Metal Reviews

farewell Ricky, thanks for your many years of service and we cricket lovers will miss you

Clarke and Hussey at the crease. I gave up hope of winning a long time ago, but hopefully these two can put on another stand together and get some runs for this 5th wicket so the final score isn't too embarrassing.

this test is over

best be prepared for Sri Lanka because they are also going to be very difficult to beat on two of the most spin friendly wickets in Australia

getting the feeling it's gonna be a really disappointing summer

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/shane-warne-says-pick-me-to-take-on-england-in-the-ashes/story-e6frfg8o-1226530000185

if this is legit...

seems Warnie recognises just how desperate Australia are for a test match spinner

Will never happen.

He's also just given an interview in The Age saying that although he could still play test cricket, he won't because of commitment to family.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/ ... 2atee.html

guess it would be too much to expect him to come out of retirement just for ten tests against England, can dream though

Speaking of Shane Warne, do you get into the Big Bash at all?

I'm a Melbourne Renegades member. Was last year as well, went to all the games. It's really good fun, such a different atmosphere to going to a test. I'm heading to Etihad Stadium on Friday night to watch Warne vs. Murali.

Pretty excited about that particular battle.

Warne v Murali

oh I hope it's a real spin friendly pitch for that encounter

yeah I follow the BBL, not spoilt for choice like you Vics so it's Adelaide all the way

counter-question: do you follow the Ryobi Cup at all

my boys the SA Redbacks once again top of the table

Yeah, I keep an eye on it. Bushrangers supporter, obviously.

They don't really show it much on tv, unless it's on foxtel and I don't know about it, but yeah that makes it kind of a bit harder to follow. But I do check the scores out in the newspaper and such. I especially like to keep an eye on players with good form, to know who might be in the mix to represent Australia.

I watch it when I can like to keep up with it all

wish the sheffield shield was televised more as well but I think Phil Hughes is almost a certainty for a test recall

England looks on track to absolutely fucking smack India in the third test.

It's still the first innings, but they're 216/1 at stumps, after India set 316.

Not gonna be a pretty result, methinks!

it'll still look better then our loss in the third test against South Africa...

btw surprised Hughes got the test recall ahead of Khawaja

squad for the first test against Sri Lanka

Michael Clarke (c)
Shane Watson (vc)
Ed Cowan
David Warner
Phil Hughes
Mike Hussey
Matthew Wade
Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Starc
Peter Siddle
Ben Hilfenhaus
Nathan Lyon

Ok, so there's a long story behind Khawaja not getting selected.

He was picked as Captain of the Chairman's XI to face Sri Lanka ahead of the first test.

But....he plays for Sydney Thunder. And so does Michael Clarke. Now, with Michael Clarke's minor back injury, Cricket Australia wouldn't let him play for Sydney Thunder in the big bash this week. They forced him to rest in order to be right for the first test against Sri Lanka.

So, Syndey Thunder, facing the prospect of missing their two best batsmen, made an official complaint to Cricket Australia. As a compromise, CA pulled Khawaja from the Chairman's XI and sent him back to Sydney to play for the Thunder. Word has it that if he had played well for the Chairman's XI he still would have been in the running for a test spot, but now he won't get the chance....

Basically, he got screwed royally by Clarke's back injury...

can't blame CA for wanting to make sure the captain of our national test team is 100% fit to play though, I find it odd that Clarke would have entered the BBL to begin with though given his international T20 record was so poor he ended up retiring from T20

problem is now the only other elder statesman left in the test team is Mike Hussey and he scored two tons against South Africa so his spot is in no danger at all, Wade was really the only batsman besides Clarke and Starc who did anything against the saffers in this past test and both Cowan and Warner made tons in that series as well, Watson is just back into the team and you'd think will pick up on the form he was in prior to his injury so now unless Hughes fails dismally in this upcoming series Khawaja won't get another test opportunity for at least another year

So I was present last night to watch my boy Aaron Finch smack 111 off just 65 and lead my Renegads to victory over the much-fancied Stars!

It was a great night out, the atmosphere was awesome. The best part? Shane Warne's bowling figures of 0-42 off only 2 overs! 2! We smashed him to all corners of the park! It was so satisfying.

I just noticed the Renegades play your mob on my birthday, January 2nd. You South Australians better not spoil my birthday!

mate you've got nothing to worry about, I may support the locals but even I know they have the worst team in the BBL other then Perth

all our best players are representing vic or blue bagger teams

Boy, India got whopped pretty badly. 3 senior players dropped. England definitely are the favs to win at Nagpur.

yeah that was ugly, I hate seeing England win anything but to see them demolish India, wow

You are your bloody cricket and pommy bashing, RO. lol
I still prefer to watch paint drying. :-)
Now if it's was contact cricket I may watch.

so sayeth the Englishman who doesn't like cricket...