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Geoff Lemon is a writer, editor and broadcaster. He's the host of cricket podcast The Final Word, and author of the book Steve Smith's Men: Behind Australian Cricket's Fall.
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In a lot of ways, Ashes series are like birthdays. Not in the sense of coming around twice every four years, and not in…
The great games don’t necessarily tell you they’re great at first. Two-thirds of the way through the tied World Cup semi-final of 1999, South…
Name your most iconic World Cup cricket duo. For South Africa, how about all-rounder Jacques Kallis and former Everton winger Steven Pienaar? For Pakistan,…
You can keep your tied semi-finals. Don’t bother me with iconic hundreds in deciders. Don’t even start about batting revolutions in the first ten…
This season, Tasmanian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has become the emblematic hard-luck selection story. But is he actually lucky instead? There’s never any shortage of…
When the Test season wrapped up in Canberra this week, I mentioned the achievements of some Australian players. People promptly pointed out that they…
It shouldn’t be contentious to say that Mitchell Starc is far from his best with the ball this summer. But saying so can draw…
Chew on this: Kusal Mendis has made three Test centuries in the past year. Australia’s entire cricket team has made one. If you’ve never…
In my time following cricket, I’ve never known such a fevered atmosphere around selection. Belatedly, the national panel has recognised that fact. Cricket supporters…
The unfortunate thing is that it’s not Marnus Labuschagne’s fault. But the latest selection for Australia’s Test team is embarrassing for those who made…
It’s alive. Aliiiiiive. The Boxing Day Test has been a dead affair for years, but finally we’ve got one that counts. In truth, Boxing…
We keep hearing it. That Australia needs to play hard cricket. Or tough cricket. But not one person who says it can define what…
The triple century is cricket’s rarefied tier, the area of the stats sheet where mortals dare not tread. To cross the mark of 300…
Adam Gilchrist’s career was always about being fearless. As a batsman, he just came out and took the bowlers on, almost regardless of the…
For the rest of Mitchell Johnson’s life, the defining moment of his career will, of course, be the 2013-14 Ashes, with the early 2014…
Some moments, you always remember where you were when they happened. On the last day of the Adelaide Test in 2006, I was at…
Occasionally, it isn’t a matter of hyperbole to talk about something in terms of the best or worst ever. This is one such case.…
'Worst Ashes team to inflict a whitewash', was a description people started proposing in 2013. Now there's a contender in the works. The current…
It seemed fitting that international cricket should exit the WACA with a comedy of errors. Make no mistake, we’ve just seen its final Test.…
In Test matches, we love to look for symmetry. For England's loss and Australia's win at Brisbane, look no further than the two captains.…
I’m always looking out for you, Biltong.
Sorry South Africa, there's no way you'll win the World Cup
Come on, SC. Marsh’s five-for was as big a fluke as Finn’s hat-trick.
Slog to deep midwicket, slog to midwicket, top edge to short fine, the best catch of Smith’s career at cover, and an outside edge from the toe of the bat during a pull shot to be caught behind.
I’d take him ahead of Behardien, but he’s nothing more than a holding bowler. Before the England game he’d bowled about 800 balls in international cricket for 8 wickets.
Sorry South Africa, there's no way you'll win the World Cup
Yeah, Malinga is entirely out of sorts. I find it strange that people always rate Sri Lanka an outside chance, when they have such a consistent record of going deep into World Cups (20 and 50 over). Won in ’96, semis in ’03, final in ’07 and ’11. Then in the last five years, two T20 finals and one T20 win. Weak in bowling this time, but if their batting goes well they can take anyone.
Sorry South Africa, there's no way you'll win the World Cup
Marsh only played an uncertain prod with an angled bat. Not a great idea against most bowling, let alone Boult.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Cheers Dougie, good comment, on the mark once again.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
No worries Jo. I just meant that I’ve written in support of Clarke plenty of times – I respect his achievements, especially in Tests. And he handled himself bravely during an impossibly difficult start to the summer.
