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Topic: God help me - the Test Cricket thread (Read 84961 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #705
Don't know why we pander to Warner, he used to get away with batting like a millionaire but just blasting through the line ain't working any more.
Warner is one of the boys club and getting a free ride at the minute in test cricket.
He should have retired and stuck to the short formats but wants one more crack at England to try and square up with Broad.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #706
I’ve always loved test cricket but I’m finding it hard to get interested in this series.

The Windies are mediocre but the Australian team doesn’t inspire me either.  I think it’s the cumulative effects of strange selections, controversy, Langer, and sandpaper.
Agree..thought it was just me getting older but my interest has dropped too.
All this kiss and make up stuff with Langar pre game didn't impress me and I just find test cricket is now the poor relation to the short format stuff that makes the money and with poor crowds it's got no atmosphere.
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Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #707
Helps to be from NSW.

Didn't Warner make a pair in the last Ashes test in Hobart?  Broad made him look like a Muppet, and it isn't the first time....I don't see how any other result is likely.  His o/s record is very ordinary, so is it reasonable to carry this bloke to whatever end point he wants?
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

 

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #708
Helps to be from NSW.

Didn't Warner make a pair in the last Ashes test in Hobart?  Broad made him look like a Muppet, and it isn't the first time....I don't see how any other result is likely.  His o/s record is very ordinary, so is it reasonable to carry this bloke to whatever end point he wants?
They want him to captain the shorter format teams and stay in Aus to help keep the Big Bash alive so they are giving him a free ride for another 12 months in test cricket. He threatened to quit Aus and play in all the overseas big money tournaments and Cricket Aus gave in and are pandering to him.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #709
The political machinations of sport makes me want to spew up.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #710
That West Indian No.3 is lucky he didn't end up another casualty.

It's got me stuffed how blokes get to Test level unable to deal with short deliveries correctly. When I was coaching juniors years ago the first thing we did with the newbies was teach them how to safely deal with short pitched bowling or rank bean balls.

You have got a helmet learn how to use it, watch Kohli, I hear Mark Taylor having a rant along those lines that coaches are responsible to ensure players are equipped to deal with game circumstances.

Oddly, I think helmets have made things worse. Years ago players hardly got hit trying to avoid the ball, usually injuries occurred from attempts to hook or pull that went wrong. On bad pitches back in the days before covers you might get injuries, but they were rare. Now almost every test you get some bloke turning his back on the pill and being hit.
The Force Awakens!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #711
Batsmen will always make errors.  Cur Khawaja's second dismissal.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #712
Flat wickets and a over abundance of short format games will make experience vs short pitch bowling on quick wickets rare. England, India and Australia play more tests than the other nations and get the experience.
Windies don't have the quick bowlers on mass they once did and don't get the practice. They all want to play short format stuff for the money and be all-rounders bowling medium pace yorkers...

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #713
I tend not to watch much international cricket, but I had to have a gander at the recent Eng/Pak test, what a great game.

But FMD, I've no idea how Ollie Robinson was given Man of the Match ahead of Harry Brooks who scored as total 240 runs off 180 balls in a test match. Most of our blokes can't even do that in an ODI or T20!
The Force Awakens!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #714
I tend not to watch much international cricket, but I had to have a gander at the recent Eng/Pak test, what a great game.

But FMD, I've no idea how Ollie Robinson was given Man of the Match ahead of Harry Brooks who scored as total 240 runs off 180 balls in a test match. Most of our blokes can't even do that in an ODI or T20!
Robinson won them the game on the last day...harder taking wickets than making runs on that pitch.Another victory for Bazball....England will be hard work at home with Archer and Wood back in that team.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #715
Should have played 5 tests vs South Africa this summer. The Windies are non competitive and look like a nation who have only entered Test Cricket 12 months ago.
Just a shame seeing them lacking that spark the great Windies teams had and Marnus is dining out on the sub standard rubbish they are serving him.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #716
Not a chance in hell Ollie Pope took that catch without grassing the pill, he may not have known it but the video is pretty clear he had no fingers under the ball as his gloves made contact with the ground.

It's quite bizarre as a decision, because here in Aus we've had catches denied because of blades of grass were seen coming up between fingers that were clearly under the pill.
The Force Awakens!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #717
Not a chance in hell Ollie Pope took that catch without grassing the pill, he may not have known it but the video is pretty clear he had no fingers under the ball as his gloves made contact with the ground.

It's quite bizarre as a decision, because here in Aus we've had catches denied because of blades of grass were seen coming up between fingers that were clearly under the pill.
Batsmen getting the benefit of the doubt was the way of the past, plenty of half volley catches look doubtful  and umpires just give them out knowing they have the 3rd umpire/slow mo replays to refer to. Problem is when the 3rd umpire isnt sure either because the replay isnt conclusive and refers it back to umpires call and then the poor batsman has to go because the initial decision was out.`
The other rule that has gone out the door is the 2 bouncers per over and the interpretation of what is a bouncer.
Englands bazball bowlers including Anderson were bowling six an over at one stage in that last test but the umpires only called the extreme ones that were miles over the batsmans head.
England have also turned test cricket into one day cricket with their tactics and I dont rely enjoy watching that style of game..Pope is playing as the keeper so they can play one day player allrounders like Livingstone and Jacks. Root took the second new ball in Pakistans second innings and it might be great entertainment but its not traditional cricket and I hope we dont see that BS in the next Ashes series.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #718
Got some real test cricket starting on Saturday with us vs the Saffies....Sandpapergate has had a fair run in the press and been a bit of hype around the battle of the pace attacks but the real difference will be the batting and this South African team are very brittle with no one averaging much over 40.
Take Elgar out of the lineup and there isnt much left at all so while I dont expect Australia to be making 500 plus like they were vs the hapless Windies I dont expect Sth Africa to make more than 250 on a good day.
Could be a bit of a bouncer fest too with a few of the Aussies looking a bit uncomfortable vs the Windies when they bowled short and with the Saffies having some real pace with Nortje bowling at 150k supported by Rabada and the giant left armer Jansen I wouldnt be surprised if the curators take a bit of sting out of the Gabba wicket and make it a bit flatter than usual.
Big game for Warner and his sandpaper mate in Smith too, been a few media jabs thrown around in relation to Smith milking some body contact in the past series and getting Rabada suspended and the Saffies were not impressed.
I'm going 2-1 with us winning the series and Warner making runs as this will probably be his last test series in Australia imo and he will finish in England after the Ashes.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #719
Elwood, considering the pitches they played on,  it makes sense to pick the team they did and play the way they did - it got them results. Won't be able to do that in England,  Aus,  NZ, SA because the pitches aren't roads or dry turners, bowlers aren't as strangled by the rules and the red ball lasts a bit longer.

While I didn't watch any of it,  I think it is a good thought process and innovation for the conditions.