Openers Battle to Regain the Faith

For the purists amongst us, the return of the Sheffield Shield after what felt like three years of Big Bash was greeted with cheers, and after the cricket that was played over those four days we had every reason to be cheering. There were tight close contests, there were stars with the bat and the ball, and talking points all the way through. But without a doubt the biggest contest came from two batsmen playing for different teams in different games in different cities, both vying for one place in an Ashes touring squad, and both looking for redemption after vastly differing cricket seasons.

At Bankstown Oval, Cameron Bancroft was making his return to first class cricket for Western Australia against New South Wales, after eleven months since the ball tampering saga interrupted his career. He had returned to club cricket in November, and had played in the BBL since his suspension had concluded, but this was his first match back in real cricket, and he had a point to prove. Meanwhile at Junction Oval, Marcus Harris made his return against Queensland for his first match for Victoria since he had been anointed as a Test batsman, and though he had been lauded for his poise in his first six Tests, a lack of big runs had left him vulnerable in the immediate future, and he needed to show he could do that. 

Whether it is clear cut or not, it does appear very likely that Dave Warner will be selected in the Ashes squad for England later this year. With his own suspension only a month away from concluding and the difficultly the Australian Test team has had at the top of the order in his absence it seems unlikely he will be passed over for that squad. Given his efforts in Canberra against Sri Lanka it would seem that Joe Burns will also be on the plane to England. If this is the case, there is only room for one more opening batsman join these two in that 16 or 17 man squad for the tour. It means that in effect there is a bat off between all of the other candidates out there looking to make that team. And while you could also include others such as Matt Renshaw, Daniel Hughes, Alex Doolan and even Jake Wetherald in this discussion, the likelihood is that the final position will come down to a direct decision between Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris.

And I think they both know it. 

On Day 1 at Bankstown, Bancroft crafted his innings carefully. His poise against a full strength New South Wales attack eighteen months ago had earned him his Test debut, and he now went about using another match against the same opposition to find a way back. On a day slightly shortened by rain, Bancroft stood firm, batting through the entire day to reach 73 not out from 83 overs bowled and a total of 5/183. With the wicket still difficult to score on during Day 2, he continued his defiant stand, refusing to buckle under the pressure the accurate attack threw at him. When the Western Australian innings was finally completed, Bancroft was still there, undefeated on 138 off 358 deliveries having scored almost exactly half of the Warriors total of 279. With so much having been made of Cheteshwar Pujara’s ability to bat time during the recent Test series, and the bemoaning for an Australian batsman who could do the same, Bancroft had provided exactly what those people had been asking for. Was it deliberate, or just a response to the pitch and bowling he faced? Either way, in the eyes of many it was the perfect return given the circumstances of the Test summer just gone. 

At almost the same time that Bancroft walked off Bankstown Oval with his undefeated century, Marcus Harris walked onto Junction Oval to assuage his response. There is little doubt that he would have been aware of what had occurred north of him, and what he had to do in order to draw parallel with it. Queensland had posted a total of 441 in their first innings, which gave Harris a target to bat at, and the knowledge that he had to make a mark in order to keep his team in the game. And so he did, first with Dean and then Pucovski before finding an ally in Nic Maddinson to attack the bowling. Harris played with sublimity, punching cover drives and cut shots mixed with ferocious pull shots to keep the bowlers in check. He hit 15 boundaries in his innings as he approached stumps, before being adjudged caught behind off Swepson with only a few balls remaining in the day. It’s difficult to judge whether his disappointment is in getting out so close to stumps just five runs away from his own century, or whether he felt he didn’t hit the ball. Either way, his 95 had in some ways answered the challenge laid before him by Bancroft’s innings and yet once again saw him fall short of the century milestone that he would have felt was needed under the circumstances. 

Back at Bankstown, and Western Australia chased leather for day and a half as New South Wales, led by centuries from Patterson and Nevill racked up 8 declared for 477, before giving the visitors a short time to bat before stumps on the third day. Though they lost a wicket, Bancroft was again there for Day 4, and he spent most of it in a backs-to-the-wall fight to gain a draw for him team. Much like the first innings, Bancroft kept showing the full face of his bat while wickets fell at the other end. Only Inglis and Paris could manage double figures as the Blues net tightened with Copeland and O’Keefe circling. Sangha picked up two cheap wickets, but Bancroft stood firm. He had some fortune, but all batsmen do if they are going to save a game like this. The new ball was taken, and with it some extra purchase for Steve O’Keefe. Bancroft finally made a tired lunge forward, and the ball spun and dipped wickedly past his bat, and Nevill was like a flash with the gloves as Bancroft’s balance was lost forward and was stumped. It broke the Western Australia resistance, with the final three wickets falling within six deliveries, and New South Wales had gained an innings victory. 

Bancroft’s second marathon for the match ended with his score on 86 from 263 deliveries. He was on the field for all but ten deliveries of the match, and fell just 28 deliveries short of the record of most deliveries faced in a Sheffield Shield Match. Steve Waugh holds the record with 649. Bancroft faced 621. All of this in his first appearance in a first-class match since the 3rd Test between South Africa and Australia in March last year. Statement made. 

As Bancroft and Western Australia finally fell to defeat, back at Junction Oval Marcus Harris was on a rescue mission of his own. Queensland had declared their second innings, leaving Victoria a chase of 300 to win in 80 overs, a reasonable target though on a fourth day pitch. Dean was dismissed in the first over, and at 4/110 the writing was on the wall, and one suspected that fighting for just a draw was going to be a difficult proposition. By this time Harris had passed his second half century of the match, but he was going to need more if he was to keep his name in the spotlight that Bancroft was drawing away from him. Rather than stonewall his way to a draw, Harris and partner Matt Short keep the run rate above four an over, consistently finding gaps in the field despite Queensland’s efforts to stem the run flow. On 94, Harris put Swepson over the fence to bring up his century off just 122 deliveries, a stark contrast to what had occurred at Bankstown. But this was a different scenario. The Vics were looking for victory not a draw, and at 4/164 with 34 overs remaining, they were in with a chance. The positive statement continued unabated. The 200 came up in the 56th over, leaving under a hundred to get with 24 overs remaining, and now Queensland began to employ different tactics, employing 7-2 fields and bowling wide of the stumps to try and restrict the scoring. None of it worked. Harris brought up his 150 and just kept going, find the boundaries on both sides of the wicket with ease. He was dropped twice in this period, both to the jabbed guide that plagued him in the Test series rather than playing a full-blooded cut, but the damage had probably already been done. When he was finally dismissed, pulling a Swepson ball to mid-wicket, Harris had made 174 runs from 197 deliveries, including 23 boundaries and a six. He had almost single handedly led his team to a winning run chase, in the process breaking the century barrier that had eluded him since being chosen in the Test team, and proving that he most definitely has the qualities required of a Test opening batsman. Statement returned. 

