AGB Cricket

LEGS XI

"Ryan Harris was literally on his last legs."

~~ Tom Moody extols Spearmint Ryno's match winning wicket.

ROEBUCK OFF!

TIT FOR TAMPER

Since David Warner has already admitted Australia tamp... works on the ball - "They did it better than what we did, or more obvious than what we did. At the end of the day it comes down to who can do that the best and work on the ball" - does it really matter if Faf du Plessis accuses Australia of... let's leave it at that:

Ball-tampering back in spotlight as Australia's bowlers strike

It lacked the sledgehammer-like style of David Warner but the message from South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis was the same - how did the other team's bowlers get significantly more reverse-swing than his teammates had achieved?

"The first innings I think the pitch didn't rough it up. I must be honest, I was really surprised to see the ball reverse from their side. I think it was 27 overs when the ball started reversing - especially (surprising) after rain and a wet outfield. I was really surprised by that, so ... let's leave it at that."

FIRKIN PRESS!

"Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel."

~~ Mark Twain

Tim Lane's article in today's Age is a straight bat affair - since becoming captain Michael Clarke is making shed loads of runs, etc - until you get to this:

Clarke lectured the experienced commentator, Jim Maxwell, to the effect that "When you've played the game at this level you understand that their reverse swing bowling was outstanding." Not only was this unworthy, it sought to disguise Clarke's own failures. In neither innings was he a victim of reverse swing.

Clarke's you-never-played jibe is low rent and deserved a chip (notwithstanding Tim's "to the effect," which is one of those distillations that ask you to trust the reporter). It's the last part where Tim is wrong. Clarke might not have been dismissed directly by reverse swing, but the simple fact the ball is reversing makes every ball a potential banana; the balls which don't swing are every bit as deadly as the balls which swing late and destroy middle stumps a la the Haddin dismissal.

THIRD TEST: NEWLANDS

Mentioned this yesterday:

Brilliant. Hash Alma is claiming the "momentum". Australia has the 3rd Test in the bag. #Nomentum

— Tony Tea (@AfterGrogBlog) February 25, 2014

And Crooky has done the right thing by us Nomentum fans, putting it on the front page.

What better way to frame the Third Test.

SCUFF HAPPENS

We've been outscuffed:

Umpires must reverse South Africa’s dodgy ball work, says Australian Test opener Dave Warner

OPENING batsman David Warner says Australia will seek clarification from match referees over South Africa - in particular AB de Villiers - pushing the boundaries on scuffing up the ball.

“I think it comes down to the umpires warning both teams not to throw the ball into the wicket which you generally try and do. They did it better than what we did, or more obvious than what we did. At the end of the day it comes down to who can do that the best and work on the ball. We worked on the ball a lot in England and we got the ball to reverse a lot there and we got the ball reversing a little at home and this time it just didn’t work for us because the outfield was probably a little bit moist under the ground and day one it was obviously quite hard to get it to go reverse as well. That’s what happens in the game. You have to try and work out how to do that. Sometimes that happens.”

SECOND TEST: St GEORGE'S PARK

Carrot is right: we keep outbatting teams. Not bad when you consider we slump to 4 for 100-odd in most every first innings. No doubt we will soon start 0 for 200 then, from shock, get bowled out for 250.

Is bowling depth the key? While Australia has Johnson, Harris, Siddle and Lyon (and Watson) all capable of pinching poles, England only had a couple of bowlers who looked like providing the knock-out punch. Keep them out, then rally against the scrubbers. Steyn is a gun, Philander is handy, but Morkel averages 35 against Australia and the rest lack teeth.

As usual, fingers crossed we don't get ahead of ourselves.

NICE ONE, CENTURION

Scape quote:

‘Pitch to blame for Johnson’s 12 wicket haul’

Well, that is not exactly what Graeme Smith said:

“I truly believe that the wicket played a big role in the success that he had. He was able to extract every bit of life and uncertainty out of that wicket which, in turn, put us under an immense amount of pressure.”

It's a bit cheeky the way quotes are distilled. Nevertheless, Smurf is an oaf for complaining about the pitch after winning the toss and inviting Australia to bat; even though Clarke agreed. I wonder if Smurf's decision will haunt him like Ponting's blunder at Edgbaston.

FIRST TEST: CENTURION

Hard to know which way to call this series. South Africa, in South Africa, should win. But cricket is won in the bowling so it's even Stephen. Where cricket is lost for Australia, is in the dismal batting collapses. South Africa is unlikely to let Australia off the hook like England so often let Australia off the hook last Ashes. England were also putrid. Could an absent Shane Watson, and his key wicket taking ability, be the crucial omission?

