A new calculation for rating all-rounders
How do you rate all-rounders? For a start, there are different views on what an all-rounder is. If there isn’t agreement there, it’s hard…
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How do you rate all-rounders? For a start, there are different views on what an all-rounder is. If there isn’t agreement there, it’s hard…
In the first Test against New Zealand, David Warner joined Ricky Ponting as the only Australian to score hundreds in both innings of a…
It has been noted that the South Africans were the first visiting team since the 1992/3 West Indians to win a second successive series…
The not particularly evocatively named Mr Price Kings Park, Durban. The not overly fan-friendly time of 3:10 am, Sunday eighth July. One of those…
In all of the debates about Australian cricket selections lately, one almost constant has been the criticism of Brad Haddin, with calls for him…
Three-quarters of the way through pool play at the Rugby World Cup and it’s hard to find anyone with a good word to say…
The 2000th cricket Test match has just begun between England and India at Lords. Some are querying whether it is really the 2000th Test,…
[caption id="attachment_16689" caption="Australia\'s bowler Simon Katich, third from right, with teammates, celebrates. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe"][/caption] Simon Katich was – and deserves the opportunity to…
It’s been popular on The Roar to talk about the relative weakness of the Australian conference in the Super Rugby competition in 2011. The…
In the hand-wringing that has (quite appropriately) followed the Ashes series, one snippet is worth noting – discounting the Perth match (which starts to…
There have been a couple of articles recently on The Roar regarding the haka. It’s been a popular bone of contention – how do…
Posts on The Roar in recent weeks have discussed selecting all-time World, West Indies, India v Australia and West Indies regional teams. Some of…
And maybe that’s it – but shouldn’t you need to be a decent first class bowler rather than just a left hander before getting picked in a squad like this?
Australia A squad announced: Bancroft, Marnus get chance to press selection claims after snubs
Rellum, yes, but that doesn’t explain why you would pick Dwarshius. I don’t have anything in particular against him and it’s fine to pick him in limited overs sides, but he hardly seems to have made any case to be in a 4 day squad.
Australia A squad announced: Bancroft, Marnus get chance to press selection claims after snubs
Ben Dwarshius who took 16 wickets at 37 in 6 Shield games last season is in the 4 day squad? Running down the wicket taking list (Dwarshius was 25th) – Will Sutherland 10 games, 41 at just under 20 – one day squad only; Michael Neser 40 at under 17 from 8 games – nowhere (but a very known quantity and maybe now out of future calculations); the next 3 all picked (Steketee, W Agar, Kelly); Lance Morris injured; Jackson Bird evidently too old; next 3 (Perry, McAndrew, Paris) all picked; Fergus O’Neill – 9 games, 27 at 25. Getting to the realms of figures that don’t demand selection in an A side, and he wasn’t. You then hit a patch of spinners, a couple more veterans, a couple of medium pacer who are more second or third change bowlers, and blokes picked in the main side, before you finally get to Dwarshius (although Xavier Bartlett – 7 games, 23 at 22 and Gurinder Sandhu – 7, 22 at 29 – came in ahead of him at 14th and 16th). Were they desperate for a left armer?
Australia A squad announced: Bancroft, Marnus get chance to press selection claims after snubs
An awful lot of players leave Qld I assume because in many cases the Reds have only a finite number of contracts to offer and they are offered contracts or better contracts elsewhere. As an illustration, it’s been a golden last few years for Wallabies coming out of Brisbane Boys College (Carter Gordon most recently, Len Ikitau, Darcy Swain, Tom Banks, Trevor Hosea – admittedly the latter was a Victorian to start with) – but none of them are at the Reds.
Remember the name: Reds land signing coup as Junior Wallabies prop Massimo De Lutiis returns home
England only having one innings in the drawn game (and the other 4 all being close or pretty close) accounts for that large discrepancy. Most times those figures correlate to the series results – but it’s hardly the first time that a lop-sided game or two will skew the figures. Look at the 2009 Ashes – the 2 teams scored almost exactly the same number of runs, but Australia lost 71 wickets to England’s 84 for a runs per wicket differential of more than 6. The sad thing is that 40 of those 71 wickets came in 2 games, which Australia lost, for England to win the series 2-1.
UK View: 'The moral victory is real' - Poms revel in Pat's 'failure', downfall of 'dastardly' and 'scared' Aussies
Tommy, a snippet from the Cricinfo commentary, a single over before they were “deep in discussion” with the umpires (to use Cricinfo’s expression) over the lost review (incidentally, I think you’re entitled to ask the umpires about decisions particularly in unusual circumstances, which this was, but it’s how you go about doing so, and for how long, that is important – since I didn’t see any of this, I can’t express an opinion on whether they stepped over any line). The over before, after over 65 (and I see a video of that is now up on this site), the Cricinfo commentator noted “Sounds like Bairstow, who has been setting up down the leg side, told not to change his position as the bowler runs in”. If that’s right, a good catch on the part of the umpire – and blatant cheating by Bairstow? If we check with the England hierarchy, all totally above board I’m sure.
