Roar Rookie
Joined December 2022
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Cricket guy. Bats 8 and doesn’t bowl.
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As the dust settles on one of the most exhilarating Test matches in history, our Test and ODI champion Australian team end the home…
If you’ve ventured over to cricket Twitter in the last few weeks, you’ve no doubt stumbled across the raging Mankad debate. A lot of…
The Big Bash League came under fire during the COVID-impacted 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, as the increased presence of non-state-contracted replacement players plucked from…
Lance Morris’s inclusion in the Test Squad this summer has been an exciting prospect for Australian cricket fans. His rapid pace (and a healthy…
There’s been great discussions on this in the last week on the Grade Cricketer & Final Word podcasts this week. Hopefully more public discourse helps force the issue for the ICC to do more, or for cricket to work towards a structure that has a body to do more if not the ICC.
To take your example a step further, Cricket Australia should also be financially supporting teams like Ireland coming for extended development & first class tours, with a carrot of an official Test like you mention. Great additional long-form opportunities for Australia’s next group as well. CA will benefit in the long run from more sustainable Test cricket competition outside of India & England. And more cricket on telly for us. Would love to see it.
More Tests against developing nations will help develop Australia's next-gen talents
I seem to be one of the few that took no issue with the long-form explanation from the ICC. I actually liked that they defined the term “expected point of release” to make it closer to black and white for the poor umpires dealing with this.
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
Mostly the opposite but a good chance for me to clarify: the intention of this passage was specifically referring to the more recent online commentary around formalising this previously “unwritten rule” of providing a warning in professional cricket moving forward. Wasn’t intended to be a reflection on the much longer & less professional era gone by. Perhaps could have added more context in my implication that whatever happens on the big stage will eventually flow down to us little guys at the park each weekend.
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
Couldn’t agree more! The law police’s itself IMO. Just takes some getting used to, and that’s ok as well.
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
Agree 100% the time lost factor is something that hasn’t warranted much of a mention but has the potential to slow over rates even more than they have been. Last thing we need!
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
I think it was actually in T20 WC recently and it didn’t end using called by the umpires, but it did come up after the game in the press. I don’t recall the ICC making comment on it but I didn’t look into it too far at the time. Agree 100% though – such a rare occurrence due to the law as it stands simply being applied correctly (or at least as correctly as possible with humans involved!)
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
I actually agree re fake fielding, especially some of the less obvious examples of it. The Quinton de Kock example I referred to made my day at the time – all he did was look at the other end and stand nonchalantly while the ball came towards him instead of standing with his hands ready to receive the ball – I thought it was BRILLIANT!
How to fix cricket’s bubbling Mankad issue (by doing absolutely nothing)
Good read TAC, well written. Agree 100% in principle, though I don’t see Test cricket as the appropriate avenue for developing youth. I think more needs to be invested into ‘A’ cricket and tours (including media coverage to develop that part of a professional cricketers repertoire, and to let us fans at home follow along) to achieve the same thing. A genuine Aus A side would still melt most emerging and associate nations, without the moral hazard (in my eyes) of picking anything less than the best available XI for all accredited Tests. Would love to see more of it.
More Tests against developing nations will help develop Australia's next-gen talents
Cricketarchive.com! Every now and then you get a link from Google that lets you through the paywall for some reason, I haven’t been able to work out how to get it to work every time though. I’m this close to just fronting up and paying it, even if only for me to turn to every time a thought pops into my head during a test match.
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Bancroft is also Australia’s best short leg by a country mile, he’s the best in close I have ever seen. Unlike every single other short leg in the world, he doesn’t even flinch or cover up when the batter shapes to hit one firm in his direction.
I know you’d never pick someone based on fielding alone, and we also know Warner will be there in India as much as most of us don’t want him to be – but assuming 2 spinners playing in India, a short leg as good as Bancroft, when he is going to be equal to or better than Warner with the stick, it’s painful to sit back and know that Bancroft replacing Warner is almost certain to improve our chances in India and it won’t happen.
Bancroft opening in India, and Renshaw opening in England (great first slipper too, extra relevant in England with the seam + swing) in place of Warner is definitely a better side than what we will roll out.
