Test The Ashes Fourth Test December 26-30 1000hrs @ The MCG

[hawkman]

Can't believe they are playing Jacks again unless they are putting him up to 3. If Bashir is unselectable they could have got Rehan Ahmed out of the Hurricanes. Also has a similar FC batting average to Jacks

 

[Pistol Night]

Most accurate portrayal of teenage life and lingo ever produced

 

[western royboy]

Augurs well for us over there next time if they have no talent coming through. I was half concerned with Ussie, maybe Smith, Starc, Lyon, Hoff at the very least probably not being on the next tour of England we might be in trouble

18 counties plenty of talent - but there’s a few issues here

1. Key, McCullum and co no longer trust the County system which results in Bashir having no County and Bethell with 0 FC hundreds batting at 3 in a Test Match

There are plenty of other options that don’t fit in with the current regime.

If this goes as it looks, both Key & McCullum will get the arse and it will be up to the next bloke to sort it out.

2. When Cricket went off free to air it lost a generation of kids from the back blocks. Cricket became elitist and the even lost playing grounds in poorer areas. They are having a crack now at re engaging with this cohort but the damage has been done. So many young Poms playing cricket out here now playing are from very well to do backgrounds, there’s not to many battlers that I have come across.

It is why maintaining our grassroots system is vitally important so that we don’t he down the same track of making it all about kids at Private Schools and Talent Pathways to the exclusion of the kid from West Warrnambool.

You want an example of what making cricket elite does?…look no further than the current 3 Lions Team. Not one scrapper amongst them.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

1. Key, McCullum and co no longer trust the County system which results in Bashir having no County and Bethell with 0 FC hundreds batting at 3 in a Test Match

One thing the English pundits seem to praise is our shield system

 

[Pistol Night]

18 counties plenty of talent - but there’s a few issues here

1. Key, McCullum and co no longer trust the County system which results in Bashir having no County and Bethell with 0 FC hundreds batting at 3 in a Test Match

There are plenty of other options that don’t fit in with the current regime.

If this goes as it looks, both Key & McCullum will get the arse and it will be up to the next bloke to sort it out.

2. When Cricket went off free to air it lost a generation of kids from the back blocks. Cricket became elitist and the even lost playing grounds in poorer areas. They are having a crack now at re engaging with this cohort but the damage has been done. So many young Poms playing cricket out here now playing are from very well to do backgrounds, there’s not to many battlers that I have come across.

It is why maintaining our grassroots system is vitally important so that we don’t he down the same track of making it all about kids at Private Schools and Talent Pathways to the exclusion of the kid from West Warrnambool.

You want an example of what making cricket elite does?…look no further than the current 3 Lions Team. Not one scrapper amongst them.

This is way more knowledgeable and conclusive than my dumb campaigner comment deserved. Appreciate it mate and that’s a damning indictment on their current leadership. It makes absolute sense that a country with twice our population that is cricket mad would have elite talent banging down the door

 

[Pistol Night]

One thing the English pundits seem to praise is our shield system

You’d think their county setup would piss over us with the right guidance? ****ed if I know

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

You’d think their county setup would piss over us with the right guidance? ****ed if I know

They should.

Theres more counties than our Shield.

There should be more talent coming out of county cricket than there is.

I think boof who coaches notts basically went "didn't hear a peep from the English selectors"

 

[MarcMaverick]

If only we could face the Aus "A" side for the rest of the series. Would get stiffer competition then.

 

[Pistol Night]

They should.

Theres more counties than our Shield.

There should be more talent coming out of county cricket than there is.

I think boof who coaches notts basically went "didn't hear a peep from the English selectors"

Crazy. They seem to have all the pieces in place but don’t don’t utilise it properly. Much like a standard English tour I guess

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Ussie, Hoff and Gaz are almost certain not to be there in 18 months time imo.

