Agreed. Following his performance through 2024 will be a real highlight of the Test calendar. No doubt opposition teams will eventually work out their plans to him, but he is likely to have a fairly free run at it for a while.

He’s an exceptional talent. And he produced an exceptional performance on a wicket that suited him. Would it have mattered who/what the opposition was?

As for calling you a trolll, the reaction to your approach to this discourse was brought on by yourself. Look back at your own comments. You are the one that chose not to look at his performance in cricketing context, but chose instead to go for cheap (and irrelevant) shots at his upbringing – you, very clearly, chose to downgrade his performance by the things that you said.

I don’t have to further justify that, because it is front and centre here on the comments.

And what was the context as to why you referenced his working background? We were having a discussion about his cricketing abilities and you made a very pointed reference to his job as a security guard, clearly linking it to his performance in the summer Test series.

You referenced it for a reason. So please provide some context, if you are able.

And please, don’t pretend your reference to his work as a security guard formed no contextual part of your comment. It was a key part of your comment (it’s there for all to see).

So, do you have a response as to why you you referenced his job as a security guard, if that reference wasn’t an attempt to demean his performance in the Test series in Australia?

You’ve used up the lazy “woke” card already, so something more substantive and explanatory as a response would be helpful.

If you don’t think his bowling performance in the Gabba Test was exceptional, are you able to articulate why?

I let your peers on here judge you for your comments – invoke “woke” all you want.

Just a trolll, looking to be disruptive and seeking attention. Best not to feed them.

Give it up Bush. This class clown is simply trollling.

Unbelievable.

I don’t even know why you would post such a disrespectful comment.

Was he working as a security guard in a remote town in South America, trying to get by, by whatever means possible financially, who worked his butt off to develop his talent (bowling with a tape ball) but because of his limited access to “the cricket network” wasn’t getting recognised (until someone did take notice)? Yes, 100% he was.

The arrogance is both outstanding, as it is shameful.

Yeah, though WA is in a tricky situation now in their match in terms of being certain of the win. Tassie picked up another 0.5 points when bowling, but nothing Tassie can do now re materially getting any more points (unless they can win of course, but that seems very tough). So in reality now comes down to WA having to win. Going to go down to the wire tomorrow!

At the completion of both 1st innings in both the Tas and WA Shield games, WA will be 5.43 points behind Tas on the Shield table, with 6 points on offer for the win.

Interesting stuff.

Australia was basically beaten by the bowling of Shamar Joseph, so the Windies Test ranking doesn’t really come in to it. Especially since Joseph made his Test debut in that series.

Don’t recall Marsh being dropped in his 90 against Pakistan in Perth.

No. I’m not overdramatising the commentary re the Gabba loss by Australia as shameful.
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Shamar Joseph was a one-man whirlwind with not only ball, but also bat. It’s probably THE standout Test performance in the last 12 months of world cricket. It was exceptional. His performance would have done over ANY international side in world cricket, irrespective of that’s side “standing”.
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It’s ok to acknowledge a truly exceptional performance (indeed it’s worthy of celebrating it). And it’s ok to recognise that a side can be brought undone by such a performance. It doesn’t translate into the complete structural failure of the opposition team (Australia) just because they came up against that.
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Pierro, you’ve been one in particular that wishes to give little credit to Shamar Joseph’s truly exceptional performance at the Gabba, a performance that simply needs to be acknowledged for the brilliance that it was, without trying to find ways to downplay its brilliance.
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You’ve referenced Australia’s Gabba loss many times recently. I can’t recall one time when you’ve acknowledged – even referenced – Joseph’s performance.

It’s often the way re bowling attacks. Henry was outstanding. Sears offered the X factor. Southee was serviceable for as far a bowler of his past deeds can be. Huggy was a weak link. Phillips had his moments – enough to provide some substance to the attack.

Clearly missing Jamieson, but overall the attack available to the Black Caps was still a pretty decent opponent for Australia to deal with, in their home conditions.

Yeah, looks like a lot of jarring pressure happening with that action. You wonder why bowlers jump so high (what does it really achieve – more time in the air means loss of the pace built up) and why their mentors haven’t tried to adjust that at an earlier age.

I’ve thought the recent referencing to Australia being weak, on the demise, hopeless, because we lost to the West Indies at the Gabba, is actually pretty shameful given what it says about not being prepared to acknowledge the incredible performance of Shamar Joseph.

Yes, there’s a certain arrogance in never giving credit to the opposition (which also has a team of XI players, who are also capable of scoring runs or bowling good spells).

