08-06-2016, 12:23 PM
One of the issues with test cricket is that Australia have been #1 and maybe again soon. Amazing. It makes me wonder if test cricket actually is the main type of cricket in the world.
For ages we have had serious structural problems and yet nothing seems to happen about it.
[1] Batting: we are flat track bullies. Given a flat deck we can flog any attack on the planet. But where are there flat decks? At home? Maybe.
Seriously, our guys do not bat with the idea of building an innings. It is nice to flog an opposition attack, but only if you can pull it off, and we cannot. Managing to bat from behind? You have to be kidding.
[2] Spin bowling: Our incumbent off spinner may have the best numbers of any off spinner in Australian history, but that says something in itself. Aussies have traditionally used leg spinners, yet we have few and none that make a mark. What are we doing wrong? Not preparing pitches that wear. Drop in pitches last.
And do we do enough to promote or train our spinners? Do we do anything? We need to find spinning talent and get the used to bowling in ALL conditions. Especially subcontinental conditions, where they are likely to be required.
[3] Preparation: do we actually do any? Doesn't appear to be the case. You would think that before a tour to ANYWHERE that you would train under those conditions. And play a few warm-up matches. Yet few sides play any more than 1 or 2 warm up matches any more, no matter where they go. That, to me, makes a decent preparation more important, especially for a 'professional' team.
[4] Talent: where are our young cricketers? Something must seriously be done about this. There are a LOT of sports looking for talent now and cricket has to do something to get the talent it requires. They do not have the restrictions that there are in football, yet we do not seem to attract real competitors. Nice one day players, maybe, but not serious, competitive test cricketers.
For ages we have had serious structural problems and yet nothing seems to happen about it.
[1] Batting: we are flat track bullies. Given a flat deck we can flog any attack on the planet. But where are there flat decks? At home? Maybe.
Seriously, our guys do not bat with the idea of building an innings. It is nice to flog an opposition attack, but only if you can pull it off, and we cannot. Managing to bat from behind? You have to be kidding.
[2] Spin bowling: Our incumbent off spinner may have the best numbers of any off spinner in Australian history, but that says something in itself. Aussies have traditionally used leg spinners, yet we have few and none that make a mark. What are we doing wrong? Not preparing pitches that wear. Drop in pitches last.
And do we do enough to promote or train our spinners? Do we do anything? We need to find spinning talent and get the used to bowling in ALL conditions. Especially subcontinental conditions, where they are likely to be required.
[3] Preparation: do we actually do any? Doesn't appear to be the case. You would think that before a tour to ANYWHERE that you would train under those conditions. And play a few warm-up matches. Yet few sides play any more than 1 or 2 warm up matches any more, no matter where they go. That, to me, makes a decent preparation more important, especially for a 'professional' team.
[4] Talent: where are our young cricketers? Something must seriously be done about this. There are a LOT of sports looking for talent now and cricket has to do something to get the talent it requires. They do not have the restrictions that there are in football, yet we do not seem to attract real competitors. Nice one day players, maybe, but not serious, competitive test cricketers.
Live Long and Prosper!