Tabla de contenidos para 2016 - 2017 en Universal’s Summer Cricket Guide

November is a mouth-watering ‘Protea’ month in Australia thanks to the appearance of two of the greatest ever South African batsmen, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. Supreme and contrasting entertainers, at 33 and 32 respectively, they are probably making their Australian Test farewells — good reason to attend the games and savour their magic. Few batsmen of the generation compare or have enjoyed more illustrious careers. Throughout the last decade they have led South Africa to the top of the Test ranks and thrilled crowds worldwide with their consistent brilliance. Amla is all class and polish. Last summer he handed over the captaincy immediately having scored a double century in the middle of a difficult series against England. He has amassed 25 centuries in Tests and averages 50-plus. His…

A WINNING TRADITION South Africa has not lost a Test series in Australia since 2005–06. And if AB de Villiers’ side has any say in it, that record will remain intact by the end of November 2016. No country has challenged Australia so consistently under their own conditions since the mighty West Indies back in the 1980s. Since re-admission in 1993, the Proteas’ record in this country is: won two series, drawn one, lost three. Will this latest team match their successful predecessors? The jury is out. Last summer the Proteas appeared to be a team in transition. The development of a squad with quality in depth remains pivotal. Outside the premium pair of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, batting places are still far from settled. Quinton de Kock…

NEW LOOK TOP SIX Having hosted last summer’s gripping final, South Australia shapes as one of the outstanding Shield teams again in 2016–17, their success likely to again revolve around pace trio Joe Mennie, Chadd Sayers and Daniel Worrall. The trio captured 127 Shield wickets last summer, Mennie with 51 and Worrall 44 finishing first and second on the wickettaking charts. There is a new look to the top six, with Mark Cosgrove and Tom Cooper among those not to be offered new state contracts. Fresh onus and responsibilities fall to Alex Ross and Jake Lehmann, who played for Australia A during the winter. Wicket-keeper-batsman Alex Carey is another very fine emerging player. He hails from Loxton. Captain Travis Head will also be looking to continue his drive towards a…

PARIS A BONUS AT “FORTRESS” With eight of its “home grown” representatives selected in the winter months either for Australia or Australia A, the depth of Western Australian cricket continues to build impressively under renowned coach Justin Langer, now in his fifth season. WA may not have achieved the red-ball results Langer desired last summer, but the emergence of Cameron Bancroft, Sam Whiteman and Joel Paris, combined with the continued improvement of Ashton Agar, augurs well for a strong set of results in 2016–17. Langer is keen to make the WACA Ground a fortress for his team and with a fit-again Jason Behrendorff and Paris at his disposal, he has two high-quality swing bowlers to head the attack. Cameron Bancroft continues to press for higher honours. He was WA’s…

The first time Jeff Thomson opposed the great Dennis Lillee, he knocked the bat out of his hand second ball, the pair exchanging “pleasantries” mid-pitch. “Hope you can #@&^ing bat, pal,” said Lillee to his future fast bowling partner. Thommo said Lillee had come out to bat at the WACA Ground “acting like he owned the place”. “I just thought, ‘I’ll fix you up’,” Thommo said, and he sent Lillee’s bat flying. It was the start of a lifelong friendship between the pair, their new-ball pairing as menacing and lethal as any in world cricket, before or since. The Australians defeated England 4–1 and the West Indies 5–1 on the back of their furious onslaughts in the mid 1970s. In his just released pictorial autobiography, Lillee says they were “fun,…

Test match eve, Adelaide, 1985: going stir crazy in his hotel room and knowing his friends from back home in Werribee are downstairs partying hard in Charlie’s Bar, Merv Hughes joins them for some calming pre-Christmas fluids. Sipping mainly soda waters in-between a stubbie or two, Hughes is his normal loud, effervescent and endearing self, regaling his mates with stories from Werribee to Darwin where he’d spent the off-season. The clock strikes midnight but they continue… until almost 1am. Among the eyewitnesses is a Test selector, Australian cricket’s media manager and a brace of touring cricket writers, several of whom are totally unacquainted with Hughes’ mischievous spirit and personalityplus ways. Another debutant, Geoff Marsh, is also at Charlie’s, but is tucked away in a quiet corner with captain Allan Border.…

