Australian Sport

 A game of football and then cricket so let us review

Arnieroos V Argentina

We lost 2-0 which was not unexpected but we showed a lot of promise. The fullbacks were good. The central defence was tight. Harry Soutar these days grows another leg when playing for the national side.

The midfield showed promise with McGree looking quite good.

What I found strange was the selection of Duke ( Borrello quicker and fitter than Duke should have played from the start) McLaren who simply vanished at a national level and Leckie who simply ha lost his pace these days.

Arnie has a lot of potential in his squad which fills me with hope but two things need to occur for that potential to be brought to fulfillment.

1. Their coaches need to bring their potential to the surface. Arnie cannot really do this being a national coach
2. They need to make the right decision on where to play. Too many players have made dud decions on where to play and thus fell away.

First Ashes test 

The pitch was terrible but the players or should I say the pooms made a match of it. They declared when perhaps they should not have and then were too lax in their bating in the 2nd innings.

The ball really did not swing consistently.  Too many of our batsmen showed they were uncomfortable to a rising ball from Broad or Robinson who are not quick. boland was our quickest bowler ( ?) and the poms took to him. Cummins showed his weaknesses as a captain.

What will occur when Wood bowls and maybe even Overton ( the fast bowler). Stokes shos genius sometime as a captain. If ali cannot play next test who will be their spinner? both anderson and Baistow as a WK showed they were quite rusty.

An exciting test on a terrible surface. Bazball has made test cricket a must watch.

For Lords I would switch Starc for Boland. Beware though he could go for a lot but reduces the tail somewhat.

I would bring in Wood for England. There are people who want Foakes ( who I think is the best WK in the world) to keep and open the batting. I would not do that as yet.

Let me be blunt. Bazball made this test great. Without it we would have gotten a boring draw. flat tracks should be banned.

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