The Cricket Thread

[Kazza]

Australia is having a ripper of a time with cricket this summer. We demolished the poms in the Ashes and starting out well in the ODI series.

[i_amtrunks]

Doing well in the women's Ashes too.

Poor things are at the WACA in 40+ degree heat! no tv coverage or even radio coverage. It's a sham and shows how cricket Australia really feel about our champion women's team.

[Kazza]

Doing well in the women's Ashes too.

Poor things are at the WACA in 40+ degree heat! no tv coverage or even radio coverage. It's a sham and shows how cricket Australia really feel about our champion women's team.

Yeah was reading that Ellyse Perry brought aus back into contention scoring 71 when australia was 5/37. Good stuff!! Hope they can pull off a win.

[Trent]

Australia is having a ripper of a time with cricket this summer. We demolished the poms in the Ashes and starting out well in the ODI series.

England are a shambles at the moment anyway. We'll really see how our team does against South Africa.

[i_amtrunks]

England are a shambles at the moment anyway. We'll really see how our team does against South Africa.

If the Proteas go for the win with 30ish runs to get off the final four overs with 3 wickets in hand, we'll know they think India more of a challenge which is absolute trash. India are playing as many matches against NZ as they did South Africa to help them preserve their test ranking.

[griffin]

Was the game last night the most exciting finish ever? Had me on the edge of my seat for the last 10 overs...

[i_amtrunks]

Well that was just insipid.

Warner and Rogers were playing well, showing the pitch had nothing to fear but some nice turn for a part time spinner.

Then Warner got out at the rest of them folded. I'm not a fan of Watson, but Marsh will be replaced by Him if he is fit, since Watson can at the least score 2 runs a match. Doolan should be safe. Smith and Haddin deserve another chance or two, especially since Smith should have gotten at least the 50 he deserved in the first innings if it weren't for a baffling overrule.

I'll openly admit that I am no fan of Clarkes, but what has he done in the last year to 18 months that has secured his spot? He has scored next to no runs, puts no concrete in our middle order unless batting against India in Australia and is obviously woefully out of form with the bat. He no longer bowls or trains due to potential for injury, and is moddle coddled the whole time.

He makes excellent field placements and bowling changes, but half of that is e coaches plans, so any trained monkey could do that.

Personally I think it is time for him to be shown the door, but there is not really another player worthy of being the Australian captain, no one that Cricket Australia have groomed for a decade and told they are the best thing ever, perhaps Cricket Australia learnt from their horrible mistake with Clarke?
There is obviously a correlation between him finally taking on the full captains duties with the press and training (things that he let Siddle, Hussey and Ponting all do for him) and his complete loss of form. Clarke has skill with the bat, maybe stripping him of the he captaincy will motivate him to rediscover the last useful skill he has left.

We need a Captain like Steve Waugh again, to put some grit in the middle order, since our batting line up is as fragile as the ego of a teen pop diva.

[Kazza]

Well done Australia!! RSA bowled out for 245 just to win the series in 4.3 overs remaining.

[MayzaPrime]

Well done Australia!! RSA bowled out for 245 just to win the series in 4.3 overs remaining.

A great win by the boys

[i_amtrunks]

Further proof that Test cricket is the be all and end all, no matter what the sub continent thinks.