The Ashes Cometh.

[Durhamfootman]

Interesting to note about the pink ball when light begins to fade. Based on the Headingley Day/Night CC game this year, even on a dead pitch the pink ball moved about more in the air and provided a fairer contest between bat and ball. This was during the last hour under cloudy skies where natural light and artificial light transitioned. Who knows, England bowlers may well cash in on a humid or cloudy final session of play in Adelaide.

Shame Adelaide is the driest and least humid city in Australia, especially in summer...

also the women's warm up with pink ball under lights featured collapses late on (when I assume the lights came on) followed by recoveries in each innings the following morning when only the biggest light was on. That also seemed to be a feature over here when they tried it in the CC. Seems to be a feature pretty much everywhere, really.

Lottery test matches.... exactly what we need..... still if it makes more money then the quality don't matter

besides... the quality really doesn't matter, if the aim is just to get all the punters as drunk as possible on over-priced alcohol

it's the way forward

[Arthur Crabtree]

The next warm up is a day nighter, so we should find out more.

Don't suppose we read too much into this game, but the figures for Broad and Woakes are not encouraging.

With no Stokes, the decision is whether to play an extra bat at six and four bowlers. Or move JB to six, Mo to seven, Woakes at eight and then three more specialist bowlers (seamers I presume).

Cook/Stoneman/Vince/Root/Malan/Ballance/Bairstow/Moeen/Woakes/Broad/Anderson

Cook/Stoneman/Vince/Root/Malan/Bairstow/Moeen/Woakes/Ball,etc/Broad/Anderson

Mo feels a long way from the top five spot he occupied last winter, even though doing well. For some reason.

[Durhamfootman]

he's been doing well at 7 though, hasn't he?

[Arthur Crabtree]

He's been at eight. Though he was doing better at five than Ballance/Vince/Malan were managing. Admittedly, he's a more established and experienced player.

[alfie]

Probably shouldn't get carried away with Moeen at five ...he's batted there in four matches altogether for a fifty in Chittagong , a century in Rajkot , and five scores of 0-14. Bit of a small sample. And batting in Australia is a rather different animal.
Plus at six he has a distinctly poor record ; while seven seems his best spot - based on past stats. I wouldn't be opposed to batting him at six despite the aforementioned record , in the presumed absence of Stokes ; but I think he is likely to bat seven after YJB...I do not think they will be looking to play six bats as it might place too much pressure on the two older fast bowlers if backup is limited to Woakes and Moeen plus a few overs from Root and Malan.

As to the first warm up I'd rate it as pretty satisfactory. All the bats except the two certainties got good time at the crease ; and the bowlers all had a decent workout. Not bothered that one or two of them struggled : after a significant lay off it would have been remarkable if they had all hit their lengths and rhythm right from the off. It appears Anderson at least settled quite quickly and Ball probably impressed more than the other seamers ; but it is what happens in the two four day games that will give a more serious idea of where everyone stands. In an ideal world there would be three such warm up games as I'd imagine they'd like to give the competing pace bowlers time for a bit of a "bowl off" for places ; but as it is the choice may have to be made early to get the probable Test side together : so perhaps Cook Stoneman Vince Root Malan. Ballance Bairstow Woakes Broad Anderson Ball this week and Moeen coming in for the next game for whatever batsman is discarded. If Jimmy has another good workout this week there might be an option to rest him and give Overton a shot for that match...I am assuming they aren't going to bother using Crane at this stage of the tour.

Hope the weather allows full time in these matches.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I do not think they will be looking to play six bats as it might place too much pressure on the two older fast bowlers if backup is limited to Woakes and Moeen plus a few overs from Root and Malan.

True. And Mo can't be relied on to bowl a lot of overs.

[Slipstream]

Probably shouldn't get carried away with Moeen at five ...he's batted there in four matches altogether for a fifty in Chittagong , a century in Rajkot , and five scores of 0-14. Bit of a small sample. And batting in Australia is a rather different animal.
Plus at six he has a distinctly poor record ; while seven seems his best spot - based on past stats. I wouldn't be opposed to batting him at six despite the aforementioned record , in the presumed absence of Stokes ; but I think he is likely to bat seven after YJB...I do not think they will be looking to play six bats as it might place too much pressure on the two older fast bowlers if backup is limited to Woakes and Moeen plus a few overs from Root and Malan.

