Summer of Cricket thread

[Decentric]

BGT winners for first time in a decade and also defending WTC finalists.

Beau Webster hitting the winning runs must've gladdened you DC. The Slug from Snug, how unfortunate to be saddled with a nickname like that.

Well that is the end of our Summer of Cricket, goes too quickly. Still there is a female Ashes Test in a week or so.

Yes Slug was top scorer in both Aus innings, plus hitting the winning runs.

Great to seal a tough series against a world powerhouse, India, that went to the wire in the last playing day of the series. Slug had 3 catches dropped off his bowling too over the two Indian innings.

Incredible bowling from Boland too - 21 wickets in 3 Tests!

 

[Decentric]

We were discussing 2 alrounders today, Webster or Green batting 5 seems like a stretch, but might be possible,

I not sure how much longer Lyon is going to play or who can replace him as the main spinner.

Most likely path to both playing regularly is Green bowling well enough to be the no 3 pace bowler.

Webster used to bowl off-spin.

Taking both in most touring teams is a no brainer, can cover an injury to a bowler or batsman at short notice.

Playing Webster and Green would mean a strong fielding side.


Both Boland and Webster deserve more opportunities.

Stuart Clark said Webster can't be dropped after the Sydney Test, if he keeps playing like he did. SC moots moving to Green to 4, as a technically better batter than Webster staying at 6 ( ATM with a Test batting average of 96), and Smith to 3.

Just attended a piss up with Tas Crick Assoc Members to celebrate the series win and qualification for the World Test Championship. It was raised that Smith dropped 7 catches over the series. They could have been critical!

Webster is recognised as the best slipper in Aus, yet Usman and Smith fielded at 1st and 2nd slip and Webster was placed in the outfield. Green is also a superb gully fielder.

It would be handy having both Green and Webster in the team. Green can bowl 140 kph, and bowl short spells. Webster can bowl long spells of medium pace and off spin. Webster for a while was the Tassie spinner, when Tas played 4 seamers. The pace strike bowlers can bowl shorter spells then, with these allrounders offering back up bowling options..

 

[Decentric]

I think green has the highest average in first class of all gen next? So with an aging squad probably have to play him somewhere. Maybe he can open in place of Khawaja?

Henry Hunt has scored a lot of Shield runs this season as South Aus opener. He could replace Usman, who scored 41 in the second innings when it really counted.

Labu is pulling even less weight than Usman. The last three years he has averaged 33, 28 and 27, in Tests before Sydney. He needs to go back and play Shield and possibly county cricket, to regain red ball form.

 

[Decentric]

Really felt like it was an incredible series with brilliant theatre throughout between no doubt two of the best cricket teams in the world.

Agree with this!

 

[Decentric]

Well that is the end of our Summer of Cricket, goes too quickly. Still there is a female Ashes Test in a week or so.

I'm not that keen on it, but there is lot of Big Bash to come.

There are 4 more Shield games starting in early February or late January, I think?

I usually watch most Tas women's One Day and T20 too. They play more conventional shots, and place the ball more like men's red ball cricket, rather than slog it like the men's T20.

There is also the Sri Lankan 2 Test series starting in late January in SL.

 

[Decentric]

Konstas in the first innings
- He again is a little late in his initial movement and shot. You could argue that his dismissal in the second innings could also be about being beaten for pace. At youth level an express bowler might hit high 120s. It can be a bit of an adjustment the extra pace at senior level.

I know a young former Tas state team fast bowler who was timed at 136 kph at age 16 or 17.

 

[Decentric]

Another thing is he probably tries to drive that ball a bit too hard so he can't adjust. Steve smith gets an almost identical ball a few overs later and plays it late (different to being late) and hits it a bit softer so he can adjust to the movement and gets 3 runs
- I like the advancing and ramp shots, it can get a catcher to move to the outfield and he often plays conventionally when the field is spread. However, I'd like to see him rotate the strike with a drop and run shot. The best openers have this shot in their arsenal and it can just diffuse the tension and break the bowlers momentum. Bowlers like to bowl as many deliveries as they can to one bowler. If batting conditions are tough that drop and run shot, or the soft hands to the in field to rotate the strike can really manage your way through it

Interesting comments!

 

[Richie]

I not sure how much longer Lyon is going to play or who can replace him as the main spinner.

We basicly won a five match home Test series without him. 9 @37. I see his replacement out of Murphy, Rocky, Tanveer Sangha and the little known Raf MacMillan. CA has a long history of choosing a r/arm finger spinner and three of that quartet are those.

 

[Richie]

Konstas in the first innings

The kid is still on training wheels, has played a half dozen first class games. Imo CA debuted him a touch too soon and up against arguably the world best bowler on pace friendly decks. I say the kid has exceeded expectations given those odds. He played completely different in his pair of shield 100s, more correctly and patiently. Reckon he was under orders or had been given a license to attack in these two Test games.

 

[Richie]

Boland

On seaming decks I'd have Barrell join Josh and Pat. Wickets galore.

 

[Richie]

Sammy K

Nicknames galore for our latest Baggy Green. Adding Special K (his first coach) , like King Kon, Kid Kon. Any others guys?

