one-zero, four more to go!

From difficulty to ease of a victory! What a way it has been achieved and what a wonderful four and a half days.
Australia played well indeed. England had their moments for almost 3 days, and some controversial calls went against them, but the beauty of this game was something else.

1. The game is won by aussies on the first session of the 5th day, on the same day when we lost our beloved brother Phil Hughes three years ago. On rememberence of him, every aussie were playing with a black armband, mentioned PH in it.

you will be remembered always, hughesy!

2. Warner's tribute to Phil when he was on 63. Hughes was batting on 63 not out when he got hit in the head. On rememberence of that, warner watched the skies when he was on 63. 

Once a mate, always a mate!

3. The way the debutant Cameron Bancroft played the second innings. He was terrific in drives, He was staying all pumped up with positive energy, even when Anderson thowed him with returning ball. He stayed firm just like a wrestler, never down to any challenge! I guess we got a better batter and strong lad than Matty Renshaw, the baby face. This bloke can bat, and even can agree and move on with someone who was headbutted him (Jonny Bairstow). Way to go Cameron, give warner better partnership, wanna see you guys perform more!

New partners in crime

4. Moen's post match press conference was absolute gold. English media were trying to make use of the controversial call of his on the line runout. But he responded well with good choice of words. At the end of the day, you have to follow what the umpires say, and you follow cricket rules as equal as how you follow the game! Absolutely the true gentleman! We have less heads have this great understanding of cricket! Salute to you sir!

5. Steve Smithy Boy! the only centurion of the game and the way he got that was fantastic. Joe root's captaincy was equally challenging. I guess he is the only captain attacked Steve's ability of playing from the middle stump, Smith's free flowing legside was all protected by Root; He placed 6 fielders in the leg side and balled with his pace barrage on the left side or middle for about 2 hours continuously on the third day! Smithy had batted equally well, showed patiency in leaving the bouncers, and some placements were delight to watch. more centuries to come Smithy! 

Run Machine

A victory well earned. See you at Adelaide.

Rest in Peace champ!

~Shanan

Ashes starts tomorrow

The ones who talk much will not deliver as much as they talk. This is my logic, probably the one the current Kangaroos should apply it to themselves too.
The series is evenly poised with both the teams have their pros and cons equally.
But the Aussie camp has begun the talk banter, barraging the pommies with their "scar" talks and "fear" talks.
The Aussies are very clever in talking about one series that had happened in 2013, and forgot the rest of the series those happened after 2009 until current day.

These are the results of the Ashes series results since 2009 :

65	2009	England	8 July 2009	5	1	2	2	England	England
66	2010–11	Australia	25 November 2010	5	1	3	1	England	England
67	2013	England	10 July 2013	5	0	3	2	England	England
68	2013–14	Australia	21 November 2013	5	5	0	0	Australia	Australia
69	2015	England	5 July 2015	5	2	3	0	England	England

The ultimate truth is, the men in yellow could manage only one test series win ever since 2009, thanks to Mitchel Johnson.

Guys like Lyon, Handscomb and David warner, please get back to the winning ways than playing mind games to the opponent, talks won't cook rice!

As an Aussie fan, I would like to see a series win that is long time due! However the reality is, England have more chances to win this.

They have the best 4 of them playing the ashes for at least for the 4th time. Joe Root, Alister Cook, James Anderson, and Stuart Broad. They have the best all rounders of this era, Moen Ali, Ben stokes (Who is not in the squad though) and Chris Woakes.

They have the better wicket keeper batsman in Barristaw.

Comparatively, Aussie army have less experienced Ashes squad.

Selection was a surprise, to bring tim Paine back into the Squad when he is 30+ in age; brought in Bancroft for the test minded Renshaw (though he didn't perform well in shield matches).

Dropping wade is good, but he is more vocal than the other options, his famous "nice gary" would have done tricks at the gabba when Lyon bowls. 

More over, the pacemen attack of Aussies never performed together. Let's see, it is gonna be a tough match to win for Aussies, all depends on the mighty Mitchel Starc.

Even though Englishmen are advantageous in all departments, I feel the home crowd and "doing the australia way" would earn victories for Australia, I could only hope!

Hala Australia!

~Shanan

Ellyse Perry- continues 😀

Days are getting better and better! For team Australia and their beloved Elyse Perry! 

Highest ever score made by an Australian women cricketer!

213 not out... this is really something to cherish for lifetime... 

there’s only 2 results possible now, an Aussie win or a draw...

Keep calm and go for it ladies! Make it 8-2. Bring it on. Take the realm!

Go Perry! Go Aussies!

~Shanan

Ellyse Perry day - the pink test Ashes!

What a miraculous day it is for my favourite Ellyse Perry!

Even though she was in the top batswoman list among all formats, she couldn’t post a century so far in her 10 years career for Australia.

Today, when the team needed an innings from her to show some fight and go up in the ashes battle, she had delivered it, reaching the feat and stay firm till dinner!

At the moment she is 166 not out. If she can stay for an hour more, I guess she will be the first one to post a double century in women cricket!

By stumps yesterday she was on 70*

Today she held her nerve to post the century, with almost ease, and the circumstances were beautiful. Her mate was batting on the other side, Alyssa Healy.

 The first century came on her own ground, in front of the aussie public, that too when they all were wearing pink!

Go for the double ton Perry! We all love you for the courage and determination you have shown so far!

