Indicative of the magnetic power of bitter rivals India and Pakistan, rare contests which provide a spell on the entire cricket world, especially their legions of obsessive fans, predicting Melbourne’s temperamental weather has become something of a pastime in recent days.
The forecast for the T20 World Cup blockbuster days out looked dire for the packed clash on Sunday at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, expected to attract more than 92,000 fans, a figure that is only bettered by Grand Finals in the Australian Football League – the indigenous ‘footy’ code being the most popular sport Down Under.
Prognosticating Melbourne’s weather is almost pointless. Anyone who has been there can attest that with Victoria’s capital renowned for having four seasons in one day and, fortunately, perhaps willed by the hopes of the entire cricket world, the forecast has improved dramatically and on match eve there appears little prospect of inclement conditions.
The International Cricket Council, most notably, will be breathing a sigh of relief with Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph reporting that refunds would have cost the governing body several millions if it was a washout. Wild weather lashed the east coast of Australia last week although the tournament’s opening week in Geelong and Hobart was mostly unaffected.
Fans too will be overjoyed with India and Pakistan rarely playing each other in cricket—a sport that is almost a religion across a region of about 1.6 billion people – due to political differences with India’s government not allowing its national cricket team to play their arch-nemesis in bilaterals.
Even though it is a travesty that they don’t play each other in Tests, the last being 15 years ago, the scarcity does add to the anticipation with massive television numbers guaranteed every time they do meet.
The foes produced the highest watched match of the men’s World Cup in 2019 with a worldwide television audience of 273 million and more than 50 million digital-only viewers, according to the ICC.
It is not hyperbolic to state that it will be the most watched sports event in the world this weekend.
And it will be the third match between them in the past couple of months with the teams splitting five-wicket victories at the Asia Cup. But politics continue to fester in the backdrop, interfering this wonderful rivalry, underlined by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, probably the most influential figure in cricket who doubles as the Asian Cricket Council president, publicly stating that next year’s Asia Cup will have to be shifted away from Pakistan.
The final decision is expected from India’s home ministry although India’s sports minister Anurag Thakur said he is “expecting” Pakistan to play the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
After a long period as vagabonds, unable to play at home most of last decade due to security concerns, Pakistan have returned home and even hosted previously reticent Australia and England this year. Enticing India, however, looms as an entirely different challenge.
Attempting to thaw relations, Pakistan Cricket Board boss Ramiz Raja, the charismatic former captain then turned popular broadcaster, has tried to pursue more cordial relations with his counterparts since taking the reins just over 12 months ago.
He has proposed more matches between Pakistan and India through triangular and quadrangular One-Day International series although they haven’t gotten off the ground just yet.
“We saw the world stop when India and Pakistan played at the Asia Cup,” Raja recently told me. ”We have that power at the Asian level to organize more Asia Cups which would see more matches between India and Pakistan. It’s an iconic rivalry, the people want it. The more the merrier.”
Unlike his predecessor Ehsan Mani, a former ICC president, who recently told me that India shouldn’t have the lion share of the ICC’s revenue funding, Raja has been much more diplomatic.
In the ICC’s current cycle surplus from 2015-2023, according to documents seen, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) receive $371 million well ahead of England ($127 million) while seven Full Members, including Pakistan, are allocated $117 million.
“I’m happy for India to take the most because they make almost all of what is in the ICC’s coffers,” Raja said.
The teams themselves have seemingly gotten on well with each other, playing with smiles and sportsmanship, which should act as a unifying tool, something that political and cricket leaders from both countries would be wise to take heed of.
But with all eyes watching, fueled by massive stakes in the T20 World Cup opener for both teams, the MCG will be a cauldron amid an electric atmosphere crammed with probably the two most passionate fan bases in cricket.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia legislature is set to open today for its fall sitting.
The early September return has added to speculation of a possible election call later this fall, but Premier Tim Houston will only say that he’s excited about his government’s legislative agenda.
Houston says the Progressive Conservatives still have “lots to do” on behalf of Nova Scotians, but he wasn’t specific about pending legislation when asked about his priorities on Wednesday.
In June, he cast doubt on whether he will adhere to the fixed provincial election date his party passed into law soon after coming to power, which set the date for July 15, 2025.
The Opposition Liberals and the NDP say they are ready for any scenario and remain focused on their own priorities for the sitting.
Both parties say they will highlight the need to deal with cost of living issues, including the shortage of affordable housing and the lack of access to primary health care.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2024.
