Bit up in the air at the moment. Clarke has serious injury worries, especially his hamstrings. Missed the last two tests and out of the tri-series. The plan is that he’ll be back for the WC, but he seems to be having a bit of a battle with Cricket Australia over proving his fitness. He’s admitted himself that he may have played his last test. Along with his historic back problems, he does seem to be in serious strife. We’ll have to see if he makes it to the WC, he’s been named in the squad. If he doesn’t, I’d say it’s game over.
Smith won the Allan Border medal last night and named Test and ODI player of the year. Deservedly so as well.
So, that was an enjoyable world cup, one day cricket seems to have had a tectonic shft that England for one haven’t noticed.
Australia named the squad for the West Indies tour in June today and subsequently the Ashes in July / August in blighty.
No room for Glen Maxwell, a surprise of sorts. Selectors have rewarded performances in the Sheffield Shield (won by Victoria who drew the final against WA) bringing Fawad Ahmed in to challenge Nathan Lyon after 48 wickets in the shield, including 8-89 in the first innings of the final for VIC. He could be a huge player for Aus. WA captain Adam Voges, not before time, comes in after setting a runs record in the sheild this year of 1358 at an average of 104.
Jackson Bird not included, not sure what’s happening with him, thought he’d be perfect for England. Starc’s included along with Hazlewood. They will help cover over the fact that Johnson is slowing and won’t be used as effectively as the last series. Siddle’s included, god knows why.
Biggest surprise for me is Joe Burns has been relegated to the Aus A team, though I think he will eventually end up at 3 or 4 in the test team. Don’t know why they persist with Shaun Marsh.
In other news, Ed Cowan has retired from first class cricket. He was going nowhere and apparently Lehmann dislikes him. A pity.
Can’t wait for the Ashes, should be a cracking series.
England are bilge. The ashes will be dreadful I’d imagine, as a competition. I might bob along for a day if I’m invited.
Cowan probably too intellectual for Lehmann. I think he read a book once.
Got caught with a broadsheet.
[QUOTE=“Fitzy, post: 1115985, member: 236”]
Australia named the squad for the West Indies tour in June today and subsequently the Ashes in July / August in blighty.
No room for Glen Maxwell, a surprise of sorts. Selectors have rewarded performances in the Sheffield Shield (won by Victoria who drew the final against WA) bringing Fawad Ahmed in to challenge Nathan Lyon after 48 wickets in the shield, including 8-89 in the first innings of the final for VIC. He could be a huge player for Aus. WA captain Adam Voges, not before time, comes in after setting a runs record in the sheild this year of 1358 at an average of 104.
Jackson Bird not included, not sure what’s happening with him, thought he’d be perfect for England. Starc’s included along with Hazlewood. They will help cover over the fact that Johnson is slowing and won’t be used as effectively as the last series. Siddle’s included, god knows why.
Biggest surprise for me is Joe Burns has been relegated to the Aus A team, though I think he will eventually end up at 3 or 4 in the test team. Don’t know why they persist with Shaun Marsh.
In other news, Ed Cowan has retired from first class cricket. He was going nowhere and apparently Lehmann dislikes him. A pity.
Can’t wait for the Ashes, should be a cracking series.[/QUOTE]
Lot of test cricket to be played before the Ashes starting with the Wisden Trophy on Monday.
The big test for Australia this summer is whether they can adapt to conditions outside of their comfort zone of hard bouncy pitches. They’ll be relying on most of the same personnel who’ve failed miserably over the last 2 years to win any of their last 12 tests overseas against England, India or Pakistan in varying and testing conditions which necessitated a need to adapt. Mitchell Johnson has never produced any kind of form in England. Siddle performed well in England in 2009 and 2013. England look utterly stale though and Australia won’t get a better chance to end their long wait for an Ashes series win in England.
Downtown fired. I’d imagine his management team will follow. Jason Gillespie being touted a bit recently.
Vaughan and Alex Stewart and Strauss seem to be considered. Don’t think Vaughan will get it he probably talks too much and enjoys his media work. Stewart is always impeccably turned out, he will get it.
[QUOTE=“Manuel Zelaya, post: 1120360, member: 377”]Lot of test cricket to be played before the Ashes starting with the Wisden Trophy on Monday.
The big test for Australia this summer is whether they can adapt to conditions outside of their comfort zone of hard bouncy pitches. They’ll be relying on most of the same personnel who’ve failed miserably over the last 2 years to win any of their last 12 tests overseas against England, India or Pakistan in varying and testing conditions which necessitated a need to adapt. Mitchell Johnson has never produced any kind of form in England. Siddle performed well in England in 2009 and 2013. England look utterly stale though and Australia won’t get a better chance to end their long wait for an Ashes series win in England.[/QUOTE]
Siddle won’t play in the Ashes. Johnson is looking a bit old and probably will continue his form in England. But Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will do sufficient damage. And then there’s Fawad Ahmed.
Probably more a case of England being in all sorts then Australia being particularly good will win the Ashes for the Aussies.
Australia should win handy enough.
First test just underway in Antigua. Windies won the toss and elected to field. Jonathan Trott back in the England side after an 18 month lay off, opening the batting with Alastair Cook. Not a happy comeback so far. He’s just been dismissed for a duck by Jerome Taylor in the first over. England 1/1.
England rally from 34/3 to a commanding 341/5 stumps. Terrific knock from Ben Stokes, still unbeaten on 71 off 80 balls. Middle order looks strong with Stokes back with a bang and a 143 from Bell and 83 from Root. The top order is still concerning me greatly. No end in sight to Cook’s miserable run and the bad decision to recall Trott (and opening the batting) compounded by his dismissal for a duck. Gary Ballance is not the answer at Number 3 either.
Disappointing from the Windies after such a good start. Having won the toss, they should have fielded.
After the game of cricket being held to ransom by this pyjama nonsense for months on end, thank God test cricket is back. First day of test action in 92 days and in England’s case 239 days. Mind you, I see Chris Gayle scored 96 for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL today. The Windies have enough problems without Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine off in India in that disgrace of an IPL. No test playing nation has suffered as much from the IPL as the Windies as traditional test playing series in the Caribbean from March to June is smack bang in the middle of the IPL.
Stokes really got stuck into the Windies in the last half hour or so.
Much better from the Windies bowler this morning, resuming on 341/5, they bowled England out for 399. It could have been even better with England on 361/9 but Jordan & Anderson but on 38 for the final wicket.
England in a commanding enough position at stumps on Day 3, 116/3, a lead of 220. They were on 20/2 with Trott and Cook both dismissed cheaply again.
Windies have been game enough and a maiden test century for Jermaine Blackwood. Its just such a crying shame, so many of their top players are off in that IPL affront to cricket.
Windies have to bat out the day for a draw. First 12 overs of the day survived without any further loss of wickets - 118/2.
Anderson got one to equal Sir Ian Botham’s record of 383 test wickets. WI 141/4
He equalled it with his dismissal of Marlon Samuels. One more needed to break it.
Terrific session of cricket. Partnership of 79 between Ramdin and Holder and the Windies are 268/6 at tea. 31 overs to survive for a truly heroic draw.
Nothing quite like Day 5 of a test and a heroic rearguard action at about 2.50 runs an over to save the game.
A record breaking 384th test wicket for Jimmy Anderson to break the 7th wicket stand of 105 and dismiss Denish Ramdin. 300/7 with 17 overs left.