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March 16, 2010

Posted by Brydon Coverdale on 03/16/2010

Exploring neighbourly possibilities


There would be a new twist to the rivalry between Richard Hadlee and the Chappell brothers © Getty Images
 

Flying from Melbourne to Wellington feels more like a domestic trip than an international voyage. Passports are not stamped, accents change only slightly and it’s a shorter flight than from Melbourne to Perth. Even when an Australian settles down in New Zealand, their TV screens show Aussie sights like Eddie McGuire asking million-dollar questions and Kevin Rudd answering queries of his own on parliament question time.

The two countries have their own distinct characteristics but share much more than not. The former New Zealand prime minister Mike Moore once said that Australians and New Zealanders had more in common than New Yorkers and Californians. Some of that goes back to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) of World War I but even earlier, in the 1890s, New Zealand considered joining the soon-to-be Federation of Australia. Even Fiji was in the mix to become a state, while Western Australia was a somewhat reluctant participant.

Obviously New Zealand chose to go its own way and WA joined, although the state did hold a referendum in the 1930s over the possibility of seceding. And that brings me to my point. What if the Federation of Australia featured six states – Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand – while Western Australia remained independent? What would that mean for the sporting landscape?

There would be no Michael Hussey in the Australian cricket team, and in years gone by Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh would have lined up against the baggy-green wearing Jeff Thomson, Greg Chappell and Doug Walters. The Australian side would have enjoyed the benefit of a certain Sir Richard Hadlee, while Daniel Vettori and Shane Warne could have bowled spin in tandem.

The underarm ball, which helped solidify the cricketing antagonism between the two countries, would never have happened. There would be no rivalry between the All Blacks and the Wallabies and the intertwined histories of the two nations’ netball sides would cease to exist. No, it’s better this way. Everyone needs a friendly rival, with whom competition is fierce and comradeship is even stronger. But domestic holidays in Fiji would have been nice.

 
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Comments

Posted by: Dave on 03/18/2010

If the two were a single cricket team Daniel Vettori would be the new Stuart MacGill, not worthy of even having an extra special whinge in Warne's shadow.

Posted by: Nitish on 03/18/2010

I wish the same were true of India-Pakistan.

Posted by: Nitehawk on 03/18/2010

If NZ and Aus has just one team, then this would be their impeccable lineup

RT Ponting*, MJ Clarke, DE Bollinger, PR George, BJ Haddin†, RJ Harris, NM Hauritz, PJ Hughes, MEK Hussey, MG Johnson, SM Katich, CJ McKay, MJ North, SPD Smith, SR Watson
12th Man: D.Vettori

Posted by: essam on 03/19/2010

Absolutely ... :) India-pakistan wud have been equally fierce side... With the greatest hitters n the best bowling attack ever....! And mite be a lil better as well... :) however its JUst "if" in both cases... So wy care to talk about it ...!

Posted by: John on 03/19/2010

This is like wondering what it would be like if the USA and Canada were one...

For one, I wouldn't be surprised if baseball never caught on and Canada (the name would have caught on for the rest of the continent I reckon) would be a Test playing nation...

Posted by: Dingo_starr on 03/19/2010

Yawn...hmmphhh..
A more exciting combo would be that of Netherlands and Denmark combining to form one trans-Vikings XI...I'd pay a dollar to watch 'em lads take it to the uber-intimidated oppositions.
Heck, Kenya-Zimbabwe would have been kickass too...and the most awesome of all would have been, needless to say, the UAE-Afghanistan combo.. Wristy artistic Pak/ Indian discards and NWFP discards dishing it out to bewidered opponents. Wow what a sight it would have been...

Posted by: Tim on 03/20/2010

@Dave and Nitehawk. Haha good one. Daniel Vettori is an overrated cricketer, what an original insult. I guess that's why he's ranked as the #1 ODI bowler in the world, and already going down in history as one of New Zealand's greats. He's also the most prolific number 8 batsman in history, and is only the 8th all-rounder to make it to the prestigious 3000 runs, 300 wickets club. His best bowling figures in tests are 12/149, and 5/7 in ODIs. But yeah, he's rubbish.

Posted by: Girish on 03/20/2010

Churchill once said - "Give me the Indian Officers and Pakistani Soldiers i will win the world three times". I'd say a team with Indian Batsman and Pakistani bowlers would have challenged even the team under Clive Loyd.

Posted by: Asad on 03/26/2010

Think about Srilanka & Bangladesh....
Young blood of Bangladesh is committed and coming T20; they will prove themselves...
SriLanka is proven..I guess it would be a good combo.
Asad from USA.

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