This Week's Rant

*steps on soap box*

Good afternoon.

It has been brought to my attention that the Australian Selectors, obviously in consultation with the ECB, have decided that the Ashes series is far too one sided, and that in order to return the series to some sort of balance, they have dropped a batsman who currently averages 47 with the bat in Test cricket, and installed in his place someone who averages 21 with the bat in Test cricket. While they have been using the front that this is a move to ensure that the bowling workload of the Australians is monitored so that they do not break down, it is an obvious ruse, as the Australian captain has shown his reluctance over the past 12 months to use the designated ‘all-rounder’ for any more than three overs in an innings at any time. And let us not forget that the all-rounder in question has only himself returned from a shoulder injury and has bowled in two innings, and is probably at more risk of breaking down than the four specialist bowlers in question.


In Adelaide last season, the selection panel took a stand and chose four new players that they more or less anointed as the players who would lead Australia into the future. They were Peter Handscomb, Matthew Renshaw, Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade. All four have now been torched in 12 months, in much the same way that Joe Burns, Callum Ferguson and Joe Mennie were torched before them, and in the same way that Glenn Maxwell has been torched this season.

So well played selectors. This should keep the series alive. Perhaps the media should now ignore asking the selectors their opinion on the team, and instead go straight to Justin Langer to see who he thinks is the next Western Australian player who should be in the Test team. Or perhaps this is the reported spot-fixing that has been reported in the media in the last couple of hours. Again, if this is the case, well played.

The fucking system is completely broken.

Thank you for listening.

*steps off soap box*

2nd Test Day 5: Dream Dies Quickly as Hazlewood and Starc Claim 2-0 Lead

For about 18 hours, from the end of play on Day 4 to the conclusion of the Test match in the first session of Day 5, the British media and fans had that marvellous feeling of hope in their hearts. They had fought hard from being a long way behind in the Test match, and now, with 178 runs to win and six wickets in hand, including Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow, they were set for one of the best and most famous victories of all time. The only problem that faced them was the vaunted Australian bowling attack that was unlikely to bowl as poorly as it had the previous evening, the new ball being just 18 overs away, and the history that only ten teams had chased and won the 354 runs in total that was their aim in the history of Test cricket. Everything had to go right for England to win. Within 17 deliveries the dream had evaporated thanks to Josh Hazlewood.

England needed a good start. They needed to not lose a wicket in the first hour, and to slowly cut down their deficit. They knew Australia had no reviews, so they had to hope that any close calls went in their favour such that they could not be reviewed by the fielding team. As it turned out, none of those things happened. Hazlewood got the tiniest flick of Woakes bat with his second ball of the day, and Aleem Dar’s delayed decision kept everyone on tenterhooks before he finally raised his finger, and the roar of the crowd cut short the Barmy Army’s daily rendition of ‘Jerusalem’. It was fateful. If Dar had not raised his finger it would have hurt the Australians. That it did – in a correct decision – hurt England. The momentum of the Barmy Army was halted, and Australia had the early breakthrough they needed. Better was to come in Hazlewood’s second over, when he ripped a similar delivery past Joe Root and again caught the edge. The captain walked, hugely disappointed for a number of reasons, and Australia celebrated a barely believable perfect start considering their toil the previous evening. Root had once again failed to convert a start to a big score, and also still has only one century in a second innings. He knew that with him went England’s chances for victory, and that he would now also come under renewed questioning for having sent Australia in on the first day. No doubt it sobered him up from the high of the previous evening.

Though there was resistance from Bairstow, the rest fell swiftly. Moeen was dismissed by Lyon for the fourth time in the series. Ovenden was crushed under the heart by a fearful ball from Cummins, before Starc’s first ball with the new ball was far too good for his defences. Broad tried to stay as far back from the ball as he could before edging behind, while Bairstow followed a lovely cover drive with being terribly beaten for pace by Starc, with his bat barely on the downswing as he played on to complete England’s misery 120 runs short of the victory target. Starc had done the job he does so well at first class level by cleaning up the tail quickly, and finished with five wickets for the innings as his reward.

Where does that leave the series? For England, who will have gained something from the last 48 hours that they would not have expected, they know they must put everything together if they are to come back and retain the urn. Vince and Malan still look dicey, Cook may well be cooked, and Bairstow must bat higher in the order. A case could be made to have Bairstow and Malan swap positions, but overall England need to find more runs. With Gary Ballance their only real alternative to bring into the line-up, it means their decision making is probably to keep faith with who they have. Their bowling attack looks okay and no doubt they will look forward to bowling at the W.A.C.A. Ovenden had a terrific debut with ball and bat and showed the kind of resolve that England would like to see from all of their team. With the lack of real pace in the England squad becoming a glaring problem, the opportunity remains to blood young leg-spinner Mason Crane as an attacking bowling option, and leaving out either Woakes or Ovenden. Unless Ben Stokes suddenly becomes available, they don’t seem to have anything else in reserve, unless they recall Mark Wood. In the end they will probably have to trust in the same eleven to find themselves a result. 

Australia has done enough to have the lead, but will still need more from some of their individuals. Khawaja and Handscomb will both want a big score to erase doubts about their futures. Both of their techniques are still being questioned by the England bowling, and they will be looking to tweak and polish for the next confrontation. Bancroft too will be looking to make a big score in his first Test at his home ground. The problems with numbers 6 and 7 – for the moment – seem to have been satisfied, while the bowling group looks strong. The selection of Mitchell Marsh in the extended squad for Perth shows that the selectors haven't given up their dream of a seam bowling all-rounder playing in the team long term. While they will be concerned about the bowling workloads, the eight days between Tests should be enough to allow Australia to retain their eleven from the first two Tests. The younger Marsh's selection is a pointer towards the slower tracks in Melbourne and Sydney, and the possibility of adding some bowling help at that stage looks more likely than Marsh being thrown in at Perth. The batsmen in the team deserve the opportunity to make runs away from the two wickets that favour the bowlers in Australia. 

England must win in Perth to keep the series alive, while Australia will be looking to close out the series before reaching Melbourne for the third time in the past four home Ashes series. If England truly believes it has found something from Adelaide then they must attack remorselessly in the 3rd Test to keep the series alive. If it was all just a flash in the pan, drawn from the generosity of Smith’s decision not to enforce the follow-on, then their problems have only just begun.

2nd Test Day 4: Another 'Unwinnable' Test Heads Into Last Day of Possibility

The momentum shift that began with England at 7/142 on the third day swung even further to the visitors on day four as they fought like a team that had something to prove and a grudge to bear to stay in a match that they had no right to still be competing in. While it is conceivable that the luck had begun to swing in England’s favour, the fact that Australia was doing itself absolutely no favours in the way it was playing left them in the uncomfortable position that England are still a chance to level this series 1-1 on the fifth day, and every stride they had taken in a positive direction at the start of the Test has now almost evaporated.

In many ways, that Australia managed to scrape together a total of 138 in their second innings having started the day at 4/53 was probably quite fortunate. England bowled well with a ball that kept moving in the air and off the seam. Though he was unable to get a wicket, Broad hurried proceedings onwards by striking Nathan Lyon in his helmet, and caused a change of tactics from the batsman that saw him hole out the following over. Handscomb’s technique has been found out and exploited, and it was too much to expect a repeat performance from marsh and Paine to again save Australia. England was clinical and what’s more, on top, despite the eventual margin to cross for victory being over 350 runs. Their bowlers showed exactly why they expected to do well in the day/night Test atmosphere by using the conditions available to them to perfection. It should act as a warning to Australian cricket authorities. If they continue down the path of day/night Test cricket, they will throw away completely the home advantage Australia has over England. By offering up seaming and swinging conditions – conditions that Englishmen thrive and grow in – then it will tip the balance in every Ashes series, home or away, to the English team. Something to consider I would have thought.

England’s response was positive. Cook hung in, Stoneman started brightly. A fifty opening partnership was exactly what they wanted. The Australians were not moving the ball anywhere near the amount that their opponents did, and by the time the lights came on they had an old ball which did not respond the same way as the new ball had the previous evening. At 3/93 Australia may have been pleased, but Malan and Root dug in, fought hard, had a little fortune, but gave the belief they could still win this game.

Australia squandered their opportunities, and wasted reviews like they were a renewable energy. The missed review against Cook early was exacerbated by two wasted reviews in an over in the evening, leaving Australia with no reviews for the remainder of the innings, and now they are at the mercy of the umpires verdicts, and both Dar and Gaffney seem to have lost confidence in their own decision making given the number of overrules they have faced in this Test. The Australians obvious frustration is like gold to the English team, but even more so to their supporters. The barmy Army has come completely to life and is dominating the crowd, while on social media the old firm are all coming together to support their team and mock the home team.

Back to the reality of the match, and England has erased half of the deficit they faced when they started their innings. They have lost four of their top order in the process, but are fortunate not only to still have their skipper at the crease to guide the chase, but Moeen and Bairstow to come who are capable of not only scoring runs, but scoring them quickly. Australia will not want them coming to the crease with the scores much closer together than they already are. Australia will have a new ball in 18 overs, but they once again will not have one under lights. In fact, the match will be almost over before they night session is reached, one way or the other. What will Australia’s tactics be? Will they be short? Will they be up? Will they look to cut down the runs?