There are three rounds remaining in this summer’s Sheffield Shield season, and a final that Harris will most likely play in and Bancroft will not. These four days have been a wonderful bat-off between the two, so symmetrical and yet almost polar opposite in effect. This is not to denigrate the other excellent performances over the four days, but this battle is the one that will have my full attention over the next month.

Is Sri Lanka's Series Victory the Greatest Ever?

Is it possible to rate the most unlikely Test victories ever? History is littered with examples of teams who were rated at short odds to be victors, only to find themselves on the wrong side of defeat. The first ever Test match in Melbourne in 1877 ranks as one, as does the first Australian victory in England at The Oval in 1882. I could name a hundred examples I guess. But surely no Test series victory has ever been better or more unlikely than that just achieved by the Sri Lankan cricket team which defeated South Africa in South Africa over the past two weeks. Their 2-0 victory, missing key personnel and having already suffered defeat in New Zealand and Australia, must rank as the greatest ever Test series victory. 

It’s been a long time away from home for the Sri Lankan’s. Not only did they lose their home Test series against England 3-0, they then headed to New Zealand where despite fighting hard they lost the two Test series 1-0, and then lost in Australia 2-0. In both series they showed glimpses of fight, and of the possibility of good things to come. 

In the 1st Test against New Zealand, Mendis and Mathews batting the entire fourth day without losing a wicket which then allowed them to salvage an unlikely draw when day five was a complete washout. In the 2nd Test they bowled the Kiwis out on the first day for 178 having had them 3/22 early on (here lies a significant statistic), before their own batting capitulation cost them the match and the two Test series. 

In the 1st Test against Australia their deplorable batting minus Mathews cost them the match, but they had Australia at 4/82 early on the second afternoon chasing their first innings total of 144, and a further burst could have been significant. In the 2nd Test they twice had Australia on the ropes, at 3/28 in the first innings (finishing at 5/534 declared) and 3/37 in the second innings (finishing at 3/196 declared). Beyond this, they had made a rollicking start to their own first innings, reaching 0/82 and cruising until Karunaratne was forced to retire hurt after being hit in the head from a ball from Pat Cummins, a moment that triggered an unfortunate end to their plucky resistance and perhaps signalled the end of their fight to save the Test.

The team that arrived in South Africa had further changes, including a new captain in Karunaratne. No one gave them a semblance of a chance of defeating the locals. Their bowling attack of Steyn, Philander, Rabada and the new kid Olivier along with the batting of Elgar, Markram, du Plessis, Amla and de Kock looked far too superior, especially on their own wickets. Perhaps they thought this too. Perhaps, as in the past, this is what was South Africa’s downfall. 

The victory in the 1st Test was remarkable enough. South Africa found themselves at 3/17 early in their first innings (there’s those three early wickets again) before getting to 235 all out, a score Sri Lanka could not match with 191 all out. South Africa looked in total control in their second innings, only to lose their last six wickets for 68 runs, leaving Sri Lanka needing the highest score of the match to win, a target of 304 runs – a total they had reached only once in their past 14 innings. At 9/226 it was finished, and yet Kusal Perera’s amazing innings of 153 not out and an unbroken final wicket stand of 78 got Sri Lanka its most famous Test victory. For perhaps a week... 

No matter what anyone thought before the 1st Test, there was little doubt among most of the cricket fraternity that South Africa would bounce back in the 2nd Test and restore a little of the honour they had lost. Once again though, the match was off the rails. South Africa was 3/15 (those three early wickets again) before recovering to 222 much as they had done in the 1st Test. In reply Sri Lanka could only manage 154, mainly thanks to a slogging Dickwella with a slogging 42 at number eight. Taking a lead of 68 runs into the second innings South Africa should surely have felt the game was – once again – completely in their control. Even at 3/51 (three early wickets) they would have felt on top of things. They would not have planned for the chaos that followed, losing their last seven wickets in the space of 38 runs as their captain stood stranded at the other end, and being bundled out for just 128. At the end of day two Sri Lanka was 2/60 with both openers out, but with only 137 runs required for history. 

Even then, who could have predicted the serene way that Fernando and Mendis cruised to the victory target of 197. There was no fear, as the run rate held steady at over four runs an over throughout the innings. Solid defence and fearless stroke play belied the pressure that should have been on the batsmen in such a chase. Instead it was the South Africans on which the pressure weighed so heavily, eventually condemning them to oblivion as the Sri Lankans won by eight wickets with barely a ripple. In doing so they became the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa, and in convincing 2-0 fashion as well. 

On this evidence, can there have been a bigger upset Test victory in the history of cricket? As I stated at the beginning there will be other examples that people can mention that will be considered as such. But given the quality of the South African team and being in their home conditions, and the fact that over the previous twelve months they had defeated both India and Australia in the same conditions, as well as Sri Lanka having come off three consecutive losing Test series, the evidence appears overwhelming. 

The prosecution rests, Your Honour.

Albion Park Under 13's: Round 15 vs Kiama Gold at Gainsborough Chase

Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen a team begin to emerge that has started putting the pieces of the puzzle together, where each piece of that puzzle has found its place and has slotted together with the others. That puzzle now looks to be complete after a victory over a competitive Kiama Gold team that combined the efforts of each individual in the Albion Park Eagles Under 13 team into a whole that is now, in my opinion, a realistic threat of winning the Under 13’s competition.

