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Joined August 2019
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Counting on the gap between his batting and bowling average to increase further in the summer.
Marsh injury could bring Stoinis into Test frame
What happened to Prior? He was dropped, I believe after the last Ashes in Austraila. Don’t remember him getting a farewell Test.
We badly need a fit and confident GOAT this summer
If Lyon had completed the run-out, I don’t think England would have been able to win a test at all in the series. They would have been forced to wait 4 more years before experiencing a Test win in the Ashes.
We badly need a fit and confident GOAT this summer
The main reason for close and thrilling test matches in England is that Australia fight hard even when they are playing in unfavourable conditions. England, on the other hand are good in England and terrible in Australia. This is reflected by their mediocre performance in Australia in the entire Test history. England, more often than not lose, lose terribly and the wheels come off their train once the tour starts going downhill.
Standard flat batting surfaces in Australia are commonplace only in the last decade or so. Before that, each venue was unique and Australia dominated most of the opponents who visited their shores.
This phenomenon is somewhat similar to Australia – India test matches in India too. Starting from 2001, in almost every tour of India, Australia competed very well with most tests lasting the distance and the winner emerging only in the final session or two. The tour of India in 2013 was a disaster due to Homeworkgate and new Australian team with less experience. Other than that, the tests were closely fought in India because Australia gave a tough fight in adverse conditions. When India came to Australia and faced full strength Australian squad, most of the time, it resulted in one sided matches because they are not as good as Australians in fighting back when faced with backs to the wall situations. Remember India lost 0-4, 0-4 to England and Australia in 2011-12 with one of their strongest teams in Test history.
Gripping Ashes proves yet again that England, not Australia, has the hosting formula
Good article. I am surprised that India battted 197 overs in those days. It is so rare to see such a performance in the last 20 overs of Test cricket.
Smith and Gavaskar: A tale of two incredible series
The runs scored has equal weightage, irrespective of the innings.
England win despite stunning Matt Wade ton
I feel his twitching and fidgeting has become more pronounced since his comeback. It has been more overt say compared to the World cup as well. He is probably entering a bubble/zone with all these idiosyncrasies/superstitions(as he himself says) where he is oblivious to everything else.
Smith sizzles in the summer of Stokes
Have you noticed that his twitching and fidgeting has become more pronounced after the comeback? I don’t recall similar movements in the World Cup as well, probably because he does not leave the ball as much.
I feel he is entering a cocoon or zone where he becomes oblivious to anything outside the bowler, field settings and the ball.
Smith sizzles in the summer of Stokes
Fantastic post. Broad and Anderson, they are such a fascinating pair. All great fast bowler discussions in the last decade and never is Broad in any of them but Anderson was always compared to Dale Steyn. I used to follow England tests only against Australia and except in the test series in Australia in 2010-11 and one test in 2015 Ashes in England, I frankly don’t remember Anderson causing a huge turnaround or momentum switch in a single session or two.
I can recall various moments where Broad has stood up and run through Australian batting line up in a single session though. Even in 2013-14 Ashes in Australia when Johnson demolished England, Broad was the one who performed consistently. Anderson is the poster boy for fair weather performer and he represents England as good frontrunners. When England are in a backs to the wall situation, he does not seem to produce a match winning spell.
Anderson was there in all the series where Smith has dominated England bowling. So I don’t think he would have created much impact against Smith. He might have done well against Labuschagne or the tail.
Smith sizzles in the summer of Stokes
Absolutely. I am surprised to see nobody talking about this. McGrath, Warne, Ponting, Steve Waugh, Langer, Michael Hussey are all there in England. This is almost the entire Australian test team of the golden era.
Ditching Lehmann's pace obsession won Australia the Ashes
The performance from Steve Smith has been outstanding in this series. Even more so, considering that 3 out of 5 times, he got out trying to increase the scoring rate.
Yes, he had a catch dropped and was dismissed of a no ball but these things are not very unusual.
Overall, this Australian team batting is weaker than the ones that toured England in 2009, 2013 but the bowling is far superior. Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Johnson are not in the same class as Hazelwood and Cummins.
