3rd Ashes Test England v Australia July 6-10 1930hrs @ Headingley

[PhatBoy]

I read the first post and then skip over the rest. It is a game of cricket, not a philosophy class.

Couldn’t be more pleased for you.

 

[Peter Bixley]

I find the death of Test cricket stuff tedious

If anything it's the limited over form that is on deaths door in Australia at least where nobody cares

The MCC are talking about ditching bilateral ODI series except in World Cup years. This is supposedly to ease congestion. Warne once said ODIs should go so that all we're left with is T20 and tests. It may well happen in time.

 

[the_interloper]

The MCC are talking about ditching bilateral ODI series except in World Cup years. This is supposedly to ease congestion. Warne once said ODIs should go so that all we're left with is T20 and tests. It may well happen in time.

I wouldn't mind if ODIs got the arse, there's a bigger difference between T20 and Tests so it's a good mix I reckon. The rise of T20 has shown how boring it can get between overs 15-40 in an ODI, effectively T20 cuts out that boring bit.

 

[Peter Bixley]

I wouldn't mind if ODIs got the arse, there's a bigger difference between T20 and Tests so it's a good mix I reckon. The rise of T20 has shown how boring it can get between overs 15-40 in an ODI, effectively T20 cuts out that boring bit.

You'd probably say that the 50-over World Cup is all that is saving the ODI format. To be fair, it's still a great competition to win. I just think that people would find it easier to process two forms of the game. It's all just a big mess at the moment with scheduling.

 

[Australian Randall]

I find the death of Test cricket stuff tedious

If anything it's the limited over form that is on deaths door in Australia at least where nobody cares

It's different worldwide.

The pretend stuff is the present and future.

The days of great stands where the players stage a rear guard action and hardly runs are scored are sadly a thing of the past.

 

[Australian Randall]

There is only one true form of the game.

Shame we don't see it played these days even in the correct format.

 

[4Seasons]

Surely it's simple

Out Murphy and Boland in Hazelwood and Neser
Out Warner in Green

Remove all spuds plus someone captain woke refuses to use

Pretty original..you got both spud and woke in there. Should bade also included road for the Bingo Trifecta

 

[Gough]

I find the death of Test cricket stuff tedious

If anything it's the limited over form that is on deaths door in Australia at least where nobody cares

I could pick almost any Wisden I have off the shelf and at some point in Notes from the Editor he'll talk about the demise of Test cricket.

 

[CrowBloke]

I was your nemisis, or you mine. A RH opening bat of the 'get behind it, or leave it when you can' kind with the worlds best front foot defense.

Great post, terrific read thanks.
Yes, you were my pet-hate opener with good technique and unlikely to have a slash. In our League were a lot of Old Scholar teams whose batsmen had been well-coached. Sound defence, smack the bad ball; hard to get out. A bloke named Simon Lane was my nemesis --- a cross between Greg Chappell and Mark Waugh in style and technique. I never got him out.

My job was to bat till tea, irrespective of the score, to set it up for the stroke players against fatiguing bowlers. I played at a reasonable level. VJCA, which would be one down from sub-district. We came across quite a few ex State, and one ex international player. It was wonderfully good, tough cricket.

I played A1 Turf which at the time was a good level, probably equivalent to B-Grade District Cricket, from whose A-Grade State teams were selected. Our A1 keeper left the Club and played A-Grade District with success; made the State squad a couple of times. Our Captain-Coach for one season was an ex-SA opening bat. The Club Admin. and many of the team were in awe of him, but he was a long-neck boozehound and only lasted a year. I was his into-the-wind swing bowler, used to shut down one end. That season I bowled the most overs in the Comp. Our other opener was a tall, slim bloke with a whippy action who got me a lot of wickets. Batsmen used to try to keep him out and took their chances against me which = wickets, thanks Smithy.

I loved this anecdote:

My worst 'the ump hates me' moment, was being 38yo, opening in the firsts in a lower grade club, playing in the virtual dark against a very sharp LH opening bowler, who could swing it a mtr. He was quick and nasty, and hit me flush on the left nipple several times. I kept appealing against the fact I couldn't see the ball till it was a couple of meters from me, but the doddering old prick of an umpire just kept the game going. I've never worn a helmet so all the protection I had was my red and lack cap.

When I think back to those pre-helmet days, it makes me shudder.
One of my best mates was our #3; in one game he was through a pull shot too quickly and the ball smacked into his lower R-hand jaw. We heard the <crack> of his jaw breaking from beyond the boundary . His jaw was wired for a long time and he had to carry wire-cutting snips with him in case of emergency throw-up. He could only eat blended foods, soups etc.
Those were the days, eh?

