The Association Football Cricket thread

[jd2010]

All that being said, there won't be a change to the lineup next summer. They won't end smith's career for a Bancroft level replacement. And they can't shuffle the order. So it will be this top 6, with maybe Inglis for Carey if he fails tomorrow until Smith calls time on his own career

 

[Art Vandelay_]

A record 10th wicket partnership they conceded of 116 saw them go in to face us already beaten.

They had us where they wanted to be after the top 6 but lacked the killer edge to get us out for 250.

Utter nonsense.
The 9th wicket went down 88 runs higher than their first innings. Our 6th wicket in the first innings (Carey 176) was 3 short of their first innings total.

The idea that only a 10th wicket destruction got them the win and as such NZ through it away is patently false.

 

[99 Problems]

We also tied a home series with the lowest ranked side. And kept a poor Pakistan in the game for longer than they should have been

The performances haven’t been very good in any of the games for sure. Still they’ve won 4 of the last 5 with this game still in play. I do think India are the overall strongest country in the world, and definitely at home, but even they lost a test in the England series.

I’ll always hope Australia win every game they play, but it’s a good sign for cricket overall if we’re dropping tests to the West Indies and NZ. It’s not a healthy sign for world cricket if losing a couple games means we need to retire half our team though.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

No we're not. Clearly it causes meltdowns.

/Sarcasm.

The top 7 will be persisted with as the options at shield level are subpar.

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Webster is starting to mount a good case. 42 ave the year prior and 52 before that.
But is probably the 3rd best allrounder behind Marsh and Green.

Bancroft and Handscomb have been tried and IMO aren't the answer.
Bullet watch on Ollie Davies from NSW if he can back up his breakout season next summer.

Some are still advocating bringing in Renshaw to open...

The bloke has averaged 24.9 this season.

Bancroft the best opener but, yeah, there's still some deficiencies that will get exposed at Test level.

 

[jd2010]

Utter nonsense.
The 9th wicket went down 88 runs higher than their first innings. Our 6th wicket in the first innings (Carey 176) was 3 short of their first innings total.

The idea that only a 10th wicket destruction got them the win and as such NZ through it away is patently false.

You make it sound like the batting side of things for them isn't at all above the shoulders. They went in 386 behind and mentally beaten. If they went in having skittled us for 220-290 I doubt they struggle as badly first innings with the bat

 

[Art Vandelay_]

You make it sound like the batting side of things for them isn't at all above the shoulders. They went in 386 behind and mentally beaten. If they went in having skittled us for 220-290 I doubt they struggle as badly first innings with the bat

You're making it sound like they were unlucky. They were soundly beaten.
You've been in NZ too long. Their cool-aid has got to you.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Some are still advocating bringing in Renshaw to open...

The bloke has averaged 24.9 this season.

Bancroft the best opener but, yeah, there's still some deficiencies that will get exposed at Test level.

Still better than Smith opening

 

[Jatz]

I think we’re down to Usman and Cummins as the only players left over the past 12 months or so that the public haven’t wanted dropped or not picked in the team in the first place. It’s amazing these same blokes fluked their way to being test and one day champions and keeping the ashes in an away series during that time.

Sure this looks like being a big loss, but we are actually allowed to lose every now and then. Especially away from home. Whether better or worse these players are going to turn up for next summer in very different form to whatever we’re seeing today.

It’s much better to sit on our hands and watch us barely match inferior opposition, as we’ve done all summer.

I understand the shield form is not great, but you’re seeing the results of what happens when the incumbents know they’re undroppable.

At the very least, play the players in their best positions. Smith should absolutely be in the team. He should absolutely not be an opener though.

 

[Jatz]

The performances haven’t been very good in any of the games for sure. Still they’ve won 4 of the last 5 with this game still in play. I do think India are the overall strongest country in the world, and definitely at home, but even they lost a test in the England series.

