The Cricket Thread

[Jay]

This test series has been absolutely fantastic. It is ****ing criminal that it is only a two test series.

In other, far more disturbing, news...

http://www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/481148.html

[Jay]

Cameron White has just gone ballistic and smacked Australia into a great position in the 2nd one day game in India. Extraordinary. Clarke knocked up a hundred as well.

http://www.cricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2010/engine/match/464529.html

White hit 70 off his last 24 balls. Wow.

[Spudzilla]

future ODI captain right there

[grimace06]

future ODI captain right there

Lets not go crazy.

[Spudzilla]

47.3
Kumar to White, SIX, 131.5 kph, typical White stroke to bring up his half-century, lovely flowing hit straight over the bowler's head and towards the sightscreen, injures a spectator as well, it bounces by the side of the sightscreen and bounced sharply onto the first tier, taking an elderly man by surprise, hit in the face, he's getting some medical assistance now

if that doesn't say future Australian ODI captain, I don't know what will

[Jay]

Geez I dunno Grim, they were talking on SEN bullshit radio today about him being a possible TEST captain!

[Spudzilla]

Even with my Victorian (and local-regional) bias, even I think test captain is a bit of a stretch.

[grimace06]

Andrew Symonds used to go ballistic, Michael Bevan was one of the best ODI batsmen in the world and they were never captain.

The test captain should the ODI captain.

[Jay]

I agree Cam White as test captain is ridiculous. But that's the talk haha.

[Spudzilla]

I think you'll find that Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh did just fine captaining only the test sides while not playing ODI matches at all while in the twilight of their careers, like Ricky Ponting is at the moment, while the test vice captains, who were captaining the ODI sides, also did just fine

though 3 losses in a row isn't fine

[sausage]

We'll take him off your hands if you don't want him; jesus... 4 blot to the bangas.

Kill me now.

[Ad-Rock]

What is the difference between the aussie cricket selectors and a bucket of shit?

The bucket.

[Inquisitor]

Wow.

That's one of the most embarrassing matches I've ever seen.

How do you lose that game? HOW.

[texta]

At least it ended up being an exciting end thanks to that suicide run.

I have to be honest, I agree with the commentators that Smith should have bowled. But whatever. At least it's going to be a slightly more exciting series than some others.

[Ad-Rock]

Smith hurt his back in the field apparently.

Anyway, match fixing? Even ****ing Kenya would not have lost from that position.

[grimace06]

Shane Watson is the first player I'd cull from that side. Average cricketer.

[texta]

Lol. Shane Watson has been Australia's best player for the last couple of seasons. There is no way he should go.

[grimace06]

Lol. Shane Watson has been Australia's best player for the last couple of seasons. There is no way he should go.

Test side, sure. He's been good.

ODI side - an average bowler and inconsistent with the bat.

[Ad-Rock]

If Watson is average I'd hate to how the rest of the batting line-up rates!

[Inquisitor]

His bowling was pretty meh last night. If he'd stayed right on Murali's feet perhaps we could've won, but he bowled right down the leg side which Murali just tapped to get 4 and win.

[texta]

For 2010 ODI Shane Watson has the 4th best batting average for Australia (equal with Ponting) but the second best strike rate of the top five run scorers.

For bowling, of the players that have bowled more than 100 overs (Harris, Bollinger, McKay, Watson, Hauritz, Johnson, Hopes - next is Smith on 53), Watson has the third lowest average, his economy is not great (5th) but he also has the third best strike rate.

So for 2010 he's been our 4th best batter and our 3rd best wicket taker in ODIs. I'd suggest that's a pretty good reason not to drop him.

[Ad-Rock]

Nice to see the Aussies finally get a win. Bummer it was a limp dick of a match.

[Ad-Rock]

Jim Maxwell and Geoff Lawson preview the Ashes in three videos here (http://www.abc.net.au/sport/stories/2010/11/10/3062386.htm?site=sport&section=cricket).

Can't wait!

[AranchineD]

So guys, ready to admit it really was a fluke last match?

[Spudzilla]

I'm glad I havn't watched any of it

[immol8]

So guys, ready to admit it really was a fluke last match?

Dunno if you can fluke 20 wickets but things were definitely in Australia's (read: MiJo's) favour.

This one's looking like another innings+ win for the English.

[Mr.Mew]

Blarg, such a close 20-20! BOB SAGET

[NiB]

Lee killed us in the 19th over, his world cup hopes are done

[Ad-Rock]

Lee and Tait botched it pretty badly. They should have taken a leaf from England's book and bowled full and wide for the second half of the match.

