Sport All things CRICKET

Remove this Banner Ad

Log in to remove this ad.

Sitrep for those who didn't watch at all or not in full.

Warner and Rogers got off to a decent start with the roles being reversed from what would be expected. Warner was circumspect while Rogers in his solid and assured manner was the playmaker early on. This was largely due to Anderson early who in his backyard is wonderful to watch as he swings the ball in both directions with the same action. So as a result Warner was quite cautious. He got a reprieve when Dharmasena (how he's an elite panel umpire astounds me) gave him out LBW despite the ball pitching close to a foot outside leg stump and the angle that created meant that it was only just hitting him in line. Absolute howler. He didn't make the most of his reprieve however and did what I suspect he'll do a fair bit this series, unfortunately, which is knick behind for a score below 30-40. Not suited to these conditions.

So next in came Smith and immediately they targeted his stumps as he shuffles across but as normal he looked assured against pace. After getting in he decided to pull the trigger v Ali and was using his feet exquisitely and the partnership was rolling along nicely. Got himself into the 30's and he was looking so comfortable you were sitting there thinking big score today but was undone by Ali deceiving him. Fired one into the pads and in his scramble got a leading edge and was out. He was filthy with himself.

All the while Rogers is just playing like an experienced pro who knows the conditions like the back of his own hand. Over pitched... Bang! Cover drive four. Too straight... Tucked away four. Was even playing some delicate late cuts off the spinner which usually isn't his forte. In typical Rogers fashion he just quietly set about accumulating runs. You thought, he's playing the perfect anchor innings here.

Resolute in defence but assertive and assured in attack when required. Hit his first ever test 6 as well (we'll just gloss over how he got it Okay!). Unfortunately he is now a record holder, most successive half centuries as he dangled at a ball from Wood on 95. His disgust with himself audible on stump mic. All in all though a good innings which set the platform for the team.

So now we have Clarke and Voges together. Clarke was looking somewhere in between the class batsmen we know he is and the guy short of runs. In truth it was a little from column A and a little from column B. So he wasn't in any hurry to play shots he just waited for the loosey to come along. Just like Smith he was assured vs Ali playing some lovely strokes and just like Smith it brought about his undoing as he forcefully whacked the ball back at Ali who took a simple catch. Soft dismissal from the captain and two scores in the 30's for C and VC, for numbers 3 and 4. And on a relatively docile pitch too.

So Watson strides to the wicket and immediately Anderson is brought back on by Cook just like he brought Broad straight on for Clarke. Watching Watson for a while now has been daunting, always waiting for that time bomb to cease ticking and the loose shot arrives. Well as per normal they started targeting his pads but he was watchful and and he didn't look overly likely to get out that way unlike normal (didn't make it easier to watch though). I ducked off to the loo when it happened but apparently he was dropped on 16 so he batting on a life.

As for his partner, the newest addition to the team Voges, it was summed up by Healy (yes Healy!) where he said we could have blooded youth like Burns of Handscomb amongst a couple of others but losing 3 series in England in a row and rightfully so the selectors have decided to select for a win, not the future. Well he looked like a guy who's been banging the door down. He looked nervous as can be expected but looked quite assured as well. Signs of a guy who knows his game. So what we saw with Voges was Anderson and Wood mainly mixing it up, presumably to get a feel for his weaknesses. He was a bit Watto like in that he plays around that front pad but is a bit more wristy and works the ball square quite well. He was showing good mental application as you could see he was making a concerted effort to not do that and to play it straighter to avoid the problems swing creates. Frustratingly he cheaply gave his wicket away really late in the day. Wide half volley which instinctively he's tried to thrash through cover but it hit the left armers foot mark and popped up a little and was spooned straight to Anderson at cover.

Watson and Lyon saw out the day . Final thoughts:

Broad was unlucky, especially compared to what his figures suggest.

3, 4 and 5 all getting out cheaply in the 30's by gifting their wickets was frustrating as they bowled a bit like us in that they lacked penetration at times. Soft dismissals cost us today.

Their all rounder vs ours is worrisome. Stokes more likely to score runs this series and looks far more damaging with the ball as well.

