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SizeMatters

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anyone know much about basketball? I'm not a follower but read something yesterday about Australia entering a 'golden era'. Naturally if Australia is playing I take a keen interest but looking over the names and digging a bit deeper on the internet I am quite surprised at the quality that is coming through. This years and next years NBL draft have two Australians as the early number 1 draft pick so far (Simmons and Maker), add to that Exum from last year who went at number 5 and I can see why some people are excited about our chances. Will be keenly following their progress.

One of the articles I read and some information on a few other young prospects.
http://pickandroll.com.au/aussie-boomers-2020-the-faces-of-our-future/

Thon and his brother Matur are dead ringers for slender man.
 

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Fatcat08

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It was my sport of choice.... as an 8 year old

Tried to get into it as a supporter, but never have felt a club to connect too since the Bullets folded a season after they won the Championship
They'll be back next season once again
 
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Very lucky to be there- that reversed pass interference call was baffling.
Meh...

Plenty of facemask coming the other way. If no flag was thrown, it wouldn't have even been a discussion point.

On the following drive there was a blatant hold on Witten that wasnt paid either, but because we didn't **** up on 4th down afterwards like Detroit did, it doesnt register on the radar.

Not to mention that Ndamukong Suh shouldn't have even been playing. Detroit had their share of luck.
 

carnthemlions

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Meh...

Plenty of facemask coming the other way. If no flag was thrown, it wouldn't have even been a discussion point.

On the following drive there was a blatant hold on Witten that wasnt paid either, but because we didn't **** up on 4th down afterwards like Detroit did, it doesnt register on the radar.

Not to mention that Ndamukong Suh shouldn't have even been playing. Detroit had their share of luck.
I don't know... just seems very odd to throw that flag and then pick it up again so late. If it hadn't been thrown, it's just another missed penalty like like the holding on Witten. But there was no reason to pick it up. Detroit didn't help themselves, but that call was a huge factor in deciding the outcome of the game.
 
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I don't know... just seems very odd to throw that flag and then pick it up again so late. If it hadn't been thrown, it's just another missed penalty like like the holding on Witten.
Isn't that kinda what I said?

It may have been decisive, but the general agreement is that it wouldn't have been a bad call if no flag was thrown, then it is hard to see this as a massive howler.

If we failed to capitalise on 4th down after the non-call on Witten that would have been arguably as "decisive". Not our fault that Detroit got a delay of game and then shanked the punt.

Anyway, Detriot had their chances, and flags do get picked up on occasion.
 

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Fatcat08

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I'm surprised that more hasn't been made of Hazelwood's bowling this test and last. Was largely ineffectual last test and his speed regularly dropped well below 130 later in the test. Already he's consistently in the low 130's in this test. Peter Siddle copped a hammering everywhere for similar speeds yet the silence surrounding Hazelwood is deafening.

Young fast bowlers just don't look like they do a lot of bowling, distance based running or much work in the gym. You look at someone like Johnson vs Hazelwood and the difference is huge when comparing physiques and the ability to maintain pace. Perhaps its a by product of the year round season that cricket has these days, even for guys below the top level. People are heading over to india for the IPL, even bangladesh, England etc. Maybe this restricts them from a real off season like AFL does in order to build upon your size and fitness, therefore physical development takes longer? Fast bowlers will always break down, thats a given and especially when they're young and still growing. But the ability to maintain your pace over long spells is a fitness and strength issue and this is where they're lacking.
 

Chezzalenko Reborn

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I thought ABC Grandstand's broadcast was going to be the best way for me to keep track of the cricket....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I've turned it off. Tony Abbott in the box with Jim Maxwell talking free trade agreements
 
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I'm surprised that more hasn't been made of Hazelwood's bowling this test and last. Was largely ineffectual last test and his speed regularly dropped well below 130 later in the test. Already he's consistently in the low 130's in this test. Peter Siddle copped a hammering everywhere for similar speeds yet the silence surrounding Hazelwood is deafening.
Possibly because he's from NSW.
 

