Roy hobbles off, we won’t see him again today, and I’d be surprised if he came back in the next two if it’s hamstring. Bugger.
England need 86 to get their own. If they get between 86 and 130, they knock Australia out. Hmm…
Another important number is 106 - if England get there (and I expect them to), they will top the group.
England come up just short.
And I finally got to actually watch a cricket match instead of just following along online! Thanks, ESPN+.
Unfortunately, I’ll miss the matches tomorrow for other obligations.
I’d argue that the weather are usually a minor part of it.
The performance of the pitch is much more to do with the grass, soil and groundsman.
These are typically not or little changed from season to season.
There are significant differences between how groundsmen in different countries prepare pitches but towards broadly the same ideal.
In the Australian context each Test venue prepares its pitches based on a single source eg Bulli for the SCG, Merri Creek for the MCG etc. They use black-earth, high clay content, cracking soils technically called vertisols, because of their high shrinkage/swelling and cracking behaviour. As the original sites run out usually a local near equivalent can be sourced.
The video of a pitch preparation guide from the VCA would be typical of Australia. A lot more of the water in Australian pitches is applied by the ground staff because our summers are hotter and drier which arguably gives more control and consistency to the pitch preparation.
In the “green and verdant land” of England, the groundsman need to allow for more rainfall and higher humidity which typically mean softer pitches and more grass.
The process of scarifying or thinning the grass is considered essential in England but not often used in Australia.
In the VCA video they talk about “grassing up” the pitch, which is rolling grass shavings into the surface. Indeed most of the straw colour of a classic Australian Test batting deck comes from cut grass, in contrast to England where the greener colour comes from growing grass
Consequently Australian groundsman take much more grass off their prepared pitches and can roll them much harder.
They do and well sufficient to have an influence on team selection, though more often on the bowling attack than the batting line-up.
Brisbane (Gabba)
The first thing that Brisbane is it’s 27.5S and subtropical. Certainly in the early part of the season it is the most seam and swing bowler friendly Test venue in Australia. Scoring an early season big century there counts much more in assessment of technique, temperament and form toward national selection than one scored in the southern states.
It is no co-incidence that it is usually the first Test of the Australian summer and local familiarity is a very significant advantage, especially against touring team who fly in and play there without preparation. From which arises the Australian success at the venue. Since 1931 from 55 matches played at the ground, Australia has won 33, drawn 13, tied 1 and lost 9, hence the nickname The Gabbatoir.
Also why India refused to play the 1st Test of the 2020/21 series there.
The question Australian selectors grapple with every series is whether to play four seamers or include a spinner. A finger spinner (either left or right arm) who gets bounce eg Lyon is usually first choice, though Shane Warne, a right arm leg spinner thought it his favourite ground.
Perth (The WACA)
Summer rain in Perth is a rarity. Used from 1970 to 2019 stereotypically the WACA was consistently hard, full of bounce but the lack of grass meant limited lateral movement. It was a pace bowlers wicket. Being a dry atmosphere swing wasn’t often seen until the afternoon arrival of the “Fremantle Doctor”
In the last few seasons of it’s use the standard fell sharply. The wickets cracked and broke up. Had much less bounce and pace and were of poor standard and in the last series vs New Zealand was frankly dangerous to bat on.
Australian selectors tended to pick four seamers to play there, usually the tallest and fastest available and in form but also would include a local swing bowler who knew how to exploit the local conditions eg Alderman. Jhye Richardson will come into consideration for the 5th Test this Ashes tour but unlikelyu in other games. Few spinners have had regular success there and WA tends to play finger spinners eg Ashton Agar.
However they have moved matches to the new Perth Stadium which hasn’t yet established it’s character. They use drop-in pitches. The aspiration is to get them to the same character of the WACA, but being a fully enclosed stadium that will not be easy.
Adelaide
Again, Adelaide is Mediterranean climate. Hot, dry summers. They also have the luxury of having the Athelstone clay soil . A series of curators from Lees Burdett to the current Damian Hough have been able to craft the most consistently predictable pitches. They start with a surface offering the seamers just enough in the opening sessions, are even paced and consistent for batting through days 2 and 3 before progressively deteriorating and taking spin on the 4th and 5th day. The Adelaide curators prepare a pitch which sees a result achieved in the last session of day 5 consistently.
Due to the winter use of the Adelaide Oval for AFL, they now use drop-in pitches.
