2nd Test Australia v West Indies 8/12-12/12 1430hrs @ Adelaide Oval.

[Redline]

Sadly, I doubt whether West Indies test cricket will ever rise again to the lofty heights it achieved from the 60’s through to the 90’s. Most West Indian youngsters just aren’t that into cricket anymore. That, and the lure of the big pay packets that can be won by concentrating on the short form of the game, means that test cricket is just not a priority for them anymore.

I think your right but we can't lose them to T20 Cricket and that might happen down the track based in the last world cup.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

So what do you call what England did last season?

If you actually get enjoyment from watching Australia pile on runs with a pre-existing lead of 380, and would prefer that to even giving THOUGHT to the idea of an opponent trying to bat, I’d suggest you’re not much of a cricket fan or of sport in general

Was better than the West Indies least they had Wood who bowled fast. This was always 2 practice tests for us, get time in the middle before the real tests start, SA then India on the horizon. Getting our bats in form was the most important thing. We were never losing this series.

 

[footyfan1978]

Will not happen again. A wonderful period for those who lived through it even though they kicked everybody’s butt.
They did it with style.
How the mighty have fallen..

They did not bowl us out once in the whole series.
That is hard to digest how bad that is.
We had fallen really bad in mid 80's but we had lost Lillee, Chappell and Marsh soon before this and then about half the team to the Rebel tours to South Africa but we were not a basket case for a decade or two like Windies have been. It is just horrid for those of us that enjoyed the quality of cricket they know how good they were for a decade and a half from late 70's to mid 90's to see what the void is now. As Sherb pointed out they had endeared themselves to a earlier generation too in the early 60's.

 

[PhatBoy]

Was better than the West Indies least they had Wood who bowled fast. This was always 2 practice tests for us, get time in the middle before the real tests start, SA then India on the horizon. Getting our bats in form was the most important thing. We were never losing this series.

Wood took 11-410 prior to the last innings of the series. Yeah it was amazing.

Of course Australia was never losing the series. Why the f*** would anyone who wants to moan about a lack of competitive cricket want the visiting team to fail in order for Australia to just go out and go through the motions

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wood took 11-410 prior to the last innings of the series. Yeah it was amazing.

Of course Australia was never losing the series. Why the f*** would anyone who wants to moan about a lack of competitive cricket want the visiting team to fail in order for Australia to just go out and go through the motions

Bowled better than any West Indian bowler and he had pace it’s interesting watching bowlers with pace.


Meh rather watch us bat only a few bowlers I like watching anyway. Morris would be another if he plays. Pace gets you interested.

 

[PhatBoy]

They did not bowl us out once in the whole series.
That is hard to digest how bad that is.
We had fallen really bad in mid 80's but we had lost Lillee, Chappell and Marsh soon before this and then about half the team to the Rebel tours to South Africa but we were not a basket case for a decade or two like Windies have been. It is just horrid for those of us that enjoyed the quality of cricket they know how good they were for a decade and a half from late 70's to mid 90's to see what the void is now. As Sherb pointed out they had endeared themselves to a earlier generation too in the early 60's.

This seems to be a recurring theme - they ARENT a basket case except when they come here. Which has been twice in 12 years. It’s not that hard for people to get their head around this surely?


Last series against:

India - bowled India out first innings both tests, once for 290, once for 400 after having them 5-200

South Africa - bowled them out 3 times in 4 innings for 320, 290 and 170

Sri Lanka (away) - 386 and 280, had them 9-300 in their second innings of the second game. A year earlier they bowled them out for 190 and 210 in their first innings’ of the respective tests

England - bowled them out for 204 and 120 in the only test played on a pitch with any life. In the other two tests neither side took 20 wickets and WI had the better of one draw, England slightly the better of the other

Pakistan - bowled them out for 217 and 203 in one test, had them 9-302 and 6-170 during two declarations. Split the series 1-1

NZ - got unequivocally bollocked in the first test. Had NZ in trouble before Henry Nicholls of all people got them to 450.

Bangladesh - hammered them in both tests at home this year, chased 380 and defended a decent score in the other test to win 2-0 in Bangladesh the series before that.


This isn’t a side that routinely plays like it did in this series (particularly Adelaide).

 

[PhatBoy]

Bowled better than any West Indian bowler and he had pace it’s interesting watching bowlers with pace.


Meh rather watch us bat only a few bowlers I like watching anyway. Morris would be another if he plays. Pace gets you interested.

So the guy from the West Indies bowling mid 140s doesn’t count

The most entrancing bowler I have ever watched bowled routinely at 125km/h.

You would be utter torture to watch cricket with live.

 

[footyfan1978]

This seems to be a recurring theme - they ARENT a basket case except when they come here.

It is a depressing recurring theme for some of us that used to enjoy the challenge when they came here when I first watched cricket. They were probably here every year for five or six years for us to enjoy and it was awesome. Now it just depressing we hardly ever see them, and just when I get hope they can rise again they cannot even bowl us out once in the series.

