The Ashes 2006/07: The Brisbane Test Thread - Day Five

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Originally Posted by Maranello

I agree that is the reason, but frankly, that is pure nonsense. If the players miss their families so much, they should change careers. The life of an international cricketer offers a lucrative career, with fame, money and a very early retirement as a well-off individual, things which most of them could not even dream off with their educational qualifications or business skills - the trade-off is that they are on the road a lot. ]

I agree with the above and, as an example, give none other than robbie williams as an example. He's been (and others in the music biz obviously) been on tour for months at a time. Now obviously, detractors will say "but he can just jump on a plane and see his kith and kin at a moments notice". True but what about backing singers and crew ? They dont have his money, nor that of england cricketers to leap on a plane and they have to work a damn sight harder than the england cricket team.. Do your job harmy and stop whinging.

[Aussie-Yank]

Originally Posted by Mike

The pitch was a disgrace. It was deliberately made to crack to suit the line and length seamers who could exploit them (McGrath, Clark, Flintoff). Swing bowlers (Hoggard and Anderson) couldn't exploit the cracks when pitching the ball up trying to get swing. It was too flat for Harmy and Lee. It had plenty of rough caused by the bowlers foot marks for Shane Warne to exploit but was not that helpful for the finger-spinners (Giles, Pietersen).

If all the pitches in this series are as flat as that then Harmison and Flintoff will be negated. This series is already shaping up as a bumper one for McGrath and Clark. Those two can apply pressure with their nagging line and length. England will need to find a ground that will encourage reverse swing if they hope to win a match and square the series.

Mike, if the pitch was doctored to suite one type of bowling over another, then this does not make the pitch sub-standard. You may have an argument that the pitch was played with to benefit Australia's bowlers, but that is not against any rules. The England pitch's where perpared to try and give the least amount of help to spinners to try and negate Shane Warne, while helping the swing bowlers Jones & Hoggard.

Seemer, just because this pitch is different to ones previously produced at the Gabba does not make it sub-standard, it just makes it different.

The result came down to the English bowlers (excluding Flintoff) unable to come to grips with bowling on this pitch and the batting performance by the English in the first innings. If you look at Englands batting, you will see that only two of the top order failed both times - Flintoff and Strauss (Both times trying to pull). All the other top order batsman where able to make runs in either the first or the second innings. Most of the wickets that fell where more to do with how they where batting rather than what the ball was doing off the pitch.

For example look at the wickets Shane Warne captured;

Bell, played for the spin and the ball went straight ahead - out LBW
Flintoff, tried pulling a ball that was to low to pull - Caught
Collingwood, sucker punched by Warne bringing the field in and getting him to rush down the pitch to hit it over the top for his hundred - Out Stumped
Cook, Played with his bat to far out in front off his pad and edged it onto his pad for an easy catch by Hussey

All these wickets where the result of the Batsman's error in judgement + consistant pressure by the bowler - it did not have anything to do with the pitch.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Mike

The pitch was a disgrace. It was deliberately made to crack to suit the line and length seamers who could exploit them (McGrath, Clark, Flintoff). Swing bowlers (Hoggard and Anderson) couldn't exploit the cracks when pitching the ball up trying to get swing. It was too flat for Harmy and Lee. It had plenty of rough caused by the bowlers foot marks for Shane Warne to exploit but was not that helpful for the finger-spinners (Giles, Pietersen).

This pitch for this Brisbane test might not have been as fast or bouncy as Gabba pitches of the past... but aside from the cracks opening a day earlier than normal it has been the CLASSIC Aussie pitch - one that puts a premium on excellent bowling whilst the ball is new and where even very ordinary batsmen will thrive once the ball has softened.

Aussie pitches have NEVER encouraged bowlers, and the recipe for success has ALWAYS been batting the opposition out of the game: with runs on the board there's additional pressure on the opposition and additional license for occasional spells from aggressive wrist spinners and speedsters.... but the key to winning in Australia has long been getting though the "overs of despair" (pretty much from the 20th over until the second new ball) with back of a length balls offering steep bounce well outside off stump - negative deliveries aimed at making scoring tough rather than at taking wickets.

Sure... the new ball bowling has been about making batsmen play and exploiting seam movement... but after than it's long been about staving off utter despair!

So... nothing in the pitch for low-action bowlers like Hoggard, Anderson and Lee? What a surprise! Nothing in it for Giles and Warne? What a surprise! Barely enough in it for McGrath, Clark and Flintoff to just about do a job but not enough in it to allow Harmison-like waywardness? What a surprise!

Bottom line: this pitch was taylor-made for the best of Harmison. If he'd bowled the pace, line and length he bowled against Lara and co in that famous spell in the West Indies he'd have created far, far more problems than Clark, McGrath and Flintoff - but as with Aussie pitches down the ages... it was pretty unforgiving - had it had more pace and bounce he might have got away with that.... but that's not the norm for Aussie pitches!

[Colourful Chaddi]

Originally Posted by Mike

The pitch was a disgrace. It was deliberately made to crack to suit the line and length seamers who could exploit them (McGrath, Clark, Flintoff). Swing bowlers (Hoggard and Anderson) couldn't exploit the cracks when pitching the ball up trying to get swing. It was too flat for Harmy and Lee. It had plenty of rough caused by the bowlers foot marks for Shane Warne to exploit but was not that helpful for the finger-spinners (Giles, Pietersen).

errmmm.....Mike have you ever heard of home advantage? It is acceptable to make a pitch to suit the home team more than away team.