England had two and a half good days in Brisbane and lost by ten wickets. Australia had two and a half good days in Adelaide, and are in danger of losing a Test that should probably already be over in their favour. Day Five will be a long and tense day for everyone, players and supporters alike. There is no doubt that an England win would be electrifying for the series, leaving it 1-1 going to Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The English would be riding a tidal wave of confidence if they did, and Australia would be devastated. Even an Australian victory and a 2-0 lead, would still find England heading to Perth believing they can still retain the Ashes by at least drawing the series. The odds are still very much in Australia’s favour to win the 2nd Test. But records are meant to be broken, and any Australian who hasn’t got the Tests against South Africa some years ago in their head, where the visitors batted for almost two days to draw in Adelaide, and chased 414 to win in Perth by six wickets, should look those results up. This isn’t the foregone conclusion that defending 350 in the fourth innings used to be.

2nd Test Day 3: Ghosts of Dravid and Laxman Bring England Back Into Contest

An hour after the evening tea break in Adelaide on this third day of the 2nd Test, Australia held the absolute ascendancy in the Test and the series. The bowlers had been terrific in the first three and a half hours of the day, reducing England to 7/142, a lead of 300 runs with just three wickets to get, and the outside possibility that they could wrap up the Test before stumps. At the very least, by cleaning up the final three wickets for say 30 runs and enforcing the follow-on, Australia would surely be on the cusp of a 2-0 series lead by stumps. And then through the same brainless bowling tactics we thought had gone the way with Brett Lee’s retirement Australia allowed the lead to be whittled to just 215, before handing England the advantage of bowling with a new ball under lights and the game exploded. If ever there was a case of someone taking their foot of the throat of the enemy thinking the battle was over and then that enemy jumping up and stabbing them in the heart, this was it.

That first three hours for Australia was a triumph. The early dismissal of Vince was perfect, and got Root to the crease early. His dismissal was perfect cricket from Pat Cummins. The good length ball stroked through the covers for four was followed by the well pitched up ball wide of off stump that drew Root to it like a moth to a flame, and he edged it to third slip perfectly. Beautiful bowling and good plans. The patience of Nathan Lyon to draw Cook forward who complied by steering the ball to slip. The pace and bounce of Cummins to get the inside edge of Malan’s bat was all class. Five wickets down at tea, and then after tea two brilliant caught and bowled’s to dismiss the dangerous pair of Ali and Bairstow, by Lyon and Starc. It was brilliant cricket by Australia, and they were so far on top it was deliriously delightful.

And then then decided to hand that advantage back to England on a platter, and allow the visitors to claw their way back into the match, just ever so slightly.

No matter how much Australia had decided that the fast short pitched bowling was their key and master stroke to keeping England on the back foot, if it isn’t executed perfectly, or if it is so overused it isn’t a surprise anymore then it becomes obsolete. This tended to be the case for the rest of the England innings. Woakes and Overton wouldn’t lie down, didn’t lie down. They fought hard, and with that fight they had their little slice of luck, but it was more than deserved against what started to become a brainless assault in the middle section. Having done all of the hard work on the top order, Australia thought the tail would just roll over, and they did not. Instead of using their abilities to knock over the tail with conventional fast seam bowling on a responsive wicket, Australia decided to just bash the ball into the surface and force the batsmen to get themselves out. It may have worked in Brisbane, but here it didn’t. Woakes and Overton stuck to it, and did a wonderful job in not only surviving but it decreasing the lead with every over. Australia has been guilty of this in the past. Surely someone could see this wasn’t working and they needed to reassess. A lead of 300 was eventually whittled back to ‘just’ 215, with Woakes scoring 36 and Overton 41 not out on debut, the highest score of the innings. Theirs were brave efforts and would have been saluted by the England dressing room.

In cricket it is often said that you should always do what the opposition would most hate you to do. Given the chance to have to bat against Australia’s pace attack under lights with a new ball, or the chance to bowl against Australia’s top order in the same conditions, it’s a no-brainer that England would not have wanted to bat again. And yet Australia declined to enforce the follow-on, and decided to bat again. Seriously – what the hell is going on there? EVERYONE knows the best time to bowl is the last two hours of the evening’s play in these day/night Tests, and the Australian captain handed this opportunity to England. And they took full advantage of it. Jimmy Anderson was near-on unplayable, swinging and seaming the ball both ways in as good a spell of swing bowling as he has EVER produced. The others did well too, especially Woakes, who buoyed by his batting exploits finally showed what he can do with the ball, getting both Warner and Smith. Australia finished at 4/52 at stumps, but it was the way the England team floated off the ground laughing and charged up that was the most concerning thing. They should have been down-trodden, hanging their heads beaten into submission by a superior team. But, because of Australia’s brain explosions over the second half of the day’s play, they now believed in their ability once again, that they had a chance to squeeze their way back into this Test match.

Australia is still haunted by Dravid and Laxman in 2001 when it comes to enforcing the follow-on in Test cricket, and also bythe perceived possibility that the fast bowlers may get over-worked and break down again. Those two things have poisoned Australia’s ascendancy in this Test match, and for the moment has just given England a sniff that they can come out on the right side of this match. Both sides would agree that they would much rather be in Australia’s position, 268 runs ahead with six wickets in hand and two days to play. They still hold the whip hand in this Test. But if the follow-on had been enforced, and Englandhad been 4/52, then the game would have been as good as over. Australia may well still hold a 2-0 lead in this Ashes series in the next 48 hours, but three hours of innocuous cricket this evening has given England a boost that they should not have gotten, and may well still end up being a factor in the outcome of the series.

2nd Test Day 2: Marsh and Paine Silence Critics and England's Chances

After three deliveries of Day 2 of the 2nd Test, England must have thought they were in the ascendancy and on their way to surging to a dominant position in the Test match. Removing the set batsman in Peter Handscomb in the first over would have been as good as the English could have hoped for before they walked out onto the field. By the end of the day, they would have thanked the weather gods that ensured they only had to face nine of the allotted 28 overs they should have to conclude the proceedings, allowing them a chance to lick the wounds and reassess just where they sit in this Ashes series.

• Shaun Marsh deserves to be on top of the world. The howling that came from most of Australia over his selection in the 1st Test team had to have hurt. He knew how many chances he’d had, and he knew he had to make this one count. His half century in Brisbane wasn’t enough. Today he fought in the same way we saw him do so in Ranchi to save the Test for Australia, and he was able to continue to stay in his shell as Tim Paine made the running in the first session, and then Pat Cummins stuck with him in the second session. His century was celebrated by all and sundry, and his final score of 126 not out will rank as one of his finest innings. There’s no better way to swing the masses to your side than to score runs, and at a time that Australia desperately needed them. It’s been said before, but could this finally be the innings that brings the best out of Marsh, and allows him to have a long and solid place in the Australian team? No doubt all Australian supporters - whether they backed his selection or denounced it - will hope so.
• The other maligned character of the team did his job admirably as well. Tim Paine scored his third Test half century yesterday, all the while being peppered by the ball, with one blow on the finger that has cruelled his career being particularly nasty and at one stage looking as though it was a real problem. Perhaps it still will be, but he fought hard and rode his luck, and helped get Australia to a position of relative security. While it is his keeping he will be judged on, the fact that he made these runs eases any perceived pressure on him in that regard. And he played some lovely shots. Great to watch.
• The DRS made its presence felt on Day 2, with two LBW decisions against Marsh and Paine both being overturned on review, with the ball suggested on both occasions to be going over the stumps. At normal speed both look like terrific decisions by Chris Gaffney, but the technology thought otherwise. While there is still a lot of scorn over the ball tracking predictive line – and no doubt England would have been furious over it here – there was indeed an obvious amount of excessive bounce in the wicket, and when viewed on slow-motion you could possibly believe the balls were going over the top. Both reviews hurt England who were left to imagine what could have been.
• While some commentators and English personnel will feel their bowlers were a touch unlucky on Day 2, in the end they were out-fought by the Australian batsmen. At five down for 209 Australia should have struggled to make 300, and yet reached 442 before declaring the innings closed with two wickets in hand – those three wickets to fall providing another 232 runs. Given that Australia’s middle order was considered to be its weak point prior to the start of the series, no matter what fortune England may have felt they were missing, it doesn’t ring true enough that this kind of first innings total should have been achieved. If Australia had bowled like England did at Nathan Lyon, fans would have been furious for the waste. Surely England could see this as well.
• For all of their talk about lack of luck, England was saved again by rain, much as they had been on the first day. With 28 overs to be faced under lights with a new ball, England was fighting an uphill battle against Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins. That they only had to face 9 of those overs as rain returned to wash out proceedings was a massive slice of fortune for the visitors. Losing only one wicket means they can start again in daylight with some hope to see off the new ball and build an innings. That wasn’t necessarily going to be likely under lights.

Day 3 may well provide some answers to the future of the Ashes contest. England will likely look for rain, and need to bat all day in order to be a chance to save this match from this position. Indeed, they will probably need to bat until the middle of Day 4 to get close to Australia’s first innings total. The home team will look to get early breakthroughs and put this match well out of England’s reach by the end of the day, in the hope that they can secure a 2-0 lead and place one hand firmly on the Ashes urn.

