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2nd Ashes Test Preview – Advantage England?

Charbel Coorey
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Put simply, crazy as it may seem, England have a real shot at winning the second Test.

Why?

England’s bowlers are well equipped to take advantage of the pink ball in terms what it offers in the air and off the pitch, especially under lights. The highest maximum temperature over the five days in Adelaide is expected to be about 23 degrees, with some rain around. Add the easy-paced nature of the Adelaide pitch and England would be feeling right at home.

The downfall for England in Brisbane began when the pitch quickened up. Their second innings performance was so poor that it seemed Cameron Bancroft’s press conference about Jonny Bairstow’s headbutt lasted longer. The slower Adelaide pitch will help their cause, but question marks still remain about their top order.

Alastair Cook would love Ashes runs as his Christmas gift!

Australia, despite the big win in Brisbane, didn’t have it all their own way. It seems almost impossible at the moment, but what happens if Steve Smith bags a low score? If it wasn’t for his brilliant 141*, Australia would have faced a huge deficit, and probably defeat in Brisbane. The spotlight will remain on those around Smith, as he can’t go big all the time.

The bowlers went well, as expected. The short ball tactic again caused England to unravel, and with a little more assistance expected in Adelaide, England will have another tough outing. It would have been awesome to see Chadd Sayers included in the XI for this Test as he can exploit these conditions perfectly, but where do you fit him in?

There is no way Australia can leave out a batsman to cater for him, considering how thin the line up is looking. England’s batting also has its issues so the question is – will the team that bats the most under lights go on to lose the Test? Most probably.


Key to an Australia win



You just know the bowlers will step up, but what about the batsmen? That’s the biggest issue for Australia at the moment.

Despite nailing the 170 chase in Brisbane, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will continue to be examined – David Warner’s little “pull flick” needs to go, and Bancroft needs to avoid squaring up. Usman Khawaja has nightmares about spinners – he’d probably have nightmares about my 7 year old cousin who bowls a bit of spin. Peter Handscomb’s unorthodox technique is being put to the test. Shaun Marsh did well in the first Test, but still has plenty to prove. Tim Paine hasn’t scored a first class century since 2006.

There is plenty for England to target in Australia’s top seven, so support for Steve Smith will go a long way to a 2-0 series lead.

In my opinion, Smith’s hundred in Brisbane was his best yet.

Key to an England win



Reducing Steve Smith’s impact…. twice.

This seems much easier said than done at the moment, with Steve Smith practically unstoppable. However, Stuart Broad and James Anderson have 899 Test wickets between them, so they have the experience and ability to unlock the prized wicket of the Australian captain.

In 2012, when Michael Clarke was scoring double hundreds for fun, Dale Steyn bowled one of the most memorable balls in Perth causing Clarke to edge behind. Anderson is best placed to produce something like this. Can he?

A low score for Steve Smith means serious pressure on a bit of a fragile batting line up, and England surely have to believe this is their best chance at a win.

Predicted line-ups:



Australia are expected to go with the same line up that won in Brisbane. What was pleasing was the high energy levels of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood even after bowling plenty of tough overs in the England first innings.

Australia XI: 1 Cameron Bancroft, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steve Smith (c), 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Shaun Marsh, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Patrick Cummins, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood

England would be desperate for Alastair Cook to find some form. His record in Ashes series since 2010/11 is worrying to say the least. Also, Joe Root has a problem of falling over and getting caught LBW, in addition to a 50/100 conversion rate that should be better for a player of his class. Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan all hit half-centuries in Brisbane, but England need more from Cook and Root, who are key to their chances in Adelaide. Also, expect Jonny Bairstow to headbutt move his way up the order, and for Craig Overton to make his Test debut, replacing Jake Ball.

England XI: 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 James Vince, 4 Joe Root (c), 5 Dawid Malan, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Craig Overton, 11 James Anderson

Stats and Facts:

  • In his last 34 Test innings, Steve Smith has scored 2824 runs at an average of 100.85. To put this amazing record into further perspective, Don Bradman averaged 87.81 in his last 34 Test innings.
  • Alastair Cook scored more runs in the 2010/11 series alone than all of his next 22 Ashes innings combined. In the 2010/11 series, Cook scored 766 runs at 127.66. Since then, he has scored 532 runs at 24.18
  • Stuart Broad is nine wickets away from becoming the second England bowler to take 400 Test wickets, after his new-ball partner James Anderson.
  • Joe Root’s conversion rate of 28.26% is the worst among the top ten batsmen in the world.
  • Mitchell Starc’s last game Adelaide Oval? 8-wicket haul for New South Wales in a day-night Sheffield Shield match.

