The Ashes. Australia v. England.

[K]

As I said, Smith averages 65 against England, 73 against India, 58 against NZ, 54 against Pakistan, 42 against South Africa and 163 against the West Indies.

It's just about time for you to think about trolling somebody else.

As I said repeatedly, look at FTB Smith's averages in the last 4 years.

Even you should be able to understand that. Your cognitive dissonance has taken over.

I clearly stated that he was able to be a flat-track bully against most countries before that. After that, he's only been able to be a flat-track bully against England, i.e. he's now even worse than a flat-track bully.


Do you reckon averaging 32.18 (on very flat tracks, and artificially boosted by a not out) against S. Africa is good?

...
His last home & away series against S. Africa, he did very poorly. ... In those 6 Tests, his average is a measly 32.18.

Modes of dismissal:

LBW Maharaj (SLA)
caught behind Rabada
caught behind Rabada
run out
caught behind Abbott
caught off Maharaj (SLA)
LBW Elgar (SLA)
LBW Rabada
caught behind Maharaj (SLA)
caught off Morkel
caught off Morkel
...

Rabada and Maharaj destroyed his defective technique. Smith cannot handle Rabada's hostility. And he cannot handle SLA bowling.

[Donny]

Abbott, Neser, Boland, Jhye Richardson - all have started the Shield season well and all have been named as possible Test bowlers but, barring injury, their chances of an Ashes gig is unlikely, with Cummins, Starc & Hazlewood looking rock solid, as the Australian pace attack.

If the Selectors are looking past those 3, Richardson has roared back into contention, with 8/60 odd against Q'land, at the Gabba - the venue for the first Test.

[Skids]

Series betting market;

Oz - $1.33
Eng - $5
Drawn - $8.50 (I've had a small dabble on this result)

1st Test;

Oz - $1.65
Eng - $3.50
Draw - $5.75 Again, with Brisbane weather the way it is (127mm of rain last December), I'm having a couple of bucks on this.

[Pies4shaw]

Series betting market;

Oz - $1.33
Eng - $5
Drawn - $8.50 (I've had a small dabble on this result)

1st Test;

Oz - $1.65
Eng - $3.50
Draw - $5.75 Again, with Brisbane weather the way it is (127mm of rain last December), I'm having a couple of bucks on this.

How do you get to be $3.50 in a two-horse race, in the first game of a series in Brisbane, unless you are the Brisbane Bears?

[Donny]

[Skids]

How do you get to be $3.50 in a two-horse race, in the first game of a series in Brisbane, unless you are the Brisbane Bears?

Australia has a formidable test match record at the ground. In the 55 matches played at the ground, Australia has won 33, drawn 13, tied 1 and lost only 9.

England have a notoriously poor record at The GABBA, and have only won two test matches at the ground since the end of the Second World War. Many of their defeats have been heavy and only seven England players have scored centuries at the ground. 3 of those were in the drawn test of 2010; Strauss 110, Trott 135* & Cook 235*. Ian Botham (138 in 1986), Tony Greig (110 - 1974) & Mark Butcher (116 - 1998) the only others since Leyland (126) in 1936.

[Pies4shaw]

^ I hope the curator for the 2010 Test had a good explanation for that strip.

The Ashes squad has been named:

Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head*, Usman Khawaja*, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser*, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson*, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson*, David Warner.

* Not in last Test XI

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-17/ ... /100626416

If they play them in alphabetical order, Smith, Starc and Warner will miss out.

[Skids]

^
Englands 2nd innings card looks pretty unique...

Strauss - st Haddin b North - 110
Cook - N.O - 235
Trott - N.O - 135

1/517 dec

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/eng ... -scorecard

[Donny]

Barring the unforseen, Richardson, Neser and Swepson will miss the cut. That just leaves Khawaja and Head vying for the #5 spot. That is if Harris is to be Warner's opening partner.

It's a toss-up for that #5 batting position. Head possibly favoured as he can bowl occasional offies.

[K]

Wowee, Jhye Richardson is short!

But the bigger issue is whether the conditions will allow him to swing the ball. He's unlucky to be playing in the era of dead Oz pitches and balls.

[Skids]

Extended forecasts are showing rain/showers for 4 of the 5 days.

https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/B ... 7cf4f96bde

[K]

^ 8 Dec. is still a long way away...

(Time enough for a few more scandals on each side of the ocean.)

[Donny]

Jhye Richardson continues to put his name in front of the selectors.

Took 7/109 in WA's loss to Tasmania.

He has 23 wickets @ 13.43 in 4 Shield matches, this season.

[K]

In the Sheffield Shield bat-off between Khawaja and Head, both failed in the first innings.

Khawaja confirmed he is Mr. NickIt. But this time an inside edge instead of outside edge. The gap between bat and pad/body was so huge a horse could have strolled through. (But not obese Smith.)

Head flicked the ball to Renshaw at leg slip.

[Donny]

Head scored 101 in SA's second innings.