Australia v Sri Lanka; 2nd Test @ Manuka Oval Feb 1-5.

[Len Nicodemo]

Declare now, Usman doesn't deserve a ton after what he's dished up all summer.

Nah he doesn’t deserve it.... you don’t deserve making a ton if you get there

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Dravid is my favourite all-time Indian batsman. His driving against spin was like silk.

Yes, I used to enjoy watching Dravid. He's possibly my favourite Indian batsman. VVS Laxman is up there as well. Favourite India bowler is Bishen Bedi, and always will be. An absolute master spinner who didn't need sleeves buttoned to the wrists to weave his magic.

 

[Woody15]

Pretty funny when you look at some of the names that have represented Australia in T20Is (who also either only played a few ODIs, or didn't play in any other format), too:

Mick Lewis
Shane Harwood
Luke Pomersbach
Brett Geeves
Ben Laughlin
Travis Birt
Ben Rohrer
James Muirhead
Cameron Boyce
Ben Dunk
Nathan Reardon

I know most of those guys specifically excelled in the T20 format, leading to their selection, but they're not really names that you associate with being international cricketers.

Could have been a very good player Pomersbach. Unfortunate.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Yes, I used to enjoy watching Dravid. He's possibly my favourite Indian batsman. VVS Laxman is up there as well. Favourite India bowler is Bishen Bedi, and always will be. An absolute master spinner who didn't need sleeves buttoned to the wrists to weave his magic.

VS Laxman was very graceful too. I somehow convinced myself he was a leftie, he was so graceful so every time I saw him bat I'd be like 'waaat'? Then when he'd get out or the match was finished, I'd go back to thinking he was left-handed. Very strange.

 

[Kram]

As a bowler there was nothing more annoying than opening with another bowler who didn't know how to look after it.

I bet your nickname was Captain Serious when you played in the 1950s.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Is it really that different?

And why do we play Test cricket with different balls in different countries? Surely there'd be an accepted "standard" that could be used and imported everywhere.

It’s a harder ball, more pronounced seam, bit darker. Just favours swing bowling with it’s nice thick seam.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

I bet your nickname was Captain Serious when you played in the 1950s.

And were you the guy who threw the ball back but threw it on the ground?

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Pretty funny when you look at some of the names that have represented Australia in T20Is (who also either only played a few ODIs, or didn't play in any other format), too:

Mick Lewis
Shane Harwood
Luke Pomersbach
Brett Geeves
Ben Laughlin
Travis Birt
Ben Rohrer
James Muirhead
Cameron Boyce
Ben Dunk
Nathan Reardon

I know most of those guys specifically excelled in the T20 format, leading to their selection, but they're not really names that you associate with being international cricketers.

I remember Ben Laughlin playing Odis in SA in 2009 as he took the most tremendous catch on the boundary.

 

[Len Nicodemo]

Pretty funny when you look at some of the names that have represented Australia in T20Is (who also either only played a few ODIs, or didn't play in any other format), too:

Mick Lewis
Shane Harwood
Luke Pomersbach
Brett Geeves
Ben Laughlin
Travis Birt
Ben Rohrer
James Muirhead
Cameron Boyce
Ben Dunk
Nathan Reardon

I know most of those guys specifically excelled in the T20 format, leading to their selection, but they're not really names that you associate with being international cricketers.

Mick Lewis was as mad as a cut snake

 

[Kram]

Its kind of weird but when you have a top international side with a top class attack they actually make t20s kind of boring as the batsman have to bat more defensively.

Normal T20 there will normally be 2-3 bowlers who are bowling pies, makes for much more of a spectacle.

Shaun Marsh is great at this, pushes the good quality bowlers around in the BBL then really targets a couple of shit bowlers in the side to bully.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I’d argue the Ashes side has two more players locked away:

1. Warner
2. Burns
3. Khawaja
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Patterson
7. Paine
8. Cummins
9. Starc
10.
11. Lyon

This is what you want really, an almost settled side.

The starting line-up was always - barring injury - including Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood. Always.

 

[Some Idiot]

Pretty funny when you look at some of the names that have represented Australia in T20Is (who also either only played a few ODIs, or didn't play in any other format), too:

Mick Lewis
Shane Harwood
Luke Pomersbach
Brett Geeves
Ben Laughlin
Travis Birt
Ben Rohrer
James Muirhead
Cameron Boyce
Ben Dunk
Nathan Reardon

I know most of those guys specifically excelled in the T20 format, leading to their selection, but they're not really names that you associate with being international cricketers.

Harwood was one of my favourite bowlers to watch in the One day domestic scene, was a machine there

 

[Sproj]

I never understand this desire amongst so many supporters to bring down their own players.

Burns - 100 and over 40 average despite being in and out more times than John Farnham farewell tours - nah fails away from home, dodgy technique, Renshaw/Harris/Bancroft/carbon rod all better (let’s just forget his work in NZ and Joberg).

Khawaja - The most elegant bat Australia has and one of three world class players who finally gets the monkey off his back with a ton - nah should have failed so he could be dropped (let’s forget the important innings he has played over his career and said elegance).

Labowlingshayne - rubbish, is a better bowler than batter, nowhere near ready - has a noice technique, needs a run to show what’s he’s got (so forget performance, he should do well in the Ashes)

Head - (and I’m guilty here too) a knack for getting out after starts, very promising but not there yet - play Wade or Maxwell instead (forget the fact that after playing Pakistan in the UAE, India and SL now averages 50 going into an Ashes series)

Starc - blows tails away, picks up wickets even out of form - nah bowls pies, only picks up ‘junk time’ wickets, will be no good in England (forget that England’s strength is actually their lower order batting and the fact Starc has the ability to take wickets in clumps)

Seems supporters don’t like to see their team, you know, do well.

