Sir Why You Little

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/8612175/australia-cricket-review/ Better Late than never i suppose, i only wish this had been done some time before the Ashes Series. Maybe then the team could have been in australia last november playing 4 day matches.....Enough said. Maybe C.A. needs to sell membership packages to the Australian public, like the MFC does. Thus making itself that little more accessible and a little less aloof from the people who go to the games. Just a thought....

Prior Kept Beautifully to a moving Ball, Yes i am glad somebody bought that up...And please not once have i bagged Haddin, but he did go out to some pretty ordinary shots, when we really needed someone to dig in, yes he did come in at some dire times i admit. But we needed more half centuries converted and it did not happen. Thus our Bowlers regularly had bugger all to defend, making their jobs even more futile. Bottom Line is 3-1 out of 5 flattered Australia. We were thrashed... and yes the Mystery of the swinging ball in both Hemisphere's we Aussies must sort out and quickly.

45 i am not going to question your stats- i believe them don't worry!! Haddin did well, but i think you are under selling Prior (maybe that is a better way of putting it) It's like discounting a Gilchrist century in his prime, when earlier Batsmen had already laid a foundation. Does that lessen the effort from Gilchrist?? Not in my eyes-it just continued the strength of the win to me. The English fielding in all 5 tests was outstanding & that includes Prior. Haddin & Siddle stood up pretty well for australia. Maybe i am too harsh, but i believe those 2 half centuries Haddin made he should have converted to 3 figures, he had done the hard work. So often the Australians went out slogging or nicking. Shots that should not have ocured. (Maybe that is good bowling as well) And i do concede with our 3 & 4 Batsmen sadly out of form Haddin was thrown to the wolves far too often. But Haddin lacked just a little patience, like Watson at times when the Baggy Green really needed a big score. That said he did far more than a few of the Top Order, and Brad Haddin did earn his pay.

Yes i read that Lawson article-spot on i thought. I know it isn't all Saker, but you could see plans with the English bowlers that obviously Saker & Flower had worked out, and the Bowlers followed through. The whole team was pulling in the one direction. The English have beaten us 3 out of 4 times now though with swing bowling high on their list, with either the english or australian ball. The aussies to me looked like they were just hoping things would happen, sometimes they did-but we never looked in control throughout the series. Will the Australian Test side & Cricket Australia learn from all this, or do we still have to hit rock bottom?? It is a shame this stupid world cup is coming up now-we really need more test fixtures soon. 8 months doesn't help us a great deal.

Tto be fair, i did say Haddin has had a pretty fair series under the circumstances-There is not a lot between the 2 keepers. Although i do think Prior made more of his opportunities. Particularly with the bat, he put his head down and a high price on his wicket. I don't think any of our batsmen did that. Even Hussey's big innings were streaky at times. Preparation and fixturing before the series from australia was very poor, and it showed very quickly. Application to the Fundamentals of 5 day cricket seemed to be forgotten by our entire team, that is a major worry. The English did their Homework and once again swung the ball, regularly-We didn't. How did Cricket Australia let David Saker slip away. he is a very good coach looking at this series. Well done to the Poms. We got Done in every department of the game, which may be a blessing in the long run.

You think so??

I agree with the "context" comment, but Prior can only do what he is given, Wicketkeepers are always re-active. And what he has done thus far this summer has been close to flawless (what i have seen) don't forget the Poms keep swinging the ball, we can't seem to do it. No we just give the Poms a victorian coach, who could swing the ball!!!) Grrr Prior is up there with A.P.E. Knott for an english wicketkeepers. Haddin is very good, but he has a lot of improvement-as do the bowlers that hurl the ball to him.

This needs to be Pinned!!! I am speechless (almost) right now...Time for a cold Beer B) Thanks RR

I reckon Haddin has done a fine job this series under the circumstances, but Prior has been Brilliant.

Prior just got another one!!! Fine keeper, glad i drafted him!!! B)

Watson to the HALL OF MIRRORS.... For a good hard look at yourself......BAH!!! B)

How nice to have you back RR. Happy 2011 to you to. Let us continue to always disagree shall we.

I heard Jonty Rhodes interviewed on the wireless the other night, Excellent Bloke and what an all round Champion. I had no idea he was also a top line Hockey player aswell, no wonder his reflexes were always Cat like.

