Well everything must have gone quiet. The fish weren’t nibbling, the knee healing quietly. Dave Warner smashing boundaries everywhere. We’d almost forgotten about poor old Andrew Symonds.

 

So out he comes today and says that the signing of Brendon McCullum by NSW for the Big Bash final and IPL Champions League is “un-Australian”.

 

It’s a tune he’s been singing a bit lately. The treatment of ‘Haydos’ by the media, the reaction to his bar fight, the pressure on Punter’s captaincy. UN-AUSTRALIAN!

 

There’s a joke going around at the moment. Roy’s first psych session after the ‘gone fishin’’ affair started with a little word association. The first word the shrink said was ‘un-Australian’. The doctor eventually tapped Roy on the shoulder mid-stream to say the appointment had gone through the booked hour.

 

My opinion is that Andrew Symonds has pretty much no right to play un-Australian police. In fact his moral high-horseing could itself be deemed un-Australian! Does an un-Australian making an un-Australian statement about an Australian make them un-un-Australian and therefore Australian? Phew!

Andrew Symonds wants a bit of love people, just like the rest of us. But more in a Neil Harvey need a bit of love way.

 

Anyway, Roy’s blast has got me off track. NSW have signed McCullum for the 20/20 final this weekend, making him eligible for the IPL Champions League if B-Macs IPL side doesn’t qualify. Fair enough in my book. While I’m disappointed the signing will mean a young Blue will miss his place in our final, Dave Gilbert has really does this as insurance in case Lee, Bracken, Hughes, Warner, Haddin, Clarke, Henriques or Thornley get holed up with the Bangalore Banshees or Mohali Monkeys and limit the Blues stocks. Fair play, fair play, and expect a lot more of it, I say.

 

What are your thoughts on Roy’s latest outburst and the signing of McCullum?

The second 20/20 match played on Tuesday night at the Gabba really only consolidated what we already knew about the shortened form and its combatants: the media pressure on David Warner to back up his heroics on debut was massively over-the-top, that, as Mike Hussey proved, sometimes the best way to get out of a form trough is to slog a couple and find the middle of the bat (God knows Haydos was trying all summer), and that JP Duminy is an absolute superstar.

 

Dave Warner deserved a lot of praise for his knock in Melbourne. Plucked from pretty much nowhere, he tore a strong bowling attack apart. Fairytale stuff. Showed massive kazungahs. But, as is the nature of the 20/20 beast, Warner failed in Brisbane. My issue comes with the expectation placed upon the guy in only his second match. While commentators were only too quick to say he hadn’t played a first-class match, in the next sentence they were saying his performance in scoring 7 was disappointing, topped by Slats match summation “so Australia win, even with Warner failing”. Please Dave Warner is undoubtedly a star at this format, but let’s allow the guy the occasional failure, especially as he gets his bearings.

 

As for Huss, I’ll back him to top the runs in the CB series. After a pretty dry spell in the Test series, he got us over the line in a dig that will renew his confidence. 20/20 will do that. Instead of scratching around and toughing it out in Tests, it affords the chance, or even need with a growing required run rate, to open up and have a hack. Hit a couple in the middle and you’re back in the ball game.

 

And finally for JP. He got them home in Perth, broke Aussie hearts in Melbourne, and left nothing in the tank in Sydney. Now he’s dominated two games of party cricket, including a spectacular catch, absolutely the real deal.

 

Your thoughts on 20/20? Will it overtake ODIs and even tests? Warner vs Duminy vs Hussey vs Ryan Harris? Thoughts on the upcoming one-dayers?

A young, brash, exuberant big-hitter, promoting a revolutionary double-sided stick, who can lap Boonie when running a three and throw with both hands.

 

Did I mention 89 off 43 balls? Meet David Warner.

 

A blinding start to pyjama cricket saw Warner lead Australia to a thumping victory in the first 20/20 against South Africa last night. Here’s a guy who’s never (as yet) played 4-day cricket for NSW, but through a couple of massive, rapid knocks in shortened state matches, was on the radar for national selection.

 

Is this the start of the revolution? Will 20/20, supposedly the future of the game, become a scene of baseball-like sluggers or stay on its current path as a showcase of the expanded skillsets of current internationals with a few ‘specialists’?

