Cricket Discussion - Part 3

[RussellEbertHandball]

Webster looks good enough to play 50 tests despite making his debut at 31. Hussey got to 79 tests after making his debut post 30.

Marsh's career has come to an end and Cam Green now has real pressure to deliver game in game out when he gets back from injury, and not just get games because he has potential and is the future.

 

[Papa G]

32 wickets at 13 is pretty fukcing phenomenal.

 

[raptalia]

Webster looks good enough to play 50 tests despite making his debut at 31. Hussey got to 79 tests after making his debut post 30.

Marsh's career has come to an end and Cam Green now has real pressure to deliver game in game out when he gets back from injury, and not just get games because he has potential and is the future.

I felt the same about Mitch Marsh four years ago but he keeps returning like a bad penny.

Cam Green has had a few injuries and he will need to get fit and stay fit. Webster's batting record is not too shabby and he might be able to play primarily as a batsman. Green and Hazlewood both need to prove their fitness in my book. Doug Boland has done more than enough to hold a spot in the side. if Australia line up with both Boland and Webster in the first Test in Sri Lanka I for one will not be disappointed.

 

[1954]

Great win by the Aussies, and excellent test debut by Webster.

 

[philreich]

Spot on.

Scott Boland 10/76. Man of the Match for mine.

Well done to Australia.

Australia make the World Test Championship Final for the second year running. We play South Africa at Lord's in June. What pisses me off is that the WTC Final is played in pommy land. It smacks of the AFL Grand Final always being played at the MCG. Regardless as to where it is played it would be nice to add to the South African chokers record.

Some dude called Ryan Rickelton just smashed 259 for them against Pakistan. I'll hazard a guess and say that he won't find it quite so easy against Cummins and co.

 

[Greasyrhys]

 

[Ford Fairlane]

And so it begins...

View attachment 2197867

Same for both sides mate.

I've seen way worse SCG pitches. This held together all Test (admittedly just over 2 days ), certainly had some bounce and movement, but most of the bats on both sides showed poor technique from years of batting on flat, drop-in T20 decks. Except Webster who looked like a proper batsman out there. Imagine getting onto the front foot and being able to play off-side scoring shots. Who thought that would be a useful skill?

3-1 was a fair result, Australia the better side over the series and that was a good win at the SCG given almost no one looked comfortable out there. No Bumrah in the second dig was a huge bonus but you have to be able to play 5 x 5 day tests.

Webster looks a find, Konstas has talent in spades, but it would be good to see him build an innings, not be all Nick Kyrgios flash as RussellEbertHandball noted. Scotty Boland is going to be awful hard to leave out again.

 

[Papa G]

Actually think playing the WTC in England is a good idea. Especially if it has to be in the middle of the year. England has huge expat populations of Indians, Pakistani. Aussies. Kiwis and Yarpies meaning there will always be good support for both competing teams.

 

[philreich]

Indian fans whinging about their bad luck in losing Bumrah should cast their frail little minds back to how lucky they were that the weather intervened in Brisbane.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Indian fans whinging about their bad luck in losing Bumrah should cast their frail little minds back to how lucky they were that the weather intervened in Brisbane.

Or how lucky they were that Virat was even eligible to play game 5 after physically assaulting someone on the pitch in game 4.

 

[Festerz]

Webster looks a find, Konstas has talent in spades, but it would be good to see him build an innings, not be all Nick Kyrgios flash

As Boof Lehmann pointed out this arvo. Konstas is 19 - the next youngest player in the team is 32. We don't have a player in their 20s in this test side and that's the first time in our test history that happened (according to Boof).

It's a product of first class players being able to and wanting to play well into their 30s now that there is so much money to be made in all forms of the game.

That's an issue imho in terms of mentoring youngsters (i.e. under 30s!) who crack this team.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

As Boof Lehmann pointed out this arvo. Konstas is 19 - the next youngest player in the team is 32. We don't have a player in their 20s in this test side and that's the first time in our test history that happened (according to Boof).

It's a product of first class players being able to and wanting to play well into their 30s now that there is so much money to be made in all forms of the game.

That's an issue imho in terms of mentoring youngsters (i.e. under 30s!) who crack this team.

Id say its also an issue of there not being enough open competition for spots and a protective boys club mentality around the side.

Like is Marnus still the best first drop batsman in the country?

Also just to do an "accccctually", Webster is 31

 

[Festerz]

Id say its also an issue of there not being enough open competition for spots and a protective boys club mentality around the side.

Like is Marnus still the best first drop batsman in the country?