Go Aussies!

~Shanan

Women Ashes & pink ball test

The mens ashes starts on 23rd this month, in advanced, the women clash has just begun yesterday in the grand manner at North sydney oval.

Captains with the Cup

This is the first women day night test ever, since it is a Day-Night match, they play pink ball.
This is also in rememberance of McGrath foundation for cancer, people tend to wear pink and come to see the match. We can officially call this as the women pink test.

First day did go well for Aussies. The tall girls Megan Scutt and Elyse Perry had started it beautifully, even though there were no wickets for quite some time, they bowled with their heart out.

The three muketeers ~ Debutants

Then came the debutants and Jonnasen.

Tahlia McGrath in action

 Tahlia Mcgrath is going to be the talk of the town for next 2 to 3 years. She had bowled with brain and took 2 english wickets.













Jonnasen's leg breaks were fine enough for her 2 scalps.

Amanda Wellington's first wicket

The other debutant Amanda wellington did well and took her first test wicket with spin passion, which would make Shane warne be proud of!










Some athletic fieldings, hard catches, and a little bit of luck from golden girl Perry, had made england to suffer a 7 wicket loss for 235.

My Fav ~ Perry!

Check out the video : Perry gets Sarah in pure luck!

Expecting a better 2nd day today at Sydney for Aussies.

~Shanan

Double Hat-trick for Mitchel Starc

Yesterday was a near perfect day for New South Wales cricket and the pace ace Starc.
To my knowledge, no one else have ever has done this feat of taking hat-tricks in both the innings of the test match!

Starc was at it again.
The blues were playing against the Western Australians. Starc wasn't totally in control when the first innings got started. He was barely going at 3 runs per over rate. But his spearheads Hazelwood and Patty cummins did the damage. Hazelwood made early inroads to remove the men in form; Shaun Marsh and Hilton Cartwright, and got Mitchel Marsh too.

Starc had to wait for 8 overs to get his first wicket. When it was the tail enders, then came the tormender! last 3 wickets of Western Australia couldn't add anything to the tally, they were facing the deadliest yorkers. 8th was caught in slips, 9th was plumb in front and 10th was middle stump yorker!

When the second innings started for WA, I felt that Marsh and Bancroft were gonna hold their bats till the end. Their batting was flowless; Neat dabs and Squishing fours; That too against the Australian seamers (yes you read that correct, NSW is more or less the Australian team in bowling).

But when the first wicket was fallen, that was the end of them; the fast trio had done it again, and Mitchel starc, again had ripped apart the tail.
I felt sorry for David Moody, his reactions were all the same as first and second innings, he bagges a couple, both from Starc. This time it was caught at slips, caught by wicketKeeper, and bowled.

Get ready pommies, for the chin music from the Mitchel, once again just like the 2014 Mitchel!



~Shanan

Ashes Fever

Yet another Ashes in Australia...

Every year there will be a story behind the Ashes, if its not, someone would create a story to make it count.
This time, it is the exit of Ben Stokes. Very recently, about 2 days before, it is turning to be as no Moen Ali and no Finn too... Meaning, England camp is going to be one shot less than the Aussies'?
I hope not, would like to see Ali and Finn play for them, If the matchis not played with equal power, then whats the point in calling it as Ashes...


Last time I predicted a clean sweep from Aussies, but it wasn't gone as expected.
So, this time, my fair prediction is :), 3-2 Australia home!

The reasons for me to believe in this Aussie team to win against a star studded Pommies line up is:
Experience!

Star, the leathal weapon

Mitchel Starc - the leathal weapon of Australia, may as well be the trump card! He is in terrific form, played the JLT one day cup and Sheffield shield, and performed nothing less to his previous performances. So, the man is back with his best abilities, break through in the first overs, clean up the tail! In yesterday's match he took a hattrick, clean swept the last 3 Western Australia wickets.

Cummins, the tormentor

Patrick Cummins - the tormentor and the successor of Mitchel Johnson. He has already mentined in the pre press interviews that he won't be feeling asamed of bowling bouncers and pace to the english tail enders, stated as everyone with a bat in the middlw will be treated as batters. So, get ready to another f*%king broken arm!

Hazelwood, Mr. consistent

Hazelwood - Mr. Consistent! He is still bowling those maidens! line and length, just like the balls that come from the "bowling machine" with same speed and accuracy! As long as he is playing, Aussie need not to panick from one end.

Brothers in arms - Warner & Smith

Captain and Vice Captain - The real and only batting options that can be trusted in Aussie camp! They both are in fine nick, we can probably see David Warner's fastest century and the significant leap! On the other side, you can still see the guy who makes the scoreboard ticking all the time when he is in middle, you can see the unorthodox batting, field placements will go wow when he bats, need 3 more centuries from you Smithy!



To be frank, other options are pretty ordinary from Aussies side.

Englishmen are looking dangerous in their form; They have Alistair cook and Joe Root, the best batsmen in test for some time! They have some great all rounders in Moen Ali, Bairstow, Ballance; They have the great pacemen in Anderson, Broad and Jake Ball. Their only worry would be the unsettled and relatively new middle order, if they too click well, then its Englishmen all the way.

I'm gonna be busy with work and cricket, effective from Nov 23rd! Hope to see a Yellow win that is due since ages, and let's fly the Baggy Greens high!

Come on AUSTRALIA!

~Shanan