The Cricket Thread

[blackie]

Saw the Vics on Thursday night and they were pretty classy

should have gone, would have been more fun than cricket training.

though Jacksplatt11 myself couldn't help pissing ourselves as we watched Cam White pick up 4 wickets for nothing. I don't think I've seen district cricketers bowl pies like he does. They were pretty damned terrible. Yet ironically two of his better balls were scored off.

clearly ive missed my calling, i can bowl pies like that too :P

Tait was his usual self. Brilliant one moment, awkward the next. I can't say that I'm particularly enthralled by the skill at this level, its more just fun.

He hurt AB bad. getting smashed in the hip at 155kph plus is a killer, he was lucky he hit his wicket, because the next ball would have either been a toe crusher or a rib breaker

[Robzy]

Warner absolutely knocked the house down. Very glad that we're giving youth a shot.

He was unbelievable! I like the "youth" policy too!

Tait was his usual self. Brilliant one moment, awkward the next.

Like Blackie said - he got AB a good one!

Duminy's innings was a delight

He's such a classy player!

[i_amtrunks]

He hurt AB bad. getting smashed in the hip at 155kph plus is a killer, he was lucky he hit his wicket, because the next ball would have either been a toe crusher or a rib breaker

If he hadn't hit his wicket I'm sure he would have retired hurt. Heavy contact to the hip is bad at anytime, let alone a cricket ball going over 150km. I'd be surprised to see De Villiers back for the next 2020.

Tait was his usual self, 4 good balls in a spell of 24, I would not pick him in anything other than 2020 games, he reminds me of Lee when Lee was young, but I doubt he will ever improve like Lee did. Hilfenhaus was getting some good swing, he is a must take to England, and should be in all the Aussie teams right now. D.Hussey was very useful, I say we use him as the test Allrounder!

Warner was fantastic though, he and Duminy were the only guys out there trying to bat rather than slog, and while Duminy mostly scored off singles and twos, his timing was perfect. Warner was brillaint, smacking anything that was short or a half volley to the boundary, but more than happy to take singles at the same time, it was very clever batting from a young kid who showed everyone else how 2002 should be played. Ponting did alright, but 2020 is something he and M. Hussey should give up, Ponting takes too long to settle, and Hussey is a Bevanesque player, he will help you no matter what in the ODI format, but he is too much of a plodderer for the 2020 game.

What was with South Africa? They had a weak bowling attack that did not bowl a bouncer! Amla was their twelfth man, and he was sorely needed
and would not have let them down in the field. That being said, SA did field very well (unlike White!).

here is a tricky one for you all, when Johnson and Clarke are fit, who do you drop to put them in the 2020 side? And who do you drop to make way for Warner in the ODI side?

Bring on a better Cricket Box for the second 2020!

[STL]

The Blame Game

Ironically, who gets to point the fingers at the selectors? Sure those players were in form slumps, Lee all the way back in India and Hayden's been awhile too. The selectors didn't act quick enough and they've got themselves to blame. The Ashes aren't far away and we have 3 tests to blood our opening duo. That or Hayden lifts his game. But the team has batted like a team for a long time either. All the way through India and back to Australia, there's been a lack of partnerships. In the South African series what was patently obvious was how well the tail performed which should've put the batsmen to shame. It just annoys me hte selectors now push their lack of foresight onto the players. They're there to make decisions and they didn't. They are to blame too.

[i_amtrunks]

Australia get out of Jail

Good game last night, Duminy carried the South Africans again after he was promoted after a great start from the Aussie bowlers. Ponting rotated the bowlers every over and the South Africans couldn't get a rhythm. they started swinging the bat in the last 5 overs, Duminy's 69 not out giving them 5/157.

The South Africans had a bowling plan for Warner this time around and it worked, Botha opened the bowling and was very tidy, his four overs went for 19 runs. Warner and marsh went out cheaply and Ponting (38) took some time to get into his groove, before being run out. The South Africans bowled well for 15 overs, tying the Aussie line up down with slow full tosses. The Aussies needed over 10 an over midway through their innings.

David Hussey came and went for 2. When White joined Mike Hussey (53no) and clobbered 40 no from 18 balls the Aussies gained ascendency, thanks in part to terrible bowling from the Morkels and Parnell, and won by 6 wickets with 7 balls to spare.

Drop McDonald from the test team and bring in David Hussey, he got out trying to score quick runs, but his work in the field was fantastic, as was Duminy who I thought was a shoe in for MotM, that catch he took was a blinder!

[STL]

Some good games over the last week and I reckon it ended up about where it should be. 1-1. The one dayers have been surprisingly interesting but I think both sides are playing average cricket atm and pretty close to each other. Australia have the better team on paper with the big hitters but just aren't producing hte goods. South Africa's fielding is letting them down but the same could be said for the Aussies.

Hilfenhaus seems to lack penetration. A lot's been said about him but I'm a tad bit disappointed. Bracken continues to be great. I wonder what his 4 day figures are like b/c if he bowls this well in the longer form of the game, shouldn't we bring him?

And very pissed off about the Vics losing to NSW. They shouldn't have. Hughes didn't play and Warner was recalled to the national one day team. Nannes was brilliant with the ball and the more of him i see, the more I think he shld be going to South Africa or even England. The only bright spark for the Vics batting was Finch who looks a lot like Hodge technique wise. Anyways, annoyed we won't see the final in Victorai this year like the past two years but I think losing two of the world's best 20/20 players had a big hand in upsetting the team's balance. The Vics really only had themselves to blame though b/c they were on top at various times but stupid, real stupid, run outs cost them. They bowled better than the Blues but they're inexperienced batsman in Finch ran out Quiney and McDonald which changed the complexion of the game. But he's a prospect so hopefully he becomes better w/ years to come

[jacksplatt11]

NSW sign Brendon McCullum for Twenty20 final

Gotta say I'm pretty pissed off with this. I know that international players are allowed to play in our domestic Twenty20 comp, I'm too lazy to look up names but there was a couple of Pakistan bowlers playing, one for WA. Anyway, I'm fine with that because if they had made it to the final, those players had been playing ever game of the comp. But, for NSW to recruit, arguably, the best Twenty20 batsmen into their squad, just for the final, seems pretty unfair to me. If he had been playing every game so far, so be it, but to come in straight away and only play the final, hmmm. Their should have been a qualification rule, ie you have to play 3 matches before you can qualify to play in the final. I'm not just angry because I'm a Vic and we are playing NSW, I'd be angry if we did it too. It just goes against the spirit of the game, and the fact that this is a DOMESTIC comp, for the most part.

[blackie]

what youve got to remember is that the NSW keeper is sooooooooo bad, and a tard :P

at least they have someone half decent

And he wont make any runs anyway, D.Nannes will knock him off

[jacksplatt11]

what youve got to remember is that the NSW keeper is sooooooooo bad, and a tard :P

at least they have someone half decent

And he wont make any runs anyway, D.Nannes will knock him off

Quiet you, as a Victorian you should be agreeing with me, not supporting the stupid NSW cricket peeps

Shame Shame

[STL]

Damn straight. One of the problems with this 20/20 Cricket phenomena is that it brings out the worst in teams/players. Money does that, doesn't it? What NSW did was not outside the rules but it definitely wasn't within the spirit of the game nor very sportsmanlike. I'm annoyed we won't be able to see it and will have to instead rely on someone w/ Foxtel to see it.

but yeah, NSW have always been arrogant, wanting to do what they can. Doesn't surprise me they're pulling this stunt now.