The Australian cricket non-official thread!

People haven't paid to go watch in years and the ratings haven't been crash hot except for England and India ODIs.

Suddenly, ODIs on Fox and people lose their s***.

The outrage! The temerity!

It wasn't that long ago that the host city was blacked out - and it was probably a mistake to have moved from that position when they did it.


Free to air makes it more accessible to the general public and keeps the kids somewhat interested in the game. This will probably be reflected in a few years time when participation levels drop and CA do another review. I would hate for it to dwindle like Rugby has over the past decade and a bit.
 
Kids watch (and love) the BBL. You'd be surprised how many of them know the teams inside out.

ODIs have been on the nose since they meant nothing. The tri-series made it worthwhile. Now it's just a handful of games banged on often in soft markets like Canberra.

With all the Tests and BBL still on FTA TV I don't think cricket will dwindle away. I do agree that the ODI format, if it is to be retained, needs to be nurtured and promoted better and then perhaps people and TV will care.

Again though, the ODI announcement was months and months ago. But all of a sudden, outrage because it's on this weekend.
 
On an unrelated matter @The Mad Hatter: you'll be pleased to know that there have already been ten centuries made during the current Sheffield Shield season - the most recent of which was Mitchell Marsh today (currently unbeaten at lunch on 100). I'm liking the big scores but even better are the "away" centuries.

The list is (in order of score):

*Marcus Harris, 250 not out vs NSW (home)
*Will Pucovski, 243 vs WA (away)
*Tom Cooper, 178 vs QLD (home)
*Jake Lehmann, 126 vs QLD (home)
*Peter Handscomb, 123 vs SA (home)
*Sam Heazlett, 118 not out vs SA (away)
*Tom Cooper, 118 vs VIC (away)
*Alex Doolan, 115 vs QLD (away)

*Josh Phillippe, 104 vs VIC (home)
*Mitchell Marsh, 100 not out vs QLD (away)

I wonder who will emerge from the pack with an irresistible case for selection when the home Test series comes around?
 
On an unrelated matter @The Mad Hatter: you'll be pleased to know that there have already been ten centuries made during the current Sheffield Shield season - the most recent of which was Mitchell Marsh today (currently unbeaten at lunch on 100). I'm liking the big scores but even better are the "away" centuries.

The list is (in order of score):

*Marcus Harris, 250 not out vs NSW (home)
*Will Pucovski, 243 vs WA (away)
*Tom Cooper, 178 vs QLD (home)
*Jake Lehmann, 126 vs QLD (home)
*Peter Handscomb, 123 vs SA (home)
*Sam Heazlett, 118 not out vs SA (away)
*Tom Cooper, 118 vs VIC (away)
*Alex Doolan, 115 vs QLD (away)

*Josh Phillippe, 104 vs VIC (home)
*Mitchell Marsh, 100 not out vs QLD (away)

I wonder who will emerge from the pack with an irresistible case for selection when the home Test series comes around?

Handscomb a chance you would think.
 
Jason Sangha.

Good enough for Kerry OKeefe...good enough for me.

Mitchell Marsh needs to spend a year or two dominating and destroying in Sheffield Shield and County Cricket.

Puckovski has mental demons unfortunately. The remainder are decent shield players.

I'd also be looking at giving Pooe a twirl vs India and SL. If he's as good as the hype then he should stuff England.
 
Aussies were looking good at one stage and had South Africa 3 down early. Then Miller and Du Plessis took control and literally took it away from Australia. So disappointing.
 
Aussies were looking good at one stage and had South Africa 3 down early. Then Miller and Du Plessis took control and literally took it away from Australia. So disappointing.

A couple of very catchable chances going down and the ‘18.95’ second referral really hurt us. The old saying, catches win matches rings very true this time.
 
To be fair, chasing 321 against this South African attack required a ballistic start from Australia’s openers. To that end, I thought Lynn’s promotion was worth the gamble.

A bigger concern is the death bowling, which today was perhaps as wretched as I have seen from an Australian ODI team in home conditions. It beggars belief that an international team cannot or will not revert to yorkers at the end of an innings. It is just so exasperating to watch the type of “hit me” dross that the bowlers mostly offered from overs 40-50 today. It must surely be a tactic of some kind, but I’m stuffed if I know why.
 
Totally agree with both of you.

There is no patience in the Australian game - and it's all aggression and hard hands and thwacks!

Kerry O'Keefe is lamenting the 'wanger' - the dog ball hurler - as a major contributor. The other - foot work. Far out - saw more in the u11s this weekend.

But patience and leaving the ball is killing us. That and 'retiring' players out instead of teaching kids to play the long game.
 
The brilliant Alyssa Healy has started the T20 World Cup with a bang:

48 (29) and 4 dismissals vs Pakistan
56*(31) vs Ireland
53 (38) vs New Zealand

The completely likeable Australian Women are unbeaten so far in the tournament - proving that you don't have to bully and snarl and carry yourself like a halfwit in order to win a game of cricket. They are fine representatives of Australia.
 
Australia could be all bowled out in a T1 match. Their batting is pathetic. You have to wonder what happened 10-15 years ago in juniors that has lead us to this nadir.

Lynn, Short, McDermott, Stoinis, Carey...smash the hell at it and absolutely no match awareness.
 
It worries me that some former players are advocating for the Smith, Warner and Bancroft bans being shortened - based purely on the parlous current state of the Australian team in all three formats.

I would in fact argue the exact opposite: what we are seeing now SHOULD be the result of what cheating does to a team. The actions of Smith, Warner and Bancroft should be Lesson 1A for any aspiring young cricketer - and those in administrative and coaching roles.

The “win at any cost” mentality has reduced cricket in this country to an object of ridicule and there now exists a lot of ambivalence towards the Australian players and the results in all three formats since the events in late March at Cape Town.
 
Shaun Marsh with the most brilliant fourth-innings 163* to win the game for WA. Great to see him back in hot form, he's going to be a critical part of our inexperienced batting line-up this summer.
 
Back
Top Bottom