1. How old was Sir Colin Cowdrey when his autobiography, Time for Reflection, was published in 1962? A: 19 B: 29 C: 39 D: 49 2. What was the title of Jack Fingleton’s classic first book, published in 1946? A: Between Wickets B: Cricket Crisis C: Masters of Cricket D: Four Chukkas to Australia 3. What was Don Bradman’s nickname? A: Braddles B: George (his middle name) C: Goldie (short for Golden Boy) D: All of the above 4. Who made 239 and was man of the match against NZ in Wellington in 2016? A: Adam Voges B: Usman Khawaja C: David Warner D: Joe Burns 5. Who was the South Australian who was a sub-fielder for a short time in this same 2016 Trans-Tasman Test? A: Darren Lehmann B:…

As the iconic Dale Steyn prepares himself for one last Test tilt at the Australians down under, an unheralded junior is threatening to be equally destructive. The Dale Steyn-Morne Morkel combo has been frightening opposing batsmen for a decade. Now the unsung Kagiso Rabada, who is just as fast at around 150 km/h, has arrived as a fast bowler of genuine menace. The tall 21-year-old from Johannesburg could well be the finest young fast bowling prospect in the world. While 2015–16 was far from South Africa’s finest summer with defeats against India and England, Kagiso’s seamless transition into his country’s world-rated Test XI was a fabulous bonus, especially with 33-year-old Steyn becoming increasingly susceptible to injury. In Rabada’s first six Tests he collected 24 wickets, including a record-breaking haul of…

Seven years since its last tour of Australia, Pakistan comes down under with an amazing reservoir of cricketing talent the envy of all comers. Condemned to an almost backwater existence since the disgraces of the 2010 spot-fixing scandal and violent upheavals in its homeland, Pakistan has built an excellent Test match record over the past five years and having won two Tests in England in the northern summer is now the number-one ranked Test side. Led by the calm, astute 42-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq (Adam Voges must feel like a sprightly youth), the Pakistanis have built a virtual fortress in their new “home” in the UAE, as Michael Clarke’s Australians found two years ago. Now, as they showed in England, especially at Lord’s where they won in four days, they are hungry…

BACK AT HOME New South Wales’ full-time return to the Sydney Cricket Ground has been embraced by coach Trent Johnston and his playing squad. After being virtual ‘nomads’ in 2015–16, playing at nine different grounds, NSW plays four of its home games this season back at its long-time base with a fifth match to be held in Wollongong. Johnston and senior staff believe it is advantageous, especially for the younger players, to be familiar with the SCG, one of Australia’s foremost Test match grounds. Seven NSW players have Cricket Australia contracts, including comeback fast bowler Mitchell Starc. Among younger ones, Kurtis Patterson, 23, who represented Australia A most ably in the wintertime “Tests”, is considered a national player of the future. Danny Hughes, 27, is another playing with career-best assurance.…

MORE FROM THE MAINLAND Tasmania has again been active with the recruiting of mainlanders Andrew Perrin and Cam Stevenson (from Melbourne) and Cam Boyce and Simon Milenko (Brisbane) in the off-season. Perrin, 26, and Stevenson, 23, are both medium-pacers and will help cover the loss of Ben Hilfenhaus, who has retired. Both Boyce and Milenko have represented the Hobart Hurricanes as part of their transition down south. With none of its “own” representatives — other than Boyce — in the initial Australia A wintertime squad of 25, Tasmania’s youthful players need to re-impress. Coach Dan Marsh is looking for stronger performances, particularly in the top six. Last summer the Tigers scored 300-plus on only four occasions — and only twice in Hobart. Ben Dunk, who made four 100s last summer,…

With the rollicking success of the Big Bash League, Cricket Australia’s vision to also maximise attendances at the Tests has added a new affordability to the 2016–17 red-ball internationals. Filling the stadiums even for the Tests is the catch-cry and the game has never been more affordable with Australia-wide tickets at $30 for adults, $10 for children and $65 for families. There is also a twilight set of prices for the day-night Tests: Brisbane after 3pm and Adelaide after 4pm at $20 for adults, $10 children and $45 for families. Usman Khawaja has swapped bat companies this summer from Gray-Nicolls to Kookaburra. Adam Voges remains with Grove; David Warner, Shaun Marsh and Peter Nevill with Gray-Nicolls; Joe Burns with Gunn & Moore; and Steve Smith with New Balance. The Australian…

