**Official** Tour Matches

[Richard]

Not a lot to be happy about in the Eng-Warks side, Cook excepted...but Jimmy has a wicket early doors.

Prior batted above Flintoff. That's very important IMO. Most people were expecting it, but they were expecting it - rightly - before now as well. Finally, we appear to have it confirmed.

 

[Richard]

Yes indeed, although didn't he take a wicket last week?

Cook actually used to be an OK-ish bowler. Has seemingly completely neglected it after getting into the England team.

As things stand, I imagine his bowling is over for this season.

 

[GIMH]

Prior batted above Flintoff. That's very important IMO. Most people were expecting it, but they were expecting it - rightly - before now as well. Finally, we appear to have it confirmed.

Yeah, good point, this is indeed good news

 

[Richard]

BTW have to say I'm glad to see Hussey get runs. If he scores in the Tests, fair play and well played to him. If England want to get on top of him they'll have to do it by bowling well rather than him playing like a corpse as he has for most of the last year, and that's the way I like it.

 

[Scaly piscine]

As far Donkey Panesar is concerned I'm sure that now he's 'going back to basics' - ie his tried and trusted one-dimensional ****efest that the management will all forget how terrible he has been when he flukes some cheap wickets against Warwickshire.

 

[Burgey]

I actually thought the ball might swing more than it did today, given the talk in the half hour before the game being that conditions were very sticky. Still, not a bad day's play for us. Every batsman bar North has now scored some runs in at least one dig on tour so far, which is good. Wonderful, wonderful stuff with Hussey amongst the runs. He looked pretty good from the get-go this morning frankly. He plays it later than most of our guys, so hopefully conditions will suit him as the tour progresses.

 

[pskov]

In marginally related news, Trescothick hit 120 odd against Yorkshire today. Come back Tres.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah well done Hussey! I still think he's a big chance of getting out LBW, Onions nearly had him and that's been the difference for Hussey in his past 12 months he's been out LBW with the ball just pitching in line while today was just outside when he was on around 20.

I really enjoyed Katich's innings too. So will Australia declare overnight, I would hope so.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Lions bowling first. Just what I wanted to see. Will be nice to see how the Aussies cope with Onions, Harmison and Mahmood first up. I'm hoping that Onions gets himself a bagful and secures his place for Cardiff.

I know it's easy to say in hindsight, but my response would have been the same last night if I caught it in time. Sounds like Harmison's opening spell was a good one and Onions bowled well.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Any fool can pitch it up. The skill comes from pitching it up and swinging\seaming it. But you can't swing\seam it from a short length.

Excuse me?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Good opportunity for Johnson to get some batting practice, he's gonna need it badly.

 

[Uppercut]

Waiting to get banned for getting too excited itbt.

EDIT: Pretty sure I addressed this months ago ftr. Went something like 'I know players perform badly, including, if not mainly, players I like. So I can bore/annoy people with posts on their failures, or get excited reasonably and lightheartedly with their successes.'

ie - I probably post like how I act at a game. I fire up when we're doing well, and generally credit the opposition when we're failing. Sue meeeeee

Haha well you do form, shall we say, some "unusual" opinions. Invariably in favour of Australia.

 

[Noble One]

Mixed fortunes after day 1.

Was vital for Michael Hussey to find that sort of form. I believe he holds the key to the Australian batting line-up. Performs the most crucial role of either saving the team from an early collapse, or really hammering a big century when fortunes are running Australia's way.

North, a worry. He is guaranteed to play the first two Tests; when really his warm-up performances should have ruled him out. Really wish another backup batsman was touring with the squad. I really like North as a cricketer, but he needs to be selected on performances, not because he is the only batsman standing.

Crucial for tomorrow is to get over’s into Johnson. Always believed Johnson is bowling at his best with a number of games under his belt. Generally looks underdone after time out of the game. 30+ over’s for the game is a necessity, not concerned if he fails to take wickets.

