The Ashes: Perth.

[yuppie]

Sounds like Vince got a snorting delivery this time, instead of giving his wicket away.

It was a fantastic delivery from Starc!

That will be on the highlights for many a year.

[yuppie]

We need about two more hours of play to wrap this up, I feel. The forecast is for more rain. Another 6 for 35 would do just nicely. The urn is coming home, bit I'll be honest, I want a white wash. A whitewash in the Ashes is such a beautiful thing. It helps to ease the pain of the 2005 defeat, the scars from which may never fully heal.

Watching the highlights form todays play the ball seemed to be doing a bit more off the pitch, and even a bit more in the air than the previous days. If it stays like that tomorrow it should be enough for the Australians to wrap up the innings.

Rain is Englands best hope, but their 2 best batsman of the series are at the crease.

Broad and Cook, major problems for England. It certainly feels that Broad is having his Gillespie moment.

[GarlicJam]

Yesterday, or the day before, Michael Clarke was on air, talking about the WACA's cracks in the pitch.

He stated along the lines of: throughout my career, I have never seen the cracks cause a batsman's loss of wicket. The IDEA of what the cracks may do, yes, but no wickets have fallen directly attributable to the cracks.




You go and have a quiet word to James Vince, Clarkie, see what he has to say.

[yuppie]

Vinces face said it all

[sussexpob]

Yesterday, or the day before, Michael Clarke was on air, talking about the WACA's cracks in the pitch.

He stated along the lines of: throughout my career, I have never seen the cracks cause a batsman's loss of wicket. The IDEA of what the cracks may do, yes, but no wickets have fallen directly attributable to the cracks.




You go and have a quiet word to James Vince, Clarkie, see what he has to say.

I said before the test that Mike hussey said exactly the same thing. The ball never spits out the cracks despite what they look like

[mikesiva]

Is there a case for Cummins to be promoted up the order to replace starc at eight?

[yuppie]

Is there a case for Cummins to be promoted up the order to replace starc at eight?

From the evidence in this series, i would think so.

[KipperJohn]

Sounds like Vince got a snorting delivery this time, instead of giving his wicket away.

It was a fantastic delivery from Starc!

That will be on the highlights for many a year.

From what I’ve read it was going down the leg side then hit a crack. If that was deliberate by the bowler then, fair enough, it’s indeed a fantastic delivery; if not then it was just pure luck.

[yuppie]

Sounds like Vince got a snorting delivery this time, instead of giving his wicket away.

It was a fantastic delivery from Starc!

That will be on the highlights for many a year.

From what I’ve read it was going down the leg side then hit a crack. If that was deliberate by the bowler then, fair enough, it’s indeed a fantastic delivery; if not then it was just pure luck.

I would think the bowler would be aiming for the cracks, but after that its just luck. Just as much chance for the ball to go even further down leg side.

Even so, its a great wicket taking delivery, and will be shown for years to come.

[meninblue]

The crack got his wicket.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think the crack not being a factor in making batting harder but gets into the mind of the batter is just accepted/received wisdom. Of course if it hits the crack it will misbehave. Perhaps it just happens infrequently.

[meninblue]

I think the crack not being a factor in making batting harder but gets into the mind of the batter is just accepted/received wisdom. Of course if it hits the crack it will misbehave. Perhaps it just happens infrequently.

Cracks definitely make batting difficult. It is proved in lot of matches (Wankhede, Nagpur, Mohali , Kotla from Indian wickets itself) . Kumble got 10 wickets at Kotla, most because of crack resulting in the ball taking abnormal paths and very inconsistent bounce from the same crack spot. Nayan Mongia had to wear the helmet and he got hit few times while keeping !! On day 5 in India, the cracks gets spinners those extra wickets.

Kotla wicket is a prime example of how cracks can make batting very tough. It has been under scrutiny in few tests. In 2013 the match versus Aussies ended in 3 days. Cracks started to develop on day 1 and Aussies lost lot of wickets on the day 1 (some due to cracks impact) . Some balls were staying too low and some bounced too high.

[GarlicJam]

Is there a case for Cummins to be promoted up the order to replace starc at eight?

From the evidence in this series, i would think so.

It has been discussed a fair bit this series, even ny Starc, who is not against the idea.

[meninblue]

I think the crack not being a factor in making batting harder but gets into the mind of the batter is just accepted/received wisdom. Of course if it hits the crack it will misbehave. Perhaps it just happens infrequently.

Cracks definitely make batting difficult. It is proved in lot of matches (Wankhede, Nagpur, Mohali , Kotla from Indian wickets itself) . Kumble got 10 wickets at Kotla, most because of crack resulting in the ball taking abnormal paths and very inconsistent bounce from the same crack spot. Nayan Mongia had to wear the helmet and he got hit few times while keeping !! On day 5 in India, the cracks gets spinners those extra wickets.

Kotla wicket is a prime example of how cracks can make batting very tough. It has been under scrutiny in few tests. In 2013 the match versus Aussies ended in 3 days. Cracks started to develop on day 1 and Aussies lost lot of wickets on the day 1 (some due to cracks impact) . Some balls were staying too low and some bounced too high.

Add to it the one ball that Ryan Harris bowled to Ben on day 5 at Perth. It was ridiculous deviation. Nathan Lyon bowled one which was taken by leg slip ! and signaled wide. Ian Bishop bowled a wide too in 1997 on this wicket due to deviation from crack. The video links are posted below. These were as bad as Kumble getting help from some wickets which had cracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oAdJ9Q0-6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yC_gmk4p4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EKmlJgpptY


I remember Monty getting enormous bounce on tour of India. The keeper and slip fielder (i think Cook) had lot of trouble gathering the ball. iirc the Englnd keeper was wearing helmet as well when Monty bowled.

Tough to believe Michael Clarke hasn't watched any of that, either while playing in India or at Perth or on videos.

[yuppie]

Richies commentary on the Bishop ball is great.

After bowling on the WACA road for the first 3 days, tough to begrudge the bowlers some assistance on the final 2 days.