Also just to do an "accccctually", Webster is 31

There's a saying that it's harder to get into the test side than to be dropped. But from my experience that's the same for every top team, even in club grade comps.

But a 12 year gap between your youngest and next youngest player at the elite level strikes me as problematic - without having any clue about the talent pool of cricketers in that age bracket.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

There's a saying that it's harder to get into the test side than to be dropped. But from my experience that's the same for every top team, even in club grade comps.

But a 12 year gap between your youngest and next youngest player at the elite level strikes me as problematic - without having any clue about the talent pool of cricketers in that age bracket.

I think there is enough evidence to suggest that we missed out on some games Boland should have played. Looking likely we missed out on some Webster too, though obviously on a one match sample.

 

[philreich]

Or how lucky they were that Virat was even eligible to play game 5 after physically assaulting someone on the pitch in game 4.

Yep - spot on. If an Australian fieldsman had done that to Jaiswal, he would have not only missed the Sydney Test, but probably the tour of Sri Lanka as well.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

As Boof Lehmann pointed out this arvo. Konstas is 19 - the next youngest player in the team is 32. We don't have a player in their 20s in this test side and that's the first time in our test history that happened (according to Boof).

It's a product of first class players being able to and wanting to play well into their 30s now that there is so much money to be made in all forms of the game.

That's an issue imho in terms of mentoring youngsters (i.e. under 30s!) who crack this team.

I did wonder what Konstas does during the post-match procession of 5,000 handshakes. Does he take selfies with the opposition? Do weird charades-type hand gestures? (Not with Kohli, Bumrah and Siraj obvs). Anyway, I guess he gets to enjoy the first winning series against India since 2014.

Speaking of Kohli, that last bit of childish sandpaper pantomime after Smith was dismissed is a sad way to remember a once-great player who lost his touch and his mind by the end of this series. Can't see the back of him too soon. His raw personality in a poor team held together by Bumrah was plain to see.

 

[Festerz]

Absoutely bizarre that one of the two test legends after whom the trophy for the winner of the Australia-India test series was named, was not invited to attend the on field ceremony for its presentation:

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Absoutely bizarre that one of the two test legends after whom the trophy for the winner of the Australia-India test series was named, was not invited to attend the on field ceremony for its presentation:

I suspect it was because Fox had the rights to the opening day and closing ceremony and Sunny was employed by 7 all summer.

it is a ridiculous situation, but the ACB hands over so much power to the broadcasters.

 

[Festerz]

I did wonder what Konstas does during the post-match procession of 5,000 handshakes. Does he take selfies with the opposition? Do weird charades-type hand gestures? (Not with Kohli, Bumrah and Siraj obvs). Anyway, I guess he gets to enjoy the first winning series against India since 2014.

OT But I was best man at a Greek wedding (controversial as I'm not Orthodox) and had to shake 500 hands after the wedding and many more during the reception. My hand was a slimy mess afterwards - even before we got paranoid about germ contact via hands. And of course there was more than the odd macho bone crusher in there.

How these sports stars happily shake so many on a regular basis is beyond me.

 

[Festerz]

I suspect it was because Fox had the rights to the opening day and closing ceremony and Sunny was employed by 7 all summer.

it is a ridiculous situation, but the ACB hands over so much power to the broadcasters.

If that's true it's a friggin disgrace.

 

[philreich]

Young Sam needs to show a little more Konstas-stancy with the bat, if he wants to make it at the highest level.

I'll see myself out........

 

[Ford Fairlane]

If that's true it's a friggin disgrace.

I'm only guessing but it seems even which technology is used and how it is applied is up to the broadcaster.

CA said they would release an official statement later today. If they snubbed Sunny, then they are dicks.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Young Sam needs to show a little more Konstas-stancy with the bat, if he wants to make it at the highest level.

I'll see myself out........

 

[Nelso]

Absoutely bizarre that one of the two test legends after whom the trophy for the winner of the Australia-India test series was named, was not invited to attend the on field ceremony for its presentation:

It is a disgrace that this bloke's name is on the trophy in the first place.

Never forget what he did in 1981 when he called his batting partner off the ground as he was fed up with the umpiring decisions. Thankfully there was wiser heads within the India team management who ordered the other batsmen back on the ground.

Sook of the highest order.

 

[Grave Danger]

Absoutely bizarre that one of the two test legends after whom the trophy for the winner of the Australia-India test series was named, was not invited to attend the on field ceremony for its presentation:

When neither of them brought the trophy out before the opening day I wondered if AB's absence was due to his heath situation, and for that reason maybe they didn't want to go with just Sunny, so had neither. The pettiness between rival broadcasters sounds more plausible though, sadly.