Tag Archives: Ashes

The Ashes: 3rd Test Day 3 … KP, Ryno and DRS again

August 4, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 6 Comments

England were always going to fight back in this test match: it was a question of when and not if and for a little over a session on Day 3 at Old Trafford they did just that. By close of play however the Australians had rested back the ascendancy and we now move into day 4 with 33 runs standing between England and the following on.

Here are my 5 keys to day 3 at Old Trafford:

1. Love him or hate KP is one of the best in the world: I know there are many who dislike Kevin Pietersen for what they perceive to be his personality foibles or his, perceived again, lack of commitment to the game. Say what you like about him, I will defy anyone who suggests he is not in the best 5 batters in the world at present. His innings was simply breathtaking with shot making all around Old Trafford and his attack on Nathan Lyon threatened to derail Australia’s day.

2. The “Shermanator” continues his rise: There remain a significant pocket of fans in Australia who continue to not rate Ian Bell. I am not one of them. He has been the best batter in the series to date and showed that again over night with a comfortable knock in which he looked largely untroubled right up to the point where he got out.

3. Where would we be without “Ryno”?: I know Starc has taken more wickets and Siddle has similar figures but yet again in this game Ryan Harris has shown just what Australia has been missing with the limitations injury have placed on this fine fast bowlers career. Two big wickets again over night in Trott and Bell admist spells of quality superior to any bowler in this test match so far show why, when fit, he is one of the best in the world. You will go a long way to see a better ball than the won that extracted Bell, particularly given the position of the game and form of the batsman. When Ryan Harris is bowling, Australia always look like they are on top: there can be no higher compliment for a fast bowler.

4. Starc … erratic, frustrating, wicket taker: I had caused to lament midway through the second session last night that I wondered if the NSP was regretting selecting Starc over Bird given the innocuous manner with which he had bowled up to that point. Yes he had eked out Cook but there was hardly any brilliance in that. I have to concede though that for all of the erraticism that sometimes gets into his bowling he has the X factor about him that means at times he is just unplayable. His efforts to dispatch Pietersen and Bairstow were two such deliveries.

5. More DRS follies: I am getting sick of writing about DRS and, indeed, had placed a self imposed on myself after the Myth’s terrible referral. That ban has only lasted a day however after Australia again showed they simply are not good at using the technology. Pietersen, on 62, fell across his wicket and was, in the eyes of many including Watson (who I am sure has watched a ton of videos last week of himself getting out in the same way), out LBW. Tony Hill declined and the now customer mid wicket conference between bowler, captain and ‘keeper decided not to refer it. Of course the ball was going to hit the stumps and a referral would have seen Hill reversed and Pietersen out 50 runs sooner. Has there been a more poignant moment surrounding DRS this series than Boof Lehmann on the balcony at Old Trafford raising his finger to indicate to Clarke that it would have been out? Australia MUST get better at this!

So there it is: day 3 is in the book and day 4 is only 10 and half hours away. Given the state of the game I do not expect Australia to do anything other than bat again regardless of the follow on and if that happens expect the Myth to elevated in the order. England’s second innings will be one of those moments that N Lyon fans and detractors alike have been waiting for: wearing pitch, large total and opportunity to win the game. It will be fascinating to see what happens next!

The Ashes: 3rd test, 2nd day … The Myth and wasted opportunity

August 3, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Another excellent day of cricket at Old Trafford overnight and another winning day for the Australians who are right on top in this game. Here are my keys to day 5:

 

  1. The Myth chokes … As expected: Well he came, he was booed and a got out. I have written variously stating my opinion that David “the Myth” Warner should not be in the test team at the moment and should be required to come back to top flight cricket, if he does, through an apprenticeship in Sheffield Shield cricket. He looked out of his depth against Swann and then had a massive brain snap in referring an obvious edge to the DRS system. MUST NOT PLAY AGAIN THIS SERIES.
  2. Oh Smithy … so close and yet so far: How well is Steve Smith going at the moment? Since he came back into the team in India I have been nothing short of very impressed with both the form of “the Fidgeter” and how he goes about his game. The fidgeting belies his seemingly calm demeanour and he batted for 200 plus balls which shows great application to his craft.
  3. Patience = Batting for 5 sessions: Probably the thing I am happiest with about Australia's performance on day two is the patience of the captain to keep the English in the field for as long as he did. Clarke has had the propensity at times to pull the trigger early on declarations rather than keeping the metaphorical boot on the throat of the opposition. Last night he changed that trend and I loved it!
  4. Lyon … where has he been the last 2 tests? I know Lyon did not get a wicket however he bowled with flight and turn that had England on the back foot and would have raised some sweat on the brow of the batsmen to come. Tomorrow presents as a massive day for Lyon: this could be a career changing moment for him as he has the opportunity to win a test for his country.
  5. Siddle: why do I question you so? I have been fairly overt about the fact that I do not believe that P Siddle should be in the test team. He again proved last night his value of the team by charging in for an inspirational spell in the shadows of stumps. The fact is that for all of his limitations he charges in all day and can sniff out a wicket particularly when the opposition batsmen have gone into their shell.

