All that the Pat Cummins interview proved was that the bowlers in 2018 have efficiently ring-fenced themselves from any involvement in the ball tampering in South Africa by suggesting that the bowlers are the players who condition the ball (“‘Khawaja is 100 per cent wrong’: Pat Cummins responds to sandpaper revelations”, smh.com.au, November 13).
asserted
Cummins → prove → smh.com.au
Miraculously, a perfectly doctored ball is tossed to the bowler, and that bowler never questions how it reached that perfect state.
asserted
it → doctor → state
Maybe they did not know specifically about the sandpaper, but this has not disproved Khawaja’s comments, only reinforced divisions in a team that was happy to hang Bancroft, Warner and Smith on their own, and not take responsibility as a team.
asserted
that → know → team
Mark Berg, Caringbah South
I believe it is possible that no one is lying in the sandpaper saga.
asserted
one → believe → saga
It is possible that all players were aware that ball tampering was taking place, but the bowlers were not aware of what method was to be used.
asserted
method → take → place
One bowler has said he was unaware of sandpaper being taken onto the field.
asserted
sandpaper → say → field
Another said he did not know that a foreign substance was taken onto the field.
asserted
substance → say → field
It would seem that neither has actually denied that they knew that ball tampering had occurred.
asserted
tampering → seem → ?
As the late Queen once said, “some recollections may vary”.
uncertain
recollections → say → ?
Stephen Manns, Woollahra
I lost respect for a well-known Australian Test cricketer on Friday, and it’s not Usman Khawaja.
asserted
it → lose → Friday
It would be great to see more of the sort of honesty that Greg Chappell, Usman Khawaja and others have shown in discussing the ball-tampering incident.
asserted
Chappell → see → incident
Too often we see behaviour that crosses the line but aren’t prepared to raise it.
asserted
that → see → it
We need to see more honest admission of mistake and misbehaviour, not just in sport but in politics and business.
asserted
We → need → politics
Too often it’s about winning, not how you play the game.
asserted
you → ’ → game
Eventually, it catches up with us – and the human race is the worst for it.
asserted
race → catch → it
Margaret Wright, Millers Point
Pardon the pun, but cheating in any sport is not “cricket”.
asserted
cheating → pardon → sport
Has any scientific investigation or measurement been made to examine the aerodynamic effect of smooth/rough areas on the flight of a cricket ball?
asserted
investigation → make → ball
Walking beats energy drinks
asserted
Walking → beat → drinks
Walking to school is certainly a great idea with many benefits (“Let your children do the walking”, November 13), but realistically: How many parents are able to give their children this option?
asserted
parents → walk → option
For most families, the morning rush of getting children ready for school includes hastily dropping them off on the way to work.
asserted
children → get → work
Due to the current popularity of selective and private schools, children old enough to walk by themselves are often schooled many miles from their homes – witnessed by the large number of private school buses seen picking up students in suburbs at the opposite end of Sydney to their schools and the numbers of schoolchildren in morning and afternoon trains and buses.
asserted
children → walk → trains
One could also mention the exceedingly heavy, ill-supported and ill-fitted school backpacks that most of these children wear, making long-distance walking almost impossible and damaging to posture.
uncertain
walking → mention → posture
Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills
That people are now having to encourage children to walk makes me realise how different the world has become in these years I have been alive.
asserted
I → have → years
I can remember walking through knee-deep snow to get to Lincoln elementary in a town called Enid Oklahoma, and then six weeks later walking to school through eucalyptus-scented bush to get to school in a town called Bullsbrook, Western Australia.
asserted
I → remember → town
Both beautiful, in contrasting ways.
asserted
Both → contrast → ways
Walking to school saw us energised and with oxygenated blood.
asserted
us → walk → blood
No need for energy drinks, and we had respect for teachers.
asserted
we → have → teachers
The NSW Police Commissioner claims that “e-bikes are not dissimilar to a push-bike when they’re ridden appropriately”.
uncertain
they → claim → bike
Yeah, just like Harley motorbikes are not dissimilar to Vespas when they’re ridden appropriately (Letters, November 13).
asserted
they → ride → Vespas
Terry Lavis, Coogee
Christophobia in Oz
I note the letters deriding Scripture at Newtown High School (Letters, November 13).
asserted
I → note → School
They miss the point.
asserted
They → miss → point
Any religion that is approved by the Department of Education may conduct scripture classes.
uncertain
that → approve → classes
That includes religions that are not Christian.
asserted
that → include → religions
If such classes are not conducted, that is due to those groups not providing them, not exclusion by the department.
asserted
groups → conduct → department
Religious illiteracy is so profound today that I would think parents who value education would be pleased for their children to broaden their knowledge base.
asserted
children → think → base
Why do so many parents object to education in religious matters?
asserted
parents → object → matters
Do they want their children to remain ignorant?
asserted
children → want → ?
Children are not forced to waste their time or just colour in if they do not attend.
asserted
they → force → time
They may do their homework or study, as many students already do during free periods or teacher absences.
uncertain
students → do → periods
And as for being forced into religion: such nonsense continues long after repeated statements that scripture classes are voluntary and, like many educational opportunities, are determined by parents.
asserted
classes → force → parents
…and 89 more, not listed.
The Aporia
