficult time and we extend our heartfelt condolences to [his] Familia.”
Lesley Dwyer says discharging NDIS and aged care patients to free up hospital beds remains a priority.(ABCNews)
Acting Health Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the man’s death was “horrific” and said he would also want his elderly father to call him if he had a medical episode.
“I’ve got an elderly father and I say to him, ‘if something happens, call an ambulance and call me’,” he said.
“But that’s not the solution you’d expect in a first-world country.
“In a first-world country, we expect an ambulance to come on time when it’s [a] life-threatening situation.”
Tom Koutsantonis urges the public to still call triple-0 in an emergency. (ABC News: Shari Hams)
Mr Koutsantonis said there had been a “whole-of-government” approach to address the health crisis, which included hiring more doctors and nurses, opening private beds, and moving aged care and NDIS patients out of hospital and into care.
“You gotta have faith. We still want people calling triple-0,” he said.
“In three months we’ve done a lot but in three months you can’t fix it.
“Right now there’s no-one in South Australia who’s thinking about this in political terms, they are thinking about in terms of ‘if I call an ambulance will it come in time to save my father, my mother, my child?'”
‘extreme pressure’
Ms Dwyer said the health system was “under extreme pressure on Monday afternoon with large numbers of triple-0 calls.”
“The hospitals themselves had come off a weekend where we’d been extremely busy,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.
Ambulance crews were ramped up at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for three hours on Monday, the union says.(ABC News: Che Chorley)
“And so you had two of the major metropolitan hospitals, being Flinders and the Royal Adelaide, that were really struggling to get people into the emergency department in a timely way to free up ambulances.”
SA Best MLC Frank Pangallo said he was unsure what a government inquiry would achieve “because we all know where it’s going wrong.”
“The system is broken and more people are likely to die unless something happens,” he said.
Mr Pangallo said Andrew’s death was a “tragedy, and most likely was an avoidable one”.
“We’re likely to see instances like this again,” he said.
“Waiting times have blown out to unacceptable levels.”
Frank Pangallo wrote to Health Minister Chris Picton last week about a different patient.(ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
Mr Pangallo said he wrote to Health Minister Chris Picton last week about a different patient who had waited two hours for an ambulance after suffering a heart attack.
“There was another tragedy that was averted,” he said.
Mr Pangallo said his office had been told by a member of the public yesterday that a taxi had been dispatched when a triple-0 call was made.
“A family member had called for an ambulance and it wasn’t considered a high priority so a taxi was dispatched,” he said.
“I’ve heard of this happening previously as well.”
Plan alternative options, says union
SA Ambulance Employees Association secretary Leah Watkins said yesterday that South Australians should consider planning alternative options in the event of lengthy ambulance delays.
Leah Watkins says South Australians should prepare a plan for what to do in the event of a lengthy ambulance delay.(ABCNews)
“In the vast majority, people are calling triple-0 because they’re in a point of crisis and they have no other option and they should still do that if they do feel the need,” she said.
“But the ambulance service and the health system is completely overwhelmed at the moment and so if they are concerned that there is going to be a delay for them, to get help early.
“If you’re home alone, call a neighbor or a friend just to let them know what’s going on so that there’s perhaps someone that could come over and wait with you or someone that can drive you to hospital yourself.
Lesley Dwyer said while “there was nothing wrong” with Ms Watkins’ advice, “people should not be frightened of ringing” triple-0, and it should be the “first port of call” in an emergency.
“We’d certainly not advocate people hopping in a car or a taxi if they thought they had a life-threatening condition or one that was going to deteriorate on the way,” she said.
Australia captain Meg Lanning will take indefinite leave from cricket effective immediately, Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday.
The announcement comes just days after Australia won gold at the Commonwealth Games.
A Cricket Australia statement said Lanning will take leave due to “personal reasons”, and has withdrawn from the upcoming Hundred, where she was due to play with Trent Rockets.
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Maxwell suffers back injury during win | 01:26
“After a busy couple of years, I’ve made the decision to take a step back to enable me to spend time focusing on myself,” Lanning said in the statement.
“I’m grateful for the support of CA and my teammates and ask that my privacy is respected during this time.”
CA Head of Performance, Women’s Cricket, Shawn Flegler said: “We’re proud of Meg for acknowledging that she needs a break and will continue to support her during this time.
“She’s been an incredible contributor to Australian cricket over the last decade, achieving remarkable feats both individually and as part of the team, and has been a brilliant role model for young kids.
“The welfare of our players is always our number one priority, and we’ll continue to work with Meg to ensure she gets the support and space she needs.”
