The Adelaide Oval: Progression or a sad loss of beauty?

Venues that have hosted Australian Cricket have undergone many changes in a relatively short space of time. These changes have been done so with the intention of progression; a necessity to modernise the facilities and conveniently hold greater capacities. One ground in particular has seen its fair share of change in its time, but the recent facelift is one that has taken away many of its unique identities and may strip away its title from being a picturesque cricket ground to just another characterless sports stadium in Australia.

Is the redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval a vital step towards necessary progression, or a commercial drive that has resulted in a sad loss of the grounds natural beauty and appeal as a traditional looking cricket ground with serious economic consequences?

I took my first footstep on the dark green grass of the Adelaide Oval’s hill in March this year during a Sheffield Shield game between South Australia and Western Australia. It was a great moment and one I will remember forever, having waited 19 years to get to the ground. My introduction to cricket was the 1992 World Cup played in Australia. As a result the grounds throughout the country hold a special place in my memory, the scene where I fell in love with the game. The Adelaide Oval was always one of the venues I had a soft spot for.

Having grown up watching cricket at Newland’s Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa, one can surely understand my connection to traditional, scenic cricket grounds around the globe. This results in a feeling that some grounds should be kept in a condition owing to the strong characteristics they give off. The Adelaide Oval is one ground that’s slightly numbing to see undergo a serious revamp, which will see a vast number of notable beauties become a thing of the past.

Renowned sports writer, Gideon Haigh, recently spoke at the Adelaide Writer’s Weekly and made mention that he feels the Adelaide Oval will lose its charm. Simply put by Haigh, in what I detect to be an almost defeatist tone, "it's going to be a football ground”. Haigh tapped into a good point that one may in time feel (when watching cricket at the Adelaide Oval) as if they are simply at any ground around the world. You will likely lose that feel you are in Adelaide; you are at the Adelaide Oval.

The Adelaide Oval stood out amongst the other places where cricket is played in Australia. The Bellerive Oval – or Blundstone Arena – still has some charm but the Adelaide Oval definitely had a special style to it, a unique style one would have to look very hard at now so see. Regrettably, I will never experience what many fortunate viewers were able to soak up.

Different views towards to current construction areas.
Photos taken by Ian Reid (Baggy Green Blog).

As my sense of euphoria subsided during my first day at the Adelaide Oval, I quietly watched the South-East stands undergo development. I slowly understood the reasons behind the development with an aerial view image of the original ground open on my mobile phone. The 2015 Cricket World Cup is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Adelaide needed to boost the stadium’s capacity to meet potential demand for this event and both AFL teams; The Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide, who will find a dual home in the city.

With an estimated increase to a 53,000 capacity stadium, will it be sustainable in the long run? There is already talk of budget issues, that projected revenue and attendance numbers will not be met, and negative outcries over the visioned new look have been a big topic for debate amongst local Adelaideans. I’d imagine a fair deal of frustration as well amongst the tax payers who don't have sport top of their agenda – the State Government invested $450 AU million dollars into the project.

Good sport teams with strong performances have leverage to build big fan bases and attract supporters to the home grounds. However, AFL has been hit by drug scandals, Australian Cricket is in a dark period of rejuvenation, and the South Australian Redbacks continue to remain merely steady in their relevant State formats. The Big Bash has helped build the team profile somewhat. These teams have a role to play to ensure demand is built so the stadiums estimated supply can be met. Better performances are bound to help capacity demands.

The supporters and SACA members whose views I’ve heard or come across in the media seem to have acknowledged the need for progression, but there was a strong distaste for the need to give the ground such a bland, homogenous look. This reflects Gideon Haigh’s outlook. The new ground will lack character and if it weren’t for the saving of the historic scoreboard, The Northern Mound and the Morton bay Fig Trees, it would be a disaster for the passionate Adelaide Oval Cricket spectators. These landmarks are protected under the Heritage act, which ensures some preservation of history and tradition.

In order for the current redevelopment to commence, a 75% majority vote was required in order for the go-ahead. This vote was handled in April/ May 2011.

It was found that 60% of the SACA members, who voted via online means in April, were in favour of redevelopment. This meant the required majority vote had not been met, but the remaining votes, cast at The Adelaide Showgrounds in May, saw this rise dramatically to 80.37%.

According to a report from ABC News in 2011, 12,539 of SACA's 19,203 eligible members voted. These numbers also showed that a heavy debate that went on longer than 18 months whether or not to do the redevelopment, turned out to be a positive result to favour the change. This is something I find surprising two years on.

Seeing these results, and that there is obviously no going back as redevelopment is well underway, I am left with the impression it is simply a case of nostalgia and sentimentality that has upset many SACA members and Adelaide Oval attendees with the change. Also, looking at the methods of casting a vote online in the privacy of one’s home could keep these feelings alive and be hard to abandon, whereas a vote in a public facility creates a buzz and gets people talking; perhaps about the necessity of progression, which pushed the votes beyond the required majority.

Away from the construction is still a glimpse of tradition.
Photo taken by Ian Reid (Baggy Green Blog).

This redevelopment is indeed a necessity to accommodate the future of Australian Sport in the city and this investment alone is vital to ensure the Adelaide Oval can be a pinnacle for hosting multiple sporting and non-sporting events in Australia.

Adelaide has never been viewed as a leading sports city in Australia. Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are leaps and bounds ahead, but this change is a chance for Adelaide to become a more attractive venue for greater scale events in terms of what it can support in an economic sense. Therefore, as a newcomer to the city, I see this as a chance not only for progression of the Adelaide Oval, but Adelaide as a city. The unfortunate side is that it’s at the expense of visual familiarity.

In conclusion, I am sad to see the ground lose its traditional look that I became so familiar with through watching Cricket on the television, as well as hearing the disappointment in the voices of a number of loyal attendees of the Adelaide Oval with regards to the irreversible change.

Far too often our older generation in particular is afraid of change and the concern of losing value; sentimental value, at the expense of commercial or economic forces. It merely adds to the burden of change. It can often be a fear that stagnates progression and leaves a city behind as a country moves forward.

However, I am part of the younger generation. It’s important to look beyond nostalgia and focus on the importance of the future progression for this festival city to compete with Australia’s top cities, especially in the sporting arena. This encourages me to see the vision for a new Adelaide Oval as a necessity. Fortunately not all is lost and a few of the traditional Adelaide Oval landmarks will still be in place, so memories can live on through the historical presence as the new chapter for the venue is written.

The bigger catch at present will be how the corporate side of the development keeps within budget and ensures the deadlines be met, as promised. That is beyond our desires for change or resistance thereof.

SOURCES:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/adelaide-oval-destined-to-lose-charm-says-cricket-commentator-gideon-haigh/story-e6frey50-1226593586417

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/05/02/3205773.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Oval#Ground_redevelopment

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Too harsh in the public eye given the evidence

Over the last 24 hours Australian Cricket has gone from a wobbly Indian tour on the field to a horrible atmosphere off the field. The axing of Shane Watson (vice-captain), Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja has shocked not only Australian Cricket supporters, but cricket fanatics in general.

Public outcry has been to sack Mickey Arthur based on this decision. This is definitely jumping the gun. I think this whole ordeal needs to be looked at with some perspective, much like our performances during the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series. We need the best team on the park and the timing for such a drastic decision is worrying.

