Ando’s Shout: Aussie boxing’s renaissance, the most-iconic cricket bats and the Mike Sheahan hotel rumour put to bed

They are the men who are leading a new golden era in Aussie boxing. Here’s 2011 IBO world super featherweight champion Will Tomlinson’s five best.

Tim Tszyu is one of five men leading a new golden era of Aussie boxing. Picture: Christian Gilles

As politically correct as it may well be in the eyes of some, Australian boxing enters 2021 in a particularly buoyant state, with several pugilists on the cusp of world championship fights.

Will Tomlinson, who knows what it takes after winning the IBO world super featherweight title in 2011, was happy to rate our best prospects when contacted this week.

“The fact I didn’t include Michael Zerafa, Brock Jarvis and Jai Obetaia proves how much depth there is,” Tomlinson said.

Mike Sheahan has a share in the Underbool Hotel, but it won't be used as a pub.

TRUTH BEHIND OPEN MIKE’S PUB RUMOUR

Despite rumours to the contrary, media guru Mike Sheahan isn’t about to join the ranks of celebrity hotel owners.

What began on the 3AW Rumour File on Thursday led to speculation as to who was “the media identity who had bought the Underbool Hotel in Victoria’s Mallee Region”.

Underbool, a town that produced 188-game VFL player of the 1970s-80s in Max Crow, boasts a population of around 200 and can be found 480km north west of Melbourne.

And it does have a hotel, which is now owned by the same Mike Sheahan and his son Eamon. But the catch is the building hasn’t operated as a pub for around three years, and won’t be again with Eamon Sheahan planning to run it as a B&B before retiring to it

Which bat is cricket's most iconic?

WHAT IS CRICKET’S MOST ICONIC BAT?

From Jumbos to Magnums or Ridgebacks to Mongooses, cricket bats have long come with a variety of quirky names and occasionally odd shapes and sizes.

Then there was Dennis Lillee’s famous ComBat, an aluminium construction that made an unholy noise when Lillee wielded it at the WACA Ground against England for a few short overs in 1979.

Few could forget Dennis Lillee’s ‘unholy’ aluminium bat.

In recent times Matthew Hayden produced the Mongoose for T20 games, a long-handled short-bladed object that quickly disappeared from the market.

Thirty years before Hayden’s Mongoose, New Zealand’s power hitter Lance Cairns struck six sixes against Australia at the MCG with a Newbery bat that had no shoulders. Designed by a 12-Test Kiwi named John Guy, he thought it felt like a heavy wand so King Arthur’s sword Excalibur was born.

Viv’s big SS Jumbo did some serious damage.

Who remembers the Symonds Super Tusker?

Arguably the most iconic and popular was the Stuart Surridge Jumbo that Viv Richards used to pulverise world attacks in the late 1970s, shortly after the Chappell brothers Ian and Greg had ensured a generation of young Australians became Gray Nicolls fans courtesy of their Scoop bats.

US Masters winner Dustin Johnson is Ando’s world athlete of the year. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Another Dusty, of the Richmond Martin variety, gets the gong for Australian athlete of the year. Picture: Sarah Reed

ELITE ATHLETES A BIT DUSTY

A subjective decision of course, but what odds the best sportsman in the world and Australia’s finest in 2020 sharing the same name?

For the record Dustin in ancient Germanic languages translates to “brave or valiant fighter”, and that’s what US golfer Dustin Johnson and Australian rules footballer Dustin Martin were in 2020.

For COVID reasons the sporting year may have lacked a Ballon d’or for the best soccer player on the planet, or winners of Wimbledon and golf’s British Open, but enough quality sport took place for gongs to be awarded.

And Dustin Johnson was extraordinary, winning the Vardon Trophy for scoring average with a remarkable 66.9 after taking the US Masters by five strokes, winning three other events and finishing second in the US PGA and sixth in the US Open.

MARVELLOUS MONIQUE

Two weeks ago Monique Conti celebrated her 21st before going on to add a WNBL championship ring with the Southside Flyers to the 2018 AFLW premiership medal she won with the Western Bulldogs.