 

To be honest, I have no idea. With the priority on runs rather than wickets, I can honestly see bowlers becoming redundant in this format, with batting all-rounders moonlighting as tail-enders to ensure slogging all the way down the order.

 

From the current crop of players, it would probably look something like:

David Warner, Aiden Blizzard, Lee Carseldine, Cameron White, Nathan Reardon, Michael Dighton, David Hussey, Luke Ronchi, Mark Cosgrove, James Hopes and Moises Henriques. Only 3 of these guys play full-time four-day cricket. Slogging from start to finish, the only question would be what total would this side need to be able to comfortably defend?

 

But JP Duminy’s classy 78 in double time last night did ease the pain somewhat, essentially a statement that if you’re good enough at Test level, you’re likely to be good enough in the other formats too.

 

We eagerly await Warner’s upcoming first-class debut for NSW. Can he do a reverse-Duminy?

The changing of the guard has never been so pronounced. While Australia dominated the Sydney test from start to finish (bar a couple of hours after tea on day five), South Africa’s nearly successful salvage mission, complete with Graeme Smith coming to crease band-aided up, stole the headlines and the thoughts of the global cricketing public.

 

Australia’s solid performance was again negated by not being able to completely kill off the Proteas. Australian sides of old would have been in the pool by 3pm day five. Not only does the current side have to work a lot harder to put the nail in the coffin, but the fact that the Aussies no longer have those generational stars (for now) also galvanises our opponents.

 

In saying that though, another great Sydney test match and the best home series since the Big D robbed us of the Frank Worrell Trophy 15 years ago. Sometimes it takes a contest to realise just how good we had it over our recent era of domination.

 

In no way should my suggestion of a weaker Australian team in any way deflect an enormous performance from the South Africans. The Australians won all three tosses, controlled the match and got on top early. The South African sides post-apartheid are renowned for collapsing under such pressure. Smith’s men not only responded, but counter-punched brilliantly in Perth and Melbourne, and almost Sydney, to deserve their series win.

 

Now for the analysis. In a global financial crisis, it’s of obvious importance to check on the stocks of some players from both sides before the return clash.

 

Stocks Up

 

Graeme Smith – Has replaced Ponting as the most dominant figurehead in world cricket. Great batsman who well and truly proved his leadership skills, even before Sydney.

 

Michael Clarke – Whereas Pup would previously provide us with an occasional innings of brilliance to support the experienced stars around him, this series he showed his mettle. With Hayden and Hussey having series to forget, our vice-captain showed the maturity and leadership to be, with Punter, the batsman to lead us in our rebuilding phase.

 

Mitchell Johnson – The new leader of our bowling attack. An enormous workload was justifiably and finally rewarded with the final wicket in Sydney.

 

 

Uncertain

 

Simon Katich and Hashim Amla – Such similar series. Continual starts from both players, without the big score to make their stocks increase. Amla has been mentioned as a future leader of South Africa, so he probably has the long-term support of his selectors. While Katich has proved in recent times what NSW fans have long known, he’s quality, a bad African series with the pressure of again carrying Haydos could see his position come under question.

 

Plummeting

 

Matthew Hayden – It went slogging failure, media conference to deflect questions on form slump, slogging failure, media conference to ensure hitting well in nets, slogging failure, media conference to state continued self-belief and support of team mates in his role as ‘senior player’, and repeat. Add an almost crucial dropped catch in Sydney and his axing from the one-day side, and it seems that even the selectors are now re-considering the future of the big man. Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh both managed to pull themselves away from the cricketing grim reaper, but without the big c next to his name and a winning team deflecting his poor performances, the stocks in Haydos are in a Macquarie Bank-like tailspin.

 

What are your thoughts on the report card? Will Australia’s new attack be able to win in South Africa? Should Haydos stay and fight on? Was anyone else worthy of a mention in any list?

If you’ve been reading this blog regularly, and judging by stats, I’m only talking to a faithful few, you will have noticed a pattern in this series so far:

• Australia win the toss and bat
• Amass decent first innings score
• South Africans begin chase comfortably

And so it went again. Another superb innings from Michael Clarke, again with support from Haddin and the tail, got Australia to just over par with 445. The Proteas were confronted by a new look attack, with Doug Bollinger attracting the most concern from the batsman with alarming seam and bounce off a length.