The Australian sports landscape isn't in great shape with all the drug inquests which brought about some worrying results, notably regarding AFL (Australian Football League) and NRL (National Rugby League). The timing of this news adds to the burden of current negativity in a country with such a strong and proud sporting culture.

Let me begin my look into this matter.

The first problem was the way the statement was delivered to the media from Arthur. We were left with the impression that these players had simply been dropped for not completing a "homework" assignment to assess how they can improve as players with the series going forward. They had four days to finish the assigned task, which was to be handed into the coach by whatever means were easiest for the players.

In modern day professionalism with high salary packages and rewards beyond your trade on the cricket field, this was not a big ask and should have been done. The team is currently needing a morale boost and this was clearly something Arthur and Clarke felt was a necessity as the team eyes an improvement for the 3rd Test. Maybe players have too much being spoon-fed to them nowadays, but it's still not a big ask.

Some have said that these blokes aren't admin boys. Their job is play cricket and improve via practice. Yes, I agree, but if a task is asked of you to require some application off the field to assess your own game, that falls under the job description in my opinion. The four players should have done it. I am interested to know what were their reasons for not submitting it in time. Forgetfulness or more pressing matters?

The reasons for the players not following through with orders should give better perspective on the standings on relationships with top management.

Yes, at first this is all we were informed about. Four players were dropped for not handing in a self-assessment form for improvement heading into the 3rd Test.
Therefore, to drop four quality cricketers on this basis in indeed bloody harsh if you ask me!

This is what we were told by Mickey Arthur and the bomb was dropped amongst the public. The media then took off with former players expressing their disgust and shock with the decision. Understandably we were seeing mixed opinions but the majority of us were obviously concerned that such drastic measures were taken.

The story went a step further, leaps further when Shane Watson announced he was leaving India to head back home. Immediately those who don't follow the players lives away from the game too closely were left to believe it was the decision that resulted in Watson calling it quits and that something bigger was going on.

However, Watson and his wife are awaiting the birth of their first child. His wife, Lee Furlong Watson, is in the final stages of pregnancy and it would seem some perspective was clear that the time was best spent with her rather than watching cricket from the sidelines. It's a special time is ones life and priority kicked in.

The fact Watson will be reassessing his future as a cricketer is a big cause for concern as to what this decision from management has done.

Pat Howard, Team Performance Manager, has stated Watson's commitment was questionable. Another indication that there is more to the story, but as a two time Allan Border Medalist, Watson has a vital position in the side, even though his Test performances remain inconsistent and tougher for him on a personal note given he can't bowl anymore. Howard also indicated that there's a lot of patching to do between Watson and Clarke with their relationship. 

"There's an individual aspect. That's a hard one to measure. I know Shane reasonably well. I think he acts in the best interests of the team sometimes. That's probably a better one for the players and the team to judge," Howard said.

"You don't get to pick and choose. The standard of the team is set, not playing under your own conditions. The first criteria to playing for Australia is wanting to play for Australia."

So, this picture immediately makes you either believe it was a fair move to drop the players due to slack discipline and disrespect to the Coach and Captain, or you will have felt the punishment was way too harsh for the information presented to us, which is how I felt. I am all for respect and good sportsmanship but was  still over the top.

Michael Clarke then came out to clarify it was a series of incidents that resulted in such drastic measures being taken. The players showed a lack of respect according to Clarke and in a time when the team needs to exercise strong discipline and off-field ethics, as well as on the field, this was unacceptable and a line was crossed.

I was convinced there had to be more to the story to drop your vice-captain, second in command to Clarke, and drop three other players who were surely all under consideration for the 3rd Test. Based on this, I eased up in my opinion but not being internally involved in the time, from the outside it still seemed harsh.

The important statement of Clarke's to read into is below (*Source: ESPN Cricinfo)

"I want the public and the media to understand, don't get me wrong, it's not just about one incident. Firstly on this tour our performances have been unacceptable and there has been some stuff off the field [that has been unacceptable] for the standards an Australian cricket team needs to present itself to achieve what we are trying to achieve ... I know it is a tough day, a really tough day and it's a tough decision, but at the end of the day if people are not hitting those standards there are going to be consequences.

"Our head coach gave us two days off after the second Test, it was about freshening yourself up, get your rehab [done], your recovery, do what you have to do, get everything right for the next two Test matches, because the next two Test matches are as big as you might have in your career and you have an opportunity to turn this series around.

"We were asked to do one thing from the head coach. It was giving information back to the head coach about not only improving your game - what you've learnt from the first two Test matches - but also how can you help this team turn things around and have success.

"It was a very simple task. Yes, it took a lot of thinking because you had to look at your game and where you thought you could improve, what you had learnt and what you could do to help this team level this series. In my opinion, for the four players to not do it, not only does it let the team down, it also shows a lack of respect for the head coach and in the Australian cricket team that is unacceptable."

Unfortunately, the additional reasons and poor standards leading to the dramatic decision to drop them was not made clear to the public. This lack of transparency is going to hurt Australian Cricket and the public will still be confused and angry with the decision, given you had to read into Clarke's statement to realise there is indeed more to the story.

The reason alone given by Arthur to drop the players is harsh and I am sure many feel there were other ways to hand down punishment for the incident. With a series on the line and Australian Cricket not in the best shape I am not sure this was not a decision wisely taken to ensure the morale and unity within the side be maintained or uplifted. Instead we have the public now up in arms and shaken even more ahead of the next match.

The Coach may have taken a bold step, but it will be a long road for Arthur to win back the public support. Honestly, I think this move has cast a dark cloud over his future as Australian Coach. The public relations handling of this matter is questionable and while there is probably a policy that somethings don't leave the change room, this is a move that has resulted in cricketers being dropped for reasons unheard of. We are now in a state of deep concern and worry over the state of our team.

Andrew Symonds comes to mind in all of this.

Roy was a personal favourite of mine and his whole character was just so classic. He seemed like a good guy to have around the team. The sad side of Roy's story is he had problems that affected his commitment to the team and resulted in his career with Cricket Australia coming to an end. It got to the point where his love for the game was lost as well.

He drove himself to it though as he had warnings issued for his behavioural problems and even when punishment was handed down, it was within good reason and guidelines were followed. In the general public we knew of Roy's personal battles and it was a bit easier to accept the punishment handed down. His offences were relatively serious in the sporting world. 

In this case with the four players it seems as though things weren't that bad on their character checks. It also seems we didn't have any obvious indication that these guys were stepping out of line. So to all of a sudden hear they were dropped was indeed a massive shock and it's fair enough that we feel gutted at the decision.

There's still more to come out of the story but as far as I am concerned the decision was too much. It may have seemed the right thing to do in Arthur and Clarke's mind to cement what their vision is for the team and the value and discipline required to be in the Australian team. The catch though is I feel this will have implications for the team and disharmony will be ever-present in Arthur's reign unless the team can pull out some ridiculously impressive performances.

Arthur and Clarke are judged on their performances and results. As a result, good performances from here will ease the tension. This recent move is a sign that they mean business and are under a heck of a lot of stress and pressure. My concern is they, more so Arthur, have a steep hill to climb now and the fall from the other side may be a long one. The public will not be easily convinced.