Australia are in the box seat but with the weather around Old Trafford, particularly expected on day 5, quick wickets will be needed on day 3 to press Australia's very real claims for victory. Nathan Lyon is the key: wickets from him and the follow on is definitely in play. Whatever happens it will be another enthralling day of test match cricket.

The Ashes, 3rd Test, Day 1: Bucky, the Pup and DRS again

August 2, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

Cricket fans in Australia awake this morning, some more bleary eyed than others, to the news that Australia posted a more than respectable 3/303 overnight on the first day of the 3rd test at Old Trafford. Having watched the first 3 and a bit hours of play, I bunkered down in bed with dulcet tones of the TMS team and was able to push through until the last hour of play on what was another quality day of test match cricket.

Here are my 5 keys to the first day's play:

  1. Well played Bucky: If my timeline in the preamble to the game means anything a number of fringe and former NSW players were appalled at the failure by the selectors to keep Phil Hughes in the team and were questioning the position of Rogers in the line up. Not that he would have been aware of them, but this was an innings that will take the pressure from the pundits off in droves but will also have not been a surprise to many. Indeed, anyone who has watched Victoria in the Shield competition will have seen many of those shots he played last night over and over again before and will know that that is the form he is consistently capable of. 20,000 first class runs at an average of 50 do not lie and that is why this bloke is in the team.
  2. Oh Captain my Captain: Has there been a captain of any Australian cricket team who has been forced to perform under pressure more, and succeeded, than the current captain? Allan Border in the mid to late 80s comes to mind in comparison to Michael Clarke in this context and he did it again last night. In at 2 for not many with the beast that is the English bowling attack stirring he came to the wicket and then batted out the day. This was another quality innings from a bloke who does not get enough plaudits, from me included, for his toughness.
  3. DRS … again: Can we all agree that the 3rd umpire made a mistake in the Khawaja decision and get on with it? That seems to be what happened doesn't it: human error despite the technology caused a wrong decision to remain in place. Umpires are human and no matter the quality of the technology mistakes will happen. It is an interesting side bar that without DRS all three decisions reviewed and upheld last night would have remained the same. What would we have had to discuss then? Well, human error wouldn't we?
  4. Come in spinner: This pitch is already taking considerable spin and it is only going to take more as the game goes on. Enter N Lyon: many have been looking for that moment when Lyon will have the opportunity to bowl Australia to victory and whilst it might be looking the metaphorical gift horse in the mouth at this early stage at does look like that opportunity may be upon us here.
  5. Wake up fans: Why is it that in seemingly every ground in the world “fans” of the game do not have the cricket savvy to know when not to move? Obviously if the bowler is bowling from the end you are sitting at and you are sitting anywhere upto 50 metres either side and above the sightscreen you plant your ass and don't move till the end of the over. How hard can that be? The members at Old Trafford got it wrong last night and probably cost Australia a wicket.

All in all it was Australia's day and it was a day that Australia and its fans desperately needed after the debacle at Lords. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves though: it is only the first day of five and Australia will need to be just as good tomorrow to keep this momentum going. Par score for Australia is now looking like 500 and with the Myth lurking in a situation seemingly taylor made for his cavalier approach and poor technique that target certainly looks obtainable.

Day two kicks off at 8pm Australian time, or in roughly 12 and a half hours for those not on the eastern seaboard of Australia.

The Ashes: Australian Team named

August 1, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

The Australian team for the first test has now even named. It is:

Watson, Rogers, Khawaja, Clarke, Smith, Warner, Haddin, Starc, Harris, Siddle, Lyon

Agree with only one change: Lyon for Agar. The return of Davey “the Myth” Warner is a disgrace. If we wanted a left armer why not Faulkner?

In fact why are Bird and Faulkner over there if they are not going to play them?

Rant had: time to get behind the boys and fire up!

The Ashes: Katich is not coming back … next topic please!

August 1, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

I have been reading a lot recently about a possible return of Simon Katich to the Australian set up, particularly given the issues that Australia have been having at the top of the order. I have exclaimed on this blog before and I will say it again here now: Katich is NOT coming back and it is time to get over it!

