Cricket- the sport not the insect

[42x16ss]

That's true but Wade and Head aren't cutting it as test batsmen. I suppose as you say we have enough bowling depth to do without. Maybe in India they would be happy to have extra bowlers with the extreme conditions.

Wade did make that good hundred in the second test and has been beating down the door with a lot of domestic runs. I do think that the Head experiment is on a knife edge, he's averaging low 40s after 12 tests.

To be a true test all rounder you probably need to average mid 30s with bat and ball and I don't see any Australian players with the ability to do that atm.

 

[Pricey_sky]

England unchanged for the final test, a little disappointed with that to be honest, but I guess it’s a final chance for some of them to redeem themselves and get a series draw.

 

[movingtarget]

England unchanged for the final test, a little disappointed with that to be honest, but I guess it’s a final chance for some of them to redeem themselves and get a series draw.

Do you think Curran will return to the team later ? I expect both sides to do some tinkering after the series especially with their batting.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Do you think Curran will return to the team later ? I expect both sides to do some tinkering after the series especially with their batting.

I hope so, he’s a very useful bowler when it’s swinging, and his batting is a big plus at number 8. The only problem being he’s not much quicker than a standard medium pacer, so when it doesn’t swing, he’s going to be fairly easy to play.

I’d imagine he will be on the plane to New Zealand and South Africa this winter, as conditions should suit him. Ollie Pope should also get a chance to open the batting this winter with Burns, Roy should be kept to the one-day teams.

 

[movingtarget]

Team changes for the Fifth Test

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyAOHLC6-gE

 

[del1962]

Stokes will not bowl due to his shoulder in only for batting and fielding.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Another intriguing day of test cricket, England got themselves into a solid position at 170/3, before another collapse, lead by Mitch Marsh who was excellent.

Buttler batted well with Leach at the end to add some vital runs and take England up towards 300, but it’s difficult to see what a par score is. It’s a fairly decent wicket but there was a bit of swing for Marsh, the fairly mild and humid weather we are experiencing for mid-September is obviously helping there, something positive from the after effects of Hurricane Dorian at least.

A final point, I thought for the first time this series the Aussie bowlers started to look jaded at the end of the day, I did think it was a bit of a risky decision to bowl after the heavy work load during the second half of the Old Trafford test just a few days ago.

 

[movingtarget]

Another intriguing day of test cricket, England got themselves into a solid position at 170/3, before another collapse, lead by Mitch Marsh who was excellent.

Buttler batted well with Leach at the end to add some vital runs and take England up towards 300, but it’s difficult to see what a par score is. It’s a fairly decent wicket but there was a bit of swing for Marsh, the fairly mild and humid weather we are experiencing for mid-September is obviously helping there, something positive from the after effects of Hurricane Dorian at least.

A final point, I thought for the first time this series the Aussie bowlers started to look jaded at the end of the day, I did think it was a bit of a risky decision to bowl after the heavy work load during the second half of the Old Trafford test just a few days ago.

Yes the Australian fielding looked tired and sloppy. Some pretty easy catches spilt and the one that Smith caught could have been dropped as well as he juggled it a few times. The bowlers looked tired especially after Marsh went off with cramp. Marsh bowled well, Siddle only in patches. The no balls are getting tedious with Cummins. I think the English bowlers will like the look of those conditions so far. Australia need to wrap up the last two wickets quickly.

 

[movingtarget]

England dropping catches like Australia. Nice tail wag by Siddle and Lyon. Smith finally missed one and was smart enough not to review it . Once again it was Smith and Labuschagne holding the Australian innings together. Wade failed again, Marsh was unconvincing and the openers can't seem to do anything. Good day for England. Archer and Curran bowled well. Great catch by Burns to close the innings. Paine is getting some criticism for not batting first. The critics have a point.

 

[movingtarget]

Australia dropped another sitter in slips. Can't believe the catching in this game so far............

 

[Pricey_sky]

Australia dropped another sitter in slips. Can't believe the catching in this game so far............

Yes the fielding has been very sloppy so far, fortunately Root dropping Smith (again) wasn’t too costly this time.

England in a fairly good position on a wicket that should start to get uneven and turn, especially with the decent weather we are having. Anything over 250 is going to be very difficult on day 4/5.

 

[movingtarget]

England in the box seat. Now I've said that Warner will probably return to form with a 150 off140 balls ! Somehow I don't think that's happening. The Australian bowlers got back on track after some mediocre sessions. Denly probably deserved his hundred but it wasn't to be. One good partnership won't be enough for Australia unless it's Smith and Labuschagne ! They have too many batsmen out of form and a lot will depend on the pitch conditions. Australia looked tired in the field. Lyon has bounced back and bowled some nice spells. All to play for.