I’ll always hope Australia win every game they play, but it’s a good sign for cricket overall if we’re dropping tests to the West Indies and NZ. It’s not a healthy sign for world cricket if losing a couple games means we need to retire half our team though.

They smacked England 4-1 and in the test they lost, it required a career innings from Pope.

Let’s not pretend England got close to a series win there.

 

[glenferry23]

They smacked England 4-1 and in the test they lost, it required a career innings from Pope.

Let’s not pretend England got close to a series win there.

Yes that was an all time classic from Pope, out of nowhere with India in the drivers seat at that time in the match. A bad session or so that day and the match changed.

What impressed me most in this series was the depth of India. They were never at full strength in the series. King Kohli, Pant and Shami are walk up starts when available, they didn’t feature at all across the 5 matches. KL Rahul missed four Tests, even Bumrah sat out the 4th Test which they won comfortably in the end.

 

[99 Problems]

They smacked England 4-1 and in the test they lost, it required a career innings from Pope.

Let’s not pretend England got close to a series win there.

They didn’t get close to a series win, but they still won a test and pushed them in others. Good teams still lose matches.

The only team Australia has lost a series to in the last 5 years is India. In the last year the core of the team has played away series in India, England, the WTC final and the World Cup in India. The only failure out of that was the away series in India, and losing 2-1 over there is far from embarrassing. All of that came straight off the back of a busy home summer. They’ve massively overperformed if anything the last year, but they look like a group that’s begging for a break and they’re finally about to get one.

 

[Jatz]

Yes that was an all time classic from Pope, out of nowhere with India in the drivers seat at that time in the match. A bad session or so that day and the match changed.

What impressed me most in this series was the depth of India. They were never at full strength in the series. King Kohli, Pant and Shami are walk up starts when available, they didn’t feature at all across the 5 matches. KL Rahul missed four Tests, even Bumrah sat out the 4th Test which they won comfortably in the end.

Yashasvi Jaiswal looks like he's going to be an incredible batsman for a long time. What a talent he is.

You're right about their depth though. We'd struggle to beat their 2nd XI currently. We have no depth past our starting side - which is clearly a major problem.

 

[chef]

Head with a DH shot and way to get out in these circumstances.

 

[eth-dog]

Head with a DH shot and way to get out in these circumstances.

He's gotta be skating on thin ice.

 

[glenferry23]

Yashasvi Jaiswal looks like he's going to be an incredible batsman for a long time. What a talent he is.

You're right about their depth though. We'd struggle to beat their 2nd XI currently. We have no depth past our starting side - which is clearly a major problem.

From memory of their win at the Gabba last tour, it was largely a 3rd XI. Bowlers in particular, from what I recall Natarajan and Saini were essentially their net bowlers on that tour. I don’t recall seeing them play for India since. Still they somehow conjured a win.

What I have read is that the tour will be 5 matches. Historically it has been 4 matches however that contest deserves a full 5 match series. The Windies series needed a 3rd match. Even this current Test in NZ, if squared at 1-1 it also warrants a 3rd match.

And yes Jaiswal in particular looks a fantastic prospect. The audacity of him stepping out of his wicket and thumping 6s back over Anderson’s head, great to watch.

 

[Jatz]

He's gotta be skating on thin ice.

That makes up half our batting lineup.

I assume Head will also be pretty safe as there's no great alternatives.

 

[RPCB]

So who is going to campaigner in 150 when Australia are 7 down?

I should have gone with partnership and not just a batsman lol.

 

[chef]

Bugger. Fine fighting innings from Marsh.

 

[RPCB]

Uh oh.

 

[largebus]

Time to stand up and be counted Alex

 

[glenferry23]

Great viewing this. Test cricket remains the pinnacle.

 

[chef]

Great viewing this. Test cricket remains the pinnacle.

Doesn't get better than this.

What a win this'll be.

 

[chef]

Carey deserves a 100. Go for it son.

 

[chef]

Cummins you party pooper haha.

 

[Magma]

you can always rely on redbacks cricketers to stand up when it matters. or something like that.