Osman the person who made the correct prediction was Glenn McGrath. Glenn is amazing with his predictions and at the time he made it, the other ABC radio commentators laughed as Australia looked no chance.
Mr Rudd is a politician who knows there are votes in pretending to like cricket. He struggles when it comes to knowledge. Not like Mr Howard who is a great expert. Not sure how happy I would be if I were him though, to read an article saying he does not need or have any security. Articles like this, although well meaning, create the need for him to have security in my opinion. Things are relaxed here and I hope they stay that way. Enjoy Hobart.

Hi Osman. Yes our politicians are quite accessible. As someone that has run for parliament, I can tell you that most Australians arent overly fussed about politics and if any politician made any fuss about going to a sporting event, most aussies would say "god, who does this guy think he is? Don Bradman?"

Both sides of politics tried to get Bradman to run for them ... neither were successful.

Most aussies leave politics to the politicians and only expect one thing from their pollies ... that they act like aussies!

I think Australia (and New Zealand) are mainly lucky in this regard. I'm sure politicians and royals in other countries would probably prefer to do without the security and freely mingle (maybe some wouldn't but I think most would?). Unfortunately I think the threats are all too real to be ignored in many cases, and we are lucky in Australia to not have such problems.

Australian politicians have to either like sports, or pretend to like sports to ingratiate themselves with the public. John Howard fits in the first category while Rudd is closer to the second.
Australian's are lucky to live in a country where the politicians don't need that kind of security, and the people aren't prepared to pay that much to protect them...

I think the Aussie readers are not getting the essense of Osman's articles. In countries outside of the South Asian subcontinent, politicians are just like other people, some may have security associated to them, but most will have a limited number of security personnel around him. On the other hand, there are millions of cases in Pakistan where politicians just going to their hotel causes a traffic nightmare in megapolises like Karachi and Lahore.

Great observation!!!
The lack of excellence from the teams from the sub-continent and the West Indies has nothing to do with the talented young men that play the games: it is a direct result of the petty administrators, and, the self-importance and shallowness of the political leaders.
Imagine the possibilities if players with the grit and talent of Dravid, Chanderpaul and Miandad were selected fairly and consistently.

osman, point well taken.

except for your uncharacteristic cheerleading of younus, that media-seducer of of no less a calibre than princess di herself, you're right on the penny on most things, especially as they pertain to paki cricket.

on younus, isn't it time to move on after he has repeatedly embarrassed us all by his histrionics? plus, he doesn't seem to be scoring a lot of runs since he was made captain the last time around. further, the team players absolutely loathe him. so, shall we move on, dear osman?

lets learn from the aussies, or even the kiwis, and produce cricketers who have an obsession with victory, like our own imran, akram, or miandad of old. the only one who comes close today is afridi. he is the one who really inspired a team of otherwise sorry specimens to go forth and win the world cup, just like imran did in 1992.

so i say about the new 'mature afridi':

AFRIDI for PREZ!

@Matt: "I'm sure politicians and royals in other countries would probably prefer to do without the security"

Uh, no. It's a massive ego boost, as every politician and ex-polician (and their 3rd cousins) vie for not just security, but "black cat security"!

What it gives you: instant access anywhere, no waiting around in traffic jams (blast the siren and speed along, blocking traffic).

I've never been in Aus/Nz, nice to hear such environment. Lucky people. Actually people had created that environment by choosing fair leaders, like how their pitches are.

yup, I would totally agree with MATT that most of the politicians around the world would not like to have so much circus of security personnels around them. Its not like whether they want it or not, the fact is that they have to do that and accept that. So I think Australia is very lucky in this regard that they dont have to do that.

osman i appreciate ur highly valuable writing and u ve great observation the problem lies not only with our system but infact our mindset people in subcontinent do know to critisize but donot give a true soln. or that i feel that if in future the true talent of pakistan appears than no country can compete with pakistan in present there is a good team of pakistan but there can be 10 more teams like this if u know how to take the good talent believe me i have seen a guy in net practice in pakistan of 32 who havent play even domestic cricket but after chalenging wasim akram on that time he scores 6 sixes on 6 balls but he wasnt given chance at that time in present i only give u suggestion that plz take a new motivated and a good captain who can be a debut but still will be valuable nor yousuf nor younis nor any senior player from pak team

I would like to point out the following things. As a person living in US, I can say that politicians (of national level) are protected here also. We have to understand that the threat level in India and Pakistan is much greater than in Australia. It is good to wish we had similar free mingling politicians.. but then why not wish for better peace , more security and prosperity in India & Pak.

I am an Indian in NZ and was in the crowd at the recent Dunedin test that NZ won. I love the fact that one can, if one wanted to, amble up to important people (who by the way mostly across like any other person) and make light talk. I liked the way people could just go to a small rope barrier that separated the crowds from the cricketers' dugout/pavilion, and just waited a while. Every 15 min or so one of them came out and autographed every bat, ball, or other item held out for the kids. Every one of them got something. Imagine that in India :)

I have heard that former PM Helen Clark dropped in and mingled in the crowd when invited to Indian festivals in Auckland. On several occasions. Imagine that happening in India :)

How do fans know that Rudd doesn't like cricket? He probably enjoys the chance to go along and sit in the commentary box, I know I would jump at it. Well as long as I didn't have to share the same space as Ian Healy.

This post is addressd to Mr.Sammiuddin especially, in regard to an ongoing issue regarding ball-tampering allegations of Saffies. It reminds of the days when Wasim and Waqar used to finsih off the tail of any batting line and rollover and bulldoze the best and finest batting-lines of the world cricket and they used to do it by applying the art of revers-swing which we paki have the honour of bringing it to the daylight for the first time. Now that the english bowlers are at the receving-end they are defending themselves by saying that they have been reverseswinging. So my request was could you not please do an article on this subject in honour of National heros like Wasim and Waqar and unsung one like Sarfaraz,Aqib,Rashid khan and last not the least Imran Khan. As someone said what goes round comes round,for the english bowlers and english press.

hey my advice to all of u out there. stop watching the pakistan team......just take few peeks at em during each match. trust me they d play better. during the melbourne and sydney test whenever one didnt watch the session pakistan dominated and as soon as one thought things were under control and u feel confi of watching em.....dont ask .....so try it maybe it works for u as well for the team....coz they too know that now they have grabbed the attention and ppl are watching em and they become.....whats the word....yeah anxious.....lolz

I think people misunderstand the secuirty we provide our politicans here in oz. to the public it seems that they are walking around without or with minimal security, but trust me there are a lot of men keeping their distance and watch on anything suspicious. A politician who had security all around them here, would be frowned upon, we dont like tall poppy's

Osman further to your article, one of the posters on a news message board I use posted the following message which backs up what you wrote here:

the other day to my surprise in strolls the Rudd family for a meal and a drink at our local pub at Sheffield tassie, he is down here having a well earnt summer break, the pub should did fill up after word got around PM was in having a counter meal, said G'day to him and family wow what nice people they are friendly for a PM even the load of bikers that stopped off for a drink settled in nicely wanting to see the PM.

It is good to see them down here in tassie for a visit they even stroll by a few old wares shops and stopped in to have a chat.

Thanks to the rudd clan for visiting our wonderful part of australia and showing what a down to earth family they really are.

the locals were all a buzz all over town with the PM and family visiting most said shows he likes tassie and the people here.