Prediction:

The first three days in Brisbane were incredible. The momentum swung both ways, and it was anyone’s game. England then faltered, but I give them a great chance of winning in Adelaide.
Australia played well, but are without their issues too. England’s best chance of winning a Test in this series is in Adelaide where conditions are going to be similar to home conditions. 
England to win in a close Test.
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Preview: 1st Test – New Zealand v West Indies

Charbel Coorey
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When you consider how much cricket is packed into the calendar, the fact that New Zealand have not played a Test since the end of March is an eternity.

Out of all the Test playing nations (Ireland and Afghanistan excluded), New Zealand have gone the longest without playing a Test, so they would be pretty happy to step out onto the field in whites in Wellington against an improved West Indies.

There will be no BJ Watling or Tim Southee, who have been mainstays in the New Zealand team. Tom Blundell will make his debut in the wicketkeeper role, and Matt Henry, who averages 48.50 in 8 Tests, will replace Tim Southee. Can Blundell provide the solidity Watling gives? Can Henry extract the movement Southee can? Plenty will be expected from the likes of skipper Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner to lessen the blows of Watling and Southee missing out.

For West Indies, their recent performances in Test cricket is evidence of improvement in their game. Since pushing England all the way in England, West Indies faced a tricky assignment in Zimbabwe which they passed, and now face another challenge. Do well here and more people will start to take notice of their improvement.

Shai Hope has been absolutely superb in recent times, and is evidence of the hard working nature of this West Indies team. After all, they have a hard working captain in Jason Holder, whose hard work rubs onto his team mates. A big opportunity awaits the West Indies.

The pitch in Wellington is expected to be a traditional New Zealand pitch – movement early in the Test and then flattening out on days two and three. The toss may be crucial – whoever bowls first must take advantage.

Key to a New Zealand win

Bat West Indies out of the Test.
Big runs from the New Zealand top order will set things up for their bowlers. With the improvement in the West Indies batting in recent times, New Zealand can’t expect to blow them away with the ball, which means they’ll need runs on the board.
Trio Tom Latham, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor have big roles to play. Failure from these three will put lots of pressure on Jeet Raval and Henry Nicholls, who are still finding their way in Test cricket, and Tom Blundell who will be on debut.
 
Key to a West Indies win


Don’t get blown away early.West Indies will start outsiders in this Test, and to have a chance, they need to compete early. If by day three the game is still in the balance, the West Indies can push for an upset against a New Zealand side without two big players. West Indies won’t win a Test in a day, but can certainly lose it in that time.

Also, West Indies have showed that their lower order can perform well with the bat which can potentially put New Zealand under pressure later in the game. Can their bowlers step up too?

Who to watch out for 

 
Kane Williamson is always mentioned in the discussion about who the best batsman in the world is. However, thanks to such limited Test cricket in 2017, it is hard for him to prove that as constantly is Joe Root, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli get the opportunity to. He will be looking forward to a big series.How good has Shai Hope been recently? He backed up a great series in England with another great effort in Zimbabwe and will be looking to continue in the same vein. He holds so importance with the bat for the West Indies.

 
 
Stats and facts:

  • New Zealand since 2012/13 have won two of five Test series against top four ranked opposition. Against opposition ranked lower than fourth, their record is 100% (West Indies, Sri Lanka twice and Bangladesh).
  • Shai Hope in West Indies’ last two tours (England and Zimbabwe): 549 runs at average of 78.43
  • Since New Zealand last played a Test, West Indies have played eight.
  • West Indies have not won a Test in New Zealand for 22 years.
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Prediction:
 
 
This should be an interesting Test as New Zealand look a little unsettled, while West Indies will be aiming to build on solid recent Test performances.
Will New Zealand be rusty? Perhaps early on, but they still have enough talent to get the job done in Wellington. New Zealand to win, but it won’t be easy.
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Ashwin quickest to 300, India win easily, but will they be under-prepared for South Africa?

