Cricket Season
- Thread starter Jazza
- Start date
I was very surprised with the declaration, I must admit when it happened I had visions of Pakistan coming out, batting 2 days, making 600 odd and putting us under pressure.
But I liked the decision too, it showed his intentions, it was aggressive and showed that he wants to win.
The pitch is flat so the bowlers need as much time as possible to win.
If we can bowl them out just before tea tomorrow, we should have a lead of 180-200 odd with plenty of time to bat in our 2nd innings, declare early again and put them under pressure to bat a lot of overs.
Hopefully everything works out, Johnson and Watson's form with the ball looks very encouraging.
Reminds me of the Steve Waugh days when sometimes he would declare once we got to 400.
But I liked the decision too, it showed his intentions, it was aggressive and showed that he wants to win.
The pitch is flat so the bowlers need as much time as possible to win.
If we can bowl them out just before tea tomorrow, we should have a lead of 180-200 odd with plenty of time to bat in our 2nd innings, declare early again and put them under pressure to bat a lot of overs.
Hopefully everything works out, Johnson and Watson's form with the ball looks very encouraging.
Reminds me of the Steve Waugh days when sometimes he would declare once we got to 400.
Great test match so far…....Paki's are hanging in there....It will be a very intersting last day.....Or bowlers really need to step up and finish them off....
Favorite moment of the test so far has been from the commentary box.....you guessed it...
:master: Ritchie is an absolute Legend....commenting on the use of the small roller at the change of innings.........."about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike"....R. Benaud
Favorite moment of the test so far has been from the commentary box.....you guessed it...
:master: Ritchie is an absolute Legend....commenting on the use of the small roller at the change of innings.........."about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike"....R. Benaud
@Geo. said:
Hahaha I remember when he said that I couldnt help but picture an ashtray just sitting there on a motorbike lol.
I'm a bit worried, Yousuf can bat all day so he would be a good foil for Umar Akmal, in fact both the Akmal brothers, Misbah seemed to find some form in 1st innings, and Ameer can hang around.
Not a lot in it for the bowlers so hopefully they can get some reverse swing going, and then chip in with the new ball after lunch.
But again I dont like this Melbourne pitch, the ball just dies through to the keeper and slips, another inconvenience caused by AFL. The MCG has to use these dead drop in pitches so the AFL players can avoid injury in the Winter and Adelaide may be next when it gets redeveloped for AFL as well.
@Geo. said:
Enter….....Mitchell Johnson.....Bravo.......
Leading wicket taker in the Calander year I believe......All teams....well done Mitch......Mum will be proud........
Edit: IT"S All over.........Well done Hauritz....5 for.....Ruthless Aussies good to see.....
Putner's on Fire
citizen_cub
New member
convincing win today. all the bowlers are performing and you'd think it would be difficult to drop bollinger for hilfenhaus. some are suggesting siddle, but he has definitely proved his spot and is a man who gives it 100% every ball. hilfenhaus was our best bowler in the ashes….does that mean he instantly warrants selection when he comes back from injury? with bollinger taking his oppurtunity does this signal an end to the test careers of stuart clark and brett lee? to be honest, australia have found their attack for the next 5 years. i heard something about glenn mcgrath and dennis lillee being the only aussie bowlers to play tests over the age of 34\. so going by this stat, bollinger has a good 5 year ahead of him at 29\. johnson is 27, siddle is 25 and watson is 28\. i think in a couple of years watson will turn his full focus to batting which will allow him to play as a specialist batsmen which i think he is quite capable of doing
magpie_mania
New member
@Marshall_magic said:
Steve smith absolutelly killed the tigers in tassie tonight in the t20 game took 4 for 13 in four overs in a match where every other bowler from both teams were smashed to smitherines in a match that yielded over 360 runs in 40 overs.With the next world cup in india this guy needs to get a call up to the aussie one day side to groom him for the world cup.
http://www.cricinfo.com/ausdomestic-09/engine/current/match/417703.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Marshall_magic
New member
It's a 20/20\. Hit out or get out, not a test. Smith has a bowling average of 75 in Sheffield Shield cricket, which is not good enough for someone looking to be a specialist spinner. He's a good bat, but pretty ordinary with the ball.
magpie_mania
New member
@Marshall_magic said:
after last night he has a average of 3.25 with the ball not bad for someone ordinary with the ball I think mcgrath averaged twenty.lol
@citizen cub said:
Thats a good fact about the fast bowlers there.
