creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[bwfcdan94]

Mind you his 20-20 average is about 30. What I am asking is do you Aussies think that he will be good enough in the future to be a regular in the test team because I did, but now I am having second thoughts.

[Bruce Rioja]

I see that the birds had their arses tanned by the mighty Sri Lanka in the opening game of the group stage.

[Dujon]

Impossible to judge for my money, Dan. The national selectors have picked him rather than a few other possibles so, obviously, they see him as worthy of selection in the Australian teams. Not all players who perform well in the Sheffield Shield competition and are 'promoted' turn out to be successful so it's a bit of a lottery. I'm pretty sure he's in the squad to tour India in the coming months so that should sort out your question (assuming he plays). There is a bit of fiddling with the team at this point in time as Ponting and Hussey have retired and Watson has stated that he will vie for a position as a batsman and not as an all-rounder (he seems to have a chronic calf problem which bowling apparently exacerbates). Then there's the bowlers. The fast men they have do seem prone to injuries, which is probably why the selectors have chosen a system of 'rotation' for their playing regime. Spinners are a problem; Lyon at the moment seems to be a shoo-in as the best on offer, but after that I have no idea although the squad for India contains three (I think).

Who will comprise the squad to visit England later this year? Your guess is as good as mine - and we'd both be wrong.

[bwfcdan94]

Stu Broad took a hatrick today. .

[BWFC_Insane]

England win the final T20 in New Zealand by 10 wickets with more than 7 overs to spare.

Some effort that. Knocking off 140 in 12.4 overs without losing a wicket.

Wowzers.

[Bruce Rioja]

I watched us play NZ at O/T in the T/20 a few years ago. NZ were a fecking disaster then and clearly are now. Well played our boys though.

[Wandering Willy]

Can we have our ball back please?

[thebish]

just for the record, it ought to be said that we just won the series! and - great comeback for Finn off his new shorter run...

[bwfcdan94]

no hitting the wickets for Finn then. (well actually I suppose he did in some ways).

[Sponge]

Reading about Tom Maynard yesterday, I had a flash-back to the time I got Rory Hamilton-Brown caught and bowled. As a teenager I played cricket at county youth level and used to come up against him fairly often. I really disliked him – mainly because of his gargantuan ego, but also because he was clearly so much better than the rest of us. Anyway, I was opening the bowling – the first time I'd been asked to open for the county, a big deal for my 15-year-old self – and he was opening the batting for the other side (I think he played for Surrey). My first ball was a peach, and he edged it just past slip. That seemed to rile him, and he clattered my next four deliveries for six. Four straight sixes in the first friggin' over! My sixth ball (as you can imagine, I was pretty distraught by this point) was a shocker – but so bad I think it took him by surprise. He misstimed it, and the next thing I knew the ball was in my hand!

I was never allowed to open the bowling again, mind.

[bwfcdan94]

Reading about Tom Maynard yesterday, I had a flash-back to the time I got Rory Hamilton-Brown caught and bowled. As a teenager I played cricket at county youth level and used to come up against him fairly often. I really disliked him – mainly because of his gargantuan ego, but also because he was clearly so much better than the rest of us. Anyway, I was opening the bowling – the first time I'd been asked to open for the county, a big deal for my 15-year-old self – and he was opening the batting for the other side (I think he played for Surrey). My first ball was a peach, and he edged it just past slip. That seemed to rile him, and he clattered my next four deliveries for six. Four straight sixes in the first friggin' over! My sixth ball (as you can imagine, I was pretty distraught by this point) was a shocker – but so bad I think it took him by surprise. He misstimed it, and the next thing I knew the ball was in my hand!

I was never allowed to open the bowling again, mind.

Well done Sponge, Just to mention the Aussies are getting w*nked on again.

[thebish]

well!! who'd have thought it!

[bwfcdan94]

Looks like we are getting back in the 1st test courtesy of centuries by Cook and Compton

[Worthy4England]

Good save in the end. Maybe they won't be quite as complacent on Wednesday.

[TANGODANCER]

Can I smell Brylcreem? Great stuff from the grandson.

[Bruce Rioja]

What's this about the Aussies dropping players for not doing their homework?

[mrkint]

What's this about the Aussies dropping players for not doing their homework?

The coaching staff asked the players to present things to the group about where they could improve their performance. Four of them didn't bother and got dropped.

It's interesting. A few ex-players this is bollocks, saying this isn't school it's test match cricket etc. Whereas some others are saying it is a watershed moment for Aussie cricket, showing that no-one is above the team. I can kind of see the view of the latter, especially as Aussie cricket is in such a state of decline - they've been absolutely pummeled by india in their last two matches, so you'd want some frank discussions about it, wouldn't you. Similarly, you cna see how such a way of doing it could be a bit demeaning to some of the aussie egos.

For me, I'll just be happy if Shane Watson actually decided to retire after this

[thebish]

let's not be fooled - it's all an elaborate ruse to lull us into a false sense of security and tempt us to underestimate them in the forthcoming ashes series...

[Dujon]

It's an eye-opener to me. The whole ethos of Australian sporting teams has been 'the team comes first'. Oh, there have been exceptions but those have been glossed over due to the miscreants value to the team. Do you remember Lillee and his aluminium bat? I do.

Something smells in the state of Denmark methinks. For Michael Clarke to make such a decision is disturbing. Perhaps we'll learn a wee bit more as the scene unfolds with the curtains drawn back?

[mrkint]

Yeah, there has to be something else there - it seems like a straw that has finally broke the camel's back. It could be freefall now or it could mean the band together. Which is interesting to not, if not exactly worrying just yet for England.

To be honest I've been a bit nervous about the way the country is approaching the summer ashes. Seem far too set on that we'll beat them. Never feel sorry for them. Keep your foot on the snake's throat.