In a move that sent shockwaves through British Columbia’s political landscape, B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon announced on Wednesday that his party would suspend its campaign for the upcoming provincial election and throw its support behind John Rustad’s resurgent B.C. Conservatives. This unprecedented decision has left political watchers and analysts scrambling to make sense of the ramifications for the province’s political future.
Kevin Falcon, who took the reins of the B.C. Liberals—now rebranded as B.C. United—in February 2022, delivered the stunning news at a press conference that left many in disbelief. The former cabinet minister, known for his confidence and assertiveness, appeared uncharacteristically somber and introspective as he explained the rationale behind his decision.
Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, observed the stark contrast in Falcon’s demeanor. “This is a man who has always exuded confidence, even cockiness, throughout his political career. But today, he seemed on the brink of tears, visibly struggling with the weight of this decision,” Kurl noted. The emotional toll of Falcon’s announcement was evident, underscoring the gravity of the situation both personally and professionally for the B.C. United leader.
The roots of B.C. United’s collapse can be traced back to two key decisions made by Falcon: the expulsion of John Rustad from the party and the controversial rebranding from the B.C. Liberals to B.C. United. Rustad, who was removed from the party in February 2023 for questioning climate change science, quickly capitalized on his dismissal by revitalizing the dormant B.C. Conservative Party. Since then, Rustad has attracted a growing number of former B.C. United MLAs and candidates to his cause, turning the B.C. Conservatives into a formidable political force.
The decision to rebrand the B.C. Liberals as B.C. United, which was meant to signal a fresh start for the party, has been widely criticized as poorly timed and poorly executed. Bill Bennett, a former Liberal cabinet minister, lamented the lack of public understanding of the new brand. “There was no real effort to rebrand and help the public grasp who B.C. United was. The entire process lacked sufficient resources, which ultimately led to its failure,” Bennett said.
Political scientists have been quick to analyze the implications of Falcon’s decision to suspend B.C. United’s campaign. Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of British Columbia (UBC), expressed shock at the sudden turn of events. “This was a party that, just moments ago, was preparing to compete in this election. To suddenly wave the white flag and step aside in favor of another party is unprecedented. We haven’t seen anything quite like this before,” Prest remarked.
The move has also raised questions about Falcon’s leadership and the future of B.C. United. Gerald Baier, an associate professor of political science at UBC, suggested that Falcon’s decision to expel Rustad may be viewed as the pivotal moment in his leadership. “If Falcon could go back and change one decision, it would likely be the expulsion of Rustad. That move set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to the party’s collapse,” Baier explained.
With B.C. United stepping aside, the B.C. Conservatives are now positioned to become the main opposition to the ruling B.C. NDP in the upcoming election, scheduled for October 19. However, the transition will not be without its challenges. The Conservatives will need to decide which B.C. United candidates to include on their slate, a process that could leave some candidates and voters in a state of uncertainty.
As the political landscape in British Columbia shifts dramatically, the upcoming election promises to be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested in recent memory. The decision by Falcon to back the B.C. Conservatives has not only upended the election but has also reshaped the future of politics in the province. As the dust settles, all eyes will be on John Rustad and his ability to capitalize on this newfound momentum.
In conclusion, Kevin Falcon’s decision to suspend B.C. United’s campaign and endorse the B.C. Conservatives marks a pivotal moment in British Columbia’s political history. The move has raised numerous questions about the future of B.C. United, the leadership of the B.C. Conservatives, and the upcoming election itself. As the province braces for what promises to be a highly volatile election season, one thing is clear: British Columbia’s political landscape will never be the same.
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s auditor general says his office has found no evidence of a conflict of interest in the handling of provincial grants for the zero-emission vehicle sector, after an accusation by a truck maker earlier this year.
Michael Pickup says in a statement the investigation looked into accounting firm MNP’s handling of Advanced Research and Commercialization grant applications, reviewing “a significant amount of information” from the company, the government and all applicants.
Pickup says the results show no evidence MNP wrote grant applications for clients, influenced the evaluation process to benefit clients or used its administering of the program to “recruit” clients for the company’s other services.
In April, the provincial legislature unanimously directed Pickup’s office to examine allegations by electric-hybrid truck maker Edison Motors that MNP was both administering the grants and offering services to help businesses with applications.
The Office of the Auditor General says the allegations from Edison, which is based in Merritt, B.C., suggested MNP “was offering to write grant applications in exchange for a success fee while also deciding who received grant funding.”
MNP said at the time that the allegations were “false and misleading.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2024.
