Impressive!

Mike is having a cry I reckon after seeing the Blues smack the Bull's bum.. to the tune of 153.  Check out these figures from one of the most improved quicks in the country..  the not so gentle giant ..Harry Conway.  13 - 8 - 5-17. 

DC why was he not doing this when he wore Blues colors? 

No prize for guessing who went wicketless from his 17 overs?

When was the last time Steve Smith made a duck? Perhaps I too will be tearing up later. Blues have started badly here.

LOL!

Haven't seen Neil-Smith bowl yet, but he took 3 wickets in  WA's 300 plus total.

Unfortunately, Renshaw was out for 19.

Copeland seems to have improved in recent seasons. Yesterday he must have bowled with the Kookaburra, not the Dukes.

When Ed Cowans who moved to Tas and then played test cricket, he claimed Tas had a far better dressing room culture than the Blues, where they was too much ego.

He and Cosgrove (who moved  from South A) said the Tassie team was more like playing with a bunch of mates. 

Nice to see Cameron Green is going to get a bowl for W.A. Cameo of 34 batting at 9, as well. 4 more than his namesake Bancroft! Likely to be rain affecting play today. Fire yesterday, rain today, earthquake tomorrow and acts of God on Sunday, which is when I will be heading down to the WACA.

Fire is that the reason they went to an early tea Bob? There was all sorts of speculation at the time from the commentators.

Cameron Green looks to possess decent all round skills. From memory he took a five for in his first shield game.. before the dreaded back stress fractures struck him last season.

Another import from my fair state DC to join with Macalister Wright who stroked a lazy 175 in a Futures match on Wednesday.
Neil-Smith is tall, lean and plenty hungry DC. He has an economic, whippy action. No all that fast but is accurate. A good prospect for the Tigers.

Not at all Baggers, it's the Gabba not a lot of high scores last year, that's why Qlders, with averages of 40 are superior to the others as they have to play half their games up here. It was a typical green pitch with lots of movement, some really good performances for Qld. Labuchagne's innings was top notch especially considering the dodgy decision given by Umpire Abood, ball was going down leg even the commentators said that. but it is to be expected as Abood is from NSW. Got to get unbiased interstate umpires IMO remember last year Burns got the dodgiest decision of the season when he was given out against NSW by Greg Davidson also from NSW. Also Khawaja is playing for Qld and we rarely win much when he is in the side, lazy play from him yesterday, plumb LBW, walking at the ball, dumb. Labuchagne should be playing at No 3 as he does for Australia, but Khawaja got his way and the pressure was on Qld at 2/30.

And NSW is playing away from home, so Hughes Henriques and Co will struggle just like last year. Now Larkin is gone 4/56 he also struggled last year away from home. Burns with 3 slip catches, that's where he should be fielding for Australia. How about Gannon's performance? New lease of life for him. And getting Smith with his extra pace, was too easy for him. Pace may be Smith's Achilles heal. There is rain predicted as well so today may be the best time to bat, for the entire match. I see Warner is back on his favoured Australian pitches, shame he can't play away from Australia.

Victoria having a field day against SA poor bowling attack. That's probably the argument for not having another shield team, obviously 6 teams pushes the limit of quality bowlers, what would 7 teams do. Pucovski on his way to a 4th FC century in only 14 games, he is a talent.

Billy Stanlake is a bit loose in his bowling letting some easy runs to be scored. It is a good innings from Warner, very sensible play from him which is unusual, considering the other NSW batsmen have only managed 28 runs out of the 105.

Pucovski with his century, Victoria should declare at 500, it's just too easy for Victoria, a massive 2 BP's heading their way. Baggers Winter is really struggling with the Kookaburra, his average is really starting to blow out now

Nick Bertus looking good Baggers, should have been playing last year for the Blues IMO, I'm glad he's getting an opportunity as he has been performing consistently in Futures compared to others. Credit where it is due Warner has shown class today, automatic selection for the first test, as if there was any doubt. He's taking the game away from Qld. Thunder to the west currently another hour before it hits, and they are expecting a good amount of rainfall from it, the yard does need it.

going to be a competition for places in our batting line up for the first time in a while!

Bertus should have been playing more than 2 years ago... I know NSW club fans who have been asking for his promotion for years and years...

Mike is at his Blues bashing best. Now the umps are his target. 

Gannon is a blast from the past Mike. A decade in Bulls teams yet he has only played a handful of games. Has a decent record so why not more game time? I read Gannon has been playing and promoting American cricket recently. Must have something to do with his mother being US-born.

Agree re Warner. CA cant see it so he is a lock for first Test of the summer.