When Victoria’s team gathered at the MCG’s old Tavern Bar to celebrate its against-the-odds Sheffield Shield title with cricket-loving former Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies in April 1967, a small tie-pin was the solitary memento of one of the great domestic seasons of all. Three years later when they repeated their success, the players received a set of VCA cufflinks. Back then they were on $7 a day. The era of six-figure salaries even for Shield-standard players was still light years away. Some on the Test stage like Paul Sheahan and Bob Cowper walked away from the game early, Sheahan to teach and Cowper into merchant banking which took him to Monaco and beyond. While the rewards from domestic cricket were meagre, all the players had outside jobs and treated…

1 MITCHELL STARC Few are faster or hoop the ball as menacingly as Mitchell Starc, who mounted an extraordinarily successful return to Test cricket in Sri Lanka in July and August, averaging eight wickets a Test. Tall, slim and feisty, Starc’s first 100 Test wickets came at almost four a game, and with more durability and some subtle “nursing”, he in time could join an elite group of expressmen to take 300 or more Test wickets. With Mitchell Johnson’s retirement, he is now Australia’s fastest bowler and is used by Steve Smith in short three- and four-over spells like Johnson at his peak. 2 JOSH HAZLEWOOD Tall, able and pacy, Josh Hazlewood’s advancement has been so rapid that his strike-rate after 20 Tests compares favourably with some of the true…

Pakistan continues to keep Test cricket’s leg-spin flag flying… ahead even of Australia, the notable longtime home of an arsenal of wrist-spin greats, from Grimmett and O’Reilly through to Warne and MacGill. While the Australians sift through the likes of Cameron Boyce, Adam Zampa and young buck Mitch Swepson hoping for one to become true international quality, Pakistan has dipped into their talent pool and discovered another champion in the late-blooming Yasir Shah, whose two “fivefors” at Leeds and The Oval were pivotal in matchwinning Pakistani performances. For decades it seems the Pakistanis have had an unbroken line of men capable of delivering leg-breaks, wrong-uns, toppies and flippers with fizz, energy and passion. Pakistan has produced so many that it is able to spread the joy around the world. In…

Opportunities abound this summer for Australia’s most impressive youngsters as they vie to become an integral part of a changing Test team. With retirements, long-term injuries and the backlash to improve performance in foreign conditions on the sub-continent, more fringe players are receiving immediate opportunities. Relative newcomers like Josh Hazlewood, Joe Burns and Mitchell Marsh are among the current beneficiaries. In Colombo, Moises Henriques earnt a recall after years on the sidelines. Soon they will all be joined by other emerging talents, especially those adept at playing spin after the disappointments of Sri Lanka in winter, which saw the temporary axing of Queensland duo Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja. The emphasis to improve in the Test series in India from February is a high priority for coach Darren Lehmann. Some…

WHO’S WHO: SRI LANKA THE CAPTAIN First captained at T210 level in 2012 ANGELO MATHEWS b 2 June, 1987). RHB, RFM. ODI debut: 2008–09. Twenty20 debut: 2009. ODIs (to mid August): 176. Batting: 4393 runs at 40, HS: 139*, only 100, Sc-rt: (runs per 100 balls): 85. Bowling: 107 wkts at 34; BB: 6–20, 5wI: 1; Stk-rt: (balls per wkt): 44; Econ-rt: 4.64. T20s (to mid August): 66, HS: 81*; Sc-rt: 120; W: 36; BB: 3–16; Stk-rt: 24; Econ-rt: 6.65. T20 captaincy record: 3 wins, 6 losses, 1 no result. Sri Lanka’s captain across all three formats; led Sri Lanka to its magnificent wintertime Test series victory over Australia in August. CHAMINDA BANDARA (b 22 May, 1987). LHB, LAFM. ODI & T20 debut: 2016. ODIs: 1. Batting: 1 run. Bowling: 1…