 

[PhatBoy]

It is a depressing recurring theme for some of us that used to enjoy the challenge when they came here when I first watched cricket. They were probably here every year for five or six years for us to enjoy and it was awesome. Now it just depressing we hardly ever see them, and just when I get hope they can rise again they cannot even bowl us out once in the series.

It’s probably how a lot of Indian fans felt about various incarnations of the Australian side at times

I get the sentimentality part really I do - I wasn’t around for the true golden era but I still got to watch the tail end of Richards, Marshall, Greenidge, Haynes and Dujon, the still very good side with Richardson, Lara, Adams, Murray, Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop, and even some of the occasionally ok teams with Sarwan, Gayle and Chanderpaul alongside latter career Lara.

So I get it. Seeing a once powerful team that competed here routinely no longer able to do it, it’s sucks.

But it doesn’t mean the other things they do as a side are meaningless either.

India went 8 years without visiting in the 90s, returned with Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman (before he’d REALLY established himself), Ganguly etc and were absolutely destroyed.

Some Pakistan sides that came here with big prospects and formlines just got absolutely flogged and England need no explanation.

The doomsday predictions are very premature. There is a bit to work with and I think some simple tactical changes and a few improvements to their ‘outcricket’ (fielding, fitness, body language etc) can make them a decent side.

 

[footyfan1978]

It’s probably how a lot of Indian fans felt about various incarnations of the Australian side at times

I get the sentimentality part really I do - I wasn’t around for the true golden era but I still got to watch the tail end of Richards, Marshall, Greenidge, Haynes and Dujon, the still very good side with Richardson, Lara, Adams, Murray, Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop, and even some of the occasionally ok teams with Sarwan, Gayle and Chanderpaul alongside latter career Lara.

So I get it. Seeing a once powerful team that competed here routinely no longer able to do it, it’s sucks.

it sucks big time. The only place I likely to watch live cricket is here and only place I ever remotely considered to travel and also watch cricket was there. Now there no attraction for me to see live here as the expectations are low after so many times they be so crap here. Worse still, it only two Tests when it used to be 5. Watching us play India or England does not fill that big void for me.

 

[PhatBoy]

it sucks big time. The only place I likely to watch live cricket is here and only place I ever remotely considered to travel and also watch cricket was there. Now there no attraction for me to see live here as the expectations are low after so many times they be so crap here. Worse still, it only two Tests when it used to be 5. Watching us play India or England does not fill that big void for me.

They’re 10-11-5 at home since Australia last went there

They even had Australia 8-178 in their first innings of that series too. They had a lead of 15 with 7 wickets in hand before collapsing and setting Australia just 47 to win.
I’d still absolutely go to Bridgetown to watch test cricket no matter who it’s against

 

[Present Not Past]

It's fine for the home team to win.
England even did it in 2005 against Australia, and the British Royal Family tossed them all medallions FFS.
Nothing is more satisfying than winning on tour.

 

[Some Idiot]

So the guy from the West Indies bowling mid 140s doesn’t count

The most entrancing bowler I have ever watched bowled routinely at 125km/h.

You would be utter torture to watch cricket with live.

Here's a Mcgrath classic:

8 wicket haul, not a single delivery above 132kph.

 

[010203]

I think we're long past the point of no return.
No one wants to see uncompetitive cricket like this so the option is to play Test cricket mostly against India and England with some South Africa and New Zealand sprinkled in.
But then what happens to Test cricket if no one is playing it??

Why did they give Test status to Afghanistan or Ireland if no one plays them?

They say follow the money and it's all heading T20's way so while the Australians can be ectastic about their win in Adelaide, I hope they realise it comes with a price.

Since England last won a test here, their record is a pathetic 0 wins, 2 draws and 13 losses. And I mean 13 thumping defeats too. They haven't come close to winning a test on our shores since the 2010-11 Ashes series. I get it - an Ashes series but their record here post World Series Cricket ( 9 wins from 55 Ashes tests) doesn't match my definition of 'competitive'.

 

[The Fonz]

Since England last won a test here, their record is a pathetic 0 wins, 2 draws and 13 losses. And I mean 13 thumping defeats too. They haven't come close to winning a test on our shores since the 2010-11 Ashes series. I get it - an Ashes series but their record here post World Series Cricket ( 9 wins from 55 Ashes tests) doesn't match my definition of 'competitive'.

You're 100% correct

No one is looking at the health of test cricket from a holistic perspective. The ICC certainly isn't.

When people said Test cricket was dead - I didn't agree at all - after all it produces drama of the highest order. It's riveting for five days, but I think mismanagement of the sport means this will become the exception as opposed to the rule.

We will get more and more horrible test matches like we saw in Adelaide and Perth.

Maybe I'm being alarmist - after all the West Indies falling off a cliff is not news - they couldn't even make the T20 World Cup..

I'd be gladly proved wrong!

 

[madjoe]

people are harsh on the west indies, they lose they're main man from the bowling attack,mayers who would of been good on that deck and they lose the toss on a flat deck ..

oh how people forget we were rolled by sri lanka just 4 months ago in tests for 151! haha

 

[BRAB]

This seems to be a recurring theme - they ARENT a basket case except when they come here. Which has been twice in 12 years. It’s not that hard for people to get their head around this surely?


