The Australian cricket non-official thread!

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c) (VIC/Renegades), Sean Abbott (NSW/Sixers), Doug Bollinger (NSW/Sixers), Cameron Boyce (QLD/Hurricanes), Patrick Cummins (NSW/Thunder), Ben Cutting (QLD/Heat), Ben Dunk (wk) (TAS/Hurricanes), James Faulkner* (TAS/Stars), Nic Maddinson (NSW/Sixers), Nathan Reardon (QLD/Heat), Kane Richardson (SA/Strikers), Shane Watson (NSW/Heat), Cameron White (VIC/Stars)

The Australian T/20 Squad to face South Africa.

A few fresh faces with Ben Dunk getting the call up and a surprise in Nathan Reardon also selected in the squad.
plenty of power hitting in the squad
 
Great start for Australia - Pakistan 2/18 off 13 overs. Poor Mohammed Hafeez got a toe crusher from Mitchell Johnson in the first over that was hitting middle stump (he reviewed it!!) and was out for 0, while Ahmed Shehzad moved across too far and had his leg stump tilted by Peter Siddle for 3.

Younus (I'm SURE he used to be Younis!) currently 5 off 35, he just gloved/glanced Pakistan's first boundary.
 
Pakistan 4/219 at stumps on day one. Younus (on the TV coverage) or Younis (on Cricinfo!) Khan made 106, Azhar Ali 53. Misbah-ul-Haq 34 not out, Asad Shafiq 9 not out.

Mitchell Johnson has 3/22 of 20 overs, Peter Siddle 1/27 off 17. Mitch Marsh on debut has provided good hustle and if his body holds up he will be a very dangerous reverse-swing Test bowler. Lyon and O'Keefe (also on debut) toiled hard but were expensive given the economy of the quickies.

Goodnight one and all :-)
 
404/5 Pakistan batting well, Johnson can't do it all on his own on these type of surfaces. Run rate is getting higher.
When Pakistan bowl they'll get the spinners on ASAP.
 
I don't get Australia's obsession with an all rounder. Give me Starc who can bat and bowl. And O'Keefe…puh-lease. Hasn't looked like getting a wicket until just now. As usual, happy to be proven wrong. Australia will need 500+ for first innings parity. After 2 days in the field, in this heat, I can only hope the batting order knuckles down, grinds it out. Long way to go.
 
Unless Australia collapse in the first innings, this one has got "bore draw" written all over it. Pakistan have an inexperienced attack and I reckon Warner might launch into them. It is so strange to watch a Test match played in an almost-empty stadium!
 
Wookiedragon said:
What makes the empty stadium worse is the fact it is FREE ENTRY!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

What makes it worse is that millions of dollars have been spent on the stadium, the stands and the field - which all look immaculate and world class, and yet, once again, the pitch looks like some kind of unsealed side walk a tuk-tuk would deliriously avoid at all costs. ICC needs a panel of wicket preparers IMO.
 
Wookiedragon said:
What makes the empty stadium worse is the fact it is FREE ENTRY!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
"Can't even give the bloody tickets away" as they used to say! Cricket is not in a good spot at the moment - Pakistan can't play at home, West Indies face sanctions/bans and a multi-million dollar court case following the abandonment of their Indian tour, the ICC panders to every whim of the BCCI and allows them to pick and choose whether to use the DRS or not..... Cricket needs strong governance.

PS woo hoo, just received my 1000th like.....rubs beard in sage-like manner :-)
 
It's not all doom and gloom though.

Last years Ashes was mammoth, the India series here will give us some fireworks too. The one dayers will be crackers and the World Cup is just around the corner. And despite what people say, the BBL:03 outrated the A League big time. If the organisers get the scheduling right for Xmas/NYE/School Holidays/Summer Holidays, then they'll blitz it again.

I bought my family pass - 1 adult and 2 kids for the Thunder for all 4 home games and the reciprocal Sixers game at the SCG for $130. Works out at $26 per game for 3 people. I went to the movies with my wife and it was almost $60. It's cracking value.
 
BBL season tickets are by far and away the best value in any sport.

My Annual pass cost $70. That gets entry to 5 BBL games along with all NSW games this season.

So far I have attended 4 Matador BBQ games ($40 value). I also received a ticket to the monster trucks last weekend at ANZ stadium ($50 value) and to top it off, I also get free entry to the Sydney Royal Easter Show next year ($30). BBL gate costs are $25 a game ($125 for 5 games) That's $245 value for $70 and I also get free entry to the shield games!

Can't tell me that's not good value, even if you don't make use of all of it.....
 
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