Wrap - Hands Like Nemo

1. Cameron Bancroft. Last week it was Steve Smith trying to hijack the Boxing Day Test and now Bancroft wearing a stupid singlet and ridiculous haircut to present as the 'innocent young man'. Political spin doctors out of touch who have Foxtel in their pocket. I think Steve Smith did three "exclusive" interviews in three days. People have had a gutful of these clowns. In fact Warner has been made super popular in his silence. He does not need to front the press. Now let's hope Candace and Roxy don't advise poorly.


The cricket public are even now wanting to see the back of Bancroft for a long, long time. His booing last night in the BBL was no accident. He has brought it all his way. ‘I wanted to fit in...’. What a spineless, irresponsible excuse.


The wrath of the ex players says it all. An immature goose who has learned nothing (remember his giggling post match press conference?). He is flippant, arrogant and has not owned his own behaviour. Gilchrist was hardly helpful either. He refused to ask tough questions adding to the lame tenor of the whole pathetic charade.


Suddenly Bancoft is a long, long way from a return to the Australian team. His weakness here and public lack of 'team' perspective, will count heavily against him. Smith will return through our necessity. Warner, if he stays silent, will be back soon too. A bit rich of Aaron Finch offering to welcome back Warner as a senior player - when he can't hold his own spot in the squad!


2. Third Test Fiasco I. The MCG staff should hang their heads. They serve up an Indian deck that pleases the Indian pay masters and expect the same favour in Eden Gardens? If not, what is wrong with Victorian cricket and where is the investment in a better deck? They have a record number of players in the Australian Team - Finch, Harris and Siddle. Their favourite son, Peter Handscomb is punted and all of their players fail on the biggest stage. The crowds, outside of the Indian support, were pretty pathetic too!


Typical pandering (no DRS for a few years, no Indian IPL players in other countries' T20 leagues....). I even noticed Kerry O'Keefe penning a public letter of apology to Indian fans after a few funnies at their expense. They need to lighten up. They are ever so precious at times, despite blitzing us on the field.


3. Third Test Fiasco II. On the field, things are worse. Finch has the worst technique in world cricket. How he has scored so heavily in ODI and T20 cricket is beyond me. As the only Australian player competing in all three forms of the game, they need to end him in Test Cricket. Mitchell Marsh is a terrible selection, but he did a 'relieving' job bowling his ineffective seamers to give others a break. He is averaging 74.88 in the past 15 Tests with 9 wickets from 181 overs (23 innings). Not impressive numbers.


Khawaja has hardly set the world on fire and he and Shaun Marsh need to step up. They are both part of the malaise of Australian Cricket who cannot consistently crack the code of focus and steel required at this level. Travis Head gets bowled far too often for mine. He too is on shaky ground. Josh Hazlewood (162 Test wickets) and Mitchell Starc (198 wickets) need to get busy too. Their strike rates are too moderate against the best batsmen. They need to start dominating erlier and stop playing 'make up' cricket. Starc seems incapable of moving the red ball.


Who to bring in? Pucowski from Victoria, Lehmann from South Australia, Stoinis... all marginal.


Despite their talent, Wade and Maxwell seem to have a stunning knack of exciting selectors' strong views of their attitudinal problems. However the absence of Shield fixtures makes the readiness for excellence in Test cricket unlikely. They are not playing enough four day cricket and averages are pretty bleak too as a result. More time in the middle!




Is it time to trawl Grade Cricket in the larger states and find some long term stars who may not have had the silver cricket spoon through Australian U/19s, etc? Hard nosed players of gravity who know how to win. They could start at Parramatta in Sydney with young Bertus.

4. Complete Fiasco - Siddle. Why is he in the Test squad firstly and secondly, why is he fielding for us at a key time? Joke. Hands like Nemo. There is not a better fieldsman out there? Where is Mickey Edwards? The fielding generally was poor and worse in the BBL. Clive Rose is the worst in Australia.

5. World Cricket Stage. Dale Steyn overtakes Shaun Pollock as South Africa's leading wicket taker ever v the Pakistanis and in NZ, Trent Boult brains them to lead the team home. The fans love when ball dominates bat in Test Cricket.

6. EPL -ManU. Ole Gunnar Solskjær as the relieving football manager is igniting Pogba and the team to surge up the table into sixth place after 20 games. He is unleashing the team's spirit and grandeur in a quiet, reassuring manner. Having played for many years at Old Trafford has helped his credibility and resolve. Meanwhile Liverpool roll on as the stuttering Man City have given them the Christmas jump.

It must be said that the foxes of Leicester and the wolves of Wolverhampton have had great years to date, closing in on the magic 30 points when teams like Huddersfield cave in and look set for relegation.

7. Socceroos. Stunning words from the great coach, Graham Arnold, who suggested that the 5-0 win over Oman was inspired by his scrutiny of Liverpool games and their style. Honest, but leagues and miles away!

8. NRL. A week without a taxi rank/ niteclub/ M4 incident is staggering.

9. Sydney Mania. The Sydney Kings are in first place at the turn of the season. Amazing how quality players can get you there! Bogut has been stunning. The same with the Sydney FC and the Sydney Bluesox (baseball)! Add this to the NRL Premiers, the Sydney Roosters too and the netball Grand Finalists, the Sydney Swifts! Sydney on fire.