Hi Mike – it’s been a while since I have commented on The Roar, but a well-thought-through, insightful piece. Personally? I would have no probs with the Socceroos v Turkey (in Turkey) and that’s about it. Leave the A-League clubs to concentrate on building up the FFA Cup Final Day on January 26 as a domestic showpiece event (preferably at Homebush Olympic Stadium – I’d love to see it become the annual Wembley trek equivalent for local fans). I have no particular issue with the COLL-ESSN AFL match. Gate profits support the RSL (as far as I am aware) which is fine to me. Heard the pre-game commemorations in Wellington too live on the radio ahead of the SYDN-STKL game. Stirring stuff. Hope an ANZAC Day game in NZ happens every year now.

Thanks Red Kev – the phrase came from football writer Cris Freddi.

Hi Red Kev – or that dropping a third of the team the week before the game did anything much either…?

INDIA three-nil. And Australia at times would’ve seemed fortunate to get nil.

Hi Suneer – for what it’s worth, especially given the irritating state of the game for the Aussies, this is still day five of a Test match. With day one in its entirety lost to rain. But still being potentially decided in the close-run manner we usually expect from one-dayers. Terrific stuff.

Personal fave album is “Trick Of The Tail” (their first one post-PG with PC on vox). Bits of “Duke” work brilliantly (“Turn It On”, “Man Of Our Times”, “Duchess”, etc. But some of the ballads are a tad on the soppy side. The instrumental work-out that ends the LP is excellent, though).

Speaking as a Genesis fan – I reckon there was always a progressive element to every album. It just seemed to increasingly get buried (in the eyes of the public) beneath a bunch of radio-play stuff.

Must say I also loved Warnie’s idea for ODIs (a rarity for me to say I agree with the bloke)… Too much tinkering with what was originally set up as “limited-overs” cricket. Test cricket, but limited, as it were. As he suggested, aside from two-men catching positions inside the circle for the first 15 overs, place the rest where you like and merely require 5 bowlers during the 50 overs – none can bowl more than say 20 (??) or perhaps the slightly more sensible 12. But yeah, why not try less tinkering with ODIs and see what the captains have to actually think about and come up with tactically? Worth considering.

Hi Brett – a really tricky season to evaluate. Thought the SAF Tests were (arguably) the best part, albeit played at the wrong time of year. The SRL Tests were lesser events, but the AUS-SRL ODIs were fantastic I thought. A real contest inasmuch as SRL was way better in coloured clothes and the Aussies seemed to be chopping and changing every second match with the line-up. Some good knocks from Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, George Bailey (yes, am starting to actually recognise the bloke in the XI!) and top bowling efforts from Pete Siddle, Mitch Johnson, Mitch Starc in particular. So, sure, some potential definitely there.
The WIN series – a real disappointment. But it DID offer everyone the chance to re-live the glory days of the World Series with those 80s highlights of Viv, Dessie Haynes and co belting the Aussies. As Slats and Healy mentioned on one occasion when replaying that stuff – just look at the crowd!!! Indeed. I believe the Australian Cricketer’s Association would like to see one of two things done with ODIs in future – either (a) have a 3-game series and be done with it, then 3 T20 games as well, or (b) bring back the World Series – at least there’s a proper prize and context.
Loved, loved, loved watching the Canberra match on telly. Canberra is the new Cardiff, I tells ya! An experimental summer overall. Did all of said experimentation work to deliver the best results? Jury’s still out I’d say.

Hi Scorpio – I’m with Fuss on this one.
“These three factors need to be addressed if football is to really claim its place as the number one sport in the world.”
It already IS the number one sport in the world. Whether you personally happen to like it or not. And this is a statement coming from a guy whose main sporting preference isn’t the world game either (it’s cricket).
But yeah, even die-hard football fans would agree that attempts to influence the ref’s decision-making by potentially making an injury-related fuss (“diving” or seemingly miraculous recoveries after writhing on the pitch) are irritating. Solution? Post-match video reviews and a simple one-match ban. Video replays for the goal line? I am still, still, very hesitant, as Fuss has been (from memory) unless the technology is instant and reliable. The extra officials UEFA have put behind the goal line in my opinion is, at this point, at least better than nothing. The whole coach fired thing, well, some would say that its results-driven competition. And, er, it predominantly…is. I trust you continue to find your way nevertheless into enjoying the world’s most popular sport – and one that I too have come to admire and appreciate.

