Was talking to some illustrious former Oz and Tas players of yesteryear in the members about this yesterday.

England has done Faulkner some good this year with a county season.

The shorter form has decimated some of our state team's First Class careers in the last few years.

In his only test two season ago in England, Faulkner took 6 wickets and made one decent score then lost his wicket cheaply in the pursuit of runs.

Lehmann then said he wasn't good enough for Test cricket and needed to improve by playing more Shield. Since that time Faulkner has hardly played any Shield because of national one day and 20/20 commitments.](*,)

This is why I decided to become a member. The best seats in the stadium were $50 -60 per day in a Test. Going for a segment of each day cost $250 - 300 dollars over a five day test.

To be Tas Cricket Association member was only $250 per year. Admittance to all games, Test, First class, limited over is free for members , with a good bar and dining facilities.

We are very, very lucky here. One often only has to wait a few months for membership.

I met a Victorian recently at the Shield Final in Hobart. He had been all over the world watching Test cricket. He said the waiting list for a MCG membership was at least 15 years.:o




Edited by Decentric: 10/11/2015 10:59:08 PM

I probably enjoy Tests a little more. Both are great events.

I'm a bit fed up of watching us batter other sides at home on roads and then go to places where there's a lot of seam, swing or spin on offer and our batsmen haven't the technique to make more than 60 runs between them in an innings and the bowlers (minus Siddle) are too ill-disciplined to exploit the conditions.

We're really good at hitting the ball hard and bowling express pace when the bounce is true.

But if you add any classical cricket conditions which test out technical ability, shot/delivery selection and powers of concentration, we're hopeless. Unsurprising two of the only blokes to prosper in that kind of scenario are Rogers and Siddle, who have played a lot of county cricket.

Agree.

I used to get excited about home wins, but after the England and the UAE debacles, even though we did well in the Caribbean, I look at these victories in perspective. We usually do well in Brisbane and Perth on bouncy wickets. Then as the tour progresses the visitors improve.

Yep another road.

This series has offered no contest at all between ball and bat and has basically been ruined by flat pitches. No wonder the crowds are staying away. There was absolutely no sideways movement in the air or off the pitch today, except for the first few overs of the new ball. One of the commentators mentioned that only five deliveries had been played and missed in the first two sessions.

The same was true in Brisbane. There was only one session where the overhead conditions were helpful, and the Aussies ripped out Latham, Taylor and McCullum. Either side of that Williamson smashed us all over the place.

Australia will bat two sessions tomorrow and then send NZ in to face Starc and Johnson with the Fremantle doctor blowing the ball all over the place, and the pitch starting to crack in the 38 degree heat. Wickets will predictably fall. Zzzzzzzzz.



Edited by lastbroadcast: 13/11/2015 11:11:56 PM

They're 2/212 and Wlliamson has just cracked another hundred. :lol:

Seriously, Williamson is batting like an absolute God at the moment. What a player.

Williamson and Taylor back in form are a very good pair of players but unfortunately the pitch is just too flat. We need something other than roads. Adelaide will probably be the same although the pink ball might swing the advantage to the bowlers.

*sarcastic clap* a team managed to avoid the follow on against us

Kane Williamson is out. The door is opened.

Warner is off the field with a possible leg injury. With Khawaja already out of the side, Warner as well would be a blow.

This is why we do shit overseas. We're flat track bulllies.

When will CA learn not to prepare roads at every stadium

Fucking cracking game developing here.

-PB

If the wicket cracks up, yes, otherwise a boring draw 99% certain.

Not much of a lead for Australia here, time becomes a real issue in cricket when there isnt much of a lead with not much time left

Massive performances from Taylor and Williamson.

Between the flat pitches and terrible balls, it's no wonder batting is so easy though.

New Zealand need to bowl Australia out in 3 seasons to have a chance of winning.
Australia are probably going to have to given themselves less time with a declaration even if they have a lead of 30.

In New Zealands favor Khawaja is going to be hampered and I guess will not bat at 3. Warner might also be slightly hampered.

New Zealand usually play quite well in Perth, they played a full five day draw against Australia once

Also, NZ have never lost to Australia in a test match at Bellerive \:d/

Are you sure?

I've been to all Tests at Bellerive.

