**Official** Tour Matches

[pasag]

Two wickets.

The nail in the coffin for Hauritz for the first Test at least.

 

[Prince EWS]

The nail in the coffin for Hauritz for the first Test at least.

Yeah, and thank God for that.

Hopefully he doesn't play against England A and get back into contention somehow.

 

[Noble One]

North seriously outbowling Hauritz; not a shock. North does not have the accuracy of a top-line spinner, but he gives the ball a good rip.

If we are to play without Hauritz come the 1st Test I would prefer to see more overs under the belt of Clarke and Katich.

 

[social]

Australians mst have bowled utter garbage today to allow a guy who is lucky to hold a professional contract to smash them around the park

 

[aussie]

Australians mst have bowled utter garbage today to allow a guy who is lucky to hold a professional contract to smash them around the park

These tour games can be such poor indicator. I remember when AUS tour WI 2003, Cartlon Baugh smashed a big hundred vs them before the 1st test, and well you know his current career route.

Plus recently on ENG tour to WI, Lendl Simmons had big double century before the first test, same thing again...

 

[zaremba]

Is this a first-class match? I see that Cricinfo aren't giving live first-class career stats so I assume it may not be. I assume that if it's not FC, it's because it's 12-a-side.

Seems a bit of a shame really. If a young player like (say) Andy Hodd were to score 150 in the second innings, it's a bit harsh on him to deny him that from his career record on the grounds that it's a 12-a-side game, particularly since the other side will have one more bowler than normal.

Well there we go. Carl Hopkinson is a player who is struggling for a first team place and whose career rests on a knife-edge. He scores 115 against a 5-man Australia attack and it is discounted from the FC records for the very reason that it wasn't a 4-man attack. I have difficulty with this. I hope that when the renewal of his contract is considered, the Sussex committee doesn't just look at his FC record without remembering this particular innings.

 

[JimmyGS]

As you know, I disagree that you get better by gaining experience of playing for a county, playing international cricket etc. The only way you get better is by practising, mostly in the nets.

Sorry Richard, but this is one of the biggest pieces of garbage I've ever read. I'm not weighing in on the argument at all because basically, I don't care. But that is just so far from the truth it's ridiculous.

 

[Uppercut]

Sorry Richard, but this is one of the biggest pieces of garbage I've ever read. I'm not weighing in on the argument at all because basically, I don't care. But that is just so far from the truth it's ridiculous.

Haha, we've all tried to tell him that mate. You'd like to think he might accept it coming from you, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Son Of Coco]

With the way the bowling 'attack' is going at the moment, wouldn't be surprised if Australia fail to win a game all tour.

There's the inbox24 we all know and love

 

[Son Of Coco]

Haha, we've all tried to tell him that mate. You'd like to think he might accept it coming from you, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Yeah, real life's not quite like Battrick. I know of a number of players just at my club alone who looked a million dollars in the nets and yet had trouble producing that form in the middle. You can spend hours and hours 'practicing' with bowling machines and the like but the best way of improving your game is spending time in the middle against quality bowlers or bowling against quality bats in a match situation. The net sessions provide you with time to hone your technique, but it's the application you learn in the game that is vital.

Unfortunately it never really worked for me from a batting point of view as anywhere between 1 and 10 balls in the middle never seemed quite enough for me to improve as much as I would have liked.

 

[pup11]

Poor performance from all the Aussie bowlers yesterday, except Siddle, one would expect the Australian bowling line-up to clean up Sussex 2nd string XI on day 4 of a game with ease, but contrary to that, they conceded a whopping 370 odd runs, and only were able to take 7 wkts, now that's hardly a confidence booster.

North taking two wickets is fine, but the kind of rate he leaked the runs at is a bit of concern, because whether he takes too many wickets during the test matches or not, isn't much of concern, but his main job with the ball would be, to keep a lid on things and give the faster men a breather, so in order to do that he needs to bowl tightly.

Hauritz should be more or less out of the race, for a spot in the XI for the Cardiff test now, unless he does well against the Lions, and the rest of the fast bowlers fail to pick their game up.

Except Siddle all the other fast bowler were not upto the mark in this game, and that's a major cause of concern for a side which is backing its fast-bowlers to take 20 wkts in every test.

 

[NUFAN]

So who to rest for the Lions game?