 

[Richie]

I think green has the highest average in first class of all gen next? So with an aging squad probably have to play him somewhere. Maybe he can open in place of Khawaja?

Henry Hunt has my vote. Next Tim Ward as CA prefer a L/R combo.

 

[LFC]

Yes please do LFC to lift the cricket membership. Just fill me in guys, Soccer is a winter sport , yes, Cricket summer. So hoping more of the soccer guys start posting here as plenty of cricket still to be played after this series. With tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies plus of course the WTC final.

Cheers Richie, I'll look to chime in from time to time but I'm not as up to date as I used to be.
Used to play through to my teens with some very talented fellow top footballers , something about having that hand eye co ordination.
Many went onto Grade and some to Sheild back in the day when Shield was BIG.
D - yes surprise - obviously I grew up through our "heydays" of, bowled Lillee caught Marsh and went right into going to KP's OD cricket.
The days of the mighty Windies/AB/luved Dougie Walters !
I lost my way after so so many brilliant and iconic players retired, the Indian pro league influence, so so many fixtures like as if there is no off season anymore.
Nonetheless I have kept my eye on traditional red ball Test cricket, Ash's I always watch.

Anyway moving on the Sunny/AB test series has been refreshing to get back into !
Despite the enjoyment of winning yesterday it took away the good opportunity a mate invited me days back to attend todays last days play in the Members haha
Well hence I'm back in the office and online LOL......

Nice to see some new members here and a code that is part of our DNA that I've enjoyed but figured going to the beach/surfing was more enticing than standing out in that heat and playing

 

[Richie]

a mate invited me days back to attend todays last days play in the Members haha

What a bummer. Pace friendly pitches all too often end early, denying the paying punter their full monies worth.

 

[LFC]

What a bummer. Pace friendly pitches all too often end early, denying the paying punter their full monies worth.

hasn't the SCG pitch been more spin friendly over the years as the days pass compared to being pace friendly.
Even McGill used to put in great spells.

 

[Decentric]

Henry Hunt has my vote. Next Tim Ward as CA prefer a L/R combo.

Tim Ward has only just been reselected for Tas, Baggers.

There have been sequences of both Caleb Jewell and Tim Ward playing really well for a half a season for Tassie in the Shield, then declining in form. They've both had Aus A selection, then have plummeted to being dropped from the Tassie Shield side.

I think Hunt has been more consistent for South Aus.

The great thing these days, is there are stats to verify form in the Shield.

I wonder how many of those 200 odd guys on Whirlpool who follow Test cricket, even watch, or are aware of the Shield , Baggers?

I've mooted Webster for ages for Tests, based on his Shield results and performances. Barely anyone on Whirlpool was aware of his credentials? They still mooted other all white ball allrounders, some who barely play Shield, for Test selection instead. Many watch so much white ball cricket - international Aus One Day and T20, and BBL. The Shield has virtually no media profile anymore.

Some players now late in their careers, are reflecting on chasing white ball cash, instead of playing Test cricket - Adam Zampa and Glen Maxwell.

 

[Richie]

hasn't the SCG pitch been more spin friendly over the years

For some reason CA designated the SCG as the series main spin track a couple of decades ago. It was not that in the days of Dougie, certainly not when Lillee/Thomson smashed the Poms in '74/5.

 

[Decentric]

hasn't the SCG pitch been more spin friendly over the years as the days pass compared to being pace friendly.
Even McGill used to put in great spells.

True, LFC.

Sydney turned quite a lot in past Tests.

 

[Richie]

Tim Ward has only just been reselected for Tas, Baggers.

Means zilch DC, he is back to his best form.You recall me saying that it is only a matter of time before he was back for the Tigers after his lean '23/24. Cream returns to the top. He is also a CA fave as when given Aussie A or other rep games he has never failed. I see him as a future #3 for the Baggies.

 

[Decentric]

Cheers Richie, I'll look to chime in from time to time but I'm not as up to date as I used to be.
Used to play through to my teens with some very talented fellow top footballers , something about having that hand eye co ordination.
Many went onto Grade and some to Sheild back in the day when Shield was BIG.
D - yes surprise - obviously I grew up through our "heydays" of, bowled Lillee caught Marsh and went right into going to KP's OD cricket.
The days of the mighty Windies/AB/luved Dougie Walters !
I lost my way after so so many brilliant and iconic players retired, the Indian pro league influence, so so many fixtures like as if there is no off season anymore.
Nonetheless I have kept my eye on traditional red ball Test cricket, Ash's I always watch.

Anyway moving on the Sunny/AB test series has been refreshing to get back into !
Despite the enjoyment of winning yesterday it took away the good opportunity a mate invited me days back to attend todays last days play in the Members haha
Well hence I'm back in the office and online LOL......

Nice to see some new members here and a code that is part of our DNA that I've enjoyed but figured going to the beach/surfing was more enticing than standing out in that heat and playing

You probably know more about cricket than me, LFC. I've only played primary and high school cricket. Through Tas Cricket Members, I know a lot of former Shield players, FC cricketers and First Grade cricketers though. I listen intently to what they have to say.

Keep posting!

Richie, Grazorblade and ODW have all played or/and coached cricket a bit, so they add some invaluable insights.