*Official* Tour Matches

[Prince EWS]

I never realised Steve O'Keefe was born in Malaysia. He appears to be batting quite well, I always thought his first class record with the bat was more a reflection of his limited number of games played, but he has played really well today.

From what I've seen of him - which admittedly isn't that much, but is probably more than most here bar Nnanden - it's more his bowling average than flatters him than his batting average, unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong and I'd love to see him in the Test squad based on his bowling anyway because he's done more in Shield/A-team cricket than the alternatives despite playing very few games, but he's not great on the eye as a bowler and I don't mean he has a dodgy action.

 

[robelinda]

I think the wicket makes for good and exciting cricket and I'd love to see more of them, but I do think it's disappointing it's popped up in this game of all times, because it's the sort of thing you'll only come across once in every 100 Tests these days. The ability to play good cricket on a wicket like this is almost irrelevant in Tests these days.

Yeah I know, it just doesnt seem right to me to be selecting guys you know will be flat track bullies, even though test pitches have been so flat for so long. But, we've had a few tough matches in the past year, SCG vs Pak, the Headingley test vs Pak for example, and boy how we collapsed big time.

 

[Athlai]

Photo of Nathan Hauritz after he heard that O'Keefe and Smith were playing very well for the Australian A team in difficult conditions.

 

[Sylvester]

O'Keefe smokes that one out of the ground but he might not get another ball now.

 

[Burgey]

Dougeh 6 overs, 2 for 8 vs Tassie.

Dougeh!!!

Dougeh.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Good PG, right in behind that one.

Haha, Ajmal, just put one on the stumps. Congratulations on bouncing a bloke with a FC average of 2.06.

 

[Sylvester]

After what Shahzad has done today that was a poor over, got tailender happy.

 

[Nate]

Lol Shahzad, you're a big man.

Smith and O'Keefe. So much love.

 

[pup11]

Its not surprising that almost every spinner in Australia is a more than a handy batsman lower down the order, as that's one of the ways with which they can nail a spot in their state side.
Anyways, good positive knock this from O'Keffe, but as a spinner I doubt there is much in the pitch for him.

 

[Burgey]

230 al out. Tipping that will be about 170-180 too many tbh

 

[Sylvester]

Good knock O'Keefe now over to our bowling. McKay did very well on a similar wicket against SL and George took his 8 fer on this ground.

 

[GotSpin]

3-4 down by stumps. Would be surprised otherwise

 

[Noble One]

Its not surprising that almost every spinner in Australia is a more than a handy batsman lower down the order, as that's one of the ways with which they can nail a spot in their state side.
Anyways, good positive knock this from O'Keffe, but as a spinner I doubt there is much in the pitch for him.

Holland is a tailender, Boyce is a tailender, McGain is a tailender, Beer is a tailender, Doherty is a tailender. That is nearly half the list of spinners in this country who don't rely on batting to gain a spot.

 

[Howe_zat]

Well so much for the new ball. Awkward time to open up now. 15/0 at the end of the day enough for England.

Stacking the lower order paid off for Oz A, but Smith & O 'Keefe need to perform with the ball now. Once England get past the new-ball barrage it could make the difference to see who has the best backing attack.

Tough day for Monty. Shame.

 

[Jacknife]

Not a bad effort from the England back up bowlers, since they haven't had a game in about 2 month,lost a little line and length in stages, but to be expected.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Holland is a tailender, Boyce is a tailender, McGain is a tailender, Beer is a tailender, Doherty is a tailender. That is nearly half the list of spinners in this country who don't rely on batting to gain a spot.

All true aside from X, who bats pretty well, genuine number 8.

 

[Prince EWS]

Holland is a tailender, Boyce is a tailender, McGain is a tailender, Beer is a tailender, Doherty is a tailender. That is nearly half the list of spinners in this country who don't rely on batting to gain a spot.

Doherty can bat a bit tbh. Hasn't shown it much at state level (mainly because it's more suited to longer cricket unlike his bowling) but he can definitely bat.

 

[Noble One]

Doherty can bat a bit tbh. Hasn't shown it much at state level (mainly because it's more suited to longer cricket unlike his bowling) but he can definitely bat.

Yes he is no bunny with the bat, but you would never bat him higher than 9 in the order though. His Tasmanian spin bowling partner though should have a first class batting average closer to 30, very good batsman.

 

[Howe_zat]

3-4 down by stumps. Would be surprised otherwise

That's be a total disaster for England. Only 7 overs left, I can see them being one or two down but no more.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yes he is no bunny with the bat, but you would never bat him higher than 9 in the order though. His Tasmanian spin bowling partner though should have a first class batting average closer to 30, very good batsman.

I dunno. Like Jack, I think Doherty's good enough to bat eight. Krejza should be good enough to bat seven but he's unfortunately been a massive flop in state cricket with the bat.