***Official*** Australia in England (The Ashes)

[vic_orthdox]

yeah, I think he will be extremely effective for the next couple of years... But after that and once everyone has an idea of his action and pace, then will be his real test.

The thing about Tait is - and you can tell just by looking at the speedo, or listening to people who have faced him - is that you don't get used to the pace, because it is so inconsistent with no change in action or effort. When they put up the speeds of deliveries during an over, the discrepancy between them was quite noticeable, and distributed at random. You can't get into much of a rhythm against Tait, unlike blokes like Kasprowicz and Gillespie.

 

[Mister Wright]

MacGill variety - 150 + wickets, best strike rate for a spinner. Not a bad benchmark really.

Anyway, Tait is only 22 and obviously has a lot of rough edges.

But remember, he's not picked for accuracy. He's been picked because he can swing a cricket ball at 95 mph.

Also, Flintoff at 24 didnt even have a run-up and 2 years ago in Aus, Harmison couldnt hit the cut portion.

At similar ages, Tait is light years ahead of where they were and look at them now.

Yeah, Tait certainly looks the goods, if he can stay injury free he should easily play 60+ tests, not unrealistic to think he may even play 100 being selected so young.

 

[social]

Plus...that England batting lineup is highly overrated. Look at how good the Aussies are making them look with their ordinary fielding and bowling

How many times has Trescothick been dismissed off no balls and how much have they fed him full of a length outside off stump (thinking the new Duke ball is going to swing but it doesn't)
Strauss is showing a bit more now but still isn't much better than we he played 3's for Sydney Uni
Vaughan is hitting his straps admittedly
Bell is too mechanical
Pietersen will hit one down deep mid wicket's throat sooner or later
Flintoff rides his luck
Jones goes ok but never makes many
Giles will get hammered by Lee and Tait
Hoggard will block it for 2 hours at best
Harmison couldn't give a stuff
Jones will have a swing

OVERRATED and only doing the job because Australia have been SO ordinary (and that's got nothing to do with any so-called pressure England may or may not be putting)

I remember watching Australia play 5 years ago when you couldn't believe it if someone put a catch down. This Australian fielding side is dead set pathetic.

To be overrated, by definition you'd have to be rated in the first place.

How many people rated the Eng batting lineup? Hardly anyone

How many people rate them highly today? I'd say a similar amount.

However, they are doing a job.

They shouldnt be criticised because Aus is bowling and fielding poorly as their pressure has played some part in that.

 

[sqwerty]

MacGill variety - 150 + wickets, best strike rate for a spinner. Not a bad benchmark really.

Anyway, Tait is only 22 and obviously has a lot of rough edges.

But remember, he's not picked for accuracy. He's been picked because he can swing a cricket ball at 95 mph.

Also, Flintoff at 24 didnt even have a run-up and 2 years ago in Aus, Harmison couldnt hit the cut portion.

At similar ages, Tait is light years ahead of where they were and look at them now.

good points

 

[honestbharani]

MacGill variety - 150 + wickets, best strike rate for a spinner. Not a bad benchmark really.

Anyway, Tait is only 22 and obviously has a lot of rough edges.

But remember, he's not picked for accuracy. He's been picked because he can swing a cricket ball at 95 mph.

Also, Flintoff at 24 didnt even have a run-up and 2 years ago in Aus, Harmison couldnt hit the cut portion.

At similar ages, Tait is light years ahead of where they were and look at them now.

yeah, but first of all, his action is extremely unorthodox and that may lead him to trouble on the injury front. I mean, the way he bends his knees (both of them) at the point of delivery... I almost wince everytime I watch that. I cannot see how anyone's knee can take that sort of pressure for any length of time. But the fact that he sorta gets low down at the point of delivery is what is helping him, I think. With his height, you expect the ball to bounce high and skid little, but because he gets low at the point of delivery, his deliveries tend to skid on like it does with most fast bowlers who are not too tall. Plus, the batsmen expect the ball to bounce higher because of his height and because of this action, it doesn't and they are caught on the wrong foot sometimes. But once you have played him for a while, I think you can handle him reasonably comfortably (not easily, mind you,but comfortably).


That said, I don't think MacGill is a bad spinner either. It is just that I would rather face MacGill than Warne and similarly, rather face Tait than McGrath or Gillespie (in his good days.)

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah, Tait certainly looks the goods, if he can stay injury free he should easily play 60+ tests, not unrealistic to think he may even play 100 being selected so young.

staying injury free will be the tough part. HIs action seems to be extremely hard on his back and knees. But let's hope for Australia's sakes that he is injury free.

 

[aussie]

At similar ages, Tait is light years ahead of where they were and look at them now.

sam thing can be said about Shane Watson. In the Clarke, Tait, Australia have 3 potential top-class players(who could even become greats)

 

[vic_orthdox]

staying injury free will be the tough part. HIs action seems to be extremely hard on his back and knees. But let's hope for Australia's sakes that he is injury free.