As a cricketer, Michael Clarke has high standards as he spent a fair amount of time around the great team of the past and succeeded as a youngster, having also dealt with being dropped. Therefore, I would have to have some belief that this decision is to ensure a tougher nature is present in the team and that he will succeed.

One of the culprits, fast bowler James Pattinson, took accountability for his misdemeanor and said that he feels this will be good for Australia in the long run. Can only hope his optimism will be validated and that his attitude was in a bad place to accept this.

"The easy thing for me was to make excuses and say it's a harsh punishment.

"But the reality is it's not - it's part of playing cricket for Australia. You've got to do everything right. It wasn't hard for the other 12 blokes to get it in on time and they took the time out to really reflect and do what's best for the team whereas we four didn't. Right now I'm still hurting about it but in the long run I think it's going to make us a better team."

Accountability is so important as these are professional cricketers. Hard decisions must be made and justified punishment must be handed out. If Arthur and Clarke feel it is justified with more behind the scenes incidents, so be it. If accountability could be taken to learn from their (the four players) mistakes but not at the expense of being dropped, then I'd have been able to easier accept that. This is not protection for these players, but rather Australian Cricket's landscape. By the same token it may send a warning sign out to "up your standards".

Ian Chappell said this will damage team morale. Having looked over things on paper, heard and read enough opinions, I am inclined to agree with Chappelli. It's not so much about this short-term decision, the frustration we have four players axed who could have contributed to a vital match, but rather the negative impact this will have on the culture of Australian Cricket going forward. This includes; players, supporters, shareholders, former players and the management/coaching staff.

Only sublime performances will rectify this in the short-term. Such a major pity as things were supposed to get better, not worse, not as messy as this. It's a very disappointing situation and numbing. I hope it really does go a lot further than an assignment not being submitted.

In conclusion having looked at everything, it is clear there is more to the story. Seeing as I, as a supporter, have to go on my get feeling, where my loyalties lie and what information I have been fed, I back the players. I think this punishment was harsh and Australian Cricket did not need this right now.

The biggest question though in terms of cricket itself. Will we have the best XI on the park? That should remain decision number one over and above everything.

*Sources for quotes have been credited and links have been presented where applicable for The Baggy Green Blog's content and external content.

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Where has it gone wrong for The Baggy Greens?

It's hard to not feel gutted as a supporter having witnessed the innings defeat against India, in Hyderabad.
The loss puts them 2-0 up in the series and it's been concerning as to how things played out in what will be regarded as a walk over for the opposition.

I have never felt the need to bad mouth the team or resort to overly critical analysis. If anything I find it far more important to support the boys as much as possible during these tougher situations.
However, it is only right to look at a few points of concern that lead into this game and what was witnessed in a game where our batsmen put up little fight.

Where has it gone wrong for The Baggy Greens in the Border-Gavaskar series thus far?

It would seem the selectors got it wrong, notably on two points.
Firstly, dropping Nathan Lyon was a step backwards and secondly, debuting Glenn Maxwell to play alongside Moises Henriques was a costly mistake. The rest was not about the selectors but rather our batsmen.

It was a big mistake to drop Nathan Lyon and bring in Xavier Doherty. In fact, it may have been okay to bring Doherty in but not at the expense of Lyon. It is simply another step back and we may very while find another spinners confidence has been damaged.

Jason Krejza grabbed an 8 wicket haul against India in 2008 on his debut. Despite going for plenty of runs he managed to get us wickets, something Shane Warne states he'd rather see than simply having spinners be economical and not claim wickets, vital wickets at that.

The thing is that after a poor Test against the Proteas at the WACA, he was axed and it was the end of the road for Jason as a medium-to-long term spin bowler. Krejza is now regarded as a State spinner at best.
We have also had a showcase of spinners given the debut at quick expense or given a mixed run; Bryce McGain, Beau Casson, Dan Cullen, Michael Beer (injured) and Nathan Hauritz, who did a good enough job.
Then there's been the part-time spin trial of Marcus North, Steven Smith and Cameron White.

We don't want to add Nathan Lyon to that list.

He's had one Test in India and can't be to blame. Yes, during the summer his lack of effectiveness was costly against the Proteas but it's still early days and I didn't see the need to drop him after the 1st Test.
If anything it would have been far more logical to play him and Doherty together. Another Test in the subcontinent could have only been good for his development. It was a step back as India moved forward.

The effort to improve our spin bowling doesn't rest so much with the technical dynamics of things but rather the management of the bowlers in Australia and the purpose as to why we select a spinner post-Warne. It's a topic best left to the professionals to debate and find a solution for.

Debuting Maxwell as a part-time spinner was another blunder. Not so much based on Glenn himself, but the fact we had two all-rounders and one spin bowler, having seen India's effectiveness with three spin bowlers.

Remember the Cameron White experiment? It was an absolute failure and as hard as Cameron White tried as the part-time spinner, but given the massive task of serious leg spin bowling contributions, it was all odds against him. Not his fault, but rather a selection blunder.

Maxwell managed 4 wickets for the match, one more than Doherty but it wasn't the point. Maxwell didn't give a significant contribution with the bat and as it was for Cameron White, the selectors simply asked way too much of him. It wasn't fair on his part, but I guess it will go down as experience in his books for development. It was also too difficult to debut him at the expense of Moises Henriques, even if Doherty and Lyon played as the two spinners in the starting XI.

Based on Henriques' performance in the 1st Test it would be hard to have dropped him to play Maxwell unless it was purely to have a third spin option, but what's done is done. The selectors should not try that move again as the previous incident in 2008 with Cameron White should have been a warning sign.

Having not learnt anything after the 1st Test in terms of using the spinners, the fast bowlers had too much work to do and the intensity proved to be way too much. Their pace could not be maintained and there wasn't regularly a serious pose of threat. India's batting was also brilliant in terms of how they paced things to get set. Excellent to say the least.

This is also not to put weight of blame on the shoulders of the spinners. It wasn't the case. The biggest problem is that the batsmen simply didn't get enough runs and our bowlers were exposed, especially the weaknesses of the bowling unit.

Experience is lacking in this side. I must say that although it is too hard to even predict if it would have made a difference had Mitchell Johnson been in the side, but it is that extra player with experience in the subcontinent that Michael Clarke could use. The issue still lay with the poor batting in the 1st innings which gave India a licence to attack once the lead was in place. Our bowlers were exposed.

The batsmen will know all too well about the problems but how they address over the next few days - which Michael Clarke has declared as "no rest" - will not be an easy task.

Clarke can't keep being the go-to-guy and the time has come for him to move up the order.
It's been needed for a long time and it's well known that your best batsman should not be batting at number 5. It seems the time is now to give Clarkey the push. Sure, his prolific run has been splendid at number 5 but the team needs the move and Clarke is that kind of a guy to do what is best for the side.

This still won't solve the issues of panic and thoughtless application to tackle the spin and build an innings. We've seen starts from the batsmen but they don't go on, with the exception of Clarke who continues to be amazing to watch. Even when he's made a good score, Clarke has been short on batting partners and has criticised himself when getting out. He's seen some bigger scores go sailing on by, seen how India have cashed in, and his lack of support from his batting mates directly influences this. David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson and Matt Wade can all handle these conditions, I hope they have the self-belief as well because Clarke needs it. We need it.