But perhaps the most telling blow of the series, or more paricularly the return series, was when Mitchell Johnson nailed Graeme Smith with a nasty rising ball, with tests later revealing a broken hand.

Not only does this mean Neil McKenzie is likely to retain his spot for the home series (a definite plus for the Aussies), but that the series winners will quickly have to find a suitable replacement for their inspirational skipper.

As an Australian supporter, I find myself faced with the question, who would I least like to captain the Proteas from here on in? And I’m very satisfied with my reads on the candidates-in-waiting. Tour vice-captain Ashwell Prince hasn’t played down under and would therefore be under huge pressure if promoted. Mark Boucher, while a respected leftenant of Smith, has been tried and found wanting. New one-day and 20/20 captain Jans Botha doesn’t wear whites for his nation. Which leaves AB DV or Hashim Amla. Both would face considerable pressure, but appear to be made of pretty strong stuff. Apparently Amla particularly has been earmarked to capatin South Africa one day, and the way he looked yesterday at the crease, a century on day three could seal the deal.

If you haven’t noticed, the benign state of the cricket has allowed the mind to wonder. While the cricket has definitely been absorbing and interesting, let’s see if Doug can rip through today and make things captivating for the rest of the test.

What do you thnk about the state of play? Pup’s ton? Ronnie’s lidding? Douggie’s start and the future SA captain?

It seemed the perfect time. Australia’s cricketing revolution was upon us. Under performing stars living on past glories, a lost series at home for the first time in 16 years, and tough away trips to South Africa and England on the horizon. Show us the new breed. Bring on Australia’s cricketing future.

But alas, the call for change wasn’t heard by the Australian selectors. Not only has Matt Hayden retained his position, as opening batsman and no doubt he’ll inform us, as a “senior player”, but Andrew Hilditch has also informed us that if Roy was fit, he’d be in too. Can someone tell Hilditch to stop watching re-runs of the 2003 World Cup!

Shane Watson is again the unlucky one, succumbing to injury, offering the chance for Victorian all-rounder Andrew McDonald. While this is possibly the most fortunate selection since Shaun Young burgled a baggy green in 1997, I’m going out on a limb and saying that Ronnie will perform at test level. In a Paul Collingwood-like way, McDonald gets tough runs for the Vics, and is a brisk and intelligent bowler. Not pretty, but tough as teak and up for a fight. Just what the doctor ordered.

With Binger gone, Doug Bollinger again steps into the squad, with either he or Ben Hilfenhaus likely to make their debut at the SCG. Both bowlers are in form locally and offer something different from the current lot, swing with ball new and old.

With Hilfenhaus, Bollinger and McDonald, is this the ugliest (even with Douggie’s Advanced Hair) Australian side in a generation? What side would you have picked, and while pre-empting, who would you take to South Africa and on the Ashes tour?

 

We knew it was coming but didn’t think it would happen quite yet. Australia’s run as the all-conquering cricketing nation is over. South Africa have dominated Australia in the big moments in Perth and again in Melbourne to already have the series in the back pocket with a test to play.

In the past it has always been the Aussies who have somehow found a way to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat. A rampant ton from Gilly to turn a sizeable deficit into an improbable first innings lead, fifth day heroics from Warnie to run through a seemingly untroubled batting order (think the Adelaide Ashes test), or a spectacular bit of fielding to stop a batsman threatening to take the game away from us.

As a humble Ricky Ponting mentioned after the metach, this series South Africa showed that they are now the team with the ace up their sleeve. If Perth was a miraculous fightback, Melbourne was a bloody miracle, with the heroics of JP Duminy and Dale Steyn deserving of series victory.

Both skips have starred in the first two tests. Graeme Smith has been superb with the stick, but also brilliant is uniting a side of vastly different characters and histories. His tactics on-field have been spot on. Ricky Ponting can also hold his head high. Facing ridiculous media criticism of his leadership, he responded the only way he knows high. His defiant innings’ of 101 and 99 were one mans attempt to keep Asutralia in the position he inherited. He deserved better.

So now for Sydney. Changes are to be made, more through bad (?) luck than anything else. Lee, Hayden and Symonds are all under the pump. Three of Ricky Ponting’s liutenants, expected to carry the baton following the retirements last year, have underperformed, plain and simple. Now’s the time.

