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Topic: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ?? (Read 1406286 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #870 –
Quote from: laj – on
Hilton Cartwright might be worth a thought. Batting all rounder averaging 44 in FC cricket and was in the recent ODI squad.

Yep and Hilton Cartwright is a much more impressive name than Mitch Marsh ;)..apologies to anyone named Mitch on the forum
I like Cartwright also but I think Stoinis from Victoria on his home deck might be first in line....

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #871 –
I am very glad the Aussies got it together to win against a good team, but our weaknesses are still fairly obvious.

[1] Wicket Keeper: there isn't an obvious candidate. There are a number of guys who are decent, but we got spoilt having the sort of keepers since Rod Marsh. These guys could bat like a top order player, keep to the best spinners and the best quicks. No offense, but we had 20 - 30 years of being spoilt. Now we have lost that edge and our keepers are not quite that good. It makes a real difference.

There are at least 3 guys going around have been tried. They are not bad, but ... Then there are a couple of kids. Firstly the kids have to displace the keeper that are already there; not an easy task.
I can't see us solving this problem for a few years yet. I would expect the Australian side to keep cycling keepers through. I am not a fan of Wade on really low, spinning pitches. he doesn't do that well to spin bowling.

[2] Spinner: Lyon is statistically the best offie to play for Australia: he has taken more wickets and bowled in more tests. However, that shows, as much as anything, how few top notch finger spinners have played for Australia. The Aussie team has always been the home to the wrist spinner and probably still would be if we had one to do the job.
We don't have one to do the job. One of the reasons is that Australian pitches are not designed to fall apart like sub-continental pitches. The drop in style pitch, prevalent at all of the best venues, does not break up much. Therefore spinner do NOT get the exposure at top levels. And without the guile, the experience and a suitable pitch at least sometimes, leggies don't even shield games.
I would like to see left arm wrist spinners as well, as a LOT of top order bats are lefties these days, but...

Lyon isn't a bad spinner, but he does not have the magic or the variety to make things happen. The young Shane Warne really did.

[3] Batting Depth: we have finally tried some younger batsmen; a positive sign that may well deliver. But we are still hugely dependent on Smith, Warner and, to a much lesser extent, Khawaja. When they fail, Aussie teams struggle to make runs.
I am not sure Maddinson has what it takes, but 2 of the 3 have worked so far. I am willing to give Maddinson a little longer, but his style of play is too much 100 or a duck for me (with too many ducks).

[4] Part time bowlers: I am amazed that we see so little of Smith or Warner bowling. Both of them have talent as spinners, yet neither rolls the arm over. After that, who?
Strong Australian teams had a number of guys who could bowl either medium pace (swing) or spin. Doug Walters was a great partnership breaker. Lehmann bowled better than his nude nuts suggested. Ponting under bowled himself, as he did swing the ball. Border was willing to bowl himself and both of the Waugh brothers with success.

Yes, the team is calling out for an all-rounder, but Australian cricket seems to be producing one day or 20;20 all-rounders, not guys of test quality.
Maybe Mitch Marsh will make it, as his bowling has potential, but he is not a test class batsman. When the ball moves, he goes out.

[5] batting against the moving ball: we appear to be very poor at it, whether it is cut, spin or swing. First class bats don't see much of it: our pitches are too good for too long. We need to start becoming more creative to give our bats the experience with swinging balls, spinning decks and green tops. Otherwise we will continue to struggle.
Live Long and Prosper!

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #872 –
One change for the Boxing Day test.

Maddinson out and Travis Head in. A bloody good batsman and an OK sort of extra bowler.
Future captain material too.
I spent most of my money on Women and grog.
The rest I just wasted.

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #873 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
Why is Smith getting pumped over his captaincy? I'd be asking Starc why he bowls crap and serves up soft runs and messes up whatever plan is being organised.

I know it can seem like an excuse to target Smith, but some significant portion of the playing performances are attributable to the tactics being used on the field. It could of course be deliberate, in that perhaps Smith hasn't got the team he wants and he is manipulating the situation like Waugh did previously, but that would be extreme to almost cause a world record loss!

If you want to know who to listen to then freely ignore me and listen to Mark "Tubby" Taylor's criticism of Smith. Taylor is the best captain Australia's had in the last 40 years, and by some margin!

Smith is lucky Richie Benaud is gone because Richie would have torn him a new one!
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #874 –
Quote from: sandsmere – on
One change for the Boxing Day test.

Maddinson out and Travis Head in. A bloody good batsman and an OK sort of extra bowler.
Future captain material too.
Travis Head does come with the ability to bowl a bit and the willingness to do it. That is something, because we have a number of guys who can but won't. head is also the sort of middle order player who can play a number of roles: he is not just a smash and crash player.
Maddinson works better at the top of the order, for what it is worth. He looks lost at #6. His issues against the moving ball make a interesting question as to where, or if, to play him.

