Had a bit of chuckle when Flem and Warnie were commentating the other night and wished the Vics good luck in the shield final being played at their traditional home ground in Hobart. Very funny. Then started talking about bouncer repellent. I like Flem as a commentator he's a very witty bloke.

Pity there's no coverage of the shield final at least as there has been in the past. I find Sheffield Shield still one of the most enjoyable forms of the game to watch. Vic's have their work cut out for them though with the Warriors at 4 for 310. Still with rain forecast for all of Monday and showers on Tuesday & Wednesday they would want to bowl well on what looks to be an extremely flat deck. Ahmed might be a sneaky chance for the ashes tour.

Grazman, you can watch live via the Cricket Australia website and app.

Grazman, you can watch live via the Cricket Australia website and app.

Excellent, thanks 45.

NZ vs SA what an intense finish!

NZ vs SA what an intense finish!

Great finish ... happy to see the Kiwis get through. The South Africans blew it again - 3 run-out blunders and missed catches.

Now, let's see if the Aussies can win on Thursday - the spinners from India might prove a handful on the Sydney deck.

What a ripping game. SA got a bit thrown off by the rain, but NZ dropped four catches which I thought was going to doom them. Full credit to them for chasing it down under huge pressure.

Let's hope it's the NZ v Aus game we've all been hoping for.

When Elliott and Anderson were new at the crease I was thinking hmmm, don't have much faith in this fairly non-descript middle order. Thought they both batted sensationally - kept the runs ticking along, then picked up the pace at the right time. Shame Anderson got out and wasn't there to finish, though Vettori being there definitely added to the theatrics.

I was barracking hard for NZ and felt so nervous I narrowly avoided missing the last 3 overs due to the need to chuck my guts up. Great, great stuff. Up there with the best finishes ever, I reckon.

Yep, was a cracker of a game with the momentum shifting back and forth throughout. SA only have themselves to blame with the missed catches and run-outs.

How about Steyn calling for the doc with 4 balls to go!

Without meaning to turn in to a whinging bitch after such a good finish, I'd love to see the MFC put in high class performances like that, where ability need to combine with some serious calm to deliver victory against one of the absolute best oppositions. AFL is my favourite sport, and I've almost started to forget what it is I love about sport after so many years of our team sucking. This match - and the Aus vs NZ match earlier - have reminded me of that.

Should be a good finish to the Shield final tomorrow, for anyone following along..

WA definitely on top in the match, currently 280 ahead at stumps on day 3 but the Vics only have to bat out the day to take it out. A big chase and a win would be nice but I think playing it safe on a pitch that hasn't shown a lot will be the way to go.

Here's hoping Matty Wade is holding up the Shield tomorrow night

Edited March 24, 201510 yr by Hellfish

Should be a good finish to the Shield final tomorrow, for anyone following along..

WA definitely on top in the match, currently 280 ahead at stumps on day 3 but the Vics only have to bat out the day to take it out. A big chase and a win would be nice but I think playing it safe on a pitch that hasn't shown a lot will be the way to go.

Here's hoping Matty Wade is holding up the Shield tomorrow night

Go you good things! Well done the Vics. Obviously a very flat deck, but still a great effort.

Go you good things! Well done the Vics. Obviously a very flat deck, but still a great effort.

Weird call from Voges for WA to keep batting in the morning. Wasted 8 overs. Were they that worried about 280-odd? At any rate, they should have been setting us something achievable to encourage us to go for it - a loss = a draw for them. Bad tactics (IMO they should even have declared last night, set us 250 but had a go at us last night before stumps).

Weird call from Voges for WA to keep batting in the morning. Wasted 8 overs. Were they that worried about 280-odd? At any rate, they should have been setting us something achievable to encourage us to go for it - a loss = a draw for them. Bad tactics (IMO they should even have declared last night, set us 250 but had a go at us last night before stumps).

I think even chasing a low total the Vics would have still played safe. Winning the shield was a bigger prize then winning the match. Other then really forcing the wickets there wasn't a lot WA could really do.

It's quite incredible how amazing Starc is at ODI cricket. At times completely unplayable, both at the top of the innings and at the death. Has to be the number 1 ODI bowler in the world right now. Yet put him in whites with a red ball and he loses his sh*t completely - can't hold a line or length, doesn't have any menace at all.

Watto MUST bat down the order at 5/6. He benefits which means the team benefits.

Clarke looked very relaxed with some stroke play to remind everyone he's still one of the best going around.

Starc is bowling Ike a man possessed.

The tournament deserves an Aus v NZ final. The atmosphere will be off the scale.

Good call ... should be a great match.

Interesting that this is Australia's 7th final in 11 attempts (we've won 4 world cups of course)

It'll be tough but I expect a 5th triumph - however, if the Kiwi's get up, it'll be well deserved on their part.

It's quite incredible how amazing Starc is at ODI cricket. At times completely unplayable, both at the top of the innings and at the death. Has to be the number 1 ODI bowler in the world right now. Yet put him in whites with a red ball and he loses his sh*t completely - can't hold a line or length, doesn't have any menace at all.

short burst bowler...Lethal

It's quite incredible how amazing Starc is at ODI cricket. At times completely unplayable, both at the top of the innings and at the death. Has to be the number 1 ODI bowler in the world right now. Yet put him in whites with a red ball and he loses his sh*t completely - can't hold a line or length, doesn't have any menace at all.

Goes hunting for wickets and is worried about economy. I think he's never been secure on a test team and hasn't played enough shield cricket to have full faith in his ability, either that or he gets guys out too easily the next level down.

