11 hours ago, Macca said:

India win by 7 wickets in the shortest test match of all time ... 107 overs vs 109.2 overs (way back when)

… and SA was the team that suffered a loss in that Test match from way back when, (now the 2nd-shortest Test match as of yesterday). Except on that occasion it was at the hands of the mighty Aussies 💚💛

(Kinda like the Dees owning 190 and 186. 😑)

Aiden Markram 106 off only 103 🤌

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

… and SA was the team that suffered a loss in that Test match from way back when, (now the 2nd-shortest Test match as of yesterday). Except on that occasion it was at the hands of the mighty Aussies 💚💛

(Kinda like the Dees owning 190 and 186. 😑)

Aiden Markram 106 off only 103 🤌

And here's the scoreboard from that test match played at the MCG 1931/32.  Described as a vicious sticky wicket but in those days, wickets were uncovered

Bert Ironmonger (left arm slow orthodox) had match figures of 11/24!  Aussie Rules star Laurie Nash opened the bowling for Australia

Australia vs South Africa 5th Test 1931/32

And the Australia/Pakistan 3rd test has well and truly come alive

With WTC points at stake, these tests previously described as dead rubbers now mean a great deal (especially if the WTC Final continues to gain appeal)

Pakistan already 2 for 3!  

2 hours ago, Macca said:

And the Australia/Pakistan 3rd test has well and truly come alive

With WTC points at stake, these tests previously described as dead rubbers now mean a great deal (especially if the WTC Final continues to gain appeal)

Pakistan already 2 for 3!  

… and their nightmare continued.

Josh Hazelwood: a 3-wicket maiden over. W dot W dot W dot. Sublime. 

Pakistan played a pretty good series and could have easily won a test or two with a bit more polish.

Will be an interesting watch the Windies series and whether they have Green or Smith open or go with another option before heading to NZ for that tour?

Then comes the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean before some white ball tours of Afghanistan (neutral venue anyway), Ireland and England before we're back home.

And I hope the ICC don't green light another T20 or T10 comp in October/November. We've often toured South Africa then, the ODI World Cup was then last year and is set for then in 2027 and its also the start of our domestic season.

Cricket needs to make sure they don't let private enterprise ruin the sport.

Along with everything else, another reason Jasprit is my favourite Indian player…

Humility and grace

On 07/01/2024 at 12:04, WalkingCivilWar said:

Along with everything else, another reason Jasprit is my favourite Indian player…

Humility and grace

He’s an unbelievable bowler, love watching him play. 

It's good to see West Indies doing ok in their tour match. Yes the CAXI aren't exactly Australia A, but there's some decent players in the CAXI. Peter Handscomb, Tim Ward, Jake Doran are all very handy first class Cricketers. And Teague Wylie has some big wraps on him.

 

Brief score run down approaching lunch on Day 3 (final day).

West Indies 1st Innings 8/251dec

J. Greaves 65  L. Haskett 3/57(18)

K. Hodge 52    D. Warren 2/47(20)

 

CA XI 1st Innings 174

T. Ward 50   K. Roach 2/23(9)

B. Hope 24  S. Joseph 2/28(8)

 

West Indies 2nd Innings 4/235

J.Da Silva 105   L. Haskett 3/61(10)

K. Hodge 92*   L. Scott 1/15(11) 

 

So looks like Kavem Hodge has guaranteed himself a test debut as a middle order batsman with twin 50's. Shamar Joseph has probably won out for the 3rd fast bowler spot ahead of Akeem Jordan given his extra pace. Though will leave the Windies with a really weak tale from 9 down.

Also worth noting that keeper Da Silva made his 100 as an opener. Could they promote him to 3 for the tests given there's no obvious candidate for that spot?

Anyway I was concerned that CA XI might have won this tour match easily. The fact that the Windies have been comfortably in control though, gives me some hope they might be a total embarrassment for the series.

 

Edited January 12, 20241 yr by MadAsHell

On 08/01/2024 at 19:51, ANG13 said:

He’s an unbelievable bowler, love watching him play. 

Amazing how he bowls around 150kmph off such a short run up!

