Roar Rookie
Joined December 2017
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Some of you may have watched the recent Fox Sports Series 'A Brief History of Australian Cricket: the Eighties'. If not, I’d definitely recommend…
In recent debates over who should replace David Warner to open for Australia, I’ve seen suggestions that Cameron Green’s form declined in the Ashes…
This article follows up a recent piece setting out a way of measuring and comparing performances in one-day international cricket over the decades. It…
In the wake of Australia’s World Cup win, Mohammed Kaif and others suggested that India still had the best team on paper, evoking fond…
The condition of Indian pitches remains a growing concern in international cricket.
There goes 45 minutes of my life I’ll never get back. I’m talking about two rugby internationals at the weekend: France-Australia and England-Argentina. 45…
It’s a tough life being a professional cricketer. Take the English cricket team, for example. Acting coach Paul Collingwood said last week that the…
I recently tried my hand at comparing cricket and baseball from various angles – how the games are played, player numbers, audiences, global spread,…
Defying my predictions, the Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros to take the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series 4-2 on Wednesday. As…
This article tries to size up cricket and baseball in terms of their revenues, salaries, spectators and viewing numbers. I will leave to explore…
This third article in this series comparing cricket and baseball looks at the respective traditions, quirks and controversies of cricket and baseball, including sportsmanship,…
This week marks the opening of US Major League Baseball’s playoffs, good timing for a second article comparing aspects of cricket and baseball. The…
As well as being a cricket fan, over the years I’ve occasionally dived deep into baseball, particularly Major League Baseball (MLB) in the USA.…
The question of how to interpret a player’s career statistics has featured in several Roar articles recently. Renato Carini has challenged conventional views with…
The record doesn’t show that Inglis is a better bat in red ball cricket.
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review
No evidence that Inglis is a better bat than Carey in FC red ball cricket, though Carey has been a bit shaky in Tests lately. Inglis has played one Shield match this season. Carey scored 49 and 90 in his last Shield match in February, in a low scoring match, against a stronger QLD team that included Neser. Has a slightly better FC average than Inglis.
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review
Yep I don’t see the problem. Plus reviews are kind of entertaining and suspenseful for crowds and viewers. My big bugbear is the third umpires who waste a lot of time on Snicko – “there seems to be a gap between bat and pad but let’s check that again on Snicko- so if there is a murmur on Snicko that’s more relevant than a gap? Or “nothing on Snicko roll the video right through until it hits the pad”. Just in case some sort of weird physics was going on where the ball went back in time and got a snick passing the bat a second time around”? Thankfully Aussie TMOs Reiffel and Tucker are about the best at getting on with it.
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review
Not sure Lyon was that much difference in the second innings, considering how poorly Australia played Phillips. One of our worst displays in a long time. Though the track did seem to really give extra bounce to the offies at one end, while it was relatively docile for the quicks much of the time.
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review
It’s an interesting question about whether the Kiwis have a mental barrier with Australia. In one sense it’s natural, or the sort of results you’d expect from two somewhat similar countries where one has a population five times larger and a long tradition of culture of success in cricket. What’s surprising perhaps is that NZ has done well against others at times, especially recently. But not that well. It’s misleading to say “ Against all other opposition since then, they have a positive 86-82 record, with 79 draws. ” In fact, since 1993 they have a losing record against all the other stronger teams – South Africa, England, India and Pakistan. Before last month’s 2-0 win over SA’s 2nd/3rd XI they had a 3-17 record against SA, with only one win in SA, in 1994. Before last month’s farce, NZ’s series record against SA since 1994 was 0 wins, ten losses and two draws. They’ve done better against England, perhaps thanks to similar conditions, but still only notched up 4 Test match wins in England in 30 years. NZ conditions have been a big asset in the Kiwis’ impressive record against India – 7 wins, 10 losses and 12 draws – although they haven’t notched up a single Test win in India in that period.
