3rd Test: Australia v India at MCG Dec 26-30 2018 - INDIA WON BY 137 RUNS

[Eelectrica]

It would be a shame if it wss rained out and the MCG missed its opportunity to earn its demerit points.

Prefer a good match TBH.

 

[jargan83]

Real shame that the last MCG test pitch finished before the demerit system for grounds came in having just read a report from January about how it works.

Or will the MCG still lose Tests if the pitch is rated poor?

 

[Matt23]

It's gonna be as bad as last year's pitch, it's gonna be a snooze fest, but 1000 runs yay...

 

[TheParraboy]

Still better than this...

also better than having to work, which is what ive done last few boxing day weeks

It's gonna be as bad as last year's pitch, it's gonna be a snooze fest, but 1000 runs yay...

 

[TheParraboy]

Real shame that the last MCG test pitch finished before the demerit system for grounds came in having just read a report from January about how it works.

Or will the MCG still lose Tests if the pitch is rated poor?

Be interesting to see what happens

if they lose test status, they play a t20i instead?
or 3 match t20 series 26/12, 28/12. 3012 ?

 

[jargan83]

Be interesting to see what happens

if they lose test status, they play a t20i instead?
or 3 match t20 series 26/12, 28/12. 3012 ?

That would probably make Cricket Australia happy.

I may be mistaken but I think the venue loses it's ICC rating for 12 months so no Cricket at all?

 

[Matt23]

They'd have to play any test in Melbourne at marvel stadium or no test at all, but as others of said they'd probably just play a T20 on boxing Day.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Did I hear right that Australia have got the same squad from the last test, ie inc Mitch marsh?

If that’s the case keep the same XI for this match for mine. I honestly can’t see how the curators of the MCG would be dumb enough (or more aptly, holier-than-thou ) to reporuduce the dross pitches of seasons past again...

Or would they..

 

[Matt23]

I honestly can’t see how the curators of the MCG would be dumb enough (or more aptly, holier-than-thou ) to reporuduce the dross pitches of seasons past again...

Or would they..

Never underestimate the stupidity or the arrogance of a Victorian.
Maxwell is on record as saying the pitch in the last shield game didn't wear at all.

 

[Bazal]

How on earth are we unchanged. Handscomb has been as effective with the bat as Glenn Trimble.

Listening to the latest TGC podcast at the gym today, although it's from last week, and they had a good chat about the Handscomb issue.

Basically the discussion was exactly what has been mentioned on here previously, in that you cannot play Test match cricket if you refuse to play off the front foot, and that all his issues in the Ashes and this series stem from this strange regression in his approach to batting where he feels he has to play everything off the back foot. Even his two dismissals cutting, they looked like someone desperate to get going and limited by how he could play. When he burst into the team he knew how to drive, now he looks like he thinks the only thing you should drive is a car.

His technique doesn't overly bother me, apart from being weird to watch, but he has to understand that no matter how deep you stand in your crease, you need to be playing off the front foot or you can't score and you can't keep full balls out. You can't stand tall on the back foot and play a ball that keeps low or swings back at you at yorker length. He's a player who is looking like being remembered as a flash in the pan and a waste of plenty of ability.

Which brings us to the biggest question in my mind, which they didn't address. With national head coaches, national batting coaches, state head coaches, state batting coaches, and all the rest of it...how has someone not taken him aside and said something about his refusal to use his front foot? How have all these people watched him play and thought that everything was rosy?

 

[jargan83]

Never underestimate the stupidity or the arrogance of a Victorian.
Maxwell is on record as saying the pitch in the last shield game didn't wear at all.

I think I read something where a player from that Shield game said the pitch was better to bat on during day 4 instead of day 1.

 

[hineyrulz]

Listening to the latest TGC podcast at the gym today, although it's from last week, and they had a good chat about the Handscomb issue.

Basically the discussion was exactly what has been mentioned on here previously, in that you cannot play Test match cricket if you refuse to play off the front foot, and that all his issues in the Ashes and this series stem from this strange regression in his approach to batting where he feels he has to play everything off the back foot. Even his two dismissals cutting, they looked like someone desperate to get going and limited by how he could play. When he burst into the team he knew how to drive, now he looks like he thinks the only thing you should drive is a car.