 

[Damon_3388]

Could have been a very good player Pomersbach. Unfortunate.

Kind of wonder how good he really was and how much mental fortitude he really had, given that his whole career was essentially derailed by losing his driver's license.

 

[Woody15]

He was great to watch when he got going, powerful hitter.

From memory he made his international debut in a T20 at the WACA, he was on his way to watch the game and got a late call up when Brad Hodge slipped over in the dressing room and hurt his back. Don't think he scored that many but he got a great reception from the WACA crowd just for walking out there.

Yep thats right.

Had his gear in the car.

Scored 15 that night.

 

[Kram]

He was great to watch when he got going, powerful hitter.

From memory he made his international debut in a T20 at the WACA, he was on his way to watch the game and got a late call up when Brad Hodge slipped over in the dressing room and hurt his back. Don't think he scored that many but he got a great reception from the WACA crowd just for walking out there.

I would be pretty surprised being at the cricket as spectator if he hadn't had a couple of beers before he played.

 

[The Speaker]

He was the Jesse Ryder of Australian cricket, a big hitting left hander that had the talent to be a star but couldn't resist the lure of a beer.

Pretty sure his best work came after he'd gotten off the grog.

 

[DaRick]

I'm sorry but if you're calling Burns 'mentally strong' based on this one innings you've got a very short memory. Happy for Burns but he's not up to it when facing quality bowling which is what we'll see in English conditions. Khawaja is out of form but he's shown in the past he can score runs against good bowling or in touch conditions (for instance against South Africa at home when most others were failing).

This reflects technical issues with his game, not temperamental ones as such.

I would often back Burns to get a decent score once he passes 20.

 

[RobRocket]

As much as I’m happy that our batsmen are capitalising , I think this is a very weak srilankan side , and I don’t think it’s a great measure for selectors especially come ashes. I would of loved to seen finch get to play in this series and been give another go , particularly since I think his dropping was unfair.


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[DeadlyAkkuret]

After being useless the entire summer, Khawaja hits a meaningless century.

After being useless the entire summer, Kid A posts another meaningless comment.


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[Adelaide Hawk]

I never understand this desire amongst so many supporters to bring down their own players.

Burns - 100 and over 40 average despite being in and out more times than John Farnham farewell tours - nah fails away from home, dodgy technique, Renshaw/Harris/Bancroft/carbon rod all better (let’s just forget his work in NZ and Joberg).

Khawaja - The most elegant bat Australia has and one of three world class players who finally gets the monkey off his back with a ton - nah should have failed so he could be dropped (let’s forget the important innings he has played over his career and said elegance).

Labowlingshayne - rubbish, is a better bowler than batter, nowhere near ready - has a noice technique, needs a run to show what’s he’s got (so forget performance, he should do well in the Ashes)

Head - (and I’m guilty here too) a knack for getting out after starts, very promising but not there yet - play Wade or Maxwell instead (forget the fact that after playing Pakistan in the UAE, India and SL now averages 50 going into an Ashes series)

Starc - blows tails away, picks up wickets even out of form - nah bowls pies, only picks up ‘junk time’ wickets, will be no good in England (forget that England’s strength is actually their lower order batting and the fact Starc has the ability to take wickets in clumps)

Seems supporters don’t like to see their team, you know, do well.

But you do notice one thing ..... none of those players are from Victoria

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Did anyone hear Chris Rogers on ABC radio today talking about his role at the Centre of Excellence?

He said he breaks batting down into five key areas. Technical, physical (fitness), tactical, emotional... and I missed the other one. Anyone hear it?

He's a big wrap for Jack Edwards. Also Jonathon Merlo. Worked with Jake Weatherald during the winter and said it took quite a while to get Weatherald to trust him which was interesting.

Had the Aussie U19s play against the state Futures League teams in a Twenty20 competition last week. The U19s didn't do very well. He said most of them just hadn't played the format much. Only a couple of his players had played more than 10 Twenty20 games in their lives.

 

[Kid A]

After being useless the entire summer, Kid A posts another meaningless comment.


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Did I touch a nerve?

Bloke is meant to be our batting anchor in Smith and Warner's absence - does nothing. At all. In the tests that matter.

Then last innings of the summer, when we are 400 runs up, no pressure at all, he scores a century that's literally meaningless.

Bloke's shit when it counts. Do you think he'll be any use in England at all?

His "thanks to my wife for all the support" after a century against a complete minnow is embarrassing too. Don't make a big deal of it when you're minnow-bashing, just do the deed and move on and save yourself for England.

 

[The Convert]

As much as I’m happy that our batsmen are capitalising , I think this is a very weak srilankan side , and I don’t think it’s a great measure for selectors especially come ashes. I would of loved to seen finch get to play in this series and been give another go , particularly since I think his dropping was unfair.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Agree he was on the verge of an amazing 20

 

[The Convert]

Did anyone hear Chris Rogers on ABC radio today talking about his role at the Centre of Excellence?

He said he breaks batting down into five key areas. Technical, physical (fitness), tactical, emotional... and I missed the other one. Anyone hear it?

He's a big wrap for Jack Edwards. Also Jonathon Merlo. Worked with Jake Weatherald during the winter and said it took quite a while to get Weatherald to trust him which was interesting.

Had the Aussie U19s play against the state Futures League teams in a Twenty20 competition last week. The U19s didn't do very well. He said most of them just hadn't played the format much. Only a couple of his players had played more than 10 Twenty20 games in their lives.

Good they might turn out ok