The Cricket Thread

[caz]

oh well, can't with them all. poms batted well last dig.
apart from head, carey. starc and smith the batting hasn't fired. that's partly down to the pitches but you've got to play the conditions. it's been the bowling and fielding that has won this series.

[eddie]

Well we can expect the Sydney test to last till the 4th day since it usually rains and washes out a few days of every test! That Melbourne wicket was a disgrace. Our batting was pretty ordinary though to be fair. I’m a big Green fan but even I have to admit his batting this test was abysmal which I’m sure Eddie will agree with lol.

Eddie does agree

When you're struggling to survive on a pitch that bad, the worst thing you can do is run yourself out.

[mightyrooster]

Eddie does agree

When you're struggling to survive on a pitch that bad, the worst thing you can do is run yourself out.

Apart from his shocking dismissals he did score more runs and look more comfortable than many of the other batsmen in the team though.

[Bates]

Loads of backyard and beach cricket as the holiday festivities continue on the south coast.

Perfect weather for it!

[Big Dog]

Prayers for Damien Martyn. Not doing well, in a coma with meningitis.

[mightyrooster]

Prayers for Damien Martyn. Not doing well, in a coma with meningitis.

That’s terrible news. Hope he pulls through.

[caz]

bit of rain forecast but they'll still have enough time to play the sydney game twice

[bondi.boy]

Aussie batsmen play like it's T20.
It's Test cricket, you don't have to try to smash every ball to the fence.You don't even have to play at every ball.
The technique of many of the batsmen is poor, seem to have never heard of "keep bat and pad close together".
More than a few of their dismissals were to ridiculous choices of strokes.
Hooking, they all should be banned from doing that until they've made 50.
Ditto trying to glance/tickle/feather the ball down the leg side. Some of them just can't resist doing it, and getting out when risk taking is not what's required.
Threw away their wickets., some observers say. Seemed to be in a big hurry to get the match over with.
Not good enough.

[Mickie Lane]

Ive never been to watch a Test match in my life but I have been to day night matches in the early 80's when I was 15 & it was an absolute eye opener.
Back then on the hill area at the SCG you could bring eskys full of beers & food so blokes would get on the pen & ink big time & start playing up. There was massive beer can fights, full cans were getting pelted, it was dangerous, there were continual skirmishes & fights on the hill & the cops would cart out at least 50 blokes from the hill area into paddy wagons.
And this is all happening while Viv Richards, Greg Chappell, Denis Lillee, Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding, Joel Gardener, Dougie Walters & Rod Marsh are playing, ahhh it was unreal.

So far in this Ashes series I think Mitchel Stark has been the best player from both teams.

[bondi.boy]

Ive never been to watch a Test match in my life but I have been to day night matches in the early 80's when I was 15 & it was an absolute eye opener.
Back then on the hill area at the SCG you could bring eskys full of beers & food so blokes would get on the pen & ink big time & start playing up. There was massive beer can fights, full cans were getting pelted, it was dangerous, there were continual skirmishes & fights on the hill & the cops would cart out at least 50 blokes from the hill area into paddy wagons.
And this is all happening while Viv Richards, Greg Chappell, Denis Lillee, Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding, Joel Gardener, Dougie Walters & Rod Marsh are playing, ahhh it was unreal.

So far in this Ashes series I think Mitchel Stark has been the best player from both teams.

Ah yes, ye olde "beer can fights".
Probably why patrons are now banned from taking cans into the ground. lol
Today is better though, safer for everyone, more comfortable for everyone with the responsible service of alcohol, no smoking, bad language banned, etc.

[caz]

haven't seen any play but looks like it was a good toss to win. there's a lot to play for. 4-1 is very different from 3-2 and, perhaps more importantly, with test championship points up for grabs there is now no such thing as a dead rubber

[bondi.boy]

Prayers for Damien Martyn. Not doing well, in a coma with meningitis.

Ch 9 tv news just now (6pm Sunday 4 Jan)

"Damien is progressing well with his medical treatment."

[eddie]

Can I just point out that Green bowled tripe yesterday.
What the hells he in the team for?
Specialist Fieldsman?

[eddie]

Am I on me pat malone in finding chanel 7s coverage very irritating?
I mean they're all butt crawling bobbleheads,
And they love themselves.
I'm sick of seeing the camera pan on the commentary box showing one of them shoving the mic up his nose while the other two grin and nod like the stupid bobbleheads they are.
Then they cross to that ridiculous puss in boots character waving a cricket bat in front of a big screen talking nonsense.
And then you get the gay openers, hayden and langer, who retired from batting and took up butt crawling.
Alas I sadly fear it's only gonna get worse, because they haven't finished ass kissing that whinging muslim idiot.
Just to add insult to injury we get to watch the same terrible commercials 684 times a day.

Rant over.

[David Sutherland]

Just seen Trent Robinson on the Channel 7 Cricket Coverage talking with Pat Cummins and Travis Head in the players area at the SCG.