Cricket tragic

I've been noticing the furor brewing in Australia over John Howard's decision to still attend the cricket test match (Australia v. West Indiess) on the morning (Friday 2nd December) that Singapore plans to execute Van. I shudder at the thought of that man smirking as Australia takes the crease, and the hang-man pulls the leaver.

Of all the letters published in the age, this one says it quite eloquently:

John Howard is by no means "obliged to attend" the PM's XI match against the West Indies on the morning of Nguyen Tuong Van's hanging. He claims that, as host, he "has a duty to go to that match", but he would earn much more respect (at least from me) if he were to show some ticker, cancel the match, and politely but firmly make quite clear to his Singapore counterpart the reasons for his decision.
Jean Jordan, Eltham

Thanks to the save Van website for posting it. And, though things seem ever more desperate, SAVE VAN NGUYEN!