***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[aussie]

cant stand him myself.

Whats wrong with him, he is pretty good to me

 

[aussie]

When martyn is in good form he actually moves his feet. So far in this series the footwork shown by martyn has been minimal. Although the ball was coming out of the middle of the bat early in his innings last night, he didnt look at all comfortable ,in my mind, because of his lack of footwork

well mate if you have watched Matryn over the years you will know that he usually doesn't have to much footwork.

 

[aussie]

he'd make one hell of a test bowler, if he could bowl at the pace he used to before injury.

Spot on Tec, but i get the feeling that Jones might never get back up to that pace again

 

[vic_orthdox]

You are wrong my friend. Martyn does not move his feet - it is part of his technique. He has the ability to play every front foot shot from just one foot movement. It is starting to be taught in coaching clinics (especially in Qld) where you can play all front foot shots from one postition. Where previously thought you had to have your front foot on off stump to play off and cover drives and leg stump to play on drives and leg glances, it can all be done from one position where the front foot is on middle stump.

The trap that you can fall onto though, in that situation (which is something that I do a fair bit) is putting your foot in the same position each time, with the toes facing the same way. You still need to open up your front foot, so that your not playing around it, if you want to hit through the leg side off the front foot.

And I don't think that the minimalistic approach to footwork is something that can apply to everyone. I spoke to some fairly knowledgable guys about this, and I really thought one of them hit the nail on the head.

There are two sorts of batsman - the one who moves his feet a lot, and tries to get his feet in the best position possible every ball to play a shot (a Michael Slater, Michael Clarke type), and the batsman who doesn't move his feet that much and just makes sure that he's balanced when playing a stroke - ensuring that his body is in the best position possible (the Martyn school). Neither is wrong, just up to the individual.

Also, just quickly, on Martyn, you'll notice how much he uses his feet to spinners though.

 

[Scallywag]

lol...this sums the series up so far.

I think the face grill is there to prevent Collingwood from kissing Hayden.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Actually, that pic is the first time I've noticed yellow pads that aren't made by Kookaburra. For a long time, AFAIK, Kooka used to make the coloured pads for all the Australians, no matter who they were sponsored by.

 

[social]

the problem with gough is that he's lost his outswinger, and he seems easily hittable with the new ball. he gets the old ball to reverse though and hes still a fairly decent death bowler, but as of now, i dont think he should be bowling with the new ball.
as far as jones is concerned, i think its fair to say that he has almost all the qualities of the gough of old, the outswinger, reverse swing, and what seems to be a fairly useful slower ball, but he doesnt have enough experience in ODs to prevent himself from being clobbered like he did in his last 3 overs yesterday. he'd make one hell of a test bowler, if he could bowl at the pace he used to before injury.

Jones does not look fully fit to me.

He appeared to be really struggling at the end, not merely through tiredness, but seemed to be grimacing in pain.

Having had serious knee injuries, I can tell you that the strain caused by bowling in a match situation is totally different from net sessions etc.

 

[social]

First of all i can see no reason why Martyn should go and open the batting since Gilchrist & Hayden have been extremely successful and Martyn has been eqaully has successful at #4 so no drastic changes are needed their at all mate.

I agree that since Hodge is Australia's back-up test batsman & place should be their just for experience but to be honest who would he replace ???

With regards to Martyn's dismissal its definately a plan by England it cant be a coincidence that he has been dismissed 2 out of 3 times that way, Martyn normally plays that shot if you have seen him over the years you would know that.

Have a look at Hayden's record over the last 12 months and, more significantly, the way that he is playing in both forms of the game. Neither is that impressive.

I would rather encourage him to play his normal game by designating him "test cricket only." Look at how disciplined he became in NZ when this was the case as an example.

In the mean-time, you can kill 2 birds with one stone by exposing a back-up player to the pressures of international cricket, even if it is only ODIs.

In regards to Martyn, I would agree if they were similar dismissals. The fact is that Tuesday's dismissal was similar only in that the ball ended up at third-man. He did not mean it to go behind the wicket, let alone over the slips, and the ball was not positioned to encourage a flick to third-man.