Hi Kris – my stepdad is a card-carrying membership holder for the Adelaide Crows, SACA, West Adelaide (SANFL) and Adelaide 36ers. He also takes in the odd A-League and Big Bash match. I’ve been a few times to the 36ers at the Powerhouse (Adelaide Arena I think they now call it….!) and I find it’s a terrific live sport in itself. I couldn’t really care less about the pounding music, over-the-top calls from the emcee to constantly yell “DEE-FENCE!” or the cheerleaders, but the on-court action is genuinely more engaging in the arena when compared to watching on telly for mine. Agree that its kind of in the sporting landscape place previously inhabited by the A-League. Plenty of potential – just needs some injection of serious cash. And totally agree that the national team on telly is of huge importance, both as something to promote the sport itself to a wider audience, and for others it’ll mean a chance to familiarise themselves with the players more. I don’t catch the telecasts on ONE.HD often (due to work commitments sometimes) but I am pleased that it sits there as a later-evening option. Putting the Aussie side on free-to-air would help, too. Liked the new FIBA World Cup cycle idea thing, plus 32 teams and a tiered Asia-Pacific qualification system.

Hi AD – can we win? Yes. Will we? At this point, I doubt it. As others have said, England have impressed more recently and look to have the more settled side.

Hi all – just wanted to say I think I might just have had a revelatory moment while listening to the radio post-match last night….. Joe Burns told the ABC guys that the win meant a lot to the people of Queensland, and the Brisbane lads did it for the people of Queensland. And followed that up by adding that Queensland remained in decent positions in both the one-day and Shield competition, making it a good, all-round state of the summer at present – for Queensland.
Interesting that, according to some pundits, the final was between two teams that actually had decent names that kinda worked. And none of the slightly enforced glitz/glam of the “Stars” or “Thunder” etc, etc made the decider. So, for me, hearing a Big Bash player reference – and with such loving tones – his home state, while still playing for a novelty-invention franchise, was pleasing. Who knows, I might even step up my care factor next summer another notch for the domestic T20 competition…?

Huzzah!

Afghanistan’s worst? 88.

Holland’s worst? 80.

30th worst ODI team total in history. Ireland’s worst is 77. Argh!

70 v Eng, 70 v NZ, 74 v SL, 91 v WI I believe according to CricInfo.com’s stats…

Oh smeg. Third worst team total for Oz in ODIs. Ever.

Strangely relieved about that. Nice to know it’s our top score.

The Kiwi press is going to have a field day with this, presumably…

Yikes. At this rate it’ll be Clarke in the Oprah hot seat tomorrow facing the multi-question grilling, surely? This is ranking alongside the likes of Scotland, the USA, Bangladesh, Kenya, Bermuda, Afghanistan. And Ireland. And (gasp) New Zealand. Probably.

2012 WORLD SERIES XIs (for Oz games only) via CricInfo’s stats database

GAME 1 – AUST v IND (MCG)
Wade, Warner, Ponting, Clarke, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Harris, Starc, McKay, Doherty

GAME 3 – AUST v SRL (WACA)
Warner, Wade, Ponting, Clarke, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Harris, McKay, Starc, Doherty [same XI for two games straight]

GAME 4 – AUST v IND (ADEL)
Warner, Ponting, Clarke, Forrest, D. Hussey, Christian, Wade, Harris, McKay, Starc, Doherty [one change – M. Hussey/Forrest, 12 players in 3 games]

GAME 6 – AUST v SRL (SCG)
Warner, Wade, Ponting, Forrest, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, McKay, Lee, Starc, Doherty [one change – Harris/Lee, 13 players in 4 games]

GAME 7 – AUST v IND (GABBA)
Wade, Warner, Ponting, Forrest, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Lee, Starc, Doherty, Hilfenhaus [one change – McKay/Hilfy, 14 players in 5 games]

GAME 9 – AUST v SRL (HOBART)
Wade, Warner, Forrest, Clarke, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Lee, Harris, Doherty, Hilfenhaus [one change – Starc/Harris, 14 players in 6 games]

GAME 10 – AUST v IND (SCG)
Warner, Watson, Forrest, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Wade, Christian, McKay, Lee, Doherty, Hilfenhaus [one change – Clarke/Watson, 15 players in 7 games]

