Howzat! Kerry Packer's War

[Magpiespower]

After Hookes had his jaw broken Packer made it compulsary for all players to wear helmets, Hookes came back and batted that day and the first ball back he faced he hooked for a six the exact same shot his misjudged that broke his jaw in the first place.

IIRC, there was a later match where Hookesy faced Roberts yet again.

And his innings lasted three balls.

Six. Six. Out.

Any of you ol' timers remember something like that?

Here's some great WSC footage...

[Sky Pilot]

I went to school with Greg Chappell

He was a year or two below me, we used to catch the same bus.

Today's claim to fame

My ex misses went to St George school in Sydney with Greg's wife Judy

[Footy Chick]

Ok, can we just clarify that I didn't actually GO to school with Greg Chappell.

Last I remember they didn't accept girls to PAC.

I went to school with the guy that PLAYS Greg Chappell.

Really... I'm not THAT old

[Dogwatcher]

Not as young as Gameau either

[Jimmy_041]

I just finished watching it - it really is historic stuff
I remember being at a party in Des Rundle's house and he talking about the "needle test"
I got kicked out of the party for saying it was boring compared to WSC
I think he tried to have my SACA membership revoked later that afternoon
At least he drank Sparkling Ale

[Booney]

Didnt see it Sunday night, watched it last night, what a cracking show!

Really enjoyed it and looking forward to the second installment.

"Do your ******* job!"

Might use that later today.

[Squids]

I didn't understand that Gary Cosier character, never heard of him before.

What was he like as a player and person?

[dedja]

LOL ...

[Booney]

I didn't understand that Gary Cosier character, never heard of him before.
What was he like as a player and person?

From wiki :

The stocky, redheaded Cosier was a middle-order batsman who often attacked the bowling when a more judicious method was the order of the day. Given an extended trial at international level over four seasons, he never really established himself as a Test batsman, although he was vice-captain of Australia for a brief period. He had two major highlights at Test level – a hundred on his Test debut at Melbourne against the West Indies in 1975–76, and a 168 against Pakistan the following season. Test bowlers were quick to exploit his technical deficiencies, in particular a very short backlift and abbreviated footwork. Cosier was all brute force with little finesse, but he did try to modify his technique somewhat during the 1978–79 Ashes series, when he was incongruously used as an opener.

He could back his batting with slow medium-pacers that swung alarmingly when the conditions favoured him. On the 1977 tour of England he showed in an ODI at Edgbaston that he could have been well suited to the burgeoning genre of one-day cricket when he snared five for 18. However, Cosier’s bowling was not really used in Tests and his first Test wicket did not come until his 13th match. He was also an excellent close-in fielder and secure slipper.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Cosier made a first-class debut aged 18 for Victoria, but he relocated to South Australia to play regular first class cricket. Coming under the influence of SA skipper Ian Chappell, Cosier pursued his positive approach to batting and seemed to be headed for the top, although Chappell doubted his commitment to the game. Ultimately, Cosier was one of four players who toured England in 1977 who was not offered a contract to join the break away professional troupe World Series Cricket (WSC). This was a direct result of Chappell’s opinion.With the WSC players absent, Cosier’s form during 1977–78 was mediocre, but he moved to Queensland the following year in a lucrative deal reported to be worth $50,000 per year. Yet by mid summer, the opening experiment having failed miserably, he was out of the Australian team, never to return. The readmission of WSC players in 1979–80 curtailed his opportunities at state level. He eventually returned to his native Melbourne where his first class career ended with two outings for Victoria in 1980–81.

[scoob]

I didn't understand that Gary Cosier character, never heard of him before.
What was he like as a player and person?

From wiki :

The stocky, redheaded Cosier was a middle-order batsman who often attacked the bowling when a more judicious method was the order of the day. Given an extended trial at international level over four seasons, he never really established himself as a Test batsman, although he was vice-captain of Australia for a brief period. He had two major highlights at Test level – a hundred on his Test debut at Melbourne against the West Indies in 1975–76, and a 168 against Pakistan the following season. Test bowlers were quick to exploit his technical deficiencies, in particular a very short backlift and abbreviated footwork. Cosier was all brute force with little finesse, but he did try to modify his technique somewhat during the 1978–79 Ashes series, when he was incongruously used as an opener.

