1st Test Border Gavaskar Trophy November 22-26 1350hrs @ Perth Stadium

[samFFC]

People were calling for his head years before he was cooked. Now they've got what they wanted..

Not really.
The fact he held on that long meant we weren’t able to blood a new opener or two.
Home series against the Windies last year would’ve been the perfect opportunity. Not in the context of a Bumrah masterclass.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Not really.
The fact he held on that long meant we weren’t able to blood a new opener or two.
Home series against the Windies last year would’ve been the perfect opportunity. Not in the context of a Bumrah masterclass.

Yep and what happened. We let an ego maniac go up top coz he thought he could stat pad against a weaker team

Got what we deserved I reckon

 

[ABAB]

I like how they get pats on the back for “retaining” the ashes against the worst English side in ages. They couldn’t even win the series outright. They were smoked by India away and haven’t won against them in a decade

We lead 2-0 before that Carey stumping and change of ball incidents.

 

[samFFC]

Yep and what happened. We let an ego maniac go up top coz he thought he could stat pad against a weaker team

Got what we deserved I reckon

Would’ve been ok if we made the call and made him stay as opener for the long term.

If Green wasn’t injured, perhaps we would’ve done that.
But can’t pick and choose.
Either pick a new opener and test them out, or repurpose Smith/Head and they stay or go based on their performances as an opener.

A la Hussey batting his career as an opener, but picked as #6. If he failed at 6, then he wasn’t going to be shifted to opener, he would be dropped.

 

[MadMundy]

I've finished watching the highlights of the first three days, I admittedly don't keep up with test cricket as much as one day and T20, but what the **** has happened to Australia? They look useless out there, Smith and Labuschagne are shells of their former selves too.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

You didn't like them when they won us both the One Day and T20 World Cup, Test Championship and retain the Ashes in England which hasn't been done for decades????

I like them. Though retaining the ashes felt like a failure.

 

[Jamz]

I've finished watching the highlights of the first three days, I admittedly don't keep up with test cricket as much as one day and T20, but what the **** has happened to Australia? They look useless out there, Smith and Labuschagne are shells of their former selves too.

I’ll be hoping to see something from Smith tomorrow, Marnus’s first innings just lacked intent and that’s what concerns me.

Every chance Smith just got a good one first ball, he looked alright in the ODI’s.

 

[apollo_creed]

The white ball stuff has merit achievement wise.

As a test unit citing the current top ranking is not much to hang a claim on. As has already been addressed, it’s a mediocre side among a host of other mediocre sides

And? He said they had ‘achieved nothing’. Which they literally have by the most relevant metrics.

Arguing about competition is totally relevant when the individuals point was about achievement. By your measurements it’s impossible to achieve anything because any achievement is null and void.

They won those things while being ‘woke’.. and under the leadership of the boomer trigger (those facebook prolific oldies who love commenting on things) captain.. yet anyway time the team loses it’s because they’re ‘woke’.

Such a tired, dumb argument which makes absolutely no sense and has no relevance being discussed amongst mentally functioning adults. They win and it’s because? They lose and it’s because they’re woke.

 

[ABAB]

I like them. Though retaining the ashes felt like a failure.

Not after the media frenzy after the 3rd Test and then the BS ball swap when we were in an excellent position to win the Test.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Bring back Langer as coach and boot all the snowflakes who can’t handle his intensity

Langer was a psycho as a coach lol

 

[Blue1980]

Lolllll it doesn’t work when no one fears you, I’m sorry.

It works when you’re good.

Much as I wish the Windies would do it at times, do you really think if they did, right now, it’s going to frighten anyone?

Do you think Tamworth born Josh Hazlewood who has spent his whole career being fairly quiet and going about his business suddenly getting cranky is going to worry anyone?

Cummins - one of the three best bowlers in the world, who goes to Coldplay - batsmen are going to play him worse if he starts getting sweary to them?

Marnus Labuschagne, who the hell is he going to scare with the bat or the ball?

The last genuinely aggressive player that had attitude to back his aggression was Warner and he’s gone: you can’t just flick a switch and BE that kind of player. It either comes naturally or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, the best thing you can do is PLAY tough, not try and ACT tough. And they can still do that without trying to be like other past players

It’s not the issue now, people always bring it up when we aren’t going well.

The side from 95 to 08 or so was great because it contained so many great cricketers, not because they sledged people.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I see the old racist line "he's brown, so he must be a chucker" is alive & well.

No wonder opposition fans dislike aus fans.

Its probably one of the saddest things i have read.

Embarrassing its exactly why we are hated so much.

 

[PhatBoy]

And? He said they had ‘achieved nothing’. Which they literally have by the most relevant metrics.

Arguing about competition is totally relevant when the individuals point was about achievement. By your measurements it’s impossible to achieve anything because any achievement is null and void.