The weakest link, Phillip Hughes, should be given another go - dropping not always the answer - but his lack of handling spin is a massive, massive worry, which may result in him being dropped for the next Test. Usman Khawaja not an instant remedy and no evidence is there that he will miraculously be able to keep the Indian bowlers at bay. There is a chance though he will be trialled and tested.

Simply dropping guys is not a solution to the problems we face. Team unity is needed and if after a period of assessment, the majority of our batsmen have been able to improve while a few others get left behind, then it is time to resort to dropping. Hughes is an excellent batsman but the mental strength just seems to go when he puts on the white gear.

Reality is that the last two Tests have to be won in order to keep the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in our possession.

Based on this, and my continued belief that our batsmen are good enough to collectively put better runs on the board, I will continue to support the boys as we look ahead to the 3rd Test.
They need the support as much as ever and while I am upset and can understand many supporters are livid at the performances thus far, the series is not lost and any chances of improvement now with the build up to the Ashes must be taken.

On a final note to instil some kind of positivity, keep in mind we thumped India 4-0 in Australia during the summer of 2011/12.

This is Test cricket in India and they will always be tough to beat and the nature of the contest is harsh in their conditions. The same as it was for them against us during the home series. 
We have a team lacking experience in the sub-continent and the experience of Michael Clarke has proven to be invaluable. It shows the importance of it and this is a huge but mean learning curve.

Sadly, patience for application against a tricky spin setup - not extraordinary - has lacked.
It will indeed take serious focus and determination to turn things around for the guys. Michael Clarke is a man who shows serious responsibility. If he says they will not rest, they won't.
However, it's going to be hard work so best wishes to the boys as they prepare for another big clash with the series at stake.

Spare a thought for my mates who have traveled to India for this series. A bit bleak a result. India is good for traveling though I believe, so no shortage of ways to uplift oneself, especially with Waving The Flag.

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Embarking on a new innings

We've been given a serious work over in the 1st Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.

MS Dhoni played an outstanding knock and their spinners have the edge to attack, attack, attack. The performance shouldn't reflect too negatively against us, rather India have played an excellent game of counter-attacking cricket in their home conditions.

Most of our players have not experienced the brutality of Test cricket in India. Now they have and it's just another line in the history books that Test cricket in India is bloody difficult. Just a pity they're on the verge to go up 1-0, but there are still three Tests to go and we saw Michael Clarke score his 23rd Test century, James Pattinson claim a 5fer on a spinners deck and Moises Henriques really impress with the bat on debut.

Day 5 will be about survival between Henriques and Nathan Lyon. Can they do something magical and push that lead into that tricky zone of "low scoring chases are often the most exciting"?

With the tough cricket that lies ahead for The Baggy Greens, I feel the timing is right to share a bit of my journey as the site may slow down for a few weeks. 

On 01 March 2013 I will set foot on Australian soil for the first time in my life.
That moment will serve as something that has been a big breath of life into what The Baggy Green Blog has been about, well for me personally at least. I am heading over to start a new chapter in my life over in Adelaide, South Australia and am eagerly awaiting the journey to begin.

The opportunity to not only go to a different country, but mostly to a country that has inspired me so much through it's great people and values - and given it's provided my family and mates a good life and culture to embrace - makes it exciting to finally have the chance to adapt and embrace it all.
Cricket has played a significant role in that ethos and my life long desire to live in Australia, not massive but definitely significant.  Its only taken me 9 years to get to this point.

Despite the epic cricket that will be going on, given the magnitude of the move and all I will be focused on, my writing may not be as regular as it has been in the past.
This has happened in any case, as you can see from starting the site in 2007/08, when I was a student to the last four years of my life post-studies, the articles became mostly feature article orientated than the day-in, day-out writing I used to do.

I guess I am writing this article as it is a fresh page and I'm acknowledging this site has played a special part in my life. I've never felt the need to share my personal life for that matter, but sport is an emotional thing and you have to have some personal connection to an interest that keeps you tuning in every day or week to connect with other fanatics.

The reason I think I started the site was simply because I could write about Australian Cricket through Blogger with a good interface. I noticed Social Networking was on the rise, which meant I could connect with Australian supporters around the world whilst writing about a game and team that inspired me. I also messed my back up really badly in 2008 which affected my ability to play the game quite severely, so my writing and viewing expanded.

I also started writing during the controversial Border-Gavaskar series of 2007/08 where our team came under heavy criticism. I wanted to defend the side but found myself more connected to the positivity of the game, the challenges and writing in an analytical manner about all on-going matters both on and off the field.

I'm also grateful for the people I have met through the Baggy Green Blog.

I met one of my best mates, Matt McCracken, in a beer line at a Twenty20 game between Australia and England when I was starting up the site. We had a beer, chatted about cricket and Matt, having moved to South Africa from Australia, found a local personality to talk to about his cricket team. He's had quite a big role in the discussions behind the scenes, which I often write about.

I've made many other good mates, many of whom I have yet to meet in person. I have been fortunate though to have shared a beer with some both at and away from the cricket, or enjoyed an afternoon walk-about in London, England, notably with Kirby at Thoughts From The Dustbin.

It's been epic to support this team and I think the day it came together with what Australian Cricket meant to me - which words can't really describe - was when I was at a training session after the boys got rolled for 47 runs against The Proteas. Even after that it was still normal to go and support the boys more than ever.

My fellow die-hard Baggy Green fanatic Dan Stapleton flew out from Sydney to join me for that Test and, courtesy of Stapo and Justin Langer, the two of us got to sit in at the training session and chat to a few of the players. Seeing the boys get out there after a humiliating loss and truly grafting hard in order to condition their mindset for the second and last Test of the series (which we won) was inspiring to watch.

I will always remember one thing, Ricky Ponting...first in the nets, last out of the nets.

From Supporters Graphics to feature articles it's always been good to read any feedback or positive fan mail from supporters like you.

I don't have the greatest sense of humor in writing, I do write A LOT in some articles and get deep into analysis which may result in a "bookmark, read later" attitude from readers, I have not had a story of blogger turned media frenzy writer, nor have I truly recognised why I have continued to run this site with fresh content for 5 years and not earned one cent for it.

What I do know is I love the game of cricket, really enjoy writing (nearing the completion of a Diploma in Sports Writing and Journalism), have a clear pride in the Baggy Greens and have enjoyed seeing a side go from being the greatest team of the 1990s to mid-2000s, to a side in a struggle, attempting their rebuild with consistency. I continue to support the boys and enjoy their challenges.

A lot has happened in that time; retirements, debutants, player career highlights, moments of brilliance and moments of sadness. It shows how much happens in the great game over a relatively short period which has such a long, rich history.

I hate to lose, I don't like it that we don't have the Ashes Urn, or that we don't have the number 1 Test rank, but win or lose I will keep rooting for the boys and back them wherever possible as the challenge is still alive.
It's so easy to criticise, to hate and write off a team when they're not winning, but trust me, when they get it together and the victories come (e.g. 4-0 against India in Australia in 2011/12) it's an unbeatable feeling.

On a note of positives, of course the site will carry on but perhaps the content may differ and the manner in which I present my articles may change being directly within the Australian landscape and environment.

