The Cricket Thread

[jacksplatt11]

Thought I'd start a cricket thread, seeing as the season is starting up here domestically and internationally over in India and soon over here.. I dunno how many cricket fans we have here but its nearly summer so anyone who is in Aus pretty much has to be a cricket fan, should be law :D

First test ended in a draw, no surprise there really. Next test starts in 4 days so hopefully we get a result.

Good to see Cam White making his debut, us Victorian's haven't had many play for Aus in recent years beside of course Warney. Hodge was given a few games but way too late in his career, he was dominating domestic cricket for 5+ or so years before they gave him a go, disappointing.. I would really like to see White make a bit impact in one of the next few tests to cement himself a position, he is definitely capable so fingers crossed.

So yeah, feel free to chat about cricket, even your local team/association, I don't know if I'll play this year due to being 4 hours away from my team haha, wait and see if I go back home for the holidays i guess..

[STL]

I've given up on playing personally. I just can't commit an entire year all round to sport on a Saturday. I'm sticking with footy for the time being though I keep feeling the urge to play cricket again though my best is probably behind me. Just don't carry the pace and zip anymore. Plus, I'd like to have my Saturdays free to do shopping and just simply hang out too. My mates have tried to convince me and i went to one training session but my heart;s not in it. Too time consuming to not just play but get yourself up to scratch. Cricket is a game u can only play, imo, if ur committed to training for many hours

As for the India match, the Aussies have only themselves to blame. That indian tail should not have wagged. It had no right to and the fact taht we couldn't stop it made it a win in India's book for my mind. We had them on the ropes, we just don't have that killer instinct we used to have. Or maybe its just the bowlers :rolleyes:

I think White does not have a future in test cricket. I want to see a Victorian in the team but I think our next chance would be Hussey or one of the Victorian quicks like Siddle or Nannes. Rogers, who is becoming one of our own might get an openign role. Katich looks like he's a plug-in player at the moment. Just for the next two or three tours but not long-term. The other spot is Jaques' though perhaps Rogers will partner him. Oh and there's that Marsh fella from WA who's no slouch at all.

White's spin just does not have that potency. When Ponting is turning to Clarke first up, you know White's in trouble. He's a better one day/20-20 player until he starts spending more time on his bowling. Last season, courtesy of McGain's stellar season not to mention an injury, he barely bowled anything and that's been to his detriment. He has to bowl more as right now, there are better players to fill that all-rounder position like Hopes or Nofke.

I think Australia's decline is inevitable. Looking at our bowling stocks, we just don't have the firepower to take 20 wickets anymore. It's just not as convincing but perhaps Watson showed some promise in the 1st innings.

[jacksplatt11]

Yep agree with everything you said, Aus can only blame themselves, allowing Indias tail to bat for as long as they did pretty much ended Aus's chance. I mean you just have to look at Singh and Khan, batting 8 and 9, both made half centurys and faced 50+ overs.. You just can't let teams do that..

You are right about White, he really doesn't have a future in test cricket, but it doesn't mean I can't still want him to do well :D He is very suited to one day/2020, you just have to look at his 2020 achievements to see that, but if he concentrates on his batting I don't see how in a few years he couldn't be in the test team as a batsmen, his bowling hasn't really improved much in recent years, which as you rightly pointed out is due to McGain bowling brilliantly last season and injury. The problem with his batting is though, he is very similar to Shane Watson, and while Watson is fit you would pick him first you would think, due to his added bowling ability, just depends if his body can hold up.. And of course when Symonds comes back into the team, which you would think would be when we start playing in Aus, he would be picked before both of them..

You are right about the decline being inevitable, you can't lose players of the quality of Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist over the last couple of seasons and simply replace them with the next best thing hoping to go with business as usual, because the difference between those players and the next best is huge. Losing Warne and McGrath means losing 1200+ test wickets experience, which is not easily replaced, and I think thats where we will be let down in the future, our bowling..

[Soundwarp]

:D I get to play for work, so it is part of my working week.

Stupid Ponting batting too long.
Stupid Indians not having a go!

[roller]

I remember in school that Bradman coot died.

And i said was "all this media coverage, i dont care if he's dead"

then all the stupid kids started telling me off for being unpatriotic or something, we went to a Catholic school, so i told them what old braddie thought of their faith, of course they didn't listen to me. But, who was right in the end?! :cool:

I played cricket for the first time at one of my birthday parties, i got a cricket set. The ball smacked me in the nuts. Ive now stopped playing cricket.

In sydney i was at a Darling harbour bar, that Ponting fellah was there with a girl

[STL]

Things like associating sporting legends with patriotism absolutely sh*t me to no end. I love my sport but not for a moment do I think these individuals necessarily embody what it is to be Australian. Half of them are conceited individuals anyway. For my mind, everything I've read about Bradman says to me that he does not compare to a Steve Waugh. Waugh captured our hearts not just through his brilliance but through his character. Bradman may be a legend of the game but not all legends are great people. There are other countless others that you can say that about too.

It's sad that our society associates so much with celebrities and sports stars. We let them define us and that is sad when kids at school carry that underlying attitude. Sports stars are poor role models. That's the cold hard fact and I now in grain that in each of my sister, cousins, students and friends.

Let's associate being Australian with ideals; not individuals who we as an celebrity salivating society feel we have to idolise.

On the top of cricket, you're very lucky Soundwarp. I wish they made it part of my work.

Anyone care about the domestic comp? I love it in summer b/c it gives me that little extra thing to check every 10 mins. The Vics are at 0/88 against the Redbacks. A solid start and Rogers is fitting into becoming a Victorian.

[i_amtrunks]

Too bad the Aussies were the only team trying to get a result after lunch on day 1. It was India's test to lose, and they lost it, as always taking the softest and easiest options. Ponting gave them a good sporting chance, 299 from 70 overs is not terribly hard, not even 3.5 runs an over. The Indians did not even try.

The sting in the Aussie bowling line-up has gone missing, Clark is injured, Lee had an off game and Johnson showed again that while he can be a very effective bowler, it is only for a half dozen overs here and there. Clarke was a total disappointment with the bat, but no surprises there, the guy is not really worth having in the team, he and Shane Watson should consider themselves very lucky that the powers that be in CA love them to pieces. Hopefully when Watson breaks down D Hussey will be called into the side.

Lets see what unsporting like crap India will come up with during the 2nd test. Kumble being injured is a massive worry, Dhoni is not the best captain in cricket, and his form of late has been rather poor.

[Paulbot]

"Cricket? Nobody understands cricket. You've gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket." :)

[Pulse]

Oh I wish Warnie would come out of retirement... :)

"Come back Warnie! Please! Cricket hasn't been the same without you!" :D

[Borgeman]

i just got back from training - while batting i inside edged a ball onto the side of my patella (how it missed my pad i dunno...), but i had a dead leg for abt 10mins :/

anywho on a good note we had a win on the weekend, made 6/206 in a one dayer after bowling them out for 109 - i took 3/36 off 11

George

[blackie]

fair figures george,
my team lost :(
knocked them off for 137 in 34 overs, on a postage stamp of a ground, and then proceeded to roaly f*&k ourselves up, getting bowled out for 130 :'(
i made a very poorly compiled 39, consisting of about a million play and misses (yep, more than wayne carey) and general swinging from the ass, before smashing their cocky captain over his head for a 6 and a 4 off consecutive balls :)
and now they want me to play 3's :S
didnt even get a proper pre season after the broken thumb, only have had 4 hits, and 50% of those have been in a match.

on the international scene, i thought it was awesome that cam white got picked. im a big fan of him, and for a while thought he might be the next captain of Australia, but it was not to be. although i doubt clarke will ever do well as captain, because he only seems to make popper runs when it doesn't matter. honestly i think hussey would be a good captain, but once again hes to old.

Im also waiting to the the debut of doug bollinger. managed to catch a few state games last season on foxtell, and from what i saw hes awesome, although its going to be so hard for him to break into the test side, unless the sore elbow of clark rules him out of the next one, and even then they might go with someone else.

Finaly for another Victorian, im sad to see that david hussey isn't getting much of a go. hes as dominant if not more than brad hodge, and can play all facets of the game, with his part time off spin, excellent fielding and batting skill, but like white, i think the selectors don't properly rate him, and sadly his chances will be limited, even though he could make such an impact on the Australian one day/ twenty/20 side as well as the test side.

and thats it for now :)

[optimus1]

Good to hear all your thoughts on the cricket guys! I was kinda hoping on seeing a thread like this on the boards, since there was an AFL one going on before.