 

[andruid]

There's always Cook

Or Dalrymple

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

One of my pet commentary hates, unless I misheard, Bumble just goes re:Johnson 'looks like he's a player that likes to hit the ball' or whatever, as if he's just seen him for the first time. He's played over 20 Tests, this shouldn't be the first time he's seen him play. Aus commentators besides Chappell are pretty bad as well in this regard. A live cricket match two years into a guys career shouldn't be the first time you've seen a guy play if you get paid to do this sort of stuff.

Yeha it drives me up the wall, this. Bill Lawry and Tony Greig are absolutely horrible at it. They obviously don't even watch any state cricket. I remember Tony Greig raving about Ferguson when he first saw him, kid's been playing for SA for half a decade ****!

 

[Burgey]

I know it's easy to say in hindsight, but my response would have been the same last night if I caught it in time. Sounds like Harmison's opening spell was a good one and Onions bowled well.

Onions seems to hurry batsmen, like they're really not expecting the pace he generates with his action. Interesting to see if that continues or if our blokes will get used to him as the series progresses.

What's with the selection of the two England line ups for these games? that's not a sledge at all, but if Panesar plays v Warcs, why wouldn't Lateral-arse be in the Lions team v Aus instead of a county game?

What's the story with the likely England line up? Assuming they take one spinner only, is Onions widely considered in front of Sidebottom?

 

[duffer]

Yeha it drives me up the wall, this. Bill Lawry and Tony Greig are absolutely horrible at it. They obviously don't even watch any state cricket. I remember Tony Greig raving about Ferguson when he first saw him, kid's been playing for SA for half a decade ****!

I'd be real surprised if Lawry watches any cricket at all when Australia isn't playing.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Onions seems to hurry batsmen, like they're really not expecting the pace he generates with his action. Interesting to see if that continues or if our blokes will get used to him as the series progresses.

What's with the selection of the two England line ups for these games? that's not a sledge at all, but if Panesar plays v Warcs, why wouldn't Lateral-arse be in the Lions team v Aus instead of a county game?

What's the story with the likely England line up? Assuming they take one spinner only, is Onions widely considered in front of Sidebottom?

Double guessing our selectors is like Suduko: time consuming, pointless & only you yourself think you're clever if you get it right.

Onions would be ahead in most people's minds, top FC wicket taker this season and bowled well in the two tests he was given, but who knows? The XI for Warwicks looks very close to our test XI IMHO, much as I think two spinners is an error.

 

[Noble One]

Yeha it drives me up the wall, this. Bill Lawry and Tony Greig are absolutely horrible at it. They obviously don't even watch any state cricket. I remember Tony Greig raving about Ferguson when he first saw him, kid's been playing for SA for half a decade ****!

Agree entirely, the level of player knowledge held by commentators is appaling.

How hard can it be to read a couple of cricinfo scorecards? Or watch some highlights packages of domestic or international games?

I'll be blown off my seat the next time a commentator produces an insightful piece of commentary on the performances of Mitch Johnson in say India 2008, rather than rattle off yet another repeated tale of how Dennis Lillee recognised Johnson as a star bowler of the future a decade ago.

 

[Burgey]

Agree entirely, the level of player knowledge held by commentators is appaling.

How hard can it be to read a couple of cricinfo scorecards? Or watch some highlights packages of domestic or international games?

I'll be blown off my seat the next time a commentator produces an insightful piece of commentary on the performances of Mitch Johnson in say India 2008, rather than rattle off yet another repeated tale of how Dennis Lillee recognised Johnson as a star bowler of the future a decade ago.

Depressing, isn't it? There's no excuse these days either, with the amount of interntional cricket on tv these days.

With a number of the Australian commentators, I think a lot of it has to do with their complacenct, just having been there so long. They've worked together so long now, it's more about the banter between them and their repeating the things they're already well known for than actually being ****ed to provide some analysis.

Always rate Skull for his comments on OS players on ABC - he's OTT sometimes with the comedic stuff, but there's a pretty good cricket brain working away in thee as well imo.