Thread: Cricket scores around the world

Wickets continue to fall but a second innings score of over 150 might be hard for the Aussies to get on this green-top wicket.

Kiwis digging in at the moment.

^^ one of the problems is the up and coming young 'uns play too much T20, and don't get to master the skills needed for the longer versions of the game - infact, they learn different skills altogether.

^ unless we get some quick wickets first thing in the morning, we may be in trouble. Australia hasn't lost a test match in hobart since the 1980's, or something ridiculous, so i'm sure the kiwis will rub salt in the wounds if they beat us

Australia v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Hobart, 2nd day

Australia must learn to handle challenging pitches

Once is unlucky, twice a coincidence, three times a pattern. Five times in two years makes Australia's first-innings fiascos a fully-fledged habit
Brydon Coverdale at the Bellerive Oval
December 10, 2011
Comments: 43 | Login via | Text size: A | A


For Australia, it was another batting breakdown © Getty Images
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Matches: Australia v New Zealand at Hobart
Series/Tournaments: New Zealand tour of Australia
Teams: Australia | New Zealand



The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Australia's inability to handle the swinging and seaming ball has become an embarrassment. They need to own up to it, find a solution, and make amends to those they have wronged: their fans.
Their weakness has caused them to surrender Tests to England, South Africa and Pakistan over the past two years. Perhaps it will take the humiliation of a first Test loss to New Zealand in nearly two decades for the Australians to realise the severity of the situation. After two days in Hobart, there was a genuine danger of that happening as New Zealand's lead expanded to worrying levels.
For Australia it was another day of challenging conditions and another batting breakdown. This time Michael Clarke's men winkled their way to 136, only through some tail-end resistance from Peter Siddle and James Pattinson. They were lucky to get there, having been 7 for 75 when the last recognised batsman departed.
Since the start of last year, Australia have suffered major batting fiascos five times in 20 Tests. Once is unlucky, twice a coincidence, three times a pattern. Five times is a fully-fledged habit. Never has the pitch been so dreadful that the best batsmen in the country should fail so emphatically. It is to be expected that Test tracks will test batsmen. Australia cannot be anything but a middling Test nation while the collapses remain part of their game.
Last January, they made 127 against Pakistan in Sydney. Later that year it was 88 at Headingley, also against Pakistan. On Boxing Day, they stumbled to 98 against England. Last month in Cape Town the alarm bells rang when they were skittled for 47. And now, 136 against New Zealand. Three times in the past 18 months, the Australians have been dismissed for less than 100 in a Test innings.
Last time that happened, WG Grace was part of the opposition. The year was 1888. Australia was not yet an independent nation. It was only 20 years since the last boatload of British convicts had sailed down under. The Wisden Almanack referred to the Australian side as "the Colonials". Test pitches were uncovered and the players were amateurs.
Australia's leading cricketers now earn millions of dollars. There is no excuse for them not to work on their techniques. Perhaps part of the problem is that, for some, their biggest paycheques come from Twenty20 contracts. The shortest form of the game does not encourage diligence.
Not that the majority of Australia's batsmen got out to overly-aggressive strokeplay in Hobart. Brad Haddin did, at 5 for 69 imprudently driving Doug Bracewell to mid-off. Haddin was the major culprit in the Cape Town capitulation, when he backed away and tried to force over the off side when Australia were 5 for 18.
For the rest, it was a combination of poor judgment and good bowling. When the ball is moving the key is to play late and straight. Reaching forward is unwise. David Warner came forward to drive and edged a ball that seamed away. Usman Khawaja also tickled behind, a frustrating end to a patient innings of 7 from 51 balls.




Three times in the past 18 months, the Australians have been dismissed for less than 100 in a Test innings. Last time that happened, WG Grace was part of the opposition. The year was 1888. Australia was not yet an independent nation.



Ricky Ponting walked across his stumps and was caught in at least two minds. Should he play or leave? In the end, he didn't really do either. Clarke is the most in-form batsman in the side, and he seemed ready to lead the recovery, as he had in the first innings in Cape Town with a wonderful century. Instead, he left a ball on line - it nipped back and confiscated his off stump.
Michael Hussey, so immovable in Sri Lanka, has now scored 1, 0, 20, 39, 15 and 8 since that tour. Like Clarke, he tried to leave, but did not get his bat out of the way in time and feathered a catch behind. And of course, Phillip Hughes, now almost certain to be axed for Boxing Day, had prodded forward and across unnecessarily, and edged to slip on the first afternoon.
Perhaps by virtue of being less confident batsmen, Siddle and Pattinson did play late and straight early in their innings. It was the best thing for the situation.
It is tempting to think that the players have been spoiled by flat pitches. For some, that might be true. But Sheffield Shield cricket has been played on some tough tracks in the past couple of seasons. Since the start of last summer, Shield sides have collapsed for sub-100 scores seven times, and a further six have been out from 100 to 130. It is a high ratio.
Some state players find ways to cope. Tasmania's Alex Doolan seems to survive longer than most in the tricky conditions at Bellerive Oval. Queensland's Wade Townsend, whose job requires him to open at the Gabba on a regular basis, has piled on the runs this year. Not that these men are pushing for Test selection, but their work shows, as Dean Brownlie proved on the first day of the Test, that difficult pitches can be negotiated.
But not even going back to state cricket will help Australia's players during the upcoming Test series against India. The Big Bash League has monopolised the domestic calendar in late December and January. The BBL is no place to work on Test form.
Whatever the case, Australia's batsmen need to find a way to handle challenging pitches. They will see more of them in the future. And if they can't admit they have a problem, somebody must confront them with reality.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale

Well done to Dave Warner today. 47n.o.

Hughes was lucky he wasn't referred when on 0.

Still game on ....

The first hour tomorrow will be critical.

I can't get that hour batting disaster out of my head against the Saffers and just 1 month ago.

The first hour tomorrow will be critical.

You got that right LT.

What a debacle!!

Another horrendous collapse from Australia. Haddin was an idiot for not just trying to hit the balls he had to, and give warner the strike.

First test match win for the kiwis in australia since 1980's!!

oh, the shame!

Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles

oh, the shame!

Not really mate as Bracewell bowled like a champion.

Having said that Warner needs to be questioned why he didn't shield the tail-ender from the strike particularly as they only needed 9 runs to win.

Anyway the series is back on and perfect for the next test.

Looked, from the report, like an exciting game to watch...

Why are the likes of Ponting and Clarke still being picked?

We won....................................... .
.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Don't rub your hands together too much - it's a two test series and it's 1-1.

Well that means we have not lost a series for a while.

^ when did you last win one?

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

when did you last win one?

Against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka before they drew the series in South Africa and about 2 months ago.

^ that's not bad, a win in Sri Lanka is decent.

Whichever way you look at it, it is one of the most disgraceful performances by australia - in australia, for a very long time.

Time to get the chopping block out!

bye bye hughes, kawaja, haddin, and although his grandma died lastnight, how much longer can we wait until punter shows us he really does have some more big scores in him??? .....and hussey - 2 golden ducks in as many tests!!!!

if you haven't noticed. i'm quite livid about this particular loss

India must be feeling confident for their up an coming 4 test series. They haven't been in the best form either, but they will bring the momentum into their tour after this latest debacle, buy the once almighty australians.....

it doesn't get much worse than losing to the kiwis on home soil..

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Why are the likes of Ponting and Clarke still being picked?

Clarke has been batting well lately - he seems to bat better when captain, which is something that tends to be taken for granted. being captain, aswell as batting well is not something all batsmen can do - as the little master tendulka found out - he needs to just concentrate on batting, and could not handle the pressure of being captain, and still making runs. the moment he was demoted, he improved.

some people, myself included, thought ponting would do the same thing - once relieved of the pressure of captaincy, he would concentrate on his batting more, and start pumping out tons again, like he did a few years back. it hasn't happened. he's running out of chances very quickly. if he does not produce consistent big scores when india tour, he's a gonna....

Australia slump to 26 year low .

It's only a few days to the boxing day test, and the new T20 tournament is now being held in Oz for the 1st time. Sean Marsh made an unbeaten 99 off 50 odd balls yesterday, and fielded the whole game, and is a good sign for Australia, as Marsh is our best current batsman imho, but has a pretty cronic back problem. if he is fit, then our batting line up can look good on paper - but the form of veterans poning and hussey could be the difference. ed cowen will probably open the batting with dave warner, and our bowling, the same as our batting, is riddled with injured players, but pattinson and lyon will play, and ben hilfenhouse has been chosen as he is apparently "not as predictable" as before. i bladdy hope so, because he was rubbish in the last ashes, and really was mr.predictable.
India have an amazing bat up line up, including some of the greatest players of all time , but their best bowlers are both injured, and they are coming straight from a 4-0 flogging by the poms.

It should be a great 4 test series.

India have never one a test series in oz, and they are building this up as their best chance ever - if the kiwis beat us on home soil, then they now have the confidence they can too, and are favourites with the bookies for the first time ever.

predictions for the boxing day test?

I expect australia to win it. india won't be used to aussie conditions just yet, and our out of form players like punter and hussey i feel will come good and help post a big score.

Our bowling all of a sudden doesnt look so bad. a combination of cummins and pattinson in the future could be our best fast bowling combination since lillee/thompson

It's a bit like Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe...

^I remember talking to you once at my old gaff in thonglor, and you your exact words were "us poms will never be a good as you aussie legends. you have the outdoor weather and lifestyle all year round, so that makes you too bladdy good for us".
Well, England may be the best team around now, but the gap is not as wide as it was when australia was leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, so best you pull your head in, coz the rankings could go any way over the next few test series - if you take any notice of rankings. before england reached the top ranking, most poms i know said that rankings mean bugger all....

can't wait for the back to back ashes series coming up.....

Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles

can't wait for the back to back ashes series coming up.....

Were looking forward to the challenge of South Africa in the summer.

Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles

"us poms will never be a good as you aussie legends. you have the outdoor weather and lifestyle all year round, so that makes you too bladdy good for us"

No, I said:-

"You lot should be the best because you are outdoors playing sport all the time while the newly arrived Poms do all your work. Also, now that none of you have any proper schooling, sport is all you'll be good at. If, by chance, England do become the best team in the world (as our God given right, of course) then it would be a much bigger achievement than the Aussies being number one, because we have only 3 sunny days a year and have to actually work for a living in the meantime."

Honest!

Originally Posted by daveboy

Originally Posted by Wally Dorian Raffles

can't wait for the back to back ashes series coming up.....

Were looking forward to the challenge of South Africa in the summer.

we beat them on their home soil before the new zealand debacle ...........albiet, after we we were skittled for 47 in one particually embarrassing innings

Tour Results
South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg - Nov 17-21, 2011
Australia won by 2 wickets
South Africa v Australia at Cape Town - Nov 9-11, 2011
South Africa won by 8 wickets
Sth Africa A v Australians at Potchefstroom - Nov 1-3, 2011
Australians won by 7 wickets
South Africa v Australia at Durban - Oct 28, 2011
Australia won by 3 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)
South Africa v Australia at Port Elizabeth - Oct 23, 2011
South Africa won by 80 runs