Wait until he's picked for the first test in a series and backed in the entire way. He'll find his confidence and bowl like he does in ODIs. Only problem is for now when Harris and Johnson are fit he's still going to be competing with Hazlewood for a test team and Hazlewood has bowled beautifully these last two games at least at the start of innings.

Batting:

The Kiwi's rely on McCullum to fire up the innings. After that Williamson is the class. Guptill, Taylor, Elliott, Anderson, Ronchi and Vettori give them batting all the way down to 8. They probably don't have the huge hitting that we do, but Anderson can smack it. I certainly think there are 2 big wickets and from there it's a matter of restricting the rest. Obviously if McCullum goes berserk they could score anything, but really I think there are 320 team at best.

Bowling:

3 absolute guns - Boult, Southee and Vettori. And they complement each other. Boult's a star up first. Southee is dangerous throughout and Vettori can put the brakes on whenever he's needed. Only saw this Henry guy v SA, but they had 2 class options on the bench and chose him instead. He looks solid and dependable. Anderson is decent for an all rounder, but hitable. They don't have a clear 6th option, Elliott or Williamson should both go if they get called upon.

Aussie's advantage:

Power hitting - Watson, Maxwell, Haddin, Faulkner, Johnson can all smack it better than probably anyone but Anderson

6th bowler - with 3 all rounders we have versatility and can bank Johnson, Faulkner and most importantly Starc for big moments, the Kiwi's bowl Boult out and keep on to Southee meaning the 4th and 5th bowler often play important roles

Home ground advantage

Kiwi's advantage

World class spinner to tie us down

More reliable big hitter from the top - McCullum has been better than Finch and Warner

The Kiwi's have to win it in the first 10 overs of each innings I think. If they make 1-70 from 10 they can put up or chase a big score. Similarly if they bowl and get us 3-30 again they'll have a huge advantage. The longer innings go the more chance our flexible bowling options make a difference and the more likely our big hitting does more damage.

93,013 fans witnessing history.

Squad for WI tour:

NSW

Michael Clarke

Steve Smith

Brad Haddin

Josh Hazlewood

Nathan Lyon

Peter Nevill

Mitchell Starc

David Warner

Shane Watson

QLD

Ryan Harris

VIC

Fawad Ahmed

Chris Rogers

Peter Siddle

WA

Mitchell Johnson

Shaun Marsh

Mitchell Marsh

Adam Voges

Tas and SA not represented.

Harris was named with an * next to his name, and is apparently not going. Not sure why he was named in the squad, then...

Lots of the usual bitching and moaning on facebook and stuff about NSW being over-represented, but it's pretty hard to name anyone from the squad who doesn't belong there. Everyone has their opinion on Watson, but he's obviously still well in favour with the selectors. There are even a few other NSW players whose cases could be pressed, such as Pat Cummins. Peter Siddle is lucky to be in the squad IMO.

Good to see Adam Voges selected as a reward for good form. Players being overlooked for being too old despite great form is hopefully a thing of the past. Hopefully they've learned something from Chris Rogers being overlooked for many years.

Anyone know where James Pattinson is at? He took 0/131 in the Shield final and only bowled 5.5 overs in the second innings. Injured again? His brittleness has to be a worry, although we seem pretty well covered for talented quicks at this stage.

Really pleased that Fawad Ahmed is in the squad. He is far and away the best spin bowler in the country IMO.

Harris was named with an * next to his name, and is apparently not going. Not sure why he was named in the squad, then...

Not playing the West Indies leg of the tour because it will clash with the birth of his first child, but will be available for the Ashes.

Siddle's lost his CA contract but still in the squad? Is that right?

Overall good squads I think. With Harris missing the WI tour I think Siddle will return, alongside Johnson and either Ahmed as a second spinner, or Starc. In England I'd suggest we'll start with Johnson, Harris and Starc.

Good on Nevill for bypassing Wade for the back-up gloveman job. Wade's batting and captaincy were great this season but his glovework is holding him back.

Voges and Ahmed deserved their call ups (especially Ahmed over Agar). I wonder if Voges will get the number 6 spot vacated by Burns, or if one of the Marsh brothers will take it back. Personally I wouldn't play Mitch Marsh alongside Watson; IMO it's one or the other. So might be S Marsh vs Voges for the number 6 spot.

Smith to 3 IMO as well. Clarke at 4, Watson down at 5.

Siddle's lost his CA contract but still in the squad? Is that right?

Yep, that's right. They've given Pattinson a contract despite his continued injury problems but Siddle is going on the tours as the reliable back up.

For the West Indies:

Rogers

Warner

Smith - still not sure on him at 3 with his technique, I'd prefer him at 4

Clarke

S. Marsh - Voges has the form, but S Marsh has the incumbent spot. He made 99 in Melb and 73 in Sydney

Watson - he's an allrounder at test level and should bat at 6 until (if ever) he proves he can bat at the top 5

Haddin

Johnson

Starc

Hazlewood

Lyon

For the Ashes just swap either Hazlewood or Starc out for Harris.

If Watson is bowling well enough to be the 3rd seamer or if M Marsh gets his spot at 6 for that same reason I hope we are brave enough at some stage to play the leg spinner. He's got the ability to win test matches that Lyon doesn't.

Next Aussies summer:

Warner

??????

Smith

Clarke

??????

M Marsh/Faulkner/Watson

Nevill

Johnson
Starc/Cummings

Hazlewood/Pattinson

Fawad/Lyon

Big chance for Shaun Marsh or Voges to secure the middle order spot now before next summer. The next opener is a fascinating proposition as well. Joe Burns is presumably still in the picture. Hopefully our man Peter Handscomb is as well.