Never been injured as a junior. Never.

*runs and touches wood*

Never.

 

[vic_orthdox]

In the Clarke, Tait & Pup Australia have 3 potential top-class players

No, they only have two...

 

[sqwerty]

yeah, but first of all, his action is extremely unorthodox and that may lead him to trouble on the injury front. I mean, the way he bends his knees (both of them) at the point of delivery... I almost wince everytime I watch that. I cannot see how anyone's knee can take that sort of pressure for any length of time. But the fact that he sorta gets low down at the point of delivery is what is helping him, I think. With his height, you expect the ball to bounce high and skid little, but because he gets low at the point of delivery, his deliveries tend to skid on like it does with most fast bowlers who are not too tall. Plus, the batsmen expect the ball to bounce higher because of his height and because of this action, it doesn't and they are caught on the wrong foot sometimes. But once you have played him for a while, I think you can handle him reasonably comfortably (not easily, mind you,but comfortably).


That said, I don't think MacGill is a bad spinner either. It is just that I would rather face MacGill than Warne and similarly, rather face Tait than McGrath or Gillespie (in his good days.)

I don't believe getting low at the crease is one of Taits positives.

If he could stand up and maintain his pace he'd be much more of a handful.

I've never known a fast bowler who would count being tall at the crease one of their weak points.

 

[honestbharani]

The thing about Tait is - and you can tell just by looking at the speedo, or listening to people who have faced him - is that you don't get used to the pace, because it is so inconsistent with no change in action or effort. When they put up the speeds of deliveries during an over, the discrepancy between them was quite noticeable, and distributed at random. You can't get into much of a rhythm against Tait, unlike blokes like Kasprowicz and Gillespie.

That is a good point, but like I said, I think once are used to him (his speed variations are not HUGE) you can get reasonably comfortable against him. From what I saw yesterday, it seems the best way to play him is to get a good positive front foot movement going and then play the ball from there. Because some of his balls are swinging and swinging late and it is better to be on the front foot than on the back foot. Plus, there is the thing about the bounce of his deliveries. They skid on and don't bounce as high as one would expect, given his height.

 

[honestbharani]

I don't believe getting low at the crease is one of Taits positives.

If he could stand up and maintain his pace he'd be much more of a handful.

I've never known a fast bowler who would count being tall at the crease one of their weak points.

The point is, it makes him different. As a batsman, one sees him being this tall and subconsciously expects the ball to bounce pretty high. But because he gets low at the point of delivery, the ball doesn't bounce that high and skids through. So, he is able to deceive the batsman in that respect. That is why I think he will have pretty good success for the next year or two, but his real test will be after that.

 

[aussie]

No, they only have two...

oops edited.....

 

[sqwerty]

From what I saw yesterday, it seems the best way to play him is to get a good positive front foot movement going and then play the ball from there.

That's fine at Trent Bridge on that deck....try it at the WACCA and you might eat it !

 

[Mister Wright]

sam thing can be said about Shane Watson. In the Clarke, Tait, Australia have 3 potential top-class players(who could even become greats)

Watson is a good 2 fulltime seasons with Queensland away from being ready. And we all know my views on Clarke not being ready for test cricket.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think once are used to him (his speed variations are not HUGE)

Which makes them harder to adjust to.

From what I saw yesterday, it seems the best way to play him is to get a good positive front foot movement going and then play the ball from there. Because some of his balls are swinging and swinging late and it is better to be on the front foot than on the back foot.

Tell that to any of the dozens of blokes he has sconed in the past few years.

 

[honestbharani]

That's fine at Trent Bridge on that deck....try it at the WACCA and you might eat it !

lol, but even the WACA seems to be easing out over the past few years.

 

[aussie]

The point is, it makes him different. As a batsman, one sees him being this tall and subconsciously expects the ball to bounce pretty high. But because he gets low at the point of delivery, the ball doesn't bounce that high and skids through. So, he is able to deceive the batsman in that respect. That is why I think he will have pretty good success for the next year or two, but his real test will be after that.

good points here espcially the point that Tait real test will come after batsman around the glode get accostomed to him, but once he does get success in his initial coupe of years at the international level like most good bowlers i'll back him to continue to do well.......

 

[honestbharani]

Which makes them harder to adjust to.

Tell that to any of the dozens of blokes he has sconed in the past few years.

well, I said that taking into account the TB wicket. Obviously, u don't wanna get on the front foot on a bouncy WACA as sqwerty said.

 

[aussie]

Watson is a good 2 fulltime seasons with Queensland away from being ready. And we all know my views on Clarke not being ready for test cricket.

well do you still have those views on pup steve???