Cricket 2013

[Troy]

With the T20's I was surprised that we changed the line-up after winning the first game. I would have thought that winning 2-0 was more important than trying out new players.

With the ODI it was a clinical win and I was really impressed with Wade as opener and as keeper. If I was Haddin I would be really worried that Wade is going to take his spot permanently. The Hussey brothers were great together and David's offspin continues to be handy for a few overs each game. The bowling line-up was fantastic, never understood why McKay lost his CA contract last year, he has an incredible ODI record and along with Harris makes a great combination. Starc looked really good and he is definitely one for the future, good to know we are finding young players that will be able to replace guys like Lee, Harris etc. in the future. Daniel Christian debuting was pretty good as well, nice seeing an SA player playing for Australia although it probably won't last long as there is a good chance that he will go to Queensland next season.

Still can't believe that Peter Forrest may be making his ODI debut tomorrow and that Ferguson isn't even in the squad, Rob Quiney is pretty hard done by as well to be overlooked with Forrest.

 

[Troy]

Should be another good win coming up for Australia. Only scored 231 with Clarke scoring 57 but the bowlers have been brilliant again. Doherty was excellent with 2/24 from ten overs and then every other bowler has chipped in with at least one wicket. Matthew Wade didn't do anything with the bat but has been awesome with the gloves. Four catches and a stumping plus he has pulled off some incredible dives. Haddin won't be getting his spot back.

 

[Troy]

What a final partnership by Matthews and Prasad. 18 required from Starc's last over and Matthews hits 11 from the first 3. 8 required from the last three balls with Prasad on strike.

 

[Troy]

Great catch by Christian in the deep to get Matthews. Went for the massive swing off Starc but couldn't connect properly. Christian had a great game tonight, 33 runs, two wickets and a catch plus he saved quite a few runs in the field with some big dives.

5 run win in the end. Closer than it should have been but happy to get the win.

 

[Andrew]

What a game!

Aussies win by 5 runs, gotta applaud Sri Lanka for trying so hard.

 

[Troy]

It was a great last wicket effort from them but we just hung on in the end. That runout of Sangakarra by McKay really turned things around in the chase and was the vital wicket to get as they were looking set at that stage.

 

[Kylie]

Missed the game because of work....not happy as it sounded like a really good game.

 

[Troy]

ODI on now in Adelaide, didn't end up going this year.

Batting first and we are 95/3. Michael Hussey is being rested for Peter Forrest and for some reason Wade is dropped down to six and Ponting opened. Ponting was gone early for 6 and then Warner was runout when he and Clarke had a huge mixup. Clarke just got out before to a dumb shot, charged Yadav like it was a T20 and edged a slower ball onto the stumps. Forrest has looked alright so far and is 30* from 36 balls. Still weird when they showed his ODD stats and he averages less than 30 but got a call up to the ODI side. Forrest and D Hussey need to take their time and bat for 15 overs before going for it, Wade and Christian are big finishers so if we bat sensibly we should get a good score.

 

[Andrew]

This Peter Forrest guy can bat, never heard of him but he knows how to play his shots. Except for when he was caught.

 

[Troy]

Lost in the end thanks to one of the worst fielding displays I have seen from an Australian team. Very sloppy throughout the whole innings and we gave away close to a dozen runs plus missed two easy runouts. Dhoni was excellent in the end to get India over the line.

Big news in that Clarke did his hamstring and so won't play in the next match. Who captains the side? Does Ponting get it back? Does Haddin get recalled and get the captaincy? Does the VC for the series so far, David Warner, get it? Does George Bailey get an ODI debut and the captaincy? For me Haddin shouldn't be recalled because Wade has been great behind the stumps and good with the bat. Warner doesn't seem like captaincy material to me so I wouldn't risk him. I would simply give it to Ponting but I see the selectors picking Bailey and making him captain. He has been in form in Shield and ODD since his T20 run so it could happen.

Squad is announced tomorrow and I can't wait for it.

 

[Quad]

Ponting's captain, Bailey didn't get the call *sadface*

But I'd like to make a note: GID THROW HARRIS.

Anyway, it should be good for the newer players to experience what it's like to be captained by Ricky Ponting (here's hoping he doesn't open.....) and hopefully Punter's got a bit refreshed from his break from it. It'd be a good experience for Warner especially, if Cricket Aus is moulding him into one of the senior players in all forms eventually.

Also, can't believe India and Sri Lanka drew. Wish we had that last-ball fielding against India

 

[Troy]

Terrible game yesterday and we deserved to get smashed. The batting was poor, too many batsmen gifted their wickets away and we are lucky that David Hussey is in great form to give us a score over 100. Bowling performance wasn't that much better.

Really surprised that they rested Ryan Harris for that game and the next one. He is our best ODI bowler and he is normally injured so why not use him when he is healthy. Bailey has been called up to the squad to cover for Clarke, Bailey has scored one 50 this season in the 50 over format and averages 34. Still no room for Ferguson who was the second highest scorer in the Ryobi cup before this round started.

Something I didn't realise was that Warner only averages 20.07 in 14 ODIs with two fifties. For some reason I thought that his record was better than that. Hopefully he finds some runs in the rest of the series to confirm his spot in the team.

The only change for tomorrow's game sounds like Hilfenhaus may replace Starc.

 

[Quad]

Yeah, it is interesting how low Warner's avg is, I think his T20 avg may even be better.

But after we lost the first three wickets, I could frustrated and left until Hussey was in, because he's been the only standout for the Aussies this whole ODI series. It's good to see him in great form, even if everyone around him is floudnering.

What concerns me most is the run-outs Australia keep suffering from. I don't know if it's because of all the new faces or whatver, but something is going wrong in the communication in between the stumps.

 

[Troy]

His T20 average is 26.06 so you are right he does better in that format than ODIs. His domestic 50 over average is less than 30 as well so for some reason he can't get things right in the 50 over game. I think he must be thinking too much about the pace of the game, he cant find the right balance when all he should be doing is swinging at everything in his hitting zone.

Our run-outs and our fielding are so unlike Australian teams of the past. I think we had three yesterday which is terrible. We need to get better with these one percenters if we are to become that dominant team yet again.

 

[Troy]

Australia are batting first with the only team change being Hilfenhaus in for McKay who is sick. Started slow but then Warner took off and was hitting everything clean then just before he got out to a slower ball, 43 from 45. 70/1 after 13 overs.

Overnight Pakistan and England played the third ODI of a four game series. England had already won the first two and they won the third here to take a 3-0 lead in the series. Cook is the captain for England and he has had an incredible series so far, centuries in the first two games and he came so close to being the first Englishman to score three centuries in three consecutive ODIs, he finished with 80 which is still a great score. Pieterson also found form with a century in the latest game. Finn for England is a real talent as well, young fast bowler who I hope gets more starts in the test team as well, excellent bowler.