***Official*** Tour Games

[Pedro Delgado]

How did Freddie look today?

I'm wondering if he'll be able to hit the heights of last year in his current situation and if he doesn't, I'm not sure I'd back Hoggard to come up with reverse in any situation other than the most conducive ones. The other option was supposed to be Saj but that's looking a bit dicey at the moment.

Oh and what're the other warm-up pitches like? I find the tactics interesting. Why didn't they keep them in the tank for the Tests rather than showing their hand with the short ball? How do the PM XIs work in terms of orders, will they have received tactical advice from Australian coaches and analysts etc?

Hoggy is more your conventional swinger, doesn't reverse it much. He's learnt to be a good bowler in unfriendly conditions I reckon he'll do okay. The PM side were told to get after Fred from what I could see, with mixed results. It could be the undoing of a few if they try it in the Tests, they may decide to see him off if and when they do lose wickets to him, he looked good and will get better and quicker.

FWIW I think they just have to attack him with bat and ball, it's not the Aus way to shirk a challenge and they were right to do it last night; we'll see who wins the contest in time.

[FaaipDeOiad]

How did Freddie look today?

I'm wondering if he'll be able to hit the heights of last year in his current situation and if he doesn't, I'm not sure I'd back Hoggard to come up with reverse in any situation other than the most conducive ones. The other option was supposed to be Saj but that's looking a bit dicey at the moment.

Flintoff was top class today, especially for a guy coming off an injury. It was a pretty flat wicket and he was bowling to some good batsmen, and his opening spell was pretty much flawless. Bowled some beautiful deliveries, and was on target throughout. He got hammered in his later spell, but did enough early on to be convincing I think. He was a little down on pace, around 10-15 kph slower than Tait, but he was still in the low 140s (high 80s) on a few occasions, which isn't bad.

Oh and what're the other warm-up pitches like? I find the tactics interesting. Why didn't they keep them in the tank for the Tests rather than showing their hand with the short ball? How do the PM XIs work in terms of orders, will they have received tactical advice from Australian coaches and analysts etc?

SCG depends on the weather at this time of the season I think, though really I haven't heard much about it this year yet. It should be okay for batting unless it's really overcast, and may take spin on the... err... third day. Adelaide will probably be a road. Needless to say, both games will probably be draws.

I really don't know about the PM's XI tactics, but I doubt they would have been given any instruction from anyone affiliated particularly closely with the Australian test side. The short balls probably came because a) England weren't playing them very well, and b) it was a flat pitch and you had to try variations of some sort. I'd say Australia tried out the short stuff against England in the CT because, well, it was a competitive international match.

[Matt79]

Tait did the short stuff because that's how the guy's wired, from everything I've read. He did a whole interview in Inside Cricket about how he enjoys hitting blokes in the head (but not injuring them, which doesn't make a lot of sense), and otherwise making them hop. He pulled out the Thommo quote about blood on the pitch there as well...

[Pedro Delgado]

But they can also work on it and correct it possibly in the next few weeks? That was my thinking, you've come from a mental disintegration viewpoint which is as equally valid.

I agree, they'll get used to the pace and bounce (hopefully) just as touring teams have to get used to the swinging ball over here.

Not even sure if Tait will play a Test either.

[Matt79]

Hoggy is more your conventional swinger, doesn't reverse it much. He's learnt to be a good bowler in unfriendly conditions I reckon he'll do okay. The PM side were told to get after Fred from what I could see, with mixed results. It could be the undoing of a few if they try it in the Tests, they may decide to see him off if and when they do lose wickets to him, he looked good and will get better and quicker.

FWIW I think they just have to attack him with bat and ball, it's not the Aus way to shirk a challenge and they were right to do it last night; we'll see who wins the contest in time.

It would make a lot more sense to attack Freddie when he's batting rather than bowling. He looks much more vulnerable with the bat than with the ball, and if he's not working at six, it upsets the balance of the whole team, particularly with Geraint or Read at 7. If he's not producing with the bat, and having to captain, and deal with the media if they lose another match (even a warm-up) it would take something special for him to continue to be as effective with the ball.

[Matt79]

I agree, they'll get used to the pace and bounce (hopefully) just as touring teams have to get used to the swinging ball over here.

Not even sure if Tait will play a Test either.

Like the Aussies did last year?

[Pedro Delgado]

Like the Aussies did last year?

Well some played it better than others, the conventional at any rate. I'm not sure it's possible to play reverse at 90 odd MPH successfully, whoever you are there's a bullet with your name on at some stage.

[Nnanden]

^ Could use the above arguement for the Aussies selecting Tait?

[social]

[QUOTE=Pedro Delgado]I agree, they'll get used to the pace and bounce (hopefully) just as touring teams have to get used to the swinging ball over here.

Not even sure if Tait will play a Test either.[/QUOTE

It wasnt a quick or bouncy pitch by any stretch of the imagination and none of the bowlers overdid the short stuff.

The shots of Strauss, Cook and KP were just poor - the first 2 didnt move their feet at all whilst KP lunged onto the front foot and then tried to hook

[social]

Well some played it better than others, the conventional at any rate. I'm not sure it's possible to play reverse at 90 odd MPH successfully, whoever you are there's a bullet with your name on at some stage.

Exactly right

[Pedro Delgado]

[QUOTE=social]

I agree, they'll get used to the pace and bounce (hopefully) just as touring teams have to get used to the swinging ball over here.

Not even sure if Tait will play a Test either.[/QUOTE

It wasnt a quick or bouncy pitch by any stretch of the imagination and none of the bowlers overdid the short stuff.

The shots of Strauss, Cook and KP were just poor - the first 2 didnt move their feet at all whilst KP lunged onto the front foot and then tried to hook

Fair enough, I managed to see the Tres and Cook dismissals but was asleep by the rest tbh. What are you saying, that these English batsmen can't bat? Seems to me that some had an off day/played a daft shot, not to mention some good quick bowling from Tait and others. It's the first match there, we tend to start slowly, these things happen.

Remember Somerset? Supposedly an embarrassing defeat, didn't seem to bother Aus at Lord's. If we lose by an innings at the Gabba, with batters getting out cheaply hooking then I'll worry, but not after a limited-overs warm up game.

[steds]

Welcome Woodster! I'm not from Yorks so don't hate me.

But he is from Essex. Hate him.

[social]

[QUOTE=Pedro Delgado]

Fair enough, I managed to see the Tres and Cook dismissals but was asleep by the rest tbh. What are you saying, that these English batsmen can't bat? Seems to me that some had an off day/played a daft shot, not to mention some good quick bowling from Tait and others. It's the first match there, we tend to start slowly, these things happen.

Remember Somerset? Supposedly an embarrassing defeat, didn't seem to bother Aus at Lord's. If we lose by an innings at the Gabba, with batters getting out cheaply hooking then I'll worry, but not after a limited-overs warm up game.

Obviously they can bat

It was an off day but if they play with the technique showed today, there'll be plenty more

Freddie and KP are a worry - they are flattered by the short boundaries in Eng and had better learn to hit some balls on the ground

BTW, Somerset was an accurate reflection of how the OZ bowlers performed for the whole series

[Gloucefan]

S Tait - a dead set enigma. Mixes a profuson of wides & no balls with jaffas. Seriously rapid though.

Mahmood does the same only he mixes his wides and no balls with utter tripe.

[steds]

Mahmood does the same only he mixes his wides and no balls with utter tripe.

True