Warthog

Ok, so I have one of these awesome things - Coffee Machines... Fairly standard entry level machine though... DéLonghi Caffé Corso. Couple years old. So this last week it got the yips... everything works, but the the water, after heating doesn't come out the spouts.... doesn't even get to to the coffee grinds... just trickles down the sides of the inside of the machine. Spent about 8 hours past weekend taking it apart as far as I could, cleaned everything I can, no joy. So few questions: 1. Anyone have any experience with this machine? 2. There anywhere I can take the machine to have it checked out? 3. Am I wasting my time/money/effort? Just get new one? (this is not good option, there is other priorities... like N+1....) Thanks

Snap.

Cool! What gear ratio you're running?

I simply cannot for one minute believe that the quicks were not aware what was happening... especially Starc - their main proponent of reverse swing. I mean really - the ball is doing absolutely zip before lunch, and then suddenly, like it was struck by lightning, it started reversing 2 overs after lunch...

According to Maxwell, it played out like this: Warner and Bancroft were discussing it during lunch and hatching a plan, Smith walked in/by, overheard, went and said: "What are you guys talking about? Never mind, I just don't want to know" and turned around and walked away. He's almost feeling sorry for Smith...

Ok. So anybody saw live press conference by CA chair? Smith, Warner, Bancroft on a plane back to Aus. Their sanctions to be announced in 24 hours. In his words: "Sanctions will be issued tomorrow, it will be significant, and will reflect the severity of the situation." Lehmann - nothing. Zip. Zilch. He was found not to have known.... REALLY???? Clear from interview by Mike Haysman with Jim Maxwell, ABC's cricket commentator, that Warner is the big sinner. He believes Warner to not ever play for Aus again.

Must say one of the funniest things I saw was Nathan Lyon with a sheepish grin refusing to sign a sheet of sandpaper for a youngster at Newlands...

Oegh... ek het lanklaas so lekker krieket gekyk... Abso-bloody-lutely brilliant by The Blommetjies. Just firkin brilliant... I have this vision of AB with his foot on Smith's throat pulling on his arm... and the arm is tearing off... lekker man...

Oh. My. Word. You simply cannot believe this... The great and ever honourable Steve Smith good and properly beaten by Morkel, literally hitting it straight into Elgar's tummy, instead of just leaving in shame, he hangs around hoping for a no-ball...??? Really? I do not like the Aussies (you probably gathered as much) but they used to have some sort of "honour"... Michael Clarke definitely, Ponting mostly, Waugh and Border also definitely, but this dwis Smith...

I'm not. (But then I am more often wrong than not...) Smith, Warner, Lyon, Starc are the current glamour boys of Aus Cricket... I just can't see CA clapping them more after the ICC has slapped only Smith's wrists.

So flippin true.

Far should also have been banned. Finis en klaar. He knew what he was doing. Not trying to condone what Faf did, I said above I don't believe he should be captain or even in the team, but as I remember with the last one he was actually chewing/sucking a sweet whilst using saliva to polish the ball. That is bit different to the leaders actually discussing and planning in a meeting over lunch to deliberately alter the condition of the ball... in other words: Ok, boys, let's cheat.

Oooookay... there we go... The f...nuts at ICC: Bancroft: 75% match fee forfeited. 3 Demerit points. Smith: 100% forfeited. 1 Test match ban. WTF? Really?

Wow. Well said. So let's be veeeerry optimistic and says CA does what is suggested. Then what? Smith and Warner gets relieved from the captaincy and vice, and together with the other 3 are stood down for Wanderers. What happens after Wanderers? There is some disciplinary action by ICC, loose some money, but lo and behold, in a month they are back on the field. Really????

Anybody going to registration tomorrow?

I hope they don't concede. I really hope we can make them suffer... (Oh, and just for the record, I also don't believe Faf should be captain of the Proteas or even in the team... he is also a cheat. No difference between him and Steve Smith.)

Sorry, my mistake. They're not here yet, their heads of "Integrity" and Performance is apparently on their way.

I stand by what I said. The problem is not the "grey" area - everyone knows exactly what is allowed and what not. The real problem is the f...nuts in charge - the players know if they're caught, they're going to most probably get a slap on the wrist, loose some of the match fee (or even all), and maybe cop a 2-game suspension. That's it. If they don't get serious with this kind of s..t, then it will continue. But if the players know you get banned for 2 seasons from all cricket - it might make them think again.

Cricket Australia is here already - the chairman was very quick to flush his mouth over the "disgraceful" SA supporters....

Edit: And that being my 500th post.

Sorry. Cricket has for a long time been for me the ultimate game... that game of mental and physical chess between 2 teams over 5 days.... I know there are people who view this, Test Cricket", as "watching paint dry", but the intricacies, the tactics, the "chess"... there is no game such as this... And then f.ckers like Faf, (Yes. Our Faf ...) and today's moron and that ignanimous arse who opened for England tries to "alter" the ball.... It pisses me off like little else...

I hear what you say. But it's exactly the same in SA... if you know nothing/the minimum/zilch is going to happen, you'll take the chance. But if you know you're going to cop a 2 year ban from all (paying) cricket... maybe you'll think twice as to pull a ridiculous stunt on internet tv as today's dimwit.

It's because the ICC is so frikkin lax on this that this **** happens. Once every one knows what the real consequences are...

No Bru. F... that ('scuse my language)... This is what should happen: (bearing in mind that our esteemed Capt Faf du Pleases have been found out on this already...) 1. Immediate 100 runs to opposing team. 2. Player and captain: 2 Season ban - what is the difference between this and match fixing? 3. Coach. Life long ban from any cricket. Do not attempt to tell me either capt or coach did not have any knowledge about most junior member of team doing this. (Lehmann's chat on radio is soooooo obvious...- he is the f..cker...) Edit: And he is the muck that gorrel'ed his mouth about SA fans' behaviour at Newlines - go check what The Gentle Giant (Morne Morkel) had to say about the flack he copped in Aus.... No. ***. Horse manure. It's time these frikkin Aus "con's" get fed what they so very much love to dish out at every opportunity. F....in' bunch of whoosies... (And I'm really trying not to swear/cuss that much... Frikkin mother....'s)