The Ashes 2017/2018

First Class Cricket Talk (International and State)

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Booney » Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 am

Brett Geeves :

REMEMBER when Australia held the left and right bower?

Well, they’re both gone; flushed out by the cunning of that Joker called momentum.

But who saw it coming to this?

I’ve gotta be honest, I did.

Because like anything lost - your house keys, a watch, the very last piece of your 25,000-piece jigsaw puzzle - lost momentum brings the pang of immediate angst that consumes your body, sends you to a place of nasty frustration and causes you to act completely headless.

Panic and the child-ego state.

And unfortunately for Steve Smith, this is what we saw on Day 4 of this Test match through his “captain’s call” not to enforce the follow on.

The decision itself was not made from panic, but from a state of extreme confidence/borderline arrogance in completely underestimating the capability of the opposition.

I mean, you’ve only got to listen to any Australian media commentator to know how bad James Anderson is in Australia. You know, because he’s spent the bulk of his time playing here in Test match cricket under the fabricated environment of the bright lights and the aesthetically pleasing, for commercial consumption, pink ball.


Let’s be honest, given the conditions with which the Australian batsmen were presented, 4-54 was actually not the worst result!! That was the toughest batting I’ve ever seen!!

But the follow up batting performance on session 1 of Day 4 - under blue skies and the harmful, yet delightfully natural, UV rays of the sun - was the first signs that panic had set in.

Where was the extreme patience of the first innings, allowing for the innings to be extended into the declaration zone of “new pink ball under lights” territory?

And who stole Pete Handscomb and replaced him with Michael Flatley? This current version looks more like an Irish dancer than the compact back foot dynamo who entered this Ashes series as one of the few “lock” players not exposed to the Renshaw-esque pressures of uncertainty from Justin Langer.

Marsh and Paine did not provide the same surety that saw the selectors win Day 2 and the tail reverted to a slogging mess, when they are so much better than that.

All-out 138 is what panic looks like.

But the panic didn’t stop there.

Next came DRS and the algorithms of death.

Smith’s blunders here were again game-changing and made from the headless place of panic.

Two unsuccessful referrals in three balls now sees the Australians totally reliant on the umpires to get it right on their behalf. And given the amount of bounce shown through the continual use of DRS in this game, getting an umpire to now make a call without a safety net will only see more benefit of the doubt going to the batsmen, you’d imagine.

No reviews is a disaster in the modern game.

But what came next was potentially the biggest sign that the panic, through the presentation of that gift-wrapped momentum, was impacting ALL in the camp through the very clear behavioural displays from the child-ego state.

The need for clichés in response to difficult questions is a very clear part of maintaining a united front; more so when you’ve have the type of day that has the camp split.

Fraction 1, Batters: We should have enforced the follow on, no one should have to bat in that.

Fraction 2, Bowlers: We should have enforced the follow on, wow, I’d love to bowl in that.

Fraction 3: Steve Smith.

Enter Australian assistant coach - with a non-biased focus on bowling - David Saker; who in a fit of blame association more commonly seen from children standing around a broken pot plant, now has Steve Smith cleaning tyre marks from his creams. And there is nothing worse for team morale than the captain spending all night scrubbing the rubber of a bus tyre from his playing attire.

(Preen, ginger beer and a Thermomix: It is the only way out of that one.)

“There were messages going to and from the dressing room about the possibility [enforcing the follow on]. Steven obviously made the decision that he thought the bowlers had bowled enough and that would do. In hindsight, again, we didn’t get an opportunity to bowl with the new ball under lights. That was our chance. Maybe we got it wrong.

“In hindsight it probably is (a regret to bat again), yeah,”

Great, thanks Dave. We can now confirm that this was not David Saker’s fault. And it certainly was not the bowlers’ fault, because they haven’t even had the chance to bowl with the new ball under lights!!

Yep, that offering of panicked child-like clarity has left Steve Smith entirely to blame for all of the errors on Day 4.

And now, it all comes down to the last trick.

