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Cricket

Hughes surely cant be the best option going forward.

Maddinson, Finch, Cowan, Mitch Marsh, Keath are all bats that need to be put in line for a look in over the coming 18 months form warranting of course. The youngsters especially have some real talent.

Shame Andrew Macdonald fell in a heap couldve offered some added versatility, had to improve his batting tho.

The opening slots are well open IMO.

Johnston has peaked and since that menacing period over 6-8 tests gainst the Saffies hes struggled.

As soon as Ponting and Hussey gone for Watson must drop down the order for his own longevity, Khawaja will take a top 4 spot with ideally 2 new specialist openers to put some foundations in at the top of the order.

Haddin simply has to go. In Paine.

Spin bowling stocks meh.

Hoping for the likes of Starc and Cummings, Pattinson to go up a gear this season.
 
Maddison's a gun.

Mitchell Marsh looks even less of Test prospect than Warner. Total pyjama player at this stage. At the very least might have to wait as long as his brother for a baggy.

Finch & Cowan - two big mehs from me. Bit early to be calling Keath

I'm convinced we would've won the 2009 Ashes quite comfortably had the Hamburger Clown, poor man's Alderman that he is, played and hence probably at least drawn the last series without the pressure of not being the holders and having to win the series outright. Would've only papered over the cracks for a bit longer though.

O'Keefe's the best spinner in the country - and he can bat too.

Genuinely excited about Cummings - pray CA doesn't *smile* him up.
 
Joe Lynn Turnip said:
O'Keefe's the best spinner in the country - and he can bat too.
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O'Keefe studied at the Ray Bright school of spin bowling . He learned how to be called a spinner and never spin the ball !
 
Leysy Days said:
Problem with Hughes is he's been very North esque either getting a big score or nothing at all. Not good for an opener who's role is trying to shield the middle order. This being his first score over 36 in his 13 innings upon his return to the team.

South Africa will be a good test for him.
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Agree it will be a good test (you can bet they won't be bowling full and wide trying to get him caught at gully again), but if there's one spot where a player can be excused for 'feast or famine' results it's opening. Look at Strauss: excellent ratio of a ton every 4.5 tests but an average of 42 because he gets out for bugger all a lot. It happens, it's the price of having the guts to take on the new pill. And at least one of Hughes' innings (the 36 I think) he batted well over a session, which is enough protection for middle-order softies. North at number 6, and at 30-31 years old instead of 22, is a different kettle of fish. Hughes has some issues but he has major talent, something Australian cricket is hardly blessed with at present. He could well get rolled in South Africa but the pleasing thing about the selectors picking him young is that he has time on his side. I think he'll play a lot of cricket for Australia.
 
Fair enough view Spook.

In all leysy's years playing & watching the game its been extremely rare that such a flawed technique will succeed at the highest level.

As you say the plan by the South African's wont be to bowl to his strengths like last time. He can expect plenty of bowling short into the body, a lot from around the wicket, which his feet movement isnt geared to play.

Disagree on the major talent as well, but thats just leysy's view as he wont label anyone with his technical faults playing as an opening batsman in test cricket as majorly talented.
 
I guess Hughes is a bit of a reflection of where cricket is these days. Technique is secondary to a good eye. Very few bowling attacks these days have the ability to really test a batsman's technique. England's attack is the best in the world IMO because they move the ball around and really test the batsman.

I look at Alistair Cook for example. Now a completely different batsman to Hughes, but I watch him bat and think "doesn't move his feet, he's an easy out...good length balls on middle and off moving away and he will nick it". But how many bowlers these days can do that? The prick keeps making runs. The guy. He replaced Marcus Trescothic was similar, yet made a lot of runs (except against McGrath and Dizzy in their prime). World cricket is littered with players like this who have been very successful with less than ideal techniques but a good eye.

Having said that, Hughes' technique is in a different league to Cook's and IMO he is no hope of consistently making runs against good bowlers. In his favour is that at the moment, there aren't that many really good bowlers in world cricket.
 
Leysy Days said:
Here are the stats for the tour

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=6600;team=2;type=series

The two that stand out are Haddin & Johnson.

Hussey & Harris had big tours.
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Another quality tour there from the former skipper daisy. Bound to come good eventually. ;)
 
Leysy Days said:
Solid without starring in the 2 tests he played.

& hey thought you didnt follow cricket anymore?
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Not entirely. Take a passing interest as opposed to living and breathing it as I did once.

I did see Warnie is going to be back for the big bash, perhaps that reignited my interest a little. Will be good to see him bowl live again, might even get along to a game.
 
Big Bash. Yay.

That should be riveting viewing watching players with zero allegiance for the "franchise" their representing.

Dont get leysy started on that tooheys.
 
Leysy Days said:
Big Bash. Yay.

That should be riveting viewing watching players with zero allegiance for the "franchise" their representing.

Dont get leysy started on that tooheys.
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Kentucky Fried Cricket. :thumbdown
 
Leysy Days said:
Big Bash. Yay.

That should be riveting viewing watching players with zero allegiance for the "franchise" their representing.

Dont get leysy started on that tooheys.
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Yes it does seem rather hollow as I've said on the boards previous but Warnie is Warnie. That's where my interest pretty well starts and stops.
In saying that it's not Test cricket. He'll likely get tonked all over the park and people will pay for the privilege of watching it. Yay.
 
43,000 came to the G to watch Victoria V Tasmania when 20/20 was state aligned.

Lets see how many go to watch the McGuire led whatevers Vs the Brayshaw led whoevers in the CA marketing dept cup.

*smile* leysy's sucking himself into going on about this already. ;D
 
Leysy Days said:
Fair enough view Spook.

In all leysy's years playing & watching the game its been extremely rare that such a flawed technique will succeed at the highest level.

As you say the plan by the South African's wont be to bowl to his strengths like last time. He can expect plenty of bowling short into the body, a lot from around the wicket, which his feet movement isnt geared to play.

Disagree on the major talent as well, but thats just leysy's view as he wont label anyone with his technical faults playing as an opening batsman in test cricket as majorly talented.
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The technique thing is why I say it's good he was picked early: he has time to fix it. Kepler fixed it and he was much older (and incredibly mentally strong). As Phil said in an excellent post, Hughes has a great eye. That's talent. Technique is a different matter. Plenty of duds have had sound techniques. If Hughes has the mental strength he will find a way. Short and at the body was supposed to expose Steve Waugh's fatal flaw as well but he overcame it. It's up to Hughes to adapt. I look forward to seeing how he goes against the Saffies.
 
Joe Lynn Turnip said:
You've obviously never seen him play outside the Big Bash.
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yeah I have but only on TV . I have seen him play limited overs and also that tour game against the poms in Hobart last year .
 
Anyone who remembers the West Indies cricket team of the 80's and the battery of fast bowlers there is a good documentary showing the ACMI in Fed Square until Oct 5

Fire in Babylon, can recommend it for fans
 
Tim Paine has been ruled out of the South African Tour....looks like Haddin will retain his spot in the test team for a little while longer yet. >:(

As Haddin has retired from T20 it looks like Matthew Wade will keep in Paine's place.
 
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