UK View: 'The moral victory is real' - Poms revel in Pat's 'failure', downfall of 'dastardly' and 'scared' Aussies
Only the reserve umpire is a local. I don’t think he got involved but could be wrong. You could add preparing pitches with not much in them as that is seen as favouring the home side to your list.
They couldn't... could they? Khawaja-Warner century stand on rained-out fourth day gives Aussies a chance
It’s always been a bit puzzling to Australians why it is the English regard Anderson as a great, and it is possibly just as puzzling to English supporters why Australians rate Broad a lot more highly than Anderson. It might be one of those occasions where figures don’t lie. Anderson’s overall bowling numbers do shade Broad’s – 3.77 wickets per test v 3.6, at 26.35 v 27.67 and 32 five-fors against “only” 20 – and tell a story of remarkable consistency and endurance.
Against Australia however, Broad is well in front – including the current game (so the final figures will alter slightly), Anderson 3 wickets per test (which is barely “good” bowler territory, let alone great) at 35.52 with 5 five-fors, against Broad’s 3.775 at 28.93 and 8. Putting figures aside, it’s not hard to remember match winning spells from Broad – Anderson probably had the odd one, but not for quite a while.
McGrath applauds 'true champion' as Stuart Broad announces shock retirement
Doc, this repeats the gist of a post on another thread, but it’s actually England 4 (3/1) to Australia 2 (0/2). To translate, England 4 wins (3 moral, 1 actual) to Australia 2 wins (0 moral, 2 actual).
For those who follow that deep thinker on cricket, Napoleon Bonaparte, and his dictum that the moral is to the physical as 3 is to 1, there is a strong argument that it should be an Australian Rules football type score of England 3-1-10 to Australia 0-2-2. England would be disappointed to have not got full points in the 3rd test but have been perfect otherwise.
UK View: 'Timid, petrified' Aussies escape in 'galling travesty' - as Pommy Pauline Hanson's hypocrisy exposed
You’re not wrong in that stat, but looking it up, 9 50s in 27 innings av 36 in Australia. To me, he’s a better player than those figures suggest – apart from Bangladesh and Pakistan (where’s he’s only played 2 or 3 tests, at 25) he averages 50 plus everywhere else, which I think is a more accurate reflection. If they were smart he’d be told to give up the ramps and told to bat normally, and have the others bat around him.
'Stokes put his mate over the Ashes': The Pommy and the Aussie chat late declarations, retained urns and more
Interesting to go through the last 3 series in Australia and see which days might make a “most dominant” list. There are a few – all with Australia the team on top surprisingly.
1st test 2013-14. A personal favourite was day 2 (England demolished for 136 in reply to what had appeared a below par 295; Austrlia 0-65 at stumps), but day 3 possibly shades it (Australia added 7-336 in 72 overs scoring at will and tipping Swann almost into retirement, England reeling at 2-24 at stumps).
2nd test – day 3 probably – England replying to 570 had been 1-35 overnight – on what remained a typical Adelaide road, disdainfully swept aside by Johnson’s 7-40 to be all out 172. Australia blithely adds 3-130 odd (mostly to rest the bowlers) before declaring overnight
3rd test – England well beaten again, but no one day really stands out. 4th test – England take a first innings lead, but well beaten again. Because it was fairly low scoring, again, no one day stands out.
5th test – this only lasted 3 days. England’s abject all out 166 in not much over 30 overs, chasing 448, on day 3 was the performance of a thoroughly dominated side, but day 2 was arguably worse. 1-8 at stumps day 1 in reply to Australia’s breezy 326, England slumped to 5-23 before “recovering” to 155, then watched Australia put on 4-140 in 30 overs to stumps.
2017-18 first test – day 4 after an even first innings, England took their overnight 2-33 to all out 195, then watched Australia reach 0-114 turning what may have been a tricky chase of 170 into a formality.
2nd test – solid win to Australia in a D/N game despite England benefitting greatly from bowling conditions in the second innings, but no especially dominant day. 3rd test – day 3, Australia 1-346 in 90 overs. 4th test – the Cook draw. 5th test – day 4, Australia toyed with England adding 3-170 in 37 overs to their overnight 4-479, then had England 4-93 at stumps still more than 200 behind.
2021-22 1st test – all out 147 on a weather affected first day was pretty bad; Australia 7-343 in reply stumps day 2 was worse. 2nd test – England smashed again despite a D/N test that potentially played to their strengths. No one absolutely dominant day however.
