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As the end of another summer of cricket nears, the narrative surrounding the state of the Test match format has never been more alarming.…
For Fremantle Dockers supporters, the weekend’s Round 1 display against an injury-hit St Kilda outfit was groundhog day. For so long, the Dockers forward-line…
Shafique batted well in the first innings and looks a terrific long-term prospect at 24 but his two drops are the difference in this game. It’s staggering that someone who looks so adept with the bat can be so uncoordinated in the field. Looks like he has never fielded in the cordon in his life. You feel him or Babar will need to make a 100 in the chase if they are to be any chance.
'Bit of karma': Marsh rescues Aussies - but misses out on ton - as Pakistan take fight to hosts despite horror drop
Tense, high-pressure game that had everything about it that makes you love watching finals footy. Credit to the Blues, particularly Acres and Docherty, who contributed despite playing through injury. Acres in particular is looking like the value recruit of the year and it’s ridiculous what Freo were offering him last year given the form he produced. Happy to see him playing well.
As for Melbourne, that loss epitomised their issues. Should have shut the gate on Carlton but after every miss in the final term, you just felt they would come back to bite them. And so it did. There will be sleepless nights aplenty from a group that has missed a golden opportunity to win multiple flags given the talent in that group.
Finals Fix: How Melbourne killed their season with the butcher job to end all butcher jobs
I agree that in Fyfe could be effective down back intercepting in the mould of a Jeremy Howe type but I can’t see Longmuir throwing him back given how solid the back six is at the moment.
The Fyfe conundrum and the future for Fremantle’s greatest ever talent
I agree that JL should be getting Fyfe higher up the ground and playing more as a link man instead of deep in the goal square.
Given how good he is overhead, I think he can be effective pushing up the ground and being an option for an outlet kick to take a relieving mark out of defence
On the weekend, I think Fyfe could have been unleashed on ball at stages but given he’s spent a whole pre-season up forward and the development of the young mids, I think JL needs to back him in as a forward and tinker with his role slightly as well as the ball movement.
I’d like to have a look at Sturt this week and Walters, despite his age, is probably the only player on the list (perhaps Amiss but he’s still raw) who has genuine class in front of goal so I think they should be coming in.
The Fyfe conundrum and the future for Fremantle’s greatest ever talent
Although Carlton led for most of the night and it would be a frustrating result for their supporters, I thought they showed a lot of grit to hang tough and almost grind out what would have been an outstanding first up win under pressure. In saying that, they’d want to improve their clearance work given that was their major strength last year.
On Lewis Young, while he would have wanted his time again in that last contest, he gave Jack Riewoldt an absolute bath all night and was arguably the best man on the ground so it would be unfair to pin too much blame on him.
Footy Fix: How an unsung Tigers hero's selfless act stole them a draw... and the Blues who stuffed up the key play
I understand Freo don’t have the experience or credentials of most of the teams within the eight but I think its a touch naive to be writing them off as ‘making up the numbers’. They won 15.5 games for the season, which is a number that would get you finishing top 4 in most seasons, and beat Geelong in Geelong and Melbourne at the G along the way.
Yes, they have their obvious flaws, particularly their makeshift forward line and the Fyfe injury isn’t ideal but I think if they can get past the Dogs, they’re as good as even money to beat the Pies if they go down to Geelong.
The top eight rated: Which teams can actually win the flag?
This is an excellent statement from Cummins – particularly the punchline about sticking up for his mates. Hopefully him and the team, having acknowledged the good job JL has done, can all move on and not be burdened by his departure in Pakistan.
'Sticking up for my mates': Cummins explains why he wanted JL gone in brutally honest statement
What an epic game of cricket and what a win for the Aussies who have found form at the right time. Good to see the somewhat maligned Matty Wade clutch up and be the hero.
Afridi might have some sleepless nights after his final over but its easy to forget that he’s only 21 and is already spearheading an international attack. He will be one of the best bowlers in the world in all three formats very soon.
MATCH REPORT: Wonderful Wade's stunning heist sends Australia to World Cup final
Watched quite a bit of WAFL this year and Clark is certainly a player who could play a role at AFL level. Not the quickest player but is big-bodied, clean and got a penetrating kick.
Couple of other mature age smokey’s from the WAFL this year could be Bailey Rogers, Blake Schlensog, Tyrone Thorne and Tyler Keitel.
Greg Clark: The mature-age WAFL sensation your club needs
I know the Eagles have been a bit underwhelming this year and have lost some important games, but I think it is extremely harsh to say they’ve perennially underachieved under Simpson.
It’s easy to say in hindsight that since the 2018 flag they’ve been disappointing, but going into that 2018 season were widely tipped to miss the eight. To think they’ve won a flag and made the finals every year since then would have been considered highly unlikely at the time.
The reality is, this is a club that has played in six consecutive finals series, made a grand final, won a flag on the road against an MCG tenant, while dealing with the heaviest travel burden in the comp. I think its a stretch to say they’ve underachieved.
Another failed season for West Coast, the perennial underachievers
Great article but I’m pretty sure Steve Smith played two tests v Bangladesh in 2017 in that series that was drawn 1-1.