What has the test unit overall really ‘achieved’? If you put aside what is essentially a made up tournament where there is no round robin element, disproportionate weightings, teams forfeiting points for slow over rates etc etc - and look yes, well done for winning what was an equally weighted final (you sure as hell won’t hear a NZ supporter bemoaning the format that’s for sure after they won it) but leaving that out of it, as a test outfit, what has the side achieved?

Look at the good or great sides or even the ones that don’t get talked about all that often in elevated discussion:

- This, literally THIS actual India side has just come off 18 successive test series wins at home, an undefeated streak dating back to 2012 or something. They have won here twice, the gold standard for an Asian team. That alone is a huge thing but that 18 straight series wins…. That’s huge in itself. Australia has managed 13 wins in its last 18 at home. During that time Australia has lost and drawn its last two series in Sri Lanka, failed to make a dent in India though did go closer last time, has not beaten England and in a sign of how times have changed celebrated a draw last year. The Pakistan win was meritorious enough I guess and so was the Kiwi one but again sides of yesteryear would have probably won those not in the last session of the last match (Pakistan) and coming from behind (NZ).

The great sides of the modern era have been the Waugh and Ponting Australians who were dominant pretty much all the time and the South Africans under smith who didn’t drop an away series for an entire decade and who’s only losses came against Australia in two hard fought home series having finally conquered the Aussies in Australia.

It’s hard to come up with an argument that makes the current Aussie test side anything more than a side that’s just a bit above average realistically

 

[Cainozz]

Part of me feels like not being able to win the ashes in England in 2023 has stung this side a fair bit. Before that series, you heard from the likes of Smith, Lyon and Khawaja that they felt like they had unfinished business and that this was their last chance to tick it off the list because they probably wouldn’t be there the next time around. Since then, we’ve felt a bit sloppy, like the drive hasn’t been there since from those guys and maybe that’s rubbed off on the others? We got lucky when Pakistan dropped everything last summer, they should’ve won that MCG test. We then drew with the Windies. We were back up and about against New Zealand thanks to Green, Marsh and Carey.

We’ve definitely had a good run in this era, very successful but not a great era. Not winning a series in India or England in the last 20 years is where I think our frustrations lie.

 

[Grumpyshades]

While India were being beaten by NZ, the fact is their cricketers have still been playing test cricket

our mob can't even bother showing up for shield games..Marsh and Head haven't played a game in weeks
poor preparation to say the least

 

[Marshland]

Australia has managed 13 wins in its last 18 at home. During that time Australia has lost and drawn its last two series in Sri Lanka, failed to make a dent in India though did go closer last time, has not beaten England and in a sign of how times have changed celebrated a draw last year. The Pakistan win was meritorious enough I guess and so was the Kiwi one but again sides of yesteryear would have probably won those not in the last session of the last match (Pakistan) and coming from behind (NZ).

A 2-2 draw is worth celebrating considering all of the away Ashes dating back to 2001 were losses.

 

[Grumpyshades]

A 2-2 draw is worth celebrating considering all of the away Ashes dating back to 2001 were losses.

the 2019 series was also a draw

 

[Cainozz]

A 2-2 draw is worth celebrating considering all of the away Ashes dating back to 2001 were losses.

What digs away at me though is that we were 2-0 after Lords but couldn’t land that final blow after the final 3 tests.

 

[Marshland]

What digs away at me though is that we were 2-0 after Lords but couldn’t land that final blow after the final 3 tests.

That's a fair critique. England responded well to that situation, whereas in Australia they usually wilt enroute to a 4-0/5-0 type scoreline.

 

[PhatBoy]

A 2-2 draw is worth celebrating considering all of the away Ashes dating back to 2001 were losses.

It was an improvement but all those losses were also probably - this is subjective - against better England teams as well: only time will truly determine that depending on where some of their current players finish up but it was a series most memorable for the closeness of the cricket not its standard

 

[Nuggetz]

Its probably one of the saddest things i have read.

Embarrassing its exactly why we are hated so much.

to be fair, it's reduced alot and that's good but still seeing it pisses me off soo much. i'll call it out whenever i see it, don't give a shit anymore.

 

[Nuggetz]

Hopefully he tries to use his bat this time

Hopefully this aus situation & the personal competition with Virat brings it out of him.

 

[sabso]

That's a fair critique. England responded well to that situation, whereas in Australia they usually wilt enroute to a 4-0/5-0 type scoreline.

We'll see what happens come the Ashes.

 

[Nuggetz]

Mate of mine went to town on Facebook tonight so I sent him a link to a pretty basic scientific explanation of why it’s perfectly legal by any definition.

His response was ‘so can people just get an operation to be able to have double jointed elbows and be able to hyper extend?’

I said no.

And he said ‘well as far as I’m concerned it’s illegal then and he should be banned. If others can’t bowl like that it’s unfair.’

No one could or will bowl like Shane Warne, it was unfair but that doesn't mean he should be banned. Stupid logic.

 

[Nuggetz]

Have you forgot to take your medication?

It should be called out. Pathetic.