2024 - 2025 Summer of Cricket

Labu is still averaging 49.56 in tests but his form in the last 12 months has been patchy and he often has looked completely out of form. In his last 14 innings (since the start of the Australian summer last year) he has 8 scores of 10 or less, a 1 not out, 16, 63, 60, 62 not out and 90 as James said in his last test. By my calculations he has scored 325 runs at 27.08 during this period.

I agree that it would be harsh dropping him now but by taking the usual step of including a reserve batsman in the squad, the selectors are preparing for that possibility.

With Smith also struggling for consistency, the selectors need to pay close attention to our batting lineup. We want to beat India and be at our best for next summer.
 
Interesting series starting today. Both sides suddenly starting to look a bit shakey. India will probably bounce back a little bit from the NZ series, but Australia should be too strong at home.

I think it comes down to the Australian batting though, I’m interested to see if Smith gets back into form dropping down the order. Khawaja is the only one that looks really solid atm … and he 38 in a few day’s time.
 
The days of Australia and India being strong batting sides are over. It will be very interesting to watch each side bat.

I’m very happy McSweeney has been selected, he may not be an instant success but I was impressed with the way he batted in the Australia A V India A game. He is a gritty type of batsman.
 
Aust on a whole is an aging side throughout, batting and bowling, changes will need to be made soon, not wholesale but gradual keeping in mind time is against a few of them already.
This game/series should sort them out a bit
 
That was a very strange moment with KL Rahul's dismissal. Couldn't the snicko show a view that showed the ball passing the bat and the bat in relation to the pad? From front on for example? haha ... terrible work.

Pretty sure it was out though, from later replays it looked like the bat hit the pad a while after the frame that had the spike on the snicko.
 
Exceptional bowling by Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins. An excellent way to start a test series.

India have a very dangerous batsmen in Pant at the crease now and an impressive newcomer in Jurel with him. Next in Sundar batted well against England. India are under a lot pressure now.
 
India didn’t appear score anywhere near enough runs. The Australian bowlers were far too good for the Indian batsmen.

Pant is a very dangerous batsman, he is exciting to watch. I’m looking forward to watching his performance against the Australian bowlers this summer.

McSweeney did as well as can be expected for a new opener. Good that we have a left hand and right hand opening combination again.

Labuschagne needs to work harder on his weakness outside the off stump.

I’m starting to think Smith’s test career is in terminal decline, it looks to me like his technique is no longer up to test cricket anymore and it seems to be just a question of time before he gets out LBW.

Head will counter attack and when it comes off he looks great, but he will not always be successful.

Australia should have been 5/31. It may be a bowler dominated series this Summer.
 
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It gets worse - 6/47. Labuschagne out twice for 2 from 52 balls.

What a shocking start to the summer by Australia.
 
Thought it was always better to bowl first at WACA or is it the players in ability to handle the pitch.
We are in trouble?????, big effort needed to save this game, result is definate who?, somebody has to step up big time
 
Lefty said:
India didn’t appear score anywhere near enough runs. The Australian bowlers were far too good for the Indian batsmen.

Pant is a very dangerous batsman, he is exciting to watch. I’m looking forward to watching his performance against the Australian bowlers this summer.

McSweeney did as well as can be expected for a new opener. Good that we have a left hand and right hand opening combination again.

Labuschagne needs to work harder on his weakness outside the off stump.

I’m starting to think Smith’s test career is in terminal decline, it looks to me like his technique is no longer up to test cricket anymore and it seems to be just a question of time before he gets out LBW.

Head will counter attack and when it comes off he looks great, but he will not always be successful.

Australia should have been 5/31. It may be a bowler dominated series this Summer.
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I wonder if Smith is suffering the same thing that happened to KP. Both have an unusual technique that relies on great hand - eye coordination. Once that starts to dip a little bit it has a larger impact on their overall game because they don’t have that solid technique to rely upon.
 
Thieves Like Us said:
I wonder if Smith is suffering the same thing that happened to KP. Both have an unusual technique that relies on great hand - eye coordination. Once that starts to dip a little bit it has a larger impact on their overall game because they don’t have that solid technique to rely upon.
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It can happen to any batsman though, even Ponting and you wouldn’t say he had a weird technique.

Batting definitely the weakness of both these teams at the moment, they both suddenly look very fragile in that department. Some great bowling from both sides though. This could be over by day three!
 
Day 3 before lunch!I don't like such one sided matches, games being over too quickly if bowling dominates, or batting dominating and there's huge scores leading to a draw.

It's a delicate balance to keep the games, well, balanced.
 
Treadly said:
Day 3 before lunch!I don't like such one sided matches, games being over too quickly if bowling dominates, or batting dominating and there's huge scores leading to a draw.

It's a delicate balance to keep the games, well, balanced.
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You can’t say it’s really down to the pitch or conditions or anything though, just the current strengths and weaknesses of these sides.

Personally I don’t mind the odd low-scoring game, but it would get boring if every test was like that. And even though I was a batsman, there’s nothing worse in the world to watch than a 560/4 dec. vs 570/7 dec. test match bat-athon lol.
 
I think the Australian batting lineup is getting the wake up call it needs. Hopefully we can make some changes to our batting lineup, I would like to see Labuschagne and Smith dropped before the end of Summer and players such as Inglis and perhaps Konstas a few test matches to settle into the team to be ready to take on the old enemy next Summer.
 
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