Been quiet here for two reasons.

Everyone is going on about Kevin Pietersen. I have bugger all to add. People who select teams weigh up two competing characteristics: 1) is a player better than the next player in line; and 2) does the player compromise team performance? Clearly KP can perform and has more talent than the next in line, even if his recent performances, while better than his teammates, have not been special. Does he compromise team performance? Well, if you believe the England Cricket Group Unit: yes. Geelong always had issues with Gary Ablett senior, but they would not leave him out because he was too good to leave out. On recent form and with form as a troublemaker, the ECGU has decided KP is no longer too good to leave out.

The other salient issue has been the ICC, BCCI, CA, ECB brouhaha. I am in no way qualified or well placed to assess cricket's high level management, financial matters and all the other stuff relating to how cricket should be run. I leave that to the likes of Gideon Haigh, Russ, and the assorted cricket boffins. (Who, to be honest, have swamped me with their assiduous analysis.)

SPACE ODDITY

Shaun Marsh was picked for the South African tour because "He's in a good space at the moment Shaun," according to John Inverarity.

Ignoring Inverarity's backward sentencing ("he's ... Shaun"), which much surely appal Invers the Headmaster, and the seemingly extraordinary fact that a player can now be picked for the Test squad because he is "in a good space," there is nothing wrong with the Australian National Selection Panel Group dropping George Bailey. The short form skipper was a noble experiment on the heels of his one day form and reputed leadership qualities, but he needed to take his chances in the Ashes. He did not.

The question is: who's next? Looking at Shield numbers alone, it is almost impossible to justify Marsh's selection.

Name	Team	Runs	HS	Ave
North, MJ	WA	593	145	98.83
White, CL	VIC	556	131	50.55
Hughes, PJ	SA	549	204	61
Cooper, TLW	SA	512	171	51.2
Head, TM	SA	466	98	42.36
Dunk, BR	TAS	445	89	40.45
Quiney, RJ	VIC	436	89	43.6
Voges, AC	WA	433	235	72.17
Carters, RGL	NSW	428	154	61.14
Forrest, PJ	QLD	423	129	52.88
Silk, JC	TAS	421	107	35.08
Whiteman, SM	WA	419	87	52.38
Maddinson, NJ	NSW	418	87	38
Cowan, EJM	TAS	414	123	41.4
Lynn, CA	QLD	405	81	57.86
Handscomb, PSP	VIC	394	94	32.83
Doolan, AJ	TAS	391	132	39.1
Bancroft, CT	WA	386	93	35.09
Henry, SO	NSW	365	76	36.5
Pomersbach, LA	QLD	357	159	89.25
Smith, SPD	NSW	317	107	63.4
Marsh, MR	WA	307	96	38.38
Burns, JA	QLD	305	102	50.83
Wade, MS	VIC	302	119	33.56
Rogers, CJL	VIC	297	117	49.5
Ferguson, CJ	SA	289	110	72.25
Klinger, M	SA	287	125	35.88
Hartley, CD	QLD	285	89	47.5
Hussey, DJ	VIC	274	85	39.14
Paine, TD	TAS	265	78	33.13
Warner, DA	NSW	264	104	52.8
Khawaja, UT	QLD	255	64	31.88
Botha, J	SA	253	65	28.11
Marsh, SE	WA	248	127	31

Read down the list and cross out the obvious: Quiney, Cowan, Doolan, Smith, Wade, Rogers, Hussey, Paine, Warner, Khawaja and Botha. Have I missed anyone? Probably Hughes, since the selectors would be reluctant to give him another shot so soon after dropping him for the third time.

That still leaves a huge number of batsmen ahead of Marsh. A huge number of batsmen ahead of Doolan, for that matter.

Inverarity is well respected in world cricket circles and there are no obvious candidates pummelling the portal with runs, but if the Marsh selection bombs "in a good space" will rival "informed player management" for cricket fans' sledge of choice.

BYE, GEORGE

Bailey axed for South Africa

• Michael Clarke(c)
• Brad Haddin (vc)
• Jackson Bird
• Alex Doolan
• James Faulkner
• Ryan Harris
• Mitchell Johnson
• Shaun Marsh
• Nathan Lyon
• James Pattinson
• Chris Rogers
• Peter Siddle
• Steve Smith
• David Warner
• Shane Watson

At least if Bailey never plays another Test he can forever dine out on a 5-0 Test record.