For all I know that culture may take it to a whole different level and this is exciting, but three major factors won't change. That is my passion for writing, enjoyment in meeting fellow cricket fanatics around the globe and most of all the inspiration and pride I get following the Australian Cricket Team, as I have done so since I was a youngster and decided to follow my heart - not been the easiest thing to do, believe you me!

Anyways, that's enough for now.
Enjoy the Border-Gavaskar series, get into the struggles and the moments of glory and keep an eye open for the next article...hopefully only a few weeks away.

Can't wait to get down to the Adelaide Oval next summer and hope to see you there for a drink.

Long live cricket!

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Century no.23 for Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke's form has been sublime the last two seasons and he's opened up his first tour of India as Captain with a century, while also building an innings saving partnership with debutant Moises Henriques (Baggy Green #432). Their stand brought 151 runs, matching Clarkey's individual score on debut back in 2004, Bangalore.

When I did the statistics wrap-up for the summer a few weeks back I made a note that Clarkey was just a few runs away from equaling Sir Donald Bradman's career runs scored.

He managed to surpass this milestone of The Don's, but no comparison should ever be drawn to the legend.
Those runs were scored during a different era, with tougher conditions, basic equipment, as well as achieving his 6,996 runs in only 80 innings.

However, the achievement placed Clarkey in the Top 10 all time run-scorers for Australia in Test cricket. He also went past 7,000 Test runs.

To top it off his century is number 23 (his ODI shirt number) and his 3rd Test century in India, against India. This century puts him level with Justin Langer in terms of most centuries scored for Australia in Test cricket, placing him 7th on the list.

© BCCI. Clarke reaches his century (Chennai)

Massive congrats to the skipper, very proud of him!
Always a pleasure to watch him battle against spin bowling. The foot work and bat speed is always a treat. No exception with this innings, especially being played under pressure.

It was a challenging day for our batsmen as India sent down 95 overs. 73 of these overs were delivered by India's three spin bowlers. Ravichandran Ashwin claimed 6 wickets for the days play, quite a stack.
This will raise Nathan Lyon's eyebrows and give him some confidence, but will also mean the pressure is on come our dig at the Indians in the first innings. He likely has a huge job to do.

Michael Clarke and Peter Siddle will resume tomorrow with the score currently 7/316, with James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon to follow.

After being in a worrying position at 4/131, after the opening stand between David Warner (59) and Ed Cowan brought 68 runs, we have recovered excellently to ensure it's an even sort of day come the stumps.
First session tomorrow is a massive one for us as we target 350 runs and India eye those last three wickets.

Michael Clarke's individual innings list since taking on the Captaincy against Sri Lanka (2011/12):
Summary: 21 matches, 35 innings, 2,350 runs, HS 329*, Average 75.80, x9 centuries, x4 fifties.

Versus Sri Lanka: 23, 60, 13, 6, 112,
Versus South Africa: 151, 2, 11, 2,
Versus New Zealand: 139, 22, 0,
Versus India: 31, 1, 329*, 18, 210, 37,
Versus West Indies: 73, 6, 45, 15, 24, 25,
Versus South Africa: 259*, 230, 38, 5, 44,
Versus Sri Lanka: 74, 57*, 106, 50, 29,
Versus India: 103* (currently in progress)

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Moises Henriques to debut in Chennai

The Australian Squad for the 1st Test has been announced and it includes one debutant.

David Warner, 
Ed Cowan, 
Phillip Hughes, 
Shane Watson, 
Michael Clarke (captain), 
Matthew Wade (wk), 
*Moises Henriques (debutant), 
Peter Siddle, 
Mitchell Starc, 
James Pattinson, 
Nathan Lyon.

Moises Henriques (New South Wales) will become Baggy Green number 432 and the warm-up games were enough to boost his case as the called to duty all-rounder.

Moises batted with aggression and freedom during the warm-up matches and it is reported that he found reverse swing during the warm-up matches with the ball in hand, backed by a tight line and length.
Furthermore he maintained economical figures which, if achieved against India, will build some serious pressure allowing some brutal partnerships from the bowling department. The last all-rounder to do this with good effectiveness was Andrew McDonald, who assisted Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle against The Proteas in this regard.

Moises has the benefit as an aggressive middle order batsman but his bowling should not be underestimated, as his figures of 4-12 in the first warm-up game gave massive credibility to warrant his selection.
Warm-up games are there either for experienced players to show form and adapt to conditions, or for new comers to impress and make an impression. In Moises' case it was the latter.

If the pitch happens to turn into a bit of a landmine then both him and Nathan Lyon will prove to be a handful. Some satisfactory depth in our batting line-up will help a stack if this benefits India, even with a top three of left handed batsmen. Always a talking point for the Indian spin department.

On the topic of spinners, Nathan Lyon has been retained as the front-line spinner of choice, which is a wise move by Michael Clarke and the selectors given the number of spinners whose confidence has been shattered through inconsistent selection policies and lack of belief shown in their skills.

Nathan should head into the game with better self-belief based on this decision and he'll remember the aspects of the summer that resulted in some criticism. Lack of wickets to ease the workload of the fast bowlers or find ways to menace the middle order and get vital breakthroughs was a worry. This was notable in Adelaide against The Proteas. He also dropped dynamics of his bowling that had been strongly attributed to his success.

Fortunately Nathan is a bloke who is aware of the word on the street and has continued to defend himself, which is an admirable quality. Also counts for something when Shane Warne still tips you as the best spinner in Australia.

Batting wise Ed Cowan impressed with some credible performances in the warm-up games, alongside Shane Watson who will play as a middle order batsman with David Warner, having been declared fit to play.
It allows the Cowan/David Warner partnership to continue and Watto shouldn't be too stressed out in the middle order after making a good return to the ODI circuit and being the leading batsman in the warm-up games.

All in all I am happy with the squad and the fast bowling unit was always going to be a bit of a tricky one to decide upon given every guy deserves a place in the starting XI. One spinner is also fine in my eyes.
Michael Clarke is there for part-time spin and the inclusion of Henriques will ensure it's not a rhythm of all out pace.

All fixtures can be found here or by clicking the graphic at the top of the page.

*Read the last article at The Baggy Green Blog:
The enhanced value and importance of women's cricket'

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The enhanced value and importance of Women's Cricket

Firstly, a quick but important line of thanks is due to all of you who voted for The Baggy Green Blog to win the Sportskeeda award for 'Best Team Specific Blog'.

I honestly had no idea I'd even been nominated so it was a welcome surprise. I am proud that the site continues to connect with so many cricket fanatics around the globe and even in the tough times Australian Cricket faces the site still has perceived value and purpose.

The other winners can be found here, following Football, Cricket and other sports.

While our boys are slogging it out to try find the right recipe to battle India in Chennai for the 1st Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, the Australian Women's Cricket Team - The Southern Stars - have lifted the trophy as winners of the ICC Women's ODI World Cup after beating the West Indian Women's Team. This is our sixth title.

© AFP The Southern Stars celebrate their win.

It's not only a win for Australian Cricket but the game in general, especially with the spread of cricket to women around the globe. You'd have to be daft to dismiss the quality of the cricket witnessed and the professionalism shown by the players who took part in the competition to battle it out for the world's best ODI side.

