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Joined October 2021
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Damien Fleming AKA 'The bowlologist' was one of Australia's greatest swing bowlers - perfecting the fine art of getting a cricket ball to hoop. In a highly competitive era of Australian cricket, Fleming played 20 Test matches between 1994 and 2001 and 88 ODIs. He was part of Australia's 1999 World Cup-winning team and he held his nerve against South Africa's swashbuckling Lance Klusener. His bowling and a bit of ten-pin bowling helping Australia to the final in dramatic circumstances. Fleming is part of Channel Seven's commentary team for The Ashes this summer. You can also find him on The Bowlology Report podcast.
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A record-breakingly quick “we will bat” will be Pat Cummins or Baba Azam’s response when they win the toss on day one of the first Test because the Rawalpindi pitch looks as flat as the losing captain’s mood will be on Friday.
Touring Pakistan is never easy but there’s never a dull moment. I was lucky enough to go to Pakistan twice in 1994 and ‘98 and with the Australian team embarking on a tour for the first time in 24 years, it brought back memories of a couple of very eventful trips.
Of all the positives for Australia from their 4-0 Ashes win, the biggest triumph of all was the captain, Pat Cummins. He brought such…
Unfortunately for England, their innings on day two in Hobart summed up their whole summer. There were plenty of promising starts - Zak Crawley…
What an entertaining day! When England had Australia 3-12 in that opening session, I thought there was every chance they could bowl Australia out…
Pat Cummins is still learning the ropes of being captain and I’m sure he will regret declaring a little bit late but that wasn’t…
Usman Khawaja batted tough, batted smart and batted with great skill and power to bat England out of the fourth Test. Two centuries in…
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes showed there’s no such thing as an Ashes dead rubber and they were up for the fight on day…
Usman Khawaja has made some great hundreds for Australia and this was one of the best. He’s a unique kind of player - when…
This Test match is alive, which is a massive plus for England and not something you could say too often about the previous three…
England’s bowlers were fantastic, Australia’s bowlers were bloody good too but the visiting batters are nothing short of mediocre. Our fast bowling depth was…
Captain Cummins is the real deal and he’s back. The bad news for England is Pat Cummins is already one of the best bowlers…
It doesn't matter how your batting shapes up if your bowling attack can't take 20 wickets. Australia, missing two guys who will go down…
After day three, I wrote about how Jhye Richardson needed to make a few minor tweaks to his bowling to regain some rhythm. In…
Cameron Green looks as accurate as any bowler in the Australian Test team. He's not far off Pat Cummins-like accuracy. I just wish he'd…
Michael Neser must be thinking Test cricket is easy. You make your debut and do nothing for a day and two sessions, and then…
For the second Test running England have got the basics wrong - messing up their selection and seeing Australia take advantage. They've gotten themselves…
It didn't take long for all our fears about heading into a fifth day with a tricky run chase to be eased, and I…
Twenty-four hours earlier Australia would have been thinking 'we can't lose it from here'. Now it's a possibility, and a huge moment is looming…
Travis Head played down the emotion he displayed when he celebrated his emphatic century on Thursday, but I don't think what we saw out…
If there is any reverse swing in Rawalpindi it will aided by the dryness of the pitch. And keeping the ball dry as possible and shining one side. The outfield looks lush so that isn’t going to deteriorate the ball.
FLEM'S VERDICT: Bat hit crazy - No doubt if you win toss but quick-heavy attack can still work
Very clever mate 👍
FLEM'S VERDICT: Bat hit crazy - No doubt if you win toss but quick-heavy attack can still work
I like Richardson and Neser both would do well in Adelaide but I would be going Richardson . Already played a couple of Test and was impressive and was in red hot form in SS leading into Tests
FLEM'S VERDICT: Performance that ended an Aussie Test career, and the strategic flaw that killed England
sorry late to this but if you don’t know what a “new ball wicket ” is on a very good batting pitch. I would lose the Roar pro moniker.
“When it’s like that it’s a new ball wicket.If you don’t get wickets with the new ball it’s really tough but if you can a breakthrough you can go on a run and get a few wickets in succession.”
FLEM'S VERDICT: Balls to the wall as everything rides on Hazlewood fitness and Root's resilience to new pill
Will do some bowling technical stuff soon mate
FLEM'S VERDICT: Performance that ended an Aussie Test career, and the strategic flaw that killed England
Hi Jeff, thanks for the question . Cam Green was originally selected for WA as a fast bowling all rounder who bowled outswingers . Unfortunately stress fractures halted his bowling development but accelerated his batting development.
Check out this piece we did on Cam last year on Ch 7 cricket
Swing bowling seems to be helped by bowling a full length and having your wrist and fingers behind the ball and coming down the back half of the ball creating a lot of back soon which help keep a more stable seam . Obviously you need to get the shiny side on the right side.
FLEM'S VERDICT: Performance that ended an Aussie Test career, and the strategic flaw that killed England
Our Batsman at home have unbelievable records compared to away so good advantage there and our bowling attack is well suited down here with the extra bounce and pace besides Mark Wood.