2nd Test Day 1: "Send 'Em In" Joe as England Change Tack in Search of Victory

In 2002/03, Nasser Hussain made one of the biggest calls of his captaincy career when he won the toss at Brisbane for the 1st Test of the Ashes series, and sent Australia in to bat. 2/380 followed on that first day, and the series was more or less sealed from that point on. In 2005, Glenn McGrath rolled his ankle in practice and was ruled out of the 2nd Test of the Ashes series, and yet when Ricky Ponting won the toss he too chose to bowl. England made 400 in the day, and though Australia almost pulled off a miracle, the loss was the start of the slide to defeat in the series. These two decisions by captains to send in their opponents are now folklore in Ashes cricket, and in a few short days we will know whether a third one is to join them, after Joe Root won the toss here in Adelaide and decided to insert the Australians on Australia’s flattest Test pitch in the day/night Test.

• Despite the overcast conditions, the pitch looked to be a special, though Root may also have been persuaded by the fact that in the only two day/night Tests played in Adelaide, the team batting first has lost. Early on though it didn’t look great, as the bowling was not at its best, and not in the right areas. England’s first piece of good fortune came from the rain that then delayed play, and enabled the team to reset and start again. It also brought Australia closer to the time when they would have to bat under lights, which was an advantage for the bowling team.
• The second piece of fortune for England was Dave Warner selling his partner up the river and having him palpably run out when Australia was on top. It was a dreadful mix up. One of the first things every junior in the nation is taught is “don’t run on a misfield”. And yet here, this is exactly what Warner did, calling his partner through, and then when trouble emerge, turned back faster than a Mitchell Starc bouncer, stranding Bancroft mid-pitch, with his only hope that the throw would not be a direct hit. It was.
• The usual story with the pink ball was once again the case today, as none of the batsmen looked at any stage as if they were well and truly in. Everything was a struggle, and they had to fight hard for every run they managed to get. Occasionally they were able to flourish with a cover drive or a punch through mid-wicket, but nothing flowed from the bat.
• Australia’s three biggest batsmen all made the start they would have hoped for, but all fell without being able to turn it into a big score. Both Warner and Khawaja were caught behind playing shots they probably didn’t have to. Warner’s 47 was as awkward as he can look when bottled up, but he would have been disappointed getting out when he did. Khawaja looked the most comfortable, and had moved easily to 53 before he flashed at one he didn’t need to. He looked more comfortable against Ali than he had in Brisbane which was another positive.
• Between Tests England has made sure they have voiced their opinion that Australia are once again the ‘bullies’ when it comes to sledging. The majority of their media has jumped on board also. “Australia are the bad guys” once again seems to be the case to be heard. As it turns out, this was turned around on the Australian captain on Day 1. He was subject to taunts especially from Broad and Anderson, and also had Anderson placed next to him at the non-strikers end to get into his head. Smith gave as good as he got and Umpire Dar had to step in a couple of times to try and keep them apart. When Smith played on for 40, the England camp claimed they had gotten inside his head and he was frazzled. Khawaja simply said he felt they had just switched him on even more. Either way, what would the media say if Smith came out and claimed England were being bullies? England can’t have it both ways, claiming to be the victim while then going out and doing the same thing. If they think they won by dismissing Smith for 40, then it seems a bit like they claimed 85 years ago when Bodyline cut Bradman’s series average to ‘only’ 50. The second innings will be interesting.
• In a tough last hour under the lights, Handscomb (36) and Marsh (20) played well to ensure Australia finished with at least their share of the day’s play at 4/209 off 81 overs. England on the other hand will be disappointed they weren’t able to pry out another couple of wickets in the twilight. Despite having the top four back in the pavilion it is a long day for only four wickets. It is a similar situation to the first day of the 1st Test, with not too many runs having been scored to think Australia are away. Early wickets tomorrow would put England back in charge.

It has been an intriguing day’s play, and given Australia was sent in they would consider themselves in front. On the other hand Smith had said he would bat if he’d won the toss, so if that had occurred and the same score was applicable would they feel as happy? Perhaps Day 2 can answer that question more authoritatively.

1st Test Day 5: Australia Headbutt To a 1-0 Series Lead

At the end, it all came too quickly and too easily for England to have any cause for suggesting they had parity through the course of the match. The game was completed in the first hour of the final day, with Australia not losing a wicket in the chase for 170 runs, and the media so tied up in the Bancroft and Bairstow headbutt case that it became the focus of the after match conversations rather than how meekly the England team had seemed to hand the series lead to the home team.

• Dave Warner always finds a way. On the third anniversary of the passing of Phil Hughes, Warner, who was 60 not out overnight, managed to punch a ball through the covers early, and the whole crowd heard his call of “THREE!” It took him to 63 not out, a score that will continue to live in the memories of Australian fans and cricketers for some years yet. Warner’s poignant look towards the heavens reminded everyone again of the loss of a mate to so many of the cricketers around the country. Like I said, Warner always seems to find a way. It was also fitting that the Barmy Army sang their own tribute to Hughes before play, a nice touch from the touring cheer squad.
• Cameron Bancroft played like he has been a Test cricketer for some time, patiently waiting for the loose ball and then disposing of it. He finished on 82 not out, not far behind his partner Warner with 87 not out. His real Test comes in Adelaide this week against the pink ball, before flying onto home turf at the W.A.C.A. He stands tall, he plays straight, he appears unflappable. One wonders where he may have been now if the tour to Bangladesh two years ago had not been called off, where he would have made his Test debut.
• The media seemed to act as though the climax of the Test was the least important thing of the day. The fallout from the headbutt administered by Bairstow to Bancroft three weeks ago took centre stage, with one side of the media calling it a conspiracy to distract the England players from their job at hand (which if this was true, worked a treat). It also allowed the foreign media to downplay the loss and ignore that side of the game and instead try and utilise the story instead of analysing what went so wrong for the English team. Bancroft himself ended the drama through his press conference, which then had the foreign media suggesting this was completely blown out of proportion deliberately by the home media. Now however, they had to focus on the cricket and the result, which they seemed less inclined to do given the result.
• Questions remain over several players from both sides. Khawaja did not have the chance to redeem himself, and will go to Adelaide expecting Moeen Ali bowling at him very early again. Shaun Marsh generally follows up a decent score with four or five single figure scores, he will be looking to erase that statistic this time around. England will likely only make one change, with Jake Ball looking out of his depth. They need more from Woakes, which he may provide with the pink ball. They need more from Cook, though his place is unlikely to be challenged this summer.

1st Test Day 4: Bancroft Stands Firm to Change Course of Series

Day Four began with perhaps Australia a nose in front, with England being seven runs in front but two wickets down. The see-saw was likely to be felt today because by the start of Day Five there was the expectation that one team would be in the dominant winning position. Which is just as it turned out.

• England was unable to put together the century partnership they needed in order to break the Australian bowling apart. 45 between Stoneman and Root and 42 between Moeen and Bairstow were the best, and the breaking of both of those partnerships proved vital at the time. Just extending one partnership to a hundred runs would have put the Australian chase over 200 and a much more difficult proposition.
• Root’s wicket was the vital one, which took from England the rock on which they would have hoped to build their second innings resistance. Only one of Root’s 13 Test centuries have come in the second innings, and his average drops to 40.72 in the second innings. Today was the day England needed him to go on, but a brilliant Hazlewood delivery did for him again. He has been out both innings LBW stuck on the crease in this Test, something to reflect on as we go deeper into the series.
• Moeen Ali again underlined his dangerous ability at six, seemingly cruising to 40 before being stumped off Lyon. The third umpire dismissal took several angles to confirm it was out, but social media and Michael Clarke erupted after the decision, bringing up ludicrous ideas such as there was at least a quarter of a millimeter of boot behind the line, to it being so close that the batsman should get the benefit of the doubt, to the crease having been painted crooked, to the line being too thick. The batsman has to be behind the line, so thickness doesn’t matter, nor if it’s crooked (which it wasn’t), and there was no need for benefit because there was nothing BEHIND the line. Moeen himself returned everything to order in the post-match press conference when he said that if he had been the bowler he would have wanted that given out.

• Starc and Cummins roared at the end of the innings, and the aggressive intent made lighter work of the tail than the first innings. While one suspects that their lines and lengths may change slightly with the pink ball in Adelaide, the blueprint now seems to be in place for England for the rest of the series. Short and fast.
• Nathan Lyon’s three wickets were all left handers, one stumped and two caught by Steve Smith at slip. With no fewer than six of the current England line up left handed batsmen, they are going to see a lot of him bowling at them this summer.
• Cameron Bancroft brought up his first Test half century in finishing on 51 not out overnight. But perhaps the moment that confirmed he is here to stay was when Jimmy Anderson picked up the ball Bancroft had patted back to him, and threw it back at the batsman. Bancroft stood his ground, and it hit him in his right thigh pad, well away from the stumps. Anderson put up his hand in ‘apology’, but Bancroft just stared him down. It perhaps summed up the moment that Australia had taken charge of the Test match – and the series. And – imagine the uproar from the British press if an Australian had done this!
• Why didn’t England stick to the same tactics they used against David Warner in the first innings? It seems strange that, having tied him up and gotten him to play the wrong shot to get out for 26 in the first innings that we would be seeing that same field and bowling to him all summer. But it was all a bit conventional, and once warner got started there was no way to put the genie back in the bottle. At 60 not out overnight, he and Bancroft have already gotten Australia to 0/114 and within 56 of victory. One suspects a trick was missed there.
• The breaking story after play was of the alleged head-butt from Jonny Bairstow on Cameron Bancroft three weeks ago in a bar in Perth, well before Bancroft became a Test candidate. Nothing has come out about it at all until today, which suggests both sides were willing to put it aside. Still, one wonders how England management were supposedly unaware of it until today. Comments in the past few days have now shown all of the Australians knew, and it had been used in comments on the field, and in Nathan Lyon’s case in an interview. How this will affect things in the coming days will be interesting given both the David Warner incident in 2013 and Ben Stokes incident this year.