3rd test – a game that barely had 2 days worth of overs and too low scoring to really point to either day 1 or day 2 being dominant. Losing 6-37 in not much over an hour to be bowled out for 68 on day 3 was pretty supine.
4th test – the Sydney draw. Australia declared twice and well on top the whole game, but no one dominant day. 5th test – another D/N test in Hobart. We really bend over backwards to give England a chance. 3 days only. You’d say getting bowled out for 124 in 39 overs on day 3 was a candidate but to fair to England they’d taken the last 7 second innings Australian wickets for about the same earlier in the day so it ends up as no real candidate from this game either.
'Stokes put his mate over the Ashes': The Pommy and the Aussie chat late declarations, retained urns and more
Root would only be about 34 so while he’s been playing for a long time and that might catch up with him, just on an age basis there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t still be playing. He’s certainly showing no signs of tailing off in ability, and he doesn’t have the injury history that might see off Stokes. The rest of the batting (apart from Bairstow) would be 30 or under. Plenty of time for injury or losses of form of course.
Bowling wise it’s a different matter. Surely Anderson won’t go around again, and it must be unlikely that Broad would. More significantly, Wood would be nudging 35 and must be unlikely too. A big hole in their lineup – unless Jofra Archer somehow manages to be fit and not to have lost pace, in which case they’re a chance regardless of who else is in their side. Woakes would be around 36 so no certainty, not that he has a great record in Australia. Who else?
Robinson and Tongue – if fit. Potts? A solid but hardly terrifying attack (without Archer/Wood). They need to find someone else. And that’s before we get to spin. Leach wouldn’t be too old (and fair to say he’s been a loss to England this series – not as big a loss as Lyon to Australia, but still a loss). After him, who? The young leggie? Not a bad series to be an Australian batter.
The bloke who played against Ireland
'Stokes put his mate over the Ashes': The Pommy and the Aussie chat late declarations, retained urns and more
Only side of the 2 to manage a 5-0 series win (3 times – admittedly one with timeless tests)?
'Stokes put his mate over the Ashes': The Pommy and the Aussie chat late declarations, retained urns and more
You can certainly point to the Sydney weather last series, but I tend to think that (while about half a day was lost to rain) the Melbourne draw 2 series back had a little more to do with an absolutely dead pitch and Alister Cook making 240 odd after being dropped early by Smith. I remain happy to take 13-0 over the last 3 home series, without needing to add it was a bit unlucky not to be 14-0!
'Stokes put his mate over the Ashes': The Pommy and the Aussie chat late declarations, retained urns and more
A vital component of the moral assessment. It’s all about the process, not the result. I stupidly got the scores the wrong way around of course – it’s 4(3/1) – 2(0/2) to England. As Napoleon said, the moral is to the physical as 3 is to 1 – so the “moral” score naturally should be given before the actual.
The moral victory concept is one that has always caused a bit of a chuckle to me. The school I went to plays in the Brisbane GPS competition, and until recent times was not what you would call a rugby powerhouse. When I was in about grade 10 the first team had one of those seasons where against the good teams they’d play their best and work their hardest but be outclassed and lose; then they’d play a team nearer their standard, not play so well and lose again. The headmaster in the wrap-up at Monday assembly started referring to “moral victories”. That was fine the first or second week he said it – the third brought a lot of murmuring and the fourth mocking laughter. I think he figured out at that point that he needed a new line.
'Doesn't understand the game': Stokes rejects criticism of key call, names biggest regret
England are decisively 4 (1/3) – 2 (2/0) in front in the series with one to play (so a 2 and 1 victory in golf terms). To translate the series score for those stuck in an old-fashioned linear way of thinking about wins and losses – it’s 4 wins (1 actual, 3 moral) to 2 wins (2 actual, 0 moral). Naturally the home side and media get to make the call on what counts as a moral win. The one thing they aren’t is an over-simplistic 2-1 down.
'Doesn't understand the game': Stokes rejects criticism of key call, names biggest regret
Realistically, winning is near enough to impossible unless there’s an extremely generous declaration and/or the pitch deteriorates badly or is severely weather affected when England bat fourth. Therefore, they should more be thinking about saving the game which will involve batting long (and they have done that occasionally) and as everyone is saying, hoping for a lot of time to be lost to weather. They have the batting line up to do that – whether they in fact can do so may be another matter.
UK View: 'A stinker, total disintegration, bewildered, lost the plot' - Cummins cops it for captaincy calamities
Dougs, maybe the author was saying they were bad from stumps all the way back to the start of the day?! If so, unorthodox, but not wrong.
