The Australian cricket non-official thread!

220 · Feb 12, 2017

Could some please explain why Nevill was dropped. Another big hundred in shield, 3 since being dropped in 3 innings, averaging over 440.
Sissorhands averaged 12 for the 4 tests he played this summer against over 30 for Nevill in the first 2 tests.

Brendan_B · Feb 12, 2017

Neville almost bats and keeps as well as Hartley...

Matty76 · Feb 12, 2017

The Test series against India begins in just under a fortnight so for a bit of fun, let's have a go at predicting a few things!

1. Series result: India 3 Australia 0
2. Most runs - India: Cheteshwar Pujara
3. Most runs - Australia: David Warner
4. Most wickets - India: Ravi Ashwin
5. Most wickets - Australia: Mitchell Starc
6. Total runs for Virat Kohli: 340
7. Total runs for Steven Smith: 315

I would love to read everyone's predictions!

Scotty_WCE · Feb 12, 2017

Good idea Matty - this will be fun to look back on in 6 weeks time!

1. Series result: India 3 Australia 0
2. Most runs - India: Virat Kohli
3. Most runs - Australia: David Warner
4. Most wickets - India: Ravi Ashwin
5. Most wickets - Australia: Steve O'Keefe
6. Total runs for Virat Kohli: 525
7. Total runs for Steven Smith: 330

Brendan_B · Feb 12, 2017

1. India 2-0. We will fight very hard in all 4 matches but ultimately just fall short. Not unlike the Ashes in England in 2013 where we could have won the series but for weather and luck lost 3-0. This will be a huge series for the future of our young team and set us in good stead.

2. Kohli most runs. Super batsmen and never better than when playing Australia.

3. Smith, uses his feet to spinners well and will want to lead from the front

4. Jadeja, seems to get as many overs as Ashwin and he ties players down and the Aussies hate that!

5. Hazlewood. Even in Indian conditions his stump to stump and 4th stump lines will tie them down and the Indians, like Australia will get frustrated and have a swing just like when we won in 2004!!

6. Kohli 530 runs

7. Smith 410 runs

Angry · Feb 12, 2017

India 3-0
Most runs India kohli
Most runs Aus khawaja
Most wickets India ashwin
Most wickets Aus Hazlewood
Total runs India kohli 490
Total runs Aus khawaja 325
Total wickets India ashwin 22
Total wickets Aus hazlewood 16

Change swepson with hazlewood because our selectors will play okeefe in front of swepson

Scotty_WCE · Feb 12, 2017

Angry said:
India 3-0
Most runs India kohli
Most runs Aus khawaja
Most wickets India ashwin
Most wickets Aus Swepson
Total runs India kohli 490
Total runs Aus khawaja 325
Total wickets India ashwin 22
Total wickets Aus swepson 14

Big call on Swepson being our leading wicket-taker! Surely he'll only get a game if the last Test is a dead rubber.

Angry · Feb 12, 2017

Scotty_WCE said:
Big call on Swepson being our leading wicket-taker! Surely he'll only get a game if the last Test is a dead rubber.

Yeah I didnt think about that ? I was thinking if he played all test but yes didn't think he might only play the last , I think he is a genuine leg spinner and he should play before o'keefe 100% ,

Keatoboy · Feb 12, 2017

1. Series result: India 2 Australia 1
2. Most runs - India: Ajinkya Rahane
3. Most runs - Australia: Matt Renshaw
4. Most wickets - India: Ravi Ashwin
5. Most wickets - Australia: Steve O'Keefe
6. Total runs for Virat Kohli: 316
7. Total runs for Steven Smith: 237

Scotty_WCE · Feb 17, 2017

Good to see Smith and S Marsh score tons on the first day of the tour match today. Interesting that Khawaja isn't playing; that might indicate that he won't play in the first Test with Warner, Renshaw, Smith, S Marsh and Handscomb filling the top five spots.

Keatoboy · Feb 19, 2017

How is it possible to have one of the best domestic T20 leagues in the world, yet when we put the best of the best from that tournament together, we're hopeless?

Matty76 · Feb 20, 2017

I think we have one of the best domestic T20 leagues almost by default mate - most of the others have been compromised by match-fixing or spot-fixing (Pakistan), the standard of cricket generally (West Indies), or by smaller grounds conducive to slog-a-thons.

At heart, we still see a "First Class" batsman when Australia bats in T20 cricket. Everything is based on technique, minimising risks early. Sixes are often a just a lofted extension of traditional cricket strokes - a lofted pull, a lofted cover drive, a lofted slog-sweep, a lofted straight drive. When was the last time you saw an Australian opener play a ramp or an upper cut in the first over of a T20I innings? Sri Lanka's openers in both matches have swung mightily from the off and the batsman that follow play without fear.