Barring a cyclone or the greatest comeback in cricket history, Australia will go one up in the series before lunch, and England’s worst case scenario will have been completed. How this affects both teams – and their respective media – will be the most interesting sideline heading into the Adelaide Test on Saturday.

1st Test Day 3: Smith's Finest Symphony Saves Australia Again

In forty years of watching cricket, I have seen a lot of great batsmen. No, I did not see W. G. Grace, Victor Trumper, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Charlie McCartney, Don Bradman or anyone previous to 1976. And yes I have seen the likes of Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara and anyone else you would like to mention from around the world in that time. Closer to home, you can never mention toughest batsmen ever without the names of Allan Border and David Boon being immediately recalled. Up until ten years ago, my opinion was that I had seen no finer batsmen than Greg Chappell and Viv Richards. They were the two who above all others I considered to be the greatest. About eight years ago I added Ricky Ponting to that list. Though he may have faded in his final couple of years, his innings when Australia needed him brought him into that established group. And while people are free to throw names like Lara and Tendulkar at me, those are the three I consider at the top of the tree.

I am now beginning to believe that the name of Steve Smith will have to be added to that list.

Smith has a long way to go in his career. There is every chance that at some stage it won’t be as rosy as the last four years have been, and thus a judgement call on this sort of thinking cannot be made presently. But anyone who watched his innings on the third day of this 1st Test would have to have been thinking much the same thing. Because this wasn’t just another innings where Smith found his way into gaps and blasted the odd ball through the field on his way to a fast paced century. No this was something completely different that defied everything you may have thought about the Australian captain’s batting.

Joe Root showed that he and his team had clearly thought up some plans for the Australian batsmen yesterday, and they paid off. Today, especially once Marsh had been dismissed for a career-extending 50, the plan was to set a field such that the line that was bowled would cut off practically every safe way of scoring runs, and only allow ways that would have a high element of risk involved in getting the ball into the gaps. In that first session, it involved six men on the leg side in a faux-Bodyline setting with three on the boundary and three in a semi-circle a pitch length from the bat, while on the off side the was a slip, a gully and a fly slip. It left the field between point and mid-on completely vacant. With the ball being delivered short in at the body consistently, it meant that the risk was high to hook or pull, and also to try and move away to play into the off side. The bowling had to be spot on to execute it, and for the most part it was. The English, like yesterday, has posed a question to the batsman, and now it was a matter of what the response would be.

For the two hours of the first session, this was how Smith was attacked. He played the short ball to his feet, he swayed, he ducked, he pottered. At no stage did he look to take the field on, he just patiently waited for each ball and played it on its merits. The run rate slowed to a crawl, but that wasn’t his fault. He simply refused to buckle, or to allow the tactic to get on top of him. In this he was wonderfully supported by Pat Cummins, who also stood his ground and failed to be budged. Without his innings, Smith would have been forced to take a different tact, but while Cummins defended stoutly and then launched the occasional textbook cover drive to the fence, he was able to stay in his own groove. In the three hours up until drinks of the middle session, Steve Smith scored 30 runs. Australia had scored 87 in total. But it was fascinating cricket. The partnership between Smith and Cummins added 66 runs in over 32 overs, of which Cummins scored 42. Smith brought up his century with a magnificent cover drive, just about the only ball pitched in his half in four hours. It had taken 261 deliveries of graft, grind and absolute patience against the bowling tactics of the English team. At tea Australia was 8/287, still behind the England total, but now within touching distance, something England would have though nigh on impossible when Starc had been dismissed at 7/209. After tea Smith was faced with a change in tactics, with now seven on the offside and the bowling line outside the off stump. And still he waited for the loose ball, for the ball to get runs with little risk, while Hazlewood and Lyon continued the fight, supporting their captain to the very end. When that finally came, Australia had managed to reach 328, a lead of 26. Smith remained not out on 141, having faced 326 deliveries and batted for more than eight and a half hours. It was an innings for the ages, though many tried to bely the tactics and the lack of pure aggression from the bowling attack, and questioning why Anderson and Broad had only bowled a total of seven overs with the new ball before it was passed on to the less experienced Woakes and Ball to take over.

England could only drag themselves seven runs in front by stumps, having lost both Cook and Vince to a recharged and vibrant Josh Hazlewood who thrived in the hour before stumps to reclaim some of his own venom with the ball. Both teams had some harmony restored between them when a violent Starc bouncer crashed into a poorly defended Joe Root, his helmet taking an awful beating in the process. Starc and Warner were immediately at his side, ensuring his welfare with wry smiles all around. Just three years on from the demise of Phil Hughes, it was a moment to reflect that his downfall is still uppermost in the minds of all cricketers. With Root determined to lead by staying on the field, the pantomime concluded with a very high bouncer being delivered to finish the over, easily ducked by Root who like the rest of Australia expected it, and a shared smile of knowing between batsman and bowler reminding everyone that the game moves on.

Today’s innings by Steve Smith should not be dismissed easily. It was a work of art, an innings of a captain who refused to buckle, who fought every inch of the way to keep his team in the game, and eventually to ensure they got a lead they never looked like achieving the previous afternoon. Australia has had some great captains, and has seen some wonderful captains innings that have changed the course of a Test match. None have been better than what the Australian captain produced in Brisbane here today, and if it gives his team a lead in this series then it should be held up for eternity as one of the greatest innings of the modern era.

1st Test Day 2: England's Battle Plans Leave Australia in Strife

The millennials are probably having heart palpitations over the sludgy pace that this 1st Test is being played at, but for the purists it has been fascinating and for the most part entertaining. Those brought up on a diet of ODI and T20 cricket would have trouble understanding what has happened over the first two days play in Brisbane, but those with a better head for the game will have felt well sated by stumps, with England having stuck their neck in front in a see-sawing game.

• Malan and Ali continued to frustrate the Aussie bowlers on the second morning, reaching 4/246 after drinks in the first session. Moeen proved he is going to be a thorn in Australia’s side this summer as he scored runs with a fluent ease, though mostly through the leg spin from inopportune deliveries, while Malan became the third English Ashes debutante to make a half century, something all three of Stoneman, Vince and Malan felt worthy of note at the end of the day’s play in response to Australia’s media and social media comments.
• That England could only eventually make a final total of 302 from this position mostly came from a change in direction and tactics from the fast bowlers, who for the first time in the Test decided to bowl hard, fast and short at the batsmen. In between Nathan Lyon spun his web and was finally rewarded with the wickets he deserved, the ball to get Woakes in particular being a beauty. It could have been better for Australia, but a late order slog of 20 from Broad got them past the 300 mark. The four sessions to reach this tally was considered of benefit to Australia because they had been able to halt the momentum, though this then depended on their own response.
• England's tactics with the ball and in the field were different, but effective. It showed that Joe Root and his conspirators had put a great deal of thought into the Australian batsmen and their perceived weaknesses. While Bancroft was caught behind driving on debut for 5, Khawaja was almost immediately faced with off spinner Moeen Ali and was undone by spin once again - or in this case the lack thereof. He has a major problem to overcome if his career is to thrive from this point. Warner was bottled up with a short and back field and given nothing to play at in his favourite zones, and again fell to the half pull half punch on the legside straight to the fieldsman put in place for it. England used this tactic against him in 2015 when it also worked. Once suspects he will face a lot more of it. Handscomb looked positive in his short stay, but was pinned behind the crease and LBW with his unusual footwork. It's a dismissal one would expect to see more of in Handscomb's career, and no doubt England will continue on this path. Great tactics, well executed, and at 4/76 England was deservedly in front.
• Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh fought through the last session, adding 89 runs to finish at 4/165 and helping to make the Australian dressing room more comfortable. Marsh again looked the part at Test level and would be well aware he needs lots of runs to maintain his position, but his calming partnership with Smith will have helped his cause, finishing overnight on 44.

England hold the whip hand after two days play with Australia still 137 runs behind, and early wickets on the third day will give them a handy lead and a great platform to push for further ascendancy in the first Test. Not for the first time in the last few years, the pressure rests with the Australian captain, who remains on 64 not out and will have to shoulder much of the run scoring if Australia is to fight its way back into this Test match.

1st Test Day 1: England Crawl to Opening Advantage

The opening day of the Australia summer of Test cricket is always one to treasure, but there is certainly something even more special about an Ashes series. This has become even moreso since the continuing demise of the West Indies, whose series in the 1980's and 1990's were as highly revered. The first day can often dictate the terms of the series. Today's may well have, but we won't know until the first week of January.