UK View: 'A stinker, total disintegration, bewildered, lost the plot' - Cummins cops it for captaincy calamities
The English keeper has been better in all respects in this series, so best in the world is tough to maintain. Australian alternatives – Beth Mooney as others have said. Georgia Redmayne if fit. It’s understandable that Healy gets picked, based on having a lot of capital in the bank from making some big scores in big matches in the past. Consistency hasn’t been her thing though and in that regard the comparison with Warner seems apt – the odd good score and lots of not much in between, and the last good score is getting further and further back. Hard to know how much of this is down to Healy and not to the coaches, Healy and other senior players, but the use of bowlers and batting orders have been pretty odd in this series.
And all that’s without getting started on the men’s Ashes! I’d have preferred Bancroft in for Warner (acknowledging that was unlikely to happen) but otherwise this looks a good side for what the conditions sound like being. They’ve at least got much less of a tail than previously, without weakening the bowling (which is likely to get used in the conditions).
Aussies adopt defensive mindset after making changes for fourth Test - but Warner gets stay of execution
You’re not totally wrong. Burns and Flintoff aren’t in the squad though are they? Schutt has been ok and Sutherland also so dropping them seems a bit panicky. Brown though must be approaching thin ice if not already there. If she’s only going to bowl 4 overs you’d be far better to pick Grace Harris (who’d do almost as much bowling as Brown did).
Puzzling why they’ve pushed their best batter down from opening. Surely you arrange the batting order around what is best for the team, which generally involves putting the best players in their best spots, with others adapting around that. Equally odd that on that pitch with the way the medium pacers had been going you wouldn’t have made sure all your spinners either bowled all their overs or at least could have had the opportunity to had you got to the 50th over. And if the medium pacers are getting carted in the power play, why persist with them? Sure, a spinner may do no better, but why not try?
'We've got to be sharper': Healy not happy as Aussies lose third straight with Ashes going down to the wire
Who is the best available opener after Khawaja? Probably Bancroft. Labuschagne maybe, but if you do that you end up moving up Smith and Head to positions they may be less comfortable in. Head as an opener would be a massive gamble, and moves him from where he’s been one of the 2 consistently successful batters. Green as an opener seems an equal hail mary based on nothing much. Bancroft would have to be a better bet. How then to get Green, if fit, into the side? Subject to how the wicket appears, does Murphy add enough more than Head as a bowler? If the conclusion based on the pitch is “no” (and I fully acknowledge the no specialist spinner approach is one that has usually not worked – but here England have not been batting for long periods, so one role of a spinner – tying up an end and allowing the pace bowlers to rest – has been a bit redundant and may be again if the pitch at Old Trafford is anything like Headingley) Green for Murphy, and then you get to also put in Hazlewood for Boland who for whatever reason hasn’t posed much threat. Yes, the bowling is a bit same-y, and Green is always a bit of an injury risk, but you have more of the bowling that is effective on the type of pitch produced at Headingley, and more batting (which arguably has been the real problem).
Even if he has ‘Sandpapergate’ secrets, Warner should be dropped - but who'll take his spot?
It’s more a matter of spinners not getting to bowl isn’t it? You’re not wrong that if one or both of Jonassen and Wareham aren’t going to be trusted to bowl, you might as well pick someone else for their batting. Puzzling why Jonassen didn’t bowl more than one over (unless injured) after taking 3-25 in the first game.
Aussies have to wait longer for Ashes urn after England cause boilover in nail-biting finale
Ponting was run out by Pratt wasn’t he? Constantly on the field while the pace bowlers took turns to rest (and clean the murray mints off their fingers!).
Incidentally, Dean Jones v WI got mentioned. That is possibly the one where there is most clearly a right to complain, given it resulted from complete ignorance of the law by the umpire. Admittedly, someone on the Australian side should have been able to explain to the umpire why they were wrong and get the correct decision made.
Given Lamb(?) was completely off the ground when Phillips’ shot hit him, hard to see that it wasn’t a fair catch to Gower. It’s not like it may or may not have Lamb’s foot while that foot was on the ground.
Australians like to whinge too: The 1985 Ashes
On paper that was a very strong England batting line up, and on paper a pretty average attack, except that Phil Newport was regarded as a real threat on the anticipated green pitch at Headingley. Just goes to show that sometimes paper gets it right, and sometimes it gets it wrong. I remember being delighted that England hadn’t held out on the final day, given how easy batting seemed to have been up until then. A real almost Bazballian lack of application. Of course, what we didn’t know then was that the whole rebel tour cloud was hanging over the English. Interesting that it was one of the very few matches I can think of where Australia went in without a specialist spinner and ended up winning (Greg Campbell taking the spot Trevor Hohns filled for the rest of the series).
Headingley 1989: A memorable success for Australia
Except that a few times he at least started really well before the wheels came off. Maybe he’s doing things the other way round this time.
Exclusive: 'We'll improve': Eddie's parting shot at Wallabies assistant after sensationally quitting RWC campaign