Tag Archives: cricket

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.

 

 

The Ashes: 3rd Test … my Australian XI

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

The third test at Old Trafford is nearly upon us which means more sleepless nights, more water cooler talk about the parlous start of Australian cricket and team speculation. I have been a strong advocate for NOT making too many changes to the Australian team and I stand by that position. That being the case: here is my selection for the 3rd Test and why.

 

Watson, Rogers, Khawaja, Hughes, Clarke (c), Smith, Haddin, Faulkner, Siddle, Harris, Lyon

 

James Faulkner comes in for the injured James Pattinson. That is a very rough call on Jackson Bird but I like the variety that comes from having a left arm swing bowler in the team. My perfect world preference would be Siddle not being in the team and Bird in in his place but selectors and fans alike seem to worship at the alter of Siddle so that is unlikely to happen any time soon.

 

Nathan Lyon comes in for Asthon Agar. I think even blind Freddie could see that Agar is a talent for the future. Blind Freddie could also see that the experiment that has been his inclusion has failed. Ignore the media hype and the one excellent innings: his job is with the ball and he had not yet gotten the job done. The English spinners took 11 of the 20 Australian wickets to fall at Lords whilst Agar could not take one. It is time to return Nathan Lyon to the team.

 

No place for Davey. Warner has returned to the squad from his African sojourn. I am sorry to the all the Warner fans out there but one good innings on a road in Pretoria against a semi-first class attack does not a return to form make. He will be on standby for Smith so his return to the team could be by default but on form I still remain to be convinced he is anything more than the myth I have long thought him to be.

Cricket World Cup 2015: Pools and Draw Announced

July 30, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , 1 Comment

The pools and draw for Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand have been named today by Dave Richardson from the ICC.

The pools are:

Pool A: Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand and 2 Qualifiers

Pool B: South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and a Qualifier.

Games will be split between venues in Australia and New Zealand with 23 games in New Zealand to be held at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington whilst 26 games will be played in Australia to be held at Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The tournament will be played over 44 days starting on Valetines Day (14 February) and finishing with the final at the MCG on 29 March 2015.

The Australian team will play the following pool games in their quest to qualify for the finals:

Game 2: v England at the MCG (14 February)
Game 11: v Bangladesh at the Gabba (21 February)
Game 20: v New Zealand at Eden Park (28 February)
Game 26: v Qualifier TBD at the WACA (4 March)
Game 32: v Sri Lanka at the SCG (8 March)
Game 40: v Qualifier TBD at Bellerive Oval (14 March)

The Quarter Finals will be played between 18 March and 21 March and will be played at the SCG, the MCG, the Adelaide Oval and the Wellington Regional Stadium. The Semi Finals will be played on 24 and 26 March at Eden Park and the SCG respectively. As noted above the tournament will culminate at the MCG on 29 March.

Qualifing teams for the Quarter Finals will be the top 4 teams from each pool.

There are 563 days till the World Cup kicks off. Now back to the Ashes!

The Ashes: England Squad named

July 28, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , 1 Comment

England have named a squad of 14 players for the 3rd test of Old Trafford as follows:

Cook (c) Anderson Bairstow Bell Bresnan Broad Panesar Pietersen Prior Root Swann Taylor Tremlett Trott

Steven Finn has been left out and is replaced by Chris Tremlett. Kevin Pietersen looks like being given as much time as possible to prove his fitness.

Panesar’s inclusion is interesting and given that 11 of Australia’s 20 wickets were taken by spinners at Lords does anyone else think the pitch is going to be an fashioned “bunsen” at Old Trafford?

1 August can not come quickly enough!

The Ashes: Memo to Australian Selectors (and Fans) … keep calm and don’t do anything stupid!

July 27, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 1 Comment

Australia’s touring XI at Hove had a very good day overnight scoring 5/354 off 92 overs. All of the batsmen were in the runs save for the man many thought most likely, though not including me, to be an inclusion for the next test, Matthew Wade, who scored an 8 ball duck.

At the top of the order, stand in captain Ed Cowan scored 66 and current number four in the test line up Phil Hughes scored 84. Steve Smith is presently not out on 98.

