Australia - 2017 and Beyond

[q felt]

Austalia vs Bangladesh - 2nd ODI

A few changes for the 2nd match, trying to get everyone a game. The pitch looked good for the seamers, so Bangladesh decided to bowl first after the obligatory win of the toss.

Australia Innings
The pitch proved even trickier than expected with only Cutting able to score faster than a run a ball for his 12* (10). White guided the early part of the innings with 27 (30), but the main responsibility fell to Nevill who finished 37* (41). An odd innings indeed.

Bangladesh Innings
Bangladesh looked as though they were batting on a different pitch, flying past our total 2 wickets down and with 5 overs to spare

Australia: 7/106
Nevill 37
White 27
Al Hasan 2/19
Hossain 2/23
Bangladesh: 2/107
Jilani 33*
Iqbal 33
Henriques 1/14
Hilfenhaus 1/18


AB Medal
3 Henriques - 4-0-14-1 was easily the pick of the bowlers.
2 Nevill - despite doing it slowly, scored useful runs.
1 White - tried hard despite the wickets tumbling around him

Verdict
Bizarre batting, I've never scored so slowly on nearly full aggression.. Forget about it, World Cup time!

[q felt]

Michael 'Pup' Clarke retires

Before the T20 world Cup and following his spectacular 188 vs Bangladesh, 37 year old test captain Michael Clarke has announced his retirement from all forms of the game, effective immediately. It's a big blow for a struggling batting line up but Clarke deserves to go out on top after a fine career. At the time of his retirement he had scored 12,800 test runs, second to only Ricky Ponting in test runs for Australia and 6th overall. He is also one of only 13 batsmen to score 10,000 ODI runs Here are his stats:



James Pattinson has been named as captain of the squad and test team, while Glenn Maxwell will take over the reins in ODI's and T20's were Pattinson rarely plays. The new era has arrived!

[q felt]

T20 World Cup in Australia

No real surprises in the T20 World Cup squad. Pattinson strengthens the bowling with some rare T20 appearances, while Maddinson and Lynn are in as a result of some strong performances in the IPL. Let's do this! Here are their T20i stats for this year, as you can see this is a bit of a fresh team:

[q felt]

T20WC Group D - Australia vs England

The pitch looked pretty favorable to the bowlers for the first game of the World Cup. We got the better of England in the T20's last season, let's see if we can continue the form… We lost another toss and would have to bat first.



Australia Innings
Losing 2 wickets in the first over and another in the fourth was a less than ideal start. Hughes belted 31 off 16 but didn't last long as we slumped to 5/52. Burns (28 off 36) built a solid partnership with Nevill before throwing his wicket away with the score at 100 with 6.3 overs remaining. When Nevill was out for 41 (28) a few overs later our challenge faded and we were all out for 128, wasting 1.2 overs.

England Innings
England made a quick start but some tight bowling from Pattinson and Faulkner reeled them back in. Then Watson got us on top with a fine spell of 4-0-13-2. Unfortunately Henriques let them back in the game conceding 40 from his allotment of ten and England were left needing 6 from Starc last over to win. Three single were followed by a big LBW appeal and another single, leaving England 2 to get from the last ball. IT'S A THAI!!. Balance got a single and the match was tied.




AB Medal
3 Watson - brilliant spell kept us in it.
2 Nevill - his innings gave us a total worth defending
1 Starc - a nerveless final over allowed us to escape with a point

Verdict
What a thriller to start! Literally 0 damage to our NRR, but now a must win game coming up against… Zimbabwe.

[q felt]

T20WC Group D - Australia vs Zimbabwe

Maddinson comes in for Burns and Cummins for Henriques for the second match. A seam friendly Adelaide pitch awaits. Maxwell finally gets a toss and we'll be bowling first.




Zimbabwe Innings
Pattinson was, again, strangely, wicketless, but Cummins and Faulkner ripped through the top order, taking 4/8 and 3/12 respectively to reduce Zimbabwe to 7/38. They managed a fight back and finished the innings 9/68.

Australian Innings
We lost he openers cheaply but Hughes belted 47* from 24 deliveries to give us an 8 wicket win in 8 overs.




