*Official* Warm up Matches Discussion

[grecian]

Fantasy land, especially the bolded.

TBF I think by middle-order he means Clarke, it's pretty much the same thing.

 

[CricAddict]

Fantasy land, especially the bolded.

Clarke will bring that fantasy land to your real world..

 

[Cooky Monster]

Clarke will bring that fantasy land to your real world..

That reads like you are trying to convince yourself more than me there.

 

[Cooky Monster]

TBF I think by middle-order he means Clarke, it's pretty much the same thing.

That sounds about right, Some of the stuff im seeing from Aussies is sort of desperate in a way, trying to convince themselves that something good is going to happen without really believing it, if you know what i mean.

Saying that though i do think England will be vunerable in the first test and if Oz can pull something off there they will have a sniff...





































Of only losing 4-1

 

[Tangles]

We need a few things to fall into place for us to win. We need the top 3 to take some shine of the ball. We need Clarke to be in either gun or god mode. We need #6 plus Haddin and the bowlers to bat long enough so Clarke goes big. Then we need the bowlers to click and bring us home. And obviously we need that in 2 innings in the same game.

So obviously we are a long shot because a lot has to fall into place but we are in with a shout if things go our way. If the bowlers fire we can make England nervous, especially with big early wickets. If Clarke goes big then that could be enough to draw matches. So imo it not going to be a walk up win for the poms.

 

[Maximas]

I can speak for myself thanks guys . But by middle order I actually mean positions 4-7, all of them. Big scores refers to the whole team in this instance as well, I honestly think Clarke will get enough support to get over 400 as a team a few times this series.

 

[Burgey]

We need a few things to fall into place for us to win. We need the top 3 to take some shine of the ball. We need Clarke to be in either gun or god mode. We need #6 plus Haddin and the bowlers to bat long enough so Clarke goes big. Then we need the bowlers to click and bring us home. And obviously we need that in 2 innings in the same game.

So obviously we are a long shot because a lot has to fall into place but we are in with a shout if things go our way. If the bowlers fire we can make England nervous, especially with big early wickets. If Clarke goes big then that could be enough to draw matches. So imo it not going to be a walk up win for the poms.

Cricket team in needing to play well in order to win shocker.

 

[hendrix]

Cricket team in needing to play well in order to win shocker.

England didn't really play particularly well in order to win the test against NZ at lords. They dominated one session, but that was it.

I think what Tangles is saying is that for a weaker team to beat a stronger team the challenge is consistency across the test.

 

[Tangles]

That and I don't see us winng without Clarke going big to give us a total to bowl at. I suppose we could roll them twice in a low scoring game should we get one.

 

[the big bambino]

For that to happen we'd have to get Cook, KP, Trott and Root out cheaply in both innings. Then have Prior and Swann fail to back and fill.

Whereas they only need to get Clarke twice and considering he's due for a correction...

 

[uvelocity]

3. hughes 5. smith 6. warner

 

[Top_Cat]

Honestly I think the Aussies are in big trouble with the bat this series. It's not a confidence thing, there are fairly serious, hard-to-solve technical problems against the moving ball being exhibited by all the bats. The only bloke I've seen playing the ball genuinely 'late' is, shockingly, Dave Warner. Even Clarke's not immune to pushing at the line and not the movement, being a long-standing problem.

Actually, scratch that, it's weather-dependent. If the weather's dry and hot like it's shaing up to be, they're in with a chance of surviving against Anderson and co. If not, massacre.

 

[hendrix]

The only bloke I've seen playing the ball genuinely 'late' is, shockingly, Dave Warner. Even Clarke's not immune to pushing at the line and not the movement, being a long-standing problem.

yup.

thought khawaja had a bit of this quality about him as well, but that's from one test that I've seen him in (I think he was run out? the hobart test). he lacked the discipline outside off stump though.

It's the difference between Sangakkarra and Jayawardene.

 

[Tangles]

Clarke has been talking up Warner in the press which doesnt really make me happy. Also saw it mentioned that he said he decides the batting order. Got to think Twatto and Rogers still open after all the press though. Warner at 3 would be zero security for an early wicket so Clarke must be pushing for him at 6 in front of whoever the current front runner is. Smith out for Warner maybe? So then Uzi, Smith and Cowan all looking at that last spot if they do go with Warner.

My money is on them to completely piss me off by opening with Twatto and Rogers while leaving Cowan and Warner in the top 6.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

My money is on them to completely piss me off by opening with Twatto and Rogers while leaving Cowan and Warner in the top 6.

This bit, at the very least, is 100% assured. They'd be crazy not to go with this after talking about it so much and Watson scoring heavily in the warmups. At least one of the other two would have to make it, too.

 

[hendrix]

.

 

[social]

Honestly I think the Aussies are in big trouble with the bat this series. It's not a confidence thing, there are fairly serious, hard-to-solve technical problems against the moving ball being exhibited by all the bats. The only bloke I've seen playing the ball genuinely 'late' is, shockingly, Dave Warner. Even Clarke's not immune to pushing at the line and not the movement, being a long-standing problem.

Actually, scratch that, it's weather-dependent. If the weather's dry and hot like it's shaing up to be, they're in with a chance of surviving against Anderson and co. If not, massacre.

Clarke is a fine player but I honestly cannot see him being consistently brilliant in England unless the weather is fine

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Clarke is a fine player but I honestly cannot see him being consistently brilliant in England unless the weather is fine

To be fair he was pretty bloody good 4 years ago and is a better player now, no reason why he can't repeat that.

 

[Ruckus]

Just have a bad feeling Clarke is gonna have a mediocre series by his standards. But, really, it's time our other batsmen to step up for a change anyway. Getting a bit tired of Clarke having to carry this team all the time.

It's crunch time for players like Hughes now. You once could have argued he was fairly poorly managed on the international stage and was under too much pressure etc., but that no longer holds much truth now. He's had plenty of time to mentally prepare and practice for this series, and is in seemingly good form, so if he can't deliver now I'll definitely be starting to wonder whether he does have what it takes to succeed in test cricket. The same is true for a few of the other players, Watson in particular. Feel this will be such a pivotal series for this teams long-term development, irrespective of whether or not there is success or failure.

 

[NUFAN]

So who do we think is likely to play against Sussex on Friday? I think we will end up playing the top 6 batsman from the Test, but changing the keeper and bowlers, leaving us with:

1. Rogers 2. Watson 3. Khawaja 4. Hughes 5. Clarke 6. Smith 7. Wade 8. Faulkner 9. Starc 10. Lyon 11. Bird 12 Cowan - slightly harsh on Cowan to not be given a chance, but unless the selectors have already made the decision to drop one of the batsman, they need time out in the middle. If Clarke's back is anything but 100% he wont play though.