Of course, Phil Hughes’ innings coupled with the form of David Warner on his sojourn in Africa, has led for some to renew their vehement call for Shane Watson or Chris Rogers (or both) to be dropped in favour of a return by Warner or a move to the top of the order for Hughes.

I sincerely hope that the Australian selectors take a moment and think before doing anything so stupid! And here is why:

* I concede that Phil Hughes was the form opener in the Sheffield Shield competition last season, along with Chris Rogers, averaging over 50 runs per innings in the games he played. Are people forgetting that he is coming into the third test off the back of a performance that saw him reap 2 runs (in total) as well as wrongly use 2 reviews?

* Any runs against Sussex by the Australians need to be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to the form implications that may flow from them. Monty Panesar aside, the bowling attack of Jordan, Hatchett and Liddle is hardly a bowling line up that is likely to send shock waves through any first class cricket line up let alone a Australian touring XI. Jimmy Anderson these blokes are not.

* I have written about my thoughts on a return to the fold for David Warner on this blog and remain vehement in my view that he needs to undertake an apprenticeship in first class cricket and to wait his turn on form. One innings does not make a summer and, frankly, given the score that the South African’s have put up overnight it looks like the pitch that has been trotted out in Pretoria is an absolute road. Warner needs to stay in Africa.

Frankly: the main thing cricket in Australia and the cricketers that represent this country need right now is stability. Toying with the batting order and bringing back a player who presents as a toxic influence at worst or who remains out of form at best would be the antithesis of such stability and just a stupid decision!

I love that people are passionate about cricket and are desperate for Australia to succeed but I think we all need to take a deep breath. The Australian team for the 3rd test is probably already set, particularly so given Wade’s duck at Hove, and those who have been rested from this game will be there. That means those advocating the removal of Watson or Rogers (or both) are likely to be sorely disappointed come 1 August!

Australia A in South Africa: 193 reasons David Warner should stay in Africa!

July 25, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , 2 Comments

David Warner’s must publicized mid Ashes tour diversion in Africa reaped rewards overnight with an explosive 193 runs to his credit against South Africa A on the first day of the first “Unofficial Test”. Batting at number 4 Warner dominated the South Africa A attack after coming in with Australia A in trouble at 2/46. He deserves our congratulations for such a good innings and, in my view, he must stay in South Africa to continue to rebuild his form outside of the focus that comes from playing in an Ashes tour.

I have to concede here: I am not a Warner fan. That said, I want the best for Australian cricket and I think that the worst possible thing Cricket Australia could do both for D Warner the cricketer AND the Australian cricket team is to rush him back to England. I have three reasons for this:

1. Whilst he is in South Africa he is facing test quality bowling without the pressure of needing to perform in the cauldron of the Ashes. Make no mistake: Kyle Abbott and Marchant de Lange, two of the bowlers from South Africa A, are no mugs and both have recorded seven wicket hauls in their limited test appearances to date. More runs in the subsequent games against these bowlers will only build his confidence.

2. I have long wanted David Warner to spend more time playing first class cricket to hone his game against the red ball before he returns to the test team. There is another unofficial test match to be played here and he must play in that game. He has only played in 13 first class games that are not test matches (of which he has played 19) and I have a hunch that the more first class games he plays the better he will get. A season in the Sheffield Shield, a full season, should follow this to help him build his craft.

3. Could there be anything worse for Warner’s confidence than coming back into the squad for the 4th test (it is patently too late for him to be selected for the 3rd test match now) after Australia has, in all likelihood, lost the series and then get a series of low scores? If Jimmy Anderson can exploit Shane Watson’s front pad then you can bet that he and David Saker have a plan they are ready to execute to expose the various flaws in Warner’s technique. The prospect of this is avoided if he stays where he is in Africa.

The rehabilitation of David Warner is only just starting and he is off to a flyer but, to me, the wisest course now would be to keep him away from the Ashes series and keep him playing first class cricket to build up his confidence and form. I am sure he will return a better and more rounded player and the Australian team, if he returns, will be much better for his time away.