Im annoyed at all the slowing tactics of the Indians, but wouldnt Punter do the same? But i was hoping for another Sydney miracle (like Clarke's 3-For earlier this year?)

My thoughts on the current team are that Cam White and S Watson should not both be on the same team, it should be either one or the other (although im leaning towards White, i cant stand Mr 'Injury' Watson)

they should have bit the bullet and put in an in form quick - like Ashley Noffke
I have my bias of couse, being from Brissy originally

All this action makes me want to join my Uni cricket team (i tend to stand out being the only Filipino playing!)

[STL]

Nofke's very good. I heard he spent this winter in England. I'd love to see him in for the Ashes.

Like Optimus1, I think Clarke especially is overrated as is Watson. But Clarke more so. They keep talking about him as the future captain and yet he's not shown the form that merits it. He hasn't been a match winner with the bat for a long time now. Lots of inconsequential runs when the pressure is not on. I would love to see D. Hussey in his spot (even though he only made 8 today for the Vics :(.

Hodge's time is up and I feel for him. Does anyone remember the period? He'd made a double ton in Perth and a reasonable half century in Sydney with not much going in Melbourne. Then he was axed for the next tour b/c he had not "scored enough runs in the domestic competition". Guess who they put in? Clarke. And guess what, Clarke had not even been scoring runs in the then Pura Cup. It was shattering for me so I can only imagine how Hodgey would've felt. The reason the selectors put it was farcical. In any other country, Hodge would've been a walk up start.

As for India's tactics. Yeah, they're annoying but Ponting himself in the 2006 Ashes wasn't exactly hurrying along with impending defeat on that final day where he made that massive century to save the match. And thinking about that makes me sad cos next year I start full-time work which means no more watching the games till early in the morning with the boys anymore. :eek: :( :(

[jacksplatt11]

Clarke has been one of the biggest front runners in the AUS team for some time now, making runs when the team is performing, then when we're in a bind, he goes missing. For reasons unknown, but probably because he plays for NSW, he is the selectors favourite son. I would much rather see D. Hussey in there instead of him.

Gotta agree with you there about Hodge, he will go down as one of the unluckiest cricketers ever. To perform as well as he did domestically, and to never get selected for the AUS team until he was 30, then after 6 tests, 503 runs at 55.58, then dropped? Very perplexing...

Stuart MacGill also is very unlucky, His test record speaks for itself and he was only ever a replacement for Warne. If he was born 20 years before or 20 years after Warne's career, he would've been our 1st choice spinner. Very unlucky to be playing at the same time.

Like you said, either of them would easily walk into any other countries team.

[i_amtrunks]

Clarke and Watson are extremely over-rated, Nofke is no bunny with the bat, I'd much prefer to have him in place as an "allrounder". Lee used to be an almost allrounder for a couple of years, but in the past 2-3 seasons his batting ability has dwindled again. Not that it matters, Watson will go when Symonds is re-instated, unless he goes and does another stupid thing.

I'll never understand the love in for Clarke or Watson, neither have really deserved their spots, and I honestly believe that the Aussie team was at it's strongest when Clarke was dropped and Hodges took his spot.

We really miss having a Gillespie style tail ender, someone who can come in and support, Clark and Johnson are tail end sloggers, great for ODI and 2020, not so great for tests.

And am I the only one who would love to see M. Hussey open the batting like he did so many times for WA? Katich would make a good #4, he is similar in style to Martyn who was very underrated, and with D.Hussey at #5, Symonds at #6 and White at #8 it's a strong batting lineup with better bowling ability than the one we currently have.

Not that it'll ever happen, with Clarke the VC, poor Hussey with his cricketing brain he would make an ideal captain/vc.

[STL]

Yeah, Hussey cor captain for me too but he's got no chance as he and Ponting will run parallel for the remainder of their careers and the selectors have all this faith in Clarke that we all agree is pretty unwarrantted.

Do you guys really think Watson will go? I think he's a big favourite of the selectors. I don't know why but my impression with him is that they've always liked him but worried about his injury prone nature.

And I do not think Martyn was underrated by the selectors. I think they loved him but I think the rest of the public didn't. I absolutely loved him. He was one of the classiest cricketers I ever saw next to Mark Waugh. He had a stellar career but I always felt that he could've achieved more. He won them on his own bat the last tour of India and was a cornerstone of their batting for a long time. But the public never warmed to him in my opinion b/c of his quiet nature. But that made me like him. A quiet achiever who let his record speak for itself. Martyn unfortunately will never be remembered for his great contribution to one the greatest teams ever under Steve Waugh. He gave them that class as well as grit. I remember a test match where the Aussies were staring down the barrel but he battled on and gritted his way through to make a century with the tail and give the others a fighting chance. They went onto win the match. Can't remember which test it was but it was definitely one on home soil. Martyn's growth was amazing b/c he adjusted his games to all the deficiencies that people claimed him to have. Too impatient, too flamboyant, too much of an onside player, yadda yadda.

To compare Katich with Martyn though is unfair. Katich will never be as an attractive strokemaker as Martyn ever was. His innings aren't as well constructed as Martyn either. Martyn would keep the scoreboard turning over so non-chalantly that you were always surprised when you looked at hte scoreboard and wonder how he was already at 50 or 100. That made him damaging as a player and very important b/c he balanced the player at the other end who was either steamrolling along or struggling. He just kept things moving. Katich doesn't have that. Katich I don't think has a place in the Australian team in the long run either. Maybe for a few series but I think they like his record in India and need his grit in India b/c of just how tough conditions are.

[i_amtrunks]

To compare Katich with Martyn though is unfair. Katich will never be as an attractive strokemaker as Martyn ever was. His innings aren't as well constructed as Martyn either. Martyn would keep the scoreboard turning over so non-chalantly that you were always surprised when you looked at hte scoreboard and wonder how he was already at 50 or 100. That made him damaging as a player and very important b/c he balanced the player at the other end who was either steamrolling along or struggling. He just kept things moving. Katich doesn't have that. Katich I don't think has a place in the Australian team in the long run either. Maybe for a few series but I think they like his record in India and need his grit in India b/c of just how tough conditions are.

Sorry I worded my statement a little wrong there.
By no means is Katich as classy as Martyn, nor does he have the shots that Martyn had, but he is the same in the fact that he will hang around and support the other batsmen, scoring (comparatively) slowly, to make sure he is around as long as possible. Katich would be much better in his support role in the middle order, being an opener does not afford him to play in the style he played so well in the Sheffield Shield.

Hussey on the other hand is a versatile player, much like Langer was, if he sees that Hayden is having a rip snorter he can reign himself in and support him, while if Hayden is struggling a little, Hussey can step up and dominate.

But I concur, Katich is a short term placement, and I personally believe that Jacques is not going to be around for a long time either, Rogers may be given another chance, but again I dont see him being a long term player. Not sure who will step up, will be watching the batting stocks in the Shield this year, as I think we have our fill of pace bowlers (Siddle, Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, Noffke, Bracken and Bichel :p) and our spins stocks are abysmal (Hauritz, Cullen, Bailey, Casson, Krezja).

I fear though that D. Hussey, Voges, and even Noffke will be mostly used as ODI players, like Hopes and Bracken.

[Borgeman]

i dont rate watson - i know he has been plagued by injuries, but i never thought he showed enough with bat or ball to be rated as high as he has. i dont see his bowling to be that penetrating to be honest

George

[jacksplatt11]

Looks like Siddle will make his debut in the 2nd test, taking an injured Clark's spot.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/374178.html

[STL]

Looks like Siddle will make his debut in the 2nd test, taking an injured Clark's spot.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/374178.html

He's got a lot of promise as a strike bowler. I haven't seen much of him but last year I saw a bit on Fox of him and he's a pretty smart bowler. It's going to be a massive challenge for him though and best of luck to him. The funny thing is that I honestly can't think of another strike bowler that we could call on. I can think of a lot of handy bowlers but no one who's a strike bowler.

'Tis a time for bowlers but the way the game is progressing less and less bowlers are going to be produced.

[i_amtrunks]

Nothing against Siddle, what little I have seen of him I liked, and unlike with "all-rounders" the Aussie selectors do a good job with our pace bowlers, but why skip over Noffke and Bollinger?

Siddle is injury prone as well, I just hope he can keep fit for as long as possible so he gets a real good go at trying to stay in the Aussie side, I doubt he can remove Clark (and sure hope he doesn't) but if he bowls very well then perhaps Clark can rest up and get a chance to fully recover. Might also be good to replace Lee if we have a dud/result not matter test later on.

