Quote from: tomd2103 on August 13, 2013, 11:18:07 PMQuote from: OzVilla on August 13, 2013, 10:49:41 PMQuote from: tomd2103 on August 13, 2013, 06:34:53 PMJust to divert the conversation away from England, where do the Aussies go from here? They desperately need to strengthen their batting line up, as there are too many "bits and pieces" players in there at the moment. As an avid watcher of Australian Cricket I can tell you that the main problem Australia have is that there top 7 are the best that they have right now. Chris mentioned Lehmann and Bevan playing that couldn't make the side a while back, add to that Law, Elliott, Hodge and others. There is no one knocking on the door, scoring a shit load of Sheffield Shield runs or looking like they have what it takes right now. If this group of players doesn't work then i'm not sure where they go. The Marsh brothers are good players but have off the field issues, Queensland have Jacob Burns who looks a decent player but I can't think of much else.The bowling is fine, like England they could field two attacks in test cricket and be consistent with plenty of potential coming through - they just don't have any batsmen.I heard Darren Gough talking on the radio earlier and he was saying there are a number of talented youngsters coming through and even named an XI that he thought could win the Ashes back in the next series. I think losing Mike Hussey was a blow as he would have been a steadying influence and surely there is room in the set up for someone like Katich?Gough is living in a dream world then because there is really no one and Clarke keeps re-iterating as much himself. The top run scorer on the Australia A tour to South Africa just finished was Glenn Maxwell, a slogging all-rounder who really cannot be considered as Test Match Top 7 standard.This really is their best bet and they'll stick with it due to lack of alternatives. Here are the top 5 batsman in the Sheffield Shield last season: The final was between Tasmania and Queensland (who got there mainly through a terrific bowling attack with Lehmann as Coach). Ricky Ponting Tasmania Innings: 16 Runs: 911 Highest score: 200* Ave: 75.91 Mark Cosgrove Tasmania Innings:20 Runs:784 Highest Score: 104 Ave: 39.20 Chris Rogers Victoria Innings:17 Runs: 742 Highest score: 131 Ave: 49.46 Alex Doolan Tasmania Innings: 18 Runs: 715 Highest Score: 149 Ave: 42.05 Phillip Hughes South Australia Innings: 12 Runs: 673 Highest Score: 158 Ave: 56.08 2 are on the tour already, Ponting has retired and Cosgrove will never be picked because he is old, fat and proven to be not up to it. Katich has also been discarded due to age and the fact that he openly criticised Cricket Australia when he was dropped initially.Think about how many good Australian overseas batsmen there are in the County Championship that are still up and coming and doing the business, especially compared to previous eras.Hussey, (Mike and Dave), Langer, Hayden, Law, Di Venuto, Bevan, Hodge, Lehmann Elliott, Blewitt, Watson, Cosgrove all played County Championship and scored heavily before they got their Test call ups.
Quote from: OzVilla on August 13, 2013, 10:49:41 PMQuote from: tomd2103 on August 13, 2013, 06:34:53 PMJust to divert the conversation away from England, where do the Aussies go from here? They desperately need to strengthen their batting line up, as there are too many "bits and pieces" players in there at the moment. As an avid watcher of Australian Cricket I can tell you that the main problem Australia have is that there top 7 are the best that they have right now. Chris mentioned Lehmann and Bevan playing that couldn't make the side a while back, add to that Law, Elliott, Hodge and others. There is no one knocking on the door, scoring a shit load of Sheffield Shield runs or looking like they have what it takes right now. If this group of players doesn't work then i'm not sure where they go. The Marsh brothers are good players but have off the field issues, Queensland have Jacob Burns who looks a decent player but I can't think of much else.The bowling is fine, like England they could field two attacks in test cricket and be consistent with plenty of potential coming through - they just don't have any batsmen.I heard Darren Gough talking on the radio earlier and he was saying there are a number of talented youngsters coming through and even named an XI that he thought could win the Ashes back in the next series. I think losing Mike Hussey was a blow as he would have been a steadying influence and surely there is room in the set up for someone like Katich?
Quote from: tomd2103 on August 13, 2013, 06:34:53 PMJust to divert the conversation away from England, where do the Aussies go from here? They desperately need to strengthen their batting line up, as there are too many "bits and pieces" players in there at the moment. As an avid watcher of Australian Cricket I can tell you that the main problem Australia have is that there top 7 are the best that they have right now. Chris mentioned Lehmann and Bevan playing that couldn't make the side a while back, add to that Law, Elliott, Hodge and others. There is no one knocking on the door, scoring a shit load of Sheffield Shield runs or looking like they have what it takes right now. If this group of players doesn't work then i'm not sure where they go. The Marsh brothers are good players but have off the field issues, Queensland have Jacob Burns who looks a decent player but I can't think of much else.The bowling is fine, like England they could field two attacks in test cricket and be consistent with plenty of potential coming through - they just don't have any batsmen.
Just to divert the conversation away from England, where do the Aussies go from here? They desperately need to strengthen their batting line up, as there are too many "bits and pieces" players in there at the moment.
T20 Finals day at Edgbaston on Saturday. I'll be there but can only name two teams involved without looking it up (Essex and Northants I think), have no idea who's favourite and probably won't know more than a dozen players in total.What I do know is that I was there a couple of years ago and it was fantastic (albeit wet - very, very wet). Both semi-finals were ties and went to bowl offs. Oh and I spent 12 hours drinking and could barely see by the time the final finished!Anyone else going on Saturday? Any predictions?
Useless Yorkshire bastard. Only two more to go.
Quote from: Ad@m on August 15, 2013, 11:00:46 PMT20 Finals day at Edgbaston on Saturday. I'll be there but can only name two teams involved without looking it up (Essex and Northants I think), have no idea who's favourite and probably won't know more than a dozen players in total.What I do know is that I was there a couple of years ago and it was fantastic (albeit wet - very, very wet). Both semi-finals were ties and went to bowl offs. Oh and I spent 12 hours drinking and could barely see by the time the final finished!Anyone else going on Saturday? Any predictions?Hampshire and Surrey the other 2 teams.I have a sneaky feeling for Northants.
Reckon it'll be Onions.
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Topic: The Cricket Thread 2013 (Read 548823 times)
