Cricket

[IanG]

Would like to see Josh Heazlewood be given an opportunity soon as think he maybe the best of the young bowlers to come through.

Maybe soon, I'm not convinced on Starc.

Also Alan Border is quoted as saying 1 of Ponting or Hussey must be dropped.

Good article by Richard Hinds here:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ponting-hussey-have-forfeited-right-to-call-time-on-their-innings-20111212-1ork5.html

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

Maybe soon, I'm not convinced on Starc.

Also Alan Border is quoted as saying 1 of Ponting or Hussey must be dropped.

Yeah I think Starc needs more time. He was as erratic as Mitchell Johnson at times during the past few tests. I think he needs to go back to shield cricket and find some consistency, but he has plenty of time on his side. I would think Harris will come in for Boxing Day if fit and partner Siddle and Pattinson. Perhaps they will go with Christian as well to have that 4th seamer? Who knows!!

I just hope that by the time Johnon recovers from his injury our bowling line-up is settled and we never see him back in the baggy green again....

 

[Streak]

Maybe soon, I'm not convinced on Starc.

It is very early days, but Starc has looked a little pedestrian so far.

I do think his confidence is down at the moment which will not help.

 

[Sintiger]

Unsure how Watson is getting off lightly with any criticism when he did not play and has being Australias best test cricketer over last 2 years.
Would like to see Josh Heazlewood be given an opportunity soon as think he maybe the best of the young bowlers to come through.

Watson has had a lot of starts and wasted many of them and he continually gets injured but at least he gets a start which is more than we can say for many others. He has a patchy record in the last 2 years and the fact that this record makes him our best Test player over that period just shows how bad we have been. He has to bowl imo , we missed him a lot in the 2nd NZ innings especially. Would be good for Mitchell Marsh to come on quickly to put pressure on that allrounder spot but he's not making runs.

Hazlewood and Copeland both lack a yard of pace to me but I guess we said that about McGrath as well. Apart from Cutting probably the most prolific bowler in Shield cricket this year is Herrick from Victoria but I don't see him as a test candidate to be honest.

 

[IanG]

Questions are coming up about about cricket injury mgt. Cummins apparently had pain killing injections in SA which could have worsened his condition thats led to him being out all summer:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-08/cummins-on-front-foot-over-painkiller-jabs/3720990?section=sport

Also while its only bigfooty there's some interesting info about the mgt of other players like Cutting:

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=896167

This is pretty unbelievable for an elite sports organisation. Par for the course with Sutherland though, no accountability for anyone under him.

 

[Joe Lynn Turnip]

Horrible comparison. Chanderpaul has an unorthodox stance. Thats where his likeness to Hughes ends.

Its where a batsmans balance & feet are at point of delivery that matters. Chanderpaul despite his strange stance moves across to near perfect position at this juncture.

As leysy has said for years Hughes back foot splays backwards towards fine leg as a first movement. It means he closes himself off from any semi regular shot between square leg all the way to the bowler. Leysy's has enough experience in the game to know this. With the increase in technology teams know as well.

Despite an eye like a dead fish its finally game over for the young man at the top level. About time.

So you'd recommend to a young batsman who stands facing the square-leg umpire to not change a thing? Do me a favour, if Chanderpaul had never succeeded , you'd no doubt be banging on about how you picked that up early and always knew he'd never make it as well. :

To suggest a bloke of 23 won't ever overcome or adjust a flaw in their technique is patently and willfully ignorant, blokes in their late 20's even early 30's often successfully change their games in cricket and other sports where a bat/club/racquet is required to hit a small ball. It's not like kicking in football where you're stuck with irreversable and ingrained technique at 15.

 

[Joe Lynn Turnip]

Watson has had a lot of starts and wasted many of them and he continually gets injured but at least he gets a start which is more than we can say for many others. He has a patchy record in the last 2 years and the fact that this record makes him our best Test player over that period just shows how bad we have been. He has to bowl imo , we missed him a lot in the 2nd NZ innings especially. Would be good for Mitchell Marsh to come on quickly to put pressure on that allrounder spot but he's not making runs.

Hazlewood and Copeland both lack a yard of pace to me but I guess we said that about McGrath as well. Apart from Cutting probably the most prolific bowler in Shield cricket this year is Herrick from Victoria but I don't see him as a test candidate to be honest.

Hazlewood will be a gun if he can stay fit. At his best he can bowl quicker than McGrath ever could. Copeland's almost a slow medium, I'd rather re-instate McDonald. I can see him bowling well in Sydney and possibly having success in England , but even that's a 50/50 propsition at best. Mitchell Marsh is still a pure pyjama player at this stage, but then again so was the bloke who carried his bat and nearly carried us to victory yesterday.

As for Watson -I reitterate - a conversion rate of 2/16 just isn't good enough for a test opener, and if he can't bowl he's superfluous to our needs, no matter where he bats.

 

[Sintiger]

As for Watson -I reitterate - a conversion rate of 2/16 just isn't good enough for a test opener, and if he can't bowl he's superfluous to our needs, no matter where he bats.

I actually agreed with you on Watson's conversion but my point is at least he got the 16 i.e the ones he didn't convert . Lots of other are not even getting the starts.

He has been inconsistent with his form and doesn't go on with it enough I agree , but he is well down the list of those to go imo.

 

[lukeanddad]

Hazlewood and Copeland both lack a yard of pace to me but I guess we said that about McGrath as well. Apart from Cutting probably the most prolific bowler in Shield cricket this year is Herrick from Victoria but I don't see him as a test candidate to be honest.