No reason Lyon won’t be there he’s talked as if that’s his main goal

 

[western royboy]

One thing the English pundits seem to praise is our shield system

They praise our pyramid system because most of them experienced it. Alec Stewart played in Sydney & Perth, Hussein played in Adelaide. We’ve done sone damage to it since they played and it’s nowhere near as strong as it was. Which is why we need to maintain it.

 

[Pistol Night]

No reason Lyon won’t be there he’s talked as if that’s his main goal

Yeah he’d be the one that is most likely to make it. This soft tissue thing is starting to be a worry though

 

[Pistol Night]

They praise our pyramid system because most of them experienced it. Alec Stewart played in Sydney & Perth, Hussein played in Adelaide. We’ve done sone damage to it since they played and it’s nowhere near as strong as it was. Which is why we need to maintain it.

I’m too young to remember but stories of Beefy playing for QLD with AB, Heals and co make me wish I was around to take in the Shield in that era

 

[SportsCentre]

 

[kenneje]

Hoff is the same age as Root and Stokes - reckon he's an outside chance to make it to the UK but doubt he'd play all 5.

Gaz will make it, the question is whether Gaz or Roc can overtake him before then.

No way Stokes is still bowling at 36.

 

[Gough]

I’m too young to remember but stories of Beefy playing for QLD with AB, Heals and co make me wish I was around to take in the Shield in that era

They had a dollar day at Adelaide Oval when Queensland with Botham played South Australia and got 10k in for it.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

20251224 190747 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20251224 190747 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

The barmy army are skimming anyone with Aud.

60 aud is 29.80 gbp

 

[jb04]

Jacks, Atkinson, Carse and Tongue would have to be up there as one of the worst bowling line-ups ever fielded on our shores by a top Test nation

I don't know, I have this niggling feeling that this group could shithouse their way to a draw, or even more.

Zero basis to this feeling tbh.

 

[Pistol Night]

They had a dollar day at Adelaide Oval when Queensland with Botham played South Australia and got 10k in for it.

I used to sneak into AO when I was 12 or 13 to Sheild games when Hookesy, Siddons and co were playing. Trains were free and I’m pretty sure admission was too then. Sounds incomprehensible these days but that was the time

 

[Pistol Night]

View attachment 2501082

12 months v 166 months ranked as number 1.

Surprised they were number 1 that long to be honest

 

[Pistol Night]

I don't know, I have this niggling feeling that this group could shithouse their way to a draw, or even more.

Zero basis to this feeling tbh.

Sydney’s inevitable shit weather makes that test a draw certainly

 

[MarcMaverick]

Hoff is the same age as Root and Stokes - reckon he's an outside chance to make it to the UK but doubt he'd play all 5.

Gaz will make it, the question is whether Gaz or Roc can overtake him before then.

No way Stokes is still bowling at 36.

1) Hoffs body is not as durable as Root or Stokes.

2) Are you sure you don't mean Murph, unless Gaz gets in a cloning device?

 

[Neese]

Very good viewing. Watching Key get grilled by Nass and Athers and offering up mealymouthed answers is satisfying.

What a weasel. He said you know about 60 times. Admitted a few small concessions, said Ben and Baz are fine, threw most of the underperforming players under the bus and just talked about how hard his job is.

 

[Pistol Night]

What a weasel. He said you know about 60 times. Admitted a few small concessions, said Ben and Baz are fine, threw most of the underperforming players under the bus and just talked about how hard his job is.

Bloke was a crab as a player so not sure what they expected off the pitch

 

[western royboy]

I’m too young to remember but stories of Beefy playing for QLD with AB, Heals and co make me wish I was around to take in the Shield in that era

I was fortunate to be involved in the Grade system in Sydney about 10 years after that. We had state squad players at my club and one involved at ODI level. At the club on Saturday nights it was unusual not to have access to a former Test of First Class player to talk to if you wanted. We hosted two young Poms from the MCC Young Cricketers program both years I was there. Mo Matthews played in the 2’s for Easts, John Benaud captained the Penrith 5ths, there were ex FC players in every grade of the competition just putting back. It was no wonder that our cricket was in one of its strongest eras. The depth was incredible.