A surprising number of people I have spoken to who watched a few of the games that were broadcast live on the television were mighty impressed with the TV coverage and more so with the skill that was on display.

It was amusing how many blokes I know admitted, with complete surprise, that they never knew female cricketers were so good, those who'd never watched a game before.
I have often said that if I were to bat against some of these fast bowlers, I'd be focusing on quite a bit more than simply trying to not get bowled out by a woman!
Sharp swing, menacing pace and yorkers, as well as a few short balls sailing by the grill certainly ensures one is alert and has their batting skills ready for execution.

It's not casual anymore, it's competitive and it's about time women were given a bigger launch pad for awareness of the teams and level of skill they produce.

The fielding was a drastic improvement since the 2009 World Cup and largely due to the injection of interest Women's Cricket was given through the introduction of the ICC Women's World T20 Trophy.

Teams have had to up their standards - as have the men's teams - in regards to the fielding aspect with the speed at which Twenty20 cricket is played and I noted several observations of the Southern Stars higher standards. There is more aggressive intensity and athleticism now, which helps adds to the speed of a game which is notably slower in match speed and hype than the Men's game.

Twenty20 has clearly helped the batting as statistics show 67 sixes and 1066 fours were struck, the most ever in the tournament. If you didn't catch any of the games trust me when I say some of the sixes were crisp and mean! The run-rate has also seen an increase as the tournament had a collective rate of 4.27 per over, the highest ever. To combat this heightened level of attack bowlers have had to sharpen up on their skills.

Another notable aspect is with the actual players profiles. Many of the cricketer's have been at the game a while now, numerous ones new to the international game.

England's Charlotte Edwards has been featured on numerous cricket programs over the years and is well recognised in the English cricket community with a career now well over a decade, but only in recent times through better broadcasting reach and media awareness has her cricketing profile been given greater notoriety to the general cricketing public, along with the top class achievements in her career.

It's not just a sideline thing to these players. It's a very serious, highly competitive personal environment they compete within and the acknowledgement only helps to feed the hunger for higher standards and personal achievements.

When a new bowler would come on or a new batsman/woman would walk out to the crease to take guard, the commentators had more of a story to tell, more performances to recall and supporters had better familiarity with the players.

When newcomers Holly Ferling and Megan Schutt (who claimed the most wickets in the tournament with 15 at 16.53) came onto bowl this tournament their stories as emerging players were told and this only added to the reputation both of these young women now have at the closure of the tournament. Come the next event they will be watched with great interest and their input in this tournament clearly recalled.

Along with the better recognition of player statistics and profile stories there was the main factor: Performance.

Watching Megan Lanning and Rachael Haynes (273 at 45.50) open the batting you sense a genuine top order relationship as two cricketers who get each others game and find ways to complement one another. They stroke play and skills they show is a joy to watch and really refreshing.

Following the end of a batting partnership between the two of them sees Jess Cameron walk out to bat who is fast becoming the ODI equivalent to that of Ricky Ponting for the Southern Stars in the number 3 spot. After winning the Women's Cricketer of the Year award at The Allan Border Medal Awards she totally justified it with 225 runs at 37.50 in the tournament, highlighted by 75 runs in the final at a ferocious strike-rate of 98.68.
I dug out some statistics regarding Australia's top 3 and came out with the following, as seen on my Twitter page:

- In 11 innings Meg Lanning & Rachael Haynes have scored 452 runs at 41.09. Highest of 131 runs.
- In 11 innings Rachael Haynes & Jess Cameron have scored 510 runs at 51.00. Highest of 77*.

That's an indication of a cracking top order in ODI cricket.

Ellyse Perry, a favourite amongst many cricket followers, set things up brilliantly to snuff the Windies run chase as she displayed a wonderful rhythm and shined with confidence to walk away with figures of 3-19, just 1.90 runs per over. Injury scares were there but she braved it. As young as she is she is portrayed as a senior bowler and I am sure the entire crop of bowlers would have soaked up as much from her as possible.

Despite the praise and the awesome victory by The Southern Stars, the day of women reaping the rewards that men's teams receive is highly unlikely, at least for the foreseeable future.
It's not pessimistic nor is it degrading to women's cricket when I write this. It's simply the game has a greater demand come Men's Professional Cricket, which does produce the highest standard of cricket, has greater intensity and a richer history.

However, if Women's Cricket needed a push in the right direction for greater credibility, awareness and a sign that they're becoming better and better with each tournament showcased, then watch this space because we're going to be seeing far more of it!

Hopefully we will see more women of all relevant ages wanting to get involved in this great game of ours, especially with a new generation of female cricketing heroines.
Cricket has never had a shortage of female following or passionate interest in the game but the more involvement we see (not just on the playing field) the better cricket will benefit in the long run.

These mentioned factors and the overall result of the 2013 ICC Women's World Cup should relay the importance of women in cricket.

So, on that positive note well done to skipper Jodie Fields and her Southern Stars team-mates and support staff, as well as every other side that took part in the event. The ICC did a great job on their part as did the host-country India. After hosting the men's 2011 World Cup they managed to pull off a pretty successful tournament.

Aussie all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar also announced her retirement from international cricket following the win. Sad but it's a deserved decision given her achievements.

As per The Baggy Green Blog Facebook page:

"...the Southern Stars won the ICC Women's World Cup in India. Jess Cameron showcased why she won the Women's Player of the Year award at the Allan Border Medal Awards night with a cracking innings at number 3. 

All in all just splendid to see the quality of cricket on display throughout the tournament. Notable batting from the top order duo of Haynes and Lanning, as well as our bowlers which unleashed some new talent onto the scene. 

Excellent for cricket, great for Australian cricket, even better for spreading the game to connect with both men and women around the globe. 

Also, Lisa Sthalekar has announced her retirement. 
Kudos to her on a well profiled career as a leading all-rounder. 

Tests:

8 matches, 15 innings, 416 runs, HS 120*, Avg 32.00.
8 matches, 482 runs with 23 wickets, BBI 5/30, BBM 6/114, Avg 20.95, ER 1.65.

ODIs:

125 matches, 111 innings, 2728 runs, HS 104*, Avg 30.65.
125 matches, 3646 runs with 146 wickets, BBI 5/35, Avg 24.97, ER 3.66.

T20s:

54 matches, 50 innings, 769 runs, HS 52, Avg 21.36.
54 matches, 1161 runs with 60 wickets, BBI 4/18, Avg 19.35, ER 5.82."

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The statistics wrap for the Australian summer

With the end of the summer for the Australian Cricket Team it is time for the statistics wrap across the formats.
However, State Cricket continues for a little while with the Ryobi Cup and Sheffield Shield Trophies needing to be claimed, as well as The Southern Stars who have secured a place in the ICC Women's World Cup Final. Unfortunately the ladies lost their final Super Six game to the West Indian Women's Team by 8 runs, however they are still very close to the trophy!

Our Test players are currently in India ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series and the two-day warm-up game ended with fair results.

Ed Cowan scored 58 runs and it appears as a stand out performance against the rest of the batsmen.
A high chance this will ensure the Warner/Cowan duo continues and Shane Watson may find himself in the middle order, with Phillip Hughes and Michael Clarke nestled at three and four. This then leaves room for the "all-rounder" position or an additional spinner.