We know through the panic of Day 4 that the Australians haven’t been able to out the off-suit ace that will now decide their fate.

The question is: What have England got?
PAFC. Forever.

LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!
User avatar
Booney
Coach
 
 
Posts: 58212
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:47 pm
Location: Alberton proud
Has liked: 7467 times
Been liked: 10755 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Bandit » Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:48 am

I enjoy Geeves articles - even though they are often negative to Aus and can seem as though he's bitter. But I find them an interesting read because he's not just rolling out the same pro-aus stuff all the time.
Extend The Dukes
User avatar
Bandit
Under 18s
 
 
Posts: 717
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: Shed
Has liked: 63 times
Been liked: 105 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Rik E Boy » Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:54 am

Booney wrote:Been a fascinating Test match from the moment the coin was tossed, we'll find out the answers to these questions and others around 6pm today :

- Did Joe Root make the wrong call sending Australia in to bat first? YES
- Did Steve Smith declare too early when 8 down and 440 on the board? NO
- Did Steve Smith make the wrong call not enforcing the follow on? YES
- Is Peter Handscomb a player of Test match quality at the moment? He's horribly out of form. NO
- Has Kevin Pietersen become the worst Channel 9 commentator. Ever. Period. Second to none? YES
- Is Pat Cummins the answer to Australia's desire to have an all-rounder batting at number 7? YES
- Is Ali the danger for Australia, someone who can come to the crease and knock 30 or 40 off the chase quickly? YES
- Will Broad have an opportunity to become a super villain and hit the winning run for England? NO

I grew a little concerned with Smith's body language / antics last night. His demeanour when riding the results of the DRS reviews were one of a young man who didn't seem to realise the eyes of the nation, cricketing world, were on him. He was quite animated and looked to be on edge despite Australia still being on top and favorites to win the match. ( Australia $1.28 England $3.75 with Sportsbet ). SMITH HAS PUT HIMSELF UNDER PRESSURE

Also thought Handscomb, for a bloke who has made 14, 36 and 12 in the most scratchy of manners this series, was over the top in his verbal barbs at Root last night. He looked like a bloke who had forgotten about the task in front of his team and was more worried about his exchanges with the Pommy skipper. HANDSCOMB NEEDS TO GO. A GENUINE COACHING FAIL

Can't wait for the first hour of play this afternoon. ME TOO


regards,

REB
User avatar
Rik E Boy
Coach
 
 
Posts: 28142
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:55 pm
Location: The Switch
Has liked: 1697 times
Been liked: 1813 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Rik E Boy » Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:56 am

Grenville wrote:
JK wrote:
locky801 wrote:
JK wrote:Looked an impulsive review - Smith gives the impression of being pretty on edge


and with good cause one would suggest


For sure, but when it's tight and tense the skipper more than anyone needs to keep it together


Correct, the captain is the one bloke in the team that should keep a cool head. The team feeds off the skipper, if he loses the plot it sets a real shit example. It would help a bit if he had a solid, reliable vice captain. Unfortunately he has an imbecile in David Warner.


A remember a Mark Taylor comment. 'Anything good or bad that happens you have to give the appearance that it was all part of the plan' pretty good advice for Steve right now.

regards,

REB
User avatar
Rik E Boy
Coach
 
 
Posts: 28142
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:55 pm
Location: The Switch
Has liked: 1697 times
Been liked: 1813 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby locky801 » Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:07 am

Our batting is still woeful, our first innings was marked by 2 DRS decisions over turning out decisions. If they had not been over turned, Marsh and Paine we would have made about 200 only. :oops: :oops: On those 2 occasions thank goodness for the DRS ;)
You cant change your past but you can sure hell shape you future
User avatar
locky801
Coach
 
Posts: 55752
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 5:11 pm
Location: working all around Australia and loving it
Has liked: 3647 times
Been liked: 1160 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Booney » Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:17 am

Bandit wrote:I enjoy Geeves articles - even though they are often negative to Aus and can seem as though he's bitter. But I find them an interesting read because he's not just rolling out the same pro-aus stuff all the time.


