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Topic: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December) (Read 49440 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #150 –
Agreed totally on the oz bats EB, they are so heavy footed and hard handed.  When it comes down to crunch time you need a reliable technique and so many our blokes don't have it.  Bancroft needs remedial work very quickly, his angled bat and gappy defence is sloppy.  Saffie quicks will sort this mob out quick smart.

Marsh's bowling, which was a strength, has been decidedly underwhelming.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #151 –
Quote from: JonHenry – on
Curator shouldn't get another gig.
24 wickets in 5 days is a blight on test cricket

David Sandurski resigned from the MCG on the 17th of Nov and took up the GABBA job. But he basically prepared all this seasons drop in pitches.

He will be replaced by Matthew Page who is moving across from the WACA after the ground hosted it's last match. So the expectation is that next years pitches will be completely different.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #152 –
Quote from: LP – on
David Sandurski resigned from the MCG on the 17th of Nov and took up the GABBA job. But he basically prepared all this seasons drop in pitches.

He will be replaced by Matthew Page who is moving across from the WACA after the ground hosted it's last match. So the expectation is that next years pitches will be completely different.

The issue I see is that pitches are losing their character and are becoming more or less the same. The WACA isn't the feared wicket for touring sides it once was, the GABA has lost it's first session 'juice' that used to give the bowlers assistance and as for the MCG wicket, well lets just say it gave nothing to anyone and ruined one of the great cricket occasions of the year. Drop in pitches make a lot of sense from a logistics point of view but we run the risk of ruining test cricket if we're not careful.
The Ox is slow but I'm running out of patience.

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #153 –
Do not know how correct this is but talking to a grounds-person she said the big problem is drop in pitches are isolated from drawing moisture from the rest of the ground. This creates a problem with how they are managed and the way they behave after rain.

The match regulations prevent ground-staff watering the pitch directly, but they used to be able to water the surrounds which would migrate up through the soil and have some effect on the pitch moisture levels. So the woman I talked to basically said the ICC need to change the rules to make some form of direct watering for drop in pitches an option, then you will get see pitches that vary with venue, break up and crack like they used to and all the varying conditions.

Sounds reasonable.

PS;
I agree with Warne's call for a Day/Night Boxing Day Test.

The reason is simple, you can blame the pitch for the lack of deviation, but you cannot blame the pitch for the lack of movement in the air, that is just down to the weather. It seems that a big advantage of Day/Night cricket is that the evening session almost certainly guarantees some form of swing. Even in Adelaide where movement through the air is normally minimal we saw plenty of late swing.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #154 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
Agreed totally on the oz bats EB, they are so heavy footed and hard handed.  When it comes down to crunch time you need a reliable technique and so many our blokes don't have it.  Bancroft needs remedial work very quickly, his angled bat and gappy defence is sloppy.  Saffie quicks will sort this mob out quick smart.

Marsh's bowling, which was a strength, has been decidedly underwhelming.

Not sure what quicks the Saffies will use....Steyn has been injured and close to retiring, they seem to have Rabada as their No 1 quick and in a strange turn of events have unearthed a decent spinner
in Maharaj, both these players are in the top ten wickets takers in test cricket for 2017 so it appears a changing of the guard. They have a bowler called Duanne Oliver who is meant to be very quick and nasty but they are all unknowns to me having never seen them play but I am sure they will field a decent attack with old pros like Philander and Morkel still playing..
I think their batting is very strong though with De Kock giving them a real edge as both keeper amd specialist batsman which allows them to play someone like Duminy at No 7...

Mitch Marsh has the tools to become a real good player but I think the One day/ 20/20 formats where he has built his reputation have hampered his technique in both bowling and batting....I'd like to see him used more as a bowler and encouraged to take wickets rather than just be a fill in while the main quicks rest...if he can learn to bowl in the corridor he could be handy IMO..

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #155 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
Agreed totally on the oz bats EB, they are so heavy footed and hard handed.  When it comes down to crunch time you need a reliable technique and so many our blokes don't have it.  Bancroft needs remedial work very quickly, his angled bat and gappy defence is sloppy.  Saffie quicks will sort this mob out quick smart.

Marsh's bowling, which was a strength, has been decidedly underwhelming.
Marsh is not long back from a shoulder reco.

Our bats usually do ok in South Africa conditions and the bowlers really do well. Suits genuine fast bowling and for our batsmen the ball comes on to the bat nicely hence, bar the odd time, our techniques haven't been tested there as they might be in English or sub continent conditions. True fast bowling never worries our bats. We haven't lost in South Africa since they were back in the fold. Funnily enough they've won the last 3 series here. We seems more suited to their conditions than ours.

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #156 –
Gee, Khawaja has been ordinary at 3. Rate the guy but he should be dropped....or at least put on notice....

Finals, then 4 in a row!

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #157 –
Quote from: laj – on
Marsh is not long back from a shoulder reco.

Our bats usually do ok in South Africa conditions and the bowlers really do well. Suits genuine fast bowling and for our batsmen the ball comes on to the bat nicely hence, bar the odd time, our techniques haven't been tested there as they might be in English or sub continent conditions. True fast bowling never worries our bats. We haven't lost in South Africa since they were back in the fold. Funnily enough they've won the last 3 series here. We seems more suited to their conditions than ours.

Not sure I agree on true fast bowling....Steyn has had it all over our blokes IMO, anyone who bowls outswingers on the money at 145-150km is going to worry you..Morkel and Philander we have covered but not DS.
We have been fortunate this present era has had few genuine quick opposing bowlers......I think the Saffies success in Aus is down to Steyn who can reverse swing the ball like no one else and takes the big wickets but lucky for us he is on the way out. England cleaned up the Saffies in England so I dont think that speaks well of the SA form and I would expect us to win unless we get an injury to one main quick...pity Pattinson cant get on the park...dont see Bird, Sayers etc providing much back up, prefer to see Jason Behrendorff on tour than Bird..
I'd stick with Khawaja at 3......

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #158 –
Quote from: laj – on
Marsh is not long back from a shoulder reco.

True, then why let him rehab at Test level if he is clearly incapable of what he was in the past.

Surely he should be proving he can get back to his best at a lower level?
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #159 –
He's a Marsh though. Seriously though, I think Justin Langer is having a big influence on selection lately, hence Agar into the squad for sydney

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #160 –
Langer... FMD... No wonder we're carp, when are we going to get fair dinkum and get smart people without BS agendas around the team?
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?
 

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #161 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
Langer... FMD... No wonder we're carp, when are we going to get fair dinkum and get smart people without BS agendas around the team?

Langer will probably be the next coach after Lehman gives it away..

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #162 –
I realise that public speaking is not a harbinger of coaching ability but that bloke is the poorest speaker I have ever heard.  His rationale concerning the selection of Mitch Marsh was rambling gibberish.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: The Third Test in the Ashes Series - WACA (14 December)

Reply #163 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
Langer... FMD... No wonder we're carp, when are we going to get fair dinkum and get smart people without BS agendas around the team?

The problem remains that top level sports administration is just like suburban or regional sports administration, it's the domain of the old boy!

AFL, Cricket, NRL and Soccer in Australia could easily be labelled semi-professional due to the way administrative appointments are handled.

Too many "Old Boys" with a finger in the pie!
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"