GAME 12 – AUST v SRL (MCG)
Wade, Warner, Watson, Forrest, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Pattinson, McKay, Doherty, Hilfenhaus [one change – Lee/Pattinson, 16 players in 8 games]

FINAL 1 – AUST v SRL (GABBA)
Warner, Wade, Watson, Christian, D. Hussey, Clarke, M. Hussey, Lee, Pattinson, Doherty, Hilfenhaus [two changes – Clarke for Forrest, Lee for McKay, no added players. 16 in 9 games]

FINAL 2 – AUST v SRL (ADEL)
Wade, Warner, Watson, Clarke, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Christian, Lee, Pattinson, Doherty, McKay [one change – McKay for Hilfy, 16 players in 10 games]

FINAL 3 – AUST v SRL (ADEL)
Wade, Warner, Watson, M. Hussey, D. Hussey, Forrest, Christian, Lee, McKay, Doherty, Lyon [two changes – Forrest for Clarke, Lyon in for Pattinson, 17 players in 11 games]

* * *

2013 series (three matches in!)

GAME 1 – AUST v SRL (MCG)
Finch, Hughes, Khawaja, Bailey, D. Hussey, Maxwell, Haddin, Johnson, Starc, McKay, Doherty

GAME 2 – AUST v SRL (ADEL)
Finch, Hughes, Bailey, D. Hussey, Smith, Maxwell, Haddin, Cutting, Richardson, McKay, Doherty [THREE changes – Smith for Khawaja, Cutting for Johnson, Richardson for Starc, 14 players in TWO games. It took FIVE World Series matches last summer before they used the same amount of players.]

GAME 3 – AUST v SRL (GABBA)
Warner, Hughes, Clarke, D. Hussey, Bailey, Wade, Henriques, Johnson, Starc, McKay, Doherty. [FIVE changes – Warner for Finch, Clarke for Smith, Wade for Haddin, Johnson for Maxwell, Starc for Richardson, Henriques brand new. FOUR more brand new players. Yikes. Is it called experimentation? madness? regulation? restoration? rebuilding? Or IPM (informed player management)?]

Hi Suneer – this has been a totally crazy week for the selection panel.
All absolutely mystifying to me. If CA didn’t keep press-releasing about it every third day I’d have no clue as to who’s even meant to be in the team…!
I did some number crunching via CricInfo’s stats section and discovered Australia used 17 men in 11 games in the 2012 World Series (Aust-Ind-SL). And the SAME starting XI in the first two games of the series, with no more than two players changed per match.We’ve had three changes between games one and two in 2013 and five more between games two and three – in the space of a week. Totally nuts. That’s 18 men in three games. More than we used in a whole month last summer.
All this looking to the 2015 World Cup makes me think Cricket Australia couldn’t care less if it wins anything between now and then… So maybe they need context or something to make them invest in actually winning series? Three 50-over ODIs instead of five (and yes, I’m in that 30s age bracket and LOVE one-dayers) would encourage putting your best team on the park, or, bring back the World Series triangular format. A prize to play for, accumulating points as you go and while you could perhaps drop a game or two you’ll need your top XI more often than not.
As Malcolm Conn put it in today’s press, this feels like Australia’s first REAL game of the series. Hope we win – and should, too – this evening.

Hi Brett – all absolutely mystifying to me mate. If CA didn’t keep press-releasing about it every third day I’d have no clue as to who’s even meant to be in the team…!
I did some number crunching via CricInfo’s stats section and discovered Australia used 17 men in 11 games in the 2012 World Series (Aust-Ind-SL). And the SAME starting XI in the first two games of the series, with no more than two players changed per match.We’ve had three changes between games one and two in 2013 and five more between games two and three – in the space of a week. Totally nuts.
As previously mentioned here, why not a squad (say 15 blokes max?) for the entire series? Or at least pick a best 12-13 for a four-game block and give them a proper go.
All this looking to the 2015 World Cup makes me think Cricket Australia couldn’t care less if it wins anything between now and then… So maybe they need context or something to make them invest in actually winning series? Three 50-over ODIs instead of five (and yes, I’m in that 30s age bracket and LOVE one-dayers) would encourage putting your best team on the park, or, bring back the World Series triangular format. A prize to play for, accumulating points as you go and while you could perhaps drop a game or two you’ll need your top XI more often than not.
As Malcolm Conn put it in today’s press, this feels like Australia’s first REAL game of the series. Hope we win – and should, too – at the Gabba this evening.