But if it is a wet summer conditions could be quite unique and if pitches are a bit slower and allowing swing and seam and English like conditions it could even up The Australian statistical imbalance
can’t wait until tmw.
DAMIEN FLEMING: Aussie batting strategy and venue twist give England a puncher's chance
In and ideal world I would have liked to see young Will Pucovski right hander opening the batting but that hasn’t happened and hope his recovery goes well.
And agree not alot of right hand options with the contenders.
Will be interesting to see any technical ( Set Up and footwork) and tactical ( Leaving the ball etc) changers from Harris and Head in this series.
DAMIEN FLEMING: Aussie batting strategy and venue twist give England a puncher's chance
Like your energy ..Lets hope the rain gods let some decent play in 🏏
DAMIEN FLEMING: Aussie batting strategy and venue twist give England a puncher's chance
Good points. He could work on getting himself into he slips or gully and any great captain delegates to a degree..And agree re Cummins batting . Last Ashes he was batting really well and looking like a 20+ average at number 8. Can the extra responsibility return him to his best batting. will only able to answer in hindsight
DAMIEN FLEMING: The two great Test captains Pat can emulate, as moment arrives for Fast Bowling Cartel
There was article somewhere today that showed just about every Fast bowling captain Imran, Willis, Walsh, Pollock , Waqar all had better bowling averages as their own captain . SO there is a possibility it inspires paceman to another level. If so I can’t wait to see Pat Cummins go once he is captain
DAMIEN FLEMING: The two great Test captains Pat can emulate, as moment arrives for Fast Bowling Cartel
Yep just answered your first question mate? Seems there is movement on making Steve Smith VC
DAMIEN FLEMING: The two great Test captains Pat can emulate, as moment arrives for Fast Bowling Cartel
Watching the out-fielding in the T20 World Cup its a totally different fielding skill set then when I played!!! 😂 In particularly the rope fielding of either catching the ball throwing it up balancing and then re catching the ball is insane. Also even when the catch is unable to be taken as momentum is pushing the fielder outside the rope to be able catch the ball throw it back into play and stop the 6 or 4 is amazing. If T20 teams don’t have outfielders like theses they will have to score another 15 to 20 runs to compensate. Amazing !
'This is the turning point': Imposing and important to the culture, but is Mitch Marsh the right fit for a baggy green?
Agree 5 Tests in 6 weeks is going to Test the quicks . And if Green and Marsh play their overs are going to provide the opportunity to bowl the genuine quicks in shorter spells.
'This is the turning point': Imposing and important to the culture, but is Mitch Marsh the right fit for a baggy green?
Some very good thoughts Tom. Just shows our uncertainty at T20 level.
DAMIEN FLEMING: How Dave Warner can get his mojo back, and the historic flaw we must fix
Yep not a great season for Sunrises. Normally a good unit
DAMIEN FLEMING: How Dave Warner can get his mojo back, and the historic flaw we must fix
Patto’s batting is the other lost skill here. He showed a bit of class could build an innings or score consistently . He put in a lot of work on his batting while injured playing and scoring runs with Dandenong as a pure batter and batting number 7 for VIC’s at times. I think he could have average 25 at least with the bat
DAMIEN FLEMING: How Dave Warner can get his mojo back, and the historic flaw we must fix
The Opening partnership is crucial to winning this T20 World Cup. Finch and Warner need big tournaments especially if wickets are turners. Best time to bat with new Ball and fielders inside the circle
Big selection call Aussies might regret, positive Warner verdict and legends' surprise final tip
😂 😂 😂 😂
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
Agree re Travis that’s the shot I want him to tighten.
I loved Hooksy, Flipper and Boof as players. Boof was unlucky as he was in a very competitive era in the middle order ( Wouldn’t we love that dilemma now !) but he missed out in Ashes Tests and smashed a Bangladesh attack everywhere . His 100’s in Sri Lanka were pure class thou.
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
if for some reason Painey doesn’t recover from his surgery in time for 1st Test Alex Carey would be straight in for me. His first class record has been short due to missing games with Aussie white ball cricket
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
In lockdown haven’t had a haircut for months so can’t really work on my hair!! Re read article I didn’t pick Wadey with much confidence. I admire your faith in Head but 2 Test tons in 19 Test doesn’t make him an automatic selection. But as I wrote I hope his next opportunity is the one that settles him in the team he really can’t do much more at State level but overall The Number 5 positions worries me
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
I rate Neser big time but our Fast bowling depth is very strong I can’t see him getting a Test unless there are injuries or sudden loss of form of the big 4. Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Pattinson . But our back ups are strong Neser, Richardson, Bird, and co.
Our back up batters are not as strong
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
Correct Frank . I hope Kurtis Patterson has an injury free season. I thought he looked a bit like Alistair Cook in his couple Tests very composed
DAMIEN FLEMING'S First Ashes Test XI: 'In an ideal world he doesn't play', 'the one we've waited years for'
Pakistans batting is probably more strong in home conditions , Babar averaged 87 in Pakistan for example.
FLEM'S VERDICT: Bat hit crazy - No doubt if you win toss but quick-heavy attack can still work