He could back his batting with slow medium-pacers that swung alarmingly when the conditions favoured him. On the 1977 tour of England he showed in an ODI at Edgbaston that he could have been well suited to the burgeoning genre of one-day cricket when he snared five for 18. However, Cosier’s bowling was not really used in Tests and his first Test wicket did not come until his 13th match. He was also an excellent close-in fielder and secure slipper.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Cosier made a first-class debut aged 18 for Victoria, but he relocated to South Australia to play regular first class cricket. Coming under the influence of SA skipper Ian Chappell, Cosier pursued his positive approach to batting and seemed to be headed for the top, although Chappell doubted his commitment to the game. Ultimately, Cosier was one of four players who toured England in 1977 who was not offered a contract to join the break away professional troupe World Series Cricket (WSC). This was a direct result of Chappell’s opinion.With the WSC players absent, Cosier’s form during 1977–78 was mediocre, but he moved to Queensland the following year in a lucrative deal reported to be worth $50,000 per year. Yet by mid summer, the opening experiment having failed miserably, he was out of the Australian team, never to return. The readmission of WSC players in 1979–80 curtailed his opportunities at state level. He eventually returned to his native Melbourne where his first class career ended with two outings for Victoria in 1980–81.

Could easily be read as describing Phil Hughes

[Strawb]

I thought it was funny when Packer said to one of the players (Mallett?) he'd buy the tyre store (the player's employer) in Adelaide so he wouldn't have any issues with having the time off work to play.

TV show claimed it was Hookes. From memory and David's book he was engaged at the time and studying to be a teacher. He asked for 2/3rds of his money up front. When he changed his mind Kerry showed him the ads and every ad had David in it. Kerry threatened to sue David and all David's Lawyer could say was enjoy play world series cricket.

[Jimmy_041]

Mallett is/was a journo

[tigerpie]

.

[tigerpie]

After Hookes had his jaw broken Packer made it compulsary for all players to wear helmets, Hookes came back and batted that day and the first ball back he faced he hooked for a six the exact same shot his misjudged that broke his jaw in the first place.

IIRC, there was a later match where Hookesy faced Roberts yet again.

And his innings lasted three balls.

Six. Six. Out.

Any of you ol' timers remember something like that?

Here's some great WSC footage...

Correct!...Andy Roberts (who broke his jaw originally) bounced him first ball......Hooksey smashed it over fine legs head.

Did Hooksey know it was coming? Did Kerry set it up......told Roberts to tell him it was coming?

Just a thought....

[on the rails]

Gary Cosier was also a big star at the height of Indoor Cricket - Captain Coach of the Dirty Vic's!

[ORDoubleBlues]

I didn't understand that Gary Cosier character, never heard of him before.

What was he like as a player and person?

The article in the paper by Ben Dorries about Cosier that claimed to have a new angle about Bradman was actually an angle that almost everyone knows about anyway - that Bradman wasn't liked by the players (despite the fact that when he was a player himself he was always pushing for a better go for the players) because he would always shut down any talk of pay rises.

From Ashley Mallett's book on Ian Chappell -
"(former Adelaide Oval curator) Arthur Lance went to see Bradman about a pay rise. "Why do you need a pay rise Arthur?" " Well the wife and I aren't getting any younger and we are really feeling the summer heat these days and the only way I can see clear to get an air conditioner is to get a pay rise" to which Bradman responded, "No Arthur, we cant do that. What we can do though is buy and install an air conditioner at no cost to you". This gives an insight into the Bradman thinking - a one off payment is just that but a pay rise is ongoing and far costlier in the long run"

As Ian Chappell himself said "Bradman had as much to do with the formation of World Series Cricket as anyone"

[fish]

Ok, can we just clarify that I didn't actually GO to school with Greg Chappell.

Last I remember they didn't accept girls to PAC.

I went to school with the guy that PLAYS Greg Chappell.

Really... I'm not THAT old

So what was Greg Chappell like back in his school days?

[GWW]

Love the bloke's impersonation of Lillee's bowling action

[RustyCage]

https://twitter.com/JaneCaro

this is interesting, her dad was involved in the WSC set up and she was around the scenes and players a lot at the time

[GWW]

I read somewhere that the Producers of HOWZAT, are thinking about doing their next cricket story on Warnie.

I personally would prefer a continuation from the Kerry Packer story - Test and One dayers as it resumed after the completion of World Series, so starting from perhaps 1980.

They could cover continuing player resentment as shown by the "underarm" incident, and other notable events such as Lillee's aluminium bat; Greg Chappell's 7 ducks in a row; Australia beating England in 82/83 Ashes at home; retirement of G Chappell, Lillee, Marsh; Kim Hughes' tearful resignation as captain; getting smashed in 85 in England; rebel Tours to South Africa in mid 80's; NZ's first series win on Australian soil in 86; defeated in home Ashes series in 86/87.

World Cup win in 87, which was springboard to Ashes success in England in 89, then through to the start of Warne's career in early 90's.