Nov 17-20: Australia A v England XI at Hobart

[Covvy]

Man, I'm annoyed at the moment. People from our school are going tommorow, which should include me but no, my other sport class has bowls on and it takes too long to organise

Was looking forward to go.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Ian Bell has really played a nice inning.

He should really go with confidence to the 1st test.

 

[angryangy]

Man, I'm annoyed at the moment. People from our school are going tommorow, which should include me but no, my other sport class has bowls on and it takes too long to organise

Was looking forward to go.

PlanetCricket Official Directive: wag it, or prepare for infractions!

 

[aussie1st]

He turns the odd one, but I don't think he turns enough of them. As a leggie, he has spin at the expense of control, but as an all-rounder it's not so important to be able to do the difficult task of bowl long, economical spells if he can get in, pick up a wicket or two and get out. I wouldn't worry about being hit around if he's landing most of them and they're mostly turning, but that's not really the case. He lands the flat one okay, but all it does is prolong his spell. He needs to be able to land the flighted one to be effective.

Of course if he was landing them and getting turn more times than not, he won't be getting smacked around the park and probably taking quite a few wickets. Probably the only leggie with that sort of control is Mishra and hes now disappeared from the Test scene. Kaneria was always inconsistent with his leggies but he now has the best record for the current playing spinners.

As you mention though hes only 21 and you hardly find any leg spinners on the scene at that age. Kaneria was one but he never really found his mark in the test arena.

 

[Sureshot]

Good for both Bell and Colly to get some runs in this match. Some more runs for Cook too.

 

[angryangy]

Of course if he was landing them and getting turn more times than not, he won't be getting smacked around the park and probably taking quite a few wickets.

I mean any spinner can get tonked about really. If you're flighting the ball, it's part of the territory. It's about gambling more than it is about any direct causality; eg, it's a bad ball if it goes for six, but a good one if he gets caught at long on. You don't toss a ball up to see the batsman block it, you expect to see a shot, hopefully a bad one, but if the batsman is good enough, they're not always going to get out.

You'd hope your career record or season stats are not too bad, but even in a great career, there are times where a bowler simply got outplayed (or out-lucked). Even Warne and Murali had a few of those days, so it's worth sparing any spinner an inflexible expectation.

 

[Themer]

Really pleasing to see how well England have done in the tour matches thus far especially Collingwood who's returned to form. (No idea why anyone has been doubting him tbh )

I think this going to be Bell's break out series where he steps up from his usual looking good, getting a decent 30 to 40 before falling cheaply. Since he came back from his broken toe he's been near world class; his innings in the one day final last year was stunning.

 

[Sureshot]

He looks in such good form, it could well be his Ashes.

 

[MUFC1987]

Bell does look in great form. I just hope he can convert it to the Test Series and get over his mental block that seems to occur when he's under pressure.

 

[lethalhughes]

He turns the odd one, but I don't think he turns enough of them. As a leggie, he has spin at the expense of control, but as an all-rounder it's not so important to be able to do the difficult task of bowl long, economical spells if he can get in, pick up a wicket or two and get out. I wouldn't worry about being hit around if he's landing most of them and they're mostly turning, but that's not really the case. He lands the flat one okay, but all it does is prolong his spell. He needs to be able to land the flighted one to be effective.

But as I keep saying, it's hard to find a good 20 year old leggie. Even if there are more talented young leg spin bowlers out there, you just can't compare any of them with one who has had years to master it.

My thoughts entirely, sometimes we forget he is a 21 year old leggie.Leg spin is the hardest art and requires time and patients to master.Smith has already shown enough talent for his age.Lets see how he develops in the next 2-3 years .I still maintain Boyce is the kid to look out for though.Great control for a leggie and turns it.

 

[aussie1st]

I mean any spinner can get tonked about really. If you're flighting the ball, it's part of the territory. It's about gambling more than it is about any direct causality; eg, it's a bad ball if it goes for six, but a good one if he gets caught at long on. You don't toss a ball up to see the batsman block it, you expect to see a shot, hopefully a bad one, but if the batsman is good enough, they're not always going to get out.

Agree if hes tossing it up that is what he would be after. However that is a risky ploy and one you look to if Plan A isn't working which should be to have the batsmen in a defensive mind set with the ball trying to grab the outside edge. It was common knowledge that if you tried to block out Warne he would eventually catch your edge or get you LBW.

 

[TumTum]

Smith is bowling a bit like MacGill, he can spin the ball quite a bit

What? MacGill used to spin the ball big, and not only that but he had other variations in his armory. Smith doesn't have anything, he just bowls flat, and the worst part is he doesn't even have the accuracy bowling that flat trajectory.

 

[aussie1st]

What? MacGill used to spin the ball big, and not only that but he had other variations in his armory. Smith doesn't have anything, he just bowls flat, and the worst part is he doesn't even have the accuracy bowling that flat trajectory.

Smith has the flipper and the wrongun aka the same as what MacGill had. Yes he doesn't spin it as much but like MacGill he bowls that bad ball each over.

 

[War]

Would have to agree with Tummy here.

 

[MUFC1987]

It's seem so weird to me, seeing a guy like Cameron, who has obvious quality, yet he's only played a dozen or so first class games, at his age. Just seems like he should have a lot more games under his belt.