[NiB]

Finally, we won something

[[m]averick]

Lee and Tait botched it pretty badly. They should have taken a leaf from England's book and bowled full and wide for the second half of the match.



Lee's fielding probably saved us about ten runs. Was pretty amazing.

But yes, not sure why they both bowled their 4 overs on a low and slow pitch.

[Ad-Rock]

averick;1268549']Lee's fielding probably saved us about ten runs. Was pretty amazing.

But yes, not sure why they both bowled their 4 overs on a low and slow pitch.

That was the Adelaide game... They improved in this one. Tait is a bit of a liability, I think he creates more opportunities for the opposition than for Australia. I reckon Tait should be dropped in this form of the game for another accurate medium pacer like Watson. One fast bowler is enough in T20 and Lee has much better control and a better all round game than Tait.

EDIT: If Tait could bowl 4 overs of those swinging yorkers (from his final over) he would be much more awesome!

[nonch]

EDIT: If Tait could bowl 4 overs of those swinging yorkers (from his final over) he would be much more awesome!

Unfortunately he appears unable to bowl even one of those overs, given where what should have been the last delivery ended up. Just not good enough.

[[m]averick]

Tait swinging the ball at 155km/h is one of the most lethal T20 bowlers in the game.

Tait not swinging the ball at 140km/h is not very flash at all.

Anyway, he's only just come back from injury and I think there's room for both he and Lee, especially with Dussey and Smith both able to contribute with the ball.

[nonch]

averick;1268582']Tait swinging the ball at 155km/h is one of the most lethal T20 bowlers in the game.

Tait not swinging the ball at 140km/h is not very flash at all.

Anyway, he's only just come back from injury and I think there's room for both he and Lee, especially with Dussey and Smith both able to contribute with the ball.

I agree with the comment about him being one of the most lethal bowlers, I just don't think out and out pace is the way to go in T20. Accuracy is the most valuable tool a bowler can have in this form of the game, variation a close second. Tate doesn't have enough of either at the moment. Would like him to prove me wrong, because his best deliveries are great to watch.

[Ad-Rock]

ODI World Cup Squad:

Ricky Ponting (captain), Michal Clarke (vice captain), Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

Who the **** is John Hastings? What an awful bowling line up. Tait was too sore to play in an ODI, two days after bowling a massive 4 overs, and still gets selected for a month long tournament... Please.

[Ninjalada]

It's good to see Hauritz back but yeah, that is awful. I don't hold much hope as long as Ponting is calling the shots.

[NiB]

ODI World Cup Squad:

Ricky Ponting (captain), Michal Clarke (vice captain), Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

Who the **** is John Hastings? What an awful bowling line up. Tait was too sore to play in an ODI, two days after bowling a massive 4 overs, and still gets selected for a month long tournament... Please.

Hastings is a gun Vic 50over 20/20 allrounder. Been injured but is worthy of a spot based on hid domestic exploits

[nonch]

There's probably not more than one or two players who aren't there that should be, but I agree that it's hard to feel too enthused about this side, particularly when the first two players picked are arguably the biggest liabilities.

[Jay]

Poor Brad Hodge. ****ing disgrace.

[nonch]

Poor Brad Hodge. ****ing disgrace.

Agreed, but that was a predictable enough omission. Had his cards stamped a while ago now.

[StorminNorman]

I'm watching the ODI in Hobart right now and wondering how the hell Shaun Marsh isn't in the World Cup team. He's just saved Australia from what looked to be an embarrassing defeat.

[goog]

Australia squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.

With that being the team the only batsman out of them i would consider droping would be Clarke. I think they should think about what Steven Smith and John Hastings roles are, i think we are takeing too many bowlers. we have 5 bowlers plus Smith,Hastings and watson but we still bowl Hussy and i was under the impresion that Camron White was a decent bowler too.

[TAT]

I'm watching the ODI in Hobart right now and wondering how the hell Shaun Marsh isn't in the World Cup team. He's just saved Australia from what looked to be an embarrassing defeat.
So how would you rate your performance, Shaun Marsh?

Oh, you know. I scored more than the other 10 guys on the team. Pretty good, I'd say. Oh, well, I got out. Which sucked. But yeah, good.

[nonch]

I'm watching the ODI in Hobart right now and wondering how the hell Shaun Marsh isn't in the World Cup team. He's just saved Australia from what looked to be an embarrassing defeat.


