Blogs & Pods

Date: September 28, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

The vast majority of focus heading into Saturday’s grand final has centred on Richmond. Like the Bulldogs this time last year, the Tigers are the sentimental favourite. A premiership drought that extends to 1980 and the re-emergence of one of the code’s most powerful and strident forces – the yellow and black army – has […]

Date: September 5, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Ten months ago Nathan Lyon’s Test career was hanging by a thread. Today, once again, he is firmly ensconced as his nation’s number one spinner. In the past two weeks he has leapt over Richie Benaud (248 wickets) and Jason Gillespie (259) to sit seventh on the all-time Test wicket-taking list for Australia. The man […]

Date: August 31, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

The past week has breathed life into Test cricket, the sport’s venerable old lady. In the space of 15 hours, West Indies ran down 322 to beat England at Leeds, while Bangladesh recorded a 20-run win over Australia at Mirpur. Just as one swallow doesn’t make a drunk, these results in isolation are not guaranteed […]

Date: August 25, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Australia’s last four Test series in Asia have produced one win and 13 losses. The two-match series against Bangladesh, which gets underway at Mirpir on Sunday, is very much a test of Australia’s cricketing credibility. Australia enters the series ranked number four. Its opponent sits at number nine. A two-nil series loss for Australia would […]

Date: July 28, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

After months of posturing, claims and counterclaims, CA is looking to bring the current pay dispute to a head. In a break from its previous policy of containing the dispute as best as possible behind closed doors, CA went public yesterday. Very public. CEO James Sutherland held a hastily convened al fresco media conference at […]

Date: July 7, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Generations of cricketers have grown up in this country with the dream of playing in an Ashes series. The current crop is no different despite the increased presence of myriad Twenty20 leagues. Yet, players yesterday took a step that may harm their prospects of being selected for this summer’s series against the old enemy by […]

Date: March 29, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Seven months after a 3-nil series loss in Sri Lanka, Australia has gone down to 2-1 to India. Sri Lanka is ranked number seven in the world while India is a clear number one and has lost just one Test in its past 23. This latest trip to the sub-continent has indicated improvement in testing […]

Date: March 24, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

Glenn Maxwell came of age as a Test cricketer at Ranchi. He faced 185 deliveries in compiling 104, his maiden Test century. It was an innings built around patience and caution rather than inventiveness and gusto. It was a knock that some thought Maxwell was incapable of producing. It has all but guaranteed that he […]

Date: March 22, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

If Australia could choose a venue for a deciding Test in India it would most likely be Dharamsala. Following a 210-over stint in the field during India’s only innings in the heat at Ranchi, the climate at Dharamsala will be a relief. The pitch may also be to Australia’s liking. This domestic season in India, […]

Date: March 16, 2017 / Posted by Glenn Mitchell

David Warner is a cricketing Jekyll and Hyde. On home pitches, he monsters opposing bowling attacks, averaging 59.2. Away from home his average is a modest 37.6, a drop of 21.6 runs. The stark nature of the differential between his home and away performances is mirrored also in his career century tally – 14 at […]