Roar Guru
Joined December 2011
206k
Views
87
Published
2.3k
Comments
Published
Comments
A few weeks ago, AFL and football fans learnt that the AFL had blocked the FFA's attempt to pre-book oval venues, the MCG and…
As we all know, the summer of 2014-15 is a big one for Australian football. This season is the 10th for the A-League, the…
Souths qualifying for the grand final for the first time in 43 years has been a feel good story for the NRL. The Rabbitohs…
The 17th FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain is headed towards the business end with the semi-finals and final about to be played. Sadly,…
In the months of March, April and early May, Australia's four football codes are in full swing. Super Rugby, NRL and AFL have commenced…
Australian coach Darren Lehmann has been lauded for turning around Australia's fortunes in the Test arena, with series wins over England and South Africa…
Is the NRL on the verge of having the Sunday afternoon match live on Channel Nine? Over the weekend there were reports the NRL…
When Australia began its Test series against South Africa, one of the intrigues was how Australia's often much-maligned batting line-up would fare against South…
Last week I was following the Sheffield Shield competition via two websites, ESPN cricinfo and the Cricket Australia website, cricket.com.au. ESPN cricinfo has always…
Rugby league's version of Twenty20 cricket, the Auckland Nines, kicks off this weekend with all 16 NRL teams competing. The two day event will…
With the introduction of Twenty20 cricket, there has been debate about whether administrators can keep three forms of the game alive. The one form…
The other day through work, I met an Indian born obstetrician. An obstetrician who according to him, found an opportunity due to a skills…
Australia's glorious 5-0 Ashes triumph has been absolutely fantastic. Australia picked the same eleven in every Test match and delivered a crushing result in…
When FIFA announced the World Cup seedings back in October, there were a few surprises with the eight seeds. To determine the seeds, FIFA…
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article on this site with regards to whether the FIFA World Cup should expand to 40 teams.…
St.George-lllawarra have outlined a "Right Game, Right Venue" initiative where the Dragons will play some of their blockbuster NRL games at bigger venues. This…
The A-League last season was blessed to have the introduction of marquee trio Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono. All three made…
UEFA President Michel Platini last week suggested that the World Cup expand to 40 teams as early as Russia 2018. This comes after FIFA…
David Gallop is fast approaching his first year anniversary as the FFA CEO. Former NRL supremo Gallop succeeded in the post after it was…
Melbourne Victory's Ivorian-born left back Adama Traore was recently ruled ineligible for Australian national selection. It was a blow not only to Traore but…
Green only played six games, while Rocchiccioli didn’t miss a match.
Round 10 Sheffield Shield wrap – Who's hitting their stride ahead of the big final?
Better season from NSW. Last year was shambolic, but this season they came third with four wins. Probably should’ve beaten Qld in the opening game. Lucky to draw against Victoria, and didn’t leave themselves enough time to beat SA in the second last game.
Tremain was tremendous with 50 wickets. Just like Boland, unlucky to play in the same era as Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood. Obviously Ollie Davies has done well. Edwards had a good season and is maturing as a player.
Next summer, I like to see Davies bat at four, Edwards to six, and move Gilkes to seven. But yeah, a much improved season from NSW.
Round 10 Sheffield Shield wrap – Who's hitting their stride ahead of the big final?
In those two previous years, he was building up to the season he is currently having. In one of the previous posts, you were a a bit harsh on Webster with a “God- forbid” comment relating to him.
He is a solid cricketer, and his wickets are relevant.
The Dean Jones example that Australian selectors must avoid in regenerating ageing Test squad
Tbf to Webster, he did average 42 last season and nearly accumulated 600 runs, while in 21/22, he scored 361 @ 51. Sure, he is not banging the door down, but he has shown a bit of consistency in the last three years.
Now if Marsh was out of the team, I would still pick Hardie ahead of him, however, Hardie has to perform because of Webster’s form.
The Dean Jones example that Australian selectors must avoid in regenerating ageing Test squad
And that same panel less than 12 months ago at the time selected a young blonde unknown leg spinner.
The Dean Jones example that Australian selectors must avoid in regenerating ageing Test squad
Webster was an off spinner batting at seven. About a few years ago, he went to medium pace, and just recently was batting at six. All of a sudden, he has transformed his entire game. This season he has scored over 900 runs and taken 26 wickets.
Regardless of what happens in the final, Webster should be named Sheffield Shield player of the year.