Not so much poor bowling by the Redbacks but more bashing their heads against a brickwall of a road of a pitch. This Junction Oval deck looks like it has been shipped from the sub continent. Still taking nothing away from Maddinson's double, Pucovskis century. Classy knocks.

Impressed by Henry Hunt's maiden FC dig too. The 22 year old Cowra-born r/hander has  a compact technique and looks composed. Hoping he kicks on today for his century. I like the kid. Another cricketer the Blues may regret letting escape their clutches. They must now do everything to hold Matthew Gilkes who looks a real prospect too.

Looks like Warner and Harris have cemented themselves the start for this summer, Khawaja carrying his poor form is really disappointing, 

Hunt undone by a smart piece of bowling by Holland. 75 on debut.. excellent job by this promising youngster.

Laying in bed this morning thinking about who comprises the Australian Test team in 5 years time. These are gut feel choices and educated guesses. I have included Smith as he will probably bat til he drops.

Renshaw
Hunt
Pucovski
Smith
Labuchagne
Patterson.
Carey
Cameron Green
Jhye Richardson
Riley Meredith/Xavier Bartlett/David Grant
Lloyd Pope.

Sam Heazlett/Josh Philippe/Mac Wright/Jon Merlo/Jason Sangha/Matt Gilkes/ Oliver Davies/ Matt Short, Bryce Street, Corey Hunter/Ben McDermott/Caleb Jewell/Dan Fallins/Arjun Nair are all in the frame.

I'd say Australian cricket is in good hands.

Dunno about Harris. Warner is a protected species. He is a lock. Maddinson is making a strong claim with 4 tons and 780 runs in past 5 matches.

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Jhye Richardson looks in good nick after missing a lot of cricket.

Our selectors aren't proactive and Harris all be it outperformed by Maddison still got a good century. Pretty much secured he will start the summer

Maddinson and Pucovski batted with almost no risk. Harris was dropped twice before he got his century. Mike rated Warner's century as it was on a difficult Gabba surface. 

You can see the difference it makes when you have some experience at international level. Warner's innings was brilliant and has won the game for NSW. Nick Bertus is definitely one to watch for the future if that is what he can do on the Gabba, he will have lots of runs in him for the NSW games. Marnus Labuchagne is coming on in leap and bounds since getting his baggy green, big improvement on what he was doing last year, and the only other innings of note was Joe Burns, it is still a difficult pitch that was freshened up after the rain, so it was a smart move to declare by NSW. Unlike you Baggers I think Renshaw needs time back in Futures League to freshen up his technique, so unless he does that I really cannot see him as the future opener for Australia. I think to give Heazlett an opportunity at opener which appears to be a position he likes, and with the experience of Burns, he can learn a lot.

But based on the current game Khawaja is finished at international level, he's 33 and it's time to move on from him and develop the future and can NSW please take him back, can't even make the correct decision at the toss, This was definitely a bowl first game as the prediction of rain was always going to be late Friday, and Saturday, and a green pitch as well, he so lazy can't even give thought to what to do when you win the toss, just went with the standard bat first.

Harris to me is the current opener for Australia and I saw nothing from Bancroft, that would make me change my mind re selection. Maddinson is the unknown, has loved playing away from NSW, but correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think he has played that well away from Victoria, I think his centuries at FC level recently have been equally matched by Harris who I remember got 90's in the same games, might say something about the pitches rather than the batsmen themselves. Got to laugh at Victoria complaining that SA won't set up a run chase opportunity, why should they, prepare that sort of pitch you deserve to play out a draw, and with Cooper approaching his 200 it puts Maddinson's innings into perspective....it's just that easy. Go for 750 SA and make Victoria hold on for a draw.

I'll agree with you on Starc, those 3 4's in a row from Burns and then Labuchagne pounding him away, show that quality batsmen are currently thumping him, he has a lot of work to do to get back, if he ever will.

The pitch for the Victoria game is as flat as it gets. Not sure we can take too much meaning from the big scores from this match

133 for NSW to win should be easy now the pitch has settled down, and Smith in the side. and Warner goes first ball, good delivery by Neser, Warner just can't help himself, what's that now four ducks in his last 12 FC innings, still a bit of doubt there.

For SA Bowler Tom Andrews scores an easy 100, probably wants to be called an all-rounder now. Tom Cooper now approaching 250, maybe a 300 on the boards for him. His highest score at FC level in a career that he's rarely been over a 32 average. That really puts Harris's and Maddinson's 100's in perspective. Glenn Maxwell with 2 wickets, putting his name up for the No 6 position for Australia

Thankfully S Marsh goes for 85, if he scored 100 he'd be back in the Australian side