I can see where you are coming from AoB and i do not altogether disagree, Yes Smith, Hughes & Beer should be persevered with, if they show the right mental application going forward. Hughes needs work on his technique, but you can see him becoming Mentally Tougher, still mad he got run out in Melb. What i do not like is seeing players getting a game when they are horribly out of form like Clarke and Hilfenhaus both are. It sends the wrong message out in so many ways. We also must reward some shield players with opportunities at the moment as the side is not settled. Clarke needs a rest, the last thing he needs right now is the added Burden of captaincy IMO. What transpires in this last game against the Poms means very little-The Crunch game was melbourne and we got completely Pantsed in all areas of the game. On Day 1 when England batted that final session where was second slip?? At least 2 balls dissected 1st and 3rd slip. What was going on there?? I can handle losing in a hard fought game(s) but to be out played, out captained & out coached i draw a line at that. There is no way the Poms will be 100% switched on for this last game-I am sure they want to win 3-1, but the main job has been won. Under Mark Taylor we often lost a dead rubber-it's human nature to just drop off that little bit. That said the Poms are still favourites to win I have said it before, Punter was a magnificent Batsman at 3, but i have never been a fan of his captaincy as a tactician, and i don't have a good feeling about Clarke either. Who should be captain next, i am not sure TBH, i think it is a very similiar situation to the MFC, the captain shall emerge in the coming months. But the reality is that Clarke has got the job, but he better perform-and soon Can someone tell me how Ben Hilfenhaus earnt his place in this Sydney Test?? I can't work out any logic for that one.

The Poms sent there 4 Pace Bowlers to the Institute of Excellence in Brisbane before the first test. After already spending time in Germany to train. It is much more than just a spin bowler. Kudos to Andy Flower i say. He is a tough nut who stood up to Robert Magabe, so i have immense respect. Cricket Australia has too many board members for a start, time to lean it down and get Communications sorted between between players coaches & the board. At present it's not happening enough (Communication was the first problem Jimmy addressed at Melbourne-its paramount to a good business) I am trying to be positive here, changes need to happen-They may already have started, but so far it is not enough. I saw the game at the 'G last night, many people there were saying they care far more for the Bushrangers than the Aussie X1 My opinion is the "Golden Contracts" are not the most healthy idea, i wouldn't have them. Open up opportunities to all who play State Cricket.

Khawaja's effort has nothing to do with Clarkes form. Yes i did enjoy his effort. Did well for a dead rubber. (How hard are the poms Really playing?? The last 7 days would have been a large distraction) I have already said Cricket Australia needs a MFC style clean out- Sooner it happens the better, i know many on here disagree, but it must happen. The Poms out planned Cricket Australia from October-They arrived here before we did!!!

Clarke out for 4 on his Home Deck, Stormy day sure, but still not good enough for me. Pity the team is not picked on form rather than promises. Too many of those handshakes were made IMO. Clarke is not the leader the Australian X1 need. Who our leader is right now, like the MFC is up for grabs in my view....

Those changes are so predictable and nothing has changed in the selecting philosophy. NSW is still the state to be. I will just watch all this with great interest, the change to that squad is basically to cover an injury. Did we just get beaten by an innings plus and lose the ashes??? Clarke as Captain? i am not in agreement but it was inevetable. He is averaging 21 this summer and has never looked comfortable. Will he fire up as captain or burst into tears at some stage?? B)

Thanks TU and i agree, Cricket from the top down needs a complete clean out and careful planning-I mean part time coaches, and selectors. Enough please. there is talk of having less shield games and more 20/20's...Do we want to be the best cricket nation again or do we just want quick dollars?? I said it a long time ago, Cricket Australia need a complete restructure on & off field something like our beloved MFC.

Yes let's find the openers i agree, Should have started ages ago, and in saying that i am not having a go at Watson. Watson is an excellent Band Aid, Ponting Argueing with umpires for over 8 minutes is far more than Fineable in my eyes-He got off very lightly, disappointed you do not agree on that one. His Captaincy is over, what's the big deal? If he wishes to bat at 5-6 from now on for 1-2 years he is most welcome.

Hussey out for a Quack...C'mon England, just bowl us all out tonight-I can't watch this baggy green at the MCG anymore. This Australian Side needs the Complete Melbourne Football club Rebuild....starting Tonight/Tomorrow please. See you later Ashes..enjoy the view at lords from that little Box..You will be home again soon i hope....

Really...wow i didn't know it was that many. Just makes me feel stronger that Shane is better served down the order. We need to find 2 Openers in the next 1-2 years. I hope Hughes gets his act together, but he is just in the Pot. See ya Ponting.....That's it for you sunshine...

Well he has just $%&ucked that up hasn't he...not offering a shot. Cripes NONE of these guys understand digging in, Test Cricket style. He had done good work, but sadly he really stuffed that one. This is why Watson should bat down the order. He has done a really good job, but he doesn't convert enough solid starts. A few here will disagree, but i stand by my word. Shane Watson has been a Good Opening Batsmen- He got the selectors out of a jam. But we need better if we are to Win Test Matches regularly. Ponting & Clarke together....should i go & make a cuppa???

Watson really needs a big score now-That run out was his call.....Hughes was doing a good job up until then.

Out of all that reply, i will say one thing. Ponting is finished as a captain, maybe i did not word that quite correctly-Even with a double ton in this innings i think he is gone. He should have been suspended for at least one game after yesterdays meltdown. Losing 40% of a match payment is small change to these guys, and sets a very poor example to junior cricket around the globe. Punter is in now, so let's see if he still has a final punch. Clarke has been the anointed captain for close on 5 years-a decision i have never quite understood, he as been a solid batsman at times, but i don't put him in the "class" category.