Pretty sure:
Manou, McDonald, Watson, Johnson should all come in but for who?

Haddin, Clarke, Hughes, Siddle and Hauritz perhaps out?? The first four resting for the First Test.

So
1 Katich - Hughes has had more of a hit in UK.
2 Watson
3 Ponting
4 Hussey
5 North
6 McDonald
7 Manou
8 Johnson
9 Lee
10 Clark
11 Hilfenhaus

Lee, Clark, Hilfenhaus and McDonald battling it out for 2 spots.

If Watson scores big opening he could come in for North if he struggles.

 

[Furball]

Yeah, real life's not quite like Battrick. I know of a number of players just at my club alone who looked a million dollars in the nets and yet had trouble producing that form in the middle. You can spend hours and hours 'practicing' with bowling machines and the like but the best way of improving your game is spending time in the middle against quality bowlers or bowling against quality bats in a match situation. The net sessions provide you with time to hone your technique, but it's the application you learn in the game that is vital.

Unfortunately it never really worked for me from a batting point of view as anywhere between 1 and 10 balls in the middle never seemed quite enough for me to improve as much as I would have liked.

Correct.

I could spend hours practicing in the nets against spinners, practicing shots like the Dilshan scoop over my head etc. so that I'd have all sorts of innovative ways to score off spinners, no matter what they bowl me and what field they set.

All that practice means absolutely **** all if I can't reproduce it in the middle, during a match situation.

 

[Furball]

As for what the Aussies take from this game bowling wise...

Johnson has been the leader of the attack and always had a place assured.
Siddle has more or less guaranteed his place by bowling economically and taking wickets.
Hauritz has done his case no favours - Katich and North have proven themselves to be just as threatening as a wicket taking option.
It's still wide open between Lee, Clark and Hilfenhaus - though Hilfy hasn't exactly done himself any favours by being smashed 2nd innings.

 

[Johnners]

Good to see the top Order spend a bit of time in the middle. Seems like Hughes/Katman/Ponting and Clarke could be in decent touch. Hilfenhaus and Haurtiz must surely out of contention now, leaving it down to Lee/Clark/McDonald (wouldn't be at all surprised if the selectors picked him for some reason) for the last bowling spot. When's the next tour game?

 

[pup11]

So who to rest for the Lions game?

Pretty sure:
Manou, McDonald, Watson, Johnson should all come in but for who?

Haddin, Clarke, Hughes, Siddle and Hauritz perhaps out?? The first four resting for the First Test.

So
1 Katich - Hughes has had more of a hit in UK.
2 Watson
3 Ponting
4 Hussey
5 North
6 McDonald
7 Manou
8 Johnson
9 Lee
10 Clark
11 Hilfenhaus

Lee, Clark, Hilfenhaus and McDonald battling it out for 2 spots.

If Watson scores big opening he could come in for North if he struggles.

I think this is going to be the XI for the game against the Lions:
1.Katich
2.Hughes
3.Ponting
4.Hussey
5.Watson
6.North
7.Manou
8.Johnson
9.Lee
10.Hauritz
11.Clark

I think Clarke might be the only main bastman who might sit out the next game, and Haddin might also be rested, but I think the Australian side still isn't sure about who their bowlers for the Cardiff test should be.

So might see all the probable candidates like Hauritz, Clark and Lee playing, anyways, does anyone know whether the game against Lions would be a proper XI vs XI game..?

 

[jondavluc]

So might see all the probable candidates like Hauritz, Clark and Lee playing, anyways, does anyone know whether the game against Lions would be a proper XI vs XI game..?

It will be a proper XI game.

 

[Noble One]

Don't agree on Manou playing the next warm up game. Would prefer Haddin to have another game behind the stumps and more chance to have some time in the middle with the bat.

Haddin was in good touch with the bat against Sussex, but his keeping wasn't quite up to scratch. Missed a stumping, 15 byes against his name too.

I agree it is important to get game time into Manou for the off-chance Haddin may go down injured, but the chance of a Haddin injury over the 1st and 2nd Test is small. Play Manou against Northamptonshire after the 2nd Test.

 

[social]

You'd have to think McDonald will play, Watson is only 50/50 to be fit, and Manou is only there in case Haddin breaks down on the morning of a test

 

[nightprowler10]

Nice to see Sussex hold their own. Hopkinson was my go to guy in Cricket Coach