Test The Ashes Fourth Test December 26-30 1000hrs @ The MCG

[western royboy]

On a dodgy pitch against Holding, Roberts, Garner & Croft thank you very much.

I don’t need CricViz or whatever to tell me that was a goat track, wonder what it would have rated on the scale? I would suggest poor. Remembering he made 100 and no one could get 50 in this Test.

 

[katana]

Bazball especially, plus the wickets, have diminished the best global sporting rivalry, The Ashes as we knew it ---- It's dead and buried, this generation will move on to something else or stick around if it's still a T20 style of game.

man this is an almighty whinge. you're aware attendance records were broken during this test?

 

[DaRick]

Root's scores this series:
0, 8, 138*, 15, 19, 39, 0 & 15

With one exception, he's been in ordinary form.

So maybe his performance in this Test wasn't because of the evil pitch, maybe it was simply a reflection of his current form?

This was a particularly hard one, but according to ball tracking, that Adelaide pitch, which was viewed as a batting paradise, offered more seam movement than the average Aussie pitch a decade ago.

The new Kookaburra combined with a different attitude towards pitches has simply made batting much harder than it used to be when Smith and Marnus were averaging 70+ in Aussie summers.

And harder still than when a "good pitch" meant a road by today's standards.

I think the truth is in-between.

This pitch was genuinely tricky to bat on - but IMO it wasn't as tricky as GABBA 2022/23 and SCG 2024/25 (this pitch provided more consistent bounce) - and much of the batting was also braindead.

Root is a good 'sticky wicket' player generally, and he scored three centuries in the recent home series vs IND, but he's never been at his best in AUS, and he's not great against the new ball.

 

[Around the Wicket]

I think the new Kookaburra ball on top of the bowler friendly pitches is just too much, I do recall some bowler friendly pitches back in the day and they weren't over in two days.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Root's scores this series:
0, 8, 138*, 15, 19, 39, 0 & 15

Granted it was a tough chance Root was dropped on 5 in the innings of 138*.. that goes to hand this series is a out and out shocker.

 

[Bedi]

Rest bowlers, they've barely been out of a sweat, on top of a drinks break every 3 overs, surely people are joking.

Rest the batters i say. Utterly useless.

 

[sr36]

Root is a good 'sticky wicket' player generally, and he scored three centuries in the recent home series vs IND, but he's never been at his best in AUS, and he's not great against the new ball.

Root has played a heap of innings with a high level of control in Aust. He's traditionally not gone on with it as when he's got to 50 he's pulled out the late cuts and nicked one. He's never looked like he has in a couple of these tests this series where he's had no control.

 

[scottywiper]

Had a few people tell me pitch was horrendous and I've just said Hughes made a ton on worse against best bowlers in world.
It can be done if you want it enough.

 

[eddiesmith]

The "unplayable" pitch on full display - Khawaja got a good one, Smith left a gap bigger than the entrance to the new train tunnels - everyone else - yeah the pitch was unplayable

When you watch that, Boland was probably the only one who’s wickets were genuinely from the pitch and maybe one or 2 of Neser.

Nearly every Australian batsman pretty much threw it away as did a few Englishmen and even though Khawaja and Labs got good balls, they’ve been out the exact same way 100 times before, just good fast bowling.

 

[DangerHere]

Had a few people tell me pitch was horrendous and I've just said Hughes made a ton on worse against best bowlers in world.
It can be done if you want it enough.

Of if you’re good enough.

These guys are used to flat tracks.