If Kumble plays and still shows signs of an injury, or plays bad, expect him to be ripped to shreds by the Indian press. There's been a bit of a push for a 3rd Indian Seamer. I doubt they will pick one, as India's bowlers have a terrible over rate as is, losing a spinner for a seamer would only worsen it.

[i_amtrunks]

India's captain Dhoni won the toss and has elected to bat on what is being called a "batsmen's pitch" with some good advantage for spin bowlers later on.

In other words a beautifully doctored pitch for the Indians. Amazing how in the last test the groundskeeper was a Kiwi, and the pitch was not tailored to suit the Indians, now that the groundskeeper is Indian, the pitch is the usual sub continent rubbish.

Kumble is out, replaced by Mishra on debut keeping with India's tired 4 bowlers, 2 spin, 2 seam, when they had 3 seam bowlers all in good form. Siddle debuts for Australia, making 2 Victorians in the team, and 2 Vic debuting in a row.
Looks like Vic is missing White and Siddle too, SA not collapsing as they normally do.

[optimus1]

We'll see how Siddle goes in his first match, its always good to see someone under 30 yrs old get a go!

On a sidenote, Bangladesh are 1 wicket down for 4 Runs after 12 overs against the Kiwis in the 1st Test of the series

[i_amtrunks]

63/0 after only 13 overs.

Dravid should be watching Ghambir and Sehwag to learn how to score runs quick.
Siddle and Johnson have started to peg back the run rate though.

[Borgeman]

got back from cricket earlier today, my body was totally unprepared for any form of warm weather, i was buggered :/ better now though than on a 35 degree day....

anywho 2day game, they batted, we got them out for 180, my figures read 19.1-3-3-47, one of their openers was dropped 4 times off my bowling early on (keeper(no attempt to catch), slip(hardish), gully(easy), mid off(imagine dropping a slow underarm throw...)), but i got him caught behind the ball after the drop at mid off....

also i am currently 4 not out after one of our openers fell, i had some nightwatchman duties to do :) hopefully i can make a nice score next week :D

we are 1/43 in reply off our 8 overs

George

[Soundwarp]

Man we are in big troubble

[jacksplatt11]

We're in a spot of bother yeah, if we are to get out of it, Hussey has to stay around for a while and keep up the scoring, and the other batsmen just have to not go out haha...

Seen whats happening in the Bangladesh/NZ test? wow...

[i_amtrunks]

Hussey is all we have, and he needs to be the aggressor and score runs, if its left to Watson Haddin and White we won't make the follow on target.

Clarke deserved to get out last night, wasting time and all. I think he needs to be dropped and given some time in Pura Cup (plus NSW are struggling with injuries), it worked out for him last time.

Lee needs to watch how Khan and Sharma are bowling and replicate it, he is really having a bad tour.

[STL]

Hussey is indeed all we have. If we had both Husseys in the team, we'd have a lot more.

I think Hayden deserves to be given a chance. Katich as we've said is a temp and he's done what he can. Watson didn't do half bad today with the bat. Symonds though is better. I watched a bit of the Indian bowling over the weekend at my mates (wish this was free to air) and they're bowling much fuller and straighter, attacking the stumps. Sharma seemed to get some late swing with the old ball that was hard to read. But that aside, it really came down to the spinners that was the difference

Lee's split webbing might give him an excuse but Johnson just doesn't hold up. His figures are appalling and his wickets are too expensive. Siddle shows promise on this pitch. I think he's done astoundingly well for a first gamer on a batsman's paradise. Deserves a chance in Australia. I'd like to drop Johnson and give Nofke a crack at this point and maybe play four quicks. Or even Bollinger who I felt badly for when he missed last year's Pura Cup final. Let's admit it, we don't have a spinner. Period.

I think the Aussies have to bite the bullet and realise that the era's over and look to the future. We need two openers. I don't mean I want Hayden gone, I respect him and i believe all old stagers deserve to be given their last rights to walk away with dignity. But the top of the order is shaky. 5, 6 really need to be looked at. Clarke again crashed and burned under pressure. Watson showed promise but he's a poor man's Symonds. Symonds brings an impetuous confidence to the team in the field. Clarke's throwing at the stumps is off too. Not sure if we should read much into that. As for a spinner, well, I'm as stumped as I'm sure the collectors are. McGain might be a Victorian but he's 37.

[i_amtrunks]

I think this will be Hayden's last summer, and going out against South Africa in Australia is not a bad final series. His body and reactions aren't what they used to be, a bit like Kallis.

Who will replace him is the big question, Jacques, nor Katich are going to be long term replacements, and moving Hussey to opener like I have suggested earlier would leave a gaping hole in our middle order, D. Hussey is good, but he is a bit like Symonds, he is not the kind of batter that holds the team together for an innings.

Clarke again failed when he needed to prove the selectors faith in him, he only seems to be somewhat competent when the rest of the team has batted well, and his bowling is abysmal. Watson has earned his place thus far, he has bowled decently and batted fairly, but he really is only holding Symonds seat warm.

Lee needs to be rested from tests, and turned into a one day only bowler when Australia tours, he has had a woeful tour, and the split webbing is a poor excuse that can only be used for this test, Johnson has always been iffy, but has been the dominant bowler this series, Clark is often so very good and economical but he has been out of form as well (the elbow injury explains it though).

India have shown the Aussies that while the pitch is extremely batter friendly, it is also more than capable of helping the bowlers too, Sharma is having a blinder, and Mishra on debut has perplexed the Aussie middle order. Kumble might not get to return to the Test side if Mishra has another blinder in the 2nd innings. Nice that the mongrel Singh has not had much success.
Why India have been scoring so easily at 4 an over and the Aussies so poorly at 2.6 I do not know.

India would probably be fine to declare with a lead of 400 (at this rate it'll be after an hour of play today) and be safe from an Aussie victory, but I expect them to be ultra conservative and go for a lead of 550-600 and declare around tea today to give themselves 110-120 overs to bowl the Aussies out. India deserve to thrash us, but if they play too conservatively it may bite them in the bum if Australia can hold it together in the 4th innings.

[jacksplatt11]

There is definitely a few spots that need to be filled by retiring/out of form older players, and not just with other older players, I think we need to really look at bringing in younger players, not too young, maybe 23-25. India have shown that you can have success with a young team, so there is no reason why we cannot do the same. I'm not saying get rid of everyone over 30 or so, but for example when Hayden retires, get a younger player who we can really develop into an opener for the next 10 years.

We really need to find a spinner though, we've gone from having 2 great spinners in Warne and MacGill, to nothing, apart from an in form spinner who is 37 in McGain, who could only play for 1-2 years at most you would suggest, if he is even given another chance after his surgery.

I'd like to see Marsh given a go as opener, to be honest I haven't seen him much in domestic 4 day competition, but from what I have seen in ODI and 2020 he seems very solid, and a powerful hitter, similar to Hayden.

This test is really India's to lose, and by lose I mean result in a draw. With how we performed in the first innings, I can't see us going for a win no matter what target we are left with, considering India already have 300 over us with 10 wickets. India should bat till around lunch, putting on as much as possible, they have enough aggressive, fast scoring batsmen in Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dhoni as well as Ghambir and Sehwag who are at the crease to put on 150-200 more easily. Then hope that they have enough time to bowl us out.

[Borgeman]

if india bat at the rate they are, they will probably declare a bit before tea, and have one of those niglling periods at the aussies prior to the break.

india should be able to pass 500 lead easily in half a day (as long as dravid doesnt bat :P)

George

[Borgeman]

india 1/210 after 43...... gg australia

George

[optimus1]

Im looking more towards a Draw at best by Australia due to the current score and our form in the last innings :(
Unless our batsmen show more grit on this pitch!

Im hoping Bangladesh beats the Kiwis for a very rare win. I was impressed by how one of their bowlers who got 7/36 in their 1st innings

[STL]

Im looking more towards a Draw at best by Australia due to the current score and our form in the last innings :(
Unless our batsmen show more grit on this pitch!


Looks like we're falling to pieces but what's the biggest thing in the team is the disunity in the team. I can only imagine how divisive it is.

Australia dug itself into a hole again and Hayden played like a school kid thinking he could smack his way into form. :rolleyes: All the Aussies look like rank amateurs and it doesn't come down to spin. Sharma was damaging and sharp on top of Singh (hate that nuff-nuff). I like to see us with our backs to the wall to see we pick ourselves up but I think we're falling apart as a team here. I have no idea what happened between Lee and Ponting but all I can think of is this would never have happened under Steve Waugh.

[Soundwarp]

IMO Ponting SUX as a captain, he has the best win ratio of all time but look at the team members he has had!