I can't see the selectors making changes unless there is an injury, but that is one of the problems with Australian Cricket: we only learn from failure.
Live Long and Prosper!

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #875 –
Quote from: crashlander – on
Travis Head does come with the ability to bowl a bit and the willingness to do it. That is something, because we have a number of guys who can but won't. head is also the sort of middle order player who can play a number of roles: he is not just a smash and crash player.
Maddinson works better at the top of the order, for what it is worth. He looks lost at #6. His issues against the moving ball make a interesting question as to where, or if, to play him.

I can't see the selectors making changes unless there is an injury, but that is one of the problems with Australian Cricket: we only learn from failure.

It has always been harder to get out of the test team than to get in.  I really don't understand why they don't just pick the best team for the occasion.
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #876 –
Maddinson is a one day player, zero technique, wont make a run in England against the moving ball...
Head is probably is a bit tighter in defense and capable of building an innings, wouldnt get too carried away with his bowling though....I keep seeing Kholi batting and the ball disappearing into a sea of Indian spectators... ;)
Handscomb is another player I have concerns about vs the moving ball in English conditions, has that strange stance which is working for him here and allows for his favourite back cut but vs the Poms who bowl on the money outswing I can a lot of slips fielders getting plenty of work.

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #877 –
Handscomb has been exposed to English conditions several times, and was previously signed by Gloucestershire for the 2015 season. So I would reserve judgement.

If we are worried about Handscomb we should be petrified for Warner, Smith and Wade. Yet they have also done well in the UK in previous seasons.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #878 –
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Yep and Hilton Cartwright is a much more impressive name than Mitch Marsh ;)..apologies to anyone named Mitch on the forum
I like Cartwright also but I think Stoinis from Victoria on his home deck might be first in line....

Cartwright has been added to the squad now.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/cartwright-called-into-australian-squad-for-boxing-day-test/8136146?section=sport

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #879 –
Quote from: laj – on
Cartwright has been added to the squad now.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/cartwright-called-into-australian-squad-for-boxing-day-test/8136146?section=sport

Bit of a punt, but good aussie selection policy has always seen young players promoted on talent and sometimes not a long shield career of consistent results.
Good luck to him and I think he should play in place of Maddinson...

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #880 –
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Bit of a punt, but good aussie selection policy has always seen young players promoted on talent and sometimes not a long shield career of consistent results.
Good luck to him and I think he should play in place of Maddinson...

He has a Shield average of 44.5 so hopefully he'll do the job as a batting all rounder. Yes, certainly should replace Maddinson.

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #881 –
That was some win out of no-where. We've been alot better since Hobart.

Agar and O'Keefe have been selected for the next Test replacing Maddinson and Sayers in the 13 man squad.

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #882 –
Makes me sick this rubbish. They are basically trying to lever Lyon out of the team, despite the fact he started today's rout of Pakistan.

At the end of the game as the team was walking off the TV showed a close up shot of Smith and Warner side by side just as the crowd started chanting for Lyon. The look on their faces said a million words, like someone had stolen their chocolates! You can't hide that sort of involuntary response, and it says a million things about they way they think!

Earlier in the day you saw a concerted effort by Slater to boost O'Keefe's cause with Neville's demise as a side show, just minutes after Lyon had captured the key wickets. Warne responded in commentary aggressively defending the positions of Lyon and Wade and labelled O'Keefe a white ball cricketer. Slater demeanor shrunk, he had graphics and statistics ready to pump up O'Keefe's tyres and Warne deflated them before they even had a chance to run the graphic!  In the same break Chappell and Taylor tried to get Lehman to pot Wade and they failed.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"
 

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #883 –
Quote from: laj – on
That was some win out of no-where. We've been alot better since Hobart.

Agar and O'Keefe have been selected for the next Test replacing Maddinson and Sayers in the 13 man squad.

Was a good win given the conditions, reckon Warner laid the foundation with his century and Smith/Starc were the icing on the cake.
Paki's fought it out in the last test but didnt show much fight or competitive nature in this one...Azhar excepted, he has one of the finest techniques in the game
and is a gun player. Australia really is a graveyard for spinners, Yasir Shah is highly rated but looks a buffet of rubbish when he bowls out here and has been disappointing.
Given how overseas spinners have performed I think Nathan Lyon gets harsh criticism and does as well as any other spinner who plays on Aus wickets....

Re: Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

Reply #884 –
That was an amazing win considering the time lost to bad weather  :o

I think we desperately need a 5th bowler ... who can bat.  The question is whether we go for a medium pacer or a spinner, ie Cartwright or Agar.

While I think that commentators should be free to express their opinions, they should be informed, unbiased opinions, not shameless attempts to promote their favourites over more deserving cricketers.  Warney may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he calls it as he sees it and doesn't get involved in the bullcrape that some of our ex-cricketers thrive on.
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball