Cricket - The Ashes Tour, 2019

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Ashes aspirant Wade scores timely ton as selection calls loom

Rob ForsaithJuly 15, 2019 — 9.17am

Matthew Wade has produced a timely century for Australia A as national selectors prepare to whittle their list of 25 contenders down to a 16-man Ashes squad.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns and his panel are well advanced in planning for the five-Test series that begins at Edgbaston on August 1.

Wade, seen here playing for Tasmania earlier this season, is doing all he can to earn a Test recall.

Wade, seen here playing for Tasmania earlier this season, is doing all he can to earn a Test recall.AAP

But the next fortnight could yet make or break the dreams of many hoping to be part of Australia’s quest for their first Test series win in England since 2001, especially those vying to be the reserve paceman and reserve batsman in the touring party.

That will be named following the unprecedented Australia-Australia A contest, which will feature the nation’s 25 best players and start in Southampton on July 23.

The fierce competition for spots heated up in Canterbury on Sunday, when Wade’s 114 helped Australia A reach 4-362 at stumps on day one of their clash with England Lions.

Travis Head, fully expected to retain his spot in the XI for the first Test, finished 130 not out.

As a walloping Wade shared a 219-run stand with Head, Peter Siddle snared 5-33 from 17 overs in his final county outing before taking part in the Ashes selection trial in Southampton.

Marcus Harris is favoured to open with David Warner in the first Test but Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns are also likely to be considered, while Test incumbents Kurtis Patterson and Marnus Labuschagne are also Wade’s rivals in the scrap over spots.

Siddle, Jackson Bird, Chris Tremain and Michael Neser are jostling for one spot in a squad that is certain to feature Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson.

“We’re going to have some guys that are really unlucky to miss out on this Ashes squad,” captain Tim Paine said.

"For the first time in a long time we’ve got a number of guys in form with both bat and ball.

“The positive of that is the guys who make it will have thoroughly deserved to make it and they’re in really good form.”

View image on Twitter

View image on Twitter


Cricket Australia :heavy_check_mark: @CricketAus

Listen to Matthew Wade, who scored a superb 114 out of the Australia XI’s 4-362 on day one of the four-day game against @englandcricket Lions at @KentCricket - https://m.soundcloud.com/cricket-australia/matthew-wade-media-interview-14-july-2019 … #AusATour

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6:29 AM - Jul 15, 2019

Hazlewood and Pattinson have been rested from the ongoing match in Canterbury, with selectors and medicos keen to carefully manage their workload.

A final decision on how to allocate talent for the all-Australia showdown in Southampton is yet to be made.

The mooted ‘schoolboy draft’, in which Paine and his yet-to-be-named opposing captain would take turns selecting players, is unlikely to go ahead.

“I’d like to see it but I’m not sure how that would work … they might do it in a different way. The staff might pick the teams, I’m not sure,” Paine said.

Yep it is. The more I think about it I think it should be a dead ball in both instances. Otherwise the batting team just benefits from complete luck.

Nah. Off the stumps should definitely be overthrows. If you’ve made your ground then play on.

Off the batsman is less clearcut imo.

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Concur.

You have a ping at the pegs, whatever happens happens. Bat a little more iffy.

Ben Stokes. New Zealand born street thug, hero of England. Lol.

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Definitely not if it hits the stumps. I played with a lot of guys who’d throw recklessly at the stumps even though the runner was well in. And sometimes if it hits the batsman too. If it’s in anyway the batsman’s fault, i’d agree, like if he inadvertently blocks the fieldsman, but i see zero need to change the rule. The obstruction rule covers it perfectly.

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Cricket’s greatest contest ruined by game’s worst rule

Robert Craddock , The Courier-Mail

7 minutes ago

It stands in instant glory as the most dramatic game of cricket ever played, sadly decided by the most drama-sapping, powder-puff rule ever invented.

Cricket never thought it would see anything to match the suspense of its two famous Tied Test matches (Australia v West Indies, Australia v India) before Australia and South Africa played out an epic tie in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup.

But as for two ties in a World Cup final 20 minutes apart?

It beats everything because it meant everything.

Unthinkable, and so tense it was almost unbearable to watch, this match was a gift from the cricketing gods.

