About to lose an Ashes test by an innings inside 2 days. As embarrassing as it gets.

I do think it's important not to over react, because I don't think we will play this badly again, but we aren't as good as some people think either. Obviously Voges goes. I'd shift Clarke back to 5 and figure out a way to get Shaun Marsh in the top 4. They seriously need to consider Watson back in for Mitch Marsh. His technique and temperament aren't test level yet. Watson isn't the best answer but I don't think we have anyone else over there? I'd also bring in Siddle for whoever needed a freshen up the most out of Starc and Hazelwood.

Anderson injured.

lol dat pitch.

-PB

Well this is fun.

We have to credit England for outplaying us.=d>

Finn has done well.

They've surprised most by a resurgence from a horrific performance at Lords.

Lol @ our batting. Seems my concerns are being proven correct.

England totally dominating us, playing some good cricket.

Have to say Healy really annoyed me last night, yea our bowling wasn't great (only Lyon & MJ can hang their heads high) but we've just lost 15 wickets for 250 runs I think it was and he's bitching and moaning about the bowlers not a playing a tour match and focusing too much on Pilates in between tests. Perhaps the bowlers could've prepared better but ffs it wouldn't matter if you've had the best preparation in the world if you lose 15 wickets for 250 runs you'll struggle.

Also Mark Nicholas when we go to the third umpire shut the fuck up, we don't need you talking over the top of him. ](*,)

On another cricket forum, somebody made the point that Anderson only became brilliant in English conditions after 6 or 7 years of County cricket. There was a vague hope that Starc and Hazlewood would turn out like McGrath and just have brilliant control barely having played in England before. But it was not to be. Additionally, it's a perplexing that Starc is so brilliant at short forms of cricket but merely above average (in the scheme of things) at Test level.

The only way I see us winning in England is if Starc and Hazlewood and some of the talented young batsmen do several years worth of County cricket.

Decentric

I find it really interesting that the quality of football is constantly improving, whereas the quality of cricket seems to be decreasing. I can't say this for sure, but it seems to me that the technical and tactical level of footballers is constantly improving. In this country, but especially in places like Germany and Belgium. Don't get me wrong, Johan Cruyuff, Pele and Maradonna were some of the greatest ever. But it does seem to me that overall standards are improving.

Contrast that with cricket. These days way too few Test batsmen have excellent technique, footwork and play the ball late. Bradman averaged 99.94, Hammond averaged 58, Sobers averaged 57, Len Hutton averaged 56. Plus wickets in those days weren't covered (and thus much, much more difficult to bat on) and lighter bats didn't give batsmen nearly as much value for their shots. There were no helmets when many of the greats were playing. Plus bowlers were probably faster than they are now (Jeff Thomson, Frank Tyson, Mike Holding, Malcolm Marshall, etc.). If a batsman averaged about 40 in those those days, chances are he'd average about 50 today. Once upon a time there were batsman (in addition to the ones listed above) like Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Geoffrey Boycott.

Contrast that with today. Obviously Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting are in that ilk. But few of the batsmen today can hold a candle to those names. The quality of cricket has declined while the quality of football has risen.

Edited by quickflick: 31/7/2015 03:57:45 PM

That's the thing ODI and test cricket is a completely different beast, expectations on Starc were simply far too high on what he's actually delivered in test cricket. You take out his record against the West Indies and he goes from an above average test bowler to a very average one yet people were calling him one of the best bowlers in the world.

He's 25 at the moment, so plenty of time to work on his issues but we've probably got 2 maybe 3 years max left of Mitchell Johnson, so if Starc hasn't fixed his issues by then we will be in some serious trouble.

I vehemently refuse to watch Channel 9's coverage of The Ashes.

-PB

I have the 9 coverage on but have it on mute and listen to ABC commentary instead

A lot of people pointing the finger at the shorter forms of the game but it seems aggression is the only strategy to work on this pitch

Man spewing we dont have a few more wickets in the shed
wIth anderson injured the bowlerswill tire quicker and it will be much easier to pile some runs on for a handy lead

And now for the mother of all 10th wicket partnerships please

121 the target. Probably a 1 in 8 chance so not outrageous to win from here but very difficult

its really a game that got away
a few more runs in the first innings
a bit better discipline from out bowlers yesterday morning
keep a couple more wickets over night so a recognized batsmen can face a bwoling attack with only two real specialists...
sigh
Its hard to say australia deserve to win when they have missed so many opportunities

they have really only won 2 or 3 sessions all match

England will win by 4 wickets.

Fucking hell Starc throwing away boundaries.

-PB

And Clarke drops a sitter.

Fuck me.

-PB

I'd bring Johnson on from both end, make him captain and field him in slips. Aussies need to harden up. Making the Poms look like Real Madrid.

Honestly wtf are you doing Clarke? An incredibly small total and you take that long to get MJ into the attack.

And drops a 9/10 easy catch.

-PB

Finally another wicket fuck.

-PB

It's classic Starc one absolute gem of a ball, the rest rubbish.

Well someone needs a boot up the arse.

-PB

Starc & Voges out, Siddle & Marsh in.

Would drop vogesh for haddin
play neville as a batsmen. He is good enough

the rest i would keep although the bowling was uncharacteristically off. You have to think overconfidence was a problem

Neville is also a better keeper than Haddin. So you would be playing Haddin as a batsman.

Haddin, one fifty in his last twenty-two test innings. No thanks.

England vs Australia in an U19 Youth Test match in a couple of days in, I think, Durham.

Decentric, you're interested in coaching and such like. I was interested to hear that when Australia played England in an U19 Youth Test at the WACA earlier this year, it was Chris Rogers who worked with them (as part of his coaching training). I can only imagine he'd be an outstanding coach. He understands the technical and tactical side of the game immaculately. He also understands his own strengths and weaknesses and build his game around that. He understands the importance of waiting for the ball to come onto the bat and playing with a straight bat, where possible, or working the ball off the hips. He limits risk and that's why he has done so well for so long. He'd be able to take many batsmen up a notch, I'm sure.

There's a young Aussie player called Jake Doran. He's a middle-order batsman/wicketkeeper (why are there so many young wicketkeeper batsmen?) The hype merchants from Fox Sports talk him up as the next big thing. I haven't seen him so I certainly can't say. Chris Rogers reckons he's highly gifted, though. And he seems very sensible. Fully aware that it will be difficult to play every Shield game if he stayed in NSW, he has moved to Tassie.

If a couple of these lads can get into Shield sides and do very well (in the context of excellent technique and temperament) and Cameron Bancroft, Chris Lynn, etc. carry on in the usual vein, things aren't so badly for the future of our batting.

They just need more County cricket experience, methinks.

Edited by quickflick: 2/8/2015 05:55:53 PM

Edited by quickflick: 2/8/2015 05:57:39 PM