But I think it was a poor move by him to campaign for selection in the World Cup, when Bailey had captained in his place for most of the preceding couple of years, and it was poor from the selectors to bow to Clarke’s wishes. So yes, you’ll read that criticism at the moment because it’s relevant, but that doesn’t mean I’m randomly out to trash the guy.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Because he hasn’t played. If you want to play ODI cricket for Australia, you should play ODI cricket for Australia. Clarke has sat out almost every series in the last two years. Shouldn’t be able to have it both ways.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Hi, oldtimer. To be fair, I said that I had no idea whether Bailey would have saved the day. Nor does anyone. But he couldn’t have done worse than Clarke. And yes, Johnson is often the magic man, but I think it’s about having a feel for the day. That’s what McCullum did when he brought on Vettori, bowled him out, and bowled out Boult as well. Clarke should have followed suit with Starc, not turned to Johnson on a day when he’d been smashed.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
I’m glad we’re having some boisterous debate these days, DF. Taking Starc off after two post-dinner overs was an absurd move. So was replacing him with a guy who’d gone for 52 off his first four overs.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Nope. I think he has the best average and second-best strike rate in ODI cricket? Or the other way around.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Good detail, DB, couldn’t agree more. I rate Watto more than most but he’s in dismal ODI form. Just about picking the best XI now, and that’s as you suggested. Though I wouldn’t promote Faulkner until the last seven or eight overs, keep him lurking.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
The Kiwis just played shocking shots trying to get the total quickly. Even the last two wickets, clean bowled by Starc, saw Southee and Milne trying to smack swinging yorkers away for runs. Play like Boult, straight bat in defence, and they would have coasted in.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Correct, sorry, I meant lowest score batting first.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Except he made about a fifth of the team’s runs.
Ok, maybe a sixth.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Maybe you should read a bit more widely, then, before laying down your thoughts.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
What’s wrong with it is he doesn’t deserve a place in the side, having barely played in the last two years. Picking him was a clear failing of nerve from the selectors – a political decision rather than a sporting one.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
Faulkner is averaging 109.5 in chases, mostly batting at No. 8. I think he’s doing alright.
He also has more death-overs wickets in the last year or so than the next three or four bowlers combined.
Great to watch, but Australia just had a World Cup disaster
He hasn’t had time. He’s a new player. Expecting too much from him is just silly. Even if he is from WA.
World Cup wash-out could cost Australia against New Zealand
Replying to a comment citing averages and strike rates, it’s entirely relevant to talk about wicket-taking.
World Cup wash-out could cost Australia against New Zealand
Them’s fighting words, Tom. He’s a promising new player but he’s getting a lot of backing for someone who’s yet to prove himself.
World Cup wash-out could cost Australia against New Zealand
Unfounded? Yet to bowl the house down?
Before that England game he’d bowled in 22 innings across all three international forms and taken 8 wickets.
First-class and List A figures don’t necessarily prove much, but even taking them into account, a good chunk of his record comes from before his back stress fractures forced a remodelled action. The new Mitch Marsh is a good bit slower and a whole lot less threatening. He could improve, but has shown very little with the ball to date. Nothing controversial about that statement.
And yes, Watson is unquestionably a far better bowler. Poor batting returns this summer though.
World Cup wash-out could cost Australia against New Zealand
Bang on with all of the above.
Australia smash England in Cup opener, but there's one sour note
On your reasoning, Don: Bailey needs “more than one good innings” and is behind others. Like Clarke, deserves his spot because he made 60 in a practice game against the UAE.
Australia smash England in Cup opener, but there's one sour note
Thanks for the detailed reply Likkewaan. I’m not talking down de Villiers, just acknowledging that with his attacking approach he can’t deliver that kind of performance every game. Like against Ireland, sometimes he’ll hole out. South Africa’s title chances depend on him performing three games in a row, and the bowling being good enough to support him. I’m enjoying watching SA play, I just think their bowling will be found out in the knockout stage.
Sorry South Africa, there's no way you'll win the World Cup