Who would you play in Sydney?

Australian fans are going to have to get used to this. Gone are the days of 4/427 at stumps. The positive is, though, that as we come back to the pack somewhat as a cricketing nation, the test cricket is becoming a whole lot more even-sided, and thus a hell of a lot more interesting.

6/280 at stumps is what it is. Australia again need runs from the tail to get above par. It was a day where neither side really took it by the balls, and I get the feeling that one enormous individual performance will possibly push the balance to their side.

The enormous individual performance was almost Ricky Ponting’s. A sparkling Boxing Day ton should hopefully silence his long list of critics. How was his body language yesterday clowns? The whisper is though, that with a chronic wrist injury, we could be seeing more stunning 3 hour knocks from Punter. If he’s seeing them well, he’s going to push the button, as 6 hour hundreds with tucks behind square are just too painful. Whatever happens, great knock, great batsman.

The word great is becoming increasingly distant from Matthew Hayden. It just seems the burly Queenslander’s aura is gone, and while he’s still the wicket the opposition wants, it just isn’t as hard as it was 3 years ago. Dos is under a heap of pressure, the grim reaper is warming up, and the second innings is possibly his last chance to avoid the tap on the shoulder and not get the plane to South Africa.

While Huss’s bad run continued and Roy is probably faring better with reel than willow at present, Michael Clarke’s innings was the other talking point of Day One. Aggressive young Pup turned to dormant young Pup as he crawled to 40 overnight. It was a very mature innings by the skip-in-waiting, although, like a stockbroker holding his shares in the current financial crisis, his patient stay will be judged by the end result. Let’s hope he hits a great hundred, the Baggy Greens get over 400, and the test can really get interesting. 

Australia is under the pump. Fresh from a demoralising loss at the WACA, the Boxing Day Test is possibly the most important home Test match for Australia in the last 15 years.                          

The fact is that the home side should never have been in this position. South Africa let the Aussies back into the match from several compromising positions. Opportunities that Australian sides of old would have seized. This time, the combination of under-performing veterans, highlighted by some very ‘immature’ dismissals, and inexperienced rookies let the SAFAs, with credit to their inspirational captain and a massive performance from AB DeVilliers, off the hook and into the series lead.

Australia, as the largely unchallenged Test champions for so long, aren’t used to this kind of pressure. And, as much as I hate to say it, the boys seem a little squeamish. Ricky Ponting has been slayed in the media about everything from over rates to negative body language. Matthew Hayden’s continued statements about his role as a ‘senior player’ seems like he’s trying to convince himself that he still belongs at this level. Andrew Symonds is not only short of runs since goin’ fishin’, but will be further tested by a niggle sustained in Perth. Brett Lee doesn’t seem to be bowling too badly, but his new position as the leader of the attack is now under scrutiny. 

Some inconsistent selections further cloud the situation. The selectors seem to have long memories with regards to Hayden, Symonds and Lee, while Jason Krejza has been sent to pasture yet Peter Siddle gets another chance.

The pressure on the Aussie players has resulted in something of a siege mentality, with a Border-ish ‘backs to the wall’ type performance promised. A line in the sand has been drawn.

I think you can tell from my previous posts that I’ll back someone to perform and get the side back on track.

What do you think? What happened in Perth? What happened in the selection room? How will the Aussies respond?

South Africa are gone. The first two days have been pulsating in that Australia have looked vulnerable and then fought their way out of trouble. The fact that the counter attack has been so effortless spells massive trouble for the Proteas. At 3/15 and 5/166, a serious challenger would have cashed in. Australia was vulnerable. South Africa just didn’t have the bottle to finish the job.

 

And so again yesterday. South Africa 3/234, steadily overhauling Australia’s total. Cruising. Kallis and AB set. Perfect conditions. No excuses. Stumps 8/241.

 

South Africa will not win a test this summer. Can’t happen.

 

In no way though should the South African collapse deflect any of the glory going Mitchell Johnson’s way. He sniffed blood, went for the jugular, had them on the ropes, put them out of their misery and any other cliché you want to use. He is now rightfully the bowler Punter turns to first.

 

Prediction: Australia pile on the runs and roll them.

 

Thoughts?