The Albion Park team batted first, and it was immediately obvious that the bowling of the Kiama Gold team has progressed light years since these teams’ first clash back in November. Tom Denyer opened the batting and his tough run continued, having hit a nice two but then leaning back too far to leg to cut and being bowled off stump by Callum Hodgson. His disappointment shows that he knows he is working hard but is having a rough trot. Save the runs for the finals Tom. Wacky Campion joined Josh Peters at the crease and these two put together a nice second wicket partnership against an excellent bowling attack who bowled full and straight and at good pace. Josh played the defensive role perfectly, happy to push forward and keep out the good balls while sneaking the odd single, as Wacky waited for the shorter ball and used his pull shot to its full advantage. Wacky had reached 15 with two boundaries when, of his own admission, he decided to try and hit the ball of the returning Callum Hodgson over mid-on, but only managed to hit it straight off the toe into that fieldsman’s hands. Liam Cergovski joined Josh at the crease and the two of them batted well until Josh reached his retirement target of 35 deliveries. He played the perfect opening batsman’s innings against good bowling today, seeing off the overs so that his middle order could see the bottom order of the bowling attack. It was telling in the final outcome.

Will Schofield came in and immediately looked at ease and as always played some classical looking strokes. The only mistake came when he hit a ball to deep square leg and called for a risky second. Unfortunately, the fieldsman had the best arm in the team, and his throw straight into the keeper's gloves found Will’s dive just short of his ground, and he was dismissed for 5. Kasey Barton also looked comfortable, with one of his trademark backfoot punches through the covers an absolute delight. In the second over after drinks though he got a nick behind to a ball from Jett Parker to be dismissed for 3. At 4/54 in the 17th over, the game was wide open and at an exciting period.

As ever though, Jack Couley was the spark and the saviour. Though again professing his nerves before going in, he shows none of them at the crease, and plays with a fresh devil-may-care attitude, looking to be positive and vibrant from the first ball. Though a couple of his missed attempted pulls must have come perilously close to the stumps, he found enough short wide balls to dispatch through the leg side into the gaps. He was terrifically supported by Liam, who played his finest innings of the season with his team in a tight spot. He claims the leg side is his strength but it was his punches to the off and excellent running between the wickets in this partnership especially that was the highlight of his innings. He is slowly coming out of his shell with the bat and his contribution today in several partnerships was enormous. Unfortunately, with one ball remaining before reaching the retirement criteria he was bowled, having made an invaluable 13 runs. He is improving at an increasing rate each week, and his attitude is just superb. Also, not to forget his wicket-keeping which is just divine. Great work Liam.

Jack continued on his way as he was joined by Kane Rex, who also played his finest innings of the season. Kane has been working hard every week and soaks up the things he is told at training, and today as soon as he found bat hitting ball for the first time, he didn’t look back. One particular cover drive where he wound up and smashed it along the ground into the gap for two was the best shot I’ve seen him play. It is great to see a kid reap the benefits of hard work and wanting to succeed. Jack retired after his 35 deliveries had totalled for him 37 runs, an innings that gave his team a fighting chance of a total they could defend. Without his contribution it could have been a completely different match. Great stuff Jack. Rob Denny came out and was again unlucky, looking to be positive from the outset with not long to go, and was dismissed by a good catch. Josh returned to the crease, and he and Kane batted sensibly to finish off the Albion Park innings at 6/119 from their thirty overs. Kane finished on 6 not out while Josh “The Rock” was on 11 not out.

What followed this was one of the most remarkable periods of cricket I have seen, and nothing I can say here will be able to explain the magnificent spectacle that took place. Opening the bowling for the Eagles was Lucas Brown and Kynan Barton, the two non-batters for the day. Both had sat and watched as their teammates dragged themselves up to a competitive total against the excellent bowling of the Kiama Blue team, and now it was their turn to be let loose. Lucas was immediately on song, with four perfect full deliveries that swung ominously from leg to off. Each was seen off by the batsman, with the fourth delivery squeezed away for a single. Then the carnage began. The next delivery was exactly like its four predecessors, but this one beat the defence of the new batsman and cartwheeled middle and leg stump. It was a beauty, one that was only bettered by the very next ball to the tall left hander, who looked as though he liked to hit the ball hard. Lucas came around the wicket and bowled the perfect inswinger, swinging in from a fifth stump line outside the off stump to clean up middle. It was a peach, the absolute perfect first delivery to a left-handed batsman. Score – 2 wickets for 1. Kynan bowled the following over and was also excellent, full and forcing the batsmen to play, and narrowly missed his own wicket when the ball must have surely shaved the off stump.

Lucas started his second over on a hat-trick, a ball that was the perfect one, right up in the blockhole, and somehow kept out by the batsman. Oh well, easy come easy go. Another dot ball followed, before yet another perfect outswinger again did for the batsman, this time cartwheeling off stump by hitting the very top of the stump. Amazing stuff. Score – 3 wickets for 3 runs. The next ball was the worst of Lucas’s spell, pulling it down short and swinging away wide of leg stump. New batsman Jett Parker swung hard and smashed it in the air wide of cover, where Will Schofield was fielding. Running at full pace he tried to track it down but it kept fading away from him and out of reach. A final desperate lunge by Will found the ball smack into his outstretched hands, and he clung onto the amazing catch, easily the best catch of the season. The boys were ecstatic, charging in to congratulate fielder and bowler. Score – 4 wickets for 3 runs, and Lucas was on his second hat-trick of the innings. Again, he bowled the perfect delivery, and again somehow the batsman kept it out. Another dot ball completed the initial spell for Lucas – two overs, one maiden, 4 wickets for 1 run. It was the best bowling spell of the season and a fitting reward for a young man who never ceases to amaze. He is the most humble of kids who continues to smile no matter what happens, and having watched him grow as a cricketer for the past three seasons has been one of my best moments involved in junior cricket. He is a gem. Watch out for him, because he is going to do amazing things in cricket. Heaven help opposing teams when he starts to grow.