As to the first warm up I'd rate it as pretty satisfactory. All the bats except the two certainties got good time at the crease ; and the bowlers all had a decent workout. Not bothered that one or two of them struggled : after a significant lay off it would have been remarkable if they had all hit their lengths and rhythm right from the off. It appears Anderson at least settled quite quickly and Ball probably impressed more than the other seamers ; but it is what happens in the two four day games that will give a more serious idea of where everyone stands. In an ideal world there would be three such warm up games as I'd imagine they'd like to give the competing pace bowlers time for a bit of a "bowl off" for places ; but as it is the choice may have to be made early to get the probable Test side together : so perhaps Cook Stoneman Vince Root Malan. Ballance Bairstow Woakes Broad Anderson Ball this week and Moeen coming in for the next game for whatever batsman is discarded. If Jimmy has another good workout this week there might be an option to rest him and give Overton a shot for that match...I am assuming they aren't going to bother using Crane at this stage of the tour.

Hope the weather allows full time in these matches.

2nd warm-up - Overton and Crane to miss out?

3rd warm-up - two in will be Ali and Finn, Ali because he will play the 1st Test. Finn needs match practice and may surprise everyone and be the 4 seamer in the Tests.
By now it would have been decided between Ballance and Malan. Malan has the important 3rd slip position in his favour.
It really depends on the 2nd match which seamer they leave out. Doubt it will be Broad or Woakes. I am going for Ball. Anderson will have not bowled enough overs. Will Overton get another match? I don't think no 9,10,11 will get many runs v Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins. It might even be Ball and Anderson left out.

[Durhamfootman]

He's been at eight. Though he was doing better at five than Ballance/Vince/Malan were managing. Admittedly, he's a more established and experienced player.

of course he has.. YJB was at 7. bit dim..... sorry!

[yuppie]

Jake Lehman gets 93 in the second dig for SA againts Victoria. Just under 200 runs for the match.

Knows the national coach pretty well, might he be given a chance at 6 for Australia. No one has made it their own. Sadly not much of a bowler, and with Smith deciding not to bowl Australia might well choose someone who can roll their arm over.

[alfie]

Indeed a good time for Lehmann to get runs...Ferguson also scoring heavily in the same match : has his file been permanently closed after that unfortunate debut in Hobart ?

I still suspect Cartwright is the front runner for his ability to provide some backup bowling but they might decide the NSW attack needs no assistance

Renshaw will presumably keep his opening spot but his poor early season form must be a bit of a concern.

Toss a coin over the keeper...

[yuppie]

There are question marks over Renshaw, but he will get the first 2 tests. And if Australia are winning possibly more time.

Interesting that Cameron Bancroft carried his bat in the first innings, and then added another 80 runs in the second. Against the Aus/NSW attack he has put some pressure on Renshaw to keep his place.

Hazelwood said the other day in the press conferenace that he would prefer 5 bowlers. Now is that Australias plan, or just Hazelwoods wishful thinking?

Im not sure if Callum Ferguson will get another look in for the test team. Perhaps if he could bowl....


Hilton Cartwright has just made back to back 0 against NSW. I think he has blown his chances of staying in the test team. In the second innings S Marsh made some runs which might put him back into contention. But i now think that Maxwell will keep his place due to a lack of runs for other players.

[GGAS]

Found this to be an interesting read on the last tour of Aus.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41859201

[Durhamfootman]

very interesting... well spotted

[Arthur Crabtree]

There's an interesting book to be written on that tour and it's aftermath (apart from KP's).

Some angry individuals below the line! It's unpatriotic to dwell on a defeat apparently.

[GGAS]

There's an interesting book to be written on that tour and it's aftermath (apart from KP's).

Some angry individuals below the line! It's unpatriotic to dwell on a defeat apparently.

Stop talking down the country!