[i_amtrunks]

That ball Sharma bowled Ponting with was a right royal blinder, what a delivery!!!

I really hate it when Australia are going well, I turn off the radio, turn it back on 90 minutes later and we have collapsed. Hussey not scoring runs had me in shock, but Clarke scoring runs almost killed me with surprise. Clarke and Haddin have to hold the crease as long as possible, White is not the kind of Batsman to hold up an end, he needs to be allowed to play his natural game with all of his flair, much like Symonds learnt.

India have deserved this win (lets face it, we need a freak storm or some similar luck to get a draw) their bowling attack has been brutal, showing us what we are missing. Lee needs to be dropped, Johnson told to stop bowling so wide and giving away singles. If Clarke fails early today "resting" (read drop him) might give him the wakeup call he needs, and letting someone like D. Hussey or Hodges take his spot would be best. Lets hope Clark is back to full health we need his metronome ability.

[STL]

Lets hope Clark is back to full health we need his metronome ability.

Let's hope Ponting actualy bowls Clark a bit more. Last summer and the previous few tours now, Clark is always getting under bowled while Johnson seems preferred.

[i_amtrunks]

All over red rover (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345670.html)

Clarke top scores with 69, India have their biggest ever winning margin of 320. I think Mishra will get motm, with no Aussie players even worth mentioning, it was a true team effort, not a single standout.

If only the Aussie selectors would stop playing favourites and drop half this team to select young blood. When we lose the 3rd test and the 4th is a dead rubber, it may be a smart idea.

[optimus1]

All over red rover (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345670.html)

If only the Aussie selectors would stop playing favourites and drop half this team to select young blood. When we lose the 3rd test and the 4th is a dead rubber, it may be a smart idea.


I agree with that 100%!!

We need to bring back Symonds for aggression; bring in Shaun Marsh, give a specialist spinner a chance : Krejza or Casson (where is he??)

[Soundwarp]

If only we had a captain that has had to actually "CAPTAIN" a team before.........

[jacksplatt11]

If only we had a captain that has had to actually "CAPTAIN" a team before.........

Yep while Ponting is a great player, he is by no means a great captain, compared to say Waugh, Border etc. He has just been lucky that he has had a pretty awesome group of players under him and hasn't needed to do any real captaining, now he has to, and we're seeing what he really is like as a captain..

I'm pretty happy to hear that Marsh is going over to India to open, hopefully he performs well enough to take Hayden or Jaques spot permanently.

[Soundwarp]

Agreed, Ponting was and still maybe one of the best as a BATSMAN.....

Yeah Old ROY just failed at home so i wouldn't send him either, even though i am a huge fan of his!

[jacksplatt11]

Yeah Old ROY just failed at home so i wouldn't send him either, even though i am a huge fan of his!

Haha yeah he's having a pretty rough trot playing for QLD eh, hasn't really done anything of note from what I've read/seen..

[STL]

Yeah, I want Symonds back. His presence is immense. He developed into probably one of the game-changing players that teams absolutely dreaded. Clarke does not bring that. He's an underachiever. Opposition sides actually fear Symonds. But his form doesn't suggest he'll be back soon.

Not to mention there seems to be a denial in the Australian camp about the fact that they need fresh blood. Fact is they were outplayed and there are too many players in that team that are not proven, gap-fillers or have limited potential.

D. Hussey has had a very lean start to this season too which makes me sad. His IPL wasn't great either after a bright early start. Marsh too failed with the bat on three outings in the domestic comp. but he does have the runs on the board and I can't think of anyone more deserving to go. Voges is another that comes to mind for me when I think about WA too.

And I agree completely on Ponting. One of the best batsman we'll see in world cricket but not a captain. He doesn't even begin to compare to the likes of Waugh and Border. Ponting doesn't inspire, he doesn't lead. He's a fighter at times but his personality doesn't dominate the team, doesn't lift them like say Waugh. Warne is the captain Australia should have had if not for his indiscretions. There's not much to say about Warne as a father and as a husband but he was a leader of men. The players lift for him, the players believe in him and he carries himself. I can bet you he'd still be playing right now if he was captain. Not to say that we wouldn't have been drubbed in India, Warne has never had a good record there but Warne's confidence would've kept things together. Much like Steve Waugh after the Windies tour of 1999 and before the World Cup. While the media/public was against S. Waugh, you always felt that S. Waugh commanded the respect of the players and the selectors. Warne had that too. People keep saying that Clarke has leadership potential, I don't see that. He seems nothing more than an impetuous Ponting.

[i_amtrunks]

While I have always been a massive Ponting supporter, i have to concur, he is not the type of leader that other players lift for.

Waugh, Gilchrist and Warne were all players others lifted for.

In this side right now I think the only player that the rest of the team would lift for is Matthew Hayden, and he wont be in the side much longer. M. Hussey would make the best captain, but he is too much of a private man but I feel he could play the role of the ego masseur and negotiator that every captain needs to be.

Symonds recent form does not indicate a return to the Test side, but we all know he would rise to the challenge, I wonder if the Aussie team would also rise with him, or if they would turn on him?

Bringing Hodge back into the fold may not be a bad idea when we play New Zealand and South Africa later this summer.

And Shaun Tait is showing the positive effects that taking a break from year round cricket can do, I expect to see him in the ODI team this year. With Tait, Bracken and Hopes being used as ODI specialists, we could very soon have two completely different bowling attacks in the long and short forms of the game.

[Soundwarp]

Great thread!

Great minds must think alike because i totally agree with you all....

I still say bring back Warne and make him Captain, Coach and selector.

[TheDirtyDigger]

A.Gilchrist will be at Chadstone Borders this Sat at 1pm if you want anything signed. S. Warne is going to be at Chaddy Kmart at sometime too (forgot to check)

[STL]

A.Gilchrist will be at Chadstone Borders this Sat at 1pm if you want anything signed. S. Warne is going to be at Chaddy Kmart at sometime too (forgot to check)

Meh. They're just cricketers. I'm pretty much over sports people altogether. Admire them for their abilities but let's find some other people to hold in high regard as deserving role models. I've come to in recent months look for people that I hold as role models Julian Burnside. Sports stars, as are media celebrities, are for the most part self-interested, self-absorbed individuals that are hardly the role models we need.

On a cricket note, the Vics notched up a win over Qld which is nice. David Hussey got into the runs though there wasn't much pressure on him. Symonds again failed and was atrocious with the ball. :( :( :( Hodge was solid too. And Clinton MacKay, I have no idea why victoria persists with him. The guy's an absolute dolt. I saw him a few times last year in one dayers and 20/20 and the fella has no wit about him. He bowls in the wrong areas and goes for plenty.

And looking ahead to the Adelaide test match, it looks like draw central at the moment. NSW and SA are headed for another plain old draw. The Vics also drew there earlier but did win 1st innings points. Any runs made on that pitch may not really be indicative of the fact that its such a good wicket. Hodge and Jewell made centuries there so it'll be interesting to see how they fair on other wickets.

[TheDirtyDigger]

Meh. They're just cricketers. I'm pretty much over sports people altogether. Admire them for their abilities but let's find some other people to hold in high regard as deserving role models. I've come to in recent months look for people that I hold as role models Julian Burnside. Sports stars, as are media celebrities, are for the most part self-interested, self-absorbed individuals that are hardly the role models we need.



Haha bs STL! As resident jock 'round these parts I'ma bet you're first in line to get your ball signed.

My role models from an early age were Superman, Batman and the Punisher. In my teen years it became Rorschach and The Comedian. And a bit later it was Tyler Durden.
Yeah so I have problems with reality.:rolleyes::D


Oh and Julian Burnside is a hippie and a communist! :p


Shane Warne is an excellent role model for prospective cricketers and philandering, text obsessed, balding men as well.

[Robzy]

Waugh, Gilchrist and Warne were all players others lifted for.
And Glenn McGrath :)

Gilchrist was one of the BEST cricketers I've ever seen!

[i_amtrunks]

Getting smashed again (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/current/match/345671.html).

So when India declare sometime tomorrow and put us in chasing 600 odd and the wicket is starting to fall apart I wonder if we will even make the follow-on or if our batsmen will pull their fingers out.

I also wonder if the wicket is as flat and useless as Gambhir is making it look, or if we had have won the toss if we would have been all out by now. We are lucky Clarke has been so tidy or India could well be at 450 already, Lee and Johnson both need to be dropped till they can relearn how to bowl at the stumps and not 3 feet outside off, and all the part timers have been ineffective, White and Watson worse than Katich and Clarke.