Martin Guptill is consoled by teammates and Chris Woakes. Picture: Getty

England’s 44 years of pain washed away. New Zealand’s heartbreak that sadly will live with the team forever.

The only regret about this twisting, twirling beast of a game was the rule which ended it.

To have such a glorious match decided by who hit most boundaries was like separating Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the fifth set at Wimbledon by who hit most aces.

Sport is all about theatre. The challenge for rule-makers is to capture and enhance it not to crush it.

If you have tied the match and then the super over is tied as well the only fair outcome for both sides is another super over - or a shared title.

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS…

Stokes’ Kiwi dad: ‘Trophy should be shared’

Not that England is complaining and nor should they be and you can understand their headline writers tossing up instant gems like ‘Champagne: Super Over’.

England earnt their title the cavalier way and lit up not simply the tournament but the 50-over game.

There have been times in recent years when the one-day game seemed like one of those tired old circus troupes who travel from city to city with flagging support and half-committed performers.

But this tournament and its crackerjack finish have given the format not simply a fresh coat of paint but an electric crackle as it reminded everyone about the spicy plot twists that the game’s often derided middle son can produce which are beyond the scope of the more hyped 20 over game.

England deserved their victory. Picture: Getty

The Kiwis performed magnificently and no team has ever gone closer to winning a major title without raising the trophy.

They will have nightmares about Trent Boult standing on a boundary rope at the death when a catch became a six and The Bat of God incident when Ben Stokes accidentally bunted a ball for four overthrows.

And then there will be the little moments that now seem big: Mitchell Santner ducking under a short ball near the end of the innings when he should have had a swipe at it; Ross Taylor being given out lbw to a ball which would have cleared his stumps; Martin Guptill wasting a review on a ball which would have cannoned into middle stump, robbed Taylor of the chance for a later review.

New Zealand, forever gracious in victory and defeat. Picture: Getty

How on earth will they ever get over it?

Had the Kiwis won, these stories would have been great fodder for guest speaking nights about their potholed path to glory.

Instead they are now agonising memories.

At the time the much-admired Kiwis took it all in their gracious stride and there is so much to learn from their efforts over the past six weeks.

Read the conditions and play accordingly. Play within your limitations. Don’t try and be something you are not. Stay humble and most of all, stay in the contest.

Cricket World Cup: Tom Latham relays what it feels like to be on the losing side of one of cricket’s craziest games agai…

Where England had the big bazookas, New Zealand chipped and chiselled and clawed away like a stone mason crafting a statue.

It almost worked.

The most underrated quality of all in the World Cup - steadiness - almost claimed the prize.

England, tormented by so many ill-fated World Cup soccer campaigns, is celebrating with rare gusto, from the man in the street to famous cricket fans like Sir Tim Rice, the lyricist who penned Jesus Christ Superstar and many other stage hits which, like this game, have an appeal which will never die.

I gotta say, what a ■■■■■■■ terrible over from Jofra. Hopefully that’s how he bowls in the Ashes.

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Still don’t understand how a team that’s bowled out wins.

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What’s this about an ump error with that Stokes overthrow.
Apparently should’ve been 5 and not 6 as the throw from the boundary was released before the batters had crossed.

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What an effort by NZ to take out India in the.semi and then yesterday. Gutted for them. They have made the WC a very memorable one. Every Kiwi should be so proud of them.

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I thought it was when the ball crosses the pitch. From when the throw is made - that seems ridiculous to me. Very ridiculous.

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Given how they adjudge the winner, ridiculous is cricket’s forte.

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It would be more valid to review all the balls bowled for no balls and adjust the score (which would also be ridiculous)

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The rule says something along the lines of “if the batters have crossed at the moment of the throw or act” which is ambiguous as to the intent. Perhaps it’s in relation to someone kicking or accidently/deliberately throwing the ball over/into the rope rather than the scenario seen last night? Or if the overthrow slowly rolls to the fence on the other side of the pitch from the throw and the batsmen have already run 3, then three more on the overthrow, and then it reaches the fence for four more. Improbable, but possible.

Surely it wouldn’t have been so hard to do another super over?

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After 51 overs:

NZ 256/9 vs England 256/10

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Amazing final, terrible way to decide the winner

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