Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

It's round.....well....hard to tell of this competition that appears to be being played at random times with different teams featuring some weeks and others hardly at all.

Victoria's massive first innings partnership grabbed the headlines but I have been impressed by Mitchell Swepson who has 4-66 for Queensland against New South Wales - one of which was Warne-esque.

Feels an early start to the season.

About right.....usually starts mid october

The Professor wrote:Victoria's massive first innings partnership grabbed the headlines

486! Harris and Pucovski. Record partnership for any wicket in the SS. Formerly held by the Waughs.

See Nic Maddinson is continuing to suggest he may get a recall for the Test set up.

Last season’s top-scorer with 780 runs at 86.66, while he’s made 165 runs at 55 so far this season.

It was Nathan Lyon who impressed the most overnight though with career best domestic figures of 6-21.

Maddinson scoring runs against a hell of an attack too.... Starc, Hazlewood, Abbott, Lyon and Copeland.

See Joe Burns made a timely score too v Tassie. Not sure if the selectors are done with him, but 170 in a low scoring game cant do anything but help salvage his career in tests.

Safe to say that the WACA is looking fairly friendly to batsmen at the moment. Cameron Green became the fourth centurion on a track where just 4 men have cumulatively scored 626. Thanks to some healthy declarations it looks like there may just be a result. With two days left South Australia have a lead of 243 with 6 wickets remaining. Another declaration could see this enter a rather tasty looking final day.

Matthew Wade is making it hard work for Western Australia and the Aussie selectors at the WACA. He is continuing his fine form and is 82* overnight.

The Professor wrote:Matthew Wade is making it hard work for Western Australia and the Aussie selectors at the WACA

To the casual observer, one would be inclined to think the selectors are going to put the stats from this competition in the bin and set it on fire. Considering the sheer number of runs being scored by batsman who have proven to be well below the standard of test match batting on anything but the flattest of tracks, I would have to conclude the pitches and bowling are of an extremely low standard.

As a sort of benchmark, NSW have two batsman, one who batted at 8 in his short test career, another who batted 9 in his 2 ODIs and with an average until recently below 20 in 60 FC games, who have scored 1200 runs between them at 75. But then a couple of weeks ago they are confronted with a pitch that does a little of something, and a capable FC performer (Jackson Bird) takes 8/15 or some nonsense, and they get bowled out for 30.

Story of Aussie cricket in the last few years. Average bats piling runs up on dead pitches, same bats crumbling to dust when confronted with a ball that does anything against a decent bowler.

I mean, if the Aussie selectors are paying close attention, then the list of reject batsman from the last 5-10 years in Aussie cricket are all in the mix. But are the selectors really going to pick Renshaw, Handscomb, Marsh, Moises, Head or Harris again?

It's back to bowlers being the most impressive today.

Jarrod Freeman helped get WA all out for 219 and allowed Taz to get 184 in 34 overs. WA need 469 runs. It seems that they have lost this must win game. His figures of 4-72 are the best by a Tasmania spinner since Xavier Doherty's 5-96 in November 2013.

Nathan Lyon has done the business for the other team seemingly destined to make the final. He got 6 wickets - however Queensland do have a first innings lead with NSW already 42-2 in reply.

If Queensland draw and WA lose , Queensland will host the final

If Queensland loses, NSW will have the right to host.

Similarly, if NSW loses somehow and WA wins, NSW will not even make the final.

I'll be happy if WA don't make the final. Durham have acquired the services of Bancroft and the quicker he gets over here, the better, with all the quarantine and stuff.