God help me - the Test Cricket thread

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Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1680 – October 06, 2025, 03:08:47 pm

I think Marnus might get a recall...

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1681 – October 06, 2025, 03:54:08 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on October 06, 2025, 03:08:47 pm

I think Marnus might get a recall...

160 reasons why he should ... but Marnus needs to score consistently.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1682 – October 06, 2025, 04:41:13 pm

There's a big difference between a good player out of form and unproven player lacking runs.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1683 – October 06, 2025, 05:15:44 pm

Got to remember what's coming from the other end, Archer, Wood, and Atkinson isn't shabby and Konstas lack of technique won't be helped by the first two firing them down at 150kmh. I'd prefer someone who has seen them before at test and county level and knows what to expect than throwing a kid in who can't figure out which way the ball is swinging at Shield level.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1684 – October 06, 2025, 06:07:04 pm

Still can't play a basic off cutter, lb every time

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1685 – October 16, 2025, 12:01:16 pm

Looking at the Sheffield Shield pitches being offered up so far this season, it looks like most of the curators are struggling a bit, we could be in for an interesting Ashes.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1686 – November 12, 2025, 05:44:20 pm

Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott both went for scans after tweaking hammies in the Vic-NSW Shield game.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1687 – November 12, 2025, 10:15:36 pm

England talking it up as usual and threatening to bazball their way to glory but out here in Aus I expect normal programming to happen and we will prevail with our attack leading the way with or without Cummins.
The English have the quicker bowlers this time with Archer and Wood but both wouldnt look out of place in a Carlton jumper as they spend a lot of their time off the field injured and unavailable for selection and I expect both to be out of action by series end.
Atkinson is probably the bowler who will be play most tests and be more effective, moves the ball at a decent pace and has a bit of attitude. He was impressive during the English summer as was Stokes with the ball who likes to be the enforcer and they have continued this tactic of when the pitch and ball are offering nothing to bowl 6 bouncers every over which keeps the runs down unless the bastmen is prepared to play the hook/pull shot and risk dismissal. Its rubbish park cricket to watch but coach McCullum likes to be unorthodox and throw the text book out under the guise of entertainment but its really they dont have the talent to play consistent orthodox cricket to compete but they suck teams into playing their brand which is what they did to India last series.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1688 – Today at 09:22:30 am

Yeah, a few pundits (esp the English ones) have talked down the Aussie team. But, if Marnus is back to his old self at 3, and Green is fit and in form as an allrounder, then the real only issue is the openners - Uzzie is not up to it anymore against raw pace and a debutant. The attack takes care of itself. Its a pretty good and set team, that are used to exploiting the Aus conditions

The Poms chances could swing wildly. If Wood and Archer are fit and firing, then their attack (with Atkinson, Carse and Stokes) will trouble the Aussies. If Brook can work out the Aus pitches he is class. If Root finally breaks thru in Aus, he could score a mountain of runs. I reckon each of Crawley and Duckett will have one dig each where they go off. Still not sure about Bazball on bigger grounds and not playing on freeways

One factor may be the pitches - the Poms have loaded up with pace and bounce and tall bowlers, which suits Aus pitches from 10 years ago. But the last couple of years it hasnt been so much raw pace and bounce that has done well on the slower but livelier pitches.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1689 – Today at 10:39:12 am

Pretty excited up here for Weathers to get his chance and hopefully grab it with two hands around its throat.

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1690 – Today at 11:57:49 am

Make Archer and Wood bowl 20+ overs in the heat and see if they back up for the next test....

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1691 – Today at 12:14:25 pm

Just going back to the Vic-NSW Shield game, Victoria won by 300 runs on the third day.

Which team will end up with the most players in the Test team?

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1692 – Today at 03:31:38 pm

Pre-game the media was banging on about the NSW Shield Super Team, no shield team has ever before hit the field the equal of it apparently!

Well they hit the field alright, face first inside 3 days!

I watched a fair bit of it, it was only after Abbott and Hazelwood pulled the pin after lunch on Day three that the commentators started talking about Boland returning to The Ashes. Then when the NSW Batsmen started to fold, Boland in one short stint was almost unplayable and he could have had 3 or 4 wickets with a bit of luck, and the NSW commentators starting calling for Boland to be withdrawn from the game "just in case he was needed for test duty!"

Luckily for NSW the Vics hardly used Boland after that devastating spell, without even losing another wicket NSW confidence was shot, but unluckily for NSW Elliott and O'Neill didn't give a rats and cleaned them up easily before stumps on Day 3!

Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread

Reply #1693 – Today at 07:17:46 pm

For a side with so many so-called guns, NSW have been excremental at shield level for a while