Certainly looked capable today, but the knock on Marsh has always been that he doesn't get big scores often enough. Only four hundreds in 80-odd List A matches, with an average of around 35. Same story in first class cricket and ODIs. Simply an average cricket player who had a very good day.

[Hemish71]

Holy ship, we won another one.
Main batsmen didnt do much again though

[Ad-Rock]

Yeah... But at least this was more of a "team performance" than our last two victories. Who knows, maybe we'll hit some form leading in to the world cup...

[NiB]

Our bowling line up is still to weak to lead an entire cup csmpaign though. Lee isn't consistent enough anymore, Tait is fragile, and Doug the rug is hot and cold.

[StorminNorman]

Big Bash final is on right now, for the curious. Warner's flogging the ball to all ends of the Adelaide Oval (and, in one case, out of it.)

[[m]averick]

I think 153 is about fifteen runs too short with Adelaide's short square boundaries but it should be a good chase.

[grimace06]

Go South Australia. Finally they win something.

[dimorphic]

But they still lose in the long run, cause you know. It's South Australia.

[Jay]

Amazing win by the Bushrangers. They needed 11 an over with 9 overs to go and only 2 wickets in hand and won on the last ball. Glenn Maxwell (who?) scored the fastest one day fifty in Australian domestic history (19 balls).

[texta]

Tasmanian tigers!!!

[NiB]

Sporting declaration by NSW made a game of it

[[m]averick]

They had to. Draw meant Tasmania won the Shield.

[nonch]

Yeah there was nothing 'sporting' about it - was the only option for them in order to get a win.

[NiB]

If they didn't put down 3 catches on the 4th night it might have been a nailbiter

[nonch]

Probably would have been, but they only have themselves to blame for that.

The two dropped catches were as easy as they come and the other one was pretty straightforward too.

Anyway, well done Tassie.

[nonch]

New Zealand starting to get the upper hand against Saffers - the chokers are living up to their reputation! Lost 2/0 to fall to 5/121. Go NZ!

[nonch]

6/128 now!

[nonch]

All over - brilliant win for NZ!

[sausage]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH


hey ricky mate don't slip over on those TEARS as you board the plane to go BACK HOME.

[nonch]

Settle down mate they didn't beat Australia.

[sausage]

Australia will be settling down................ in their plane seats!!!!111ONE

[Ad-Rock]

lol RSA

[[m]averick]

Holy shit, Saffers.

facepalm.jpg

[Ninjalada]

Ponting said that he has an eye on the 2013 Ashes series.

Surely he's just taking the piss now.

[Hemish71]

Go Sri Lanka thats how you win a game , hahahaha euffer England

[TAT]

No-one cares that Ponting stepped down as captain?

It's about 18 months too late, but you know what they say

[Lazlow]

No, what do they say?

[sausage]

They say "ooga booga booga ooga"



Also, go the black caps!!!

For Victory!

[Ninjalada]

No-one cares that Ponting stepped down as captain?

It's about 18 months too late, but you know what they say

Thank ******ing christ!

I really hope that he gets dropped from the team. Clarke does not nead a backseat captain.

[grimace06]

Clarke does not deserve to be captain.

Fixed.

**** the Ponting haters. Idiots think Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were better captains.

Good on Punter for stepping down. He'll keep playing for another 12 months I'd say.

[nonch]

I'm no Ponting-hater, but Waugh was definitely a better captain, and Taylor was porbably a better captain, but it's a coin toss. Ponting has been a better player than either though.

And it remains to be seen how Clarke will go as captain, but he certainly hasn't earned the job.

[Ninjalada]

No doubt Ponting was a good captain, the stats prove so. But over the last year and a bit, he's certainly lost his shit.

[nonch]

No, what the stats show is that he had great players at his disposal. Ponting was never tested as a captain until he lost the likes of McGrath and Warne, and to a lesser extent Gilchrist and Hayden, and then when he was more often than not he failed.

[grimace06]

No, what the stats show is that he had great players at his disposal. Ponting was never tested as a captain until he lost the likes of McGrath and Warne, and to a lesser extent Gilchrist and Hayden, and then when he was more often than not he failed.

LOL he is statistically our most successful captain and I'd argue Taylor and Waugh had the same level of players at their command if not better.

[nonch]

Well you would be wrong then.

[nonch]

And how is he "statistically our most successful captain"?

[sausage]

wooo we won the toss and are batting first!

Sorry to interrupt all the aussie TEARS

[grimace06]

And how is he "statistically our most successful captain"?

