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Joined April 2021
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Had pundits been paying attention, several similarities exist to previous tours by excellent touring sides who have been fancied to do well in Australia.
The worst thing about the Australian cricket team at the moment is not its arrogance. It’s not the protection of out-of-form players. It’s not…
Kurtis Patterson and Sam Konstas both made big runs for NSW as they continue to push their claims for any positions that might open up in the Australian team.
Round 5 of the Sheffield Shield saw plenty of action as South Australia beat Western Australia, Tasmania beat New South Wales, Queensland lost at…
Australia’s batting collapse was inevitable. They’re a team with the vast majority of their batters out of form and short on confidence. They’re a…
Matt Renshaw made it into the 20s in two of his past four innings before the 121 he scored in this match.
A batting collapse for 98 by Tasmania, whilst an anomaly, does not help anybody in the Tasmanian lineup to push their cause for Test selection.
Round 2 of this year’s Sheffield Shield produced three amazing matches and demonstrated that the gulf between the “haves” (the Test players) and the…
Despite bowling 120kmh bouncers and setting funky fields, Labuschagne could not prevent a tame draw on a flat WACA deck against a conservative side.
If Australia is serious about beating India, selectors must prioritise Test stars playing in the Sheffield Shield competition over the meaningless white ball games.
Dear Todd, I hope you are travelling well mentally, physically and emotionally after the events of the past several weeks. It’s difficult to read…
Last week, you read about the Matt XI, a compilation of the best cricketers ever to represent the name Matt. And to be fair,…
There has never been an Australian Prime Minister, King of England or US President with the first name of Matt, but there have been some great cricketers.
The conclusion of the Sheffield Shield season, here's the announcement of the players and teams who have succeeded - and failed - this year.
The last round of the Sheffield Shield, and finally, we have our two finalists! Keep reading to find out who made it to the…
The second last round of the Sheffield Shield, and competition for the first two spots is heating up! Keep reading to find out who…
The last round of the Sheffield Shield before the Test squad flies to New Zealand, and considering that 19 days had elapsed since the…
The Sheffield Shield returns and with it all the drama and intrigue around who is voted off Test selection island next. Stay tuned for…
If I were picking an Australian Test side today, I would not have Cameron Green in my side. The reason is quite simple; Cam…
Junior sports across Australia, from rugby league to cricket suffer from a dearth of umpires. Umpires, referees, whatever they are called, exist to adjudicate…
One thing that will help is for the ICC to standardise and fund the use of technology in ALL series, WTC or not. That’ll help to make the cost a little less prohibitive.
Also, I think the time has now come for the game to hive off Test cricket and play it in a separate window to T20 and other white ball cricket. It’s time for nations to have separate red ball and white ball squads, with few interchanges between the two. That’ll help reduce player workload but also give greater flexibility for players to decide which of the formats they’d rather play. Cricket has always been about playing to represent your country, but $$$ are increasingly a bigger pull. Will country win over $$$?
Dollars and sense the only way to save Test cricket, not two-tier system that gives Big Three even more control
Yes, he didn’t know how to guide Todd Murphy in the same way that he could Lyon. It was noticeable when Smith was captain in India and was able to set fields for Murphy and Kuhnemann.
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
True. Gazza was barely used. I think he’s definitely made himself indispensable to the side, though, and you wouldn’t ever play a match without him these days.
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
As a short batsman, I have a major issue with balls rearing from a length all the time. 😂 I’ve learned to cope by dropping the hands as soon as I see it jump, but yes, it is a learned skill, and I’ve had to work hard at it to get it to that point. I’m also more old-school than most of the players these days.
Pitch perfect: Three-day Tests a small price to pay - batting techniques more to blame for shortened matches
No, that is very true. You can’t make anything out of the slow bowling. Still, though, I’d have expected Jadeja to be his usual miserly self, but he leaked easy runs and didn’t look threatening at all. At least Lyon kept it tight and chipped in with a wicket here and there.
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
Oh totally. I struggle with extra bounce at 177 cm, but Webster at 203 cm probably handles it just fine, and it showed!
Pitch perfect: Three-day Tests a small price to pay - batting techniques more to blame for shortened matches
100% agree! I think Ashwin would’ve had a bigger impact in the series had he not retired mid-series. Jadeja seems more of a batting all rounder these days than a bowling all rounder (not to mention that left arm orthodox spinners have almost never done well in Australia. I can think of Paul Harris, Monty Panesar, Daniel Vettori and Rangana Herath as prime examples). I think Jaiswal was the right choice as was Shubman Gill. I do question Rahul’s inclusion, but I’m not sure who else they could’ve picked?
I think back to their 2020/2021 success, and it was all built off the determination of Ravi Shastri and the incorrigible Kohli as captain. They were a great pairing and had the respect of all the players.
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
Completely agree! It all comes from this nonsense of picking the “best 6 batters in Australia” business.
Flem’s Verdict: Aussies have a Big Four with Boland no longer a back-up, SCG pitch not up to scratch and Beau knows Test cricket
Ah ok. Good to know. For some reason, I thought there was something. Seems like Gambhir wasn’t the right choice…
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
Ah yes, the “faceless men”. Must’ve come from the Labor Party in the Julia Gillard era?
In all seriousness, I agree that they only hear what they want to hear. Usman has guaranteed himself a shot at the Ashes next summer with his (miserable) performance in the BGT. So have Smith and Marnus (though, Marnus at 30 can still turn it around).
Flem’s Verdict: Aussies have a Big Four with Boland no longer a back-up, SCG pitch not up to scratch and Beau knows Test cricket
We may win the series, but they’ll always win morally.