With Siddle, Pattinson, Cummins & Harris, I reckon fast bolwing is ok. Throw in Cutting as you say and Starc is coming back from injury.

Against most predictions, Lyon has been very good so far in his short career.

Of the others, Watson, Marsh (if fit), Warner and Clarke select themselves for Boxing Day. This leaves Hughes, Hussey, Khawaja, Ponting and Haddin...

 

[WesternTiger]

Maybe soon, I'm not convinced on Starc.

Also Alan Border is quoted as saying 1 of Ponting or Hussey must be dropped.

Good article by Richard Hinds here:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ponting-hussey-have-forfeited-right-to-call-time-on-their-innings-20111212-1ork5.html

And the likes of Hughes and Hayden have stated that everything is fine and no one should be dropped. Hayden even believes Hussey should open until Watson is back and then move back to the middle order!

 

[WesternTiger]

And then this

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/coach-mickey-arthur-says-too-early-to-speculate-on-top-seven/story-fn67w6pa-1226221133891

 

[Streak]

Arthur has asked Katich to play for the Scorchers (WA 20/20 team) this season.

Will be interesting to see if the Kat can get back into the Test side.

We need him IMO.

 

[jb03]

Merv Hughes was at his best on the radio again today. Think he wants Ponting to play until he is 60 just in case he recaptures his best form.

 

[snaps truly]

Even with India's injuries to their bowling lineup, their batsmen will make this a pretty uneven series coming up.

Can we possibly think we'll get anywhere near the Poms in the next ashes?

I'm not sure if Mickey was just giving lip service to the media, but if that's true....

 

[Sintiger]

Even with India's injuries to their bowling lineup, their batsmen will make this a pretty uneven series coming up.

Can we possibly think we'll get anywhere near the Poms in the next ashes?

I'm not sure if Mickey was just giving lip service to the media, but if that's true....

The only way we can beat the Indians is if we have pitches like the ones in Brisbane and Hobart with movement and bounce. They really struggled in England on those types of pitches.

 

[Leysy Days]

So you'd recommend to a young batsman who stands facing the square-leg umpire to not change a thing? Do me a favour, if Chanderpaul had never succeeded , you'd no doubt be banging on about how you picked that up early and always knew he'd never make it as well. :

No, in leysy's days coaching the game (as anyone experienced in that field also says) where a batsman stance is whilst the bowler starts his run is irrelevant. Its where he is at the point of delivery that matters. No way would leysy knock Chanderpaul in this regard. Despite a very unusual opening position he gets across & near perfectly balanced when it counts. His trigger movement is more pronounced to others but he gets to same spot. Thats what counts.

So no, leysy would never have said he picked Chanderpaul as never succeeding because there is no basis for it.

As for leysy only now banging on about picking Hughes deficiencies early. Its hardly after the event. Anyone who has kept tabs on this thread over the years knows leysy had doubts on him right from the start.

To suggest a bloke of 23 won't ever overcome or adjust a flaw in their technique is patently and willfully ignorant, blokes in their late 20's even early 30's often successfully change their games in cricket and other sports where a bat/club/racquet is required to hit a small ball. It's not like kicking in football where you're stuck with irreversable and ingrained technique at 15.

On this, Hughes may well correct this issue of edging it. But it will be hard work. Then the biggest question mark will be will it open up the scoring where he needs it i.e. between square leg & mid off. He has no history of being proficient there unlike other players in there 20's & 30's who may fall into bad habits, but then correct them to what they were. Hughes doesnt have a "were".

As for ignorant. Sorry Turnip, but leysy has a laugh & talked plenty of nonsense on these boards over the years. But the one thing he knows about is batting & plenty that surrounds it.

 

[IanG]

And then this

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/coach-mickey-arthur-says-too-early-to-speculate-on-top-seven/story-fn67w6pa-1226221133891

Meet the new boss same as the old boss. Cricket still doesn't have its act together and probably won't until Sutherland goes.

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

Tim Paine has been ruled out for 4 more months with his finger. Haven't known of too many finger injuries as bad as that. By the time he starts playing first class cricket again (which I guess there could be some doubt if he will) he will have been out of the game for well over 12 months. Timing could not be worse for him or Australia.

I hope the selectors aren't just hanging onto Haddin until he comes right...Wade needs to get a chance ASAP.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

To suggest a bloke of 23 won't ever overcome or adjust a flaw in their technique is patently and willfully ignorant, blokes in their late 20's even early 30's often successfully change their games in cricket and other sports where a bat/club/racquet is required to hit a small ball. It's not like kicking in football where you're stuck with irreversable and ingrained technique at 15.

No doubt Hughes with the help of the coaching staff at both National and Sate level have worked on his technique.The problem is,It,s a bit different Ironying out a problem in the Nets compared to out in the middle.The best thing for Hughes to do is go back to state level and do it out in the middle under alot less pressure than what he is atm at international level.If he,s fair dinkum about it,id also keep him away from the one dayers and 20/20 at state level.Playing these type of games would do more harm than good.

 

[IanG]

Tim Paine has been ruled out for 4 more months with his finger. Haven't known of too many finger injuries as bad as that. By the time he starts playing first class cricket again (which I guess there could be some doubt if he will) he will have been out of the game for well over 12 months. Timing could not be worse for him or Australia.

I hope the selectors aren't just hanging onto Haddin until he comes right...Wade needs to get a chance ASAP.

Paine being out would just be an excuse, Wade is ready. Put him in and we have a 10 year player.