77 Tests 48 wins 13 Draws

2 World Cups.

An average of nearly 60 up until the last 12 months.

I'd argue Waugh and to a lesser extent Taylor got a golden run with the media. Especially since Steve and his brother used to notch up single digits in tandem.

[nonch]

I've got Punter down for 48 wins from 81 tests - a win rate of just under 60%.

Waugh's 41 wins from 57 is a win rate of just under 72%. Even Gilchrist won 4 out of 6 - 67%.

Punter's average doesn't come into it - as I said, he has been a better player than either Taylor or Waugh.

Winning percentages don't determine who is a better captain, however - it's how they lead the side in general, and Punter simply hasn't done as well as his predecessors.

[nonch]

Steve and his brother used to notch up single digits in tandem.

Steve's test average of 51 isn't far short of Punter's 53.5. In fact, if Punter keeps playing he might finish with the inferior average of the two.

[nonch]

wooo we won the toss and are batting first!

Sorry to interrupt all the aussie TEARS

And GO NZ!

[nonch]

Don't think 217 will be enough unfortunately sausage.

[Super Sleuth]

I cringe every time Malinga 'bowls'.

More so that Tait.

[Ad-Rock]

Mmm Kiwi tears... semen... no wait, tears was right.

Ponting was an excellent captain. He has had to put up with Hilditch and his goons picking below par players for the best part of 3 years, and he hasn't done too badly with such shit squad selection and very poor schedule (playing 3 one dayers and a T20 as Ashes prep????). On the other hand, his terrible batting form probably should have seen him dropped or at least relinquish the captaincy a year ago.

[sausage]

Go Crusaders!

[Ad-Rock]

Peter Roebuck, ABC commentator (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-13/peter-roebuck-dies-at-fifty-five/3663176?section=sport) has been found dead in his hotel room in South Africa at 55 years of age. It is believed that police were talking to him earlier that day. No cause of death has been given.

****ing sad news... He was my favourite commentator to listen to, and also wrote very interesting columns in the SMH. :(

[BRJC]

RIP Peter Roebuck. As Ad-Rock said, he was a fantastic commentator and contributor to the game. Summer won't be the same.

[Ad-Rock]

Here is Roebuck's final column:

No dumpings for the sake of it - selectors, coaches and captain must keep their nerve (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/no-dumpings-for-the-sake-of-it--selectors-coaches-and-captain-must-keep-their-nerve-20111112-1ncub.html)

The last two lines could been seen as inauspicious, in hindsight.

[NiB]

We really should have played a 5-6 test series against India, the kiwis are bloody hopeless

[Ad-Rock]

I thought the match might head deep in to day 5... boy was I wrong.

[NiB]

Is Cummins playing the 2nd kiwi test ? I reckon we'll win by an innings if he gets a hold of the brittle kiwi bats

[nonch]

Nup..

[nonch]

Probably win by an innings anyway though.

[nonch]

Although if NZ are going to trouble Aus anywhere it is probably Tassie...

[texta]

Tasmania 116/0, killing NSW. It's probably time that Ed Cowan played for Australia.

[Ad-Rock]

Sehwag 219 (145) against Windies. Incredible.

[Hemish71]

NZ bowled out for 150 saw it coming

Aus bowled out for 139 WTF???

[Ad-Rock]

Got tickets for Aus vs India test in Sydney. Woot!

[Ad-Rock]

Rahul Dravid delivers the Bradman Oration (http://www.ndtv.com/article/sports/watch-rahul-dravid-s-full-speech-at-bradman-oration-182429)

Full video. Dravid is both a gentleman and a scholar.

[NiB]

So the Big Bash ain't to bad. Warner killed it and it was entertaining enough. Better than the old state V state setup

[Ad-Rock]

Do you think that major sponsors of the cricket can affect team selections?

For example, in the Vodaphone ads you see Hughes, Bollinger, Hussey, Haddin, Ponting and Clarke. Two of those have been dropped already, Haddin, Hussey and Ponting are looking like they may not last the summer. That would leave Clarke as the only member of the team in the ad. Would Vodaphone let that happen? #conspiracy

[NiB]

3 was sponsoring the test series...Vodafone just happened to buy em :P

[Xanafalgue]

Someone did some century yesterday. It was rather thrilling, I was on the edge of my seat.

[Ad-Rock]

Went to the first two days of the SCG test.

****ing fantastic. Even better than the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The only thing missing was a Tendulkar 100 on the first day.

[Hemish71]

Some of the best cricket by the aussies ever!!