AB Medal
3 Cummins - great spell, he is good vs Zimbabwe
2 Faulkner - also bowled real well
1 Hughes - blasted away from the start to ensure a quick win.

Verdict
We top the group and hopefully can carry this form forward.

[q felt]

T20WC Super 8 Group B - Australia vs South Africa

Our Super 8 group consisted of South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies, South Africa was first up. Smith replaces Maddinson on another seam friendly SCG pitch, where Maxwell got us back on the toss losing streak, meaning we would bowl first.




SA Innings
Faulkner took the new ball with Pattinson and had both Amla and ABdV out in his first over. De Kock and Roussow built a stead partnership but scored at less than 6/over until Starc made the breakthrough. He and Cummins then grabbed another four between them, though SA did manage to lift the RR slightly. Pattinson grabbed his first wicket of the World Cup in the final over and SA ended up 8/116.

Australia Innings
Warner and Watson made a rapid start that took SA out of the game, and despite a flurry of wickets when they departed we got home by 6 wickets with 5 overs remaining.




AB Medal
3 Starc - his spell stopped SA getting a competitive total
2 Watson - batted well for his 44.
1 Faulkner - got the big guns early.

Verdict
That's how we want to do it! Still 4 games to go and we need to keep this form.

[q felt]

T20WC Super 8 Group B - Australia vs West Indies

No changes to the team for the next match on a very flat Perth pitch. We lost another toss and would be batting first.



Australia Innings
Kemar Roach made 2 early breakthroughs, but Maxwell and Hughes got us back on track. Chris Lynn was the surprise packet, scoring 59 from 38, but his wicket sparked a min collapse, and e finished 8/163.


WI Innings
Faulkner again made the early breakthrough, but it was Starc who got us on top, taking 4/33 from his 4. Watson and Pattinson chipped in with a couple of wickets, but the West Indies staged a bit of a fight back and needed 14 off the last over, to be delivered by Faulkner, with 1 wicket in hand. Number 9 Cotterrell started with a 4, but he took a single from the 3rd ball and Faulkner was too good for Roach, beating him outside off, rapping him on the pad and eventually getting and LBW decision from the umpire on the last ball, handing us an 8 run win.




AB Medal
3 Lynn - a really classy innings, glad he was included in the squad!
2 Starc - he is on fire with the ball through the middle overs.
1 Maxwell - a steady innings from the captain in the middle overs helped us make a decent total.

Verdict
We sit atop the group after 2 games for each team, by only by virtue of NRR. Our next game is against New Zealand who are also undefeated, so we are guaranteed a place in the Semis. The other group is harder to call, with each team winning one of their first 2 games.

[q felt]

And after that marathon upload spree, I get to play again. Just FYI, I don't sim any games, but i do like to get a bit of a roll on before uploading.. Also, I watch nearly no replays and play over by over or auto when batting in tests - quantity over quality...

[DaveK93]

And after that marathon upload spree, I get to play again. Just FYI, I don't sim any games, but i do like to get a bit of a roll on before uploading.. Also, I watch nearly no replays and play over by over or auto when batting in tests - quantity over quality...

I'm the same, I like to have a few done, then release them at the same time. I figured I can play more of the game without a break then.

[q felt]

T20WC Super 8 Group B - Australia vs New Zealand

Maddinson replaces Warner who is low on form. If we win this and go on to win the tournament, that would be 6 T20 wins on the trot. Seems a lot, so maybe now is a good time to lose with the semis wrapped up? Anyway, we won the toss and batted on a flat MCG pitch.




Australia Innings
We started out looking for a 200+ score, but quick wickets slowed the momentum. At 4/46 we pulled back and Steve Smith played a good innings of 48 (29). Despite having lost a lot of wickets, the tail powered on and 38* (19) from Faulkner (who had been struggling for form with the bat) got us to the end of the 20 overs at 9/174.

New Zealand Innings
New Zealand batted well and we found it tricky to stop the flow of runs. Rutherford was a highlight with 64 (45). New Zealand needed 18 off the last 2 overs with 5 wickets in hand. They scored 11 off Starc's second last over, leaving Watson with 7 to defend. He had Jesse Ryder caught in the deep first play, then bowled a dot ball to Bracewell. They squeezed through for a single on the 3rd ball of the over, leaving 6 to win off 3 with Cachopa on strike. There was a single, then a dot ball, and with five needed off the last ball, Watson oversteps!!! Bracewell could only manage one off the free hit however, and we were home by 2.