He's teetering on that line now I think, clearly got an issue with the cricketing establishment, but still really enjoy them nonetheless.
PAFC. Forever.

LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!
User avatar
Booney
Coach
 
 
Posts: 58212
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:47 pm
Location: Alberton proud
Has liked: 7467 times
Been liked: 10755 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby reppoh_eht » Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:29 am

Saw images of Boof, (yes you read that correct...) out the back in the nets having a hit yesterday in the first session while Australia were losing wickets at a rapid rate. I get the coach probably can't do much, but not a good look IMO. Also begs the question, where was Boof when Smith decided to declare and also not enforce the follow on. Can't lump all the blame on the skipper when we have a coach sitting up stairs with a full team of assistants appearing to do not much during the test.
reppoh_eht
Under 16s
 
Posts: 485
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:24 pm
Has liked: 131 times
Been liked: 54 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Booney » Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:33 am

reppoh_eht wrote:Saw images of Boof, (yes you read that correct...) out the back in the nets having a hit yesterday in the first session while Australia were losing wickets at a rapid rate. I get the coach probably can't do much, but not a good look IMO. Also begs the question, where was Boof when Smith decided to declare and also not enforce the follow on. Can't lump all the blame on the skipper when we have a coach sitting up stairs with a full team of assistants appearing to do not much during the test.


Starc said Smith didn't consult the bowlers prior to not enforcing the follow on so it's likely he made the decision on the field without the coaches input.
PAFC. Forever.

LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!
User avatar
Booney
Coach
 
 
Posts: 58212
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:47 pm
Location: Alberton proud
Has liked: 7467 times
Been liked: 10755 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Lightning McQueen » Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:53 am

Booney wrote:
reppoh_eht wrote:Saw images of Boof, (yes you read that correct...) out the back in the nets having a hit yesterday in the first session while Australia were losing wickets at a rapid rate. I get the coach probably can't do much, but not a good look IMO. Also begs the question, where was Boof when Smith decided to declare and also not enforce the follow on. Can't lump all the blame on the skipper when we have a coach sitting up stairs with a full team of assistants appearing to do not much during the test.


Starc said Smith didn't consult the bowlers prior to not enforcing the follow on so it's likely he made the decision on the field without the coaches input.

I think it's an unwritten rule now since that one day in Kolkata:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1556 ... a-2000-01/
HOGG SHIELD DIVISION V WINNER 2018.
User avatar
Lightning McQueen
Coach
 
Posts: 51286
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:43 am
Location: Radiator Springs
Has liked: 4339 times
Been liked: 7902 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby The Bedge » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:06 am

I can't believe how many media outlets have turned completely on Smith haha! Every man and his dog is ripping in - and we haven't even lost the test yet lol. :lol:
Dolphin Treasure wrote:Your an attention seeking embarsement..
The Bedge
Coach
 
 
Posts: 16315
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: BarbeeCueAria
Has liked: 3188 times
Been liked: 3989 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Dogwatcher » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:15 am

Booney wrote:
Bandit wrote:I enjoy Geeves articles - even though they are often negative to Aus and can seem as though he's bitter. But I find them an interesting read because he's not just rolling out the same pro-aus stuff all the time.


He's teetering on that line now I think, clearly got an issue with the cricketing establishment, but still really enjoy them nonetheless.


He's getting a bit Thommo like.
You're my only friend, and you don't even like me.
Dogwatcher
Coach
 
 
Posts: 29318
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:29 am
Location: The Bronx
Has liked: 1425 times
Been liked: 1152 times
Grassroots Team: Elizabeth

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Tony Clifton » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:26 am

Long live test cricket!

Been absolutely glorious and what a combination of the traditional old ebb and flow of the five day contest with the brand new of the day night/pink ball.

Has been perfection and a cracking pitch for it all to play out on.

Every tactical move debated at length, game on a knife's edge.

