Australia - the aftermath of the Ashes

[vic_orthdox]

Hopefully it leads to the revitalisation of 2nd XI cricket. Preferably keep it with Futures League stuff, or if it needs to replace it then so be it. But I think that it's a massive thing missing on that, as it provides some quality cricket at a level below FC for players to cut their teeth upon.

 

[marc71178]

Nobody expected the pitch to be that dry, most thought it would be really flat.

It would have been even more stupid to abandon the 4 man pace attack which just won us a game convincingly.

Utter rubbish - England were considering playing 2 spinners, so they obviously thought it would be.

The 4 man attack won at Headingley in helpful conditions to those bowlers, those same conditions were clearly not present at the Oval so changes were clearly necessary.

By that same token, if Australia were to win a match on a real bunsen India on the back of a 2 man spin attack, you'd then say that if the next Test were at Headingley it would be stupid to drop the spinners.

 

[stephen]

IMO there are very few grounds in the world where you can get away without picking a spinner. The WACA is one of them. We were stupid at the MCG and it was unfortunate that our batting was so dire as it didn't expose the folly of picking four pace bowlers properly.

Hilf should have made way for Hauritz.

**** it, Hauritz should have played in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah we really need some more away A tours..

Also I think the Aussie mindset might need changing, we don't need to bat first every single time we win a toss, also it's okay to make a change to a winning team if the conditions differ.

 

[brockley]

My blue print for change i put on cff.

1 7th side (canberra) means more young talent to be looked at,also canberra supllying states players and 2nd leads 2nd xl comp and womens comp,so its time.
2 Australia under 19 play more,at the present they haven't played since the world cup,4 dayers and 1 dayers.
3 australia A plays more,at present it mainly plays in australia,should tour more,with an expanded programe.
4 play less one day cricket,comp reduced to 5 games each,so fit in expanded 20/20 comp and keep shield as is.
5 encourage states to move old players on,except for maybe 20/20.
6 copy englands academy it gets the results,and by keeping their academy/english lions on tour gives them experience and depth in those conditions.
7 new selections panel.
8 keep futures cup as is with 3 players over 23 and the rest under 23,expand the comp,play 4 dayers rather than 3 dayers.
9 expand the state contract system to 25 players so states can entice afl,rugby players who are good enough.
10 a fund or scholarship process to keep afl ready players who ar good enough.
11 an ethnic cup along the lines of cricket masala in NSW,could produce young players,also some players could represent overseas teams.

Anymore please add.
Discuss.

 

[Bun]

Stop thinking too much. Excellent cricket will bring in good crowds. So for that work towards giving more attention to shield games than nonsense innovations like the 20-25.

 

[Tom 1972]

Nobody expected the pitch to be that dry, most thought it would be really flat.

It would have been even more stupid to abandon the 4 man pace attack which just won us a game convincingly.

Utter rubbish - England were considering playing 2 spinners, so they obviously thought it would be.

The 4 man attack won at Headingley in helpful conditions to those bowlers, those same conditions were clearly not present at the Oval so changes were clearly necessary.

By that same token, if Australia were to win a match on a real bunsen India on the back of a 2 man spin attack, you'd then say that if the next Test were at Headingley it would be stupid to drop the spinners.

That's what I was thinking. Plus while Stuart Clark was excellent in the first innings at Headingley, he bowled complete pies in the second and was smashed everywhere by Broad, Swann and Harmison FFS. He was really ordinary when the deck flattened out and like Gillespie, the writing was on the wall for the selectors to (not) see.

 

[howardj]

My blue print for change i put on cff.

1 7th side (canberra) means more young talent to be looked at,also canberra supllying states players and 2nd leads 2nd xl comp and womens comp,so its time.
2 Australia under 19 play more,at the present they haven't played since the world cup,4 dayers and 1 dayers.
3 australia A plays more,at present it mainly plays in australia,should tour more,with an expanded programe.
4 play less one day cricket,comp reduced to 5 games each,so fit in expanded 20/20 comp and keep shield as is.
5 encourage states to move old players on,except for maybe 20/20.
6 copy englands academy it gets the results,and by keeping their academy/english lions on tour gives them experience and depth in those conditions.
7 new selections panel.
8 keep futures cup as is with 3 players over 23 and the rest under 23,expand the comp,play 4 dayers rather than 3 dayers.
9 expand the state contract system to 25 players so states can entice afl,rugby players who are good enough.
10 a fund or scholarship process to keep afl ready players who ar good enough.
11 an ethnic cup along the lines of cricket masala in NSW,could produce young players,also some players could represent overseas teams.

Anymore please add.
Discuss.

- Restructure program not so the internationals can play more Big Bash, but rather more Shield. Could do this by slating the junk series in June/July in the top end, and thus leaving October/November more free.
- Board restructure - along independent commission lines rather than the current state-based representatives
- See you later Nielsen and Langer
- Likewise Hilditch, Boon and Cox
- Cheaper Test tickets, and allow more fun at the games
- Cricket in schools
- No 28+ year old debutants

 

[howardj]

and get benaud off air

 

[Flem274*]

- Restructure program not so the internationals can play more Big Bash, but rather more Shield. Could do this by slating the junk series in June/July in the top end, and thus leaving October/November more free.
- Board restructure - along independent commission lines rather than the current state-based representatives
- See you later Nielsen and Langer
- Likewise Hilditch, Boon and Cox
- Cheaper Test tickets, and allow more fun at the games
- Cricket in schools
- No 28+ year old debutants

I hope you're kidding.