Charbel Coorey
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Ravichandran Ashwin took the eight wickets he needed to become the quickest ever to 300 Test wickets. Virat Kohli scored his fifth double century, and in the process became the most prolific Indian captain in terms of Test hundreds, going past Sunil Gavaskar. Cheteshwar Pujara went past 1,000 Test runs for the calendar year, with an average of over 71.

Nice numbers. All seems well and good in India at the moment.

But is it?

India will soon embark on one of the toughest tours in world cricket – South Africa, and I fear that India will be in for a bit of a shock when they line up for the first Test in Cape Town on January 5. Is a Test series at home to Sri Lanka ideal preparation for what will be Virat Kohli’s biggest test so far as India captain? Will anyone care about this series if India lose in South Africa?

Surely not. Most of us just want this series to be over as it almost seems like a waste of time. It is so one-sided, and even more so considering India thrashed Sri Lanka 9-0 just a few months ago. India just keep throwing punches, and unfortunately Sri Lanka are just not good enough to throw them back.

Looking ahead to India’s tour of South Africa, I have a burning question. Is one tour game in Paarl, where conditions are typically slower than the South African usual, enough? Cape Town, Centurion and Johannesburg, the venues for the three Tests, promise to be fast and pacy, and the Indians could be in for a bit of a shock because of the amount of cricket they have played at home/Asia in 2017.

South Africa would have seen the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka last week with interest. There will be movement in South Africa, and at an even faster pace than the Kolkata pitch. And with all due respect to Suranga Lakmal, India will be up against a pace attack that, by popular opinion, is either best in the world or second best behind Australia.

Shikhar Dhawan played as if it was a flat pitch and got bowled comprehensively. KL Rahul was out first ball. Virat Kohli, who has scored a hundred and a double hundred since, scored a duck. Ravichandran Ashwin went wicketless for the match, and has struggled outside of Asia with the ball. India were bowled out for just 172 in the first innings.

So how will India go about rectifying and improving how they play the moving, swinging ball? They can’t improve by thrashing Sri Lanka at home. Tour matches on quick South African pitches would have been much better served.

What might help India is that Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel are all just coming back from injury lay-offs, so they might be a tad rusty. However, South Africa have a chance to get rid of the rust against Zimbabwe on Boxing Day, and pick up form ahead of the big series v India.

It’s all well and good for India to smash records and Sri Lanka, but is it the right preparation for such a massive tour?

I think India could be for a bit of a shock in South Africa, not because of a lack of talent, but due to lack of quality opposition and preparation in the build up.

Agree or disagree? Do leave a comment!

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Will this Ashes be the best since 2005?

Charbel Coorey
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Three days of old-school Test cricket in the age of T20. Three days of hard fought Test cricket, with either side not willing to give in. Three days of Test cricket that has kept us wanting more.

The third day of the first Test in Brisbane ended with Australia on top slightly, but we are set up for not only a great Test match, but a great Ashes series. Perhaps the best since 2005?

England and Australia have question marks about their batting in this series, but both teams have dug in and refused to let their opposition blow them away. This is coupled with both teams’ bowlers executing good plans set up by their captains, and keeping the scoring in check for the entire Test. It has made for a great battle, and is already doing wonders for Test cricket. Even in the T20 age, a great T20 game is nowhere near as exciting and riveting as a good Test match, and this series could be the best Ashes series in a while.

The last four Ashes series (2010/11, 2013, 2013/14 and 2015) have underwhelmed significantly, with plenty of one-sided results. In these four series, the closest series result was England’s 3-2 win in 2015, but not a single Test was close in the series, and England wrapped the series with a match to spare after rolling Australia for 60.

This series has all the makings of a great Ashes series. Why? Because despite how far from perfect the two teams are, they are really evenly matched and both want it really badly. With the potential to be even better than 2009, and close to 2005, this series has already displayed the drama, and ebbs-and-flows that keep everyone on the edge of their seats, which is the making of a great Test series. I have been glued to the TV screen, as many around the world have been, too.

We expected the series to be good, but maybe not this good already.