 

[Top_Cat]

In regards to Martyn, I would agree if they were similar dismissals. The fact is that Tuesday's dismissal was similar only in that the ball ended up at third-man. He did not mean it to go behind the wicket, let alone over the slips, and the ball was not positioned to encourage a flick to third-man.

Yes it was. It was a top-edge so not a totally deliberate as the other one was but have a loot at his feet position; there is nowhere else he could have or was likely intending to the hit the ball. He wasn't looking to pull the ball or crossbat it down the ground so it stands to reason that the only thing left was the flick to third man or cut it over slips/gully. It's also not out of the realms of possibility that Martyn was initially looking for the deliberate shot down to third man but the ball moved into him and got big resulting in the edge. Sorry but logic dictates that the dismissals were not without their differences but certainly the plan was there.

I honestly don't know what you're talking about as far as the ball not being positioned for the shot either - it was short and wide of off-stump, cutting in. What possible other dismissal could they have had in mind?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

who should he be replaced with?
i dont think tremlett has looked too much better.

Really? I really like the look of Tremlett. He has the air of a young McGrath about him... tall, decent sort of pace, and quite accurate from the start. No doubt he's got a lot of room to improve, but he's about 500 times more promising than someone like Jon Lewis, and I can see a big future for him.

 

[shaka]

The flick over slips is a good shot which Martyn and Sehwag are starting to master.

 

[Entrael]

symonds to be called up to the test side replacing martyn for the 1st ashes test.......

There is no way Martyn will be dropped. Currently he is one of Australias premier batsmen, last year he was the figurehead behind Australias in over India in India, he also contributed in the series against Pakistan where he scored 2 centuries. The test arena suits Martyns game to a teacup, and to suggest that he would be drop is ludracris.

 

[marc71178]

Really? I really like the look of Tremlett. He has the air of a young McGrath about him... tall, decent sort of pace, and quite accurate from the start. No doubt he's got a lot of room to improve, but he's about 500 times more promising than someone like Jon Lewis, and I can see a big future for him.

The thing is, any replacement really needs to be brought in now- give them 18 months or so ODI cricket before the World Cup IMO, and the numbers Gough is now delivering suggest it is time to say thank you for everything over the years, but we need someone who offers more.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Whats wrong with him, he is pretty good to me

No he's a t0sser. A mate and I bumped into him, Simon Hughes and Reeve at the Trent Bridge Test last summer. We'd had a few beers (well a lot by lunchtime ) and tried to engage in a bit of banter with them, Nicholas and Hughes just blanked us and turned their backs, whereas Reeve had a laugh and a joke, he seemed in very jovial mood... wonder why..

Nah, Nicholas is a "holier than thou" type. I called him a miserable cnut. And I shall say it again if I see him this year.

 

[Pratters]

Should be a short game with Australians trying to prove a point after not getting an upper hand in the last game and not being as strong till now before the Ashes.

 

[Pratters]

9/2

 

[Pratters]

Super shot by Ashraful followed by supe ryorker by Lee

3 gone now.

 

[Pratters]

but he doesnt have enough experience in ODs to prevent himself from being clobbered like he did in his last 3 overs yesterday. he'd make one hell of a test bowler, if he could bowl at the pace he used to before injury.

Gough has a LOT of experience. What are you about?

 

[aussie]

No he's a t0sser. A mate and I bumped into him, Simon Hughes and Reeve at the Trent Bridge Test last summer. We'd had a few beers (well a lot by lunchtime ) and tried to engage in a bit of banter with them, Nicholas and Hughes just blanked us and turned their backs, whereas Reeve had a laugh and a joke, he seemed in very jovial mood... wonder why..

Nah, Nicholas is a "holier than thou" type. I called him a miserable cnut. And I shall say it again if I see him this year.

well maybe his off-camera attitude stinks but his commentary is good.

 

[aussie]

Yeaaaaaaaaa Watson gets a wicket