AGB Cricket: OLD IDEA

The December 31, 1977 New Idea contains a cornucopia of treats: Lynda Stoner on the front cover; summer shawls to knit and crochet; Europe's royal families; a condensed book by Rod McKuen called "Search for My Father"; Mrs J. Hawkins of Tocumwal announces that "my first-prize winning recipe for bonny iced plum pudding is on the Bonlac pack" (putting on my Melbourne Grammar alumni hat, I reckon she is Tom Hawkins' grand mother); and Don Lane makes a point to Peter Russell-Clarke - "Where's the f****n cheese, ya c**t?"

With the benefit of hindsight, history and the unimpeachable provenance of "Howzat" we know what Dennis Lillee was up to in 1978. With the benefit of foresight, did DK's horoscope tick all boxes?

The coming year will bring Dennis a very busy but exceptionally successful year. He will advance through his own efforts and attain some extraordinary achievements. He will enjoy pleasant journeys, new and wonderful friendships and encounter odd but pleasant experiences associated with the sea or large institutions. It is likely that Dennis will exercise any literary or artistic skills he has and either write a book or start regularly contributing to a newspaper or magazine. There are indications of important changes to his domestic scene bringing very happy moments.

Arriving belatedly, fingers out of breath and struggling to remember why I started this post... Over twenty years later, 2002 to be precise, Stuart Robertson, the marketing manager of the ECB and avid devourer of 1970s Australian women's magazines, proposed a 20 over per innings game to the ECB. Stuart was, shall we say, nonchalant to overlook the undoubted inspiration for his inspiration: 20 Over Cricket "the best game available". Gideon Haigh now has a real goat to scape.