Thought England would roll over on the first morning after Cook was dismissed early? England fought back. Thought Australia would concede a big lead when they were 4 or 7 down? Steve Smith’s hundred and celebration is now etched in Ashes memory. Think Australia will roll England over on Day four? Think again. Australia look on top, but Joe Root is one of the world’s best batsmen and whether he can repeat Smith’s amazing innings will be interesting to see. Anything over 200 on a pitch displaying a little bit of variable bounce, and quite a bit of turn, you just can’t predict which way this match will go – and this has been painfully rare in Ashes series since 2005.

Who said Test cricket needs high-scoring rates to be exciting? The fourth day promises to be amazing.

I can’t wait.

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Preview: 2nd Test – India v Sri Lanka

Charbel Coorey
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Preview – 1st Ashes Test: Australia v England

Charbel Coorey
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The talk between the teams is over. It’s time for action.

Australia and England will lock horns once again, fighting it out for that coveted little urn. Steven Smith and Joe Root are two of the world’s best batsmen, and face arguably the biggest tests of their respective careers so far – leading out their teams in their first Ashes series as captains.

The build up to the Ashes has seemed like an eternity, with both teams having an eye towards this series for quite a while now. However, Australia and England enter the series still unsure of their best combinations, especially with the bat, and have made interesting selections. It all adds to the drama.

For Australia, there is uncertainty in their quest to protect their 29-year unbeaten run in Brisbane. The selections of Shaun Marsh and (especially) Tim Paine were big shocks. Since the announcement, there has been greater noise around England’s chances in the series. What ever happened to Australia’s youth policy? And to think that Ed Cowan, leading run scorer last season in Australian First-Class cricket, was left out for the younger Daniel Hughes for NSW. Yet, 34 year old Shaun Marsh, if passed fit, will return for the eighth time. Are Australia a little confused?

Australia face a few more issues with David Warner and Shaun Marsh facing injury concerns. Warner should play, and if Marsh doesn’t, the man who should have been playing – Glenn Maxwell, will slot back in.

Despite these issues, Australia start favourites with their strong home record, and the fact that England are also certainly without their own issues. Like a man who claims that he’s “found the one” every time he meets a woman, England have believed to have found the “one” who will partner Alastair Cook at the top of the order every time someone new has come onto the Test scene. Since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook has had 12 opening partners. Mark Stoneman was in good form in the tour matches, can he transfer it to the Tests? This question is in addition to another concern England face, which is the number three position, occupied by James Vince, who is yet to register a fifty in seven Tests.

Then you have Ben Stokes, who so well punched above his weight when England got smashed 5-0 last time in Australia. This time, he couldn’t wait till the Ashes to throw punches, and England will be desperately hoping he’ll be back this series. Plenty of pressure on the middle order and bowlers to perform.

Key to an Australia win

Will the four-bowler strategy work?
The key to an Australia win will be the performance of their three fast bowlers. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Patrick Cummins are all in solid form, and will sure be ready to go on a bouncy Brisbane pitch against an unsure England top order. 
Hazlewood is consistent as ever, Starc is coming off two hat-tricks in the same game, and Pat Cummins looked very sharp in slow subcontinent conditions earlier in 2017. Can they repeat what Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle did in the last Ashes on Australian soil?
Slicing through England’s top order will not only help set them up for victory in the first Test, but also get in the minds of England’s key players ahead of a long series and make the life of debutant Cameron Bancroft a little easier.

Key to an England win

Strong performance from the top four.

Alastair Cook must step up this time. He’s only had the one huge Ashes series for England – his famous 766 runs in 2010/11. Incidentally, that’s the only series England has won in Australia since 1986-87, so Cook clearly has a big role to play.

A lot of uncertainty lies in the fact that the remaining two players in the top three, Stoneman and Vince, have played just 10 Tests between them, and have less-than-impressive Test records to date. If these two get off to a poor start, the pressure will mount even more on captain Joe Root.

The likes of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali have been excellent performers in Test cricket recently, can help take advantage of any good platform left by the top order.


Predicted teams:


Australia have a few injury concerns, but they should be 1-11 as planned. Cameron Bancroft deservedly makes his debut, after really strong performances in domestic cricket recently.

