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Cricket: Summer 2018-19

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Marnus and Head looking steady, and it's a bit of a shame the break came when it did. One of these two needs to make a score, though I'm guessing Marnus snicks off before he gets to 40 and Head gets caught on the boundary for 70-odd.
Well Marnus couldn’t get to 100, soft dismissal as you predicted. Surely Head can bag the first century of the summer for an Australian.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Head short as well. Great bowling from Lakmal, the pink ball swings around corners at night. You’d almost rather a collapse than limping to the close of play 9 down and giving the opposition the two day sessions.
 

zer0

Jim Lenehan (48)
Was the first T20 match I've enjoyed since that inaugural one between AUS and NZL where everyone rocked up like it was the 70's. The concept itself was pinched from SAF who have apparently been doing it for a few years. Would be interesting to see a Boks vs AB's T20 match, and/or one with the Wallabies.
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Wonderful cross over event at Hagley Oval in Christchurch with a rugby vs cricket all star clash:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket...um-lead-team-rugby-to-black-clash-t20-triumph

I’m sure WOB will be able to add more but it looks like the Barretts can play cricket (no surprises there).

Didn't watch it. Can barely stomach "proper" T20 so absolutely zer0 interest in this rubbish (BMac in Team Rugby ffs). Saw an op piece likening debating the merits of it to debating whether Dumb & Dumber shoulda won Best Picture. Perfect summation IMO.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Well it won’t fix all the problems but a great win by an innings and 40 runs. Jhye Richardson rolls off the fast bowling production line and should be picked ahead of Starc for the Ashes at this stage. Cummins is just superb.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
He was still swinging the ball after 30-40 overs. I just hope they don’t try to change anything with him, Saker hasn’t been much chop for Hazlewood and Starc.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Richardson and Cummins have demonstrated very clearly how to pitch the ball up to get maximum effect from any swing or sideways movement. I hope both Starc and Hazelwood can learn the lesson.

Late in the day, a graphic was shown of all of Starc's deliveries in relation to the stumps. Only three deliveries after about 12 overs or more would have hit the stumps.

Confidence from this win should see one or two centuries by the Aussies on the batting friendly wicket at Canberra.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
It would be good if Harris and/or Head, basically locks for the Ashes at this point, could get their breakthrough hundreds at Manuka so they have that out of the way before the pressure of the Ashes.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Stoinis added to the test squad to provide an extra bowling option given the pitch will likely be flat. I’d anticipate him playing, so they can either drop Patterson and slot him in at 6 or drop Burns and push everyone else up one. Patterson was pretty good under lights for his 30 and is in form so I’d be tempted to keep him but it’s very harsh on Burns who had to bat at an extremely tough time.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
As bad as the batting was during the India series, the bowling shouldn't completely escape criticism (even though they were the only thing keeping the team in those games). The stat that was mentioned in the commentary yesterday was that we didn't get a single LBW from the quicks. We spend too much time banging it into the pitch and trying to rough up the batsmen and not enough time trying to hit the top of off stump. When McDermott was bowling coach he had them bowling a fuller length and it worked. I hope they've learned from this test and adjust accordingly.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
Stoinis added to the test squad to provide an extra bowling option given the pitch will likely be flat. I’d anticipate him playing, so they can either drop Patterson and slot him in at 6 or drop Burns and push everyone else up one. Patterson was pretty good under lights for his 30 and is in form so I’d be tempted to keep him but it’s very harsh on Burns who had to bat at an extremely tough time.


Dropping Burns makes more sense to me, as harsh as it may seem. Harris has the opening spot locked for the Ashes, and it's highly unlikely Burns can force his way in.

I'd keep the side unchanged though. A flat pitch it may be, but this Sri Lankan batting line-up is one of the worst we've seen IMO. I can't see a real need for a 5th bowler, given we can get overs from Marnus and Head if needed.
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Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Dropping Burns makes more sense to me, as harsh as it may seem. Harris has the opening spot locked for the Ashes, and it's highly unlikely Burns can force his way in.

I'd keep the side unchanged though. A flat pitch it may be, but this Sri Lankan batting line-up is one of the worst we've seen IMO. I can't see a real need for a 5th bowler, given we can get overs from Marnus and Head if needed.
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Agreed, if we can't play 4 bowlers against a side we rolled for under 150 in two consecutive innings we're never going to play four bowlers. I'm not sure how much Stoinis will add anyway with a first class record worse than Mitch Marsh, seems a bit of a rig based selection.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
I'm a fan of Stoinis and his Shield numbers this season are pretty decent. But on a conceptual level I'm against the all-rounder selection, you end up with a mediocre 6 and someone who barely bowls outside of super flat decks. It's a waste of a spot that should go to a genuine bat.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I'm a fan of Stoinis and his Shield numbers this season are pretty decent. But on a conceptual level I'm against the all-rounder selection, you end up with a mediocre 6 and someone who barely bowls outside of super flat decks. It's a waste of a spot that should go to a genuine bat.


100% agree. An all rounder only works because one of your best 6 batters is also a good bowler or one of your best 4 bowlers is also one of your best six batters.

If you do end up on a road where you need extra overs from someone outside of your four bowlers, a part timer will do.

Much of the Stoinis fandom (led by Shane Warne) is on the basis of his white ball cricket which is the same problem we kept getting with Shaun Marsh. Stoinis' red ball cricket is improving but prior to this year his stats have been awful.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
I'm not totally against white ball cricket as a pathway - we used it well in the late 90s/early 2000s with guys like Symonds, Martyn, Lehmann etc. Jhye Richardson is a very recent example too.

Stoinis could well turn into a test player, and his rig is really something to behold. Mate of Warney's too. It would be a very 'Australian cricket in 2019' selection. A classic example of a number 6 who would look great at 4/400, but you'd never want to see him come to the crease at 4/40.
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Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I'm not totally against white ball cricket as a pathway - we used it well in the late 90s/early 2000s with guys like Symonds, Martyn, Lehmann etc. Jhye Richardson is a very recent example too.


I think the difference there is that players who were excelling at Sheffield Shield cricket were introduced to international cricket through ODIs. They then got a run in the test team.

Jhye Richarson's first class record is also excellent. He's taken 54 wickets in 12 games at an average of 21.92.

The difference with Stoinis is that you would largely be ignoring red ball history and using the white ball form as an indication he should play red ball cricket at a higher level. His Shield record this year is better but I still wouldn't have him anywhere near the best six batters in the country.
 

Froggy

John Solomon (38)
For years now Aus selectors (not just these ones) have had a fascination with having an all-rounder. It's as if they've looked at Botham, Flintoff, Kallis etc and said 'I want one of those'. Look, a test standard all-rounder is a great luxury, but if you don't have one you don't have one, simple as that! Leaving out a top 6 batsman (and admittedly we're a bit light on those at the moment) for an all-rounder who isn't even cutting it in Shield cricket is just crazy.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
For years now Aus selectors (not just these ones) have had a fascination with having an all-rounder. It's as if they've looked at Botham, Flintoff, Kallis etc


Agreed.

The underlying point with all the great all rounders is they easily made the side for either their batting or bowling on its own.

The reality in any side is if you're the 5th best bowler you don't bowl a lot of overs.
 
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