AB Medal
3 Faulkner - good all round performance
2 Smith - seems to be finding some form
1 Watson - nerves of steel in the last over. Who would want to bowl the last ball twice!

Verdict
A good win. We may meet NZ again in this WC, they are a tough team. We go through on top from the Super 8 stage. And the semi final draw is complete.

[q felt]

T20WC Semi Final - Australia vs India

This was going to be tough, but we were confident having beaten India in India during the T20 series just last year. Warner is back in for Maddinson on a pitch that is expected to help the bowlers in Perth. Maxwell won the toss and decided to bowl first.


India Innings
Faulkner removed Dhawan and Reddy early, but was expensive as he bowled his 4 overs straight through. Cummins had 2/2 after 7 balls, but he too could not follow it up. Eventually it was Starc who removed Pujara, the main aggressor for 53 (36). India really stepped off the gas, both Watson and Pattinson bowling maidens. India finished with 8/132.

Australia Innings
Warner and Hughes didn't last long, but Watson and Maxwell made short work of the Indian total and saw us through to the final!




AB Medal
3 Watson - batted terrifically well, a welcome return to form.
2 Cummins - took crucial wickets to restrict India
1 Maxwell - also did a great job with the bat

Verdict
A great performance to make it through to the final, where we will play New Zealand who beat England by 17 runs after scoring 184.

[q felt]

T20WC Final - Australia vs New Zealand

It was a seamers pitch that greeted us at the MCG in front of 100.000 fans for the world cup final. Maxwell has found some form and won another toss, and we elected to bowl first. We were unchanged from the team that defeated India in the semi final.




New Zealand Innings
The home town support fired up James Pattinson and he removed Hamish Rutherford for 4 in the first over. Williamson and Raval kept attacking until Faulkner broke the partnership, New Zealand 2/47 after 6. Cummins had Moon caught and bowled for 1, a big blow as he had scored 75* against England. The n Starc's first over saw Raval bowled for 35 (28) and New Zealand were 4/72. Cachopa and Munro built a solid partnership before Pattinson's reintroduction in the 16th over saw the former back to the pavillon for 26 (25). Pattinson then removed Munro with the last ball of the 19th over and New Zealand were 6/150. Watson dominated the last over, taking 2/4, New Zealand finishing on 8/154.

Australia Innings
Warner was out for 2 in the first over and Hughes for 7 in the third, but Shane Watson took the attack to New Zealand. He and Maxwell looked set to repeat the partnership from the last game but Maxwell was bowled by Golley for 12 (9) and Lynn followed in the same over and we were 4/58 after 7. Smith and Nevill both departed for single figures, and we needed 68 from the last 8 overs with Watson and Starc at the crease. When Watson was out for 54 (37) we were in deep trouble and needed 29 from the last 2 overs. Starc lost his wicket straight away, and Pattinson followed for a solitary 6 four balls later. 22 from the last over looked too big a task for Cummins and Faulkner, and it was, Cummins out to the first ball of the last over and New Zealnd won by 21 runs.




AB Medal
3 Watson - excelled with bat and ball
2 Pattinson - 3 wickets helped slow NZ down a bit.
1 Faulkner - a gallant 23* (17) nearly gave us a shot.

Verdict
New Zealand are deserving champions, their ability to restrict our run rate through the middle of the innings proved the difference.

T20 WORLD CHAMPIONS: NEW ZEALAND

[q felt]

Australia vs South Africa - 1st Test

Next up a 3 test home series vs South Africa. 3 (us) vs 4. We were presented with a very flat Gabba track for James Pattinson's first test in charge. Burns comes in to replace Clarke and Agar is in for Siddle. Patto is off to a good start, winning the toss and electing to bat on a gorgeous Brisbane day.



Day 1
A steady start saw us 1/79 at lunch, Watson the man out for 29. Hughes fell after lunch for 37, but Joe Burns showed the form that has won him the highest average in shield cricket so far this year and moved to 36* by tea, while Khawaja was intent on occupying the crease on 55* after two sessions of batting. Burns fell for 58 just before the arrival of the second new ball, while Khawaja was battling the nervous nineties at the other end. He and Doolan saw out the day, on 111* and 31* respectively, the team score 3/280.