I think Thommo was also 35 when he played on the 85 Ashes tour.
I was just thinking of some of our fast bowlers in the post Lillee era: Lawson, Alderman, Reid, Hughes, Whitney, Rackemann, McDermott, Reiffel, Fleming, Gillespie, Bichel, Kasper, and now Lee and Clark were all below 35 when their international careers finished. It shows you how hard fast bowling is and makes you admire Glenn McGrath more that he lasted that long. The only other quicks I can think of that played well into their mid 30s were Walsh, Ambrose, Hadlee, Imran and Akram.
I think if Hilfy comes into the side it should be for Siddle, but in saying that, Siddle was excellent in South Africa (Our best bowler imo), and sometimes I think Hilfy can be a bit rusty coming back from injury and by the time he comes back, Siddle should be back to full match fitness and bowling better.
I think if Hilfy is fit and has got a few matches under his belt, I'd throw him in for Siddle down in Hobart. Especially in his home conditions where it can be cloudy and swing around a bit.
TheSunTanSuperman
New member
Anybody who in their right mind thinks Siddle and Hilfenhaus are better options than Lee and Clark needs to lay off the meth.
And Bollinger is 28….same as Johnson.
And Bollinger is 28….same as Johnson.
Marshall_magic
New member
@magpie mania said:
Being a good 20/20 bowler does not get you a test spot. He has a good range of shots, and picks up a cheap wicket (which he won't get in test cricket). If he wasn't a blonde legspinner (like Cam White) I bet no one would be calling for him as a test spinner. He'll get a gig in the ODI series this summer, and they can see how he goes there, but not in the test team, until he can prove himself in shield cricket.
magpie_mania
New member
@Marshall_magic said:
HE PICKED UP FOUR CHEAP ONES LAST NIGHT IN A GAME WHERE EVERY OTHER BOWLER GOT SMASHED I know his bowling will improve with time and the right coaching.p.s he also took a absolute screamer of a catch in the outfield so theres no question with his fielding.
@magpie mania said:
He averages 75 with the ball at Shield level, he shouldnt be allowed to just walk into the side with an unproven record like that. If I was Jason Krezja I'd be offended to be overlooked for someone with that record.
Add to that he is a batting all rounder at the moment, I could understand them picking him more if say Marcus North was injured. But we dont need the extra batting, Johnson comes in at number 8, Hauritz made 75 as a nightwatchman, and Siddle can bat a bit too.
I say, keep him well away from the Aussie side, and let Smith toil away at Shield level for the entire Summer so he can learn to bowl sides out on the last day. Thats the problem Hauritz has had, for most of his career he has been seen as a one-day specialist, and thats why he has taken so long to do anything on the last day of a test match.
magpie_mania
New member
Being a good 20/20 bowler does not get you a test spot. He has a good range of shots, and picks up a cheap wicket (which he won't get in test cricket). If he wasn't a blonde legspinner (like Cam White) I bet no one would be calling for him as a test spinner. He'll get a gig in the ODI series this summer, and they can see how he goes there, but not in the test team, until he can prove himself in shield cricket.
HE PICKED UP FOUR CHEAP ONES LAST NIGHT IN A GAME WHERE EVERY OTHER BOWLER GOT SMASHED I know his bowling will improve with time and the right coaching.p.s he also took a absolute screamer of a catch in the outfield so theres no question with his fielding.
He averages 75 with the ball at Shield level, he shouldnt be allowed to just walk into the side with an unproven record like that. If I was Jason Krezja I'd be offended to be overlooked for someone with that record.
Add to that he is a batting all rounder at the moment, I could understand them picking him more if say Marcus North was injured. But we dont need the extra batting, Johnson comes in at number 8, Hauritz made 75 as a nightwatchman, and Siddle can bat a bit too.
