The Big Bash

[Pies4shaw]

Raif into the attack. A 4 down to fine leg to start. Then four singles.

[K]

Big Bash drops broadcast viewers despite off-season change

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28601742/big-bash-drops-broadcast-viewers-season-change

"... its traditional television audience declined for the fifth summer in a row.
...

According to OzTam figures obtained by ESPNcricinfo, the five city metro average audience for the BBL on free-to-air Seven has diminished from 424,000 last summer to 384,000 this season, after the league returned an average audience of 649,000 in its final summer exclusively on Ten in 2017-18 - in itself a mild decline from the peak of 759,000 in 2015-16. The national average audience, including regional viewers, stands at 611,000, down from 638,000 in 2018-19, and 944,000 in 2017-18.

Fox Cricket's audiences have also gone down somewhat, to an average of 158,000 viewers nationally this season from 211,000 last summer for exclusive games, and to 169,000 for games simulcast with Seven, as opposed to 200,000 in 2018-19. A significant portion of Fox Cricket's exclusive games have been afternoon fixtures further contributing to the downturn. Having also experienced a reduction in broadcast audiences for international cricket this season, the head of Fox Sports Pete Campbell had told the Sydney Morning Herald that those figures were in line with projections as more sports watchers migrated to the cheaper Kayo service."

[Pies4shaw]

Sixes 0/31 from 4. 10 from Rauf’s first over.

[K]

Meanwhile, prompted by Rauf's bowling, TLGAB says Oz is a good place to learn fast bowling because it's so flat and difficult for bowlers.

I guess Ponting believes what does not kill you makes you stronger.

[Pies4shaw]

Coulter-Nile on to bowl the 5th over.

He goes for 6. 0/37.

[Pies4shaw]

Last power play over will be from Worrall. 0/46 from the power play. Zampa on next.

And he gets Vince!

Can he get Bradsmith? No, 4 first ball. 1/52 from 7.

[K]

Zampa does it again. These BBL flat-track bullies are clueless against spin.

[K]

Maxwell did not set a slip!

The Flat-Track Bully Smith edges Zampa through slip for 4!

[Pies4shaw]

Bradsmith’s scoring rate is 200.

[Donny]

1/52 after 7 overs.

Philippe 33* (26).

[Pies4shaw]

Rauf gets Philippe. 2/54.

[K]

TV replays show no hit wicket by Smith off Rauf (it was the wind), but that was a pathetic attempt to play the Rauf short ball by Smith. Defective technique.

[Donny]

Gavaskar: "The only criteria, when judging a batsman's technique, is runs scored"

End of story, really.

[K]

Zampa induces another error from Smith, but it doesn't go to hand.

Defective technique.

(Gavaskar had a very sound technique... but in those days as an opener, you needed one, of course, or you wouldn't survive.)

[Pies4shaw]

Bradsmith to 12. “He’s a magician”, says Fleming. “Amazing”, says Ponting.