 

[jannissary]

Had a few people tell me pitch was horrendous and I've just said Hughes made a ton on worse against best bowlers in world.
It can be done if you want it enough.

no one has the patience to build an innings anymore. need more michael beven (in ODIs) or mike hussey types who'll compile an innings based on what was needed.

i'm disappointed that cam green likely won't be dropped for this last test, and we're going to more or less keep the exact same side in moving forward. i'm (heavily) paraphrasing Ed Cowan here, on the ABC radio cricket podcast; but the benefits of the 5 test series already being won is that we should (have) used these two tests, sydney and boxing day, as an opportunity to give matches to players on the cusp, not that they're dead rubbers, but so we have some actual exposure to the highest level of the game.

the youngest person playing was Green (who's 26). players above 33 are: Usman, Boland, Starc, Smith, Carey & Neser. i don't give a damn if we lose in sydney (in 3 days, since we're going to lose a few) but give some games to some actual young players. i've voiced my opinions on cooper connolly, but this is the exact time he should be given an opportunity to demonstrate his ability.

 

[Blackhawk42]

well well well

Webster, Inglis released from Test squad to play BBL | cricket.com.au

Australian Ashes Test squad members Beau Webster and Josh Inglis will turn out for the Hurricanes...

www.cricket.com.au

So not only does Green survive again, but for some reason Doggett has veen retained meaning my Renegades will continue to absolutely suck?

Great.

 

[Around the Wicket]

 

[Around the Wicket]

Quite a few are big on the opinion of it would have been good to bat on days 3-4 if the batsmen got the game there... thats a shit pitch imo.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

cameron green has some serious ****in dirt on someone if he plays sydney

no other reason

 

[Around the Wicket]

Marnus is copping it left right and centre lol

 

[lionbear]

My first day of Test Cricket live…still the best innings I’ve ever seen, he was in a completely different class to everyone else.

One of the most underatted cricketers when you consider the amount of Tests he played against the West Indies at their peak, would have averaged 60 if he was 10 years younger and played in the nineties.

 

[Around the Wicket]

cameron green has some serious ****in dirt on someone if he plays sydney

no other reason

I said the same when Warner got a commentary gig

 

[HoldMyBeer]

man this is an almighty whinge. you're aware attendance records were broken during this test?

374,000 last year Boxing Day Test.

 

[katana]

374,000 last year Boxing Day Test.

yeah test cricket is really going south hey

 

[sr36]

Had a few people tell me pitch was horrendous and I've just said Hughes made a ton on worse against best bowlers in world.
It can be done if you want it enough.

Chappell described it as the best 100 he's ever seen. Surely someone should have played the best innings ever ...

Did AB, Chapelli, Haynes, Lloyd and Richards not want it enough that match?

That one was a shocking pitch with some grubbers by the end. Did it have the sideways movement when Hughes made his ton? Certainly had less bounce.

 

[Run n Spread]

I can not believe the shit the curator is copping nor the complaints.
Test was fine. Was positive high octane cricket far better than a 4 for 220 blocka thon per day.
If anything the batsmen turned it up when it got a bit hard. Ridiculous shots.
But a 2 day test won't kill anyone. England played the conditions far better.
Tongue should've played first test. Brook led the way both innings. Great hard fought 41 with counter attacking cricket 1st innings and led them home 2nd. Tongue a deserved mom but wouldn't begrudge Brook

 

[Run n Spread]

Test cricket like most other sports have done is simply undergoing a desperately needed evolution. It's not dying if anything it will thrive in the years ahead.
Sure there are teething problems but the skill and adaptation will ultimately be a positive.
So the MCG didn't get a few extra days.
The 93k + 92k they got and the revenue wasn't enough????
Give that to the West Indies they'd love that for the series.
Was a fantastic test.

 

[Run n Spread]

My first day of Test Cricket live…still the best innings I’ve ever seen, he was in a completely different class to everyone else.

My favourite innings was Jaques Kallis at the g 97 boxing day test.
Made a 100 ran a 4 getting it and south Africa were 8 down chasing something like 330 in 4 sessions. Against peak warne.
But come on that doesn't cut it today. A side on a day 5 pitch in 90 overs would back themselves in . As they should.
The sports evolving for the better.

 

[western royboy]

The sports evolving for the better.

No, it’s not, flick on the Big Bash and get your thrills