Read in a national paper last week that test selector Bailey “has stopped short of guaranteeing Warner will open for the first Ashes test (very good) but sees a scenario where Mitch Marsh could play alongside Cam Green”. It was inferred he meant as an opener. Uzzy would most likely think, “so where in the name of Allah do I fit into the picture?”
To me, opening with a white ball on a deck like a road in India (or Australia), where getting 60 in 30 balls is an excellent innings, is somewhat different than opening an Ashes test on an English seamer with a red Dukes ball. How well do you think Marsh’s skill sets are attuned to managing that difference?
The selectors and even he wouldn’t know because he has never tried it, but unless we have been deceiving ourselves for 120 years that opening in tests is a specialist field, my projection would be that he could go through the whole series as an opener and average under 10, much like Warner previously did.
In tests in England, the ball will do something!
Perhaps Bailey never played enough test cricket to understand that, or perhaps he’s a cricketing genius who reckons this opening gig is easy and someone like Marsh, with three slips, two gullies, third man, point, fine leg and square leg will have so much of the field open to him that he’ll score a 100 by lunch, job done.
It’s interesting that Airport Road has again be re-sealed. Second time in not-too-many months. We must assume the first effort was a pre-seal.
A warning must be issued that the speed limit along there has been reduced to 60km/h from the previous 70km/h.
Is the lowered speed limit to prevent throwing up stones, or is it again a lack of confidence in the job?
Tigers and Carlton supporters should probably keep pretty quiet for a while now as neither team are doing as well as they would have liked.
Tigers might have an excuse having been up there for a while, but my team, yep – Carlton, have no excuses.
Hawthorn will win a flag before the Blues.
Jon Roberts played a ripping game in the ruck for Kerang twos on April 22 against the Mallee Eagles and was rightfully named best-on-ground for the day.
Thing is, the next day playing in the ruck for the Kerang and Swan Hill Rams in the Super Rules competition, he was worked over by his Ballarat opponent.
Clearly he was too tired from his Saturday efforts. Great work, Jon.
The Rams had a good win against the Ballarat Diggers in round one of the Super Rules played on April 22, and have found a winning combination of the two towers up forward in Grayls and Bob.
These two were fairly well spoon-fed by Moorey coming out of the middle, who played a blinder.
Paul kicked the lazy six or seven thanks to Pete Moore’s fine work. Or was it five or six?
Next week the Rams head off to play Moorabool and will be taking a bus as usual. Of course, players are always welcome to come along for a run and social members would also be most welcome.