Australia retain Ashes in a thriller
Even Steve Smith played a lot of test matches in the early days of his career scoring only 50s to save his spot. Then the floodgates opened after the first hundred of his at the Oval in 2013. I think Labuschagne is a similar mould of player. Yesterday he did not throw his wicket away. There are lot of other things than just his 50s that make me quietly confident that he is the next batting star for Australia. For instance, the comments made that he always keeps talking about batting and Cricket. And his hard work off the field. He has been spending a lot of time with Steve Smith talking about the game. All these are very by signs.
Warner has lost the plot – and his off stump
McGrath and Warne did not play the match and the entire series where Sehwag scored that century at MCG. So, I don’t think it is that great. Australian attack without those two is very different with them in it.
The five best Test innings versus Australia
Lot of experts and pundits wrote Steve Smith off when he made his Test debut.
The following comments were made in lot of quarters.
1. He is a bits and pieces player.
2. Nobody knows whether he is a batsman or a leggie.
3. He has got some talent but nobody knew what to do with it. (after Ashes 2010-11)
4. He is a short form player. (after being consistent in IPL for few seasons)
5. He is an lbw candidate, got no technique for test cricket.
Now look at the trajectory of Steve Smith’s career. Not even in the wildest dreams, could anyone have predicted his rise and rise in Test cricket to become the current greatest batsman.
It does not matter how you score runs as long as you score them in buckets.
Same way, it does not matter how you get your wickets as long you get them cheaply.
Pat Cummins’ record in Tests is brilliant. He has a record comparable to Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lilllie and the likes with his performance so far. He has reached the No.1 spot of Test rankings. He has reached the highest rating points ever for a fast bowler in Test history. He has bowled well in all conditions in his short Test career. He was the man of the match in his debut test saving lot of careers in SA (after that horrendous 49 all out in the 1st Test when he did not play).
Aussies need a reshuffle but only one change for fourth Ashes Test
Not really. He got lucky with 4 overthrows in the 2019 final.
In 3rd Test, he got lucky with umpiring decision.
He was good when he made his debut. He is still a good player now.
He has not actually improved.
Compare his records for the first 3 years with the most recent 3 years. I don’t think you will find any evidence of him learning anything.
Stokes revives Ashes with extraordinary match-winning ton
Your posts sure were not there when England lost the 1st Test.
The hour that cost Australia victory
Yeah, let us all forget the 4 consecutive sixes given by Stokes to Braithwaite in T20 final.
The hour that cost Australia victory
Where was the mental skill when Braithwaite smashed Stokes for 4 consecutive sixes in T20 world cup final?
Stokes revives Ashes with extraordinary match-winning ton
Also, on some occasions when Aussies look like losing easily, they mount a comeback of sorts to run the game very close and then lose it. Edgbaston 2005 comes to mind. They were gone for all money, then Lee, Warns and Kasprowicz got them to 2 runs of the target.
I will relish that win in Ashes 2013-14 when the wheels came off England completely. The whole personnel of England changed after that tour.
Why is Australia cursed to lose the classics?
Well, to be fair, Australians needed the extra bowling option as McGrath and Warne retired and the other bowlers were not as good.
Stokes revives Ashes with extraordinary match-winning ton
Can you believe it? Stokes said in a press meet that DRS got it completely wrong when it showed 3 reds when he missed the ball of Lyon when England needed 2 to win. Blames technology and DRS to make his innings flawless.
Stokes revives Ashes with extraordinary match-winning ton
In the context of this Test, those extra balls that Bancroft faced led to them saving the Test.
Warner and Khawaja face make or break Ashes Test
Also, Labuschagne has been talking a lot about cricket and batting with Smith on this tour. Australian batting could do a lot worse than him. This is essentially the same scenario (or even worse than) that Peter Handscombe found himself in the World cup semi final and he could not do the job on that day.
Warner and Khawaja face make or break Ashes Test
There are far too many outstanding first year performances, let alone debuts in history of Test cricket, that preceded the fading of an international career. Let us wait patiently and see what Archer has to offer. After all, he conceded 15 runs in a super over a month back.
Smith cops sickening blow as Aussies scrap at Lord's
Smith has proven to be better tactically or at least lead from the front compared to Paine.
Listening to Smith’s comments after the 5th test where he felt mentally exhausted, I am inclined to give captaincy to someone else to just keep Smith in this elite zone that he is in. He has found another level in his batting and we shouldn’t risk losing it altogether by burdening him especially in this hectic era of constant cricket.
Smith “better” under captaincy pressure