On 05/01/2024 at 11:54, Macca said:

And here's the scoreboard from that test match played at the MCG 1931/32.  Described as a vicious sticky wicket but in those days, wickets were uncovered

Bert Ironmonger (left arm slow orthodox) had match figures of 11/24!  Aussie Rules star Laurie Nash opened the bowling for Australia

Australia vs South Africa 5th Test 1931/32

Laurie Nash, one of my all-time favourites, CHF at the towering height of 5' 9" kicked 21 goals in a state match against Tasmania from CHF.  Said that he saw the best ever footballer each time he shaved.

A "forceful" fast bowler, he was known as the Tasmanian Wildman.  2 test for 10 wickets at 12.  The ACBC threatened the English with him during Bodyline although the Australian captain had already said that he wouldn't play with him.  What a guy!!

Edited January 23, 20241 yr by redandbluemakepurple
for "[lay with" read "play with"

Travis Head with a king pair (out first ball in both innings of a test match)

That would haunt you!

It's happened 23 times now which includes 2 Aussies (Adam Gilchrist & Ryan Harris) 

Full credit to the Windies and a star is born with Shamar Joseph!  Just brilliant!

To temper all that is hearing that it has cost the WI cricket board $2Million to send their team here ... that's sobering.  And the WI is not at all cash-strapped.  Test cricket in the Windies has no broadcast partner

The big 3 nations and the ICC really needs to step in and save test cricket from a worldwide point of view

But for the Windies, they ouplayed the Aussies fair & square

Not sure that Smith should have exposed Hazlewood to the last 2 deliveries of Shamar's over?

And apparently the West Indies were fired up after Rodney Hogg called them pathetic & hopeless

And just 986 spectators on day 4 and it's a Sunday?  That's a shocking turn-up

 

Edited January 28, 20241 yr by Macca

@Macca 100% that was a mistake by Smith as soon as he took the single I was thinking wtf.

Joseph was epic yesterday, so happy for the young fella, Cricket is better if the Windies are a serious team. And I felt like they are young but with a different attitude to that of the last 15 years.

2 hours ago, DEE fence said:

@Macca 100% that was a mistake by Smith as soon as he took the single I was thinking wtf.

Joseph was epic yesterday, so happy for the young fella, Cricket is better if the Windies are a serious team. And I felt like they are young but with a different attitude to that of the last 15 years.

Smith had to back himself to get a single off the 5th or 6th ball ... especially when a bloke like Shamar Joseph is bowling lights out

There's a big difference in Hazlewood having to face 1 ball instead of 2 balls.  Or none if Smith gets a single off the last ball of the over

Smith always seems to be in his own little world.  A great player and tactician but that decision to take that single off the 4th ball lacked thought.  To me it was a reckless decision

As Joseph was running into bowl I thought if he gets any tail from leg to off with the pace that he bowls, Hazlewood is out

In terms of whether it helps test cricket in the West Indies I'm not too sure either.  The board over there are cash-strapped and it's costing them lots of money to field a test team

That's the grim reality

Edited January 29, 20241 yr by Macca

@Macca poor Smith for sure he will be ruing that 4th ball, lets not kick him too much while he is down, but bloody hell... I wanted to us to win, fiercely, but we got done fair and square, unlike the footy, where there is a lot more scope for dissent with the rulings, not so with this test. And to me that is Cricket, my religion, my father easily put 10,000 hours into me and my brothers, (for not much result sadly). Play bloody hard, cop the result, but not with a win at all cost mentality. So I care, but happily acknowledge an extraordinary performance, hell even the whinging Poms acknowledge Warne's Ball of the Century. 

I also think we are not as good as we think we are, All cricket teams have guns (talking batters here, not bowlers, our pace attack is fierce), ours frequently go missing and a middle order collapse surprises precisely no-one. Where we rock is fielding, (just quietly I think Cummins should get credit for this along with the coaches), we do the little things well and it is these fine margins that have resulted in recent success. I am also sick of our batters coasting on the back of the best pace attack going around. Hopefully we see some more tinkering with the list.

I am also a bit nostalgic for when the Windies were good, to quote FDR "I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made." '95 was the series that made Steve Waugh historic. Am sick of playing the Poms who sook about everything, or the Indians with their BS test decks. Give me the Windies, Super Cat, Whispering Death, Master Blaster, Big Bird, Sir Curtly, Walsh, Marshall, and the Prince. If this new crew can find even 50% of the grace and power of those greats, test cricket will be just fine.