 

[Prince EWS]

I hope you're kidding.

Do you realise who you just quoted? He's deadly serious.

 

[Redbacks]

Well I considered over 30 but yeah. He too under-achieved for a lot of his career tbh.

Victoria just had better options. He doesn't score quickly enough but fits SA perfectly. It's evident watching the past few FC games against Victoria, he battles to great scores only for Hussey/Hodge/Rogers to come in and make it look 5x easier and score consistently at 4+ an over at the same risk level. Was just a case of being out gunned IMO. Has come along way as a player and should get a chance in the test side.

 

[Prince EWS]

Victoria just had better options. He doesn't score quickly enough but fits SA perfectly. It's evident watching the past few FC games against Victoria, he battles to great scores only for Hussey/Hodge/Rogers to come in and make it look 5x easier and score consistently at 4+ an over at the same risk level. Was just a case of being out gunned IMO. Has come along way as a player and should get a chance in the test side.

He got quite a few opportunities though when he was supposed to be the next big thing and he never really delivered. He always looked okay but just never scored many runs until he moved states. That he knew he was getting an extended run for the first time ever probably contributed to that.

 

[GotSpin]

- Restructure program not so the internationals can play more Big Bash, but rather more Shield. Could do this by slating the junk series in June/July in the top end, and thus leaving October/November more free.
- Board restructure - along independent commission lines rather than the current state-based representatives
- See you later Nielsen and Langer
- Likewise Hilditch, Boon and Cox
- Cheaper Test tickets, and allow more fun at the games
- Cricket in schools
- No 28+ year old debutants

Test tickets are reasonably cheap - For Concession anyway!

Cost me $20 something for decent seats to the boxing day test and $36 for Sydney. Could be a tad cheaper for adults but its really quite cheap for youngens. I don't get the obsession with popping beach balls though. Who wants to watch Cook bat all day

 

[marc71178]

I wouldn't complain.

Yeah, your ticket prices aren't too bad IMO - going up to Edgbaston this year is £35 for day 1 and £50 for day 4.

Of all brockley's ideas the one that really could make a difference is the A team one, but the problem would then be you'd be taking A team players out of domestic cricket to do it in the main.

 

[Oscillatingmind]

I wouldn't complain.

Yeah, your ticket prices aren't too bad IMO - going up to Edgbaston this year is £35 for day 1 and £50 for day 4.

Of all brockley's ideas the one that really could make a difference is the A team one, but the problem would then be you'd be taking A team players out of domestic cricket to do it in the main.

could do some off season stuff more?

 

[howardj]

Test tickets are reasonably cheap - For Concession anyway!

day

Funny story...

I bought concession/student tickets to the MCG for the Ashes just gone, thinking they would just scan it through the machines at the MCG and I'd save a few bucks. Flew down Boxing Day morning and got to the gate, all pumped up. Anyway, the guy on the gate (a million-to-one shot) actually checked the ticket and asked for my student card! Given that I finished UNI in 2001 I couldn't produce one, so I got ordered around to the Match Office to get a ticket upgrade - on the biggest cricket morning of the year!

The line was at least a mile long at the Match Office. So eventually went around to the same guy (as he'd disabled my ticket) and talked my way in, putting on a sob story. Still missed the first 45 minutes though. Welcome to Melbourne.

Then the Test went downhill from there!

 

[GotSpin]

That's amazingly unlucky to have someone actually check the ticket

 

[Jono]

Funny story...

I bought concession/student tickets to the MCG for the Ashes just gone, thinking they would just scan it through the machines at the MCG and I'd save a few bucks. Flew down Boxing Day morning and got to the gate, all pumped up. Anyway, the guy on the gate (a million-to-one shot) actually checked the ticket and asked for my student card! Given that I finished UNI in 2001 I couldn't produce one, so I got ordered around to the Match Office to get a ticket upgrade - on the biggest cricket morning of the year!

The line was at least a mile long at the Match Office. So eventually went around to the same guy (as he'd disabled my ticket) and talked my way in, putting on a sob story. Still missed the first 45 minutes though. Welcome to Melbourne.

Then the Test went downhill from there!

Mate I think a light goes off for concession tickets when they're scanned.

 

[Dydl]

My blue print for change i put on cff.

1 7th side (canberra) means more young talent to be looked at,also canberra supllying states players and 2nd leads 2nd xl comp and womens comp,so its time.

Very minor point, but NSW actually lead the women's comp, not ACT.


I wish Hilditch would stop being so stubborn. Apart from the communication breakdown with Haddin regarding the T20s, he's still got completely the wrong attitude. Comments like "I think we've done a very good job as a selection panel, but the reality is we were totally outplayed," and "I've still got the same passion for everything I can give to Australian cricket...so it'll be for someone else to tell me when I'm not required" don't bode well for us making the changes we need to make. Very frustrating.