Ashes 2019

[flyboy77]

Absolutely!

His batting in the first innings was crucial.  His bowling in the Pom's first innings removed three of the most troublesome batsmen cheaply and was a critical factor in setting up our victory. 

Starc provides a point of difference in our attack and he creates the rough for Lyon.  He has to stay in the side!

x100.

[laj]

So,  did Starc do enough to stay in the side for the next test?

50/50. Was ok, not great with the ball. Terrific with the bat last Test but we pick him to bowl.

[LP]

50/50. Was ok, not great with the ball. Terrific with the bat last Test but we pick him to bowl.

Yet the batting probably saves him, if he could reliably knock out 30 - 50 runs each innings you'd pick him as a change bowler 100% of the time!

We can't judge him relative to a batting all-rounder like Mitch Marsh, or some other batting all-rounder, that would be unfair. Despite my reservations about his bowling if he's picked as a bowling all-rounder he probably makes the cut.

[Professer E]

Cricket is a team sport, and relies on all players contributing to the result, so even if Starc just creates rough patches and offers a different angle that's something.  But I would like more wickets. 

At the moment he's the quintessential one trick pony.  It's a good trick but he needs to develop other wicket taking strategies.  That means playing a lot more four day cricket , in different places.  He also needs to work on his short stuff and get the ball at troubling heights more often as high bumpers are nothing more than a waste of energy and low bumpers are fruit for the scoreboard.

I don't think its a coincidence that his best days occurred when a certain left handed opener spent a lot of time on "ball management".  All players must evolve to improve and he has work to do.  Even just better control would make him more effective.

I also note that I was very critical of our bowling crew against India and the lack of ball movement.  The refusal to employ the off cutter against India, a much easier delivery to bowl than swing or leg cutters, was frustrating.  The off cutter was used with tremendous skill and effect by Cummins et al. and the amount they got the ball to jag was alarming - just as difficult to play as late swing I reckon.  Hazelwood also got a few to tail both ways but I didn't see a lot of true swing, though I didn't expect it.  I wonder if the Duke's ball, with the very hard and proud seam promotes seams as well as swing?

[LP]

Cricket is a team sport, and relies on all players contributing to the result, so even if Starc just creates rough patches and offers a different angle that's something.  But I would like more wickets. 

I suppose that's also an argument for Behrendorff getting a run!

[ElwoodBlues1]

Smith let himself down with the Jack Leach/Rogers? impersonation...the first impression would be he his mocking Leach so why do it, the Rogers excuse doesnt make sense.
Unless Leach had unkind words for Smith then I dont get it. Celebrate for sure but respect the opposition and even if you meant it some another way just have more awareness.

[LP]

It's a form of suggestive pareidolia, the UK media know that suggesting Smith was impersonating Leach will result in most people thinking Smith was impersonating Leach. It's a technique used frequently by media organisations.

It didn't matter what Smith did, the minute the media suggested it looked like a parody of Leach it was set in stone in everybody's consciousness, and nobody who read or saw those reports can undo the effect even if after you are aware of it.

We are all slaves to our own consciousness, internet memes rely on this effect!

[laj]

Smith let himself down with the Jack Leach/Rogers? impersonation...the first impression would be he his mocking Leach so why do it, the Rogers excuse doesnt make sense.
Unless Leach had unkind words for Smith then I dont get it. Celebrate for sure but respect the opposition and even if you meant it some another way just have more awareness.

Poms have been mocking him, like Archer did, he's putting up with the crowd booing him, mocking him crying with face masks so screw the Poms, they are good at dishing it but can't take it.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Poms have been mocking him, like Archer did, he's putting up with the crowd booing him, mocking him crying with face masks so screw the Poms, they are good at dishing it but can't take it.

Jim, Dont mind him donning the corn rows and the Mr T chains for some well deserved Archer retribution  but I think the vision impaired and very demure Jack Leach was a fairly soft target if that was the plan.
I would have given it to Root who did a bit of cheating of his own and refuses to acknowledge we are the better team....

[flyboy77]

Jim, Dont mind him donning the corn rows and the Mr T chains for some well deserved Archer retribution  but I think the vision impaired and very demure Jack Leach was a fairly soft target if that was the plan.
I would have given it to Root who did a bit of cheating of his own and refuses to acknowledge we are the better team....

talk about a beat up....less than a storm in a tea cup!