When we do bat I wonder how much Mishra will bowl, I have the feeling that Kumble might try and hog an end to make up for his terrible showing in the first test.

[jacksplatt11]

We're getting thrashed again.. Can't say I'm surprised though.. You're right Trunks, When we persist with bowlers like Lee and Johnson who can't bowl straight, we're just asking for huge scores against us.. To Laxman and Gambhir's credit though, I hear they have batted pretty superbly... I'll have to watch SportsTonight to check it out

And yeah, will be interesting to see what Kumble does, being captain, does he sacrifice perhaps a better bowler at the moment in Mishra to give himself more of a go? or bowl Mishra despite the fact he'll want to impress selectors.. Mind you, making 45 off 73 for a bowler is nothing to scoff at :D but Kumble has shown before he's very handy with the bat

[STL]

Whoa. Ausralia made it to 50 w/out the loss of a wicket. If they bat through tmrw, they'll draw to fight another day and maybe get some confidence. But none of the bowlers have been great and i_amtrunks you are absolutely right - Lee and Johnson have no consistency.

Whoa x2! Katich bowled the same number of overs White did. White has to go. I'm a passionate Victorian but he doesn't cut it. If he makes the Aussie team it will be as a one day or 20/20 specialist. His test batting at the moment pales compared to some other more worthy batsman.

It's surprising I understand everything going on in Lee's life but when I think of that, my mind turns to Warne. With his back against the wall, Warne would perform. He would life and b/c of that he made everyone stronger. But I got to stop living in the past.

In the present McGain needs to get fit to be the temporary plug and Australia needs to start blooding a few spinners. I think the batsman are fine. As we've discussed, they've just got to play less favourites.

[i_amtrunks]

It's surprising I understand everything going on in Lee's life but when I think of that, my mind turns to Warne. With his back against the wall, Warne would perform. He would life and b/c of that he made everyone stronger. But I got to stop living in the past.

Was that maybe because Warne didn't really care about his home life, and lived in the moment? :p
I was never a Warne fan, but I must admit the man knew how to keep his on field and off field lives completely separate.

Australia used 8 bowlers to take only 7 wickets, and Johnson was extremely lucky to take 4. Hussey could have also bowled (seeing as he did in the 2nd test) which would have given us 9 bowlers, Hayden and Haddin missing out. Katich was getting better turn than White or Clarke, but Ponting bowled his slow pacers rather than the handy offspin he used to have.

Gotta agree with STL that White is not the solution that Australia need, his batting has been below par for him, but at least his fielding is good. Without Symonds, and with Ponting in decline, Hussey is now our best fieldsman (Clarke is highly over-rated), while Johnson and Lee are great outfielders, they'll never be Pidgeons.

If we collapse over the next 3 days into a piling mess like we did in the second test and go 2-0 with a dead rubber 4th, we need to experiment with the bowling. Drop White, Johnson and Lee, rest Clark, Ponting and Clarke, add in Siddle, Bollinger, Krezja and bring over Casson and Hauritz who with his form thus far in the Sheffield means he could easily replace White. Trialling Hopes and D. Hussey or Hodge to strengthen the batting would be ideal. M. Hussey as Captain, Hayden as VC, and we have a side that would be interesting to watch.
We'd most likely get thrashed, but hey it'd allow us to see how most of the guys go.

As far as this test goes, it looks like the Indian bowlers might struggle a bit too, guess we will see by lunch on day 4 if the groundsman was true to his word in doctoring a pitch ideal for Kumble. In a way it's kind of like match fixing, every country has certain pitches that behave in certain ways, and that's fine, but to state that you have made a pitch to help a certain player, that's taking it a little far isn't it?

[Fungal Infection]

Whoa, at the time of writing this, Australia is only behind by 80 runs with 4 wickets in hand and a minimum 33 overs to play. And they've averted the follow on. Can they do it?

[Pulse]

Can they scrounge up a draw? They probably could :)

Is a sniff of a win in the air? My tips for Tuesday are way-shorter than the Aussies chances of a longshot... :D

[i_amtrunks]

India 2/43 a lead of 79. One of those wickets was of the night watchman Sharma.

On a day that Kumble showed why he needs to step aside from the captaincy, India were atrocious in the field, Clarke was dropped 3 times (all fairly easy catches) on his way to a patient 112 to guide the Aussies only 36 runs short of the Indians 7/613. The pitch gave nothing to the bowlers till late on the day, now it looks like it might start to fall apart.

Lee was lucky to be bowling to Sehwag who was easily the pick of the Indian team, getting his first 5 wicket haul from a massive 40 overs (Tendulkar bowled 1 , Kumble 43). Personally I think it's fair enough that he was stuffed and in need of a good rest instead of opening the batting.

Just as you could see the moment when the momentum swung from the Aussies to India in the first test (the Singh Khan partnership), you could see the momentum swing back to the Aussies when the Indians could not remove Clarke and White for most of the day. Watch the Indians play for the draw today, and go for the draw from the get go in the fourth test. India are too scared to risk playing a game that will see them draw a series, and see the Australians retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While Clarke was the only Aussie to score a century, and it was a good one, he once again showed that he can only score runs when the Aussies are in a good position, and when the batsmen ahead of him have put decent runs on the boards. Had we been 3/100 I have no doubt he would have been dismissed for a paltry sum of runs.
White was much improved with the bat, but his lack of turn with the ball and not scoring too many runs should see him replaced for the final test. I expect to see a lot of Katich bowling today. Hopefully he can pull a Sehwag and get a handful of wickets. (then move Hussey to open to give him a break if needed).

And in related news (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24581015-23212,00.html) did anyone else read that Harbhajan Singh has been given permission from the ICC (read: BCCI) to have injections of an illegal steroid to help him recover from a...... toe injury. Yes thats right little Harby needs an illegally banned substance to overcome what has always been reported as a minor injury. Anyone else think the cheat has taken a performance enhancing drug and has tested positive to internal tests and now India are going to cover it up by claiming any future positive tests are due to this "legally sanctioned" taking of a banned substance? If it were anyone else I'd not bring it up, but Harbhajan is right up there with Shoaib and Asif in the dirty grub and rotten cheat stakes.
And I wonder how easily Gambhir will get off his ban for that elbow incident...

Anyway it should be fun to watch India play the negative cricket that they used so well in Sydney earlier this year [/sarcasm]. Lets see what excuses they can come up with when they draw a game they should have won.

[STL]

We drew. No surprise really and given India's negativity, I doubt they'll play for anything in the last game.

One thing that frustrates me to no end is the regard people seem to starting to hold Michael Clarke in. All the talk about his increasing maturity and how that makes him the perfect captain for Australia is annoying the hell out of me. He -does- not have the persona to be a successful captain. As trunks pointed out, he would've failed w/ the bat if the top order has. He has no backbone about him. In the last tour when he made 91 odd with Martyn, it was Martyn's innings that held the Aussies together yet he gets the credit for playing with his flair. And while he was quick to separate Katich and Gambier, that doesn't make him a leader either. I mean plenty of players try to separate fights/arguments in other sports like Rugby and AFL but that doesn't make them born leaders either. Clarke may be maturing but maturity does not mean you for a single moment possess leadership qualities. I'm pretty sick of the commentators talking about him and his maturity. Its important to mature but maturing does not mean you have all these leadership and personal qualities that make you great. I'm happy to be proven wrong but let's make Clarke earn it. He did nothing special. Hayden, Ponting both made near centuries - they just didn't notch up the triple figures. Which is important but he didn't score very much more than them.

For me, reading the report, Katich had the last over of the 4th day. That says enough about White's ability. Play Kreja. Period. It's a risk worth taking.

And I concur absolutely. India's rise is something to be feared. Not b/c of their cricketing ability but the amount of power they will wield. I may be taking it too far but I fear their administration will be bad for the game. Self-interested, arrogant, and conceited.

[jacksplatt11]

We drew. No surprise really and given India's negativity, I doubt they'll play for anything in the last game.

Yeah, definitely look for India to play safe, all they will be looking for is a draw, they're 1 up so I guess it's up to us to take it to them...

Michael Clarke has been, and always will be, a front runner.. When we struggle, he struggles.. When other players do all the hardwork, in this test Hayden, Katich, Ponting n co, Clarke is quite happy then to come in and perform and take all the credit... If he is made captain, I'll be severely disappointed.. Who to make captain after Ponting? I don't know, maybe Hussey if he is still playing, but there are much better players and captains (or captain material) waiting in the wings...