• England won the toss and decided to bat, and apart from the early first wicket the play was slow but steady, and very unlike what anyone would have expected. The wicket was quite placid, with nowhere near as much pace as was expected. Along with this, Australia’s bowlers looked to be trying to just put the ball on the right spot rather than coming in with all guns blazing. There was very little seam or swing, and the tactic, which could also have been attributed to first morning nerves and wanted to set a standard, didn't seem to work. Hazlewood in particular looked out of sorts, and this allowed the England batsmen to slowly build.
• Alistair Cook had yet another failure on this tour, falling early which immediately made it hard. However, the new boys Stoneman and Vince showed the right attitude for the fight, placing a high price on their wickets, and confidently pushing the ball around the field. Without the expected fury from the pitch or the fast bowlers, they settled in to their task and made it to lunch unscathed. The rain delay after lunch gave them time to get their minds set, and they then continued on. Their partnership of 125 would have been a surprise to both teams, but set England up perfectly.
• Nathan Lyon was magnificent on first day, somewhat surprisingly given the thoughts heading into the Test. With the fast bowlers lacking penetration, Lyon came on and showed all the tricks he had learned from the subcontinent. He tied up one end while looking eminently dangerous and allowed the fast bowlers to rotate from the other end. He helped slow the run rate to a crawl, and extracted a great deal of unexpected turn from the pitch. He has grown into the go-to man with the ball in such situations, and he was the best of the Aussies on Day 1.
• England had looked at ease, until two hours before stumps. Pat Cummins ramped up his pace, and from around the wicket blasted his way through Stoneman's defence for his first Test wicket on Australian soil. Stoneman had shown he can survive in these conditions, while Cummins showed he will be a force this summer.
• What could turn out to be the turning point of the Test was Nathan Lyon's run out of James Vince. Looking untroubled on 83, Vince pushed a ball into the covers and called for the single. Lyon swooped, picked the ball up one handed and threw the stumps down at the non-strikers end to find Vince short by half a metre. It was brilliant, the reward for the hours and hours of training these guys do on their fielding. And it got rid of a batsman who looked like he was in for the long haul. It will be four days before we know, but this might be the most important wicket of the Test. It added to Lyon's wonderful day.
• Cummins trapping Root LBW before stumps was priceless. The ball beat him for pace and left him pinned to his crease, and was in the middle of a terrific spell of fast bowling. At the same time Dawid Malan looked very unlikely, playing and missing and adding false shots along the way, but managed to get to 28 by stumps. He was uncertain against the pace of Cummins and the spin of Lyon.
• Moeen Ali at six looked more assured, and he and Bairstow look to be the danger coming into Day 2. If they can both get going and boost England's total towards 400 they will be in the box seat.

At stumps England sit at 4/196 off 80 overs of a rain affected day. The slowness of the scoring keeps Australia in touch more than they probably should have been, but England is in the driver’s seat if they were good enough to take the advantage heading into Day 2.

An Open Letter to the Executive Board of Cricket Australia, and the National Selection Panel

An Open Letter to the Executive Board of Cricket Australia, and the National Selection Panel

17 November 2017

Gentlemen (and I’m beginning to use the term very loosely),

Once again, I feel the need to sit down and compose a letter to you, given the situation that has occurred in the past 24 hours in regards to the selection of the Australian team for the 1st Test against England next week.

While I retain full respect for the three gentlemen of the National Selection Panel in regards to your own cricket careers for Australia, I must say that you have reached a new low in regards to your opinions in selecting our national team. This comes not only for the team that has been selected, but the way in which it was deliberately leaked to the media the night before the official announcement, to ensure that the full effect of the decisions you have made would have worn off before you actually had to stand up and face the media and cameras to read out those names.

So let’s attack that part first. The selection panel of chairman Trevor Hohns, Australian coach Darren Lehmann and high profile youth co-ordinator Greg Chappell, sit down on Wednesday evening and talk about the Test team. There is still a day to play in the Sheffield Shield matches around the country, but they have obviously seen enough. The team is selected, and the day for the announcement of that team is still on Friday morning. And yet, the team is leaked to one person in the media, and within minutes – MINUTES! – the whole world knows the team, despite the fact that it isn’t officially announced until Friday morning. And there is no doubt it is a deliberate ploy, because there are no rants about a leak, no call from James Sutherland or Trevor Hohns to ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again, which if it wasn’t a ploy would certainly have occurred. 

No, what this turns out to be is a cowardly release of the team more than twelve hours before the official announcement, to ensure that the controversial selections – and there are a couple of them – have already been played out in both the media and in Australia’s homes and workplaces before the Chairman has to stand up in public and go through the ludicrous rites of reading out a team everyone already knows. It is a sham, and it plays out so poorly it makes our selectors look incompetent and it makes Cricket Australia look like a circus. Again. Have you not learned anything from the past twelve months in regards to your actions over the Memorandum of Understanding? What on earth are you thinking?

To the selections at hand, and my mother could have chosen nine of the twelve players for the 1st Test. They were locked in, and obvious selections. Where the problem lies is that more should have been done to ensure other selections were already in place. What place does loyalty have at the selection table anymore? Why do we no longer respect the efforts of a player or players who have done a job asked of them on foreign soil, and then abandon them as soon as we return to our own surfaces? And why has the Sheffield Shield become a plaything of Cricket Australia to meddle with as they please in regards to the competition, and not allowing first class teams to pick their own players to try and win matches?

The dropping of Matt Renshaw is a disgrace, no matter how many runs Cameron Bancroft had made. Renshaw was selected twelve months ago from nowhere – by you gentlemen – to be the future face of the top order. He has been fantastic. We needed a different element opening the batting, and he provided that. His grit and determination in India was magnificent, his catching at first slip solid. He is 21 years old, and Brisbane is his home ground. Everything married up to let him play, and that has been taken away from him. No one is desecrating Bancroft’s form, but surely the most logical selection was to play him at number six, and work his way into Test cricket from there. Of course it was. But no, you have turned your back on a tremendous young batsman who did all the donkey work for you in Asia this year, and you have then sent him to the scrap heap. Wonderful loyalty shown there.

The selection of Tim Paine again defies belief. You ditched the best keeper in Australia in peter Nevill last year because he wasn’t scoring runs. You brought in an inferior keeper in Matthew Wade because you believed runs were more important. In that twelve months he hasn’t done the job, and now you find yourself in a fix. Do you accept you were wrong and go back to Nevill, who batting form since being dropped has been excellent? No, can’t admit error there, don’t do that. Do you go with Alex Carey, who you chose as Australia A keeper before the tour to South Africa was canned? No, hasn’t scored enough runs, can’t do that. What we’ll do is go back to a keeper who, though is admittedly one of our best glovemen in Australia, is currently playing as a batsman only because he is in the team with the man who WAS the Test incumbent. And in doing this, you manipulate his selection in the Tasmanian team for the third match after he had not played in the first two rounds, and then ensure Tasmania bat well beyond what they needed to when setting a target to try and win their Shield game, all to ensure Paine batted long enough to justify your selection of him in front of everyone else. Are you kidding? This is what we’ve come to? Can you not see the hypocrisy in everything to do with this selection? Or do you just not care how it looks, because you three know better than everybody else?

OK. Let’s calm ourselves down… wait… what do you mean YOU HAVE FUCKING SELECTED SHAUN MARSH IN THE FUCKING TEST TEAM ONCE A-FUCKING-GAIN?!?!? ARE YOU THAT FUCKING DELUDED?!?!? Are you just mixing him up with Shane Watson?! (which now that I’ve stooped so low as to bring up his name… would Shane Watson have been sacked from the opening position if he had the same figures as Matt Renshaw? No way in hell, he’d have been the first one picked).

So you can’t pick Bancroft as a number six because he’s an opening batsman, but you CAN pick Shaun Marsh as a number six… because he’s an opening batsman? Can you see how this piss poor mixed up logic is just making you seem even more insane? Don’t you remember? He went to India, and then you didn’t take him to Bangladesh. You DROPPED him!! And now, FOR THE EIGHTH FUCKING TIME, you are recalling him to the Test team.

Back in the 1990’s, an English colleague told me how hard it was to continue to support English cricket, given the cock-ups that constantly occurred at board level and at selection level, let alone how the team tended to perform on the field. I sympathized, though secretly grinning inside because those days had passed Australia over forever. Never again would we have a situation where what occurred of the field would be to the embarrassment of the viewing public, or to cricket tragics such as myself, who look for Australian cricket to be the leaders in every aspect of the game, both administration and playing.

Suddenly, this morning, I have that deep sickening pit in my stomach where I have begun to question my loyalty to Australian cricket, and to those who are charged with doing the right thing in regards to our cricket at all levels. If I’m just a fan I could probably live with it. But I’m not. I am a complete tragic of the game, but especially of our country’s game. I am watching junior cricketers walk away from the game, I am seeing grade cricket slowly wither and die from the lack of people coming into the game. And when I see things like this happen, is it any bloody wonder why? Two days ago James Sutherland came out publicly wondering whether Test cricket could survive. Isn’t that your bloody job? Aren’t you supposed to be charged with MAKING it survive, by doing everything in your power to make sure it does survive, and not come out and suggest it is in its dying throes? If you said the same thing about grassroots cricket you’d be thrown out the door before you could finish the sentence – but that is most true than your worries about Test cricket!

