Cricket- the sport not the insect

[movingtarget]

The thing with Johnson is that he's a double edged sword. Put him on a lively deck with some movement and he's one of the best new ball bowlers in the world but give him a flat deck and he can go....and go....and go even if it's swinging. He just doesn't have the brains, control or variety of the very best quicks, only good pace, sharp bounce and agression.

IMHO he should only be playing Brisbane and Perth, because he'll get carted in Sydney and Melbourne and totally decimated in Adelaide.

He was fantastic in South Africa in his first series there with good pitches and he was very aggressive. Never regained that form. He reminds me of Shaun Tait, deadly sometimes but mediocre a lot of the time and at test level his bowling is too loose. Wides no balls etc start to add up. If he's not taking wickets he seems to lose heart.

 

[darwin553]

The thing with Johnson is that he's a double edged sword. Put him on a lively deck with some movement and he's one of the best new ball bowlers in the world but give him a flat deck and he can go....and go....and go even if it's swinging. He just doesn't have the brains, control or variety of the very best quicks, only good pace, sharp bounce and agression.

.

I think Johnson is a better bowler than the bowler we last saw on the international stage a couple of years ago just before he was released into the wild. His technique is the same, in that, he doesn't position the ball properly in his hand prior to release but the difference is that he has picked up a yard or two in pace which is impressive given he is getting on in age and will just provide the difference in how threatening he is to the pom batsmen.

 

[hoerpi]

26 h left, who do you think will be the third seamer for England?

 

[del1962]

26 h left, who do you think will be the third seamer for England?

Think it will be Finn.

 

[darwin553]

26 h left, who do you think will be the third seamer for England?

I don't know. Finn would be a much fiercer prospect for the Aussies to have to face than Tremlett at his current reduced bowling speed. But what I do know is that I can't wait to be there at the Gabba tomorrow for the first ball to be bowled!!

 

[Cyivel]

I don't know. Finn would be a much fiercer prospect for the Aussies to have to face than Tremlett at his current reduced bowling speed. But what I do know is that I can't wait to be there at the Gabba tomorrow for the first ball to be bowled!!

Good luck brother.

I hope the DRS/Umpiring doesn't come between us this time around.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Decent first session from England. You just knew Broad would get the first wicket, he just thrives off the reaction of the crowd. Pitch looks very flat and if Aus don't make a big one here they will have to bowl extremely well.

 

[42x16ss]

At least Warner looks in good touch. Hopefully someone sticks around with him. Clarke and Smith will need to make solid contributions here.

 

[darwin553]

Clarke and Smith will need to make solid contributions here.

Didn't happen but given the position the Aussies were in not a bad score at the end of the day.

Also feel justified on Tremlett having seen him bowl close up - glad the poms picked him though

 

[Avoriaz]

Great to see Broad serving it up to the Aussies with his five-for after the stick he got in the press yesterday. Nothing beats a bit of needle in an Ashes series.

Unfortunately, the Aussies got back to just over par by the end of the day, though the pitch seems made for KP when England bat

 

[darwin553]

Unfortunately, the Aussies got back to just over par by the end of the day, though the pitch seems made for KP when England bat

Good old KP better take it a bit easy going on that front foot - he wouldn't want to take a bouncer from Johnson in the head.

 

[movingtarget]

Good old KP better take it a bit easy going on that front foot - he wouldn't want to take a bouncer from Johnson in the head.

What a terrible thought ! Hope the Aussie bowlers can do well. The pitch looks good. Aussie crowds will give plenty of stick to Broad and Pietersen. We will see if the Aussies long standing record against the English at the Gabba holds true. Another nice innings by Haddin. Haddin seems to be taking over Hussey's previous role.

 

[del1962]

Great to see Broad serving it up to the Aussies with his five-for after the stick he got in the press yesterday. Nothing beats a bit of needle in an Ashes series.

Unfortunately, the Aussies got back to just over par by the end of the day, though the pitch seems made for KP when England bat

Broad has kind of made me eat my words, I have to be honest, when he was first picked for England I did not rate him and often felt he was keeping better bowlers out of the team, he would then put in a decent performance, before resorting to being the bowler I did not rate, however I think now he has found more consistency.

As for the score, while it is best to wait until both teams have had an innings, I suspect that England will be very happy and have a considerale first innings lead.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Pitch looks very flat and the fact that many Aussie batsmen threw their wickets away playing daft shots makes me think they are about 100 short here. They bowled well in England though and will need to do the same again here.

