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Joined April 2018
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David Schout is a Melbourne-based freelance journalist who has written and reported for the likes of The Guardian, the ICC, Sportsbet, and AFL Media. You can follow him on Twitter at @david_schout.
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The overwhelming rhetoric that the Optus Stadium wicket will suit Australia’s bowlers over India’s conveniently ignores what happened in Adelaide and the pace qualities of the tourists in general.
It’s the video that sent club cricketers gushing, pundits purring and rivals retching.
Victoria’s decision to deny Aaron Finch an opener’s berth in the Sheffield Shield is an intriguing power play directed at new Cricket Australia leadership.
As Shaun Marsh strolled off Adelaide Oval on Monday after a classy 163 not out for Western Australia, certain cricket fans were unconvinced.
“It’s cricket, but not as you know it” reads Foxtel’s summer tagline, and for many fans in the last week, this rang frustratingly true.
A disastrous year in Australian cricket that has claimed chairman, CEO, captain and coach has one more victim who, to this point, remains standing. But only just.
The jargon was heavy, the irony stark, and in the end Cricket Australia’s response to its own corporate failings went exactly as expected.
The lead story on Cricket Australia’s digital platform on Friday morning read: “Baggy green bat-off: How the hopefuls fared“.
Never had a result been so assured at the halfway point of a sporting match.
In a week where Australia’s batting deficiencies were again laid bare in the UAE, the exploits of two young guns in the West showed that the future, at least, is bright.
Justin Langer’s approach to the Australian coaching role since May has been met in some quarters with a strong dose of scepticism.
Justin Langer said something in his first press conference as Australian coach that was of huge relief to Glenn Maxwell.
The unique feeling before preseason tryouts is one that most sportsmen and women, from local plodder to seasoned pro, can identify with.
Few sports operate in such subjective spheres as cricket.
Despite a disappointing 2-0 loss to Belgium this morning, England’s fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup is its best result in 28 years.
Every so often a performance on the football field makes the world sit up and take notice.
Something’s happening in English football that hasn’t happened for some time: there’s genuine positivity surrounding the national team.
Since being named Australian coach, Justin Langer has cut an upbeat figure that belied the chaos going on behind him. He’s delivered the right sound bites and displayed a buoyant frame of mind – a fresh page following the ugliest of chapters.
Three minutes after the Socceroos’ heartbreaking 2-1 loss in Kazan, skipper Mile Jedinak pulled his troops aside after shaking hands with the victorious French side.
Ha, all good Paul! Um, I don’t think it’s just a media thing. Just from personal experience, all the chat at cricket training last night was about the Kohli video. There’s a real fascination about him, understandably. I don’t really understand the lack of scrutiny on Rahane and Pujara, as referenced in the piece.
Nets video underlines Australia’s Kohli obsession
Cheers Tock and absolutely it can, but it won’t. Big Bash is the money-spinner for CA now, and given they’ve increased fixtures this season, it’s hard to see it moving back. I think there’s an acceptance that it will now bookend the season (fixturing-wise) but what players want to see is its return to a bona fide competition, treated with respect and without tinkering/’player management’.
The cost of devaluing Shield cricket
What a little legend your son is! Agree re: smaller grounds, too.
The cost of devaluing Shield cricket
To say it ‘serves no other purpose’ than be a player factory is one of the primary reasons our test team is entirely mediocre right now.
The cost of devaluing Shield cricket
Cricket at the Prince of Wales – what a combo. Ha brilliant, I think most cricket tragics remember where they were!
How I missed the most remarkable ODI ever seen
Most of his concussions actually haven’t been from bouncers, Paul. There’s been one from footy, one from hitting a door, one from fielding and one from an errant ball in the nets.
Shield youngsters strike cause for optimism
Yeah they’re struggling aren’t they Paul? No 50+ score for either since the Ashes. They need runs soon, but I’m one of the (seemingly) few that think our best side has them in it. Especially Shaun, whose experience we need going into next year’s Ashes. If Mitch continues to be below-par with the bat, he’ll need to be bowling well to retain his spot.
Langer picks up Lehmann's slack
Exactly right Andre, you wouldn’t blame him. But he’s reiterated this morning that test cricket is still his no.1 goal which was nice to hear. Pretty resilient bloke.
Glenn Maxwell betrayed by mixed messages
It’s a fair question James but no, I think he’ll play again. A big JLT and strong shield form pre-Christmas could even see him in with a chance this summer. But then again, non-selection in a 15-man squad might suggest he’s pretty far down the pecking order…
Still trying to get my head around it tbh.
Glenn Maxwell betrayed by mixed messages
I think merely looking at stats is unfair in the subcontinent. Runs on a spitting deck in India or Sri Lanka are worth far more (IMO) than on a flat Gabba. Maxwell’s 45 in Dharamsala last year against India doesn’t look amazing on paper, but was comfortably our top score, for example.
He is ‘proven’ in the way he plays spin (in all formats) in India, somewhere he has been 13-14 times for international and IPL duty. Watch him at the crease.
In terms of the comparison with Finch, I disagree completely.
Selection trials loom for Test and ODI hopefuls
I don’t think they’re ‘excluded’ as such, just further down the order than they guys picked for the A tour. I think for Finch there’s questions whether his temperament and skill set would succeed abroad. No doubt he could make test runs in Australia and a good Oct-Nov in the Shield could see him rewarded this summer. But if you ask whether I see him playing in next year’s Ashes in the UK, I’d say no.
His name is always thrown about on the back of white ball form, so he needs a solid period of four-day cricket to come into the reckoning.
Selection trials loom for Test and ODI hopefuls
Correct Paul, at least not in the subcontinent. I see them down the pecking order, and believe the selectors do too. Big shield runs early doors could obviously change that.
Selection trials loom for Test and ODI hopefuls
If you watched England’s games and can’t conceded Maguire and Trippier were impressive then we’re watching a different game.
A campaign to remember for England
In ODI cricket, absolutely they are. They’ve lost 14 of their last 16 – something they’ve never done. The majority of those games we had a full squad to pick from, so the default argument everyone’s using about unavailable players is short-sighted. I mention that there’s no major worries Test and T20-wise.
After the Trent Bridge debacle, Justin Langer's true task starts now
Vijay, both innings. Second one was 19th over, which agreed might be tenuous calling new ball, but still got Australia under way.
Yep, and the test immediately before those 10 you mention he took 9 poles in Durban to be man-of-the-match. He’s in a form slump that he’ll emerge from.
Perth pitch no guaranteed perk for Aussies