The bowling front was the area of confidence as our front-line spinner Nathan Lyon took 3-69, while Moises Henriques took a cracking 4-12. The contest for that all-rounder spot - if available based upon condition analysis prior to the 1st Test in Chennai - is definitely on and Moises pushed his case with the ball in hand.


As mentioned on Facebook, at the conclusion of the ODI series against the West Indies, it has been a mixed summer.

We lost our stronghold in a 3-match Test series against The Proteas who ended up taking their opportunity at the WACA to beat us 1-0. It was an unfortunate case of an emerging side being unable to grab their chances at the Gabba and more specifically Adelaide, where our bowlers just couldn't get those wickets needed on the final days play.

The Test series against Sri Lanka was a case of redemption for the team and the supporters as we convincingly knocked them over. It put a lot into perspective ahead of the soon to be contested Border-Gavaskar series.

The Sri Lankan's fought back in the ODI series but we were able to claw our way back in but they never looked to be too dominant, as was the case in the T20s which they were able to keep that step ahead of us.

The West Indies suffered another 5-0 defeat against us as it was a few summers ago, which was disappointing after the good clash we had against them during our last tour to the Caribbean in the ODIs.

As written before I do believe that the days of the 5 match ODI series should be put to rest and audiences should be treated to odd number encounters of 3 ODIs and 3 T20s, or 3 ODIs and 2 T20s.

All in all, although there was heavy tension regarding Player Rotation and frustration with supporters being unable to find a connection to the changing side and understand what the selection motives were, the results reflect that of a side that is taking shape in a decent enough manner given the playing pool is not overflowing with talented players as it was a few years back. There is still healthy competition though for places, better than nothing.

The Ashes is getting closer day by day and the Border-Gavaskar series should not be overlooked.
As every player will state who has been to India, it is a tough place to play competitive Test cricket and if the crop of players we have needed to test their mental and physical game this is it!

Great preparations for a side to toughen up ahead of our quest to get back that urn!

Please don't forget that fresh content will lessen right here at The Baggy Green Blog due to personal circumstances, but the good news is that the Facebook and Twitter pages will always get regular content and opinions delivered, as well as discussion via my Twitter account.

Australia's format summary:

- Test matches: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 1, Drew 2.
- ODI matches: Played 10, Won 7, Lost 2, No result 1.
- T20 matches: Played 3, Won , Lost .

Test Match Batting Statistics (Top stats only for all categories):

- Michael Clarke: 6 matches, 10 innings, HS 259*, 892 runs, 111.50 average, x3 50s, x3 100s.
- Michael Hussey: 6 matches, 10 innings, HS 115*, 527 runs, 75.28 average, x1 50s, x3 100s.
- David Warner: 6 matches, 10 innings,  HS 119, 478 runs, 47.80 average, x4 50s, x1 100s.
- Ed Cowan: 6 matches, 10 innings, HS 136, 364 runs, 36.40 average, x2 50s, x1 100s.
- Matthew Wade: 6 matches, 10 innings, HS 102*, 312 runs, 44.57 average, x2 50s, x1 100s.
- Phillip Hughes: 3 matches, 5 innings, HS 87, 233 runs, 46.60 average, x2 50s, x0 100s.
- Shane Watson: 3 matches, 5 innings, HS 83, 153 runs, 30.60 average, x1 50s, x0 100s.
- Mitchell Johnson: 3 matches, 5 innings, HS 92*, 116 runs, 38.66 average, x1 50s, x0 100s.
- Mitchell Starc: 3 matches, 4 innings, HS 68*, 75 runs, 37.50 average, x1 50s, x0 100s.
- James Pattinson: 2 matches, 2 innings, HS 42, 71 runs, 71.00 average, x0 50s, x0 100s.

Test Match Bowling Statistics:

- Peter Siddle: 5 matches, 24 wickets, 596 runs, 5/54 BBI, 9/104 BBM, 24.83 Average, x1 5WI.
- Nathan Lyon: 6 matches, 19 wickets, 793 runs, 3/41 BBI, 5/140 BBM, 41.73 Average.
- Mitchell Starc: 3 matches, 18 wickets, 496 runs, 6/154 BBI, 8/209 BBM, 27.55 Average, x2 5WI.
- Mitchell Johnson: 3 matches, 15 wickets, 335 runs, 4/63 BBI, 6/79 BBM, 22.33 Average.
- Jackson Bird: 2 matches, 11 wickets, 178 runs, 4/41 BBI, 7/117 BBM, 16.18 Average.
- Ben Hilfenhaus: 3 matches, 7 wickets, 243 runs, 3/49 BBI, 4/114 BBM, 34.71 Average.
- James Pattinson: 2 matches, 5 wickets, 192 runs, 3/93 BBI, 5/151 BBM, 38.40 Average.

ODI Batting Statistics:

- Phillip Hughes: 10 matches, 9 innings, 416 runs, HS 138*, 52.00 average, x2 100s, x1 50.
- George Bailey: 8 matches, 7 innings, 323 runs, HS 125*, 53.83 average, x1 100, x1 50.
- Shane Watson: 3 matches, 3 innings, 198 runs, HS 122, 66.00 average, x1 100, x1 50.
- Adam Voges: 2 matches, 2 innings, 140 runs, HS 112*, 140.00 average, x1 100.
- David Hussey: 5 matches, 5 innings, 128 runs, HS 60*, 32.00 average, x1 50.
- Aaron Finch: 7 matches, 7 innings, 105 runs, HS 38, 15.00 average.
- Brad Haddin: 3 matches, 3 innings, 103 runs, HS 50, 51.50 average, x1 50.
- Michael Clarke: 6 matches, 5 innings, 97 runs, HS 37, 19.40 average.
- Matthew Wade: 7 matches, 6 innings, 95 runs, HS 31, 23.75 average.
- Glenn Maxwell: 7 matches, 7 innings, 78 runs, HS 51*, 15.60 average, x1 50.
- Mitchell Starc: 7 matches, 2 innings, 74 runs, HS 52*, --.-- average, x1 50.

ODI Bowling Statistics:

- Clint McKay:  10 matches,  17 wickets, 368 runs, 4/33 BBI, 21.64 Average.
- Mitchell Starc: 7 matches,  14 wickets, 201 runs, 5/20 BBI, 14.35 Average.
- Mitchell Johnson: 9 matches, 14 wickets, 291 runs, 3/11 BBI, 20.78 Average.
- James Faulkner: 5 matches, 8 wickets, 211 runs, 4/48 BBI, 26.37 Average.
- Glenn Maxwell:  7 matches, 6 wickets, 194 runs, 4/63 BBI, 32.33 Average.
- Ben Cutting: 3 matches, 5 wickets, 140 runs, 3/45 BBI, 28.00 Average.
- Xavier Doherty: 6 matches, 4 wickets, 142 runs, 3/21 BBI, 35.50 Average.
- Moises Henriques: 3 matches, 3 wickets, 39 runs, 3/32 BBI, 13.00 Average.

T20 Batting Statistics: View statistics via Cricinfo.com.

T20 Bowling Statistics: View statistics via Cricinfo.com.

Fun statistic as posted to The Baggy Green Blog's Social Media sites:

"Been reading some statistics and noticed Michael Clarke (6,989) is just 7 runs behind what Donald Bradman scored in his career (6,996). 

