I read today where Graeme Hick has retired. A good friend of mine (with plenty of it mind you) once told me that potential is a very ugly word (especially when you're expected to live up to it).
Well I suspect Graeme Hick should appear under the definition of "potential". Especially as it refers to "unrealised potential". Ah well....
Potential is an ugly word - Hick Retires
Cricket Posts!
You may notice - if you turn up here, that there has been bugger all happening for some time. A bit like Australian Test Cricket really. Anyway, who knows, one day maybe I'll get all inspired again...
What am I really here to post about? This post from Jrod on CricketWithBalls and KPs comments... This is what cricket blog posts should be like. Great opinions, put clearly and simply. Good one Jrod!
I don't care if you think he's right, wrong or over the top - it's just great way to have your say.
Happy DON BRADMAN Day to all...
We must acknowledge today, the 5th August 2008 as Don Bradman Day.
The Don, would be 99.94 years old today!
Kevin Pietersen and Switch hitting
I have no problem with this Pietersen switch hitting fiasco. What a storm in a tea cup that is.
It's only going to really work on the postage stamp English grounds anyway. Let's just see a few pitches with a bit of life in them, and as Dan Vettori says, give the bowlers a bit more leeway, and there is no problem.
Maybe it will bring about the demise of the dibbly dobbly one day cricket bowler anyway and force teams to select real bowlers. Let's see someone switch hit Brett Lee over cover (or is that mid-wicket). Love to see them try, and I'd love to see their face as they try to avoid the beam ball coming their way next up, as the switch hands, switch feet and duck all within 0.02 of a second!
In all seriousness though, "innovation" is all very well when you're batting on flat, dead run machine wickets with more armour than a medieval knight. A small element of the self preservation factor needs to come back to batting. Bouncers should be allowed in ODIs.Tracks need more life. I'm a bit sick of the attitude that cricket has to have three thousands of runs scored every day to be interesting. Even in ODIs and that other crap that went on in India, the game is more interesting when some wickets are falling, or at least threatening to fall. surely...
Let Pietersen innovate and let the bowlers fight back, it should be that simple. If Scott Styris can't bowl well enough not to contain the opposition batsman when they're batting with their wrong hands, don't let him bowl.
Australia win in the West Indies
Very few posts here recently... It's so hard to get enthused about a Caribbean tour these days, which is a tragedy really. The hour doesn't help the time difference here in Aus makes it even harder to catch say a first or last session. Anyway, Australia won 2 / zip. No real surprise there except that some may say, it wasn't 3 / zip!
Australia wouldn't take too many positives out of the series though - you could argue Beau Casson with 3 wickets, but you'd have to argue pretty well. Katich back in form - true! The selection for openers for our next Test match will be very interesting.
Matt Hayden's last two test innings: 103 vs India, and 123 vs India
Phil Jaques last innings: 108 vs West Indies, averaging 47
Simon Katich last innings, 157 vs West Indies, and a ton in the match before that as well.
So who stays, and who goes. It seems incomprehensible to say it, but could Mike Hussey have a question mark, no surely not, put those thoughts out of your mind...never!
Something I really did enjoy watching though was Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Bravo, brash, raw talent that will hopefully bring the West Indies back towards the top of World Cricket again.
England to win Ashes in 2009
I forgot to mention this, but Rodney Hogg categorically stated on Melbourne Radio last week (or was it the week before), "England will win the Ashes in 2009". Based solely around Monty Panesar. (Given he was just coming of a 7 wicket haul against NZ).
He makes a good point though - for the first time in about 20 years, England will have the advantage over Australia in the spinning stakes and will be in a position to prepare turning pitches. India will testify to how Australia, particular the middle order, struggle in these conditions.
England vs New Zealand
I see New Zealand have let England off the hook again. This is getting frustrating and I'm not even a Kiwi - how must Mike feel!?
As an Aussie, it's my responsibility to support anyone who plays England, and this is not good news - England were 5 for 86!! They are now 7 for 273 - far from a great score still, but probably enough seeing as though NZ have to bat last and Monty is in form and confident.
Two tests have past by with no comment
I am still alive...just busy.
Since my last post...
Australia wrapped up the first Test against the West Indies on the fifth Day, MacGill struggled but got a couple of questionable wickets to finish things off.
Australia went into the second Test, heavy favourites, but again, could get rid of Chanderpaul, the end result being a draw. MacGill again highlighted just how good Warney really was, and then "retired". Bryce McGain must be spewing now - Beau Casson will probably come in for the Third Test and snuff out any hope Bryce had...
Warne has denied a comeback, after never really saying he was thinking about it, but managing to cause a stir anyway - how desparate are we getting? How good would be be to see him turn up to Lords next year, pie in hand, trip Beau Casson down the stairs, then stroll out and take a lazy 6 for...
Mohumad Asif has been arrested by drug possession or some such thing and is probably in all sorts of strife - just lucky he wasn't in Bail.
I'll try to keep more up to date from now on, but to be honest, it's not that likely...
West Indies versus Australia - First Test - Day 2 & 3
Game On!
Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell bowled really well in Australia's first innings without just rewards. That happens in Cricket. Their bowling was inspired stuff without luck.
More inspired stuff from Chanderpaul, being basically KO'd by Brett Lee, then rising like Lazurus to score a first innings saving 118. More inspired stuff! In fact there are many young inexperienced player in the West Indies side that have just become a whole lot more experienced. Chanderpaul's knock today with be something they can draw on throughout their careers - not just in this match.
So the WIndies stayed in the game with a deficit of only 119.
Enter Edwards and Powell once more. A nasty little session for openers, late in the day with fading light, quickly turned into a nasty little session for the middle order. Australia at 4 for 17 (and there's been two boundaries in that) and the West Indies well and truly in the box seat.
Edward and Powell didn't just bowl fast with movement, they bowled to obvious plans. They picked up Ponting at slip - a way he has been dismissed many times early in his innings. Jacques caught behind, by a beauty, Kattich caught on the crease for the easiest LBW decision a Test umpire will ever get and Hussey bowled - which seems to happen quite a bit, unusual for a batsman of his obvious class.
So the WIndies in the box seat. Everyone will be asking, "so who's turn is it to get them out of this one?" Well guess what, the usual suspects aren't there! There is no Gilchrist to come out and knock up 100 in 60 balls, no McGrath to cut a swathe through a top order, and no Warne to toss the ball to on Day 5 and sit back while the wickets crumble.
Interesting times! I sense the rest of the cricket world salivating at the prospect of a West Indies win here and without a new hero for Australia, it is well an truly on the cards.
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