The Ashes and other cricket 2017/18.

[Yossarian]

Yes and roads mostly.

[AndyP]

How quickly you guys have forgotten that Mitch Marsh was the man of the match in the domestic one day final. Back off!!!

[Captain Nemo]

Smith has no idea when it comes to turning the screws on an opponent.The Poms were in tatters and he fails to go for the jugular and send them in again!One session is all the bowlers had to get through and then they get a sleep.We still have more than enough runs, but if we had put them back in, we may not have had to bat again.

CA had a word in his ear and said let’s make the match more interesting and get the punters in on the last day, or the Indian bookmakers got word to him!Love a good conspiracy...🤣

[Daves]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-0...ticism/9233744

[TheNuclearOne]

Hard to win being a captain but i did see people heavily questioning both decisions before any hindsight was available Turned out great for Smith regardless.

I am heavily concern Mitch might replace Handscomb. Surely not.

[3oneday]

Depends on whether it is only the media questioning Handscombes technique.

[Toxic]

Hard to win being a captain but i did see people heavily questioning both decisions before any hindsight was available Turned out great for Smith regardless.I am heavily concern Mitch might replace Handscomb. Surely not.

No chance

[TheNuclearOne]

They do love a good Marsh tho. After some good runs in the shield their trigger fingers would be twitching uncontrollably.

[LarryLong]

Am I the only person who thinks Smith made the right call on the follow on?

Only 200 ahead, plenty of time left and Adelaide can sometimes be a batsman's paradise. If the poms could find a way to survive the evening then cobble together 350 during the day and take the new ball at night time on day 4, Australia could have been in trouble.

On the other hand, bat again. Worst case - what happened. We didn't bat long enough to get the new ball under lights, but still finished up 350 in front and pretty safe. If things had gone to plan they would have batted for another hour or two and been 400-450 in front and taken the new ball at night time on day 4. Either way you are highly unlikely to lose.

[TheNuclearOne]

No chance

I hope you are right.

[Steve57]

I hope you are right.

+1!

[pt73]

Peter Hanscomb Test Average: 47.35

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Stati...?PlayerID=4558

Mitchell Marsh Test Average: 21.74

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Stati...?PlayerID=3912

Maybe he's in the squad to save money by not having to fly Chadd Sayers from SA to WA ...........

[jimandr]

One more day of relative comfort as an Aussie cricket fan until the nightmare resumes.

The team will be announced tomorrow, and Mitch Marsh will be in it. Every other time he has been named in the squad he plays, and all the media reports have been talking him up. Justin Langer was even quoted as suggesting he is a potential Captain.

I really hope Bancroft goes well and the other bats all fire, because if they don't one of the others (Khawaja maybe?) will need to be moved on to fit Handscomb back in for Melbourne. In a way I feel sorry for M Marsh. Even if he makes a ton batting 6, many fans will never agree with his selection, and if he fails, all hell will break loose, again. But he will keep getting picked, because we so badly need someone to bowl 12 overs for 40 runs to rest the seamers.

[Yossarian]

One more day of relative comfort as an Aussie cricket fan until the nightmare resumes.

The team will be announced tomorrow, and Mitch Marsh will be in it. Every other time he has been named in the squad he plays, and all the media reports have been talking him up. Justin Langer was even quoted as suggesting he is a potential Captain.

I really hope Bancroft goes well and the other bats all fire, because if they don't one of the others (Khawaja maybe?) will need to be moved on to fit Handscomb back in for Melbourne. In a way I feel sorry for M Marsh. Even if he makes a ton batting 6, many fans will never agree with his selection, and if he fails, all hell will break loose, again. But he will keep getting picked, because we so badly need someone to bowl 12 overs for 40 runs to rest the seamers.

The WACA is a road and a real possibility of bowling for two days exists, which is obviously very tough with 4 bowlers. So selecting a bowling all rounder for this test does make a certain amount of sense with the caveat that he has done very little bowling to date.

