Keep Walking - Australian Selections

The selectors have indicated to these two to "keep walking"

I’m not really sure to think about the current Aussie squad for the Boxing Day Test, for a few reasons. On a personal level, I absolutely adore Ricky Ponting. I love watching him bat, just everything about it. The stretches before his takes guard, his exaggerated forward lunge and leave, that signature pull shot, the piece of road kill on top of his head.... But now that he is not captain, and he is in the team for runs, Ponting is on a lean streak. When you haven’t made at Test hundred since 2009, and 30-odd innings since then, and you are his age, the last rights are round the corner. He is lucky in a sense that this is a time of Australian batting mediocrity. If this were the 90’s, guys like Law, Blewett, Love and Elliot were kept out of the side by a bloke called Justin Langer. We have young batsman in Usman Khawaja and Tom Cooper, but most a technically flawed. Khawaja is cecpetiable to nicking behind, and we all now Phil Hughes’ problems; anything short at his body and anything angled on a length on his off stump. But if I put my love for Punter aside, if we are preparing for the 2013 Ashes, which we should be- Ponting will not be there. Usman Khawaja should be. So why, when he has a better record than Ponting over the past calendar year, isn’t in the squad? Mike Hussey is in the same boat, although he was man of the series not long ago against Sri Lanka, and was our only bright spot in a depressing Ashes summer last year, so he should get a little longer.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly - Boxing Day Squad

Rewarded for two years of blistering form. Ed Cowan will replace Phillip Hughes.

I must say, when I saw the squad of 13 selected for Boxing Day, I felt in different. A bit disappointed, but somehow not surprised. It was the selectors first real test as the squad for the NZ series picked itself with all the injuries. Not sure they’ve passed their first real test, it’s line ball.


The squad is:


Michael Clarke (capt), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Daniel Christian, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.


So, whats the Good, the Bad and the Ugly with this line up?

Pakistan sweep Dhaka

Bangladesh couldn't keep it together in the second innings.

Test cricket is so unpredictable. That’s why I love it, and why it will always live on. It was on show again on a gloomy last day in Mirpur. Starting the day at 5/114, there was still a pulse for Bangladesh, but it was faint. Unlike the final session on day 4, fight was needed by their batsman.

A Day to forget, but remember - Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Shakib Al Hasan added to his 144 with 6/82. Courtesy AFP

You know when the TV is on, but the connection breaks off and it says “we will try to return to normal programming as soon as possible”....? Well, normal programming resumed at Mirpur today, after 3 pretty even days of Test cricket. In short, Bangladesh batsman played some poor strokes, and finished 18 runs behind Pakistan’s 470 all out. Despite Shakib Al Hasan becoming the first Bangladeshi man to take a 5-fer and a ton in the same Test, he can’t do everything.

Pakistan on the Prowl

Taufeeq Umar celebrates his century. Courtesy AFP

Only in Bangladesh could the morning session be delayed because of fog, and only in Bangladesh could for 3 days straight, players having to come off early because of bad light in the middle of the summer! Pakistan are still 46 behind Bangladesh’s total of 338, but certainly hold the upper hand going into day 4 with seven wickets in the shed, with middle order maestros Misbah-ul-Haq (26*) and Younis Khan (48*) still at the crease.

Is Ponting done or does he have more to give?

This Image has been all but too frequent for Ricky Ponting over the past two years.

In the wake of the Phillip Hughes selection debate through the media, due attention has turned itself away from the former Test captain to whether the 37 year old still has enough to give the Australian test team this summer against India and the question still remains to whether he is within the top 4-5 batsmen this country has to offer. Turning 37 yesterday, Is Ricky past his time? Is it time to call quits on a career to one of the most prolific run scores in the history of both Test Matches and One Day Internationals?

People are watching, but does anyone care?

Will fans of Dave Warner stay with the Sydney Thunder if he switches to the Sydney Sixers next year?

"People are watching, but does anyone care?" - The Boundary Rider

That, for me, is the big question that has come out of the first weekend of the Big Bash League.

Something Old, Something New - Big Bash Review

Dave Warner celebrates a T20 Century, the highlight of the first weekend. Courtesy Getty Images

Casualties, disappointing crowds, a letdown of a legend and old dogs taming the new tricks have been the story of the first round of the newly franchised and up marketed domestic T20 competition.

An under anticipated crowd of 12,000 ventured to the Sydney Cricket ground to watch an injury depleted “Man”genta Sydney Sixers team take on the aqua blue Brisbane Heat. The “Warne show” took to the MCG to face the electric green Sydney Thunder led by T20 dynamo Dave Warner. The Pollard-less Adelaide Strikers took on the Redback Melbourne Renegades at the Adelaide Oval headlined with the best squad in the competition, And finally out in the West in the “Scorching Heat” the veteran Perth team took on the Dark Horse Hobart Hurricanes with their test-match-esque opening pair in Ricky Ponting and Phil Jacques.

Bangladesh fight for pride - Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Shakib Al Hasan battled for 144. Courtesy AFP

The Globe Trotter reviews the first two days of action from Dhaka between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Bangladesh are trying to salvage some dignity from the first test, Pakistan are looking to put the nail in the coffin.

Lay Down, Sally would have done better! - South Africa vs Sri Lanka Wrap-Up

This Image just about sums up the match. Courtesy Getty Images

It’s official. I had an inkling that a man crush on Vernon Philander was bubbling under the surface after day 1. But now after day 3, another 5-fer and the test match won by an innings and 81 runs, that man crush has been confirmed. As just a neutral cricket lover when Australia are not playing, you come to realise what a talent Vernon is. When he played Australia I sort of thought, “oh yeah, well now back it up”. He has. There has been so many cases over the years of fast bowlers bursting of the scene, promising so much, but delivering so little. The man with the best name in world cricket is not one of them. He’s the real deal. Oh, by the way- there was a cricket match to be won too....