 

[Pricey_sky]

England in the box seat. Now I've said that Warner will probably return to form with a 150 off140 balls ! Somehow I don't think that's happening. The Australian bowlers got back on track after some mediocre sessions. Denly probably deserved his hundred but it wasn't to be. One good partnership won't be enough for Australia unless it's Smith and Labuschagne ! They have too many batsmen out of form and a lot will depend on the pitch conditions. Australia looked tired in the field. Lyon has bounced back and bowled some nice spells. All to play for.

Going to be a tough ask unless, as you say, some batsmen return to form. Good news for England is that the pitch is turning more as the game goes on, though there isn’t a great deal for the seamers once the ball goes soft.

If a couple of players stay with Smith, and he produces another big century, then they have half a squeak.

 

[Brullnux]

Smith out for under 50!! Incredible!

 

[42x16ss]

Stokes gets player of the series. Utterly pathetic.

Pretty sure he'd be embarrassed by the decision.

 

[movingtarget]

Stokes gets player of the series. Utterly pathetic.

Pretty sure he'd be embarrassed by the decision.

Quite funny actually since all that many of the English fans could talk about was winning the series without Smith.........most of the commentators have been the same. Even if he did miss one test he was clearly the dominant player.............Smith missed out once, Stokes a lot more than that.......I guess Smith needed a century in his final innings ! Stokes wins it for his Third Test exploits I guess which still wasn't enough for Australia not to retain the Ashes. The booers will be happy. Was Stokes any better than Cummins or Broad ?

 

[42x16ss]

I'd say Stokes was on a similar level to Cummins. Cummins' 29 wickets was exceptional, especially when you consider several dropped chances and a relatively poor 5th test.

IMHO it's between those two and maybe Broad for second best in the series. To not give it to the guy averaging over 100 is ridiculous.

On another note, the only Australians who shouldn't be on notice are Smith, Cummins, Labuschagne, Hazelwood and Wade. Maybe Lyon as well, but only due to past performances. Warner needs some 2-3 hour net sessions against Cummins and co. until he finds the middle of the bat again instead of trying to get form by beating up on the Sydney Metro 1st Grade comp.

 

[movingtarget]

I'd say Stokes was on a similar level to Cummins. Cummins' 29 wickets was exceptional, especially when you consider several dropped chances and a relatively poor 5th test.

IMHO it's between those two and maybe Broad for second best in the series. To not give it to the guy averaging over 100 is ridiculous.

On another note, the only Australians who shouldn't be on notice are Smith, Cummins, Labuschagne, Hazelwood and Wade. Maybe Lyon as well, but only due to past performances. Warner needs some 2-3 hour net sessions against Cummins and co. until he finds the middle of the bat again instead of trying to get form by beating up on the Sydney Metro 1st Grade comp.

Actually Stokes was the English man of the series, Smith won the Australian man of the series and the Compton medal for most runs.........I didn't see the presentation but I couldn't believe Stokes would win the man of the series outright. Kind of an odd award to have two man of the series awards. In most other series and competitions there is only one. Sounds like Warner won't be dropped based on Paine's comments after the match. They are hoping he will get more time at the crease and find his form in Australia on the bouncier wickets. Actually Warner's record in England has never been that good. Sounds like needs needs a spell of county cricket. One more test failure even in Australia, I think Warner will have to be dropped. Wade probably saved his position, Marsh as always falls in the middle ground like Khawaja, his bowling was better than his batting. The other players you mentioned should all be there. In Ausralian conditions Starc will go ahead of Siddle. Disappointing finish for Australia but I think they played their final in the fourth test from the body language and Paine's decision to bowl first was wrong. His reviews even more wrong ! But Paine seems to have had a stabilizing effect on the team after the cheating debacle.

 

[brownbobby]

Stokes gets player of the series. Utterly pathetic.

Pretty sure he'd be embarrassed by the decision.

Agreed. Stokes would easily claim one off performance of this, and possibly any series...but as far as man of the series goes, its hard to think of more than 1 or 2 players in history who have so single handedly influenced the outcome of a series as Smith.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Agreed. Stokes would easily claim one off performance of this, and possibly any series...but as far as man of the series goes, its hard to think of more than 1 or 2 players in history who have so single handedly influenced the outcome of a series as Smith.

Stokes got England man of the series, Smith Australian man of the series, with Smith also given the Compton-Miller award.

 

[brownbobby]

Stokes got England man of the series, Smith Australian man of the series, with Smith also given the Compton-Miller award.

Ah ok...can't argue with that

 

[del1962]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1176212142275596290

View: https://twitter.com/TheCricketerMag/status/1176212142275596290


Tasmania fail

 

[movingtarget]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1176212142275596290

View: https://twitter.com/TheCricketerMag/status/1176212142275596290


Tasmania fail

Hide from the coach..........

 

[42x16ss]

Hide from the coach..........

More like hide from the police and ACB....

 

[movingtarget]

Disappointing series of tests in the Australian summer. Pakistan and New Zealand were totally outclassed. Don't know what that says about the current state of test cricket when NZ is the number two ranked team in the world ! A let down after an entertaining Ashes series.