Trans-Tasman Trophy (NZ in Australia), December 2011/12

[CG123]

So we get wasted and what do NZC do? They bring over a 130km medium pacer who can't bat. Seriously...

 

[angryangy]

can arnel catch though? that'd help

 

[ferg512]

So we get wasted and what do NZC do? They bring over a 130km medium pacer who can't bat. Seriously...

130km is pushing it I reckon, he was struggling for 125km in the tests against Pakistan last year.

 

[War]

I really didn't understand what Howard was talking about: How?? Is my question. How does one look at Harris and say, oh he could only last 2 or 3 days? They must have some mighty precise medical tools these days to know that. I'm with you though mate, if they think he can get through a Test match he needs to play. Talking about being 100% if fair enough for the kids, but for the best bowler, he needs to play whenever he's able to string a few spells together.

Exactly, it seems like Howard is showing the first signs coming from a AFL background that probably he doesn't understand the extent of the cricket injury that Harris is suffering from.

Anyway looking back at the test. Great stuff from Pattinson, it has created an interesting dilemma with the fast-bowlers, looking ahead to the 1st test vs IND.

Hughes certainly regardless if he scored a hundred in the 2nd test has to be dropped to FC cricket for good and be forced to do a Langer/Hayden in the 90s and correct his technique before he can play tests again.

Marsh/Watson should be new opening pair.

WTF is Christian doing in the test squad???. Watson is the only test standard all-rounder in the country, if he injured they either stick with 3 quicks + Lyon or play 4 quicks - simple. Trying to unbalance the squad to accommodate a bits an pieces all-rounder is illogical.

 

[sifter132]

I wonder if including Christian is a round about way of dropping Hughes. Say they play Christian in Hobart citing the need for an all-rounder, Hughes gives way. Then Watson comes back to replace Christian and Hughes is forgotten, and potential media fallout is lessened. Or maybe they realise that against the strong Indian batting and with an inexperienced and potentially dodgy set of specialist bowlers, an all-rounder will definitely be needed. So they are giving Christian a go to see if he's any good. Otherwise if come Boxing Day Watson still can't bowl, then Australia would possibly be seeing a lot of Mike Hussey's bowling...

And Howard's a rugby background, not AFL - to be technical And apparently he's a trained pharmacist so he must know what he's talking about.

 

[aussie1st]

I really don't see Christian's bowling being effective enough although apparently he can reverse swing it. Either way it will be his batting where he needs to contribute.

 

[midgetwars]

I think the selectors are sticking with Hughes incase he comes good, like Hussey did.

 

[aussie1st]

Unchanged side for Hobart however if you believe this article then we are no shot of winning without his bowling...

I suspect Hughes will make runs but like all the players under pressure unless it is done against India it will mean very little.

 

[alexczarn]

Unchanged side for Hobart however if you believe this article then we are no shot of winning without his bowling...

I suspect Hughes will make runs but like all the players under pressure unless it is done against India it will mean very little.

We all know Hussey can fill that 5th bowler role.

 

[mrtwisties]

I suspect Hughes will make runs but like all the players under pressure unless it is done against India it will mean very little.

Agree. I'd like him to make a few runs, but not enough to take the pressure off.

Obvious question with Hughes is whether his eye can make up for his technique either against top shelf bowling or in difficult conditions - it did in SA in '09, it really hasn't since, and we need an extra data point to confirm whether he's been found out or just been out of sorts.

Would like to see him get enough time in the middle against NZ in Hobart so that we can see how an in-form Hughes fares against Khan, Yadav, Ashwin, et al. They're not the world's best bowlers, but if he can thrive against them then perhaps he's worth carting around at least until we're at home against SA next year.

If not, he should be prescribed a strict diet of Shield and D1 county cricket for 3-4 years. Or maybe 2-3 years - but definitely long enough to remodel his action and get comfortable with it.

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Also: does anyone know how the players' assocation calculates its MVP awards? Christian won all three. Is there some sort of advanced "wins produced" stat going on here, or is it just "add up the batting and bowling averages and divide by whatever number makes Sachin look good" like most cricket stats?

 

[aussie1st]

It's voted by the players and umpires from what I gather.

 

[mrtwisties]

Here we go, looks like they've licensed something from the UK's PCA and don't really understand how it works:

How is the MVP calculated?

An overview of the formula is as follows:

Batting + Bowling + Fielding + Captaincy + Winning = Total MVP points

Bonus points are awarded as follows:
? Batting ? scoring a century; achieving a benchmark run rate; scoring over 30% of the team?s runs
? Bowling ? taking five or more wickets in an innings; achieving benchmark economy rates; bowling maidens
? Fielding ? catches; run outs; stumpings; further bonus for five or more dismissals
? Captaincy ? captaining winning teams
? Winning Team ? being a member of a winning team

The MVP records every score of every game. It can therefore be used to identify the Most Valuable Player by:
? Team
? Tournament
? Discipline

The MVP rewards players not only for season-long contribution but also for short periods of success, expertise in certain forms of the game and contribution to his team?s performance.

More here: Australian Cricketers' Association - Commercial - MVP Program

 

[Hybrid]

I would actually like to see either Hughes or Warner struggle and Marsh getting the opening spot.

 

[riz7khan12]

So we get wasted and what do NZC do? They bring over a 130km medium pacer who can't bat. Seriously...

didn't know about what you were talking about until i saw the cricket show last night, i agree with you. I'm guessing Arnel will be playing because otherwise there would be no point. I rather have boult playing instead of bracewell or arnel this test, he's quick and a lefty so the variation in the nz attack is broadened a bit.

 

[CG123]

didn't know about what you were talking about until i saw the cricket show last night, i agree with you. I'm guessing Arnel will be playing because otherwise there would be no point. I rather have boult playing instead of bracewell or arnel this test, he's quick and a lefty so the variation in the nz attack is broadened a bit.

I think we might be going in unchanged. I don't have a problem with Bracewell playing, but he needs to settle into his spells like he did in that spell against Clarke and Ponting (IIRC), and he needs to not bowl any no balls. Boult surely has to be ahead of Arnel if they do drop Bracewell, because he was over there for the first test, although I wouldn't be surprised and they did something stupid and played Arnel.



Completely unrelated to everything in this thread, but Chris Martin should seriously open the batting in his final test as a tribute to him, whenever that happens to be.