Monthly Archives: December 2014

Australia v India, 2nd Test: 5 Key Questions

December 17, 2014 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Only 3 days after Australia's last session win in Adelaide, Australia and India are back at it again at the Gabba. Much has changed in that short period with both sides coming into this game with a new captain on top multiple changes to each line up.

 

Here are my 5 key issues upon which I think the result will hinge:

 

1. Oh Captain, my Captain: how will Steve Smith fill the shoes of Michael Clarke?


I have been a vocal advocate of Steve Smith's elevation to the captaincy of the Australian cricket and now the day is here I am looking forward to seeing how he leads the team into battle. Generational change has always been problematic for the Australian team so this move is one to be applauded. Smith faces a massive challenge in this game with 2 significant players in Harris and Clarke being out of the line up. Smith's captaincy against the experience of MS Dhoni will be vital to any Australian win.

 

2. How will the Gabba wicket play?


By all reports the Gabba wicket for this test match is a bit greener than normal for this time of year. Given the rain we have had in Brisbane it is no surprise that the wicket is green and thus one could expect that it will seam around a bit particularly with the new ball this morning. Equally, we have seen a lot of Gabba green tops over the years and time and again once batters get in on such a wicket they can score and score quickly. There might be early benefits to a team bowling first but they will have to bowl well to reap those rewards.

 

3. Different test, same question: will Chris Rogers score runs?


I posed this question before the 1st test and I will pose it again now: whilst David Warner has been dynamic at the top of the order for Australia, Chris Rogers has struggled. If Australia bat first on this wicket all of his years of batting ring craft will be needed to get Australia through to lunch. He needs runs to hold his place in the team given the other players who are in the queue behind him and in form.

 

4. Shaun Marsh: will he last the game?


There is only one hamstring that has been more problematic in cricket over the last 24 months than Michael Clarke's and that is Shaun Marsh's. Injury prone and averaging 36 in first class cricket, the selectors have taken a punt on Marsh. One can only hope that the faith is repaid by Marsh both with the willow and staying on the field.

 

5. Can India take 20 wickets?


This will be the quickest and bounciest wicket the Indians will play on this summer and they must take advantage of it. The Indian bowlers only took 12 wickets in the first test at Adelaide and will need to take the full complement to even get close to winning this game. Varun Aaron could present as the key man for India on this wicket: he bowls swiftly and can bowl wicket balls. If he can keep things tight between wicket balls he could be a weapon for India.

 

This will be a great game played at the best ground for watching cricket in the country. I am, of course, tipping an Australian win. As I look out my office window 27 floors up the weather looks perfect for cricket. The first ball will be bowled at 10am.

Quote of the Day

December 15, 2014 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: Leave a comment

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Australia v India, 1st Test: Epilogue … 5 key questions answered?

December 13, 2014 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , Leave a comment

I wrote at the start of this week in preview of the 1st test match at Adelaide that there were 5 key questions that would be answered during this test match and, in the aftermath of the match’s finish, it is worth considering the answers to said questions.

1. There is aggressive and then there is abuse: which will it be from Australia?

It took 4 days but eventually the hard edge to some of the Australian players came out. No one ought be surprised that it was David Warner who reacted to a send off and broke the truce, tacit or otherwise, that had been in place between the teams during the game to that point. Some habits obviously die hard.

2. Who will bowl the first bouncer and when will that be?

There was some obvious tentativeness from the bowlers in the first innings around the bowling of bouncers but the time arrived in the 17th minute of the game. The game goes on.

3. Can Chris Rogers find some runs and get to the Ashes in 2015?

This was not Rogers’ best test. He needs runs between now and the end of the 4th test to make the tour of the West Indies that follows. Ed Cowan is scoring runs by the bucketload in the Shield and is a ready replacement.

4. Will Nathan Lyon attack or revert to the usual plan?

What a test match for Nathan Lyon!!!! His best performance in an Australian cap and a worthy winner of the man of the match award. I remain firmly of the view that Clarke does not set great fields for him but his patience and persistence got him over the line almost despite that. Surely now the doubters, of which there have been many of you, will let this fine bowler go about his craft with support rather than doubt.

5. Is this Brad Haddin’s last stand?

He captained the team excellently and did his job with the gloves. I continue to worry about his batting. Time will tell.

All in all this was a fantastic test match; credit for which must go to both teams. One senses that today presented the best chance for the Indians to win a test match this series so I will be interesting to see how they bounce back from this defeat. The truncated schedule sees the next test commence at the Gabba in 3 days so they do not have much time to get back up off the canvas.

For the Australians there will obviously be changes: Clarke is out. I continue to question Siddle’s place in the team given his waning performance and I suspect Harris may struggle to back up after a big effort today.

The second test beckons …