A handy CV, but wait, there’s more. She was also best on ground for the Bulldogs in the grand final and has won two AFLW club best and fairests, one with the Bulldogs and one with her current team Richmond.

Plus she was a member of Australia’s under-17 gold medal-winning basketball team in 2017 and was named point guard in the All-Tournament team. The COVID outbreak enabled the lightning quick Conti to combine both sports in 2020, with footy now the short-term focus.

Monique Conti continues to add to a prodigious multi-sport portfolio. Picture: Getty Images

COP THIS, KAMAHL

It was the great Kamahl who last week told us of his amazing hat-trick in Adelaide with the first three balls he bowled of the 1954-55 season, and then wondering if such a feat could be beaten.

Well, Peter Hewitt reckons Kamahl can stick this up his Kaftan and sit on it.

Hewitt’s day came seven years after Kamahl and involved his very first day of competition cricket, playing for Bonbeach under-16s against reigning premiers St Brigid’s. He claimed wickets with his first four balls, or a double hat-trick in cricket parlance before he finished with 5-6 (he became a little untidy late in his spell).

MEET THE NEXT BIG THING IN AUSSIE ATHLETICS

So often in athletics you see two world-class competitors emerge at the same time, suggesting competition is vital to improvement (Cathy Freeman-Melinda Gainsford, Raelene Boyle-Denise Robertson, Joseph Deng-Peter Bol).

Results from Brisbane last weekend highlighted another duet, this time in the form of decathletes and training partners Ash Moloney (8492 points) and Cedric Dubler (8367).

Moloney broke Jagan Hames’ 8490 mark set when he won the gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Moloney, 20, is managed by Nic Bideau who says the sky is the limit for the Brisbane talent.

“To give you a comparison, the world decathlon record is 9126 points, and while he has a bit to make up, Ash Moloney improves every day he wakes up,” Bideau said.

“Only two decathletes in history have run faster than his 45.84 for the 400m and his opening day events are up with the best. His biggest improvements will come on the second day (hurdle, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m).”

It’s been a great sporting year for Gerry Ryan. Picture: Racing Photos/Getty Images

GERRY RYAN’S 2020 SPORTING TRIPLE TREAT

It was the late and great Babe Ruth who was asked in 1930 how he felt about earning ($80,000), more than then US president Herbert Hoover.

Typically, the Babe didn’t miss a beat, replying: “I know, but I had a better year than Hoover.’

“A better year” consisted of 49 home runs while batting .359 (153 RBIs), which is some season in anyone’s books.

Ninety years later Gerry Ryan didn’t hit, catch or kick a ball in anger, but as an owner he produced an unprecedented trifecta through his ownership or part ownership of NRL premiers Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment and WNBL champions Southside Flyers.

And he earnt a lot more than Scott Morrison.

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE A JOCKEY

The hottest jockey in town in Damien Lane hasn’t just been making friends on the racecourse of late judging by his actions during the week at a Christmas party held by Flemington-based trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra.

Lane greeted guests with a card that included a $100 gift voucher, while fellow jockey Daniel Moor graciously picked up the drinks bill.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR

“I just talked to him about a few things that I had seen and the differences from him on Thursday-Friday to a Saturday into a Sunday was a big difference.”

My old favourite Greg Norman, typically working his way into the dominant US Masters win by Dustin Johnson.

HOT

ARLO BLICAVS

Steph Blicavs’ one-year-old who became the Southside Flyers mascot in Queensland.

PAT CUMMINS

Name a better example of how sport should be played?

LEILANI MITCHELL

Just like a mare from 45 years ago, Leilani the point guard is a star.

NOT

BIG BASH

Just who is responsible for killing this one-time Golden Egg?

NSW CRICKET

How very typical that a Sydney sporting organisation would try to “steal” something.

CONCUSSION

No single issue threatens a range of sports more.

Originally published as Ando’s Shout: Aussie boxing’s renaissance, the most-iconic cricket bats and the Mike Sheahan hotel rumour put to bed