The Dean Jones example that Australian selectors must avoid in regenerating ageing Test squad
Winning under 19’s teammates are up against each in the Qld v NSW game. Konstas made his maiden first class fifty, while Vidler has taken a couple of wickets so far on his shield debut. Well done to the young lads.
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
Bartlett may well be a handy lower order batsman. But I would’ve preferred someone in Qld’s top six to also score runs.
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
McSweeney just needs to back it up and be more consistent next season.
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
Sheffield Shield update early on day 2:
Tas v SA
SA 271
Tas 5/48
Vic v WA
WA 244
Vic 4/21
Qld v NSW
Qld 3/33
So much batting depth in Australian cricket…
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
This summer, Australia beat Pakistan and NZ, but drew against the Windies. Two out of three ain’t bad.
Carey the clutch king: Gloveman's stunning 98, Cummins heroics keep Kiwi curse alive in thrilling comeback win
The answer isn’t clear because there is a lack of batting depth. It’s all well and good to drop players. That is the easy part. The hard part is to find replacements.
The only short term solution I could provide is Labuschagne and Smith swap places, and when Khawaja retires, most likely next summer, Bancroft replaces him.
And ideally Smith retires in 25/26, which gives enough time for a number three to emerge.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
Like i said the other day, if Smith gets dropped, then the selectors should get the bullet too. They created this mess. Smith offered a suggestion, and the selectors should not have listened.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
So who are the next two openers? You have Bancroft and who else?
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
Well Bancroft did do an interview a few years ago where he said it was “self explanatory” that the bowlers were aware of ball tampering. Naturally the bowlers weren’t too happy with the interview.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
Maybe, but at the time during the Ashes series, his form was reasonable with both bat and ball. Alas, we will never know.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
So from shield cricket, who is the number three coming through?
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
No it won’t count against India next summer, but we want to see our domestic batsmen score some runs and be consistent. And start the season well next summer, and just put some sort of pressure on the incumbent top six.
Additionally we need some shield batsmen to step up sooner rather than later, because in the next year or two, there will be retirements.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
Sheffield Shield is back tomorrow. I hope that we get to see multiple batsmen doing well.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
They definitely missed out on using Neser in the Ashes series back in England.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
It makes more sense for Labuschagne to open and for Smith to bat at three. Labuschagne is 29, five years younger than Smith. When Khawaja retires, Bancroft replaces him. And when Smith retires, hopefully someone is ready to step up from the domestic scene.
Green, Head and Marsh do not fill me with much confidence as far as consistency is concerned. And maybe Australia is carrying one too many allrounders, and the balance of the top six looks rather awkward.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
Smith’s experiment as an opener has to end after this test match. He is not an opener. Even when he got an unbeaten 91 in a lost cause against the Windies, I still wanted him out of the opener’s position. I prefer Labuschagne and Smith to swap places, or bring in Bancroft, and make a tough decision somewhere in the top six.
Rejigged Aussie batting line-up fails again as top-order collapse puts Black Caps on track for drought-breaking Test win
If Australia had batting depth, you wouldn’t have Green and Marsh in the same team. You look at the top two leading run scorers domestically, Webster is a similar allrounder type player in the mold of Green and Marsh, while with Bancroft, not everyone is convinced that he can make it as a test opener. McSweeney is in third spot with an average of less than 40 for the season and career overall average of 32.
Australia may never experience the batting depth it once had back in the 1990’s and 2000’s, but it shouldn’t be as bone dry as it is today. Somewhere in between would be just fine.
There should be at least three or four batsmen knocking the door down at any given time and really putting pressure on the top six, by scoring over a 1000 runs a season or close to it, and have first class averages of over 50 or close to it, and not fc averages in the late thirties.
There is no excuse for Australia’s lack of batting depth at this moment in time.
Marnus regains form but Australia's ongoing middle-order woes put heat on Carey as Kiwis claw back into Test
I think Pant is set to return in the IPL. Wait and see I guess.
Marnus regains form but Australia's ongoing middle-order woes put heat on Carey as Kiwis claw back into Test
How is Sullivan going to fit in long term at the Tigers long term? Luai is coming next year, and Galvin is showing promise. If Sezer does well, he could still be at the Tigers next year.
Sullivan should’ve remained at the Dragons.
New reign, same pain as Benji era starts with Marshall hooking halfback in hefty Raiders defeat