On their bowling, while lacking zip at times and not all that threatening, they did one thing better than we did, the bowled tighter lines and lengths for the most part. Had little spells where it sprayed a bit but we're by and large better in that regard.

Lastly Cook should get sanctioned or at the least a stern talking to for his over rates. Just like last Ashes series. Very slow. He did take a sharp catch to remove Warner though.

So 5/264 and 166 adrift still, batting last. Oh how that Root drop may cost us. This is the time for Watson and Haddin to stand up. Both under the pump and the team a bit behind in the match.

Sorry if it comes off as a bit tl;dr :)
 
NSFB said:
Sitrep for those who didn't watch at all or not in full.

Warner and Rogers got off to a decent start with the roles being reversed from what would be expected. Warner was circumspect while Rogers in his solid and assured manner was the playmaker early on. This was largely due to Anderson early who in his backyard is wonderful to watch as he swings the ball in both directions with the same action. So as a result Warner was quite cautious. He got a reprieve when Dharmasena (how he's an elite panel umpire astounds me) gave him out LBW despite the ball pitching close to a foot outside leg stump and the angle that created meant that it was only just hitting him in line. Absolute howler. He didn't make the most of his reprieve however and did what I suspect he'll do a fair bit this series, unfortunately, which is knick behind for a score below 30-40. Not suited to these conditions.

So next in came Smith and immediately they targeted his stumps as he shuffles across but as normal he looked assured against pace. After getting in he decided to pull the trigger v Ali and was using his feet exquisitely and the partnership was rolling along nicely. Got himself into the 30's and he was looking so comfortable you were sitting there thinking big score today but was undone by Ali deceiving him. Fired one into the pads and in his scramble got a leading edge and was out. He was filthy with himself.

All the while Rogers is just playing like an experienced pro who knows the conditions like the back of his own hand. Over pitched... Bang! Cover drive four. Too straight... Tucked away four. Was even playing some delicate late cuts off the spinner which usually isn't his forte. In typical Rogers fashion he just quietly set about accumulating runs. You thought, he's playing the perfect anchor innings here.

Resolute in defence but assertive and assured in attack when required. Hit his first ever test 6 as well (we'll just gloss over how he got it Okay!). Unfortunately he is now a record holder, most successive half centuries as he dangled at a ball from Wood on 95. His disgust with himself audible on stump mic. All in all though a good innings which set the platform for the team.

So now we have Clarke and Voges together. Clarke was looking somewhere in between the class batsmen we know he is and the guy short of runs. In truth it was a little from column A and a little from column B. So he wasn't in any hurry to play shots he just waited for the loosey to come along. Just like Smith he was assured vs Ali playing some lovely strokes and just like Smith it brought about his undoing as he forcefully whacked the ball back at Ali who took a simple catch. Soft dismissal from the captain and two scores in the 30's for C and VC, for numbers 3 and 4. And on a relatively docile pitch too.

So Watson strides to the wicket and immediately Anderson is brought back on by Cook just like he brought Broad straight on for Clarke. Watching Watson for a while now has been daunting, always waiting for that time bomb to cease ticking and the loose shot arrives. Well as per normal they started targeting his pads but he was watchful and and he didn't look overly likely to get out that way unlike normal (didn't make it easier to watch though). I ducked off to the loo when it happened but apparently he was dropped on 16 so he batting on a life.

As for his partner, the newest addition to the team Voges, it was summed up by Healy (yes Healy!) where he said we could have blooded youth like Burns of Handscomb amongst a couple of others but losing 3 series in England in a row and rightfully so the selectors have decided to select for a win, not the future. Well he looked like a guy who's been banging the door down. He looked nervous as can be expected but looked quite assured as well. Signs of a guy who knows his game. So what we saw with Voges was Anderson and Wood mainly mixing it up, presumably to get a feel for his weaknesses. He was a bit Watto like in that he plays around that front pad but is a bit more wristy and works the ball square quite well. He was showing good mental application as you could see he was making a concerted effort to not do that and to play it straighter to avoid the problems swing creates. Frustratingly he cheaply gave his wicket away really late in the day. Wide half volley which instinctively he's tried to thrash through cover but it hit the left armers foot mark and popped up a little and was spooned straight to Anderson at cover.