I say, keep him well away from the Aussie side, and let Smith toil away at Shield level for the entire Summer so he can learn to bowl sides out on the last day. Thats the problem Hauritz has had, for most of his career he has been seen as a one-day specialist, and thats why he has taken so long to do anything on the last day of a test match.
you raise a valid point about krezja and no his shield figures arent good but I think he should get a run for us at one day level to blood him for next wc in india where I think he will fire.
HE PICKED UP FOUR CHEAP ONES LAST NIGHT IN A GAME WHERE EVERY OTHER BOWLER GOT SMASHED I know his bowling will improve with time and the right coaching.p.s he also took a absolute screamer of a catch in the outfield so theres no question with his fielding.
He averages 75 with the ball at Shield level, he shouldnt be allowed to just walk into the side with an unproven record like that. If I was Jason Krezja I'd be offended to be overlooked for someone with that record.
Add to that he is a batting all rounder at the moment, I could understand them picking him more if say Marcus North was injured. But we dont need the extra batting, Johnson comes in at number 8, Hauritz made 75 as a nightwatchman, and Siddle can bat a bit too.
I say, keep him well away from the Aussie side, and let Smith toil away at Shield level for the entire Summer so he can learn to bowl sides out on the last day. Thats the problem Hauritz has had, for most of his career he has been seen as a one-day specialist, and thats why he has taken so long to do anything on the last day of a test match.
you raise a valid point about krezja and no his shield figures arent good but I think he should get a run for us at one day level to blood him for next wc in india where I think he will fire.
@magpie mania said:
Id blood him at some stage in the odis to, but Id wait until the Shield season is over and blood him in NZ or England when we play Pakistan there.
Just so that he can get as many overs as possible trying to work for his wickets rather then play some odis and try to contain the batsman. I'm sure he'd do well if blooded but I just dont want him to turn into a batsman who bowls some overs in some odis like Cameron White.
I'd much rather him do the role that Graeme Swann does for England, be in there for his bowling and chip in with some handy runs near the end as well.
magpie_mania
New member
@Jazza said:
Yep where on the same page there our next all round type needs to be a bowler first and batsman second and while his batting outdoes his bowling at the moment with the right coaching i.e warne ,jenner e.t.c this guy can be special
he has loads of potential in all 3 facets of the game(batting,bowling and fielding) not to mention the most important thing of all the ability to perform under the pump.
citizen_cub
New member
@Jazza said:
yeah hilfenhaus will come in, but who he replaces remains to be seen. if it's siddle, siddle will go back and dominate 'shield' and will be putting pressure on the test bowlers.
citizen_cub
New member
To be frank, i'm pissed that hughes and krezja aren't there. hauritz' bowling has been 'solid' and economical for a spinner but krezja will concede runs but guarantee you wickets. Reading ponting's 2009 captain's diary, he thought hughes had a an issue to address with the short ball. this is correct, but why drop him for a bloke who has barely any test match experience and at such a crucial role like opener?!? now watson did bat well in the ashes and should've been there for all five tests. the bloke who should NOT have been there is mr snicket ( mike hussey ). our insightful selectors will go to all costs to keep our 'experienced' players and won't look to youth. i just wonder how many tests warney would've played if we had the same imposters back in 1993? probably would've made his debut at an old age like hussey, north, bollinger, katich and mcgain. hussey's foot work is nothing short of woeful. it's a pity callum ferguson is injured, because my word he would've put some pressure on mr snicket. ponting is in all soughts at the moment, he has dealed with our transition phase 'woefully'. he is pig-headed who doesn't like criticism and will doe things his own way. does anybody remember the 4th test at nagpur in 2008? we were in a good position to bowl india out and were probably in the best position since the first test at bangalore. we were 9 overs behind the required over rate. the consequence of this is a fine against cricket australia and a one match suspension for him ( the captain ). i know those cry baby indians would've probably complained about us not playing in the 'spirit' of the game but stuff 'em. the next match was only against new zealand which turned out not to suit batting ( which is all ponting is concerned about anyway ). but instead, he brings on part timers who have less chance of getting a wicket than my arse turning blue. eventually, the over rate lifted but this was after that little shithead harbajan and dhoni had put on a stand of 110 and our chance of winning had fallen like sand blowing out of your hands. we could've retained the border gavaskar trophy and missed ponting for one game ( which most would be happy with anyway )
