ICC A Passionate Australia.

[Rumblah#16]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

First Sri Lankan Test

Watson
Hughes
Marsh (DEBUT)
Ponting
Clarke (c)
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
O'Keefe (DEBUT)
Harris
Cummins (DEBUT)

Steve O'Keefe. Nothing more needs to be said really. 10 wickets on debut, as well as a vital 44 and match-winning 33* in the second innings.

Sri Lanka chose to bat first up, and I thought we did okay holding them to just 282. Cummins snared Dilshan for a duck in just his second over, but no-one could take the spotlight away from O'Keefe on day one. O'Keefe 5-56, Harris 2-52, Cummins 2-79, Johnson 1-73.

It was proving to be a match for the debutants, with Shaun Marsh being the star with the willow. His 158 was almost half our total runs, without him we could have been in serious trouble. Marsh 158, O'Keefe 44, Hussey 35.

Sri Lanka start the second innings 60 runs behind, and they start terribly. Paravitana, Jayawardene and Samaraweera all fall for single digits. At 3-31 they appear to be close to dead and buried, until Dilshan and Mathews resurrect the innings. O'Keefe 5-53, Johnson 1-47, Cummins 1-72, Harris 1-117.

Chasing a pretty par 261, we attempt to dig ourselves the deepest hole imaginable. 6-126, we were at one stage. Before Michael Hussey made an important 73. Harris hits the winning runs with a four, followed by a six to guide Australia home. Luck, or skill? Bit of both I feel. Hussey 73, Haris 37*, O'Keefe 33*.

Australia leads 1-0.

 

[Rumblah#16]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

Second Test v Sri Lanka.

Watson
Hughes
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke (c)
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
O'Keefe
Harris
Cummins

Sri Lanka win the toss and decide to bat first. We bowl well in patches, but poorly in others. Four scores of 50+ suggest that, luckily no-one went on to make a big one. Harris 5-95, Cummins 3-102, Johnson 2-56.

We start poorly, Watson fell for 5 and Hughes not much later on 18. Piling a lot of pressure on himself recently, is Hughes. With a plethora of possible replacements, he has until the end of this series to make some runs. Ponting 58, O'Keefe 53*, Hussey 37.

Sri Lanka start the second innings as marginal favourites, with a lead of 28. Both openers fall cheaply and aside from Jayawardene's 68, the rot seems to continue right through their batting line-up. Cummins 4-51, Harris 3-51, Johnson 1-39, O'Keefe 1-58.

Thanks to a magnificent 139* to opener Shane Watson, Australia chases 242 in a canter. Hughes fails again and the axe is slowly falling atop his head. Watson 139*, Clarke 46*, Ponting 44.

Australia leads 2-0.

 

[Rumblah#16]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

Third Test v Sri Lanka.

Watson
Hughes
Marsh
Ponting
Clarke (c)
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
O'Keefe
Harris
Cummins

Australia win the toss and we elect to bowl first. Overcast conditions and the pitch seems to be offering a bit to the seamers. Cummins hits Dilshan in the arm and he is forced to retire hurt for 14. Chandimal once again holds the middle order together making 98. O'Keefe 3-105, Watson 2-48, Cummins 2-133, Johnson 1-56, Harris 1-103.

Hughes makes in-roads in the first innings making 67, but it's still only his first score for the tour, he'll still need runs in the second innings. Ponting and Haddin both make big 50's, but we're still 126 heading into the second innings. Ponting 94, Haddin 73*, Hughes 67, Clarke 52.

To be perfectly blunt, we bowled terribly in the second innings. Chandimal again top scores and has become the most infuriating Sri Lankan for the series. O'Keefe 3-38, Cummins 3-100, Johnson 2-67, Harris 1-73.

Chasing 428 for victory, on a pitch that had deteriorated to an unbelievable level, we were never in with a shot. Hughes signed his own papers making just 21, whilst a late innings fight from Hussey (65) and O'Keefe (59) put a small amount of respect into our 285. Hussey 65, O'Keefe 59, Watson 39.

Australia win the series 2-1.

 

[Rumblah#16]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

Back to the hit and giggle formats, we have two against South Africa here.

This is the squad for the two game series -

David Hussey has been ruled out due to injury, Callum Ferguson takes his place in the squad.

Warner
Watson
White (c)
Finch
Ferguson
M. Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
O'Keefe
Harris
Pattinson

Our bowling was deplorable here. Watson, O'Keefe, Pattinson and Johnson all going for more than eight an over. When it came our turn to bat, I was surprised we got so close. For the first 7 or so overs we were going at over 10 an over. South Africa countered by bringing on Philander and Botha. As they say, the rest is history.

South Africa lead 1-0.

 

[kayliesharks]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

Super stuff this. Keep it up.

 

[dajesmac]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

How do you get consistently good performances from Pat Cummins? Editor? Just that whenever I use him he goes at about 7 an over and wicketless.

 

[Rumblah#16]

How do you get consistently good performances from Pat Cummins? Editor? Just that whenever I use him he goes at about 7 an over and wicketless.

No editor used mate, I have a genuine hatred for anything like that.

The South Africans belted him around a bit in the Test series I finished recently, but the last innings he took 4-81. All about persistence.

He was close to being dropped if I'm honest, just to get his confidence back up, hopefully he relishes bowling against New Zealand.

 

[dajesmac]

Re: ICC - A Passionate Australia.

Fair enough. I think an editor used in moderation is okay, especially given I disagree with alot of the ratings on the game (or at least the ratings have quickly since been outdated). Cummins and Pattinson I've found are pretty crap on the game so I avoid picking them.