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review
They did Pierro, and as Gordon points out below, their spinners outperformed Lyon, especially in the 2020-21 series.
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Actually I should have said might be ahead or equal with them.
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Could we add C- for Not Enough Mutches? We did have Mutch Starc, Mutch Marsh and Derrull Mutchull. But what the hick ever heppened to Mutch Sentner and Mutch Johnson?
'Keep this up and Australia might wait 16 years before touring next time': The Liebke Report Card
Not so sure about Ashwin BG. Averages 42 in Aus and 50 in SA and has regularly been dropped for a third seamer on tours to those countries, and in England. Jadeja has been poor in England and NZ. But Siraj now makes a handy third seamer.
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Ashwin didn’t play a role.
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Up to a point. They are in the top 20 because they play so many more Tests than bowlers 30 years ago. But all have great or good averages for their roles and good records against the top teams. The bowlers who would be ahead of them if they played as many Tests include – Grimmett, O’Reilly, Trumble, Spofforth, Turner, Benaud, Lindwall, Miller, Johnston, McKenzie, Lillee, Thomson, Alderman, McDermott.
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Actually, I thought Marsh’s was the worst shot. Played very well before that. Others got good balls except Head. He is the biggest worry, too many bad shots. See how some of the Kiwis got out for comparison with our batting order. Complacency has zero to do with it.
Aussie batters grow complacent in cocoon of comfort created by gun-shy selectors - but at least Green finally blossoms
Agree, although I’d change that to – good batsmen CAN make runs. But there are still lots of balls that are close to unplayable.
Bazball beaten: Indian young guns' nerveless stand aces chase, ensures Poms' first series loss under McCullum
Odd. Why was Usman talking about it to the media in the first place. Seems unwise unless there was more to the story.
Usman Khawaja sets off accidental political storm in NZ
I thought Jurel had the best technique against the spinners. Very impressive.
Bazball beaten: Indian young guns' nerveless stand aces chase, ensures Poms' first series loss under McCullum
The good thing about this one, although it was very cracked, it had a grass covering and wasn’t crumbling to dirt from day one or two.
Bazball beaten: Indian young guns' nerveless stand aces chase, ensures Poms' first series loss under McCullum
Fair enough, I was being too grumpy. But I still don’t get why you call such people selfish, self-obsessed, childish or nonsensical. It’s a legitimate argument for them to say it’s not real cricket in the sense of being an inferior form of the game. As long as they don’t get too over the top or abusive. Although if people think T20 is destroying the best parts of the game, you can see why they might be hostile. For my part, I’d get rid of ODIs now. Trouble is, it’s probably the best way to hold a cricket World championship! The T20 version is a bit of a joke and the WTC doesn’t have the same cachet as a tournament competition.
No longer pyjama cricket: Viewership numbers dispel any myth that T20s haven't earned “real cricket” status in Australia
Or last year on turning pitches in India!
Bazball beaten: Indian young guns' nerveless stand aces chase, ensures Poms' first series loss under McCullum
True about the pitch. It was getting very difficult to bat on in the second innings though. Jurel and Gill were most impressive but I wouldn’t have wanted to face really top class/experienced spinners on it. Probably where England lost out, the two new guys being spinners, though they looked promising- not sure they lost too much by not having Leach. But as you say, great chance for England in the absence of Kohli, Rahul, Bumrah and Shami. I had the impression Stokes’s second dismissal wasn’t so unplayable – it beat the outside edge because he played back to a fullish one – hit him on the back leg, potentially lbw, but cannoned onto the stumps.
Bazball beaten: Indian young guns' nerveless stand aces chase, ensures Poms' first series loss under McCullum
Johnson looked great but Ellis was more impressive in the context of looking forward to the Caribbean WC. Won’t get pitches like that there. Can’t believe how much Head is lifting his (head) and swinging wildly, not keeping his eyes on the ball. He was no more fluent in game 2. Two shots swinging across the line ended as top edges going for six. Someone just needs to remind him to keep his head still.
