The Cricket Thread

[Sniffer]

Loathe to align myself with the ‘has beens’, but more specifically the pitch for the warm up game sounds particularly useless for the purpose. The description of Brook’s knock makes it seem like the venue could have been better planned.

If there was a recent history of us losing the first test of an away series I’d agree with you but their record of winning the first of each of the last 5 suggests that their preparations have been fine. As Paddy states above, an ideal preparation seems unlikely with games going on and the standard of the opposition would have been poor. A test against another country in Australia would have been my perfect preparation but neither the Aussies or another nation flying in for one game would want it to happen.

 

[Mel Evo]

If there was a recent history of us losing the first test of an away series I’d agree with you but their record of winning the first of each of the last 5 suggests that their preparations have been fine. As Paddy states above, an ideal preparation seems unlikely with games going on and the standard of the opposition would have been poor. A test against another country in Australia would have been my perfect preparation but neither the Aussies or another nation flying in for one game would want it to happen.

Oh yeah. I’m happy with the general approach. It’s more the surface that seems to be sub optimal, and I think this was predicted.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

There was no way Australia were ever going to let England practice on Optus or the WACA.

 

[Mel Evo]

There was no way Australia were ever going to let England practice on Optus or the WACA.

Yeah. Just something that wasn’t a pudding was what I had in mind.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I'm not sure how many other facilities there are in Perth. It is a reasonable sized city so you would think there was something. And of course pretty much nothing else in WA. Albany is miles away. After that the Nullarboor is several hundred kilometres of pudding.

 

[Mel Evo]

Get a bit of matting down on the car park.

Fck, I am turning into Sir Iron Bottom. Must stop.

 

[Tredman]

Get a bit of matting down on the car park.

Fck, I am turning into Sir Iron Bottom. Must stop.

Please stop before you end up posting your penis.

 

[Mel Evo]

Please stop before you end up posting your penis.

Right. I’m not going to Google that, but I had no idea I was on that path. It was bad enough already.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Not sure there's too much wrong with the pitch from what I can make out, Brook simply didn't take the exercise seriously (which reflects badly on him, especially now he's VC. Grow up lad)

 

[Tredman]

Right. I’m not going to Google that, but I had no idea I was on that path. It was bad enough already.

Seeing nob head botham's actual nob was not on my life goals list for sure

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

Not sure there's too much wrong with the pitch from what I can make out, Brook simply didn't take the exercise seriously (which reflects badly on him, especially now he's VC. Grow up lad)

He's done that in a test match before so I'm not surprised he's done it in a warm up game. So much talent but often such a strange approach to the game.

 

[Stan Hullis]

There are no better warm up opportunities in reality. WA are playing in the Sheffield Shield this week and even if they weren't, would probably put out an U20s team.

As has been mentioned there is no benefit to travelling elsewhere and the same as above would likely apply.

Duckett has been on a few podcasts this week and is of the opinion of "warm up games are not as important" given they play cricket pretty much 12 months a year and it has only been a few months since the India series concluded.

It is definitely more about the attitude in approaching the game vs who you're playing against.

Pope getting another century just in time again to give him a few more games is particularly annoying, not that anyone else in the squad is particularly knocking the door down to replace him. Bethell isn't the answer at 3.

 

[Stan Hullis]

Anyway, I'm not going to give a shit who we warmed up against on Friday at 10:30am with a beer in hand belting out Jerusalem with the rest of the England fans!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Wood passed fit.

Hazlewood definitely out

 

[Mel Evo]

Wood passed fit.

Hazlewood definitely out

I take it all back. All hail the playing casually on a gentle park strategy

 

[leedswolf]

I'm not sure how many other facilities there are in Perth. It is a reasonable sized city so you would think there was something. And of course pretty much nothing else in WA. Albany is miles away. After that the Nullarboor is several hundred kilometres of pudding.

Albany is 400 clicks away. That's reasonable enough.

 

[Carrotdude]

I know it doesn’t count but Pope actually got 2nd innings runs!