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

The Convert

All Australian
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Posts
751
Likes
118
Location
slightly off centre
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Box Hill Hawks
Yeah so what, well done on him for making a hundred but it was against one of the worst bowling attacks in test cricket on a road. Feel like it is going to paper over the cracks a little bit.
I know at least a couple of batsman who would like that 100. Poor bowling makes it easier but if it was genuinely ever easy everyone would be able to say they had a ton and as we kn ow tney cannot
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Sausages

HIGH PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE OF GG/SNSD
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Posts
4,504
Likes
5,971
Location
space
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Luton Town, Las Vegas Bears
Yeah so what, well done on him for making a hundred but it was against one of the worst bowling attacks in test cricket on a road. Feel like it is going to paper over the cracks a little bit.
You can only do it against the opposition you're facing - he did what you'd expect of a number 3, got a hundred at a good scoring rate.
 

Damon_3388

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Posts
30,761
Likes
23,477
Location
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
Good thing for him.

Good test numbers = better FC record.
Fair enough, I'm just talking about his Shield record, not including other FC matches or Tests. I think it's odd for someone to end up with a significantly better Test record with the bat than in the Shield. Generally, you'd expect the returns to go down the higher level you go, which is why giving Test caps to guys who don't even average 40 in the Shield is seen as risky business and a potentially futile exercise.

Perhaps our Shield bowling attacks are better than some international bowling attacks?

From an armchair expert perspective, it gives credence to the "there's just something about him" "gut feel" "potential" selections from the Aussie selectors, which is generally a bit annoying for the Internet know-all.
 

Joffaboy

Hall of Famer
Joined
Dec 4, 2000
Posts
33,457
Likes
51,420
Location
The Bay
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
NO Saints
Yeah so what, well done on him for making a hundred but it was against one of the worst bowling attacks in test cricket on a road. Feel like it is going to paper over the cracks a little bit.
Didn't seem like a road when the Lankans batted.
Funny that.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Damon_3388

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Posts
30,761
Likes
23,477
Location
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
Yeah so what, well done on him for making a hundred but it was against one of the worst bowling attacks in test cricket on a road. Feel like it is going to paper over the cracks a little bit.
Well Usman has tonned up after a duck in the first innings, so it's an improvement and a confidence boost.

Harris has been dismissed twice in the teens in this match, and Labuschagne has gone twice for single figures, so there's no guaranteed runs, even against this attack on a road.

I don't get why people would rather see failure continue, instead of a player turn it around. Seen it with Starc and Usman in this match. Are people really that tied to being right and seeing their favourite selections in the side?
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Posts
1,238
Likes
607
AFL Club
Melbourne
Yes, I know when I played, I loved the new ball. Hold the seam up, aiming for top of off stump, making the batsman play. On occasion we had quicker bowlers in the team who really preferred the older ball. Different strokes for different folks.
Getting the new ball was great. The best. Run in hard, hit the deck hard and send it through. You’ve got to look after that ball all innings though.
 

Woody15

Club Legend
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Posts
2,779
Likes
3,292
Location
Somewhere
AFL Club
Collingwood
Yeah so what, well done on him for making a hundred but it was against one of the worst bowling attacks in test cricket on a road. Feel like it is going to paper over the cracks a little bit.
Time in the middle would have done him good.

Id like to see him go on with it though in the Shield against better attacks. First match against a strong Victorian lineup will be a much sterner test IMO.
 

to1994

Club Legend
Joined
Jul 8, 2015
Posts
1,397
Likes
1,152
AFL Club
Essendon
Fair enough, I'm just talking about his Shield record, not including other FC matches or Tests. I think it's odd for someone to end up with a significantly better Test record with the bat than in the Shield. Generally, you'd expect the returns to go down the higher level you go, which is why giving Test caps to guys who don't even average 40 in the Shield is seen as risky business and a potentially futile exercise.

Perhaps our Shield bowling attacks are better than some international bowling attacks?

From an armchair expert perspective, it gives credence to the "there's just something about him" "gut feel" "potential" selections from the Aussie selectors, which is generally a bit annoying for the Internet know-all.
Agreed, you can make the case for people like Head and Bancroft who were thrown into state level cricket early and had to get through a couple of tough seasons but the guys approaching 30 don't have that excuse. People talk up Burns' shield runs but a best case scenario would be averaging around 37 in Tests long term you would think. At that point I'd rather back one of Bancroft or Renshaw if they can find form in the Shield season.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Kyptastic

Premiership Player
Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Posts
4,692
Likes
3,580
Location
Anywhere but here
AFL Club
Essendon
Doing it despite not having a good-but-not-great Shield record, too - 63 matches, 116 innings, 36.08 average (7 hundreds, 25 fifties, 12 ducks) - and never really having a monster (800+ runs total, or 50+ average) season.
It's similar to Michael Clarke's numbers at his test debut, although Pup had a better century conversion rate:

"His first-class record read 48 matches for 3065 runs at an average of 37.84, with 11 fifties and 11 centuries"

https://www.theroar.com.au/2012/05/08/clarke-made-test-debut-with-sub-40-average-whos-next/
 

DamoESP

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Posts
6,028
Likes
2,682
Location
Perth
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Stars
Wouldn’t surprise me if the people who are saying Uzzie has done nothing and this innings doesn’t count, are probably the same people that are saying Burns should be in the ashes squad for making runs against the same bowling attack.

Go figure.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

JONKOK

All Australian
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Posts
630
Likes
698
AFL Club
Adelaide
Won't matter when he retires and people certainly don't factor it for every other players test records.

I mean, Tendulkar has 5 test hundreds against Bangladesh, a Bangaldesh team that would get beaten by an innings to their current team.
I feel stuff like that is always taken into account. You'll never hear Sangakarra in the goat conversation for example.
 

Joffaboy

Hall of Famer
Joined
Dec 4, 2000
Posts
33,457
Likes
51,420
Location
The Bay
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
NO Saints
Well Usman has tonned up after a duck in the first innings, so it's an improvement and a confidence boost.

Harris has been dismissed twice in the teens in this match, and Labuschagne has gone twice for single figures, so there's no guaranteed runs, even against this attack on a road.

I don't get why people would rather see failure continue, instead of a player turn it around. Seen it with Starc and Usman in this match. Are people really that tied to being right and seeing their favourite selections in the side?
Yes they are.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Howard Littlejohn

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
May 30, 2006
Posts
13,361
Likes
6,754
Location
Canberra
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Khawaja's time in the middle, and the ton it resulted in, has released a lot of personal demons, make no mistake about that.
I certainly hope so, and cricket (especially batting) can be such a mental game that it may well be the case. Hopefully he puts together some runs in the Shield, odds are he won't be on the India limited overs tour so he will have that chance.
 
Top Bottom