Not to be outdone, Kynan did his own batting incision in the next over, firstly clean bowling the opening batsman who had watched from the non-strikers end for the first couple of overs, before then doing the same to the new batsman who had hit him for a boundary the previous delivery. Kynan bowled perfectly for the situation, he bowled flatter and quicker than usual for his off spinners, but made sure the batsmen had to play every ball and that if they missed it – which two did – he would bowl them. It was the perfect support bowling for his opening partner. After four overs Lucas and Kynan had destroyed the Kiama Gold batting, having them at 6 wickets down for just 13 runs.

Rob Denny and Kane Rex came on and also bowled well. Rob didn’t have any luck with the bat and it followed with his bowling, which was as excellent as it always is. One short ball was pulled or six, but he conceded only one more run off his other 11 deliveries to finish with 0/7. Kane had a great day today, and followed his batting with two tight overs that combined both excellent line and length. Only one ball was offline, and he finished off the innings with the final ball of his second over when he beat the batsman to bowl him middle stump. He had the kind of day that keeps bringing you back the next week. He finished with 1/3 from his two overs, and amazingly the innings was over from just eight overs, with Kiama Gold being dismissed for 23.

This is the kind of performance that has you considering just how good this team has become. At the start of the season they played the three top teams in the competition, being given a touch up in two of them and pushing the likely minor premiers to the finish line in the other. Since then this team has lost only one game, to the second placed Shellharbour Blue team. They have improved since then exponentially, and almost every player has been putting in career-best performances. That says a lot about how they are coming together as teammates and as a team, how they are playing for each other and the belief that they all have – in themselves, in their teammates, and in their team. I said at the start that they are a chance of winning the whole kit and kaboodle, and I truly believe that. The past three weeks has shown they have become the best all-round fielding and bowling team around, and two or three batsmen stand up every week to ensure a winning total. Perhaps it is unfair to put pressure on these kids by saying these things, but if they continue to show the self-belief that has been evident over the back half of this season, and they continue to rally around and take in the things their coach Anthony Pickering is sharing with them, then there is no telling what this team can do. Stay tuned...

World Cup Spots on the Line in Indian Summer

With the Australian cricket scene sidling back into the maligned Sheffield Shield competition for the remaining weeks of the season, the final preparations for Australia’s World Cup defence begin, with the short tour of India beginning next week. With two T20I and five ODI matches to be played, then followed by more ODI’s against Pakistan, this will be where the last challenges can be made for inclusion in the final 15 man squad to go to England in May.

Unless something goes dreadfully wrong over the course of those ten ODI matches, there are already a huge number of players locked in, and it will only be the players on the periphery that will need to succeed if they are to get a chance to make the final squad.

Captain Aaron Finch, now a tournament winning captain after the Renegades victory in the BBL final, will be hoping to use the matches on flat slow wickets to regain his touch with the bat and release that pressure from his mind. Alongside him as near-certainties will be Shaun Marsh, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell. Whether it is to be debated by the general public or not, so are Steve Smith and David Warner assuming both recover from their elbow operations. That takes up most of the batting spots in the squad, with just the reserve bats to be decided.

D'Arcy Short is only on tour for a short time covering for Shaun Marsh, so you would expect he will be given the playing time for the matches he is available for. It’s a big test for him, perhaps his last chance to force himself back into World Cup contention. It will be a tough task, and will require something special from him to do it. Given that India are likely to exploit his weakness against spin from the outset, if he does succeed in making good runs it will likely count as double for him. Usman Khawaja will again push his case, and under most circumstances probably should be in the best 15. However the ODI game is changing and one now wonders whether a team can afford to have two players of a similar style batting together in the top order, as Khawaja and Marsh are. It’s an interesting conundrum, and perhaps with Smith batting between them it could work, but to do so one of them would have to open the batting, thus displacing wither Finch or Warner. Big runs from both Short and Khawaja will at least give the selectors a tough task in choosing their eventual squad – no runs just makes it easy not to take either of them.

This also leaves Peter Handscomb for consideration, and it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that he is being sneakily looked at as the keeper-batsman for the squad. He won’t get the gloves in India, but if he made runs and Carey did not then there is a chance the selectors may defer in his direction. That would be a disappointing conclusion if it did occur. Carey deserves his moment. Handscomb should have to force his way into the squad as a batsman only. 

The most exciting member of the squad is the West Australia, Ashton Turner. Turner has been around for a number of season, and his hard hitting technique with the bat, excellent fielding and handy part time spin makes him an ideal candidate for any ODI team, provided he is given the opportunity and knows what his role is within the team. He is an excellent exponent of the 360 degrees of batting and is capable of shifting gears depending on the course the innings is taking. It may well be that he won’t be able to fit into the World Cup squad given those that are in front of him, but as a wild card selection with an emphasis on late order hitting and handy 2-3 overs of fill in bowling he has his chance to force that door open fully on this tour. 

Of the bowling attack, it is still murky waters in regards to selection. Pat Cummins is on tour to India and a certainty, while both Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood would be considered certainties to be in the squad if they recover their fitness. That’s where the darkness lies at the moment mainly because neither will have played any ODI cricket since November last year by the time the tournament starts. That’s a risky proposition, but perhaps no more than the selection of Smith and Warner. 

All the bowlers in this squad apart for Cummins are playing for a spot to England. Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon will square off again for the spinners role, with Zampa now with his nose in front. Neither did much in the ODI’s against India last month, but Zampa’s form in the BBL would look to have him as the likely pick at this stage. Their form and own contest will be fascinating. 

Jhye Richardson was excellent in Australia and will only need to continue to show that kind of form to find a way into the World Cup squad. Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff and Kane Richardson have all shown good things in their opportunities against international opposition, and all three will know that if they can perform well on this tour, and the injured stars do not recover, they can be not only in the World Cup squad but perhaps be a big part of the team that plays. For them, it is a potential bowl-off for a spot in the actual World Cup XI and not just the touring fifteen. 

While the conditions this tour is played in will be completely different from what they will face in England, the opposition they face now is as tough as it comes. Thus, the team as a whole, and the individuals within it, will need to be at their best if they want to win games. A series victory in India would be the perfect way to go into a World Cup. If not, then they must show that they can at least compete at this level and challenge the Indian team. Any hopes of winning in England depend on a good showing in this series.