 

[42x16ss]

Some of the shots from the Aus batsmen were utterly woeful. They are playing with no real thought or patience. The problem seems to be largely with the ACA shortening the Sheffield Shield, while extending the T20 season and propping up a stupid, underattended domestic one day comp.

Look back at the squads that dominated World Cricket from the early/mid 90's until the mid/late 00's. ALL of them had to cut their teeth playing masses and masses of 4 day domestic cricket.

Mark Waugh, Michael Slater, Stuart Law, Shane Warne and Matthew Elliott are just some of the guys who even had to go to England for the northern summer and amass huge amounts of runs/wickets just to get a look in on the test team. Now all you need are a few flashy starts in one dayers and a decent summer of T20 and you've got half a foot in the door

Tough nut ex captains like Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Ian CHappell, Bobby Simpson and Richie Benaud (although th last two are getting on) need to be drafted in to the ACA administration and start laying down the law. Aus cricket needs a shape up. Having said that Lehmann as coach is looking more and more like a step in the right direction.

 

[42x16ss]

Aus all out for 295. Haddin last wicket on 94, run out trying to protect Lyon from facing Anderson.

 

[darwin553]

Aus all out for 295. Haddin last wicket on 94, run out trying to protect Lyon from facing Anderson.

I wouldn't say that - he just wanted to get 1 run closer to scoring a 100.

 

[darwin553]

Pitch looks very flat and the fact that many Aussie batsmen threw their wickets away playing daft shots makes me think they are about 100 short here. They bowled well in England though and will need to do the same again here.

I wouldn't categorize the aussie batsmen, on the whole, as getting out playing 'daft' shots. Actually it couldn't have been further from the truth - some got out poking their bat defensively outside off where on other days they would have gone past the outside edge without having hit them and the other batsmen (Clarke, Rogers) were given good short ones. Certainly it wasn't a lack of discipline that cost the majority of the Aussie batsmen just technique and luck if anything.

 

[42x16ss]

Yeah, but lets be honest, it wasn't going to happen if he let Lyon face a fired up Anderson for too long

 

[darwin553]

Some of the shots from the Aus batsmen were utterly woeful.

Just Watson mate

 

[darwin553]

Yeah, but lets be honest, it wasn't going to happen if he let Lyon face a fired up Anderson for too long

Anderson was no threat, especially compared to Broad - Haddin knew that which is why a couple of overs earlier he was willing to give Lyon the strike after just 1 ball.

 

[42x16ss]

I wouldn't categorize the aussie batsmen, on the whole, as getting out playing 'daft' shots. Actually it couldn't have been further from the truth - some got out poking their bat defensively outside off where on other days they would have gone past the outside edge without having hit them and the other batsmen (Clarke, Rogers) were given good short ones. Certainly it wasn't a lack of discipline that cost the majority of the Aussie batsmen just technique and luck if anything.

Clarke and Rogers both got superb short balls, no doubt about that. However, the shot Watson got out with, for example, was terrible. A No. 3 shouldn't be dangling the bat like that. You might get away with that shot in T20 or even ODI but not on the first morning of a test when the field is close behind the bat.

I guess what I'm trying to say is too much limited over cricket breeds bad technique, with bat and ball. Accurate swing bowling is starting to become a black art and solid, conventional back foot stroke play seems to be slowly disappearing.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Just Watson mate

Warner & Clarke batted well then?

Amusing to see all the B*****ks shut up in 1 day. Still just a poor batting side no matter how much they talk.

Now Mitchell bowling filth. Could be dangerous if he could find a line, but no sign of it yet.

 

[darwin553]

Warner & Clarke batted well then?

Warner expected shot, just execution. Clarke struggles against a good short ball every now and again.

Now Mitchell bowling filth. Could be dangerous if he could find a line, but no sign of it yet.

Siddle looks like our only saviour...again

 

[darwin553]

Clarke and Rogers both got superb short balls, no doubt about that. However, the shot Watson got out with, for example, was terrible. A No. 3 shouldn't be dangling the bat like that. You might get away with that shot in T20 or even ODI but not on the first morning of a test when the field is close behind the bat.

Even though Watson looked solid and set, he played a very unconventional defensive innings. I think he would be better off just going after it a little bit more but from the stands I couldn't really see that he could.