Its not a question of not playing shots at all. Johnson has made a career out of bowling deliveries not threatening the stumps and getting people to edge it. The combination of the angle with which he bowls at and his low slingy action make it difficult to play shots at deliveries that are slanting away. However, its absolutely ridiculous that half of the cricketing community hasnt realized that there is no bloody need to play at it because he isnt capable of bringing the ball back into the right hander. He slants the ball across and to mix it up, bowls the off cutter, which you know what? goes wider still.Thanks Jono.
Nice shot Colly, I'm sure tec will be happy to correct me though, we should play no shots at all
Saw the end of his immediate career I imagine.Anyone know why Broad had a whinge? Looked stone cold.
Pressure. Changes everything, especially common sense.Its not a question of not playing shots at all. Johnson has made a career out of bowling deliveries not threatening the stumps and getting people to edge it. The combination of the angle with which he bowls at and his low slingy action make it difficult to play shots at deliveries that are slanting away. However, its absolutely ridiculous that half of the cricketing community hasnt realized that there is no bloody need to play at it because he isnt capable of bringing the ball back into the right hander. He slants the ball across and to mix it up, bowls the off cutter, which you know what? goes wider still.
Anyways, back to the game, the point being that if you just leave his deliveries that pitch anywhere around off stump or wider(which is something like 90% of the deliveries) there is no chance of getting out. Collingwood obviously realized this a while ago. Hence Mitch decided to go around the wicket to him which is not a familar angle for CW's favorite bowler. Flintoff on the other hand came in, with no clear plan or strategy for the situation at hand as to whether he wanted to play aggressively or defensively. Hence he blocked around, occasionally got a sudden rush of blood and tried to play strokes for no reason and then went back to plodding around. Unfortunately, cricket is a bit black and white and you dont go out there with the idea of 'well I'll hit for a few overs and then block for a few and then hit for a few again'. Either play aggressively or play defensively. There is no point in doing something in between. If theres a bad ball then yes put it away. But when someone bowls wide of off stump with a packed slip cordon and gully when you are batting to save a match, common sense would dictate that you dont oblige by falling into the trap.
So did Glenn McGrath, seemed to work for him.Its not a question of not playing shots at all. Johnson has made a career out of bowling deliveries not threatening the stumps and getting people to edge it. The combination of the angle with which he bowls at and his low slingy action make it difficult to play shots at deliveries that are slanting away. However, its absolutely ridiculous that half of the cricketing community hasnt realized that there is no bloody need to play at it because he isnt capable of bringing the ball back into the right hander. He slants the ball across and to mix it up, bowls the off cutter, which you know what? goes wider still.
Hauritz - ~150/6
England - 674/6
Weeeee.
This.Well bowled Nathan Hauritz. Stick that up the critics, best spinner on show in this match hands down. The boy ain't Warne, but he is the only spinner in Australia who can be trusted to be given a gameplan and follow it through.
Well done.
Been a game for the unfashionable bowlers this one.
Airline protesters, apparently. ITSTL.Streaker! (possibly clothed)
Muttiah Hauritz with 6 for the match now.
And Collingwood MBE gets 50. Well played.