The art of watching and embracing a Test match for what it is across it’s entire entirety, seems to be fading. There’s also a shift in Australian fandom to the English approach of switching from deifying to vilifying the home players, depending on what happened in the previous 24 hours.

Well played Australia. Fantastic performances from our middle order to chase down the total. Goods signs for Carey being able to bat on under pressure – think that is the 4th time past 30 in the 2nd innings for him.

Matt Henry had a ripper game (and series). He and Spears bowled an excellent opening session in Australia’s second innings; the sort of pressure that draws false shots (looking through the 100+ comments from yesterday, such a pity not one Australian fan even mentioned the opposition bowlers).

Many people said before this series that it would be an evenly-matched and close series (the type of encounter that deserves more than two Tests) and that is what it turned out to be, with a lot of ebb and flow, especially this Test, so made for an enjoyable match. Unfortunately many of those who were calling for a longer series, then collectively lost their s%it and suffered head explosions as soon as the opposition was providing a contest.

A good series win away against a good cricket team. Well done Australia.

I thought Green backed up his 170-odd quite well in the 2nd innings in Wellington with his 40.

He was also playing well this Test for his 25; his approach of coming down the wicket to nullify Southee’s sideways movement worked well earlier (indeed, was quite smart to do so), and not surprisingly he thought it was also worth trying against Henry. Except Henry was getting excessive deviation which couldn’t be countered by Green coming forward.

After realising it wasn’t working against Henry, Green then went back, but first ball after doing so got a peach of a delivery that dismissed him before he had had time time to settle back into a behind the crease technique. Green’s footwork there was a bit planted, but it was probably more-so due to not quite closing the gate with his bat that brought him undone. But credit to Henry; he bowled his spell very smart and took advantage before Green had found the time to readjust.

My point is that these are the things that happen in cricket matches between players of high calibre talent. It can go either way, depending on a moment.

Moments and mini-battles happen in cricket and sometimes that leads to a batsman’s dismissal (or maybe a bowler getting carted).

It’s the generic “go-to” of assessing performances based on scores, when ignoring the bat v ball contests, which is frustrating me re reporting on match play.

Are we really suggesting Green and Marsh are out of form in this team?

“Australia couldn’t get 216 in the fourth innings against the West Indies recently. ”

Yet what about all the other times not mentioned when Australia has got it done?

The exception doesn’t prove the rule.

It’s a cricket game and if the likes of Matt Henry have a blinder (can’t see it being down to spin on this wicket), then we probably won’t get there (and we’ll have been beaten by some stand-out performances).

But the odds are we will get there fairly comfortably.

In terms of the middle order woes re Marsh – his 40 in Wellington last Test was perhaps the pivotal moment of the Test re Australia’s victory. His approach changed the tempo of the batting for Australia and set up Green nicely to go on with it and set up the side’s dominance in the Test. So not sure how Marsh is included in middle order woes?

Carey on the other hand is indeed having a terrible time of it as the #7.

Nothing mediocre or to be worried about when up against the whirlwind that was Shamar Joseph in Brisbane.

Credit to Joseph is due there. An exceptional (exceptional!) performance by an opposition player is nothing to worry about if losing a match. It doesn’t translate into future doom and gloom for his opposition (Australia in this case). He would have rolled the Windies to a win the way he played in Brisbane, against any opposition (including India)

Head has the capability, but as I’ve said before, it needs to be a team discussion as to how (and when/where) they want him to bat like this. I get the feeling (only from the outside obviously) that they are giving him free reign to bat like this irrespective of conditions. He can be a game-changer, but it’s a low percentage return on some decks.

Credit to you Pierro, you have sliced and diced the game as it’s unfolded today, even if I disagree with you regarding md-term team selection approach ????

Green’s got one decent score in the 6 since his recall? What Paul?

Do you put innings played in the context of the team innings being played, or do you just use a pre-determined score (50, 70, 85?) as the benchmark?

Nowhere have you described the middle order (which includes Green and Marsh) as being woeful? The headline says “middle order batting woes”?

Is that like being sick, without having a sickness? Being tired without having some tiredness?

As an expert splitter of hairs, I have some firewood at home you are more than welcome to split.!

Do NOT talk about the ebb and flow of the match and the mini-battles that comprise its twists and turns! Keep the focus on the next target that needs to be dropped 👍

“Australia’s on-going middle order woes put heat on Carey”.

Green and Marsh in the middle order are woeful? Really? And in any event, how does that put heat on Carey? Isn’t Carey the only one putting heat on Carey?

Please explain?