The Ashes. Fifth Test Australia v England @ Blundstone Arena, Hobart, 14-18 January 2022

[HODGEYROAD]

How do we fit Tassie in the schedule? They absolutely deserve more test cricket than they’ve seen recently. At least every second summer. I think a longer, more spread out 6 test summer is key. Tests run from Nov - end of Jan, Shield cricket should run up until the new year, with a shorter big bash played every night in January. 5 ODI series in Feb.

Test cricket is still king in this country and it’s not just for the die hares, the general cricket population & kids still love it from my experience. We need to be enhancing it not taking away from it.

November when we were meant to play the Afghans this spring.

 

[HahnPremium]

I think people are harsh on Warner, he’s not the player he once was and the decline is evident but I think he’s still more than capable of being a test standard opener for a couple of years, so long as we can find him a good partner.

Marny is a gun, no he won’t average 60 for his whole career but absolutely no dramas with 3 for the foreseeable future, it would help if he was a little more protected from the openers. People always say this about Smith but let’s give him some benefit of the doubt, it’s nothing more than an assumption at this stage to say he’s going to decline quickly, in reality he’s in his prime as a batsmen right now.

5 & 6 are set for the long term with Green & Head, I think Green will make an all time great #5 in a couple of years. He has the temperament for it. And as you’ve said our bowling stocks are no issue, they’re already world class and should remain that way for some time yet.

We absolutely need to sort out our other opener, Puc is the man if he can stay fit. And keeper too is an issue but not a debilitating one. Also can’t underestimate how big an advantage it is having the longest tail in world cricket.

We’re not perfect but I don’t think we’re all that far away from being the best team in world cricket right now.

Hope you are right. But I think the keeping is an issue. Im not a reactionist. Happy to give carey a go. But his keeping and timing seems to have some fundamental flaws which is not great for a 30 year old keeper. Its such an important role and is in essence a kind of a quasi captain of sorts in sorting slips fielders placements. Plus the need for some consistent runs.

 

[doggies ftw]

This is the best bunch of wickets we’ve rolled out in a long time, I hope it’s here to stay as it’ll only help our ability to perform overseas. Why roll out roads that we only see in Aus? What’s the point. It’s not like that even favours the aussies as everyone can bat on a road.

For the shield watchers, have the pitches been similar?

These should be the benchmark - this would be an absolutely cracking series against a half decent side right now. England have been pathetic

 

[FreoRicci]

To all the knockers of Marcus Harris and Lucas Parker you are the top of the list on this forum you should really have a good serious re think.Right now he should be playing for Australia and Khawaji and Warners failures he is now heading to Pakistan and hopefully will do well.

Oh I’m all for Khawaja playing. 100%. He deserves to be playing for Australia. But his best cricket isn’t opening. A stopgap. It’s unfair personally on him.
Im sure Langer will be looking at suitable openers at state level and perhaps play Khawaja 3rd or 4th. Be all for Pucovski to come back and build his career

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

How do we fit Tassie in the schedule? They absolutely deserve more test cricket than they’ve seen recently. At least every second summer. I think a longer, more spread out 6 test summer is key. Either 3 & 3 vs two teams (we should never play a 2 test series it’s dumb) or 6 vs the big teams, let’s be honest at least 1 or 2 tests will be rained out or end with no result. Tests run from Nov - end of Jan, Shield cricket should run up until the new year, with a shorter big bash played every night in January. 5 ODI series in Feb.

Test cricket is still king in this country and it’s not just for the die hares, the general cricket population & kids still love it from my experience. We need to be enhancing it not taking away from it.

We can easily do a 3x3, 4x2 or a 5x1. We did so in 2015-16 with 3x2 tests vs NZ and West Indies with Hobart getting the extra test and 2018-19 with 4 tests against India and 2 against SL with Canberra getting the 6th one. Before or after an Ashes series, we could have a one-off against Ireland or Afghanistan, and an Indian series could be succeeded be 2 against someone like Bangladesh. There's even the opportunity to have the occasional winter series with Darwin and Cairns hosting tests.

 

[doggies ftw]

Hope you are right. But I think the keeping is an issue. Im not a reactionist. Happy to give carey a go. But his keeping and timing seems to have some fundamental flaws which is not great for a 30 year old keeper. Its such an important role and is in essence a kind of a quasi captain of sorts in sorting slips fielders placements. Plus the need for some consistent runs.

I agree, if I had my way I’d replace Carey for the Pakistan tour I just don’t think he has it and like you said he’s 30 years old with not enough upside. It’s a bit harsh seeing as we’ve given him the gig we sort of need to give him time now but I’d rather just get the games into someone else personally.

But I just don’t think it’s an issue that’s going to really hold us back when we have the middle order we’re now putting together, plus the batting support we get from our tail around him.

Not in seaming conditions anyway when his job behind the stumps is relatively easy. Sub continent is a different story altogether and I’ll admit he could cause us issues there - I guess time will tell

 

[HahnPremium]

Not in seaming conditions anyway when his job behind the stumps is relatively easy. Sub continent is a different story altogether and I’ll admit he could cause us issues there - I guess time will tell

Yep. Upcoming sub-cont tours really test the mettle and ability of a keeper.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

What’s happened to Lyon? Couldn’t get a bowl and sacked as night watchman?

Lyon is only a good bowler to left-handers

Why he sucked against India last year, team full of right-handers

 

[eddiesmith]

We should be priority for test matches the future but you guys don’t want to play here because you are jerks

Lol, I’m sure CA would love to play in Perth but the people of WA voted in overwhelming majority for locking out the rest of the country and the world.