This is hilarious:

My old dad had a boat similar to your 'African Queen', but I'm not aware of him catching a fish, ever... Port Phillip Bay is not quite as productive as Spencer gulf these days...Dad used to blame the fish. He claimed he had read every fishing book ever written, and was doing it the correct way, so the fish must be doing it wrong. He investigated getting a waterproof edition of fishing books he could lower down so the fish could work out their mistakes...

My Clarrie story goes back to the early 90's. In about 2010, I made the switch from boat to beach fishing, first along Adelaide Metro beaches (smaller fish, but more of them) then later along the S-E side of Yorke Peninsula which was a revelation. There we've caught many, many more fish than we ever had from THEBOAT which was a money pit. A greater variety of species and bigger fish too.

So we agree about Warner. Realistically he is as much of a liability as Bairstowe is, and continually gives that prick Broad imputus at the beginning of his bowling innings. Seriously any of the tail enders, you, or me, could thrash about and average more than Davey did in the last game, and I'm 63.....

Lehmann tweeted that without Warner's 66 we lose the 2nd Test, conveniently overlooking Smith's ton and Head's 77. Warner contributed, but was not the match-winner. You're right; they have Bairstow who probably causes more harm than Warner, anyway.
I doubt that they'll drop Warner, mostly because they'll be trying to send a message to the Poms that they're unruffled by the Lords loss.
They'd be mugs to drop Marsh, though.

 

[4Seasons]

The pretend form of cricket doesn't prepare either team for test sadly. In fact it sadly does the opposite.

Hope we win but it's been a sad test to watch.

Bit harsh.
Most Test cricketers would have at least started on carpet playing with a two piece ball. It has its place.

 

[Gough]

Even I could make a two piece swing.

 

[4Seasons]

Agree that Lab is playing opener role by default.

First two Tests he came in at 29, 61, 73, 63 though?

 

[corbies]

Tim Ward made a case with his run getting against the Kiwis before the Ashes. CA called that short A tour 'an Ashes camp', was no such thing as not one player was considered even as a reserve.

There's two players from that tour that have been in the squad. Renshaw and Pierson. Renshaw made a heap more runs than Ward too.

 

[Around the Wicket]

T20

You'd probably say that the 50-over World Cup is all that is saving the ODI format. To be fair, it's still a great competition to win. I just think that people would find it easier to process two forms of the game. It's all just a big mess at the moment with scheduling.

Too many T20 leagues world wide now, it's good for the lesser players that wouldn't have made a living in cricket alone pre this era but it's not good for the highest level of the sport.

 

[Soggy2112]

You'd probably say that the 50-over World Cup is all that is saving the ODI format. To be fair, it's still a great competition to win. I just think that people would find it easier to process two forms of the game. It's all just a big mess at the moment with scheduling.

I’d say the 50 over World Cup is still the most important tournament IMO.

The WTC is still finding its feet format wise, and outside of the big 3 there’s probably not enough 3-4 test series occurring for it to get there. For the record I love the idea of the WTC, but I fear it may not survive for long.

I feel like in the T20 World Cup one result in the group stages can dictate the outcome too much. In a format as volatile as T20 this means the best team/s will often aren’t the ones in the final.

At this stage the 50 over World Cup still feels like the best of both worlds to me.

Personally I think international white ball cricket should operate in two year rotations. Have two years leading up to a 50 over World Cup, where only 50 over cricket is played internationally, then two years of T20. Schedule proper qualification series (also bring back the 16 team World Cup), where the Netherlands plays the Windies over 3-5 matches.

Less cricket, more context.

Of course that’s not going to happen because it means less $$$ but I can dream.

 

[corbies]

I’d say the 50 over World Cup is still the most important tournament IMO.

The WTC is still finding its feet format wise, and outside of the big 3 there’s probably not enough 3-4 test series occurring for it to get there. For the record I love the idea of the WTC, but I fear it may not survive for long.

I feel like in the T20 World Cup one result in the group stages can dictate the outcome too much. In a format as volatile as T20 this means the best team/s will often aren’t the ones in the final.

At this stage the 50 over World Cup still feels like the best of both worlds to me.

Personally I think international white ball cricket should operate in two year rotations. Have two years leading up to a 50 over World Cup, where only 50 over cricket is played internationally, then two years of T20. Schedule proper qualification series (also bring back the 16 team World Cup), where the Netherlands plays the Windies over 3-5 matches.

Less cricket, more context.

Of course that’s not going to happen because it means less $$$ but I can dream.

We had this in this ODI World Cup cycle with the Super League. No one gave a ****.

