Cricket 2015/16

[AndyP]

I also read that they want to rest Hazelwood as he has done a lot of bowling in recent months so he will be right for the rest of the summer.

Why rest him now? Is there something coming up that is more important than ensuring a test series victory? I don't like how they do this.

[mrbluu]

Why rest him now? Is there something coming up that is more important than ensuring a test series victory? I don't like how they do this.

I don't like it either, but supposedly they are worried he will break down.

[TheNuclearOne]

Why rest him now? Is there something coming up that is more important than ensuring a test series victory? I don't like how they do this.

Haven't we effectively "won" the series already? We've retained the trophy.

Having said that every Test is an important one.

[AndyP]

I don't think we'd be happy with a one all series draw, but retaining the trophy.

[TheNuclearOne]

We wouldn't be happy losing any single match. I don't know, with the regular injuries going on it's a hard one. Interesting how Starc has played so much and had the odd niggle but they don't seem to want to rest him. He's bowled heaps too.

[Pencil]

If Mark Craig was NZ´s first choice spinner I´d hate to know what there 2nd choice is like.

[jimandr]

India v South Africa is showing on my TV at the moment, and it is very interesting cricket in a slightly perverse way.

The pitch is an absolute shocker. Day 1 and it looks like a day 5 track, and is playing even worse. India were all out 215, and only got there because the Saffers didn't bowl well and Morne Morkel has gone off injured. Ashwin and Jadeja will be very difficult to keep out.

One interesting thing was that the Indian TV had a Hawkeye image showing the speed of the ball out of the hand, when it bounced, and then as it passed the batsman. I haven't seen that before, and they only showed it once that I saw. The SA paceman bowled a bouncer out of the hand at 140, and it was 72 when it reached the batsman. Without any context it is hard to know what that means, but it would be very interesting to compare the same thing on a Perth wicket.

I haven't followed this series very closely, but I know it has been low scoring. I was still surprised to see that Faf Du Plessis has scored 1 run so far in the series.

[Yossarian]

The lost four days in the second test so Faf would have only batted three times I think. The Indians take pitch preparation very seriously.

[TheNuclearOne]

Good to see S.A. going about as well as we do on such a track. May have read lowest Test score in India. Edit - against India apparently.

[coalesce]

Looks like this test is going to be on a flat pitch with a slow outfield. We might have to wait til several days in for it to get interesting... Or until it gets dark...

[coalesce]

Or until NZ self destruct. Last 2 wickets (Taylor and McCullum) have been really ordinary shots.

[TheNuclearOne]

N.Z. are extremely fortunate Starc went off.

[jimandr]

Looks like this test is going to be on a flat pitch with a slow outfield. We might have to wait til several days in for it to get interesting... Or until it gets dark...

I think it has all been interesting so far. Much better than the 1 for 300 first days in Brisbane and Perth.

I'll be very interested in the post match comments regarding the ball. At first sight it appears to be doing a bit more than it should.

[3oneday]

Wouldn't know, can't see it.

[coalesce]

Aussie batsmen have made it look like a minefield in that first session. It's really not doing that much. Smith had been playing nicely, particularly with Nevill and then that horrible shot!

[TheNuclearOne]

Didn't see it live but looks like some ordinary batting. Woeful ways to get out for both Marshes and if not for the utterly disgraceful Lyon decision we would have been in deep shit. Credit to Nevill and the tail despite the howler. Mitch Marsh needs to step up this innings as one of the all rounders roles is to shoulder some serious bowling responsibility when there is an injury. Needs some runs desperately too.

[SundayHack]

Both Marsh failed again with the bat. No big surprise there though

[Lagerlover]

Worst substitute fielder ever

[KristianJ]

Boof's probably hoping it doesn't get to the stage where he has to do a subbing spell.

[TheNuclearOne]

Good chance for the two Marshes to show why they are in the team here. Also a chance for Vogues to imprint himself more deeply into the side. Definitely in trouble, ball moving a bit and us doing the same old same old.

[jimandr]

A victory in the end, but it was very hard work.

For a while the Marshes both looked like they could bat, but it didn't last long, and his cameo surely wasn't enough to keep M Marsh in the team.

Is Faulkner fit? If he is, I would pick him to replace M Marsh anyway. With Starc (and Johnson) out, I think some left arm variation will be needed.

Apart from the fact that it was a 3 day test, I think the pink ball experiment was a success. The players and cameras seemed to pick up the ball OK, and I don't think it is bad thing that it moved around a bit.

[TheNuclearOne]

Is Faulkner fit? If he is, I would pick him to replace M Marsh anyway. With Starc (and Johnson) out, I think some left arm variation will be needed.

Faulkners scored about 105 runs in his 6 recent Shield innings. Bagged 9 wickets in those three games at around 28. He's couldn't be underperforming at a worse time.

[3oneday]

Maccullum called it an experiment, probably a fair assessment. 3 day tests won't win many fans, nor sponsors.

[mrbluu]

Maccullum called it an experiment, probably a fair assessment. 3 day tests won't win many fans, nor sponsors.

It's not as good as a day test but I actually liked it. Whilst 3 day test marches aren't great, they are better than shitty draws like we saw in Perth.

[KristianJ]

There'll be a few 3 day tests coming up against the Windies, methinks...

Nevill needs to bat 6 regardless of what they do with the all rounder quandary. His efforts in the 1st innings were excellent.