When White started out, he was a true all rounder, batter/bowler.. But over the last couple of years he has obviously concentrated too much on his batting...

Should definitely play Krejza, we need a true spinner, and we're not going to find one until we give some a go... Relying on part timers like Clarke, Katich and White (that's all he really is nowadays) will not do..

[STL]

When White started out, he was a true all rounder, batter/bowler.. But over the last couple of years he has obviously concentrated too much on his batting...


Apparently, according to Rob Cassell, a friend of his and an old MHS boy who I know, White figured that he'd make more money as a batsman.

From everything I've heard/read, White's worked with Jenner extensively to try and get the action right. But I think circumstances have conspired against him b/c of the fact that McGain was up and coming at the time and fair more accomplished. And with the advent of 20-20 cricket, it far suited White's game much better. After all, he just needs to play in the IPL for the next 3 years and he's set for life.

Has anyone seen this John Holland guy play? Apparently he's a good prospect. Finger spinner though he did go for a bit today in the Ford Ranger Cup. The Vics had a comfortable win too with Hussey leading the day again. His one day form has been excellent but not so much his 4 day form. Rogers and Quiney both batted well as well and Quiney has come out of nowhere this year.



Should definitely play Krejza, we need a true spinner, and we're not going to find one until we give some a go... Relying on part timers like Clarke, Katich and White (that's all he really is nowadays) will not do..

Agree totally. We've also got to remember, warn to come to us and announce his brilliance overnight. It took time for him to develop his craft and gain that confidence. I think people expect a spinner too soon. I'd rather see Krejza play and get smacked around for 4 or 5 games and get a chance rather than not.

The problem with McGain as well if he does play for Australia is that it just means that Australia is avoiding the issue of developing a new spinner. Most spinners have to blooded first. They're not like pacemen and you have to accept that they go for runs. Good ones take time b/c as much as spinning is about turning a ball, its about mind games and temperament. That was one of Warne's trademarks and that of many others from Kumble to chucker.

The other spot that might come up is Haddin's. His fingers were injured quite a bit and he's not really consolidated that spot. I'd love to see Pomersbach in for Haddin. Some youth could do a lot for Australia.

[jacksplatt11]

Ahh yeah that makes sense about White, and yeah Mcgain playing well hasn't really helped him either..

And you're right, spinners do go for runs, lots of runs... I think that because we've been used to Warne bowling pretty effeciently for a spinner, we expect anyone to come in and perform the same... But most new spinners are gonna get hit for a bit while they find their feet, you just have to persist..


The other spot that might come up is Haddin's. His fingers were injured quite a bit and he's not really consolidated that spot. I'd love to see Pomersbach in for Haddin. Some youth could do a lot for Australia.

While I agree that Haddin's spot is definitely up for grabs, I don't quite think Pomersbach is a good substitution... Considering that it would leave us without a wicket-keeper :p haha, but I know what you're trying to say, Haddin for me, while being a very capable keeper, doesn't quite impress me with the bat.. I don't think that he thinks batting situations through properly, like a Test batsmen should, I think he is much more suited to One Day with his attacking style... I know I know, Gilchrist was attacking in both One Day AND Tests, but Gilchrist is a one of a kind type of player, who you could rely on in a Test to score quick but still keep his wicket, most of the time anyway.. I think Ronchi will be our next keeper

[STL]

I think Ronchi will be our next keeper

That's what I meant... oops :o

[i_amtrunks]

No surprise about the draw, if we had have been playing against New Zealand or South Africa, they would have made a sporting (read: most likely impossible, but still obtainable) declaration and made a real game out of it. Sub Continent teams will never do it. If they arent going to win easily they'd prefer to play for a draw to be safe.

While it was Kumble's last test (I like Kumble but the past year or so from him has made me not like him anywhere near as much) he had to retire immediately as he would not have been selected for the fourth, he is injured and dead weight in the bowling ranks. I thought him declaring, giving the Aussies 30 overs to get 240 runs was like a spit in the face considering how slowly India batted, and it was purely so he could bowl a few overs before calling it quits, perhaps picking up his 620th wicket. Thankfully it wasn't to be.

I'm looking forward to the 4th test now, Dhoni is an attacker, he is like a re-incarnation of Gilchrist, not only with his keeping and batting, but also in his cleverness as a captain. He will make things happen with his changes and field placings, as he proved in the 2nd test. Australia may have a slight momentum advantage, and had Kumble been playing the 4th test India would have been playing for the draw from the first ball, but with Dhoni, there is a chance they will go for the kill (probably only if they get to bat first though).

I wonder how India will fare if Singh still is not recovered even after his "ICC approved drug cheating", I wonder if they will rely on Mishra and Sehwag and go with their 3 in form quicks, or pluck another spinner out? Australia need to pick Kresja, and if Haddin is injured, Ronchi would be the man to replace him. Then again if worst comes to worse, we could select White to bat at #7, Krezja to take the spinners spot and have Mr Cricket himself wicketkeep. He is not the best Keeper, but more than up to it.

I also love how the media is pretending to forget that Clarke should have been out 3-4 times in his innings before the century, mostly due to uneeded reckless shots from Clarke when he needed to remain at the crease as long as possible. I do not understand why the media feels the need to suck up the Clarke. I much prefer the frankness of the ABC Radio commentary who are more than hinting that Clarke is not liked by many seniors players because he is a giant kiss arse to the selectors and board.

[i_amtrunks]

Only India (http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/-but-india-refuses-to-accept-it/2008/11/05/1225560877331.html). Only India would feel that they are powerful enough to go against ICC rules that state the officials word is final. ICC should look into an NRl style penalty system, in this case the early guilty plea (which Gambhir pleaded guilty to) =1 match, challenge and lose =2 match ban.

Not only can neither side practice on the pitch that will host the 4th Test due to it being "so new it has no practice area or equipment", the pitch will be another batsmans paradise. We are up for another high scoring draw.

Oh and Clark may be the bowler to be dropped, even though it was only his tight bowling that restricted the Indians, and built up the pressure that Johnson took advantage of. Am I the only one who thinks that ridiculous? Lee should be dropped and replaced with Siddle, White dropped for Krezja. Ponting has even suggested playing 2 spinners, which would be laughable seeing as Clarke has bowled more overs than White this tour anyway (and Watson barely bowled in the 3rd test as well).

It's almost like we want to lose the series...

[i_amtrunks]

BCCI has backed down, so an official 4th test is about to begin.

Somehow Clark has been dropped for Krezja... go figure.

India will bat first, for as long as possible. Lee and Johnson better play very well, dropping the only bowler who can tie up an end was very stupid.

[jacksplatt11]

Yeah, I had a look at the team and thought :confused:

India will most likely score a trillion runs... Johnson, Lee, White, Krejza, then part timers...

It's good that Krejza is getting a go, but at the expense of Clark? Very strange decision...

[i_amtrunks]

We are getting smashed already. India 0/71 after only 13 overs, Krezja's first over went for 11 including a 4 and a 6.

Watson will be bowling a heck of a lot more overs this test than in the other 3 combined, since he is now the third seamer.

[STL]

Like you all, I was very disturbed, appalled. Watson is not a genuine seamer, wicket taker. He is serviceable at best. Hes fine in the one day/ 20/20 form but he falls apart in Test cricket. He just does not have the game, I'm sorry.

White? Are they thinking? What has he done to warrant his spot in the team? I'm Victorian at heart and root for our boys but in a game we need to win, we retain him? He's a containment bowler at best. He's a liability at worst. The only reason maybe was to keep the batting line up long but iirc Krejza is no mug w/ the bat.

And dropping Clark? Man, that's just stupid. They underbowl him and then think he's the most expendable. He can be miserly and keep the batsman honest. Lee, Johnson? Just don't cut it. Johnson sucks.

[i_amtrunks]

Johnson cannot bowl on a line or length on a consistent basis, but he is the leading wicket taker.
Lee looked like he was still recovering from India Belly yesterday, yet still seemed to be bowling better than in the 2nd test. Why play a bowler who has been ineffective and uneconomical, who is also crook, over the bowler who has tied up ends, allowing the other bowlers to make a break through?

Krezja had a mixed bag, 3 good wickets (although Dravid could be bowled out by a 3 year old with a plastic ball in the slump he is in), but didn't Sehwag take to him! Not the worst debut for a spinner in India thus far, and truth be told he hasn't done much worse than Lee or White have done in earlier tests, plus he managed to bowl nearly a third of all overs for the day, something White could not do.

Tendulkar was excellent, although I much prefer watching Sehwag bat, he really has to be the #1 player for India at the moment, such a great batsmen, and more than handy with the ball.