Flem’s Verdict: Aussies have a Big Four with Boland no longer a back-up, SCG pitch not up to scratch and Beau knows Test cricket
Oh totally! I’m not discounting those issues. But so did England in 2013… I seem to recall some controversy around the resignation of Dravid and the appointment of Gambhir. Am I right or just making things up?
Cricket tours to Australia have a history of tearing apart touring sides: Should India have seen problems coming?
Hear hear! Well written and argued. I thought that the SCG pitch wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be. If batters were still taught to drop their hands and not follow the ball, most of the nicks behind or to slips would’ve been avoided. Beau Webster showed how to bat on that pitch and did exceptionally well.
Pitch perfect: Three-day Tests a small price to pay - batting techniques more to blame for shortened matches
Exactly what should have been done! I don’t think McSweeney’s an opener, but he wasn’t served by partnering with Ussie either.
Konstas selection call was correct - but as usual, selectors got the message wrong
Don’t forget, Marnus is younger than Head. He’s still got plenty of life left in him. He just needs some extended time in the Shield to rediscover his form and his confidence to work out what he needs to do.
One rule for new man in, another for the rest: Why was McSweeney scapegoated for top order's struggles?
Nope, you’re correct. Most of them aren’t openers, but this whole “pick the best 6 batsmen in Australia” crap needs to go out the window. If you want a pure opener, then Konstas is your guy, or if he’s not ready, then either Renshaw or Bancroft have to be selected. There’s no guarantee that either Renshaw or Bancroft would do any better as both aren’t in fantastic form.
One rule for new man in, another for the rest: Why was McSweeney scapegoated for top order's struggles?
Great insight you have, Gordon.
Konstas selection call was correct - but as usual, selectors got the message wrong
I always go back to Steve Waugh who had a couple of years without posting a massive score before he made his first ton in the 1989 tour of England and went from strength to strength from there despite being dropped for his brother in 1993. We need to persevere a lot more with younger players. If McSweeney was the answer, he should’ve been given a mulligan for this series and told that he’d be on the plane to SL as the opener as well.
One rule for new man in, another for the rest: Why was McSweeney scapegoated for top order's struggles?
Yes, true! He has batted 3 for NSW as well, so an argument could’ve been made to have picked Konstas and batted McSweeney at 3 or even kept McSweeney as opener and batted Konstas at 3. McSweeney was the right guy to pick, he was in form, but really harshly treated.
Konstas selection call was correct - but as usual, selectors got the message wrong
And also, the learned teacher? That was none other than a certain green man named Yoda.
Konstas selection call was correct - but as usual, selectors got the message wrong
I don’t agree that the Konstas callup was the right move either (I’d have preferred that they stick with McSweeney for the entire series), and I wanted Konstas to have at least a full year in the Sheffield Shield. I think they panicked into making a call because the heat was getting too much for them, and they pulled the wrong rein. That said, if you’re going to replace someone, then replacing them with Konstas was the right move as he’s the in-form batsman atm in Australian cricket.
Konstas selection call was correct - but as usual, selectors got the message wrong
The only people who average over 40 in the Shield (in their career) are Sam Konstas, Pete Handscomb, Cooper Connolly & Ollie Davies, and there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that an average of over 40 is necessary for sustained success at Test level. The spicy Shield pitches and decline of techniques thanks to T20 cricket has contributed to the downturn in averages. I’d be looking at players averaging between 37-39 in Shield cricket for the “next thing” in cricket. That limits you to guys like:
– Peter Handscomb
– Sam Konstas
– Cam Bancroft
– Matt Renshaw
– Ollie Davies
– Kurtis Patterson
– Nic Maddinson
– Sam Whiteman
– Cooper Connolly
– Aaron Hardie
Of that lot, Whiteman, Maddinson, Patterson, Bancroft & Handscomb are all over 30 with Handscomb & Maddinson being the oldest of the bunch at 33. Unlikely that they’d play. Then, Whiteman, Bancroft & Patterson are all between 31-32 meaning that they would have a maximum of 5-6 years of high level FC cricket left in them, plenty of time to block young players, but not enough time for a long-term Test career.
Davies, Konstas & Connolly, whilst all averaging over 40, have all played fewer than 20 FC matches for their states. So, if we exclude all of the above that leaves just Renshaw & Hardie as the remaining players who are under 30 who have averages between 37-39 and have experience at FC level. Not a great deal of depth!
Personally, I’d love to see both Renshaw & Bancroft come back into the side as I thin kboth have been harshly treated by the selectors. But no, they’ll probably stick to the underperforming old players who haven’t been doing the job for the past 2-3 years.
One rule for new man in, another for the rest: Why was McSweeney scapegoated for top order's struggles?
Great comment and well worth the short read. I wrote something similar about the message it sends to young players by dropping McSweeney. I’d tell you what, if I’m a young player, I’m now looking at how I can be the best asset to my BBL or IPL side and not pushing as hard for Australian Test selection.
One rule for new man in, another for the rest: Why was McSweeney scapegoated for top order's struggles?
Like Shane Watson and Jacques Kallis? Alan Davidson, Richie Benaud, Andrew Flintoff and Keith Miller all spring to mind also.
Sheffield Shield Wrap - Round 6: Three centurions in Tassie, two tight thrillers... and a drought-breaking Patterson ton
“The current selection panel is more conservative than John Howard at a Bob Menzies convention.” 😂 😂 😂 Oh, that’s the best line of the week…and it’s only Monday!
How do you solve a problem like Marnus? The four options facing selectors as dry spell turns into drought