Thanks Stoph for the invite.
It's such a pity that sport is surrounded by politics and fanatacism. Already a dangerous mix, cricket becomes positioned to be run over by the politics and fantatacism train: rather than a contributor to its birth. Now the PCB has no cards left to trade with to enable test, or as likely, any cricket in Pakistan for a very long time.
The many local fans of Younis and others, in Karachi and Lahore, won't be watching blokes in white playing on a road any time soon. I hope the awful situation at least diminishes for the poor people of Pakistan. Perhaps then sport can be celebrated and enjoyed by so many that can't presently.
But on a more positive note........
How good is this series in South Africa going to be? Unbelievably freaking good! I think any focus on an ICC world test ranking is pointless because Aus and RSA are simply two equally matched, geat sides. I reckon Aus will get over them again before flying back though.
It's two-all now in a 6 test series with both teams having times of brilliance with the bat and ball. South Africa are playing the exact same 11 as they did in Aus; while Aus played three blokes for their first time. Aus selectors will be patting themselves on the back smugly. It did look like a different Australia in the middle of the bullring over the first few days of the test match.......and the last one. Well done boys, well done.
Bring on the next test!
Leftriteout
now that the long tradition of cricketers being sacrosanct is over it is obvious that politics will wash over the game more so in the region.
ReplyDeleteAs Nospmas Lihp said in Test of Tests, let's hope that our newly established bowling line up isn't too injured (or that it is more beat-up than reality), Hilf is yet to impress me -but he is worth running with in the hope of having his swing for england- Siddle is a really honest and thinking bowler (the way he worked over Duminy shows the depth of his thought process), and Bollinger should be handy in blighty too.
what all of this shows is that an overhaul was totally needed- as i've banged on about since India! it is a pity it took until Sydney to get into the process.
Nospmas, i'm going to c&p your Test of Test comment over here as it has lots of relevance here too.
stoph verismo
downthewicket
Nospmas Lihp said...
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was a well fought victoy although I suspect Saouth Africa were given more of a chance simply becase of the abomination in Perth. Everyone who knows cricket also knows 5th day wickets like that are rare as rocking horse turds. Melbourne came down to some poor catching and bowling changes.
And so it is we rejoice not just an Australia victory on foreign soil but also the dawn of a new generation of the baggy green. Whether it was by design or injury finally we have some new blood. Watson and Symonds have been fine cricketers but both have flaws in their genis. For Watson it is a body 15 years older than his head and for Symonds I believe it is a 15 year old scotch. Clark may force his way back in but it will take a tonne of wickets. I wonder if Johnson can make the step to genuine all rounder and make runs when he is expected to? Imagine the scope we would have to include either another genuine bowler or batter as the conditions demand. I can't recall a bowling all rounder in my time. How exciting!! Time will tell if the selectors have the nodules to follow that through. I suspect not with this bunch.
And s to the 2nd test where injuries to key bowlers rear their ugly heads. I suspect it is a bit of a beat up, I hope anyway. It would be a chame to lose through injury. I am tipping a big score to Hughes, Hussey to fail and Johnson to get another bag.
Huss MUST make runs in a test NOW!
ReplyDeleteHuss needs to be dropped, it'll do him good.
ReplyDeleteI reckon with a batting average higher than his bowling (29 - 27) that Johnson should be considered an all rounder already.
Thanks to Symonds for his career.
Same for Brett Lee.
Same for Watson.
Clean slate...exciting times.
mmm 15 year old scotch!
ReplyDeleteeither that old Bundy madness for a banana bender!
I agree with Sledgie about Hussey's need to justify his place. Hard to imagine North would keep his place if he didn't make a score for several tests. I think this policy of carrying blokes is nonsense. I don't care if Lee and Clark are declared fit in 2 months, without proving their worth in competition they should not be automatically slotted back in. Hey Diddle Siddle, Bolly and Hilfie have done very well. Stoph - I reckon Hilf has done enough to impress with some great wicket-taking balls, but he needs to have more control, bowl a tighter line more of the time.
ReplyDeleteHilfs waywardness down leg side won't be as much of an issue in test... but, yeah, he needs more control consistantly- i want to see him pitch one 12" wide of off and land it on a batsmans back foot before i'm totally convinced!
ReplyDelete