Australia: 1 Cameron Bancroft, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (c), 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Shaun Marsh, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Patrick Cummins, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Jake Ball has got the nod for England’s final pace bowling spot, and it will be fascinating to see what England’s bowlers can do with the Kookaburra. Could the extra seamer in England’s line up be an advantage?

England: 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Mark Stoneman, 3 James Vince, 4 Joe Root (c), 5 Dawid Malan, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Jake Ball, 11 James Anderson

Stats & facts:

  • Australia haven’t lost a Test at the ‘Gabba’ in Brisbane for 29 years, and England haven’t won there since 1986.
  • England have won four of the last five Ashes series.
  • Australia and England have both won the Ashes 32 times. There have been 5 drawn series.
  • Alastair Cook scored 766 runs at 127.66 in the 2010/11 series. Outside of that series, he has scored 1,351 runs vs Australia at an average of just 27.57.
  • Steven Smith averages 68.65 in home Tests for Australia. As captain, he averages 69.02 in all Test matches.
  • James Anderson averages 38.44 in Australia, compared to his home average of 24.29.
Prediction:


It’s all set up for a very interesting Test match. Plenty has been said, and plenty has also been speculated about.

A 1-0 series lead for either team heading into the Adelaide Test will be very important. I predict Australia will maintain their Gabba record, and win the first Test off the back of a strong performance from their fast bowlers.

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5 big predictions for Ashes 2017/18

Charbel Coorey
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We are less than two days away from the biggest Test series on the calendar! Which way will it go?

Things are really heating up in the lead up to the Ashes opener in Brisbane, with Nathan Lyon leading the chorus of how England still have scars from 2013/14 in Australia, and are ready to “end careers”. It may have been a little over the top, but what it has done is added more spice to what could be a very interesting and passionate series.

Both England and Australia have had some batting concerns in recent times, so which batting line up will crack first?

Here are my 5 big predictions for the Ashes:

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will take 50+ wickets between them

It’s a big call, especially considering Hazlewood and Starc will be two of a four-man attack, and are both injury prone.
However, both are incredible bowlers, and are in good form. They are arguably the most dangerous opening pair in the world, as they have the ability to take wickets anywhere. Josh Hazlewood maintains a consistent line and length, and extracts excellent bounce. Mitchell Starc will be sure to complement him well with searing swing and pace, and has the ability to replicate what Mitchell Johnson did in the last Ashes in Australia.
In Mitchell Starc’s last First-Class match, he took two hat-tricks in the same game. I see England having to work really hard to deal with Starc and Hazlewood, even on the flat Australian tracks, as they have the skill to take wickets on these pitches.
What might fire Hazlewood up in particular is former England batsman Rob Key labelling him as a “poor man’s Anderson”. I can’t wait to see how he reacts.
Josh Hazlewood & Mitchell Starc will be a handful for England

James Anderson and Stuart Broad will both average 30+ for the series with the ball

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are England’s biggest weapons with the ball, and need them both to have a big impact if they are to retain the Ashes.
What’s worrying though is their inability to move the Kookaburra ball in Australian conditions. Their respective records reflect this, and with pitches in Australia getting flatter over the last few years, Broad and Anderson might not be as effective as the England media suggests.
James Anderson will go down as one of England’s finest ever bowlers, but his record in Australia leaves plenty to be desired. In 13 Tests down-under, Anderson has taken 43 wickets at 38.44, which is 14 runs more than his home average. He is now 35 years of age, and with Australian pitches flatter than ever before in the last few years, it might be a challenging series for Jimmy.
Stuart Broad fares a little better in Australia, with 23 wickets in 7 Tests at 32.13. He has been a fine bowler for England, and is just 12 wickets away from the magical mark of 400 Test wickets. But, the question is, what is different about Broad and Anderson this time around that will see them improve on their Australian records?
James Anderson hasn’t had it easy in Australia

Steven Smith will be the Ashes’ series leading run-scorer, outplaying his counterpart Joe Root

