The Ashes 2010-2011

[Browny]

Openers: Have to have excellent defence, ability to handle the ball moving around a lot, and to score runs whenever a loose ball is given. Once they see through the opening bowling barrage, they need to be able to go on with it and put on a big partnership. As Browny said, Hayden and Langer were consummate professionals in this area.

No 3: Effectively the same skillset as an opener. Need to be able to cope with the moving ball and defend and see it through, as well as putting the loose balls away and then going on with it.

No 4: Similar to No 3, but probably needs to be able to score more freely. Generally you'd hope to come in at around 2/100 in Test cricket, and you want to continue and lift momentum. But if you do come in at 2/10, you need the ability to put your head down, hang around, and see your team through. Clarke is one of the worst number 4s I've ever seen.

No 5: typically a real strokemaker IMO. Someone who can come in and keep the scoreboard ticking over.

No 6: Even more of a strokemaker, but also capable of playing a support role if a 1-4 batsman is on a roll, as well as being prepared to work with the tail if wickets fall.

No 7: traditionally the keeper, who could bat a little bit, but since Gilchrist people seem to think your wicketkeeper needs to be able to score 100 every innings. Defence isn't usually a big deal for them, they're all about scoring runs.

No 8-11....well, you just hope you have some bowlers that have some ability to bat! [icon_lol1.

and take 20 wickets lolz

 

[Coxy]

Hahaha, yes, that's certainly been a struggle for the Aussies the last 6 months especially!

 

[Coxy]

Big shock. Paul Collingwood has announced this is his last test. Case of retire before sacked I reckon.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Never really rated him all that much, and really he is a relic from the highly mediocre English teams of the last couple of decades - but in those teams he was still a bit of a rock in the middle order. Congrats to him on a respectable career, with the odd moment of top batting (his double in Adelaide still sticks in my mind). Probably no better time to go either whilst still being out of form.

 

[Ghibli]

Openers: Have to have excellent defence, ability to handle the ball moving around a lot, and to score runs whenever a loose ball is given. Once they see through the opening bowling barrage, they need to be able to go on with it and put on a big partnership. As Browny said, Hayden and Langer were consummate professionals in this area.

No 3: Effectively the same skillset as an opener. Need to be able to cope with the moving ball and defend and see it through, as well as putting the loose balls away and then going on with it.

No 4: Similar to No 3, but probably needs to be able to score more freely. Generally you'd hope to come in at around 2/100 in Test cricket, and you want to continue and lift momentum. But if you do come in at 2/10, you need the ability to put your head down, hang around, and see your team through. Clarke is one of the worst number 4s I've ever seen.

No 5: typically a real strokemaker IMO. Someone who can come in and keep the scoreboard ticking over.

No 6: Even more of a strokemaker, but also capable of playing a support role if a 1-4 batsman is on a roll, as well as being prepared to work with the tail if wickets fall.

No 7: traditionally the keeper, who could bat a little bit, but since Gilchrist people seem to think your wicketkeeper needs to be able to score 100 every innings. Defence isn't usually a big deal for them, they're all about scoring runs.

No 8-11....well, you just hope you have some bowlers that have some ability to bat! [icon_lol1.

Thanks Coxy, this is exactly what I was wanting to know, one question: what is a strokemaker?

 

[Coxy]

Basically a batsman who can play attacking shots to all parts of the ground. So cuts, glances, pulls, drives etc, and who aggressively looks for opportunities to do so and score runs.

Then there's your more subdued, defensive type batsmen who will simply push for singles and twos and rely on a couple of shots for their boundaries. They tend to score slower but last longer.

Both types of batsmen are important in a team, and ideally every batsman should be capable of both forms of play depending on the situation.

 

[Major JW Hochstetter]

Amusing to hear that the Pommy commentary team, led by Ian Botham, are flat out classing Hughes as a cheat.

Apart from being absurd and over the top in its own right, I'm not sure that the irony could be any more delicious - and I'm particularly thinking of a recent incident involving the the Pommy captain.

 

[Browny]

You could tell by Hughes immediate reaction that he wasnt sure and he said so.

Botham can go eat a dick

 

[Coxy]

You could tell by Hughes immediate reaction that he wasnt sure and he said so.

Botham can go eat a dick

He'd enjoy that.

 

[Browny]

Gotta love smith's control [icon_shady

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'd love to just see the Aussies fight for a draw in this test. They need a draw for themselves and for the country IMO.

 

[Browny]

Doesnt look like the pitch is doing much tho.

Just need to put the head down and bat

 

[Coxy]

Doesnt look like the pitch is doing much tho.

Just need to put the head down and bat

That's because it's Australia's pop gun pace attack.

England seem to get way more out of the pitch and the air than Australia have this series.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Doesnt look like the pitch is doing much tho.

Just need to put the head down and bat

That's because it's Australia's pop gun pace attack.

England seem to get way more out of the pitch and the air than Australia have this series.

Still there will be no excuses if we can't bat the test match out.... The pitch is good for batting and it won't turn like Adelaide did on the 5th day

 

[Coxy]

I'm not convinced. So much depends on Hughes and clarke finding form.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'm not convinced. So much depends on Hughes and clarke finding form.

well they botch can't play so no chance of us batting out the remainder of the match then...

 

[Coxy]

Did I say that? :roll: I said they needed to SHOW now that they CAN play.

If they fail, Australia loses, probably by an innings.
If they can both put on good scores, then Australia is a chance of salvaging a draw.

 

[Bucking Beads]

They both better make runs.. Show something to this country because there is no faith in them or the team at the moment.