This is of course neither a good or bad thing. Australia's squad have mostly come from two rounds of Sheffield Shield cricket, whereas Sri Lanka have just finished a T20I and ODI series in South Africa, having been pummelled in the Tests. I still think that the international T20 game is viewed as a bit of "hit and giggle" by our fans. As a reference point, just remember the reaction after our Test defeat against South Africa in Hobart.

220 · Feb 20, 2017

I guess the old saying a team of champions doesn't make a champion team may hold true.
I can see T20 going like rugby 7s, rugby players are now forced to specialise in 15's or 7's, sure you can play both but you don't see them swapping from one to the other weekly and they realise they cant play both at the highest levels at the same time.
BBL works well because the players can concentrate on 20 over cricket for 6 weeks, most of the players have been back playing longer forms of the game for a few weeks and are then expected to jump straight back into 20 over mode.

Scotty_WCE · Feb 23, 2017

The day has finally arrived! And, after all these months of speculation, we still don't know who's going to play in the first Test, with selectors tossing up between playing a third spinner or sticking with two spinners plus the two big quicks and M Marsh.

Well, let's see how this goes then. I've got some tiny, unjustifiable sliver of optimism that we'll fight it out and give a good account of ourselves - let's see how quickly that sliver evaporates

Matty76 · Feb 23, 2017

Mate, I fear that out selectors will go "spin crazy" and play a third spinner. I believe that to be death by stupidity, as it surely means that one of them will be under-bowled. There is talk of Josh Hazlewood making way to accommodate the extra spinner, which would be an extraordinary decision in my opinion. More broadly, the horses for courses policy only works if the horse can adapt to the conditions!

Also, in a lot of ways I really feel for Messrs Marsh, Marsh and Wade. Their continued selection (and re-selection) positions them of objects of ridicule. Just imagine the reaction if they are to contribute little in a heavy Australian defeat. I can't recall in my lifetime actively barracking AGAINST an Australian cricketer and I won't start now. However, I really hope that those three in particular have a strong start to the series.

Anyhow, she all kicks off this afternoon.....on top of Pre-season footy, soccer at home and abroad....we now have an overseas cricket tour!!

Parrapaul · Feb 23, 2017

Just declare now and have 6 overs at the openers tonight!!!

220 · Feb 24, 2017

Well Wade failed to deliver with the bat once again, 5 test matches now since coming into the side to replace Neville and his aggregate is still less than Neville's highest score in the first to tests of the summer. Could get worse as he hasn't had a chance to stuff up behind the stumps yet.
I would guess the selectors are praying the injury he is carrying plays up and they can bring Neville back.
M.Marsh failed with the bat again, we certainly need him to step up with the ball although I am dubious it will happen.
At least we keep turning out tail enders who can score a few to make the score somewhat respectable.

Brendan_B · Feb 24, 2017

220 said:
Well Wade failed to deliver with the bat once again, 5 test matches now since coming into the side to replace Neville and his aggregate is still less than Neville's highest score in the first to tests of the summer. Could get worse as he hasn't had a chance to stuff up behind the stumps yet.
I would guess the selectors are praying the injury he is carrying plays up and they can bring Neville back.
M.Marsh failed with the bat again, we certainly need him to step up with the ball although I am dubious it will happen.
At least we keep turning out tail enders who can score a few to make the score somewhat respectable.

This wicket is going to be horrible to keep wicket on, will really sort him out if he has a bad day.

I was one of the first to question and bag MM's selection in the first place but once selected in the baggy green he has my support 100%. It is really tough for him, being number 6 he still has to be considered a batting all rounder and therefore it would be on his mind to score. Perhaps he needs some of Starc's mindset and just go out, use his reach and strength and try and score.

Scotty_WCE · Feb 24, 2017

Brendan_B said:
This wicket is going to be horrible to keep wicket on, will really sort him out if he has a bad day.

I was one of the first to question and bag MM's selection in the first place but once selected in the baggy green he has my support 100%. It is really tough for him, being number 6 he still has to be considered a batting all rounder and therefore it would be on his mind to score. Perhaps he needs some of Starc's mindset and just go out, use his reach and strength and try and score.

I agree with your last sentence there. I think someone needs to tell him to just go out there and be positive. Defending hasn't worked for him so far, and some of his best innings in both international and domestic cricket have been when he's gone out to bat with the intent to just score. I guess it's easier said than done to change someone's mindset that much though - but I don't know why he's adopted this defensive approach to Tests in the first place when it's not his natural game. He should definitely take a leaf out of Starc's book, and if it fails, at least he's tried something different.

Scotty_WCE · Feb 24, 2017

Fantastic start with the ball by Starc and Hazlewood - and to get Kohli out for a duck is massive. India 3/50.

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