When Cricket is a 97/100 Proposition

Over the weekend we saw a 24-hour period that was a perfect example of how unpredictable the game of cricket in its many forms can be. Three teams looked to have gotten themselves into unbeatable situations, to have had the winning of the game firmly in their grasp. In odds-makers terms, any team in the same position as these three teams should win 99 times out of 100. Well, if nothing else was proven on the day, those odds actually appear to be just 97 out of 100.

In South Africa in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka, the home team had driven home their advantage, and was on the verge of another home Test victory. Requiring 304 in the fourth innings of the match, Sri Lanka has recovered from 5/110 to 5/206 before a late flurry of 4/20 left them at 9/226 and the match was as good as over. 78 for the final wicket in this situation was never going to be an option.
And then a funny thing happened. Kusal Perera targeted the bowling, picking his areas and waiting for the right ball to deposit to and over the boundary, while his young cohort Vishwa Fernando at the other end refused to buckle, the confidence of having taken eight wickets in the match now surging into his batting. It was exhilarating stuff that was only hindered by the constant thought that at any moment it would come to an end. But it didn’t.
The new ball was taken at 9/263, still 41 short of victory. Now you suspected it was only a matter of time. The batsmen tried to sneak a single with a squirt to slips, and Elgar’s throw to the bowlers end narrowly missed the stumps – it would have been out, but with no one backing up it ended up being a five. Then Perera smashed Steyn over mid-wicket for six. In the following over a top edged pull went for six over the keeper's head. Then a repeat shot over mid-wicket off Steyn in the next over meant suddenly Sri Lanka only needed six runs! Two leg byes kept Perera on strike, and then he played a perfect one-day glide past first slip to the vacant third man for four to win the game for his team. Joyous scenes erupted, and the vanquished South African team was once again left to wonder how on earth they had allowed themselves to be defeated from an unlosable situation, especially with a bowling attack consisting of Steyn, Rabada, Philander, Olivier and Maharaj. It raised the ire of the term “choker” back into the South African vernacular, and so close to another World Cup that is a term they are certainly not adverse to.
Scorecard: 1st Test South Africa vs Sri Lanka

In Australia in the final of the BBL T20 domestic tournament, the Melbourne Stars was about to win their first title. Having bowled and fielded superbly to restrict their opponents the Melbourne Renegades to 5/145 despite an unbeaten partnership of 80 between Tom Cooper and Dan Christian, the Stars had then cruised to 0/93 from 13 overs. There was literally no way they could lose this match. With Dunk and Stoinis at the crease, and Handscomb, Maxwell, Maddinson, Gotch and Bravo still to come, there was literally no way that they could not score the 52 runs from 43 deliveries that they required to lift the trophy. No team could lose from this position, except by beating themselves.

Which is exactly what they then proceeded to do. Stoinis was bowled trying to hit Boyce over the boundary, almost the first shot in anger he had attempted. Handscomb threw his bat wildly to hole out to cover. Dunk decided to hit the final ball of Boyce’s last over straight to deep mid-off, and Maxwell skied the next delivery to deep square leg. The Stars had lost 4/6 in 12 deliveries. The game was no longer a certainty. 

But the mayhem didn’t stop. Maddinson, Gotch and Bravo all played deplorable shots to all be caught as well, and the resulting panic had brought 7/19 from 30 deliveries, with each and every wicket brought about by poor strokes and/or poor headspace from the batsmen. At any point in this carnage, had just one of the batsmen pulled back and considered the situation and with a clear head saw that a single every ball and the odd boundary would still win this game, they would have won the game. Instead, it was left to Zampa and Bird to score 33 runs from 13 deliveries, which they were never going to do, and the Renegades won by 13 runs.

Honestly if this match had been played in a different place by different teams, it would have been labelled as match fixing and be under investigation. As it is, perhaps it should be anyway. Cricket officials are already discovering that T20 cricket is the perfect place to indulge in spot-fixing and the like. Just what would the Renegades have been paying with 52 runs required off 43 deliveries and all ten wickets still in hand?
BBL08 Final: Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars

Meanwhile in Oman Quadrangular T20I Series, the Netherlands had Ireland under the thumb and about to pull off a great victory when yet another match went pear shaped.

Netherlands had managed 9/182 off their 20 overs, a total that even on the flat dry wickets of Oman should probably have been enough for victory. With two overs remaining Ireland was close enough, requiring 18 runs from 12 balls and with just five wickets in hand. A terrific penultimate over from Klassen saw only six runs scored but vitally two wickets fall, leaving 12 runs required from six deliveries. A single and a boundary came off the first two deliveries, before a run out occurred when trying to sneak an impossible second run, followed by another wicket the following delivery. A dot ball on the penultimate delivery meant six runs were required off the final ball, with the last man at the crease. The previous eleven deliveries had been perfect death bowling, all it needed was for one more perfect delivery and the match was Netherlands. They couldn’t lose. Except that the final ball was bowled right into the wheelhouse of Stuart Poynter, who clubbed the ball over mid-wicket for six to win the game. Incredible.
Oman Quadrangular T20I: Netherlands vs Ireland

What does any of this show? In the case of T20 cricket, it is further proof that this version of the game really does allow teams of any standard to surprise and pull off an upset. It also shows that there is never a good time in T20 cricket to throw your wicket away thinking that the next guy in should win it for you. The result in South Africa is something completely different. A touring team that had already tasted heavy defeat in two other countries over the past two months found a way to overcome adversity in a third country and defeat a team ‘ranked’ much higher than they were. Like the West Indies recent defeat of England in their Test series, it proves that cricket is not a predictable game or one that you can ever rest on your laurels; that the game is never over until the final ball is delivered. And isn’t it so much more enjoyable because of it...

BBL Needs Retooling to Keep Australian Summer Relevant

If there is anyone in the known universe who doesn’t think that the eighth edition of the Big Bash League has not gone on too long, then they truly have no life outside of the least fascinating version of the game of cricket. With the 59th and final match of the competition to be played this afternoon, the deciding match between the Melbourne Renegades and the Melbourne Stars, two months have passed since the first match took place a week before Christmas. How many people actually remember who played against each other in that match, and what happened? It is an interminably long tournament, and interest has fluctuated throughout depending on whether you have been on holidays or not and able to actually take it all in. Some matches have been fascinating, some have been a dead loss, and then there are a whole bunch of matches in the middle that became predictable before the first innings had concluded.