With the reverse caveat that he is also 7th on the runs totals this season.

I'm glad that you hope all the batsmen go well.

[Jarro]

What is it with these 'roads' we are dishing out this summer ?

The 'Gabba and Waca wickets used to get the touring teams jumping

[Yossarian]

What is it with these 'roads' we are dishing out this summer ?

The 'Gabba and Waca wickets used to get the touring teams jumping

Is a multi faceted issue.

We back our bowling over their bowling and rightly so, so offer even conditions and back that in.

The WACA square was also replaced awhile ago now and just never really came back the same.

It has also been a really sedate spring/summer here so it hasn't baked. If you played it in Jan/Feb I reckon you'd get something pretty spicy but it potentially brings their bowlers back into it a bit more.

[Pieface]

If it ends up playing flat I hope Smith will give Lyon a go before the ball gets too soft.

[Toxic]

Mitch Marsh is the Silent Man

[3oneday]

Is he mates with Donut?

[Steve57]

Mitch Marsh is the Silent Man

After dropping that sitter, questions will be asked!

[jimandr]

I'm going to put my head on the chopping block here and now.

I may be amazingly optimistic or just in denial, but I don't accept the possibility of corruption within the Australian team. In the words of the great Foghorn Leghorn, It Just Don't Add Up.

I discount the defence of high regular payments. Crooks are crooks, and for some punters it is the thrill of getting one over the authorities/bookies and beating the system more than any financial consideration.

But it greatly puzzles me why The Sun would go to the point of an imminent sting and then not take that last step and actually let the alleged corrupt conduct take place, with the culprits then caught red-handed.

I'm more inclined to believe the Indians were simply conmen making promises they couldn't keep, secure in the knowledge the victims couldn't go to the authorities to report they had not received value for their money. Sort of a reverse sting, I suppose.

Anyway, to the game itself. Very poor captaincy by Smith on two fronts. Firstly by not giving Marsh more overs, and secondly by not leading a concerted sledging effort in the last session. It is funny how the Aussies always go quiet when they are being beaten. At least the Poms had a go at Smith when they were being beaten.

Had some catches been taken the game would look very different, but also some credit should be given to the Pom batsmen. They did well on a pitch very different to their normal tracks.

It might actually be in our favour that rain is forecast for later in the match. We might need it if they keep going today and get 500 plus.

[TheNuclearOne]

The Aussie selectors are master trolls.

More seriously has anyone actually seen him bat since he was dropped? Has he made technical improvements or has he just been batting on roads?

Looks like plenty of both. His patience was exceptional today and road or not we have to call it a great innings. It's still a live series and he and Smith are certainly doing a LOT to change that.

We will have to wait for more challenging conditions over a period of time to see how he's truly sitting. He's improved for sure. I hope he gets 200 and proves to be exactly what we have been searching for so long for. The jury is still out tho it looks reasonably promising.

Given his sitting with the selectors i reckon he's got a couple of years grace now

Certainly for the short term he may have nipped Handscombs career in the bud not to mention Maxwell and Cartwright and co.

Very disappoint with and for Handscomb, i thought he was a poor mans Hussey but it's probably uphill from here for him.

[3oneday]

Seems like they made a good decision.

Lyon could get a hatful and win us the game.

[TheNuclearOne]

They've had a good run this series. Paine is keeping superbly and SOS played an important part early. Bancroft had a top innings early tho he'd like some more runs in his next few digs and then we have Mitch this game.

There will certainly be some pressure on the Poms from here on in. Lyon may well do some damage the way he's bowling.

[AndyP]

I tuned in watch my first ball of the summer on my flight, just in time to miss my man, Mitch Marsh, batting. Did he do any good before getting out?

I have not missed the commentating. Healy thought Smith should get himself out on purpose, and Warne wanted them to get out quickly. I turned off the sound.