Steve Smith boasts a ridiculous record at home. In 24 Tests in Australia, Smith has scored 2,403 runs at an average of 68.65, and averages 69.02 as captain.
England will have plans to try and unsettle him, but Smith will want to hold that Ashes urn so badly. His unorthodox techniques opens up plenty of run scoring opportunities, and with the ball coming on to the bat nicely in Australia, it will play right into his hands.
With England’s inability to move the Kookaburra ball as much as the Duke ball, I expect to see Smith play a massive role in the series. He will top the run scoring charts (500+ runs).
In regards to Joe Root, he is a fine player but unproven in Australian conditions, averaging 27.42 in 4 Tests. He was very young back in 2013/14, and has grown into a fine player since. However, a big question is how his technique (preferring to play back) will work in Australian conditions this time around. 
Steve Smith has an incredible record at home

Jonny Bairstow will be England’s leading run scorer

Another big call, with the likes of Alastair Cook and Joe Root in the England line up.
I believe Cook and particularly Root will have decent series, but the rise of Jonny Bairstow has been something to behold.
Averaging just 24 in his nine Ashes Tests, Jonny Bairstow has since taken off in his Test career, scoring 2,113 runs at 47.00. He has become a very crucial part of this England team, and I believe he’ll have a big series.
Jonny Bairstow has been great since the last Ashes

Australia will win the Ashes series 3-1

The Australians have been on fire in home series over the last 5 years, only struggling against South Africa during this period. England, on the other hand, have a host of players who haven’t had it easy in Australia and could be without Ben Stokes for the entire series.
Australia know these conditions, and their team is full of players who have excelled at home. Despite questionable selections such as Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine, I expect Australia to win the Ashes 3-1. England’s win will be under lights in Adelaide in the 2nd Test.
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Agree or disagree with my predictions? Leave a comment!
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Stats highlights – 1st India v Sri Lanka Test ends in draw

Charbel Coorey
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What a shame the first India v Sri Lanka Test was ruined by rain.

With any result possible mid-way through the fifth day, it was almost a disappointment to see that it was only a day 3 pitch, rather than a proper day 5 pitch. Still, it was such a thrilling finish; the kind of excitement that only Test cricket can provide. India came so close, with the light ultimately winning.

India would rue their middle-order mini-collapse, which held them back and didn’t allow Kohli to score as quickly as he would have liked in the earlier part of his innings. India then threw absolutely everything at Sri Lanka – Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were especially impressive with conventional and reverse swing ripping through the Lions’ top and middle order, but it wasn’t quite enough in the end.

There were some special individual performances in this Test, which help make up the stats highlights:

3rd best conversion rate in Test history (min. 2,000 runs)

Virat Kohli has crossed fifty 32 times in Test cricket. Amazingly, 18 of those have been hundreds.
This puts him third on the list of best 50/100 conversion rates in Test history, among players with at least 2,000 Test runs. He sits behind Don Bradman of Australia and George Headley of West Indies. What a great player Virat Kohli is – he gave India a chance of winning when they had a chance of losing the Test.

Equal most hundreds by an India captain

Virat Kohli’s brilliant second innings hundred also saw him equal the record for most hundreds by an India captain (11). He sits level with the great Sunil Gavaskar.At the same time, Kohli reached 50 international hundreds, and is the joint fastest to the mark, alongside Hashim Amla (348 inns). An absolute star.

Batting each day of a Test match

Cheteshwar Pujara achieved a rare feat.
During this Test, he became the ninth player ever to bat at least one ball on each of the five days of a Test. His total of 74 (52 and 22) is the lowest for any player who batted each day of a Test.

1500+ runs and 400+ wickets double

Rangana Herath became the eighth player in Test history to achieve the double of 1500 runs and 400 wickets in Test cricket.
His 67 in the first innings helped give Sri Lanka a handy first innings lead, which in the end was vital in helping them save the Test.  He is sure to play more of a role with the ball in the remaining two Tests.

Most wickets by seamers by India in a Test match at home

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami took 17 wickets between them in this Test. This is the most ever Indian seamers have taken in a Test in India.
Good form ahead of the South Africa tour.

Wicketless game for spinners

This is the first time in 262 home Tests that the Indian spinners went wicketless. All wickets were taken by the seamers, and were very close in delivering India an amazing victory. This means Ravi Ashwin stays on 292 Test wickets.
Ahead of the South Africa tour, India would be happy to see they aren’t relying on their spinners to help them win Test matches. Their seamers are bowling very well at the moment.