We know that, at least for the four remaining years of the current television deal, the competition will not be shortened, as the networks have paid out their billion plus dollars knowing they will get this many games to broadcast. I believe this will end up being a problem down the track. Even as Cricket Australia has flagged tightening the schedule next season to have the BBL finished by the beginning of February it means having the same number of matches played this season being squeezed into less days of an already packed schedule, which risks turning fans and viewers away from one or more of the current versions of the game – Tests, ODI’s, T20 or all domestic formats. As much fun as I find it watching cricket from 9.30am to midnight, it is not practical in regard to the working and family lives of the majority of people. Sadly, myself included.

Notwithstanding that no shortening of the BBL is forthcoming, I still present my own solution to the BBL competition for consideration here:

1. Bring in the Canberra Comets as the ninth team. The Comets played in the domestic one day series for a time during the late 1990’s. Though at the time it was deemed the supporter base was not large enough to support a team, much has changed in the two decades since. At all underage national championships both male and female, the ACT/NSW Country teams have dominated, reaching several finals. They also now have a team in the Futures League, ensuring the large NSW player base has a platform to graduate to the higher levels. Manuka Oval is now a Test match ground and is perfectly placed to host BBL games with access far reaching to the south and west to regions where travelling to Sydney to watch games is out of the question. It would also give country NSW kids a team to support and watch and more importantly aspire to play for. The base is already there and setting up the team should not drain the resources of Cricket Australia so much that it is a burden. There would be a question raised as to is there enough depth in playing talent to cope with another team in the BBL, but there is part solution to that question…
2. Increase international imports for each team to three. Giving each team the chance to have three internationals could immediately free up eight players from other squads. This is not a given, as the Scorchers and the Hurricanes played for most of BBL08 with only one international, but it does give each team a better scope to find international players to boost their team and their ability to draw in fans. There have been problems in attractive players such as AB De Villiers given the plethora of other T20 tournaments happening around the globe and the money they are paying the best players to attend, but if Cricket Australia agreed to promote a shorter and more compact BBL it could be more conducive to attracting international players than the overblown one we now have. This could be achieved by…
3. Each team only plays each other once. With the addition of a ninth team, this would mean that each team would have four home games and four away games, which mirrors more closely the format of the competition as it was when it started eight years ago. The reduction in home games from seven to four should mean that each game will be better attended than they have been in BBL08, filling grounds like the SCG, MCG, Marvel and Optus Stadiums that have been half full for most of the tournament. This would also cut the number of matches in the preliminary round from 56 games this season to 36 games next season. By doing this, we would achieve…
4. The BBL window shrunk to 4-5 weeks. If this was implemented next season, the BBL could start on Friday December 20, a few days later than this season. And depending on scheduling of Tests and ODI matches, it could be completed on the Australia Day long weekend. This would mean the tournament would be a little over a month long. Surely the positives of this would mean that spectators interest could be held for the entire tournament, that international players could happily come known they would be here for a month and not two months, and that the other pillars of the Australian summer, such as the one day domestic competition and the much maligned Sheffield Shield competition would be given room to breathe and actually feel as though they are a part of the summer again instead of just pigeon holed into whatever small gaps appear after the other tournaments have taken all the prime scheduling. If done well, it could also mean that Australia’s international players may even be able to play for a portion of the tournament, something it needs to help showcase it to other parts of the world.

These are by no means the only fixes that could be applied, but to me are sensible steps to reclaim the higher ground for cricket of all levels in Australia during the summer. The BBL is only a cash cow for Cricket Australia while it makes money, and the over-saturation of the tournament this year has already shown signs of killing off the goose that lays the golden eggs. The tournament is too long, and everyone can see that. Cricket Australia needs to fid a way to negotiate with its TV partners to try and tackle this now and not in four years’ time, otherwise we may find that it is too late to save what can still be a terrific, fun and enthralling tournament from becoming a lacklustre drawcard that drags the rest of Australian cricket down with it.

Of course, we know that just won’t happen, until it is too late.

P.S – the first game of the BBL this season was the Brisbane Heat against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba. Just in case you had forgotten.

Albion Park Under 13's: Round 14 vs Kiama Blue at Gainsborough Chase

In what shaped as a virtual semi-final, the Albion Park Under 13 Eagles took on the Kiama Blue team at Gainsborough Chase this morning in a match that would determine who would hold on to fourth place on the ladder after the game with just another two matches remaining. The winner of today’s match would have one foot in that semi-final door.

Kiama won the toss and elected to field, giving the Eagles the chance to put on a score that would be difficult to chase down. The pleasing thing was that the boys took their chance and did exactly that. Kasey Barton and Jack Couley opened the batting and put on an excellent partnership of 39. Jack hasn’t had the bat in his hand for a few weeks and was slightly nervous before the start, but he was soon into his work, and dominated the scoring in the early overs. He punched several strokes straight through mid-off and mid-on and ran a number of twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over. He was soon dispatching shorter deliveries through square leg and playing well. It was almost a surprise when he skied a ball and was dismissed by a great catch for 25 runs. Well played Jack. Kasey was now joined by brother Kynan and put together a 50+ run partnership of their own. Kasey played a number of beautiful off drives and a couple of magnificent punches off the back foot through cover as well, all along the ground. There is no batsman in this age group who plays those strokes better than Kasey, it is where he excels, and his running between the wickets was also exemplary. He eventually retired with another score over thirty to his name and had helped get his team the perfect start. At the other end Kynan showed no interest in defence and was playing shots from the outset. He had some fortune, being dropped on three occasions, but it hindered him little as he cavalierly charged the bowling or rocked onto the back to pull heartily. He retired with 48 to his name, having lifted his head trying to get to his fifty off his final delivery.

