Cricket

[spook]

even when the ball isn't swinging, the Poms build up the pressure by bowling on one side of the wicket and keeping the ball in the channel. On the other hand, we spray it all over the place and are unable to build pressure for any length of time. england's bowling attack surprised me as to how good they actually are.

No doubt they easily outperformed us in all disciplines.

Don't like it at all, They rub their hands on the pitch then the ball to scuff it up.

Yes, I saw that. I wonder. Rubbing your hand in the dirt, then holding the scuffed side as you shine the ball, while also discreetly roughing the ball up, unseen, with the palm of your hand. They have to be doing something.

 

[tigertim]

So, who was the NACA for the Aussies in the Ashes?

Clarke: 193 @ 21
Ponting: 113 @ 16
Hughes: 97 @ 16
Hilfenhaus: 7 wickets @ 59

Tough one but Hilfy for mine just ahead of Ricky. Hughes was very ordinary but we suspected that going before he got promoted.

 

[Tigers of Old]

So, who was the NACA for the Aussies in the Ashes?

Clarke: 193 @ 21
Ponting: 113 @ 16
Hughes: 97 @ 16
Hilfenhaus: 7 wickets @ 59

Tough one but Hilfy for mine just ahead of Ricky. Hughes was very ordinary but we suspected that going before he got promoted.

Ponting for mine. Our highest paid player's form has been heading south the past two years and hit rock bottom this series.
Extremely poor series from the captain and must now have massive questions on his future.
Hilfenhaus the worst of the bowlers.

 

[mb64]

Ponting for mine. Our highest paid player's form has been heading south the past two years and hit rock bottom this series.
Extremely poor series from the captain and must now have massive questions on his future.
Hilfenhaus the worst of the bowlers.

Marcus North would have been the early leader after 2 tests,anyone got his stats?

 

[tigertim]

Marcus North would have been the early leader after 2 tests,anyone got his stats?

49 @ 16 from his 3 innings.

 

[Lidsand]

Ponting for mine. Our highest paid player's form has been heading south the past two years and hit rock bottom this series.
Extremely poor series from the captain and must now have massive questions on his future.
Hilfenhaus the worst of the bowlers.

in fairness to punter he was our leading run scorer in tests in 2009

but many calls for him to be dropped down the order were made in the last 12 months and this series exposed him as an ageing no 3 with slowing reflexes

 

[Big Cat Lover]

So, who was the NACA for the Aussies in the Ashes?
Clarke: 193 @ 21
Ponting: 113 @ 16
Hughes: 97 @ 16
Hilfenhaus: 7 wickets @ 59
Tough one but Hilfy for mine just ahead of Ricky. Hughes was very ordinary but we suspected that going before he got promoted.

Agree. After being our best bowler on unsuitable tracks in India he gets ideal conditions here, gets 5 tests and gives donuts. He should have produced similar figures to Anderson. Unfortunately Hilfy is a brickie through and through and has little nous or subtelty.

 

[Tigers of Old]

in fairness to punter he was our leading run scorer in tests in 2009

but many calls for him to be dropped down the order were made in the last 12 months and this series exposed him as an ageing no 3 with slowing reflexes

I thought Steve Waugh was spot on about the notion of wondering what challenges lay ahead for Punter if he lost the captaincy and dropped down the order to say six.
He may well argue that he'd be helping with the rebuild but for once I agree with Ian Chappell that Ponting will only hinder the rebuild.
Time for the skipper to draw stumps in the wake of this disaster and retire. Hussey too must have big question marks over his future.
Time to bring out the broom.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

I thought Steve Waugh was spot on about the notion of wondering what challenges lay ahead for Punter if he lost the captaincy and dropped down the order to say six.
He may well argue that he'd be helping with the rebuild but for once I agree with Ian Chappell that Ponting will only hinder the rebuild.
Time for the skipper to draw stumps in the wake of this disaster and retire. Hussey too must have big question marks over his future.
Time to bring out the broom.

Disagree, champions deserve more grace. If Ponting can adjust to life down the order no reason for him to be discarded. As long as he retains the desire to play the decision should be his to make.
Hussey - agree he should be moved on. As should Haddin. And probably no point bringing Katich back.
Ian Chappell hasn't made an astute comment for 10 years.

 

[mb64]

Disagree, champions deserve more grace. If Ponting can adjust to life down the order no reason for him to be discarded. As long as he retains the desire to play the decision should be his to make.
Hussey - agree he should be moved on. As should Haddin. And probably no point bringing Katich back.

Spot on Big Cat

 

[mld]

I know the next Test isn't for many months yet, the first change I'd like to see is Smith out, White in. I don't mind Smith as a future player, but he isn't ready yet. White also has a cricket brain, something the current Test side doesn't seem to have.