Overall a fairly even first day, India scoring only 311 when after only 20 overs they were at 100, and losing 5 wickets on a track that really could have seen them post closer to 500 in a day. Hopefully the tail will not wag and Australia will get more than a handful of overs to bat today. Hopefully Singh gets belted, and also takes a full toss to his illegal drug filled toes.

[STL]

Hopefully Singh gets belted, and also takes a full toss to his illegal drug filled toes.

:D You are evil but I like that thought! :D

The talk is that that track is going to get harder and harder to bat on very early on in the game. Australia to win have to bring it all to a close quickly today and bat through day 2 and day 3 to have any chance. Even if the pitch breaks though, I'm not sure we have the firepower to take the 10 wickets. Our bowling attack seems very ill-directed. Krejza has done okay, as much as can be expected by a newbie. But the remaining four bowlers, Watson and white especially, don't look even close to getting a wicket.

[jacksplatt11]

Krejza, 8/215... Who'da thunk it.. Equal most wickets in an innings on debut.. and also I think most runs conceded on debut, close to it anyway if not..

So, India all out for 441, let's see how AUS go..

[blackie]

Krejza, 8/215... Who'da thunk it.. Equal most wickets in an innings on debut.. and also I think most runs conceded on debut, close to it anyway if not..

So, India all out for 441, let's see how AUS go..

shows how if you just bowl for a whole day, your bound to take wickets eventually :P

[jacksplatt11]

shows how if you just bowl for a whole day, your bound to take wickets eventually :P

Haha true :D

[blackie]

i was happy today, cause i got to watch a bit of it, and what i saw wasnt great. Krejza really struggled to hit his spots when i was watching, and for an spinner this isnt great. i am a big advocate for cam white, but his bowling has gone downhill since he took over the captancy of victoria, too many captains underbowl themselves

Still cant believe they dropped clark for krejza, hes easily been their most accurate and tight bowler, and they know its not his job to take wickets, like lee and johnson should do, hes there to get them more wickets while taking his own occasionally. he was doing all the right things like building pressure on the batsman, and then the spaz at the other end would bowl absolute pies and get smashed and clark's work went to waste, cummon guys it called Bowling in partnerships.


on a side note anyone but george play at a decent club in melbourne, cause im looking to move asap...

[i_amtrunks]

8 for on debut is nothing to sneeze at, but Krezja did bowl 44 overs, and he was the most expensive bowler (in terms of runs conceded) on debut in the history of test cricket. Had he not gotten 8 wickets, there would be many howling at his inclusion (me included). He worked hard for his wickets, but I think the Indians never took him seriously enough, and that attitude contributed to their downfall.

What was encouraging was the lack of wag in the Indian tail, Kumble was the spine of the tail and now he is gone, their 7-11 are much weaker. India went from 5/422 to all out for 441, thanks to Krezja.
Johnson bowled a plethora of overs too, double what Lee bowled, and even Watson was bowled more than Lee. Again, why pick a struggling bowler when he is also not at 100% when you have better bowlers in the wings?

Australia's batting looks solid, Hayden looked ready for another big score before he was run out from Vijay (it was an excellent throw, on a stupid single). Katich looks set for a century or more (hopefully more) Hussey is solid as ever, while Ponting got bowled by his nemesis, trying to be clever. Since the other Aussie batsmen have done well, expect Clarke to make some runs as well. Haddin and White need lots of runs, as Australia need to post as big a 1st innings lead as possible before sending India in. This is now a test we can win, or India can draw.

[i_amtrunks]

We Started so well too (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345672.html).

I hate it when articles that are so very clearly written by biased Indian supporters are credited only as "Cricinfo staff". Anyone would think that it was exciting, edge of your seat cricket watching India bowl a foot outside off stump to an 8-1 offside field. If any other team tried that tactic to India the howling would not cease, but when India do it, it's the smartest move ever.

Yes it was smart, but it makes for such boring cricket, and showed how scared the Indians were of the Aussies scoring well, such a negative way to bowl for an entire session. On the flip side Khan and Sharma did brilliantly to bowl the correct line and length in such a long spell.

Katich managed 102, while Hussey was brilliantly run out on 90 (Vijay is one fantastic fieldsman, and room should be found for him in the 11 after Ganguly retires, India needs the best fieldsmen they can find). No surprise that when Clarke and Watson needed to stand up, both failed. Haddin and White tried to correct the ship but couldn't. I'm confident in saying that Clarke needs to be dropped again and given a good spell in the Sheffield Shield to get some form before any recall. But the selectors are brain dead morons, so it wont happen.

And why was Lee picked? Australia had one over at the Indians and it was handed to Johnson, not the supposed Aussie spearhead. India to bat for as much of the next two days, and bat slowly and cautiously when Tendulkar and Laxman get in. A terrible tour for both Australai and good cricket will end in the same manner that India played in 3 out out of 4 games. Boring and overly safe.

[STL]

The Aussies actually had a revival. They need 369 to win on the final day. That's about 4 an over. They achieved that run rate with their top 4 the other day but once India settled into negative bowling tactics, it pretty much ripped hte game away from the Aussies. I expect that to happen tomorrow. It'll be fairly ugly cricket and I think b/c of the never say die attitude of the Aussies, they could get bowled out and go 2-0. But I'd rather have an honourable defeat in pursuit of victory than a toothless draw.

And the Aussies have themselves to blame again anyway. They had India on the ropes at 6 for but then let Singh get away with a half century. That's put the game into near impossible reach. If they'd cleaned up, they'd only be chasing 290 odd. As it stands, that 100 runs will make all the difference.

I don't think the Aussies have played badly in this series. They've been very competititve despite poor team selections. I am interested to see though what people make of Watson's 4 wickets. Krejza took wickets again which I'm happy to see but I'm not sure how much of that is b/c of the lack of respect they have for him. His economy rate is poor though and you'd hope to have a Stuart Clark type at the other end to support him at the least. But I -hope- the selectors stick w/ Krejza. It'll be interesting to see how M. Clarke will play tomorrow. I have no doubt he'll be in, the question is whether or not he can handle the pressure.

[STL]

I just read this (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/10/2414734.htm)now.

Very disillusioned.

[i_amtrunks]

Johsnon and Lee are very slow fast bowlers, and Watson takes even longer to bowl each ball, even though he has a shorter run-up and bowls slower.

The Indians are also master time wasters, which cuts into over rates moreso than the pace bowlers. I noticed a few times when Ponting changes the spinners that it would take more than a minute for him to reset the field, thats too long, and explains why he needs to use part time spinners.

Australia could get 370 in a day, they have done it before, the wicket may be getting friendlier to spin, but it's still mainly a batsman's wicket. We need Hayden to score big, and Ponting to play a good innings too, Katich and Hussey are still in great form, but they both have abysmal run rates. If the Top 4 go for less than 200 we won't win Clarke and the tail won't hold out.

So India to bowl spin from the get go, and bowl a foot outside offstump to an 8-1 field again? Even if they only did it to Katich, it would be smart, to get under his skin.

[i_amtrunks]

2/37 (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/engine/match/345672.html).

And we are lucky that the over-appealing Indians have bothered Billy Bowden who just gave Clarke not out when he was plumb.

Katich gone, Ponting run out beautifully, its up to Hayden and whoever comes in after Clarke gets out. I'd prefer to lose 2-0 and go out swinging though.

[STL]

Pretty stupid morning imo. My days as an opening junior cricketer were better than this. :rolleyes:

[jacksplatt11]

What the hell is up with the Aussies? I mean, our selections all series have been pretty poor, we come into this test 1 down and will most likely lose the series unless we can win somehow, so be it..

Then, yesterday we are in a perfect position to bowl India out for 100 or so less than what they ended up with, and Ponting persists with spin to the tail? If this is a case of putting Ponting's needs (not getting a 1 match ban for slow over rates) over the teams needs (a chance to win this test that would result in us keeping the trophy) I will be pretty pissed..

Then today, to make matters worse, Katich goes out going for a slog when it wasn't really necessary, then Ponting getting ran out going for a stupid single. One has to wonder what is going through their minds. Then, an injured Clarke comes in at 4, when I would think the logical choice would be Hussey or even Watson. I know AUS would have wanted a right/left handed partnership, but an injured player over a perfectly healthy?

I think we are really seeing Ponting as a captain, who has never really had to do anything to be honest, and now when he has to make some real decisions and get the team to perform, he fails... OR there is some stuff going on behind the scenes which we aren't hearing, who knows...