Apart from the ridiculous selection of Shaun Marsh and the mystifying terms of the Tim Paine selection, and the complete destruction of any loyalty a player can expect from selectors for the way they play for the team, the fact that the powers that be felt it necessary to leak this team to avoid major confrontation and to buffer the response is a disgrace.

If this team succeeds the selectors will claim the credit for their selections. If the team fails then we are left with an amazing number of questions to be answered. No matter what happens from this point, my heart bleeds for Matt Renshaw in particular today, a kid who has been betrayed by those who should know better. I feel sorry for Glenn Maxwell, who has fought hard to make a place for himself in the Test team, and on his performances deserved the chance to cement it here in Australia. And yes, I feel some disappointment for Matthew Wade, who appears to have been given little support from above with the constant speculation over his place in the team, and then been passed over for a player who he keeps in front of for his state.

Everyone at Cricket Australia has been placed on notice. If this season goes belly-up, then your time has come to move on. I for one will be at the front of the line looking to take over and restore Australian cricket to the position of respect and success that it once had, and deserves again.

Yours in Absolute Anger,

Very Agitated Cricket Tragic.

Weatherald's Winning Double Buried By Media and Selectors Politics

While the rain erased the chance of a result in Melbourne, the outright victory in a fourth innings chase by South Australia in Perth was a refreshing sight for cricket observers – until one remembers that the modern day W.A.C.A. wicket has seen plenty of fourth innings victories as the surface has changed over the years. The memory of South Africa chasing down over 400 against Australia, and of the run-fest between New Zealand and Australia two years ago, shows that little remains of what was once the fastest and truest surface in world cricket. More is the pity, given that it will have its second send-off to Test cricket in a few short weeks before the game is moved to the new overbearing stadium that lacks the history and suburban values that the W.A.C.A has held so dearly.

South Australia’s victory was a celebration of their well balanced team, proving once again why they have been Sheffield Shield runners-up for the past two seasons. Going in with four fast bowlers worked for them with the ball, and the efforts of Jake Weatherald, who played out of his skin for a career-defining double of 152 and 143 – his first innings saving South Australia and keeping them in the game, his second innings winning them the game – are the vindication of the faith shown in him. Given the media coverage that was given to Jake Lehmann’s double last match, and also Cameron Bancroft’s recent form, it seems ludicrous that more has not been made of his amazing achievement. Of course, the ridiculous leaking of what purports to be the Test team while the finale of this match was taking place completely overshadowed his amazing achievement, and is once again a nonsense of the sporting media in our current times. No one was suddenly stating his case for the Test side, indeed it was barely mentioned in any breath. And that is fair enough, because it would have been drawing a long bow - exactly like the Jake Lehmann possibility. But instead of covering this fairly, the media had bigger fish to fry all of a sudden.

More or less forgotten in all of this was the wonderful innings by Callum Ferguson in helping to set up this victory. He would have been disappointed with his 33 in the first innings given his chances to push for his own Test recall, but his 88 in the second innings took his team to within 70 of victory, and once again proved that his form is now good enough to give him a much better chance of a second shot in the baggy green than 12 months ago. It appears as though hit has come to nothing at this stage, but more big scores in the next two Shield games will put him in a position to be the next person on call should the Test team falter in the early Test matches. It is disappointing that he hasn’t received any coverage in this regard either, because I believe he would be a perfect fit at number six. Certainly better than the person who appears to have been given the job.

With the further injury concerns to Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff, Western Australia’s bowling line up was unable to dislodge the Redbacks on the final day, something that suggests some difficult days ahead for them. Also given that Hilton Cartwright was only given 6 overs on the day it didn’t bode well for him in pushing his case as an all-rounder if his skipper didn’t think he was up to the challenge. It will be interesting to see when Mitch Marsh is right to bowl again, and whether his newly found form with the bat will continue once his body is expected to bowl once again as well.

The rain ruined any hope of a result in the Victoria vs Tasmania match, and it also stopped Glenn Maxwell from putting up a final case for his Test spot with a big score. He finished the truncated final day’s play at 45 not out, and given his two sixties in the previous match you would have thought he had done enough as a current member of the Test top six to retain his position. From all reports that isn’t the case, which appears to be extremely confusing and unprofessional if it is the case.

The drawn match leaves both of these teams at the foot of the Sheffield Shield table, and with little real prospect of moving up unless something incredible happens. The next two rounds will take place without the Test squad players, leaving New South Wales and Western Australia more vulnerable, but both teams are likely to have reasonable backups to take their places. What will be most interesting in the next two rounds will be the performances of the players who were either in the Test squad beforehand or on the fringe of selection this week. The way that they go about their work for themselves and their teams will now become the focus, especially when it comes to keeping in touch for the Sheffield Shield title. In most cases, whereas these three initial matches have all been able Test selection, now the fight for the Shield becomes the reality for those left behind, and that battle still looks as though it is going to be a good one.

Second String Attack Gives Renshaw the Blues

Despite having Australia’s entire pace attack withdrawn from its team to contest this week’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, the New South Wales second string pace attack managed just fine, helping the Blues to cruise to a six wicket victory well inside three days at Allan Border Field. And while the debate on just how many XI’s New South Wales could field that would still be competitive in the current Sheffield Shield competition is an interesting one (three is my guess), the conversation of the match revolved around the desperate situation Matt Renshaw finds himself a day out from the Test selection announcement, and the continuing push by Dan Hughes to force his way into calculations.

Renshaw’s case now lies solely in the selection panel’s opinion on what they have so far invested in him at Test level, and whether than still outweighs the form he has shown on the field in first class cricket. No doubt the selector-on-duty at Allan Border Field will take into account his misfortune in both of his dismissals in this match – adjudged caught behind in the first innings for 16 which he certainly didn’t believe he had hit, and then the classic leg side strangle to be caught behind again for just 1 in the second innings. As he watched the number of times that Warner, Maddinson and Smith all edged through or over slips in both innings of this match, Renshaw would have been thinking hard on the huge role luck has to play in cricket. At the moment he is receiving none, while others seem to be swimming in it.

Renshaw is still only 21 years of age, and has done a lot of things right since his unexpected call to the top of the Australian top order this time last year. He has been good at first slip in a team that was crying out for one, his smile lights up the field when he flashes it, and along the way he even scored some runs – quite a few on occasions. He fought through adversity on the recent tours of India and Bangladesh, and while the figures don’t show it he was one of the few batsmen to return home with his reputation fully intact. While his six innings in Shield cricket this season have only brought forth 73 runs at 12.17, it would be a decision of outrageous hypocrisy by the National Selection Panel if they were to leave him out of the team for the 1st Test. He is the future on which they hoped to build the team on, when they selected him twelve months ago. To abandon him now would be to the detriment of what they hope to achieve.

Daniel Hughes has been a different kettle of fish, with his position in the New South Wales team having been mandated by a selection panel that believe he is a future Australian representative, and thus was required to play in these early Shield games above others, notably Ed Cowan. Above all else, he has succeeded as well, and perhaps even done better than anyone would have imagined. His 98 not out here in the first innings is quite possibly the difference between the winning and losing of the match for the Blues, as it set up a lead from which Queensland was unable to put enough runs past to fully pressure the batting line up in the second innings. He also secured the high ground for his team with his 57 in the first match against South Australia. His six innings of 57, 7 not out, 25, 1, 98 not out and 23 not out leave him with 211 runs at 70.33, and he has fulfilled his brief superbly. Cameron Bancroft’s unignorably wonderful form will probably mean he won’t be in Test calculations this week, but he has certainly put his name in front of the panel for further consideration.

The massive margin of victory in this match is something that should be more of a talking point than it will be. The pace bowling quartet of Doug Bollinger, Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott and all-rounder Moises Henriques did a fantastic job in both innings, along with the help of Test spinner Nathan Lyon. Bollinger and Abbott were hostile, while Copeland was as patient as always. These three both know their roles. They are not the first choice bowlers anymore when the trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins are available, and yet they single handedly took down a full strength Queensland team inside three days. Bollinger took 3/38 and 3/65, and continues to show why he was once a firm part of the Test team. It seems amazing that he has not played a Test match in seven years. Copeland was again a metronome, taking 3/33 off 23 overs and 1/25 off 14 overs. Here is another former Test bowler, whose only fallacy seems to be he doesn’t bowl at 140kph. He has never let New South Wales down. Abbott provided spark again with his 1/42 and 4/65, with his sneaky pace still as big an asset as it was when he was chosen for the ODI and T20 team three years ago. Still only 25 years of age and a more than handy batsman he still has time to make an impact at a higher level. These three were wonderful in winning this match for their team, and yet they can’t make the full strength line up. 

Behind them even come bowlers such as Harry Conway, Gurinder Sandhu, Mickey Edwards and others on the rise. New South Wales is a tough place to get a game, as can be seen by the number of former New South Welshmen plying their trade in other state teams, including Test 12th Man Jackson Bird. Hopefully batting-wise at least, there will be a Queenslander at the top of the order this time next week in the Test team.