Will today be the biggest ever attendance for Day 5 of a test match? Could be shades of Border/Thomson if it goes down to the wire with the ground filling up during the day.
This is Tony Clifton! A name to respect! A name to fear!
User avatar
Tony Clifton
League - Top 5
 
 
Posts: 2674
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 10:00 pm
Has liked: 1462 times
Been liked: 244 times
Grassroots Team: Adelaide University

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Lightning McQueen » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:48 am

Booney wrote:
reppoh_eht wrote:Saw images of Boof, (yes you read that correct...) out the back in the nets having a hit yesterday in the first session while Australia were losing wickets at a rapid rate. I get the coach probably can't do much, but not a good look IMO. Also begs the question, where was Boof when Smith decided to declare and also not enforce the follow on. Can't lump all the blame on the skipper when we have a coach sitting up stairs with a full team of assistants appearing to do not much during the test.


Starc said Smith didn't consult the bowlers prior to not enforcing the follow on so it's likely he made the decision on the field without the coaches input.

Out on the patio, we sit!
HOGG SHIELD DIVISION V WINNER 2018.
User avatar
Lightning McQueen
Coach
 
Posts: 51286
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:43 am
Location: Radiator Springs
Has liked: 4339 times
Been liked: 7902 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Booney » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:51 am

Who is heading in?

I'm going to try and get away to head up there.
PAFC. Forever.

LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!
User avatar
Booney
Coach
 
 
Posts: 58212
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:47 pm
Location: Alberton proud
Has liked: 7467 times
Been liked: 10755 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby MW » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:54 am

we're screwed
MW
Coach
 
 
Posts: 12914
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:55 pm
Has liked: 2581 times
Been liked: 1822 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Lightning McQueen » Wed Dec 06, 2017 10:54 am

Booney wrote:Who is heading in?

I'm going to try and get away to head up there.

I'm trying valiantly to score our box tickets, absolutely flying through my work, there's a site on the internet that keeps slowing me down though, they're discussing beer!
HOGG SHIELD DIVISION V WINNER 2018.
User avatar
Lightning McQueen
Coach
 
Posts: 51286
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:43 am
Location: Radiator Springs
Has liked: 4339 times
Been liked: 7902 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby daysofourlives » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:01 am

Lightning McQueen wrote:
Booney wrote:Who is heading in?

I'm going to try and get away to head up there.

I'm trying valiantly to score our box tickets, absolutely flying through my work, there's a site on the internet that keeps slowing me down though, they're discussing beer!


Im heading in, this could be the greatest day of your life... or mine haha, where we meeting Boon?
Supercoach Spring Racing Champion 2019
Spargo's Good Friday Cup Champion 2020
daysofourlives
Coach
 
 
Posts: 11500
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:35 pm
Has liked: 2415 times
Been liked: 1657 times
Grassroots Team: Angaston

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Dogwatcher » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:09 am

I'm tempted to head in for the final session.
You're my only friend, and you don't even like me.
Dogwatcher
Coach
 
 
Posts: 29318
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:29 am
Location: The Bronx
Has liked: 1425 times
Been liked: 1152 times
Grassroots Team: Elizabeth

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby MW » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:11 am

Dogwatcher wrote:I'm tempted to head in for the final session.


It will be over one way or another by then
MW
Coach
 
 
Posts: 12914
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:55 pm
Has liked: 2581 times
Been liked: 1822 times

Re: The Ashes 2017/2018

Postby Dogwatcher » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:31 am

MW wrote:
Dogwatcher wrote:I'm tempted to head in for the final session.


It will be over one way or another by then


Yeah, there is that. But who knows with this crazy Test? I'm hoping it's done by 5.10, just as I head out to watch my club play a T20.
You're my only friend, and you don't even like me.
Dogwatcher
Coach
 
 
Posts: 29318
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:29 am
Location: The Bronx
Has liked: 1425 times
Been liked: 1152 times
Grassroots Team: Elizabeth

PreviousNext

Board index   Other Sports  Cricket

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Slowleftarm and 10 guests

Around the place

Competitions   SANFL Official Site | Country Footy SA | Southern Football League | VFL Footy
Club Forums   Snouts Louts | The Roost | Redlegs Forum |