Day 2
Doolan was out in the first over of the day, and Triffitt followed closely behind. Half an hour later we lost Khawaja for a well made 124 and had slumped to 6/314. Starc continued his impressive run with the bat, making 41, but his dismissal bought Faulkner and Pattinson together and they promptly dropped anchor and remained unbeaten through to tea. They both passed 50 shortly after the interval and set about scoring quick runs. Faulkner was eventually dismissed for 71, and when Behrendorff followed soon after for a duck, Pattinson was stranded on 61*. The captains tally for the season has risen to 4 fifties in 5 innings, and he has been dismissed only twice for an average of 129.50. Freak. We finished with 495 and had an hour to bowl at the South African before the close. Pattinson and Faulkner resumed their partnership with the ball and soon had a wick each, and South Africa finished the day at 2/67.

Day 3
Faulkner grabbed another 2 wickets in the morning session to send South Africa to lunch at 4/145. At tea, they were 51 runs away from the follow on mark with 7 wickets down after we struck via Behrendorff, Agar and a run out. Faulkner and Pattinson were unable, however, to make in roads with the second new ball, Behrendorff and Starc eventually finishing off the tail and securing a 163 runs 1st innings lead. We were 0/7 at stumps.

Day 4
The plan was to bat aggressively for 2 sessions and set South Africa 400-450. Watson and Khawaja were not equal to the task and fell early for 4 each, but Burns and Hughes combined more favorably, extending our score to 3/97 by lunch. Doolan and Burns played aggressively after lunch, making 57 and 79 respectively before falling. At 5/197 our lead was 360 with half an hour to tea, but with two new batsmen our scoring slowed and we would have to continue after the interval. We declared 42 minutes into the evening session, setting South Africa 426, which would allow us to be very aggressive on a dead pitch. Triffitt was unbeaten on 53. Pattinson grabbed two wickets in his third over and Starc given a solitary attempt in the last over before stumps also grabbed one to leave South Africa 3/37.

Day 5
Behrendorff grabbed a wicket early in the day but this brought together the dream team of ABdV and Amla (# is for some reason a number 6 now, scary). They got through to lunch at 4/137. Pattinson eventually broke the partnership half an hour before tea, but South Africa finished with 5 wickets left to negotiate the final session. The captain bowled his heart out but could only manage one more wicket, South Africa finishing the day at 6/299, ABdV unbeaten on 141.

Austrailia 1st Innings 495
Khawaja 124
Faulkner 71
Olivier 4/95
Philander 2/101
South Africa 1st Innings 332
Willoughby 104
Philander 45
Faulkner 3/71
Behrendorff 2/46
Australia 2nd Innings 5(dec)/262
Burns 79
Doolan 57
Steyn 2/54
Philander 2/86
South Africa 2nd Innings 6/299
De Villiers 141*
Smuts 52
Pattinson 4/82
Starc 1/39
MATCH DRAWN
MOTM: AB de Villiers


AB Medal
3 Khawaja -provided a backbone for the first innings, something we always miss when he isn't around.
2 Pattinson - never stopped trying, with bat or ball
1 Faulkner - a decent allround performance, particularly in the first innings.

Verdict
My first draw as captain. I played Agar in case the pitch turned, he couldn't find any and it will be tough to justify his inclusion again.

[q felt]

Australia vs South Africa - 2nd Test

Unusually no spin was expected from the Adelaide oval pitch but plenty of seam, so Agar was omitted for Maxwell. We lost the toss and would bowl first, probably a good toss to lose…



Day 1
Batting first was definitely the right decision and South Africa were 0/105 at lunch. The bowling improved after the break and Pattinson, Starc and Faulkner each claimed a wicket. By stumps, South Africa were 5/291, a good fightback on our part after the big opening stand.

Day 2
We continued to bowl well early in the day and had South Africa all out for 385, Pattinson and Faulkner grabbing 3 each, while Starc and Behrendorff grabbed 2. South Africa started well and by tea we had slumped to 4/91, with all of our top 4 out. Dense cloud cover saw the ball continue to swing in the evening and we were 8/210 at stumps, but it was ok because Starc and Pattinson were sure to save us on the next morning. Right?!?