His technique doesn't overly bother me, apart from being weird to watch, but he has to understand that no matter how deep you stand in your crease, you need to be playing off the front foot or you can't score and you can't keep full balls out. You can't stand tall on the back foot and play a ball that keeps low or swings back at you at yorker length. He's a player who is looking like being remembered as a flash in the pan and a waste of plenty of ability.

Which brings us to the biggest question in my mind, which they didn't address. With national head coaches, national batting coaches, state head coaches, state batting coaches, and all the rest of it...how has someone not taken him aside and said something about his refusal to use his front foot? How have all these people watched him play and thought that everything was rosy?

Because he’s been hitting them well in the nets.

 

[Twizzle]

Which brings us to the biggest question in my mind, which they didn't address. With national head coaches, national batting coaches, state head coaches, state batting coaches, and all the rest of it...how has someone not taken him aside and said something about his refusal to use his front foot? How have all these people watched him play and thought that everything was rosy?

very good point Baz and I probabaly bang on about poor techniques more than anyone but this is a big problem and as I've already mentioned previously, remember who was our batting coach when Phil Hughes had his problems in middling the ball to Guppy at second slip ? our own space cadet, teaching him how to win the small battles within the big battles and all that head space shit, everything other than teaching him how to bat properly, so Hughes had to hire a real batting coach much like Brett Lee had to hire Denis Lillee when he was consistently over stepping

and where were our highly paid specialist coaches ?

they know Handscomb has an issue getting forward, they know Finch has a problem playing back, what are they going to do about it, well they will probabaly drop Handscomb rather than helping him

 

[Bazal]

very good point Baz and I probabaly bang on about poor techniques more than anyone but this is a big problem and as I've already mentioned previously, remember who was our batting coach when Phil Hughes had his problems in middling the ball to Guppy at second slip ? our own space cadet, teaching him how to win the small battles within the big battles and all that head space shit, everything other than teaching him how to bat properly, so Hughes had to hire a real batting coach much like Brett Lee had to hire Denis Lillee when he was consistently over stepping

and where were our highly paid specialist coaches ?

they know Handscomb has an issue getting forward, they know Finch has a problem playing back, what are they going to do about it, well they will probabaly drop Handscomb rather than helping him

To be fair I think Hughes' problems were very much mental, and were a result of the way he was consistently and poorly treated by the selectors...he felt like he was always under pressure and he chased balls that, when he was comfortable, he would have left alone.

But yeah, JL definitely overcomplicated things. Really all Hughes needed was guidance and the confidence to play his own game, not more shit to think about.

Handscomb is probably a clearer case of a guy who needs genuine coaching, yet there is apparently none to be seen. It's not even a difficult fix, especially with throwdown specialists and all that stuff. Get the coach, get a bunch of guys throwing down full balls, and work on his front foot play. So why hasn't it happened?

 

[Twizzle]

Report: Cricket Australia unable to afford best home grown coaches
AUSTRALIA

1:01
Justin Langer’s reported desire to have Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting join his coaching staff has been overruled by Cricket Australia’s stretched coaching budget.
The Australian’s Peter Lalor reports Langer wants to bolster his coaching squad by adding Ponting and fellow Aussie great Simon Katich to the mix, but has been unable to compete with the money the pair are able to earn through television deals and overseas coaching.

The reports makes it clear that Langer is entirely satisfied with top lieutenants David Saker, Brad Haddin and batting coach Graeme Hick, but the former opening batsman has also identified Ponting and Katich as desirable additions.

Hick has come under fire recently for the fragile state of the Australian batting line-up with Test legend Shane Warne last month calling for Cricket Australia to swing the axe following Australia’s struggles against South Africa on home soil.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...pbx2XrEALhgU8s_C91cKWr-f-iAv3JyeSngq2o1BE9tgU



Seriously ?????

 

[Bazal]

Well Kat would definitely add to an elite culture... Lol

 

[typicalfan]

Hughes issue was more than batting, his fielding was an issue as well. Handscomb can't be picked India have worked him out. He is probably going worse than last time he was dropped.

 

[TheParraboy]

looks like JL wanting to create coaching top order?

LANGER
KATICH cant afford
PONTING cant afford
HICKS
HADDIN - W/K
SAKER

 

[Matt23]

looks like JL wanting to create coaching top order?

LANGER
KATICH cant afford
PONTING cant afford
HICKS
HADDIN - W/K
SAKER

That's easy get rid of the Zimbot and replace him with Kat

 

[2 weeks]