Last series against:

India - bowled India out first innings both tests, once for 290, once for 400 after having them 5-200

South Africa - bowled them out 3 times in 4 innings for 320, 290 and 170

Sri Lanka (away) - 386 and 280, had them 9-300 in their second innings of the second game. A year earlier they bowled them out for 190 and 210 in their first innings’ of the respective tests

England - bowled them out for 204 and 120 in the only test played on a pitch with any life. In the other two tests neither side took 20 wickets and WI had the better of one draw, England slightly the better of the other

Pakistan - bowled them out for 217 and 203 in one test, had them 9-302 and 6-170 during two declarations. Split the series 1-1

NZ - got unequivocally bollocked in the first test. Had NZ in trouble before Henry Nicholls of all people got them to 450.

Bangladesh - hammered them in both tests at home this year, chased 380 and defended a decent score in the other test to win 2-0 in Bangladesh the series before that.


This isn’t a side that routinely plays like it did in this series (particularly Adelaide).

You're just talking about the West Indies bowling in these series right?

Their batting was pretty diabolical in a lot of these series, particularly the ones against India, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

 

[Pollywaffle]

For those that have the time and interest they should watch this doco. It explains a lot

 

[BGman]

Can we please cancel the 2023 Windies tour here? What's the point? Crowds and ratings will be disastrous.

Unless they rejuvenate Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and Viv Richards.

 

[BGman]

I actually expect us to be 4/70 at lunch next week at the gabba if we bat first.....reckon scores of 300 plus will be gold in this series

Hope not. Then again they may be 4/70. Being the Gabba how about hit em with extreme pace. Debut Lance Morris and put the fear of God into them. Morris, Cummins and Green to pepper them with chin music while Boland wheels down his line and length stuff.

 

[BGman]

Winning this series without virtually raising a sweat may not be the best prep for a more challenging opponent next Sat. One or two of our guys barely had a bat in their hand over the two matches while those blokes that went beserk were not really challenged at any time. We can be sure that the Saffa attack will provide far more problems. Are we primed for it?

 

[footyfan1978]

people are harsh on the west indies, they lose they're main man from the bowling attack,mayers who would of been good on that deck and they lose the toss on a flat deck ..

I agree in terms of the overall players out here. But I do not think we can be harsh enough on cricket admin there they cannot get their s**t together to send a squad of players capable of performing up to some type of standard for West Indian fans and many Australians that grew up thinking the West Indies were the power in cricket to challenge ourselves with as the best in the world. It's just bullshit leadership there to not create the pathways and development to form a team capable of being to the standard many of us expect. To actually send out a team here with Chase as their spinner is a joke. To have no back up of quality in fast bowling is a joke. To send a squad where if there an injury or two, they cannot even compete seriously is a joke. To have player group in all the islands not all aiming to be part of their Test team and some give up and only focus on T20 cricket is like a death in the Test cricket family. The ICC seems a joke too to not find some way to help them sort their s**t out. World cricket is poorer for allowing this s**t show to keep happening. The whole cricket world is a complete mess in terms of admin and schedules. I just cannot see where the leadership is coming from at international level for cricket and within their region.

 

[footyfan1978]

Winning this series without virtually raising a sweat may not be the best prep for a more challenging opponent next Sat. One or two of our guys barely had a bat in their hand over the two matches while those blokes that went beserk were not really challenged at any time. We can be sure that the Saffa attack will provide far more problems. Are we primed for it?

Our bowling is, but the batting prep is far from ideal when really had one bowler most innings that looked like taking a wicket. But I probably just as worried the South African batting may not be good enough to pose much challenge if our front line bowlers are fit to play. Cummins, Starc, Boland and Lyon will probably be too much for them on the bowling I seen so far this summer. There not a lot of exciting talk about their batting line-up so it might be a case of even if our own batters do not have an easy time of it, their batters are likely to do worse. I hope there are some good surprises and also hope Green gets some long innings to play as he hardly got a bat v Windies so his prep is surely not ideal at present. We need him to have more opportunity to develop his Test batting ability against a bowling line-up that coming next.

 

[BGman]

This isn’t a side that routinely plays like it did in this series

How do you explain their pathetic effort then in this series. Other than that Australia was in another class to them.

 

[big_e]

You're 100% correct

No one is looking at the health of test cricket from a holistic perspective. The ICC certainly isn't.

When people said Test cricket was dead - I didn't agree at all - after all it produces drama of the highest order. It's riveting for five days, but I think mismanagement of the sport means this will become the exception as opposed to the rule.

We will get more and more horrible test matches like we saw in Adelaide and Perth.

Maybe I'm being alarmist - after all the West Indies falling off a cliff is not news - they couldn't even make the T20 World Cup..

I'd be gladly proved wrong!

Riveting for five days?

This is the list of Australia's most recent tests at home. A lot of these were pretty much over by lunch on the second day.



The WTC is a good idea, although it hasn't been embraced by the public, and for most teams, it's akin to being stuck mid-table in a soccer league - you know you can't win, and you know you won't be relegated so it's all a bit ho-hum. And of course the ICC decide to be pricks and not include everyone....