Day 3
Pattinson fought for 23 before he was caught behind and Behrendorff didn't last long, Starc stranded on the innings top score of 59*, the team total a dismal 249. De Cock belted a hundred between lunch and tea, but his wicket was followed by a collapse at the hands of Pattinson and Starc, as they claimed 5/48 and 3/72 respectively, South Africa all out for 183, a lead of 319 with 2 days and an hour to go. Khawaja and Watson were unbeaten at stumps and we had whittled away 58 runs from the total.

Day 4
Watson was out early but Hughes and Khawaja took us to lunch at 1/128. It was the dismissal of Khawaja for 65 that triggered our collapse and Burns, Doolan, Hughes and Maxwell were soon back in the pavilion. Starc and Triffitt attempted a fightback but it was to no avail and when Behrendorff joined Pattinson at the crease we still needed an even 100 to win. Behrendorff equaled his top test score of 15, but we lost by 75 runs.



AB Medal
3 Pattinson - almost got us back in the game
2 Starc - batted and bowled well
1 Khawaja - remains the only top order bat who is close to consistent

Verdict
The margin ended up being close to what we gave away in good conditions on the first morning. Still the batting needs desperately to improve.

[q felt]

Australia vs South Africa - 3rd Test

Maxwell is out of the squad, neither his batting or bowling is really good enough to warrant a place. 21 yr old Victorian opening batsman Paul Atkins replaces him, let's hope he the next Don Bradman, but I'd take the Keith Stackpole or something at this point. It was another flat track, and I dropped Watson - he wasn't needed for his bowling on a flat track with Agar in the team and his batting form has dropped. We won the toss and batted.



Day 1
Atkins was LBW to Steyn for 2, and both Hughes and Burns also fell before lunch. When Khawaja was out for 39 right after the interval we were in big trouble at 4/88. Doolan and Triffit rebuilt before the former was out for 56, and the latter followed soon after for 46. It was left to the bowlers (technically all rounders in the game of course) Starc and Agar to do the batsmens job yet again, and they did so with aplomb, both reaching fine half centuriess and keeping their wickets until stumps. We finished the day 6/299.

Day 2
Agar and Starc cruised past their centuries on the next morning and in doing so set an Australian all-time record for the 7th wicket. At lunch they had combined for 225 and we were 6/392. Starc was out for 106 right after the interval, the partnership stopping at 228. Agar and Faulkner tried to up the tempo and put together a strong partnership but Agar's dismissal for 130 saw the tail collapse and we were all out for 457. Pattinson made 2 and his average will tumble! Pattinson grabbed an early wicket and Behrendorff chipped in with 2, and South Africa were 3/157 by the close of play.

Day 3
Agar bowled well and snapped up 2 wickets, then the second new ball did the trick, Pattinson and Faulkner running through the South African tail to give us a 115 run first innings lead. Atkins and Khawaja batted well and got us to stumps at 0/84.

Day 4
Khawaja got 50 then got out, but it was Atkins turn to be a star and he was 88* by lunch. He reached he century soon after the break with a 6, taking 205 balls to do so. He then attempted to lift the aggression in search of a declaration and lost his wick on 106, but signaled himself as a star of the future. From there we hit out, looking to declare at tea and we did so at 9/322, a 437 run lead. Hughes remained not out on 82. The quicks grabbed a wicket each before stumps, and with South Africa having one batsman retire hurt in the 1st innings, they were effectively 5/81 at stumps and their chances at victory dead.

Day 5
South Africa were bundled out for 115, the wickets shared between Behrendorff, Pattinson and Agar, while Starc and Faulkner had the day off.



AB Medal
3 - Agar - took 4 wickets and top scored in the first innings, well done! (it was also the first time he passed 50 in a test in this reality)
2 - Atkins - along with Hughes and Khawaja he held the second innings togeher to put us in a winning position
1 - Starc- his partnership with Agar really rescued the first innings.

Verdict
A win is a win is a win, but to be rescued by 7 and 8 is always a bit of a worry. Hopefully Atkins can continue to improve.

SERIES RESULT: 1 each, a draw.