And seriously the ACB should bank roll the Windies to visit, the Windies tours made fortunes for the ACB in the 70s80s/90s. 

Excellent post @DEE fence and I agree with just about everything that you had to say ... especially your thoughts on the great Windies players.  They were a must watch and had so much talent and charisma!! 

As for England, as much as I don't like Bazball, they did play well to win the first test against India after being well behind on the first innings

That might be 12 or 13 wins from their last 16 tests using that method so it's got the cricket world sitting up and taking notice

Anyway, the first of 3 ODI's against the Windies starts Friday at the MCG (3 x t20's to follow) 

But is there much interest?  What sort of crowd is expected?

The game is not on Ch7 so I reckon a lot of people won't even know that the game is being played

My preference will be to watch the 2nd test between India & England (starts Friday as well) 

Edited January 30, 20241 yr by Macca

For those wanting to follow the India/England test series, the broadcast is available on the SEN app

51 minutes ago, Macca said:

For those wanting to follow the India/England test series, the broadcast is available on the SEN app

I’m watching it on Kayo. Unfortunately I didn’t get to watch any of Jaiswal’s brilliant innings (good on the young man).

What I did see and I’d happily watch again and again is the Bumrah ball that saw Ollie Pope back in the sheds. 🤯

Jasprit’s first spell was nothing to write home about but right now he’s on 🔥 

Edited February 3, 20241 yr by WalkingCivilWar

Just now, WalkingCivilWar said:

I’m watching it on Kayo. Unfortunately I didn’t get to watch any of Jaiswal’s brilliant innings (good on the young man).

What I did see and I’d happily watch again and again is the Bumrah ball that saw Ollie Pope back in the sheds. 🤯

Another wicket to India ... 6/172 and in control.  Batting last could be problematical for England 

And I'm streaming it as well but cricket on the radio works better than most other sports.  And back close on 100 years ago, the broadcasting was quite sophisticated (all things considered)

 

39 minutes ago, Macca said:

Another wicket to India ... 6/172 and in control.  Batting last could be problematical for England 

And I'm streaming it as well but cricket on the radio works better than most other sports.  And back close on 100 years ago, the broadcasting was quite sophisticated (all things considered)

 

Wow. Some crazy scenes in that, Macca. The tied Test vs WI was called beautifully.

The bowler getting manhandled by spectators having just bowled a bouncer into the batsman’s head (why would you then send him to field on the boundary?!?!) and the mass pitch-invasion. Crazy times!

Jasprit strikes again! 

I wonder how Smith is going to be able to handle Bumrah batting as an ageing opener?  Bancroft, Renshaw or Pucovski (if available) would be my preference (remembering that Khawaja is turning 38 next summer and can't go on forever)

But the selectors have plans for Green at no.4 so I suppose the decision has been made.  And it's just the 2 Tests against the Kiwi's coming up before India come here for the 5 test summer

Speaking of India, they just defeated the Bazballers in the 2nd test and the match itself moved at high pace.  A great test match played on a very good sporting wicket

I'm a little surprised that we haven't seen 2 dustbowl wickets but maybe India are concerned about the England spinners? 

What a one-sided affair in NZ!

The Kiwis lead the South Africans by 528 runs in the 1st Test but will they bat on and send a message to the SA cricket board? (for sending a 2nd rate touring squad)

Mind you, I'm not sure they'll go as far as Bill Lawry when he set the West Indies 735 to win the 5th Test in the 1968/69 series

I wonder if that's the highest target ever set?  

Aust vs WI 5th Test 1968/69 Scorecard

India demolish England in the 3rd test!  They (India) have got a seemingly endless supply of class batsmen too

They could go on and win the series 4-1 at this rate.  4th test starts Friday (24/2)

And then next summer it's Australia vs India for 5 Tests in the battle of the heavyweights (although, to be fair, the Aussies just lost a test to an undermanned West Indies)

Australia play the first of of 2 tests in New Zealand beginning 29th Feb.  Might be a drawn series (1-1) as the Kiwi's always take it up to the Aussies

Great fightback in this test.