 

[IanG]

Disagree, champions deserve more grace. If Ponting can adjust to life down the order no reason for him to be discarded. As long as he retains the desire to play the decision should be his to make.
Hussey - agree he should be moved on. As should Haddin. And probably no point bringing Katich back.
Ian Chappell hasn't made an astute comment for 10 years.

Agreed and its more like 20 years for Chappell.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Disagree, champions deserve more grace. If Ponting can adjust to life down the order no reason for him to be discarded. As long as he retains the desire to play the decision should be his to make.

Ponting has been given plenty of 'grace'. Right now his career is on the slide & hopefully he makes the right decision or like others it will be made for him.
I'm more interested in us getting back to the top sooner rather than later than letting a former champ retire when it suits him.

 

[mb64]

Ponting has been given plenty of 'grace'. Right now his career is on the slide & hopefully he makes the right decision or like others it will be made for him.
I'm more interested in us getting back to the top sooner rather than later than letting a former champ retire when it suits him.

Looks like you've got Ponting in the Cuz category.He deserves the chance to move down the order & l'm sure he'll make plenty of runs.Ponting is an all time great & still could make plenty of runs at test level batting lower.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Looks like you've got Ponting in the Cuz category.

I was right re Cousins time to go.

 

[mb64]

I was right re Cousins time to go.

l still reckon he had another year,your wrong about Ponting.

 

[marella jube]

I’d rather see Clarke punted 1st . 3 poor series in a row & , despite (or maybe because) being nominated ‘captain in waiting’ for sometime , I don’t think he has ever had the full support of his peers . Some might wish they’d allowed Katich to throttle him a couple of years ago ..Clarke out though may likely mean Ponting &/or Hussey , if not both , may be required awhile for experience .

Smith has talent but needs to be dropped back to shield cricket to become consistently damaging with bat & , particularly ball . Not exactly a vote of confidence as a supposed front line bowler when your captain doesn’t give you the ball until the other mob are 300+ …D Hussey would have been a better choice at this stage & bowls more than C White , who does himself no favours in not stepping up to the crease more...Certainly opportunity beckons for anyone who can score a stack of runs , take big hauls of wickets in the last ½ of this shield season.

Finally , 3 - 1 & the margin of the victories , was a true reflection of the gap between the teams.

 

[Streak]

Finally , 3 - 1 & the margin of the victories , was a true reflection of the gap between the teams.

Unfortunately for us, the real measure of where we are at is going to be given to us by South Africa and India in the not to distant future.

 

[Leysy Days]

Some fair points there Marella.

Navy's take -

The bowling is a massive area of concern. Bowlers win test matches. Unfortunately none of the bowlers we have seen this series look capable of leading an attack.

- Harris is a good toiler but reaching the end with big injury issues.
- Siddle also battles hard but goes for long periods without taking wickets. Still doesnt do enough with the ball either in the air or off the seam to consistently trouble good test batsman.
- Hilf was excellent before his long-term knee & back injuries being the leading wicket taker from all sides in the last ashes series. Unfortunately he has lost a yard of pace in his layoff. Was struggling even in shield games upon his return. If he cant rediscover that he also has very serious question marks on his future.
- Johnson is still the most inconsistent bowler in the country which is a massive concern for a player of his experience.

A lot will rest on the shoulders of young bowlers Starc, Heazlewood, Faulkner & Pattison pushing through. Hopefully they can.

On the batting. There has been no better batsman in this country since the Don than Ponting. The world cup will give us a gauge as to whether it is age that has caught him or simply a run of form. No need for any decisions now. If he does stay he deserves the latitude his contemprary greats like Tendulkar, Lara & Kallis have had by dropping down to an easier slot in the lineup.

Clarke simply hasnt been able to handle getting runs when his team needs them. A bigger issue is also the move up to No 4. Is really struggling when coming in earlier. Which is a shame as he is at an age where he should be stepping up to lead the batting lineup. He has in fact done the opposite. No question should be dropped.

Would like to see the selectors grab a group of 16 or so young players & have them grow together. But please can we ensure these guys have the requisite technique to be long termers. No more Phil Hughes types that teams can easily figure out please. Only 2 of Ponting, Hussey, Katich & Haddin should be there in 12 months to lead this process. The former 2 have the most respect in the changerooms to do this if there form allows.

 

[Leysy Days]

No doubt they easily outperformed us in all disciplines.
Yes, I saw that. I wonder. Rubbing your hand in the dirt, then holding the scuffed side as you shine the ball, while also discreetly roughing the ball up, unseen, with the palm of your hand. They have to be doing something.

No question they have a tactic to do this spook. No way can a ball be so roughed up & dry so quickly by luck.