Amazon "The Test" documentary

[Spark]

Yeah, somewhat ironically - because it goes against the media-created image a little - it really does feel like Khawaja is one player would have thrived much more in an earlier, looser era less controlled by coaches and modern professional sporting setups.

 

[DriveClub]

Yeah, somewhat ironically - because it goes against the media-created image a little - it really does feel like Khawaja is one player would have thrived much more in an earlier, looser era less controlled by coaches and modern professional sporting setups.

Yeah from burgeys repeated posting I thought khawaja was some sort of baby sitting batsman who has to be spoon fed everything. Comes across exactly the opposite, very individualistic personality. Guess if you don't get on with the coach/management that's the end of your career unless you're a genius like warne/Steve smith.

 

[GotSpin]

The team has definitely improved in the way they play since Langer took over though IMO

 

[stephen]

The team has definitely improved in the way they play since Langer took over though IMO

Not really. Lost to India at home. Lost the world cup. Drew the Ashes. Haven't won an overseas tour.

Mismanaged Finch, Harris, Bancroft and Renshaw as test players (two of which are now not even being picked at state level). Picked Siddle over Pattinson/Starc in the Ashes and claimed success despite him taking virtually no wickets. Allowed a senior player (Warner) to be completely useless for a 5 test series.

But Labuschagne had come good against Pakistan and New Zealand.

 

[Spark]

Not really. Lost to India at home. Lost the world cup. Drew the Ashes. Haven't won an overseas tour.

Mismanaged Finch, Harris, Bancroft and Renshaw as test players (two of which are now not even being picked at state level). Picked Siddle over Pattinson/Starc in the Ashes and claimed success despite him taking virtually no wickets. Allowed a senior player (Warner) to be completely useless for a 5 test series.

But Labuschagne had come good against Pakistan and New Zealand.

This feels really, really unbalanced to me. Not at all a fair representation of how the team has changed and how their approach has changed in the last two years.

 

[stephen]

The culture has changed a bit, which is to be expected under both a new captain and coach and in the wake of the scandal. But Australia's performance has not improved. We retained the Ashes on the back of Steve Smith and the quicks and we won at home mostly (but suffered the largest disgrace of all - losing to India at home).

 

[stephen]

From an ODI perspective, we've played 9 series', gone with a win loss ratio of 1:1, been whitewashed twice and have really only succeeded against weak sides and India in India. We've gone 1-6 against both South Africa and England.

 

[Spark]

Cannot see how you look at the way the team played in Tests over the last year and say "performances have not improved", and no that's not all down to Warner and Smith.

 

[stephen]

Cannot see how you look at the way the team played in Tests over the last year and say "performances have not improved", and no that's not all down to Warner and Smith.

It's not all down to Warner and Smith but it does help a lot. Labuschagne has also emerged and that can probably be credited to Langer. But there's a pile of poor results in between the high points.

I don't think our performance has gone backwards, I don't think it's significantly improved though except for picking the players who deserve to be there for a change.

Maybe I'm overly critical of Langer. I really admired him as a player. As a coach he comes across as vacuous and overly emotional for what is an analytical position.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think Langer appears like a bloke who's read a lot of sports science and management books, and has brought into it but largely missed the points.

He comes off as a gut manager trying to appear as an analyst.

 

[Spark]

It's not all down to Warner and Smith but it does help a lot. Labuschagne has also emerged and that can probably be credited to Langer. But there's a pile of poor results in between the high points.

I don't think our performance has gone backwards, I don't think it's significantly improved though except for picking the players who deserve to be there for a change.

Maybe I'm overly critical of Langer. I really admired him as a player. As a coach he comes across as vacuous and overly emotional for what is an analytical position.

There is a distinct and obvious shift away from "aggression at all times for its own sake"-style cricket that typified the Clarke-Lehmann approach at its best and worst and resulted in endless batting collapses and a return/shift to a much slower, more attritional style of cricket and a much greater willingness to engage in high-percentage, low-excitement grinding for a day or more. That is clearly an improvement.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah I can’t agree that the side is playing as poorly as they were just after Langer took over. The bowling group, largely the same players, are bowling with far more discipline and tbh the whole set up seems to have a *lot* more patience than they did before

It’s the main reason theyll dick india 4-0 out here next year, if it goes ahead

 

[Burgey]

Yeah from burgeys repeated posting I thought khawaja was some sort of baby sitting batsman who has to be spoon fed everything. Comes across exactly the opposite, very individualistic personality. Guess if you don't get on with the coach/management that's the end of your career unless you're a genius like warne/Steve smith.

No, he’s soft and doesn’t step up when he’s required to, a la India last summer as the senior player. One great dig doesn’t make you a top player, otherwise Mark Butcher would be regarded as one for his dig on the fourth test of the 2001 Ashes. Doesn’t work that way.

 

[stephen]

No, he’s soft and doesn’t step up when he’s required to, a la India last summer as the senior player. One great dig doesn’t make you a top player, otherwise Mark Butcher would be regarded as one for his dig on the fourth test of the 2001 Ashes. Doesn’t work that way.

Khawaja has played a lot more than one great dig.

 

[Spark]

Yeah he has a few really, really high quality innings. The one in the D/N Test against SA (I think) comes to mind. But he's just far too inconsistent.

Should probably still be in the side, though.

 

[stephen]

For the India tests (episode 3):

Saker was saying that Finch couldn't open in Australia but Langer wouldn't drop him down the order. He had to open or he wouldn't play.

I feel that's a bit unfair on Finch who had established himself as a middle order bat at state level. They should have gone Khawaja+Harris, Marsh and then Finch at 4. Would have been a much better lineup.

 

[stephen]

I actually wonder how much Pujara winning the series for India influenced the Australian batsmen in their attitudes.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'm not convinced sitting the whole squad down the day after Headingley to watch Stokes's and Leach's stand was great management. Paine, obviously one of nature's good guys, sounded as close to rancid as we'll ever hear him.

But we all know what happened at OT, so who's to say it wasn't genius?

 

[hazsa19]

I’m thankful that I know that just after Lyon had fumbled his run-out, JL was picking up
rubbish off the floor

Also no matter what happened at OT, I can’t see that watching that final hour so soon did any good. Definitely starting to think that any improvement in performance was in spite of JL rather because of him.

 

[TheBrand]

Just finished watching all of this. Can't say I'm much of a fan of JL.

Was a bit disappointed in JL/Ponting saying they wanted to get in the crowd and teach them a lesson (or words to that effect) about booing Warner and Smith - then used the excuse "you've never made a mistake in your life". As if me making a mistake in my life is the same as Warner orchestrating a cheating attempt in the public eye. Come off it.

As I said earlier, really impressed by Uzzie and Paine. Before the doco I was a bit unsure about Paine, but like him a lot now. Pat Cummins seems like the nicest bloke on earth and Stoinis and Zampa's bromance was a nice touch.

Mitch Marsh cracked me up in the Lords dressing room - about the best thing he's ever done. Rubbish cricketer.

Overall, good watch, would watch again.