I remain firmly of the view that Michael Clarke has marked Katich's card “never to be selected again” and whilst Clarke is not a selector it would be idiocy to suggest that the selectors would put a player into the team that the captain did not wish to play with.

That really should be the end of the argument: regardless of form Katich is not going to be selected because Clarke does not want him there. I don't understand campaigns on social media and in print to bring Katich back for that reason alone. So lets consider a hypothetical scenario where Clarke decides that he wants Katich back in the team. The fact is that even in that scenario he could not come back to the Australian team for a very simple reason: on 12 June 2012 he retired from first class cricket in Australia.

Read that date again: 13 months ago the man some believe to be a saviour to the Australian cricket team ceased to be a first class cricketer in the Australian system. Yes he played in the BBL in season 2012/13 but he did not play any other top level cricket. I concede that he has been in excellent form in the county cricket competition but the question must be asked: Has Australian cricket fallen so far that a soon to be 38 year old who is a part time cricketer at best and who does not play in the first class competition in Australia is the only answer?

More to the point: do we really want someone who has clearly shown he has no interest in being involved in the Australian set up (why else would he be playing in England first class cricket but not in the Australian version) back in the team?

Don't get me wrong: I rate Simon Katich as a cricket and I firmly believe he should never have been dropped from the Australian team. I would go so far as to say that I would love to have him in the team right now. However, these are the facts:

  1. The captain of the Australian cricket team does not want him in the team; AND
  2. The man himself has shown, overtly, that he does not want to be a part of the Australian set up.

Given those facts, surely it is time for pundits and fans alike to cease beating the dead horse that is the ongoing campaign for Katich's return and focus on supporting the players that actually do want to be involved in the Australian setup?

The only thing worse than this focus on a return from Katich is the yearly campaign for a return from Shane Warne but it is becoming a close run thing … and that is really saying something is it not?

The Ashes, 3rd test: expectation management for Australian fans

August 1, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 1 Comment

I, like many Australian fans, was seduced by the Australian team's fighting effort in Trent Bridge into thinking that Australia was an even money chance at Lords to win and was proven woefully incorrect. I think we can all agree that the performance at Trent Bridge was an illusion that glossed over the current deficiencies in this team which had been sharply pushed into the open in India and then had the metaphorical bandaid ripped off at Lords.

 

So what now for fans of the Australian cricket team as the count down to the 3rd test swiftens pace? I would love to be sitting on my lounge hopeful of win for the baggy greens but I am also a realist and thus think it is important to set myself some expectations for this test match that I suspect are equally applicable to most Australian fans.

 

Here are my 5 expectations from the Australian team for this test match (assuming selections are as I think they will be):

 

  1. Australia will fight hard: As sad as it is to say, during some of the tough moments of Lords test match, particularly with the bat, Australia seemed to simply “give in” in the face of pressure. I am sure that Darren Lehmann has “spoken” long and hard to his charges about this during the 10 days since Lords and I expect to see Australia play with renewed vigour and tenaciousness that will translate into fighting England all the way.
  2. A draw is as good as a win: I know that is counter-intuitive and smacks of England in the 90s thinking but it is time to face that fact that Australian cricket is in a re-building phase and for a while going into every game expecting, as a fan, to win can not be the norm. This is not the team of early to mid 2000s and, frankly, our opponents have all caught up!
  3. An Australian batsman will score a hundred: It may well be a Michael Clarke special but I hope it is someone other than the captain that steps up and scores a hundred for Australia in this test match and I expect one of them will. The hundred drought for Australia's batsmen other than the captain extend far into distant memory and with the 10 day break being spent to work on form and technique and a hard pitch in Old Trafford it is really now or never and I expect a batsman, yet to be named, to step up.
  4. Australia is going to have bad sessions: With the recognition that this is a team in transition comes the obvious follow on effect that Australia is probably going to lose more sessions than it wins in test matches. A bad session must not be met with the lamenteous hand wringing that has been in the past by pundits and fans alike: they are a fact of life at the moment.
  5. Shane Watson will have a big game: Not many of the people I follow on Twitter or speak to around cricket fandom have much of a wrap on Shane Watson. So much so that my recent Twitter sabbatical basically came off the back of the ridiciulous amount of negativity surrounding him. To me it is simple: Australia plays well when Watto is playing well and off the back of a 10 day spell I expect him to have a massive game for Australia with the bat and the ball at Old Trafford.

This is going to be a tough test for the Australians: coming back from a devastating loss always is. England have the pitch they want and a cockahoop and they deserve to be. I would love nothing more than an Australian win don't get me wrong BUT If the Australian team meets my expectations set out above I will be a happy fan.