Bancroft Blows Open Test Selection Race

Prior to the start of yesterday’s Sheffield Shield round three matches, there was differing levels of pressure upon the shoulders of the maligned trio of Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Wade. One is a young opening batsman with the world at his feet, but in desperate need of one innings to restore his and the selectors faith in his ability. One is a maturing batsman who made his breakthrough in the Test arena this year with a century, but continues to polarise opinion as to whether he has the technique and headspace to be a Test middle order batsman. One is a team dressing room favourite who was chosen for his batting over his glove work 12 months ago, but has failed to score the runs he needed to gloss over the mistakes he makes behind the stumps. Despite this, 24 hours ago they were as likely as not to be selected on Friday in the Australian team for the 1st Test against England in Brisbane next week.

And then yesterday occurred.

There was no joy for these three men on the cricket field on the first day of their respective Sheffield Shield matches. Renshaw battled along to get to 16 before he was adjudged caught behind off Trent Copeland in Queensland’s match against New South Wales, though his reaction suggested that he at least didn’t think he had touched it. It was unfortunate timing, as is to be seen. Matthew Wade batted at five again for Tasmania, who again suffered a massive failure with the bat. Wade had struggled completely to make it to five runs, before he tried to pull a ball that wasn’t there for the shot and was bowled by Peter Siddle. Though his glove work was clean in the afternoon session, it is his continuing lack of runs that has taken the focus away from that part of his arsenal. Glenn Maxwell watched the carnage of the Tasmanian innings before entering the arena himself, and having made four runs was completely outdone by the same kind of outswinger he would face from England’s bowling attack which he edged through to the keeper in ungainly fashion. All three of these dismissals, and the lack of substance behind the innings themselves, have allowed the doubts that have been building about their ability to perform at Test level to reach a crescendo.

Even given these performances, one could sense that the selectors could look past them, and see what others may have forgotten. Renshaw was excellent in the back half of Australia’s Test summer last year, and his tenacity especially in India deserves to be recognised on his CV when it comes time to select the next Test team. Maxwell scored a pair of half centuries last week, and got starts against Bangladesh without making a bigger score, which in normal circumstances would leave him in good stead. Wade is popular in the dressing room, his keeping is better than it had been in his first appearance in the Test squad and he still should have the ability to make a big score based on his first class record.

And then yesterday occurred.

Cameron Bancroft isn’t now just knocking on the door to the Test squad, he has smashed a great big hole through it. He batted through the day in Perth to be 161 not out overnight, following on from his two superb innings against the New South Wales Test attack last week. It would be one of the most ludicrous selection decisions in recent times if his form was not rewarded with a Test spot come Friday. If indeed these Shield games were being used as a form guide for Test selection, then Bancroft has covered every question asked of him.

What becomes more intriguing is what spot he will be asked to fill in the Test team – as an opening batsman, which would mean Renshaw is dropped; as a number six batsman, meaning Maxwell would make way; or, heaven forbid, as the keeper-batsman, meaning Wade would return to Tasmania to see if he can hold his place in THAT team against Tim Paine. And the fate of several other cricketers around the nation rests with exactly this decision, as to what role Bancroft will fill.

Should Bancroft be selected as an opener, then Renshaw will go back to Shield cricket, and discussions will still be held over six and seven in the order. If it is as a number six, then Renshaw survives, Maxwell goes, and the keeper situation needs resolving only. If it is as the keeper Bancroft is selected, then it becomes even more interesting. Renshaw stays, but Bancroft could easily fill the hole at six, which could re-open the debate about an all-rounder being selected in the team to bat at seven and contribute valuable overs as an extra seam option. Such a move may well bring players like Marcus Stoinis or Moises Henriques back into the equation. As I said, where Bancroft is selected opens up some doors and closes some others.

Number six candidate Hilton Cartwright managed 35 yesterday which didn’t exactly help or hinder his cause in regards to selection, but Maxwell’s failure would only have improved his situation. He still seems to be firmly in the selectors minds for the number six position, and yesterday’s scenario would have only strengthened his chances. Callum Ferguson will be looking to post another big score in Perth to advance his claims to number six as well.

Peter Nevill and Alex Carey both kept well yesterday – Nevill with four dismissals again, including a peach of a catch off Joe Burns’ inside edge, again impressing with his quality keeping. Both will get to have a bat today, and given we have reached this ludicrous stage where our keepers are squaring off against each other with how many runs they score rather than how well they keep, then today’s innings may well be the most important of both of their careers.

Before yesterday’s play, you could have made a case that if one of the three of Renshaw, Maxwell and Wade was chosen on Friday on their current form, then all three should get that same privilege of trust. Cameron Bancroft’s efforts have single handedly blown that out of the water, and the game has changed because of it. With one man likely to have broken through into the Test team past this trio, it now opens up the way for others to do so as well. What was looking as though it would be a straight forward selection meeting on Thursday night for the National Selection Panel now looks as though it will be a much more interesting prospect.

Women Show their Desire Not to Lose in Ashes Test

Back when I had my formative years in the obsession of cricket throughout the 1980’s, Test cricket was played in a very different way on very different pitches than it is today. Matches sometimes dragged along like molasses stretching, a draw was as common an event as a win or loss as a result for the match, and teams sometimes batted all day for 220 runs. Batsmen would fight for their wicket and not give their innings away as they tried to pry out an advantage over days rather than overs. Kids of today wouldn’t understand that no matter how dreary the cricket could be, it was also fascinating. And the reason I mention this here is that what we just witnessed in the drawn Women’s Ashes Test match at North Sydney Oval harkened back to those days when teams didn’t score 400 runs in a day or get rolled for 100 in 30 overs. It was a real slogging Test match with neither side giving an inch, and it was just fantastic to watch.

This match will always be remembered for Ellyse Perry’s ground-breaking, century-shattering, brilliant 213 not out, which was not only her first international century after so many near misses, but also now the highest score by an Australia woman in a Test match. In front of a rollicking crowd at North Sydney Oval, she turned that maiden century into a big one, and in the process coaxing the tail to add 170 for the final three wickets to fall before the declaration came. Along with her first innings bowling it was quite a match for her personally, and this is what everyone will remember from this contest down the years.

But it was not the whole story, and the battle that took place between these two teams was intense and wonderful to watch. From the very start it was obvious that none of the batters from either side was going to throw away their wicket. With so few of these matches played in the women’s game compared to ODI’s and the further entrenching of T20 matches, all 22 players knew that they had to savour this moment and soak up every part of the event, because they come along so infrequently. And so they did, firstly with England’s batters keeping out everything on their stumps and looking to push the loose ball away, before Australia followed a similar tact in their turn at the crease. The pitch was a beauty and didn't offer too much for the bowlers, but that doesn't take anything away from the efforts of all the players. There would be those who would have turned off watching this match simply because the runs didn’t come quickly and that boundaries were rare birds indeed. But it was the intensity on show by both batters and bowlers that made this such a spectacle.

England had done well to set up 280 as a first innings score, and on a couple of occasions would have thought they had the better of the match, certainly when they were 3/177 and seemingly cruising, and again when they had Australia at 4/95 in reply. On both occasions it was Perry that interceded, her two late wickets on the first evening, especially the caught and bowled of Sarah Taylor, and then her wonderful innings, with vital contributions from skipper Rachael Haynes (33) and keeper Alyssa Healy (45), and then marvellous efforts from Tahlia McGrath (47) and Jess Jonassen (24). When Australia’s declaration came at 9/448, England must have wondered how they could possibly be in deficit by 168 runs, and were now in danger of losing the match and the series on the final day.

But the Poms played well. They were tenacious, and they gave nothing away, and having set themselves to bat out the entire day they did that with aplomb, finishing at 2/206 in a good old fashioned stonewall to a draw, something that has somewhat sadly fallen out of the modern day male game, apart from a couple of sterling efforts by South Africa. 105 overs of superb concentration, seeing off the best efforts of the Australian bowlers to find the breakthroughs necessary to force a victory. And yet, the moment that will best capture that final day came from a leg spinner, as Amanda-Jade Wellington ripped a perfect leggie through the defenses of Tammy Beaumont to take the top of her off stump. It was terrific stuff.

Invoking the memories of past eras Test matches in the male game to this match is only a tool to remind everyone that this game meant something – a LOT in fact – to the women playing in it. That the men’s game has developed now that they seem to be playing Test matches like T20 matches, sometimes incapable of fighting for their wicket if conditions do not suit them, whereas the women still have the ability to switch back to a Test match mind frame from the dozens of short form games they play the majority of, shows that their passion and desire NOT to lose is an important part of their make-up. If the women were afforded more opportunities to play Test matches, and given a full five days to play them rather than the truncated four days of this match, then no doubt there would be more freedom to pursue run rates that would force results rather than a tame draw. I’m sure this is what the international players want, and it should be something that is pursued for them in order to facilitate this happening. It would be a shame to have had such a wonderful occasion not pressed into further opportunities for this to happen more often in the years to come.

Two England Teams Fight Hard for Upper Hand

English teams of both males and female persuasion found themselves in front in their respective matches yesterday with the lights and pink ball shining into the night. While the men warm up for a series that increasingly appears will be fought out by teams both battling to find a cohesive eleven, the women battle out the one Test match that falls in the middle of their Ashes series and have probably taken the points on an even first day.