The amount of cricket shows and also highlights the excellence of Bradman as a run-scoring machine. 

Clarkey has had 148 innings and counting, while The Don had 80 when his career came to an end with that ever-awesome average of 99.94.

When Clarkey gets those 7 runs it will put him in the Top 10 Run Scorers of all time for The Baggy Greens."

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The Australian squad to battle India in India

With the ODI series claimed against the West Indies, which will help our ODI ranking, the Indian Test series is now just around the corner and trying to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be no easy task in Indian conditions with a side that very few can wholeheartedly identify with.

Sachin Tendulkar recently scored 140* runs for Mumbai - at a ground we will not be playing at - and India's bowling stocks seem to be on track for the series, so they're gearing up for the clash with varied results.
The batting averages for India's Ranji Trophy saw a majority of batsmen boasting mighty high batting averages, while a vast majority of the wicket takers were fast/medium pace bowlers, a big contrast to the lack of balance in bowler type wicket takings between India and England.

A whole bunch of our boys have already made the trip over to settle in and of our side only a handful of players have experienced Test cricket in India, specifically four players; Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle (2008) and Shane Watson.

Three of the above mentioned players have tasted individual success in India but not victory as a team in recent times. The last time we won a series in India was 2004 and you cannot bring up the carnage we brought about with a 4-0 win in Australia last summer. This is India in India and it always proves to be a whole different dynamic.

Interestingly enough I had a look back at the last series which we lost 2-0, a series that should have been shelved with the shortage of games.

The 1st Test at Mohali was a game were the fast bowlers performed with spin providing assistance, something Peter Siddle sees as a legitimate strategy.

Zaheer Khan and Mitchell Johnson both claimed 5fors and in the second innings for both sides India had Zaheer and Ishant Sharma claim a collective 6 wickets with Douggie Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus claiming a collective 7 wickets for Australia. The seam bowlers dominated the proceedings with the ball.

On the batting front Shane Watson scored his second Test century (126 runs followed by 56) and with his return to cricket being highlighted with a century and a half-century against the Windies it ought to put a hop in his step as he recalls that innings and steps up as vice-captain.

In the 2nd Test our boys struggled to pick themselves up due to a sense of being deflated having thrown away a golden opportunity to take the 1st Test after being kept at bay by the determination of VVS Laxman (now retired) and support from his lower order companions.

Despite the track of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, proving to be a good batting track for both sides in the 1st innings we saw the value of spin being well executed and an all-round effort from the support bowlers.

Nathan Hauritz did not share as much fortune as the Indian spinners and Shane Warne slammed Ricky Ponting for his lack of creativity with the field settings for Ritz. India found the target of 207 all too easy.

It was another case of lessons learned and the harsh reality of the challenges in India.

It's a tough game there, as soon as you let your guard down and give them an opening in any passage of play they usually have the utmost confidence to play you out of the game and it is usually a slow manner in which they do it.
It is a quality they lack outside of India but within their own borders it's brutal and we saw a prime example in the 2nd Test that one below par batting performance was all it took to turn an evenly matched contest into a walk in the park for MS Dhoni's men.

We may lack experience and players of past experience but therefore the scars of the past will be minimal in the minds of the newcomers and a fresh attitude is the first step to take heading into India, especially with all the drama over the rotation-policy which caused a bitter-sweet summer.

Our squad is not one to boast about or has massive talking rights for that manner but a squad that has a light at the end of the tunnel, which will hopefully be reached come the Ashes series!

It's an obvious reason why Peter Siddle spoke highly about our fast bowling attack in front of the media, stating that is our strength and should be used with full assault. Simply put it is validly our strength and the most proven stronghold of this side.

We do not have a duo of dynamite, high quality spin - a monstrous advantage in the sub-continent - nor do we have a settled batting line-up, so the fast bowling unit is one area the boys can make mention of. Talking up your fast bowling outfit in India isn't exactly fashionable but is clearly due to our emerging squads minimal track record.

This strategic outlook has value and Peter Siddle's statement highlighted this line of thinking. Attack with an all out pace attack with the back up from the spin department, as well as the part-timers in Clarke, Maxwell, Warner and Smith.

"The best way of attacking India is with whatever your best line-up is," Siddle told reporters at Melbourne airport on Thursday. "The way we've won Test matches for years now has been with our pace and I think that is going to play a big role. But Nathan [Lyon] is going to play a big role at the other end, and his game is going to flourish even more with the pressure we build at our end.

"Combined, we'll do well and definitely be able to take 20 wickets. We're strong, we've got a good set of quicks going over and we've got good back-up for Nathan over there with spin."

It certainly isn't doom and gloom for the Baggy Greens, far from it. If anything the concerned undertones are most likely as a result of a side that has many players of perceived "potential and skill" and a relatively unknown sense of unity.

The good news is Watto and Clarkey have sound experience in India and while Watto makes his return to Test cricket with a wave of self-confidence, we know the sublime excellence of our skipper with the bat.

Phillip Hughes has done something no player has done in years and that is to work towards a goal, grab the opportunity and stamp it with everything he had to offer to fight his way into our side with pride. He is fast becoming a competent number 3 batsman and his Test return will call on valuable input and determination with his first tour to India.

Ed Cowan and David Warner have started to find a connection, slowly but surely.
Both have recognisable skill sets that will hopefully prove to be enough to protect our middle order in the majority of the contests. Both batsmen will be targeted by spin possibly early on and this would raise the alarm!

A fast bowling outfit of Johnson, Pattinson, Starc, Siddle and Bird leaves me with few worries but their bodies will be put on the line with the heat, humidity and concerns of past frailties.

The key will be how well Nathan Lyon and/or Xavier Doherty will compliment them and find ways to plug out wickets should our fast bowlers keel over at any stage. It was something well noted that Lyon struggled to do against South Africa but taking him to India is wonderful for his continued development. This is the time to make it count!

We have new blood in Khawaja, Smith, Maxwell and Henriques who can hold their own at State level but the head to head against India will be a matter of combat that only time will tell. Most would say they're walking wickets but until they've lived the battle in the middle we won't know enough.

All in all, while we collectively have good batsmen, the majority have been identified as men who struggle against spin within Australia. This is a warning sound for what is to come and recent history indicates spin has remained as important as ever in India, despite the findings of how many top wicket takers in India's Ranji Trophy have not been spin bowlers.

In the Test series against England, of the 110 wickets that fell 82 of these were to spinners (full and part-time) with the top takings going to Graeme Swann (20), Pragyan Ojha (20), Monty Panesar (17) and Ravichandran Aswin (14). Just a small indicator of the role that spin played.

With an eye on the most recent Test series completed in India, Nathan Lyon is opting for two spinners to play at once if the opportunity is present based on what he watched during the India versus England series. His outlook may be a slight variation to that of Siddle's but either way it makes for an exciting prospect as to whether it will be a front line fast bowling attack with one spinner or two spinners complemented by the best fast bowlers for the job.

What are your thoughts ahead of the Test series?

Australian Test Squad for the Border-Gavaskar series:

David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (captain), Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Johnson, Matthew Wade (wicket keeper), James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Jackson Bird, Xavier Doherty, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar. 

*Indian Squad for the 1st Test:

MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, M Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda

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