ODI World Cup going back to 14 teams from 2027. T20 World Cup will be 20 teams from 2024.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

He literally said that it was pending the selectors picking him.

Yeah but we all know he was giving the selectors an easy out, let me play till they Sydney test and you won't have to make a hard decision and drop me.

They need to suck it up and do their job.

 

[the_interloper]

I could pick almost any Wisden I have off the shelf and at some point in Notes from the Editor he'll talk about the demise of Test cricket.

You can find newspaper clippings calling the death of boxing from the 1700s or so

 

[M Malice]

Test Cricket is IT.

If it ever goes the way of the dinosaur that will be it for me as far as following cricket is concerned.... however I am an actual baby boomer Dinosaur.

 

[4Seasons]

T20

Too many T20 leagues world wide now, it's good for the lesser players that wouldn't have made a living in cricket alone pre this era but it's not good for the highest level of the sport.

You could argue that Test Cricketers would have evolved to what they are now even without white ball formats.

AFL is a good example. Only one format but the game is unrecognisable to other generations. And you still get old people complaining it’s not as good as the old days. They just don’t have other formats to blame

 

[PhatBoy]

Test cricket to me will always be awesome if:

- there are at least 3 competitive ‘good’ sides. We have that at the moment. I don’t think any of Australia, England, India or probably NZ who I would say are fourth, are excellent but they’re decent.

- most teams play different styles of cricket. I love the odd series where you get a really strong pace attack against a similar attack, and batting line ups that play similarly. Some of the best series of the last 14-16 years have been the Australia-SA series where the two attacks just let loose on one another and batting line ups featuring the technicians ( Kallis), the tradies that just find a method (Graeme and Steve Smith), the artists like Khawaja and Amla, the blasters like Warner and De Kock, and the magicians like De Villiers all sort of proved a counterpoint
For all that I love a series where the two teams have different methods like what we are seeing at the moment. I like it when non Asian teams try and take on India or Sri Lanka without resorting to just copying the hosts.
I’m boxing they say that styles make fights and I feel the same about test cricket generally.

- teams show some inclination to innovate. Not be bound to always picking the same formulaic 11, be willing to experiment.

- pitches retain their home characteristics. It’s one of the best things about the game - watching a team try to adapt to opposition conditions. I would never want that to be homogenised. Unlike most people I do see a place in the game for the odd ‘road.’ We love watching batsmen challenged by spinning or seaming or up-and-down conditions. It’s because it forces batsmen to apply themselves and show real skill or tactical application to succeed. I don’t see why bowlers shouldn’t be expected to do the same. Not every game, of course, but I don’t believe a bowler should just expect to ‘do what they do’ and let the pitch take care of the rest and give them a chance. Watching bowlers like Cummins, Steyn, Stokes, McGrath in years gone by, get batsmen out through tactics, heart, speed, changes of pace, relentlessness etc - that’s a great part of the game for me.

 

[JackOutback]

Marcus Harris has the best county career out of our whole squad and is miles ahead ahead the two you think deserve it ahead of him, your talking out your ass.

Cameron Bancroft - 961 county runs @ 33.13 with 1x 100 and 4 x 50's

Matt Renshaw - 1251 county runs @ 43.14 with 5x 100's and 2x 50's

Marcus Harris - 1570 county runs @ 50.65 with 7 x 100's and 4x 50's

& if you compare Shield records Harris shits on the pair almost every year as well, like him or hate him statistically he shits on both Renshaw and Bancroft.

I have no opinion on Harris as a person, one way or another, but he's simply not up to Test standard. He got a solid run at it, he's had 14 Tests for an average of 25, Bancroft has only had 10 for a higher average (marginally) and same number of half centuries, and Renshaw the same number of Tests for a higher average and a century (and his average was brought down by being thrust into the middle order during a tough Indian tour). Harris is a very good First Class player, he's not a Test player, his weaknesses have been found out and exploited and he has been unable to overcome them.

Likely neither is Bancroft, Renshaw very well could be. Bancroft averaged 59 in the Shield last season, Renshaw 51, Harris 37. That should have been the order of preference after Warner, I genuinely have no idea why Harris was on the plane given his struggles at Test level and Shield season.

 

[CrowBloke]

Test Cricket is IT.

If it ever goes the way of the dinosaur that will be it for me as far as following cricket is concerned.... however I am an actual baby boomer Dinosaur.

Me, too.

Remember when rainbows were Black and White? Aaaaah .... memories .

 

[Sun Ra]

Me, too.

Remember when rainbows were Black and White? Aaaaah .... memories .

Me three. Test cricket.

 

[M Malice]

Me, too.

Remember when rainbows were Black and White? Aaaaah .... memories .