Watson and Lyon saw out the day . Final thoughts:

Broad was unlucky, especially compared to what his figures suggest.

3, 4 and 5 all getting out cheaply in the 30's by gifting their wickets was frustrating as they bowled a bit like us in that they lacked penetration at times. Soft dismissals cost us today.

Their all rounder vs ours is worrisome. Stokes more likely to score runs this series and looks far more damaging with the ball as well.

On their bowling, while lacking zip at times and not all that threatening, they did one thing better than we did, the bowled tighter lines and lengths for the most part. Had little spells where it sprayed a bit but we're by and large better in that regard.

Lastly Cook should get sanctioned or at the least a stern talking to for his over rates. Just like last Ashes series. Very slow. He did take a sharp catch to remove Warner though.

So 5/264 and 166 adrift still, batting last. Oh how that Root drop may cost us. This is the time for Watson and Haddin to stand up. Both under the pump and the team a bit behind in the match.

Sorry if it comes off as a bit tl;dr :)
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, fell asleep but up to date after reading your post.

Looks like you'll be lacking sleep over this ashes series seeing you're such a cricket nut.
 
That's pretty good, NSFB.
At least up to Tea, anyway.
After that, I'll have to take your word for it.:D
I will take issue with one thing, though, their bowlers were much more accurate overall than ours, I thought.
The other thing worth noting is that, while Anderson looks better in England, he doesn't do much against us anywhere. Take out the Trent Bridge match and his average against us over there is 43 (and 37 in Australia). Broad has done much better against us than Anderson.
 
NSFB said:
I that's what I said Fredo_O that they were more accurate than we were...
Click to expand...

Sorry, you did too, I misread it.:oops:
Incidentally, I believe Dharmasena is an umpire on the principle of "poacher turned gamekeeper".
He was the biggest chucker since Bazza McKenzie.:D
 
Last edited:
Willo_ said:
What are your thoughts on the 'anti Mitch pitch' NSFB
Click to expand...
I think drier surfaces can be expected given it is a little later in the season now. They clearly think they have the advantage with swing both conventional and reverse so a dry pitch aids that and gives us negligible seam movement for which we are stronger.

As for the Mitch pitch I don't know enough about the Sophia Gardens pitch to know if that's typical or not. It may be a typical bouncing wicket for that ground, I don't know.

It does appear as though they have selected grounds that don't favour us or more accurately chosen against grounds that do.

We have good records at Headingley and Old Trafford as one seams and swings and the other is quicker and bouncier. While Nottingham is a ground iirc Anderson and Broad thrive on.

This is where they get advantages in England, by being able to tailor the grounds selected to suit them v their opponent by having 8-10 grounds to choose from.

We need to win at Lords, plain and simple. Lose there and we're in trouble as it is the ground that I feel we'll be best suited to.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

I've been reasonably tolerant of Watson over the journey but my reason for that was that there was no obvious replacement. Now that Marsh has emerged it's just madness to persist.
 
catempire said:
I've been reasonably tolerant of Watson over the journey but my reason for that was that there was no obvious replacement. Now that Marsh has emerged it's just madness to persist.
Click to expand...

Marsh just had to play in this Test. Was in form and doesn't come in with the mental demons that Watson has. Haddin is the other one. Has to make runs here to guarantee he is not carrying the drinks in the next Test.
 
year of the cat said:
Marsh just had to play in this Test. Was in form and doesn't come in with the mental demons that Watson has. Haddin is the other one. Has to make runs here to guarantee he is not carrying the drinks in the next Test.
Click to expand...
Yep. Haddin was fantastic last home Ashes... has been very average since.
 
year of the cat said:
I'm a fan of Haddin but he should have retired prior to this series.
Click to expand...
The problem with having the Ashes so close was a few in the team have held on for one last crack... and the selectors have kept picking them
 
Willo_ said:
The problem with having the Ashes so close was a few in the team have held on for one last crack... and the selectors have kept picking them
Click to expand...
Also the selectors weren't willing to explore beyond the known quantities because there wasn't much time.
 
FredLeDeux said:
I don't think it will be enough, but our bowling so far has been an immense improvement on the 1st innings.
Click to expand...
That wouldn't be hard...
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Sport All things CRICKET

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top