 

[eddiesmith]

I’m not sure having zero symptoms from Covid means anything, these conditions are obviously much much tougher than we faced at the G and if you don’t admit that you can’t be being serious.

Harris knock at the G was great but conditions aren’t even comparable. You said no one else could make runs but we only batted once so that’s not really fair..

You’re right they’re not comparable, the MCG was the toughest pitch Steve Smith had ever played on!

 

[eddiesmith]

Lyon is only a good bowler to left-handers

Why he sucked against India last year, team full of right-handers

Can’t blame him, I love bowling to lefties too

 

[BobbyMorri]

November when we were meant to play the Afghans this spring.

yeah, lets not play a test in Hobart in November. I hope Cricket Aus at least gives us that in the future

We are the furthest south in this country. Would you like to play a Melbourne test in October/November? No, cause your spring is the same as ours, inconsistent. We are worse, cause we are also cold. I mean, in early December, you can get this

SNOWBART: Reckon The West Indies Are Flaky? Wait Till You See The Weather Forecast

SNOWBART: Reckon The West Indies Are Flaky? Wait Till You See The Weather Forecast

www.huffpost.com

You talk to any local about the weather down here. It is only til Jan does it get consistently sunny and "hot" Keep the November tests up North, where it is perfect weather for them. The longer the summer goes, the more south you should go.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Day 2 crowd of 8711, pretty disappointing when they sold around 14000 to each of the first three days,Covid has clearly had a big impact on crowd numbers.

it has had a huge impact. You cant blame people

Cricket Aus gets the $$$ regardless if someone turns up or not. Its not a big deal how many are actually turning up. We know the reason. If covid wasn't around, there wouldn't be a spare seat or place on the Hill. the demand for the tickets when they were first put to market showcases that

 

[ABAB]

Lyon is only a good bowler to left-handers

Why he sucked against India last year, team full of right-handers

He didn't sucked in 2018 against India, got plenty of RH out.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

He didn't sucked in 2018 against India, got plenty of RH out.

View attachment 1311416

Fair call, I guess I was talking s**t

 

[ABAB]

Oh I’m all for Khawaja playing. 100%. He deserves to be playing for Australia. But his best cricket isn’t opening. A stopgap. It’s unfair personally on him.
Im sure Langer will be looking at suitable openers at state level and perhaps play Khawaja 3rd or 4th. Be all for Pucovski to come back and build his career

3rd is Labuschagne and 4th is Smith so Khawaja will be out of the side if he can't open given the improvement of Head and Green with both of them the future. He probably only have a few years left, hence Cummins comment that Harris still in their future plan given the age of both Warner and Khawaja.

 

[estibador]

You can shove Day/Night Test Cricket up your clacker. Batsmen don’t stand a chance.

Oh, the poor batsmen! About time bowlers were given the opportunity to be something other than the cannon fodder they've been reduced to in modern cricket.

Give me Test cricket where the batsmen have to work to survive over the early 2000's with scores of 3/550 any day.

 

[estibador]

I'd be quite happy for Test cricket to continually err on the side of producing bowler friendly wickets.

Batsmen have the the shorter forms of the game to bludgeon bowlers to their heart's content, Test cricket needs a point of difference if its to stay relevant.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

If the Slogger gets a pair will there finally be questions about his selection to poison yet another os tour?

Should have put money on the pair.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

it has had a huge impact. You cant blame people

Cricket Aus gets the $$$ regardless if someone turns up or not. Its not a big deal how many are actually turning up. We know the reason. If covid wasn't around, there wouldn't be a spare seat or place on the Hill. the demand for the tickets when they were first put to market showcases that

Just over 9000 to day one,I just hope Cricket Australia takes notice of how many tickets were presold and not how many turned up when considering future content in Hobart.

 

[Freezin]

Teague Wyllie perhaps for an openers gig.....couldn't do any worse...LOL

 

[Voice of the G]

Oh I’m all for Khawaja playing. 100%. He deserves to be playing for Australia. But his best cricket isn’t opening. A stopgap. It’s unfair personally on him.
Im sure Langer will be looking at suitable openers at state level and perhaps play Khawaja 3rd or 4th. Be all for Pucovski to come back and build his career

Pucovski did not play club cricket in Melboune yesterday.not sure why he did not.

 

[CrowBloke]

Based on pitches weather, Sydney would be my pick. 0% chance of that ever happening though

Ftfy.

 

[Groucho]

i thought they travelled around

Think they’ve relied pretty heavily on ex-pats this tour

 

[CrowBloke]

How do we fit Tassie in the schedule? They absolutely deserve more test cricket than they’ve seen recently. At least every second summer.

First, let me say that with the Covid conditions of WA, moving this Test to Tassie (best alternative) was a great idea, but only as a one-off.
On what basis is Tasmania "deserving"? For providing us with Boon and Ponting, Wade, Bailey and Max Walker etc?

Ashes Test cricket is a sport, yes, a game, but it's also big business whether we like it or not.
The "Arena" (<== ) is an oval with a maximum capacity of 20K, so over a packed-out 5-day period they'd get almost as many people as an MCG full house on Boxing Day. Covid-affected 9K yesterday.

The Economics alone of a 3-or-4 day Test match on that wicket make it unviable.

The only solution would be to have a six-Test Ashes series, but tbh both teams looked tired and England are heavily injury-depleted after 4-and-a-bit tests, well, plus the fact they are woeful.