Still not sure why Wade is keeping ahead of Inglis or is in the team, but it doesn’t look like they’re going to change. His main role seems to be to scream “Catch It!” whenever the ball goes in the air. Imagine how helpful that is when three players are converging on a ball. What’s the point? So he can say – I told you to catch it, why did you drop it? Mind bogglingly stupid. But every team does it.
Back-up quicks strangle Black Caps in timely World Cup reminder as Aussies clinch series sweep in 10-over shootout
Weird game. I was asking why are they throwing this away after being 2/100, but the wicket was actually a lot tougher than it seemed. A lot of bounce. And Head in particular got a lot of cheap runs off bad shots and mishits, including two sixes in the first over. These bats are truly ridiculous, and Eden Park’s straight boundaries even more so. Can’t believe how many shots Head is playing and taking his eyes off the ball at the moment. I don’t get why they find Ferguson’s pace so difficult. He’s not much quicker than Starc and bowlers of that speed often get carted all over the place in T20. Must have been moving the ball more than I spotted. Can’t believe McDonald said Smith’s place depended on this match. Unless he pulled something out of the ordinary out of the hat they should have a pretty clear idea of his standard at this level – which is a mediocre average and a mediocre strike rate. They should be testing Short out or even going back to Stoinis if he does well in the IPL.
'Thought we were about 50 short': Bowlers blitz Black Caps as Zampa takes four, Wade plucks stunner
Inglis still better option than Wade though.
'Thought we were about 50 short': Bowlers blitz Black Caps as Zampa takes four, Wade plucks stunner
One of the more illogically and offensively argued articles I’ve seen. No need to waste several hundred words on viewing figures. We all know, or should, that T20 is popular – that’s why they invented the BBL and the IPL and broadcasters pay top dollar for the TV rights. It brings in a lot of extra fans who don’t have the time, the inclination or often the experience to watch or enjoy Test cricket.
But what is this straw man of “self-congratulatory and elitist derision of T20 cricket”. “It demonstrates once again humanity’s inherent self-obsession.” What on earth is that supposed to mean? The actual meaning of the words is – humanity is obsessed with itself and the concerns of humanity, rather than say whales, trees, distant planets etc. I think you meant human beings are obsessed with themselves, individually, but that doesn’t seem anything much to do with preferences in cricket. People who prefer Test cricket see it as more “real” usually do so because it is a greater Test of all skills (except six-hitting and catching in the deep), something that many international cricketers recognise, and involves a whole lot more nuances and challenges in the course of a game as conditions change. There is a whole lot more resonance with the history of the game.
T20 is a whole lot more hit and miss simply because it only lasts 20 overs and it is often instantly forgettable,, due to so many matches. But what does saying that have to do with being self-obsessed or elitist? Test cricket probably is dying a slow death. I personally enjoy T20 even if some of the six-hitting relies too much on big bats with big edges and small boundaries – see T Head last nights. The outfielding is a real highlight. I wouldn’t write it off as not real cricket. But people who do prefer Tests can hardly be dismissed as elitist or self-obsessed and certainly not because T20 has better viewing figures!
No longer pyjama cricket: Viewership numbers dispel any myth that T20s haven't earned “real cricket” status in Australia
Fair points, I didn’t mean to suggest that Short deserves an IPL contract. Just that he won’t have the IPL both to get more T20 practice and to give the selectors more to look at close the WC. Maybe they should go back to Stoinis if Caribbean pitches aren’t too dissimilar to IPL wickets. But not Smith IMHO.
Aussie cricketers get chance to reverse Wallabies hoodoo as Smith recalled to prove he's World Cup worthy
Yes, but what if we take Phillips’s bowling and Australia’s awful batting in the second innings out of the equation? 😊
Test Mortem: Aussie aura living rent free in Kiwi minds, Marnus officially in a form slump, DRS needs review