After such a start the pressure was off the rest of the batting order which allowed them the freedom to play without concern for the scoreboard. Liam Cergovski again showed a good defensive technique in his time at the crease, before he got a leading edge to be caught for 3. Owen Pickering continued on from his good work last week, blasting four boundaries with strong wrists and forearms before being undone by the young leg spinner to be caught and bowled for 31. Blake Ison also looked good again, happy to get his eye in first before beginning to use a tennis smash technique to get the high balls through the leg side. He had made 15 before a ball hit by Owen straight to point saw a call of yes that found Blake well short of his ground by the throw. Lucas Thompson was the unluckiest batsman of the day, getting a full toss over the waist first ball that was called a no ball, but thinking his partner had called him through he started running, only to find the ball had stopped just next to the stumps, and the wicket keeper picked it up and ran him out before he realised what had happened. Some days are just not your day. Rob Denny hit a lovely four through deep backward square and played a good supporting role to Owen but was eventually caught by another good catch for 10 runs. Lucas Brown helped to win the game last weekend with the bat but found the other side of the coin today when he was caught for a duck off just four balls. Cricket can be a cruel mistress.
Both Kasey and Kynan returned for the last couple of overs, and after a coupe of attempts to run each other out Kynan found the two singles he needed to raise his fifty. Well played Kynan, who finished on 52 not out, while Kasey was also excellent in remaining not out on 43. After their thirty overs Albion Park finished on 7/205.

With a big total to defend the message was to repeat the blueprint from last week – walking in with the bowler, backing up throws and catch everything. The Kiama batsmen saw off Albion Park’s openers, and it was Lucas Brown who made the first breakthrough with the perfect delivery full and straight and just clipping the top of off stump. A great delivery. Wickets didn’t fall but the fielding overall was good and restricted the scoring. Blake Ison finally drew a shot out of the facing batsman with a shorter ball which was hit to mid on where Josh Peters took the catch for the second wicket. Just before drinks there was a mix up between the batsman, and Josh ran from mid-on to mid-wicket, picked up the ball and threw it right over the to of the bails at the bowlers end for Owen to break the stumps and compete the run out. At drinks Kiama was 3/58.
Straight after the drinks break Kynan beautifully deceived the facing batsman and bowled him neck and crop to have the bottom of the order coming to the crease. Kiama fought hard and made their way to 4/88 before the final boom fell, and quickly. Tom Denyer had beaten the edge on a few occasions on the morning, and finally found the smallest nick that was beautifully snared by Owen as keeper, having to reach forward with his gloves to get the ball before it died in front of him. A great keeper’s catch, well done Owen. An over later Josh beat the batsman in flight who skied the ball to mid-on where Lucas Thompson took a terrific catch under enormous pressure. It was great to see the smile on his face afterwards, well done Lucas. Josh then drew the same stroke out of the next two batsmen, unfortunately the skied balls fell to ground avoiding all the fieldsmen charging at the ball. Next over and edge through to third man was chased hard by Kasey from point, who then turned and threw hard and hit the stumps at the strikers end direct, finding the batsman short of his ground trying to steal a second. Great fielding from Kasey. Next ball the last batsman pulled a ball from Lucas Brown straight to Jack at mid-wicket who made a difficult catch look easy and competing the Kiama innings all out for 91 runs.

Tom and Josh were the non-batsmen today but did well with the ball, Tom taking 1/14 from four overs and Josh 1/10 from three overs. Lucas Brown was again superb, and when he bowls straight and full he is always successful finishing with 2/6 from 2.2 overs. Rob bowled well without luck today but showed he is still a danger with 0/6 from two overs. Lucas Thompson is improving every week, and he bowled better again today in his 0/10 from two overs. Before too long he is going to be a handful with the ball. Blake came off a short run today and did perfectly to finish with 1/9 from two overs. Hopefully this means he won’t come off 74 steps at training this week as a result. Owen Pickering bowled his best spell of the season to finish with 0/4 from two overs including a maiden, while Kynan darted his way to figures of 1/3 from two overs. Jack was his usual accurate self and bowled well considering the length of time between overs, taking 0/4 from two overs. Kasey probably tried to bowl too fast today, no doubt still enthused from his batting exploits, but still finished with great figures of 0/2 from two overs, while Liam backed up another excellent spell as wicket keeper by taking 0/8 off two overs with the ball.

While the fielding and bowling wasn’t quite as good as in last week’s victory over Oak Flats, and the batting gave too many catching chances to the opposition to be completely happy about, the boys did enough to win this game comfortably, and has now secured fourth spot on the ladder. If they are able to win both of their final matches against lower placed teams, they will be playing in the finals in March. There is still work to do to ensure that, but already I can imagine that the other final teams are very nervous about having to face this terrific young Albion Park Eagles team come finals time.

Albion Park Under 13's: Round 13 vs Oak Flats at Shane Lee Field

When it comes to the great game that is cricket, whether as a player, a coach or a supporter, you long for the day when your team puts it all together at the same time and proves the saying that this is not a sport that is won by individuals but a sport that is won by the team as a whole. On Saturday at Shane Lee Field, the Albion Park Under 13’s did exactly that in taking down the third placed Oak Flats team, and in the process opened up the door to a semi-final spot in a few weeks time.

Oak Flats won the toss and elected to bat, and no doubt were looking to put on a total beyond what he Eagles kids could chase. This week’s push though was on the fielders to hunt as a pack, to all be moving in together in the field, to chase hard and throw quickly and accurately, and to back up the stumps at both ends. With the bowling, it was to be as full and straight as possible and to give the batsmen as few scoring opportunities as possible. These were the qualities that coach Anthony Pickering has been training the kids for, and today they executed this almost perfectly. It was noticeable immediately that the fielding was much improved on the previous match and that the kids were alive and keen.
Despite a fast outfield boundaries were kept to a bare minimum which frustrated the batting team. In his second over Kane Rex had the batsman playing the ball around to leg, where a diving Tom Denyer took the catch out in front of him to complete the dismissal. It is fair to say that given Tom’s amazing prowess in the field he was one of the few who could have completed this dismissal. Terrific stuff. Tom himself got the next wicket, when a straight full ball was driven straight back to him and he made a difficult caught and bowled look ridiculously easy. This was followed by a solid partnership, but just before the drinks break Josh Peters beat the batsman with flight and bowled him neck and crop. The very next ball he beat the new batsman who drove the ball straight back to him, but Josh spilled the chance. He might bowl better than his father but unfortunately he still catches like him. Despite this Oak Flats was at 3/60 at the halfway mark, and it felt as though the Eagles had tightened the screws.
After the drinks break Liam Cergovski came out from behind the stumps, where he had put on the best display of keeping of the season for the Eagles Under 13’s, and then broke the game open with the ball, bowling a perfect outswinger that took the middle stump. Into the lower order, and although tiring a little with the ball and in the field the Eagles kept pushing. Aiden Campion was rewarded for another great spell of bowling when he picked up a wicket, enticing the batsman to drive in the air to mid-off when Blake Ison took a good catch. In the next over Blake then took his own wicket when he found a way past the batsman’s defences to take out his off stump. At 6/116 with three overs remaining the Eagles kids had a big chance to bowl out their opponents.

