Cricket

It seems Smith regularly imagines himself at the crease, 4 or 5 times during fielding he scratches his mark at ‘middle’. Fair enough, but perhaps he lacks the personal insight / awareness to realise how it might be interpreted ?
However, I don’t think it merits a change in the laws.

Fair enough?

You are batting and in the middle of your innings a player from the opposition occasionally comes and scratches his own mark on the crease? I can imagine the response that would get in our league (politely of course).

Sounds like a habit Smith needs to break. Unnecessary, annoying and open to misinterpretation.

Bruce

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Bruce - indeed, the bat would be repurposed by some I know, and not in the spirit of social distancing but something similar.

And, on the basis the camera hasn’t switched image, it’s noticeable that Smith sets up as left-hander and never switches the other way, and then proceeds to scratch the wicket. Hmmmmm.

Law 42 may well get its own annex for the Aussies soon :grinning:

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Heard the explanation early today normally I’d say BS, but with him you’d never know. Think he might have a disorder of some kind. Either way it’s a habit he needs to break. It’s a bad look.

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Sri Lanka 110 for 6 with some pretty woeful batting. Rusty England being gifted wickets.

So nice to see the swaying pm trees on the telly. Thick snow falling here!

135 all out.

Flukey run out and unlucky catch off Bairstow’s heel aside that was pretty ghastly from SL full capitalised upon by England.

Bruce

And an olive Naim score.

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Never thought of that!

I’ll settle for a classic 552 in reply but 250 might be enough.

Bruce

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No coverage of that game in Aus, we did get to see the SA tour but not this series.

Warner gone early, Labuschangne and Harris have settled down at 1-15 in the 6th over. India have 4 changes and Aus 1.

India continue to produce good bowlers, love their fighting spirit.

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Good job that they have that spirit as they are now without Bumrah, Ashwin and Jadeja and one of the pace bowlers who is playing has broken down!

I think most Test nations would be struggling without four or five of their first pick bowlers (and best batsman) unavailable so you have to be impressed by their continued competitiveness.

Australia will be happy enough at the end if the day I would imagine. Not including Warner of course.

England appear to be cruising in Sri Lanka at 215 for 3 with a lead of 80.

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Think it might be a low scoring game, and I wouldn’t put my money on either team.

274-5 for the Aussies at end D1 is very respectable and if they can build to north of 400, it should be their game to lose IMV. Not only has the Indian bowling been weakened but their batting line-up severely impacted too.

At 319-4 (184 ahead) and the wicket turning, England look well-placed for 1-0 but the SL team is so far from the quality of yesteryear, which is such a shame.

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Day 2 washed out (yes we do get rain), it’s not usual for Brisbane this time of the year. Normally this would have been the first test played in early December. A draw the mostly likely result but who knows the Aussies probably have a slight upper hand half way through the first session day 3. India have continually frustrated the Aussies and a win by either wouldn’t surprise anyone.

If you take away the negative press which was a little over blown imo this has been a great test series. Paine should have known better (India just lost their 3rd wicket @ 105) he has apologised. Since the debacle of the sand paper he hasn’t really put a foot wrong as captain. Think it’s just highlighted what a great contest this has been, it’s tough plus the additional stress of COVID and lm cutting him slack.

I’m more concerned by the “racist” in the crowd that were lead away by the cops.

Wish there were some Indian members, it’d be nice to get their opinions.

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From here it has been a great series. After being skittled for 36 in the first Test and losing so many first rank players India have produced fantastic competitive cricket, and sounds like they are still battling with the defecit now down to 33.

The ‘noise’ over the Paine/Smith incident has not detracted and has also not hidden that without Smith and Labuschagne this looks like a rather fragile Australian team, albeit with a fine bowling attack.

In Sri Lanka England are toiling away, and with India next definitely have some work to do. A spinner able to exert some control would be good for starters.

Maybe with India having so many good pace bowlers at the moment the pitches in India will actually be less typically sub-continental. That would probably suit us.

Bruce

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Again the Indian team have put up a great fight and really a 1 -1 serie is probably a true indication of how tight it’s been. The Aussies certainly do have some work to do, Stark is starting to look like yesterday’s man and Green hadn’t taken a wicket yet.

Think Indian will give any team a run for their money. England will need to be at the top of their game to beat them.

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Pete

Australia don’t seem to have produced a Test match pace bowling all-rounder of quality for ages.

Most other nations have one or more, someone who bats maybe six and chips in with a few wickets. When you think of the great all rounders I came up with a long list but no Aussies (Sobers, Botham, Hadlee, Imrhan Khan, Kapil Dev, Kallis, Flintoff etc).

Is this just a curiosity?

Bruce

PS Shane Watson didn’t quite make the list.

It seems Aus and India have production lines of cricket players, be they batsman (or ‘batters’) or bowlers (esp faster bowlers in Aus), whereas England team players tend to come and go in phases and we’re on the slope of a down-phase as Anderson & Broad are ageing (still gracefully!), the big weakness being the absence of a very high quality spinner.

Without a high quality spinner, I fear the Indians will bat long on their wickets.

I like the fact the Indians are making a game of it with the Aussies as obstinance can often supplement talent in this wonderful game.

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There was talk today about the quality of the Kookaburra balls, SW seems to think they’re not what they were. Maybe it’s got a lot to do with not being able to “work” one side of the ball.

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No you’re right, in Aus you’re either a batsmen’s or a bowler.