Cricket Discussion - Part 1

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ozph1870

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This is a huge spell for Starc. Johnson and Hazlewood will be there on Boxing Day, and Harris will most likely be fit to return. So unless Starc does something amazing, he'll be the man to make way.
if strac rips through the tail like he did v sri lanka it would be irrelevant, he shouldnt play in melbourne.
 

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Magpiespower

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Today, I heard a Scooby-Doo impression just before tea.

FFS, Slats, show some respect for the sanctity of the commentary box!

Imagine him and BT calling a game of something, anything, together...
 

raptalia

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I agree but the big challenge is to find a suitable replacement at 3. If we had one we could even consider Watson at 6.

There is a push to put Steve Smith at no3 but I am against promoting Steve Smith to No3 for two reasons-

1. Smith likes to play unorthodox shots and he can only really get away with this against the older ball and the spinners. Smith is doing the job at 5 so leave him there.

2. If we promote Smith to 3 we only open the door to filling a huge gap in the middle order. if Smith had batted at 3 in this Test we would have had Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh and Watson at 4 to 6 in the order. That line up does not fill me with confidence. Let Warner hold slots 1-3 together and Smith hold 4-6 together.

Clearly Watson is not a no3 and we need to find one.

Australia 6/122 and require another 6 runs.

Australia wins but geez it was not a stroll in the park.
 
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philreich

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We certainly have some selection issues ahead of Boxing Day. It sounds as if Warner will be OK, but if not, maybe Cowan comes in. Does he bat at 3 if Warner doesn't play, and does Watson become Rogers' opening partner, or does Watson miss out altogether? (mind you, they could play Mitchell Starc at 3 - he couldn't be worse than Watson!!!!!!!!) And Starc out for Harris seems a no brainer.
 

mic59

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Well, with Australia winning by only 4 wickets there was the "if India had a lead of an extra 100" but Australia scored their runs at nearly 6, something I can't see them doing if they had something over 200 to get. Even though the target was small to go at it so recklessly seemed very odd, surely there are enough situations where a small target has not been reached by Australia. Edgbaston in 1981 and the SCG v South Africa in 1994 two to mention. In the SCG match Australia lost their last 9 wickets for 60 and their last 2 for 1 to lose the match by 5 runs.

The Smith/Johnson partnership was the one that got Australia back on an even keel but they were still minimally behind when it ended. The failure of India to clean up the tail was the real game-breaker.
Not sure what happened with the pitch between the first and second innings; the batsmen were well on top on the first 3 days and then things really deteriorated. Didn't see the end of India's innings but I saw some of Australia's and that ball that passed for 4 byes past Steve Smith move wickedly.
 

ozph1870

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out, m marsh, starc, watson, haddin.
in, bird, cowan, harris, hartley/whiteman

id also chop s marsh for voges but the selectors selected who is next in line 6 months ago and never take note of current form.
 

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mic59

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Just as Melbourne look like they might do a passable job holding Hobart down to about 160-170, Darren Sammy and Evan Gulbis take them for 47 off the last two overs. And now they are 6 down and need 76 off 24 balls.
 

philreich

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Burns is playing T20 tonight so get a chance to have a look at him in the hit and giggle. A surprise selection but here's hoping he blitzes. What a dream come true for him, debuting on Boxing Day.
I'll be there on Friday, so hopefully we bat first and Burns makes a debut ton.

I've only been to the G once: to see Port smash North Melbourne. There were only 22000 people there that day: I'm expecting the crowd to be a bit bigger on Friday :)
 

mic59

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I'd really love to know what Watson has to do to get dropped. Not even Mark Williams gave out this many gold passes during his time at Alberton.....
25 innings to get his first ton, 11 to get his second, 48 to get his third. 84 innings, 3 tons, not what you expect from a no 3. And contrary to popular opinion he did not keep getting out in the 90s; by the time he had three tons he had four 90s.
 

ozph1870

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what does haddin have to do to get dropped, retire with grace haddin, your time is well and truly up.

selectors are piss weak, scared to make a tough decision, there are plenty of quality form players around, we have been lucky a couple of dominant performances by warner and smith, (and lyon at adelaide) have covered over what has been a below par performance.

nows the right time to make wholesale changes in time for the ashes series coming up, a soft couple of home tests where we are already 2-0 up v india. now is the time, dodgy, soft selectors.
 
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