IMHO the Adelaide drop-ins are the closest in character to the permanent
The biggest change there is the introduction of day/night tests using the pink ball which, having been gun barrel straight for two sessions, starts to hoop about disconcertingly in the evening session. That’s an atmospheric effect, not the pitch.
For team selection in Adelaide you typically selected the best balanced team as to speed, swing, spin and containment you can.
Sydney (The SCG)
Sydney also maintains it’s permanent centre wicket area. It’s character has much changed over time. In the 60s it was a fire breathing greentop, the Gabbatoir on steroids, but has since gentrified and become the most spinner friendly deck of the Australian venues. The SCG get less winter use than other venues.
Australia selectors have often picked two spinners here, even two leg spinners like Warne and McGill.
Melbourne (MCG)
First and foremost the MCG is a football venue. By contract 45 games of AFL are played there every winter. Even with the best of conditions it is difficult to get the playing surface to recover, establish a good grass cover and then shave it down in time for the Boxing Day Test. After decades of sub-par pitches, from lifeless, corregated roads to bocce courts the powers decided the only viable solution within the timelines was to move to using drop-ins.
For the first few seasons these were as overprepared and lifeless as the original deck. But now some guys from the Burdett stable are in charge of the hose and roller. They haven’t got it right yet. But it’s coming good. Well better anyway.
As far as team selection goes, the MCG has been a graveyard for fast bowlers. Well all bowlers really.
NZ vs AFG.
In normal circumstances I’d be in the Afghani corner.
But an NZ win puts them through and IND and is the deal breaker
Yeah, I want to see NZ through from the group so, whilst I’d like to see an upset for the Afghan lads, i want to see NZ through more.
I will say, AFG are technically in contention if they can stuff NZ, but I just don’t see that happening.
AFG are 3-40 off 9 and looking outclassed against a very good cricket team.
Any truth in the rumour Ravi Shastri is seeking asylum … anywhere.
Najib is keeping Afghanistan in the game, looking to get them up to a score that NZ could stumble towards, but he’s doing it himself (currently 73 off 47 - he’s just been caught in the deep!). 121/7 now, not enough but enough that NZ could conceivably falter.
NZ playing a very methodical match. With NRR out of the picture with a win and a chaseable total, no need to risk things. At this point they can effectively 1 run (with the occasional 4 or 6) Afghanistan to death.
Or am I misreading it and the fireworks are coming?
No, you have it right.
Maybe one more over of 10 then noodle it out in 18 overs
Safe, sensible T20 batting got them home with room to spare. There’s now two more games, but only one matters - if Pakistan win against Scotland, they will top the group. If not, NZ will.
Assuming Pak win (with apologies to @Stanislaus ), the semi finals will be:
Eng vs NZ
Pak vs Aus
The loss of Mill and Roy has hurt England’s chances, but hopefully we can get through NZ to get stomped by Pak in the final.
Thanks! Watching cricket for so long now, I inferred much of this in pieces. I appreciate you tying it all together for me.
While Pakistan look to be the best side now, the quality of their competition has gotten progressively worse since their 1st 2 games. And even the wins vs. India and NZ were pretty comfortable, so the only game in which there was any stress was vs. Afghanistan, in which a 24-run 19th over put them over the top. Also, their bowlers haven’t had to bat at all. I wonder if all of this puts them at a bit of a disadvantage when they play Australia.
I see both semis as toss-ups, so look forward to watching. Blocked off most of my work calendar on Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Watching Pakistan vs Scotland on ESPN+ while waiting for football. Every time I watch T20 I almost like it. I understand the rules, just not a lot of the nuances, and managing to watch part of like one match a year doesn’t help with that.
Yeah, like any sport you have to commit a bit of time to understanding not just the rules, but how it’s played. Good commentary can make a huge difference, the BBC TMS commentary is well worth getting a stream of if you can, even if you’re also watching the pictures
Kind of you, but I know where we stand!
Despite everything, I think it has been a good tournament for Scotland - you can only get better by playing tougher opponents and that’s what this was about.
Good to see associates doing well.
Either way, I hear the PSL might require all teams to select one player from an associate nation fro: tye next edition onwards. Good if it happens.
New Zealand not looking up to the task.
I thought they did well to restrict England to 166 but losing Guptill in the first over was a big blow.
Worried. NZ getting a slow start, but not losing wickets and it’s not such a big target that England can rely on the weight of runs. Required rate is just over 10, Actual rate of the last 5 overs is just under 10. Very gettable.
I think we’re safe - RRR is over 12 so it’s possible with some extremely big hitting, but if that were easy we’d all do it.