STATE OF OPPORTUNITY The advance of Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja and the retirement of James Hopes makes Queensland the team of opportunity in 2016–17. More Queensland youngsters are gaining high-level competition experience than ever before, with several like Sam Heazlett, Mitch Swepson and Matthew Renshaw recognised with Australia A selection during the wintertime internationals.. Rookies Heazlett and Renshaw were among the most dominant batting newcomers last summer — Renshaw having already played a match late in 2014–15 — while wrist spinner Swepson, 23, came from beyond the immediate squad to play in the last six Shield games. Bulls coach Phil Jaques wants more internationals and is hoping promising allrounder Jack Wildermuth, Swepson and other young bowlers can maintain their improvement and vie with Heazlett, Renshaw and others for higher…

VICS AGAIN AT THE ALICE The depth of Victorian cricket’s emerging talent is the envy of most, even NSW, especially with five involved in the wintertime Australia A internationals. The improvement in particular of Marcus Stoinis and Peter Handscomb could lead to more Victorians making touring teams, maybe even India from February. Under new coach Andrew McDonald, the Vics are poised to maintain a formidable Sheffield Shield presence. They have won each of the last two major red-ball titles. Cricket Victoria’s CEO Tony Dodemaide paid tribute to departing coach David Saker, saying he had been a catalyst for long-term success. “David has had a fantastic impact on both the wider playing group and our structures to ensure Victoria continues to be successful on and off the field. In particular, the…

Having travelled to Sri Lanka for a set of springtime internationals, the Southern Stars meet South Africa and New Zealand in the months ahead, amidst a fresh million-dollar investment into women’s cricket infrastructures aimed at wooing the best and most sporty teenagers and fast tracking their advancement into international ranks. Clubs, associations and schools are directly benefiting through Cricket Australia’s Growing Cricket for Girls Fund, an investment costing $1 million per year until 2019. Cricket Australia is in particular targeting teenage girls, offering them clearer pathways to advance. “Girls and women are playing cricket in record numbers,” says Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland. “Cricket has had a national female competition for 70 years and we are committed to further investment to grow the female game with the Women’s Big Bash…

The challenge for cricket authors to write, entertain and inform is ongoing. Just how do you give your book bestselling, irresistible appeal? It was while pushing the third and heaviest of three crates containing 51 boxes of cricketana uphill to our garage that my wife Susan started shaking her head and seriously pondering my sanity. Again. “There might be a book in all this,” I countered. My acquisition of a mammoth collection of books, ephemera, photographs, posters and pamphlets lovingly collected over a lifetime by Don Bradman disciple Gordon Vidler in northern New South Wales was a once-in-a-lifetime treasure trove. It took weeks to unpack and assess. The books and magazines were amazing and included a run of the everso-rare issues of the 1924–25 Australian Cricketer (see page 96), original…

Very rarely seen early Australian cricket collectibles are the seven issues of The Australian Cricketer magazines from the 1924–25 Ashes summer. A set is unknown even in the great specialist-cricket libraries of Melbourne and Sydney. Prior to 1924–25, the only other colonial cricket magazine to survive more than a few issues was the one-season wonder Australian Cricket, which was released 18 times in 1896–97. We know of only one original set of this magazine, held by a NSW coastal collector. Four of the front covers are featured here, the first celebrating Victor Trumper, who is described as “the greatest cricketing genius of all time”. Others show Warren Bardsley (top left) walking out to bat with HL ‘Herbie’ Collins, the first Australian captain associated with attempts of match-fixing that very season.…

We have double passes for each of the first two days for each and every Test match this summer: Australia v South Africa November 3–7 WACA, Perth November 12–16 Blundstone Arena, Hobart November 24–28 Adelaide Oval (d-n) Australia v Pakistan December 15–19 The Gabba, Brisbane (d-n) December 26–30 Melbourne Cricket Ground January 3–7 Sydney Cricket Ground OTHER PRIZES Also this year, courtesy of Gray-Nicolls Australia we have an Omega Kit as used by Australia’s wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. It consists of an Omega superior-grade bat, pads, gloves, WK gloves and WK pads. • Signed copies of Brad Haddin’s autobiography, from HarperCollinsSports www.harpercollins.com.au • Signed copies of Dennis Lillee’s new Complete Illustrated Autobiography, www.affirmpress.com.au • Ken Piesse’s new book A Pictorial History of Australian Test Cricket from Echo/Five Mile Press, www.fivemile.com.au •…