The gala opening to the Women’s Ashes Test match came with five debutants across both teams, and the seriousness of the contest was obvious, as England crawled along early in the afternoon, revealing how important this match is to both teams. With the longer form of the game almost non-existent in the women’s game, the rare opportunities to play in such a match was brought to bear as both sides avoided making any mistakes. While the first hour was slow, it was enthralling in this way, with the England batters looking to hold their ground. Perhaps it wasn’t as exciting as the one dayers had been, but it showed how much this opportunity to play in a Test match meant to the players.

England held the ascendancy for much of the first day’s play, with only a late flurry of wickets at the end bringing Australia back to parity. There were two brilliant catches made by the Australian’s, first by Nicole Bolton to get rid of Winfield, and then by Ellyse Perry as a caught and bowled that removed the dangerous presence of Sarah Taylor. Both were marvellous examples of reflex catching and is a credit to the coaching of the team. At 4/214 with ten overs to go in the day’s play England looked to be in the box seat, but those three late wickets to be 7/235 has given Australia the chance to keep the lead to about 260. And then their hard work begins with the bat.

In Adelaide the England bowlers had their chance with the pink ball after their batsmen had been dismissed for 293 early on day two. Against the young Cricket Australia XI batting line up they did their job, reducing them to 5/57 and ensuring that teenagers such as Will Pucovski and Jason Sangha realise how tough the job ahead of them is if they want to succeed at this level. The senior pros in Tim Paine (52) and Matt Short (45), along with a swashbuckling 50 from Simon Milenko, allowed them to declare at 9/233 and have five overs at the England openers, which they negotiated without loss.

Jimmy Anderson and Chris Woakes both found their radar early, and showed they will be a handful with the pink ball in a few weeks’ time, as indeed they will all series. They both have a lot of importance on their shoulders with the ball this summer, and so far they look to be tuning up nicely. Jake Ball rolled his ankle and was taken from the field, signalling more trouble for the Test team’s back-ups, while leg spinner Mason Crane also picked up three wickets and looked to have the ball coming out nicely.

While England may feel they are not getting the warm-up games they would have liked in regards to the strength of the opposition, they have been pushed on all four days of their tour matches so far, which at least has given them something to work on. They will be looking for long hits from Cook and Root especially today, before hoping their bowlers can finish the job in the final innings to give everyone a good run before they reach the main event in less than two weeks.

Starc's Second Hat-Trick Completes Two Enthralling Matches in Sheffield Shield

It may have been the event that everyone will remember from the second round of the Sheffield Shield, and the fact that it came at the very conclusion of the round perhaps was the perfect way to finish it off, but Mitchell Starc’s second hat-trick of the match against Western Australia was not the most important event of the final two days of the round. Indeed, what those two days of both the Victoria vs South Australia match and the New South Wales vs Western Australia match provided was a combination of runs from several players that finally gave the phrase “competition for places” a real meaning.

While the match at the M.C.G finished in an exciting draw, with both teams having their chance to press for victory on the final day, several performances drew a spotlight to individuals who will either feel more comfortable about their chances of playing in Brisbane on November 23, or will feel their chances have increased dramatically.

Jake Lehmann’s double of 103 and 93 was exciting to watch, unorthodox in places and mirror-image of his father in other places. His disappointment at not going on in the second innings was obvious, but he can be well pleased with his efforts in this match. While the prospect of Australian coach and selector Darren having to consider his own son for selection (though he has stated publicly he makes himself ineligible when such talk is done between selectors) has excited the media, his efforts here have to be considered against those in the previous match against New South Wales, where he was monstered by the Test bowling attack in ferocious circumstances. More big runs in the next match against Western Australia would have to push his case more, but it seems unlikely Australia will gamble with him at this stage. He still has time on his side, and building a case by weight of runs this season will be the best way to do that.

Callum Ferguson’s imperious 185 not out in the second innings of this match comes more heavily weighted given his efforts in that same New South Wales match last week. His 36 mightn’t seem like much, but against the Test bowling attack in a desperate cause to revive, it holds some sway. If sheer weight of runs is what the selectors are looking for in a bid to find their ideal number six – and surely this is what these early Shield games are for – then Ferguson has filled the brief. One innings though shouldn’t be the end of the application for the position. He too will be looking for runs in Perth in order to put a gold seal on his chances. Everyone remembers how he was chosen out of the blue last year to make his debut in Hobart when he was completely out of form, and then shafted without a second chance. If he was to get a shot at the team in two weeks’ time, in a good run of form, he would not let anyone down.

Perhaps the most important innings came from incumbent number six Glenn Maxwell, whose double of 60 and 64 batting at number three will have eased his concerns about retaining his place. Not going on to register a bigger score will be something he will be disappointed in. Apart from the runs, the selectors will have been interested in the bowling tactics of the South Australians to him. Dan Worrall took to him late in his first innings, coming around the wicket and bowling short at his body. His awkward dismissal to one of these deliveries – that admittedly did not get up at all leaving a confused indecision in the shot such that he just dragged the ball around onto his stumps – encouraged the same attack to be taken up in the second innings. At times Maxwell looked awkward under this direction, but he also played a couple of nice hook shots to dispatch deliveries. This play may have stuck with the selectors. It most definitely will have been watched with interest by the English bowlers. If Maxwell plays in Brisbane, you can be sure this tactic will be used against him, probably sooner rather than later. In the long run, if the selectors are serious about their team selection being on form, then Maxwell’s match should have gone a long way to securing his place for the 1st Test, notwithstanding the efforts of the other batsmen in line behind him.

The sideline to these performances was the head to head battle of two of Australia’s best regarded leg spinners. Fawad Ahmed again did the job required of him, taking 3/82 and 3/122 for Victoria, bamboozling the tail in the first innings, and taking out the middle order in the second innings. Adam Zampa struggled and was dealt with harshly throughout, finishing with 1/123 and 2/112 for the match. Fawad has shown he can change his style of attack between the short form and long form of the game with few problems. At the moment, Zampa hasn’t quite got that change correct. Hopefully for the future’s sake, both conversed or at least watched what the other was doing and picked up some tips along the way.

In the New South Wales vs Western Australia match, where the Warriors opened up with 0/179 in their second innings in an unlikely chase of 395 for victory, only to lose 10/44 in the final session to a rampant Test attack, Steve Smith’s 76 and 127 came at the right time, tuning up for a Test series where he will be firmly in the firing line. Dave Warner’s pair of fives will not have been accepted so gleefully, but he too looks ready for the challenge ahead. Kurtis Patterson’s double of 36 and 66 again reminded us how close he must have been to Test selection last season when Nic Maddinson was given his chance. One wonders if Patterson had been chosen at that stage whether we would be having any discussion over our current number six position in the Test team.

Shaun Marsh again firmly thrust his best foot forward in Test discussions with 91 in the second innings of the Western Australia vs New South Wales match, and will have the backing of the loud and ferocious cries of everyone west of Adelaide. For the selectors it is form that cannot be denied, and you can only admire his efforts in doing what every batsman dropped from a team has to do to try and get a recall – score a lot of runs. Marsh has done that, and at least he has given himself every opportunity to be selected again. Whether or not it succeeds is something he cannot do any more about.

Hilton Cartwright picked the worst time possible to pick up a pair, on the big stage against the Australian bowling line up. You can only feel for him, having sat around for the better part of three hours watching his opening pair put on 179 runs for the first wicket, and then harmlessly giving gully catching practice an over later. Maxwell’s runs in Melbourne and his dual failure in Sydney may have cost him his chance of playing in Brisbane, but with one Shield game to go before that team is selected, he can make up for that with a massive score next week. Perhaps.

The best and worst of this match circled around Cameron Bancroft and his efforts with the bat.
Bancroft showed his credentials against the Australian Test bowling attack, carrying his bat in the Western Australian first innings for 76 runs, which was a wonderful effort. He then followed this up with 86 in the second innings in that 179 run opening stand with Marsh, showing that his form was no fluke. He showed that, should he be given an opportunity in the Test team he won’t let anyone down. And, given Matt Renshaw’s well publicised struggles with the bat at the moment, it probably isn’t any wonder that both Marsh and Bancroft have been getting the media’s attention.
However…
Some portions of the media then took it upon themselves to nominate Bancroft as a Test candidate… as the Test wicket-keeper. Now, we know everyone is out there trying to manufacture a story to sell their papers or get people to hit on their websites, but to start coming out with this kind of story is just a nonsense. Bancroft is a fine batsman, and a serviceable backstop of a keeper in the short form of the game. He is the Warriors wicket-keeper in Shield cricket, only because of Shane Whiteman’s injury induced absence. He is not in the same class of gloveman as Nevill or Carey, or dare I say it, Wade. His number one trade in cricket is as a batsman, and that is all he should be being considered as. And, surely, that is all he is being considered as by the selectors. But the raising of this by media sources shows two things – one, what lengths they will go to in order to have a story to sell, and two, the lengths this nonsense about a wicket-keeper having to be a batsman to be selected has come to. The wicket-keeper is a specialist position, and should be chosen as such. If we are going to contemplate choosing a part timer as keeper just for the fact he has scored a few runs, then we have dragged the sport to its less than basic levels. Let’s hope this does not occur.

If nothing else, at least there is now a fight for the number six position in the right way, with a number of batsmen scoring runs to bring them to notice. With the selection only a week away, the final audition comes over the first four days of next week, when we will see what our final nominations can achieve.