***Official*** 5th Test at the SCG

[quincywagstaff]

I think the most impressive thing about this Australian bowling quartet was their opening innings performances in Brisbane, Perth & here where England were in excellent positions after 6-7 hours of batting and yet Australia's bowlers worked as a group to bounce back and restrict them to relatively modest totals and lay the foundation for the win.

The excellence of Australia's bowlers notwithstanding though, this England batting lineup was pitifully meek. Weakest English batting lineup to tour Australia since 1982/83.

 

[Shri]

Did he also teach you how to open the water bottle?

Probably didn't see the point tbh. Probably thought it would be too complex a task for me.

 

[Cabinet96]

Can't just be me who thought that trophy presentation was terrible.

 

[Shri]

I captured the bowling actions of Cummins and Starc. Incredible how Starc just lets go of it live. TV view from behind the bowler's shoulder doesn't do justice to how scary he looks when you see him throw grenades from the front.

 

[Adders]

One thing I don't think we've talked much about is that this inexperienced English lineup is the first team to run into a full strength Australian bowling attack. While they're not Ambrose/Marshall/Garner/Holding, Starc/Hazlewood/Cummins/Lyon is probably the strongest all round attack the world has seen in the last decade, with the possible exception of the one India has just run into.

Any weakness or flaw in a batsman is likely to be excluded against this attack. They have pace, swing, seam, bounce and a world class spinner. It's unrelenting and very tough for batters, even on these roads.

Post started so well then drifted off into cloud cuckoo land.

This is a very very good Aus bowling lineup and its taken 7 years to get on the park......and yes, we're the lucky ****s that had to front it.

But best attack the world has seen in a decade?? Cmon now stephen.

 

[Shri]

If Pattinson plays, it just might be.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Post started so well then drifted off into cloud cuckoo land.

This is a very very good Aus bowling lineup and its taken 7 years to get on the park......and yes, we're the lucky ****s that had to front it.

But best attack the world has seen in a decade?? Cmon now stephen.

Stephen is the guy who thought Jackson Bird was the 6th best bowler in the world.

If anything this is him being conservative

 

[Cabinet96]

I think it's a reasonable shout. Think it's better than South Africa's current one as well. Better spinner and Steyn has had two good tests in three years.

 

[TNT]

Can't just be me who thought that trophy presentation was terrible.

I think that is a deliberate ploy to get people out of the stadium so the cleaners can move in.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pat Cummins has still only played 19 First class matches in his whole career

 

[Spark]

I think it's a reasonable shout. Think it's better than South Africa's current one as well. Better spinner and Steyn has had two good tests in three years.

Only because he hasn't played. Averages something like 19, 17, 21, 19 in the last four years.

Spinner is also the fifth bowler, so he's up against Mitch Marsh. I'd still take current Morne over Lyon (although it's a close run thing). Either way, nothing beats Steyn-Rabada-Philander as a trio right now.

 

[TNT]

Only because he hasn't played. Averages something like 19, 17, 21, 19 in the last four years.

Spinner is also the fifth bowler, so he's up against Mitch Marsh. I'd still take current Morne over Lyon (although it's a close run thing). Either way, nothing beats Steyn-Rabada-Philander as a trio right now.

As of right now Styen is out for at least four to six weeks with a foot injury.

 

[stephen]

Did nobody catch that I mentioned RSA might have a better attack?

I also have said that outside SA, Bird would make any non-Aussie side in the world. That's hardly a stretch.

And they might have a better fast bowling attack, but Maharaj is nowhere near as good as Lyon.

And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Starc/Hazlewood/Cummins/Lyon is one of the top two attacks world cricket has seen in the last decade. Other than SA, which attack would people rate as highly? Every other side has pressure-releasing bowlers. England/NZ at home is comparable perhaps but they don't perform as well overseas.

 

[stephen]

Anyway my point is that having 4 bowlers who are all very good operating is so difficult to face because you simply cannot wait for the pressure release when the 3rd seamer comes on to bowl.

 

[Cabinet96]

Only because he hasn't played. Averages something like 19, 17, 21, 19 in the last four years.

Spinner is also the fifth bowler, so he's up against Mitch Marsh. I'd still take current Morne over Lyon (although it's a close run thing). Either way, nothing beats Steyn-Rabada-Philander as a trio right now.

Yeah but you have to actually get on the park. I wouldn't have considered Cummins as a serious bowler in any best attack debate until this serious where he proved he can play multiple tests in a row.

Also feel like South Africa playing five bowlers is kind of cheating. Sure Philander is a slightly better batsman than Cummins but if you brought Pattinson in for Marsh I think their 7-11 would be similar quality with the bat. At the moment Australia's is far superior.

 

[Shri]

Did nobody catch that I mentioned RSA might have a better attack?

I also have said that outside SA, Bird would make any non-Aussie side in the world. That's hardly a stretch.

And they might have a better fast bowling attack, but Maharaj is nowhere near as good as Lyon.

And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that Starc/Hazlewood/Cummins/Lyon is one of the top two attacks world cricket has seen in the last decade. Other than SA, which attack would people rate as highly? Every other side has pressure-releasing bowlers. England/NZ at home is comparable perhaps but they don't perform as well overseas.

As much as I hate to say this: england - around 2011 or so.

Broad and Anderson were in good form and they had Swann as their spinner. The third seamer was picked based on form so Tremlett, Sidebottom etc when they played didn't look like weak links.

 

[Cabinet96]

England went three years without conceding a score of 500 so I think they probably round off the top three as Shri eluded to.

 

[Gob]

If Steyn's fit yeah for sure but without him its really close

I'd say pace attacks are almost even and Lyon tilts it to Estraya. Fit Steyn would change the whole complexion

 

[Gob]

Only because he hasn't played. Averages something like 19, 17, 21, 19 in the last four years.

Spinner is also the fifth bowler, so he's up against Mitch Marsh. I'd still take current Morne over Lyon (although it's a close run thing). Either way, nothing beats Steyn-Rabada-Philander as a trio right now.

This is poor especially coming from spark. You don't play a fast bowler over a spinner just because that fast bowler is better

 

[Spark]

If Steyn's fit yeah for sure but without him its really close

I'd say pace attacks are almost even and Lyon tilts it to Estraya. Fit Steyn would change the whole complexion

Yeah this is including Steyn.