Best Match figures ever for Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to impress, taking his best ever match figures of 8/96. This included 4/8 in the second innings. I can have no complaints that he won Man of the Match.
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All India needed was 10 more minutes. It is amazing how close Test cricket can be, and they proved that they are in a good state to go ahead and take this Test series by the scruff of the neck.

South African batsman hits 490 in a one-day game!

Charbel Coorey
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It might not be long until 490 is scored by a team in ODIs, but this South African batsman hit an extraordinary 490 on his own in a one-day match.

20 year old batsman Shane Dadswell, playing for NWU Pukke, hit a total of 84 boundaries in 151 balls – he smashed 57 sixes and 27 fours.
His team reached a ridiculous 677/3, and the opposition, Potch Dorp, could only manage 290/9 in 50 overs, losing by 387 runs.
Potch Dorp used six bowlers – four went for over a century and the other two went for over 90.
If Dadswell wasn’t awarded man of the match, then the end of the world is surely near.
What an incredible performance!

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What’s happened since Tim Paine last scored a first-class century?

Charbel Coorey
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0

A few days have passed since Australia’s Ashes selections, and I still have to rub my eyes to make sure they are not deceiving me. Australia have literally “trolled” us all, and also went against their own “policy” with their selections, which have actually been good for England. The hallmark of ridiculous selections.

The selection of Tim Paine was certainly the biggest shock. Without playing a Test for seven years, the justification of Tim Paine’s selection by Trevor Hohns (Australia selection chairman) was that he is the “best gloveman in the country.” Just one problem…. Paine isn’t even first choice keeper for Tasmania, so do the selectors think we are fools? This even prompted the legendary Shane Warne to claim that Australia are “confused”.

With the selection of Shaun Marsh, brought in to the side for an eighth time, and Cameron Bancroft, who will make his Test debut, it just does not make sense to throw even more uncertainty with the selection of Paine. This is not a personal attack on Tim Paine, but what happened to having to properly knock the door down to win selection to the Test team?

Tim Paine has barely even been knocking, scoring his last first-class century in 2006. Here are some things that have happened since Paine scored a first-class century:

  • Australian coach Darren Lehmann scored a first-class century more recently than Tim Paine. Darren Lehmann’s last first-class century came in 2007, which makes Tim Paine’s selection even more ridiculous. How confident can the Australian selectors really be about Tim Paine? 
  • Twitter had just been founded when Tim Paine last scored a first-class century. Approximately, 2,200,000,000,000 tweets later, we are still waiting for a century… Doesn’t matter to the Australian selectors, though.
  • Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton were the big things in Hollywood. I don’t have to say much more…
  • Nokia was still the “big thing” when Tim Paine last scored his first-class century. Apple hadn’t even released the iPhone! Ten iPhones later, Apple has significantly changed the world.
  • Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion. YouTube is now worth approximately $40 billion.
  • Instagram wasn’t even launched. In fact, Instagram was launched just a few days before Tim Paine’s last Test in 2010.
In addition to this, Tim Paine has scored 258 runs in his last five first-class matches, at an average of 32.25. Is that all you need to knock the door down to get Australian selection? Peter Nevill’s form hasn’t been brilliant, but surely he is a better option?
What about Shaun Marsh’s selection? While he has been in decent form during the opening rounds of the Shield season, this is Shaun Marsh’s eighth recall, and at 34 years of age, questions have to be asked of Australia’s “youth policy”. Glenn Maxwell, who was thrusted with the no. 6 role in tough conditions in India and Bangladesh, should have been given first opportunity in the Ashes. 
Let’s hope this selection pays off.
One decision I can understand though is the addition of Cameron Bancroft at the expense of Matthew Renshaw. There has been a lot of noise about Matthew Renshaw not being selected, but I think it was the right decision. 
Time is on Renshaw’s side, and he needs to spend time in Shield cricket to rediscover his form. It just wouldn’t be fair to throw him into an Ashes environment when he is struggling for form. The most important thing is to make sure he always has the support of his selectors and coaches, to ensure he is perfectly equipped to perform. He is an amazing prospect and will find his form soon enough.
The main point is – when you have uncertainties such Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, Tim Paine’s selection is even more baffling. It remains to be seen how Tim Paine, as well as Australia’s other selection choices, fare in the first Ashes Test starting on Thursday.
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