It was at this point that the Oak Flats team deemed to invoke a law that had not been used by any team so far in the competition. With the time having elapsed as to when the innings should have finished it was deemed that the innings was over, and that Albion Park would now bat and face the same number of overs (27) to chase those runs. On the surface it appeared a strange decision.

Given the season that Oak Flats has been enjoying, the bowling on the day was excellent, and to keep them to that total was a victory in itself. Kane Rex tired a little in his final over, but his spell overall was perfect. He made the batsmen play every ball and his length was his best of the season. His practice is paying off and he should be especially happy with his figures of 1/20 from four overs. Owen Pickering showed good pace on the day in his two over spell of 0/9, and also did a terrific job behind the stumps as wicket keeper in the second session. That only nine byes were let through in the innings is a credit to both Owen and Liam for their work. Tom Denyer didn’t quite have his mojo with the ball today, and looked to be trying to bowl too fast to compensate for his short length. Maybe some deep breathing exercises would help. He still managed some good deliveries in his three overs which produced figures of 1/16. Lucas Thompson did indeed bowl his best spell of the season, and even when a wide ball came out he didn’t let it deter him and he marched back to the top of his mark determined to be better the next delivery. His three overs brought him figures of 0/19, but it was the improvement in his bowling that was most satisfying.
Josh Peters found the ball didn’t spin much on the astro wicket, but he still had the batsmen playing and missing consistently anyway. He finished with 1/5 from his three overs. ‘Wacky’ Campion again bowled his consistent line and length, with only a couple of shorter deliveries costing him boundaries. His three overs were bowled for 1/14. Lucas Brown was quite superb, coming off the long run and on no fewer than five deliveries shaved the leg stump as the ball ducked in through the air, completely beating the opposing batsmen. He was incredibly unfortunate not to pick up a couple of wickets, and his figures of 0/3 from two overs, including a maiden, show just how well he bowled. Blake Ison bowled similarly well, with a great line and length just outside the off stump, and with a bit of fortune could have added another couple of wickets to his figures of 1/5 from three overs. Will Schofield was left late today, but was no less competent that his predecessors finishing with 0/6 from his two overs, while Liam Cergovski had a great day with the ball, and though his first over was better than his first, his figures of 1/10 from two overs was well deserved.

For the Eagles to win they had to all bat well and bat well together. There was no better illustration of this than the opening partnership between Blake and Will who batted superbly. They kept out the good balls, were patient in their strokeplay, but when there was a bad ball they put it away brilliantly. Will, to my eyes, is the best looking batsman in the team, and when Blake in ‘on’ he is just as good. Will punched the ball into gaps beautifully, and Blake found the loose balls and put them away for two’s and fours. It was a solid and excellent opening partnership, which was only broken when Will played one shot across the line and was bowled. His nine runs was worth much more in the context of the match, and he had not only gotten the team off to the start it needed but showed the incoming batsmen that the bowling was playable. Blake followed soon after to a tired shot that also bowled him. His 20 runs was perfectly played, and today was one of those days where Blake was in the right mindframe and his cricket was superb as a result. Well done Blake.
Lucas Brown came out and punched three singles in quick succession like he had been batting for hours, before he copped a delivery that… shortened him up a little. As Billy Birmingham is wont to say… “it can be quite painful, that”… and Lucas retired hurt to recompose himself.
Wacky and Owen took over the scoring and both continued on the same course as their teammates, keeping out the balls on the stumps and running hard between the wickets as they played the ball into the gaps. A couple of lofty blows rom Wacky gave the scoring rate another boost before he went one too many times and was bowled for 14. This brought Tom to the crease – a very nervous Tom who was worried that he hadn’t made a score for awhile and felt the pressure of winning the game for his team.

At the drinks break the Eagles had reached 3/72, leaving only 45 required for victory with 13 overs to get them. What came next was the kind of chase that would have made any senior team proud. Owen and Tom, the team’s two oldest and most experienced players, upped the ante and every loose ball was dispatched, bring the run rate required lower with each passing over. Owen cracked two boundaries and Tom added two of his own and the game was quickening up to its conclusion. Owen finally fell by the sword, holing out to mid on for a well played 17. From here the Eagles needed 24 runs with seven over remaining.
They didn’t need them. Lucas returned to the crease and played the perfect supporting role, with drive punches, cut shots and pull shots, while running hard between the wickets. If he had any nerves about the chase he showed none of them. Like Blake, today was a day when Lucas was in the zone and he barely put a foot wrong. He was only bettered in this instance by Tom, who controlled the chase like a veteran. Despite his doubts about his batting form he was brilliant, keeping the good ball out and looking to force the balls hard that were outside the line. Between the two of them they brought the total down quickly, at which point Tom first hit a four and then finished the game with a pull over fine leg for six to get the Eagles home with four wickets in hand and four overs to spare. Lucas finished on 10 not out, while Tom should be ecstatic with his terrific innings of 23 not out.

This was a massive win for the Under 13 Eagles team, and is a credit to the work being put in by coach Anthony Pickering and his belief in these kids - one that was made even more important when it was later discovered that the Kiama Blue team had been beaten by the Kiama Gold team, meaning Albion Park has moved into the top four for the first time this season. With three games left to go before the finals, if the Eagles can win all three, against Kiama Blue, Kiama Gold and Shellharbour White, then they will be playing in the semi-finals. Hopefully that is incentive enough for all the boys to get to training on Wednesday and train the house down