POBT

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I'm surprised that more hasn't been made of Hazelwood's bowling this test and last. Was largely ineffectual last test and his speed regularly dropped well below 130 later in the test. Already he's consistently in the low 130's in this test. Peter Siddle copped a hammering everywhere for similar speeds yet the silence surrounding Hazelwood is deafening.

Young fast bowlers just don't look like they do a lot of bowling, distance based running or much work in the gym. You look at someone like Johnson vs Hazelwood and the difference is huge when comparing physiques and the ability to maintain pace. Perhaps its a by product of the year round season that cricket has these days, even for guys below the top level. People are heading over to india for the IPL, even bangladesh, England etc. Maybe this restricts them from a real off season like AFL does in order to build upon your size and fitness, therefore physical development takes longer? Fast bowlers will always break down, thats a given and especially when they're young and still growing. But the ability to maintain your pace over long spells is a fitness and strength issue and this is where they're lacking.
I reckon Johnson lacks that too. His speed seems to drop if he has to bowl longer spells. He can bowl quick all day but only for short periods. I think he said before this test that he prefers to be used in 3 over spells which is how Clarke used him last summer against the Poms.

I guess the issue is that Harris can't bowl really long spells and, as you say, neither can Hazlewood if we expect him to maintain pace. They really miss a stock bowler who can tie up an end for long periods - I think that's why a fully functioning Siddle was quite important for team balance last summer. That's the role Hazlewood needs to develop into because he's likely going to be bowling alongside the likes of Pattinson, Starc and Cummins in the future - all of whom are strike, not stock, bowlers. And there isn't a superstar leggie on the horizon to chew up overs either!

It was the beauty of Warne and McGrath that they were 2 bowlers in one - both strike and stock bowlers.
 

James North

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I thought ABC Grandstand's broadcast was going to be the best way for me to keep track of the cricket....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I've turned it off. Tony Abbott in the box with Jim Maxwell talking free trade agreements
It really sounded like an ad didn't it?
 

Fatcat08

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I reckon Johnson lacks that too. His speed seems to drop if he has to bowl longer spells. He can bowl quick all day but only for short periods. I think he said before this test that he prefers to be used in 3 over spells which is how Clarke used him last summer against the Poms.

I guess the issue is that Harris can't bowl really long spells and, as you say, neither can Hazlewood if we expect him to maintain pace. They really miss a stock bowler who can tie up an end for long periods - I think that's why a fully functioning Siddle was quite important for team balance last summer. That's the role Hazlewood needs to develop into because he's likely going to be bowling alongside the likes of Pattinson, Starc and Cummins in the future - all of whom are strike, not stock, bowlers. And there isn't a superstar leggie on the horizon to chew up overs either!

It was the beauty of Warne and McGrath that they were 2 bowlers in one - both strike and stock bowlers.

Good points. Its probably another by product of this generation growing form cricket having such a major focus.

Its been an interesting series on a few fronts. The domination of the bat largely in this series has been interesting. What has happened to seam and swing in Australia? Is it the balls? The pitches? The players? On appearances i'd definitely say the current batch of kookaburras used for the series are doing far less when new and going out of shape fairly quickly. Its something I've noticed this season even in my grade of cricket, balls are doing far less through the air (we use kooka's as well albeit a lower spec)

The pitches we've had this summer are also much more placid than in past years for the new ball. It will be interesting to see how this changes for the world cup.

I tend to think test cricket has been left behind slightly in crickets aim to try to balance out bat with ball. Bats have gotten much better and bigger with the result being more mishit shots that go over fields and indeed boundaries. Bowling in one dayers has had something to balance it out being a new ball from each end but there's been nothing in tests. Perhaps they could look at a new ball every 60 overs instead of 80? I'm not sure but its been a series of contradictions. Bat dominating for large periods but 2 results and another close to a result. A fairly low number of very low scores from top orders but some horrible mid innings collapses.

A strange one. The difference between the sides has largely been the tails with Australia about 240 runs up if you compare bowlers. Thats a massive difference.
 

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Props to the people of Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra for getting out and supporting the Asian Cup. All three games not featuring Australia with crowds between 12k and 13k. Very healthy numbers.
 
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