FLEM'S VERDICT: Agar's turn to prove he can be Test spinner but Renshaw selection over Handscomb a weird one
Great list (I started trying to compile the same and gave up, qudos!)
Fair to say there’s arguments both ways from this. A lot of very brief/ordinary Test careers beginning after limited FC play, but fair to say most of the legends on this list started fairly quickly. I suppose something that’s interesting to look on in hindsight rather than something that helps predict the future. Thanks for sharing, love your work.
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Great shout, well said and I agree. Tim David should be the poster boy for what we’re missing out on if we write off anyone not in “the system” from a young age.
Josh Brown’s BBL cameo is a reminder of the quality hiding in plain sight in Australian Premier Cricket
Thanks Greg – delicate balance as always but I agree. You can perhaps keep both TV execs & burnt out international players happy and continuing to play the Big Bash by opening up more opportunities elsewhere. Paddy Dooley & Pete Hatzoglou two other names that spring to mind that we should be seeing more of.
Josh Brown’s BBL cameo is a reminder of the quality hiding in plain sight in Australian Premier Cricket
I like the influence of international players in the BBL but agree 100% there is more young local talent that should be getting opportunities in televised matches.
Josh Brown’s BBL cameo is a reminder of the quality hiding in plain sight in Australian Premier Cricket
Bryant was showing a lot of potential in years past but it’s been a while between drinks for him – agree the Heat probably waited too long to make a change given what we saw last night. Bryant another player who would benefit from more high-level T20 cricket on the calendar because there is obviously talent there!
Josh Brown’s BBL cameo is a reminder of the quality hiding in plain sight in Australian Premier Cricket
Good squad this and great read 👍
I’d love to hear from the horses mouth what the self-imposed restrictions on squad size are. Assuming one squad for the 6 tests in England I’d be surprised to not have a backup keeper. I don’t rate Harris but he has a very good County record, he will be there. I think from your list the most likely outcome is no Hardie, Harris for Hunt and a squad of 18. I think (hope?) CA will front up for the slightly bigger touring group given the extra Test.
Agree with the other comments that some combination of Agar/Swepson/Murphy in England on standby playing county/league cricket would be ideal and allow more flexibility for the actual squad.
Smokeys, bolters and sure things: Who makes Australia's Ashes squad?
Thanks mate. Unsure on opening, I’d definitely believe it, but I know he’s spent a lot of his grade career at 4/5 in the middle order. Can handle the bat 👍
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Great shout re the brief FC careers of all those you mentioned 👍
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Respect to the bar manager for how he handled this. A non-story and he responded as much. The boys will no doubt appreciate that 👍
NRL young guns go 'toe to toe' in heated nightclub confrontation
Think we need one more win to guarantee a place? We’re all but mathematically confirmed though.
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Is anything stopping them from taking a 16-18 man squad? Are there rules on squad size? (Maybe a financial thing?) Particularly with the injury clouds it would be great if they could take an extended squad.
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
Thanks Dingo. And agree – we can overcomplicate this game sometimes based on where the boys are playing and where we are in the FTP cycle.
'Having a look': Selecting Lance Morris for New Year's Test would send wrong message
I’d lean the other way if this issue doesn’t go away. Far more likely to be able to sustain a high-level career in shorter formats. Which is a shame because I think Hoff like most of us would hold Test cricket highest.
In-form duo recalled, rising star in mix for SCG Test debut as Aussie selectors consider options to replace Green, Starc
This would be very effective in stopping a debate that ultimately has no winners. Don’t mind it at all. It’s not like the no-ball video umpire can’t check both!
Unsportsmanlike, un-Australian or just part of the game - how will everyone react when an Aussie 'Mankads' someone?
I enjoyed it, but it would have had to have been a certified dumpster fire for me not to. Good review. Missed a lot of what was great about the first season, but some of that also simply down to the difference in results.
Would have been unreal if BGT had been covered. The tension of that series and the eventual loss would have made an incredible first episode or two, and as others have mentioned would have loved to have seen more on the Paine saga, even if not from the man himself. I understand why it may not have been featured more than it was though.
Lacking punch, low on drama: Second season of The Test can't live up to the original