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Topic: God help me - the Test Cricket thread (Read 262305 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #195 –
Waugh has stayed quiet, and  refused to chuck fuel on the fire,  which is a solid strategy ('control the communication' as the PR guys call it).

If you go through the archives, history is littered with incidents concerning the Waugh(s) and Victorians, of which Warne is obviously one.   The deep seated antipathy seemed to start with sledging during Shield games,  the Elliot incident didn't win friends,  and dropping Warne in the Caribbean for MacGill caused a lot of bad blood. Coupled with a perception that Victorian players (Jones,  Elliot,  Hodge) were overlooked for NSW players and you get the picture.

Neither state has particularly liked each other at state level for decades. 
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #196 –
I'm sure all professional players have a vested interest in their performance, and you could make a case for any number of players in AFL, cricket etc. being perceived as selfish.  Warne has conducted a one man attack on Waugh for ages. The only other person of note to buy into this was Ian Chappell, who also rips into Bradman and Botham. I'd suggest all these blokes are motivated by personal grievances rather than any genuine attempt at character analysis.

Warne isn't exactly humble and selfless himself.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #197 –
Warne was 100% right to turn down an "instruction" from Waugh that they wear their Test Caps to Wimbledon.  Waugh was absolutely self centered in thinking they'd follow suit but he always was that way inclined.  There are other examples of that

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #198 –
Why is it that Australia seemingly has to always take all the risks to win games,  while other countries sit back and wait?  Maybe we should sit on the splice for three days and drag everything to five day draws.

I for one am pleased that at least Australia has tried to push the game forward.   If the (inevitable) collapse occurs chasing the win,  then I say,  well done boys,  at least you had a go.  And to the usual media pile on, a big  👆 you.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #199 –
So Sharma scratches guard and shadows bats while in the field... WHERES THE MEDIA PILE ON!?!
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #200 –
Quote from: Professer E – on
So Sharma scratches guard and shadows bats while in the field... WHERES THE MEDIA PILE ON!?!
Think he was taking the piss out of Smith who was watching him and the media thought the same, I thought the umpires might have moved him and cracked down on what is stupid behaviour. I dont think he scratched guard and just shadow batted, its a practice thats needs to be stopped and I'd just ban fielders from doing it and fine them if they ignored a warning.
Another practice annoying me is bowlers and fielders who throw the ball back to the keeper in a temper and either hit the batsman or come close to doing it. Wade does it and I saw Singh do it as well,  bit sick of all these little tanties they throw without any warning from the umpires. Lyon threw one at Sundar that nearly hit him in the head after getting frustrated. We saw Bumrah knock the stumps over and nothing from the umps in the previous test and I'd be laying the law down to both teams that its going to cost the player fines if they sook up and play like kids.
Really pro sportsman are so spoilt and precious these days, you got the Indians complaining about no 5 star treatment due to covid restrictions ie they had to make their own beds?? and these bratish tennis players complaining they have to isolate without any practice etc etc and be locked up for a week or two to protect the community.
Either follow the rules or go home and stop whinging, their own countries are rife with covid and they have the cheek to question our security lockdown measures that are keeping them safe...
 

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #201 –
The Toorak luvvies must be beside themselves. 

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #202 –
I am not feeling confident about tomorrow, weather or otherwise.
[1] Bowlers:
Apart from one brilliant performance (1st test), our bowlers have lacked penetration when we have really needed it. And they have not been able to get the ball the move much in the air or off the wicket.
The Indian bowlers have a lot more movement, and not just with the new ball. They have been able to produce it at vital times, while our bowling has looked pedestrian and ineffective.
And then Lyon hasn't been able to spin them out either. He has had a very poor tour and has rarely been able to penetrate, no matter what the pitch was like.
They are good players, but they are not moving the ball of the straight and narrow. Where has the movement gone?

[2] Pitches:
When we go the India, we get provided with some of the worst pitches in the ball. They are often rolled mud with some grass cuttings interspersed.  Considering that they can now produce much better pitches (and that they have some decent pace bowlers), I find it very irritating.
Why?
They are doctoring the pitch to best suit their spinners (especially as they know our guys don't play spin that well).
So, why is the boot not on the other foot?
The last two times that India have come here, we have provided some of the most un-Australian pitches ever seen in this country. Where is the bounce? Especially at the 'Gabba! And do they play in Perth, on the other fast pitch? No.
I find that hard to fathom. If our batsmen and bowlers like fast, bouncy pitches, why don't we produce them?
Another point here is the BCCI appear to have too much say (in just about everything). The 1st test should have been in Brisbane, when the weather was more predictable (November or early December). As it was the weather in Brisbane has not been conducive to making good pitches, due to the rain. But this one is something of a joke.
The last point on the pitches is that the modern Australian pitch does not wear like pitches elsewhere. One of the reasons is the drop-in pitches. They hold together so well that teams in the 4th innings often have some of the flattest batting conditions.