I remember a draw against the Kiwis a while ago that Oz dominated, but there was a lot of rain.

The last game the Kiwis beat Australia was when Bracewell took a lot of wickets and it went down to the wire. It was a great Test though. I think that is the only Test Australia has ever lost at Bellerive.

I think Williamson is one of the best batters in the world ATM, if not the best. He certainly likes Australian pitches. He has played under a lot of pressure too, often with wickets falling around him. That was certainly the case in Brisbane.

In NZ it is harder to bat.




Edited by Decentric: 16/11/2015 12:02:01 AM

Certainly not the best but he's up there. Of course he'd be loving Australian pitches they're roads ffs.

Starc bowled very fast today. He bowled one ball at 160.4 kph.=d>

This puts him up there with Shoab Akhtar, Shaun Tait, Brett Lee and Jeff Thomson as the only bowlers to reach 160kph, or 100 miles per hour.

I've seen Mitch Johnson bowl a ball of 155kph in India just before the last Ashes series in Australia.

Pakistan's Mohammed Zahid had a short career and was supposed to have bowled at 156kph.

The only other bowlers I've seen bowl over 150kph, all at about 152-3 kph, have been Devon Malcolm ( England), Morty Hayward ( South Africa), Dale Steyn ( South Africa, early in his career), Andy Roberts (WI) 151kph, and Shane Bond (NZ).

From the naked eye at Bellerive, Patrick Patterson looked about as fast as Zahid, who I've also seen at Bellerive.

Ian Bishop (WI) and Mal Marshall (WI) were very fast too. I've also seen Michael Holding (WI) too, live, but the only time I've seen him recorded is 150kph.


Edited by Decentric: 16/11/2015 12:01:04 AM

Take the readings of speed guns with a grain of salt. Even today I suspect they're not always absolutely accurate, and in days gone, they probably were not too accurate.

I think the fastest delivery ever recorded was simply knocked down for an easy single. Something to remember :lol:

But, yes, express pace is an asset. It does need to be used properly.

Who's the best? If Williamson certainly isn't the best, who is then? AB de Villiers?

Other than de Villiers, I'm struggling to think of a better batsman. I don't think Smith is as good as Williamson. His technique is too unorthorodox and there are big question marks next to Smith's ability on wickets that aren't absolute fucking roads. Root is also very good but question marks next to him on when the ball is pitched up properly. Kohli at times, but at other times not that special.

Williamson is basically technically flawless, plays every conventional shot very elegantly, he's detects line and length quicker than just about anyone and thus is in position to time his shots perfectly very early (look at those pull shots he played), his powers of concentration are Dravid-esque and his temperament is superb. He can score big runs on wickets which all our batsmen (except Rogers) looked hopeless on. He scored a beautiful century at Lord's on a tough wicket.

And, of course, Williamson spends his winters playing county cricket in England. None of this T20 bullshit.

This is precisely why our best batsmen should be forbidden from playing in the IPL, they should be "cushioned" from the Big Bash and they should be encouraged to play county cricket.

I would be surprised if the fastest Andy Roberts bowled was only 151, from what I have heard he is rated as being extremely quick.

Ian Bishop was probably very quick right at the start of his career but he had a lot of back problems and definitely did not maintain that speed throughout his career.

Edited by Drunken_Fish: 16/11/2015 08:22:48 AM

When will Australia go back to not having every test with a drop in pitch.

Sydney used to be a spinners wicket. Warne and Stewie McGill used to turn it a mile and have a field day. WACCA used to be a pacemans paradise. Gabba you could swing it and cause trouble.

Id rather a test over in 3 days due to us doctoring pitches than a flat pitch giving us 5 day no results.

England did it for the ashes we need to get back to doing it

Poor form by Smith yesterday arguing the review. Throwing his toys out of the pram.

The DRS is for howlers, like BMac getting given out to a ball missing the stumps by 6 inches, not a ball 1mm off the bat.

Yep. He has a perfect technique.

If you play back both of his hundreds this series, he has smashed boundaries everywhere, but not a single one of them was hit in the air. It's absolutely incredible batting.

its a shame usman is not batting in the second innings

Allah was unable to protect him

So once Mitch retires who is next in line??