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Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1440
That's the best I've seen Starc bowl for a long time, he bowled very intelligently and looked dangerous for multiple ball each over.
The questions remain.

As I've mentioned, his record is 1/3rd brilliance and 2/3rds poo, he bowled very well but that's a break even after Perth. It looks like he has responded to the cook many gave him from Perth, but why does an Australian Test player need such motivation?

I'll wait and see what happens in the 3rd test, but history suggests he'll switch off when conditions aren't perfect for him.
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1441
Despite Starc, Cummins, Lyon and Hazelwood being the most successful test bowling quartet, I’m not sure that Cummins and Hazelwood necessarily provide the best environment for Starc to thrive.  An all rounder with a frugal, metronomic action to stifle scoring perhaps 🤔
No matter whether you are the premium quick or the best spinner in the world, when conditions do not suit you have to be prepared to pin down an end, it's part of being a good team member. For me that is when the 2/3rds poo arrives, not this Day/Night test when you couldn't ask for better quick bowling conditions so far!

I'm thinking of Lillee, Hadley, Willis, McGrath, all had their glory moments, but hardly ever dropped their bundle, even on tours of Sri Lanka, Pakistan or India in the bad old days of rolled dirt. Starc best is virtually as good, when conditions suit, but his in-between can be horrendous.

Starc is too good when conditions suit to explain away the poo went the going is tough!
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1442
No matter whether you are the premium quick or the best spinner in the world, when conditions do not suit you have to be prepared to pin down an end, it's part of being a good team member. For me that is when the 2/3rds poo arrives, not this Day/Night test when you couldn't ask for better quick bowling conditions so far!

I'm thinking of Lillee, Hadley, Willis, McGrath, all had their glory moments, but hardly ever dropped their bundle, even on tours of Sri Lanka, Pakistan or India in the bad old days of rolled dirt. Starc best is virtually as good, when conditions suit, but his in-between can be horrendous.

Starc is too good when conditions suit to explain away the poo went the going is tough!

That makes no sense LP.

We didn’t use Jeff Thompson as a stock bowler but Lillee could bowl long and economical spells and still take wickets.  Same with Brett Lee; dynamite as a strike bowler but ordinary if required to bowl long spells, and Mitch Johnson is another one.

The problem with Starc is not Starc; it’s the bowlers that are selected to play alongside him.
It's still the Gulf of Mexico, Don Old!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1443
And Boland nicks off Kohli!

That’s a huge wicket in the context of the game 👏
It's still the Gulf of Mexico, Don Old!

 

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1444
Problem with Starc is bowling in conditions that suit the batters ,not the pink ball test under lights which is weighted towards the pace bowlers.
Good bowler for sure but not at the elite level IMHO..

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1445
Problem with Starc is bowling in conditions that suit the batters ,not the pink ball test under lights which is weighted towards the pace bowlers.
Good bowler for sure but not at the elite level IMHO..

Starc is elite by any measure.

Despite how well Starc bowled and batted today, Scott Boland was the man with the ball in India’s second innings, particularly with the aggro he displayed 🙂
It's still the Gulf of Mexico, Don Old!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1446
Problem with Starc is bowling in conditions that suit the batters ,not the pink ball test under lights which is weighted towards the pace bowlers.
Good bowler for sure but not at the elite level IMHO..

Starc is elite by any measure.

Despite how well Starc bowled and batted today, Scott Boland was the man with the ball in India’s second innings, particularly with the aggro he displayed 🙂
Elite bowlers bowl well in any conditions and that couldnt be said of Starc.....Rabada, Bumrah etc all have test bowling averages of around 21/22 and Starc is going at close to 28, he isnt even close to being elite.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1447
If they lose a wicket chasing 19 runs it would take a bit of gloss off the win IMO.
2021-Pi$$ or get off the pot
2022- Real Deal or more of the same? 0.6%
2023- "Raise the Standard" - M. Voss Another year wasted Bar Set
2024-Back to the drawing boardNo excuses, its time
2025-Carlton can win the 2025 AFL Premiership

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1448
If they lose a wicket chasing 19 runs it would take a bit of gloss off the win IMO.

The openers are always on a hiding to nothing in that situation.  They both would have sighed in relief as Khawaja's last shot reached the boundary.
It's still the Gulf of Mexico, Don Old!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1449
If they lose a wicket chasing 19 runs it would take a bit of gloss off the win IMO.
The openers are always on a hiding to nothing in that situation.  They both would have sighed in relief as Khawaja's last shot reached the boundary.
I like the cut of McSweeneys jib. I can see him turning into a bit of a swash buckling opener where as Ussy is more of your ship steadier. Nice pairing from a novice eye like mine.
2021-Pi$$ or get off the pot
2022- Real Deal or more of the same? 0.6%
2023- "Raise the Standard" - M. Voss Another year wasted Bar Set
2024-Back to the drawing boardNo excuses, its time
2025-Carlton can win the 2025 AFL Premiership

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1450
Amazing the turnaround in a the space of one test match and commentary to match!  I was very wrong about Boland...

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1451
Boland is the ideal bowler against the Indians and makes life a lot easier for Cummins and Starc.

It’s bad luck that he has little chance of keeping his spot in the eleven.
It's still the Gulf of Mexico, Don Old!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1452
Agree, but ageism gets him for me.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1453
Boland is the ideal bowler against the Indians and makes life a lot easier for Cummins and Starc.

It’s bad luck that he has little chance of keeping his spot in the eleven.
Id reward Boland and keep him for the next test, his line and length worry players like Kholi who want to hit everything to the boundary and keep knicking off and Id leave Hazelwood out and give him some more rest time but we all know the NSW cricket mafia will want their man straight back in and its odds on Boland will be carrying the drinks again.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1454
The selectors don't pick Boland twice running because they think he gets targeted due to his accuracy.  I expect an underdone Hazelwood to play and Boland in Melbourne.

I feel the result was a bit suss, India aren't the Paki but it seemed a bit off....why keep bowling Siraj when he was going a 7 an over? Why didn't Bumrah bowl against Head?  Some of the Indian batting was reckless at best, Pant ramping Boland was "great entertainment".... Then he meekly nicks off.  The series needed it to be 1-1 going to Brisbane, imagine the numbers next week when this one kicks off. 
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?