[3] Our batsmen:
Very few batsmen can hold their heads high in this tour, but we have the top 2 performers by some margin. Even so, our batting has been lacking. There is no consistency and we haven't been able to produce any match winning partnerships. Are the Indian bowlers do good? or are we so bad?

[4] Mental battle:
At the moment, we do not appear to have the self-belief that Australian sides in the past had. India, on the other hand, do. Where has that mental edge gone? What can we do to get it back?
Until our batsmen, in particular, get their mojo back, our team is not going to perform at its best.
And I don't mean the arrogance and stupidity that got some of our players suspended not long ago, I mean the will to pull out match changing efforts. D. K. Lillee had it in spades. So have others, most noticeably in our period of dominance.  But, in recent times, our bowlers and batsmen seem to lack it. Particularly Starc.
Live Long and Prosper!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #203 –
Crash - it's very frustrating.  Drop in pitches ensure loss of character of the 'natural' pitches - a bit like $10 wine - doesn't matter what bottle, if the grape is the same, it will taste the same.

A couple of things:
20/20 has changed the focus of cricket from a contest to run scoring.  Test cricket is about the contest.  A great test match is first innings both done mid day 3 with a difference of 30-50 runs and a run chase of 230 on a deteriorating wicket finishing on the fifth day.  A good 20/20 or 50 over game is described through the runs scored not wickets taken.  Can you imagine a 20/20 where the score is 75 to 78, because the pitch was a bit green?  There would be an outcry.

Bowlers are sacrificed for batting pitches and have to contain, as there aren't often suitable conditions for them to utilise.

From what I gather, our bowlers haven't spent a huge amount of time trying to get the batsmen out, rather bowled without imagination, getting the balance between bouncers and line and length wrong.

The Australian cricket program is now pretty poor in terms of test match prep.  Players were getting picked for tests on 20/20 form.  This does appear to be changing, but there isn't enough Shield Cricket around the test matches.  I'm not sure of the quality of Shield matches (they tried to address this to some point this season, but got interrupted).  Travis Head's first class batting average is under 40.  What are we expecting of him at test level?  We all know Wade's limitations, yet he gets selected and people don't vehemently disagree - first class average is a tick over 40.  At least Cam Green's is over 50.  Who are the others putting up their hand?

I'll actually forgive the batting to some degree.  When you know we're going to be 2 for nothing with the openers out, then it is pretty tough.  There aren't many screaming out to be opening for Australia.

Overall, I'm not sure of the quality of the Australian Second XI.

Finally, there doesn't appear to be a strong captaincy candidate.  We need a Tubby, or AB - both managed to get a lot out of their players.  Waugh and Ponting had a couple of great sides that didn't really need captaining.  Tim Paine has repaired some damage that was done to the image of the team, but we need a captain that is great tactically.  Two Victorians spring to mind, so that won't happen, but Finch and Maxwell certainly understand the game and can inspire.  Henriques is also a good skipper, but not up to international level.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #204 –
Oh for the days of Mark Taylor !!!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #205 –
Quote from: dodge – on
We all know Wade's limitations, yet he gets selected and people don't vehemently disagree - first class average is a tick over 40.  At least Cam Green's is over 50.  Who are the others putting up their hand?
I suspect he's there for the same reason as Paine, to be the older heads that keep Warner, Smith and the rest of the NSW Cricket Mafia in check!

The long term solution to CA problems is breaking the NSW/MCC monopoly over County Cricket access, everybody in cricket knows the problem, nobody is brave enough to speak it as careers are put at risk! Too often I hear stories of talented kids walking away from cricket because of demands placed on them from interstate, they basically blackmail teenagers/youth into leaving home or else!

Have you ever wonder why so many talented kids seem to end up playing cricket in NSW, it doesn't just happen to players after they are a 1st Class success, it starts when they are 15 or 16 and want a gig on a tour or in the UK! They get offered the chance, with strings attached, mum and day proudly pack up little Jimmie to become a international cricketer, playing in NSW Grade cricket will be the best thing for him trust us. But the system is an abortion, it basically takes the best players from around the country and makes them B-Grade fodder for the locals, while telling them they have a chance, but by birth that chance never really existed! Even the test players accept this, which is why blokes like Starc end up in NSW and welded into the test team.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #206 –
So why isn't that out Blocker ?
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #207 –
Need to rebuild this test team.

Maxwell at six, rotate the bowlers through the side more.   They look shot.

India will go close to winning this.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #208 –
Starc...pie chucker.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #209 –
Get him off.   Rubbish from the pie chucker.

I told you blokes,  he should have been dropped for this match.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?