Cricket’s debatable statistics: The flat track bully
The fact you still get recorded as having officially played the game as the injury sub, even though you might not have even come on is absolutely ridiculous. There is no common sense in that. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is used to help a few players sneak milestones in.
AFL approves medical substitute for 2021 season
Great summation of what was a riveting series. Terrific to see the understrength Windies get the win and you’d think some of the guys on debut (Da Silva, Bonner, Mayers) will get a crack in the next series against Sri Lanka over blokes like Roston Chase and Darren Bravo who have been underperforming for a while.
The Test series that flew under cricket fans’ radars
Yeah fair enough, Mayers didn’t have to farm the strike and take as many risks as Perera and Stokes did given the tail weren’t in.
Nonetheless one of the most unexpected but greatest innings you will see.
‘Fab four’ or not, Joe Root is a modern great
What about Kyle Mayers knock of 210* on a turning track in the 4th innings for the West Indies to chase 395. On debut no less! That makes it into the Perera and Stokes category for me.
‘Fab four’ or not, Joe Root is a modern great
As much as the Ashes talk will direct the Australian cricket narrative for much of this year, England still have a lot of cricket to get through before then. They’ve got 4 tests in India, 2 against NZ and then another 5 against India at home.
So there’s plenty of water to go under the bridge for them and you’d think they’d come over a match hardened unit given their schedule this year.
Ashes niggle in January? Strap in for a long year
Would have liked to have seen Jhye Richardson in the Test squad but I guess considering he didn’t play any Shield games this season, it would have been a tough ask for him to step up with the red ball coming off just Big Bash games.
Apart from that, no real surprises. Will be interesting to see how a couple of the young guns in Philliphe and Sangha go if given the chance in NZ.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Ashwin was terrific today. I thought that after surviving the opening Bumrah spell only 1 down and seeing him come on early, that it was a defensive move from Rahane and that the Aussies could push on to lunch.
However, I couldn’t have been more wrong as Ashwin looked threatening from ball one and constantly held up an end.
Home pitch bully no more, Ashwin is an all-conditions star
Despite Langer’s public backing of Burns, I’m still very surprised they’ve picked him.
Good luck to him, but I feel it undermines the integrity of selection a bit, when he’s played two tour matches against the attack he’ll be facing and made 5 runs in 4 digs.
Australia reportedly settle on opening pair, XI, for first Test vs India
What a seed that second wicket is. Almost unplayable for your first ball. A shame that Jameison wasn’t around when the Kiwis were over here last summer.
Is this one of the greatest overs in Test history?
Thanks for all your articles Josh.
On North, tend to agree that an inside mid was not the most pressing need. Would have loved to have seen them go for Logan McDonald, especially since Ben Brown won’t be there next year.
For Freo, was surprised they went with another defender at the first pick, given the plethora they already have (Hughes, Duman, Cox, Young, Logue, Hamling, Pearce, Ryan, Hill etc.) but it is good to see them go local after drafting Victorians with their early picks recently.
2020 AFL draft: Club-by-club review, my take on every team
There are two things I would be questioning as a Collingwood player after the trade period.
1) Can I trust the coach and club hierarchy? As written in the article, if Bucks did actually lie to the players about the Treloar situation, then he has seriously breached the trust of the playing group and would make his position at the club untenable. I don’t like seeing people lose their jobs, but you’d think someone would have to pay the price for what’s gone down.
2) Can my future be guaranteed at the club when they’ve just traded away quality players like their pawns? If I’m a Magpies player, I’m thinking I’m only one tap on the shoulder away from getting traded, even if you’re contracted.
I’ve always felt aggrieved when contracted players want to walk out of the club when under contract. However, I think it’s worse when a club offers a player like Treloar a lucrative contract which he accepts in good faith, only for them to shunt him out of the club when they’ve realised they’ve overpaid them.
How could a prospective player sign a long term contract with Collingwood, when they know the club has shown they are more than happy to not honour that contract down the line.
I’m sure the Pies have some justification for the decisions they’ve made that us punters are not privy to. However, the way they’ve managed the situation is professionally poor on several levels.
Nathan Buckley's position may no longer be tenable
Huge news. Must admit I thought Cameron would stay. With the picks they’ve got from the Kelly trade and now potentially Cameron joining, Geelong are absolutely primed for more sustained success. Although they’d have bigger things on their mind for this week at least.
Jeremy Cameron wants out of the Giants
Pulsating game of footy which was stiff to have a loser. I thought Port were pretty brave but credit to the Tigers who were just slightly cleaner when it mattered and got it done in the end. They’ll be tough to beat next week one thinks.
Must be tough to swallow for the likes of Boak and Gray who may not get a better look at a flag in their careers and for the Hoff who missed who missed out on the fairytale farewell.
And as for Ebert, that final play epitomised what a courageous and solid player he’s been for a very long time. Hopefully he can get over his lingering concussion issues and enjoy what post-footy life has to offer because he’s been a terrific team man.
Lambert's last-quarter strikes put Tigers into the decider
Thanks Dave, agree it was harsh to call Olivier a trundler, looking at his first-class record he’s got 540 wickets at under 24 which is a very impressive career. Hopefully he can help lead the Proteas to a competitive showing in NZ.
The dying art of digging in: Has T20 wrecked the technique and temperament of the modern Test batter?