[jacksplatt11]

And AUS have turned a chance of a win, most likely a draw, into a win for the Indians

[i_amtrunks]

And we lost a game we had in our paws even after 4 days of previous bad cricket.

Krezja got man of the match for giving away more rns than Australia did in either innings. 12 wickets is not bad for debut though, but I doubt that we will be seeing him again anytime soon. Ponting made some bad decisions, but so did Kumble and Dhoni, its part of cricket, Ponting had a relatively poor series, but in comparison to almost everyone else (bar perhaps Hussey) it was not a terrible tour for him. The selectors have themselves to blame, and Border criticising Ponting is a joke, he gave Ponting this mediocre team, passing the buck is not what selectors should be doing, they should be seeing where they went wrong and trying to fix it. So what Clarke doesnt like Symonds, Symonds lifts when things are bad, something no one in the tail did.

Dhoni had an ordinary start to his long term captaincy debt, but handing the rains over to Ganguly for the final session was classy, something I wished we would see more in this day and age.

Overall the Aussies were outplayed and comprehensively out bowled, only Watson on the second to last day of the tour got reverse swing, and Australia's choices in bowling were overall horrible. Every Batsman had one good innings, Hayden got of to an unlucky start but improved from there, Katich was solid if unspectacular, Ponting, other than that century was overall poor, Clarke was horrendous and how he retains his spot I do not know, his bowling was poor, and batting patchy, even his century needed some very lucky breaks. Hussey was the rock of the Aussie batting, Watson was okay,his bowling improved, but he was also underbowled and too hasty to give his wicket away. Haddin was woeful, Australia need to try Ronchi in the ODI series and perhaps blood him against NZ, Haddin was poor all over. White was also a poor selection, his batting was alright for coming in at 8, he was overbowled for his skill level, and his poor showing may cost him a spot he deserved in the ODI side. Johnson was okay if unspectacular, Lee terrible, and undeserving of his spot, he had better bounce back very strongly against the Kiwi's or kiss his spot away, Clark was very unlucky to be dropped he was economical and allowed Johnson to strike at the other end. Siddle was good on debut and may see a recall this summer when Lee is dropped or injury takes it's toll on another bowler.

Bring on the Kiwi's we need some games that we can win to boost our confidence.

[STL]

And AUS have turned a chance of a win, most likely a draw, into a win for the Indians

My sentiments exactly. How we went from tea yesterday to the result today was astounding and farcical. I'm happy they gave it a roll of the dice but it hardly felt calculated. Like school yard boys.



Krezja got man of the match for giving away more rns than Australia did in either innings. 12 wickets is not bad for debut though, but I doubt that we will be seeing him again anytime soon.


I hope that's not the case. Warne went for plenty early on in his career. Spinners don't come overnight, they take years to mature and a young one is something special. Look at McGain. Unequivocally the best spinner in Australia at the moment BUT look just how long it took for him to blossom.



The selectors have themselves to blame, and Border criticising Ponting is a joke, he gave Ponting this mediocre team, passing the buck is not what selectors should be doing, they should be seeing where they went wrong and trying to fix it.


I think that's unfair b/c we've got to remember that Ponting too has a say on the squad make up. He sits down w/ the coach and the selectors and they make the decisions together. To throw it all on the selectors is unfair.



Overall the Aussies were outplayed and comprehensively out bowled, only Watson on the second to last day of the tour got reverse swing, and Australia's choices in bowling were overall horrible. Every Batsman had one good innings, Hayden got of to an unlucky start but improved from there, Katich was solid if unspectacular, Ponting, other than that century was overall poor, Clarke was horrendous and how he retains his spot I do not know, his bowling was poor, and batting patchy, even his century needed some very lucky breaks. Hussey was the rock of the Aussie batting, Watson was okay,his bowling improved, but he was also underbowled and too hasty to give his wicket away. Haddin was woeful, Australia need to try Ronchi in the ODI series and perhaps blood him against NZ, Haddin was poor all over. White was also a poor selection, his batting was alright for coming in at 8, he was overbowled for his skill level, and his poor showing may cost him a spot he deserved in the ODI side. Johnson was okay if unspectacular, Lee terrible, and undeserving of his spot, he had better bounce back very strongly against the Kiwi's or kiss his spot away, Clark was very unlucky to be dropped he was economical and allowed Johnson to strike at the other end. Siddle was good on debut and may see a recall this summer when Lee is dropped or injury takes it's toll on another bowler.



I agree with that assessment. Clark was the unluckiest though, given so limited opportunities and being underbowled. Hayden is showing the touch of class we know him well for in the last few innings. Especially when they were under the pump. An unlucky run out and the unfortunate predicament he was in today meant that he couldn't play w/ his usual freedom. We should stick with him. With Katich you're right, he's serviceable and reliable but I'm not sure if that's what we should stick with. It might be good but he's a band aid. I'd really like to see us blood some young players. Look at India, Vijay, Mishra and Sharma are all pretty young. We need some young blood in this team. Experience is important but that's not the only thing that one needs for success.

Clarke though has a great excuse that he was not "well" despite the fact that he just cannot hold it together. He's been extraordinarily fortunate and seems to be loved by the media and the selectors. But doesn't everyone just feel that once Clarke comes in, there's nothing much left? That's certainly how I feel.

In relation to Symonds being called for that 20/20 match, I'm not sure I'm pleased about that.I think he's important to our set up but his results just haven't justified that. Since it's a promo/publicity match, I don't mind but I hope he does find form that warrants his selection. We need to start rewarding people who perform and not play favourites. Many a player have not played for Australia and giving guys who are just struggling chance after chance is unfair.

[jacksplatt11]

Go Hodgey, show 'em how a Victorian bats :D

[i_amtrunks]

So on form, Dighton, Hodge and Langer all get drafted into our ODI side?

That game was really Australia A vs. All Stars, only Hussey, Watson and Hayden were in both the test side and 20Twenty side, poor Hussey had a terrible team to captain, his bowlers were crudtacular.

But how good was Dighton and watching Langer bat was fantastic.

[jacksplatt11]

Well well, all out for just over 200... Clarke was actually the only batsman who played well apart from Hussey, disappointing for him to do all the hard work then go out for 99 though..

I wonder how NZ will go batting, they have been struggling a lot lately, but if they have a couple of good partnerships, they could get a handy lead.

Will be interesting to watch tomorrow, I'm finished uni now so can spend all day watching the cricket :D ahh I love summer

[i_amtrunks]

Clarke was very lucky to make it to 98. Was dropped a few times, and was lucky with his edges too. at the end of the day, one could be excused for thinking that Stuart Clark was the batsman, it was like he was shielding Clarke.

At least he hung around long enough to make a decent score, the top order had no idea about the pitch, and Watson and Haddin both played stupid shots to get out. it was a messy innings from Clarke, but at least he stood up for a change.

How good were the Kiwi bowlers? All of them, Vettori is a damn fine captain, he did his homework and knew exactly where to place his field to restrict the Aussies as much as possible. Ryder is a big fella, but bowled well, but the day belonged to Southee.

Clark snared a wicket on the first ball, and looked dangerous early. Lee looks out of touch still, he should have had Ryder cheaply, but Haddin grassed a catch Hayden was going to take easily. 2 balls later, Ryder's cup took a beating, sounded painful.. It's the only thing I've heard that has ever silenced Kerry O'Keefe... Ryder doesnt like to run much, he hits a lot of 4's to compensate.

Should be interesting to see Johnson and Symonds bowl later on. If Watson gets some reverse swing, he could snare a heap of wickets.

[blackie]

HAYDEN SHOULD HAVE HAD IT

fair dive from hadden, but a poor decision, replays show that hayden would have had it easy

ausies arnt looking too bad atm, bret lee is actually putting the ball in the zone, and is getting his characteristic swing, and at that pace, its going to be hard for how and ryder
should be a good day of cricket

[i_amtrunks]

Oh Dear (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ausvnz2008/engine/match/351679.html).

so New Zealand crumbled thanks to a great spell from Johnson, with lee finding better form off a short run-up. (Australia's over rates were very good too!)

The Kiwi's all out for 156, a deficit of 58 runs, with Taylor top scoring for the Kiwi's with 40, Flynn not out on 39 and one sore Ryder managed a quickfire 30. (betcha he's glad that Cricketer's wear a cup!).

Johnson managed 4/30 off 8 overs, a could have had a 5 for (and hat trick) had he bowled the Kiwi bunny Martin. Watson, Clark and Lee managed 2 a piece, with Symonds bowling only a single over (I expect to see him bowling his off-spin in the 4th innings), Clarke was unlucky with lots of edges going for fours, and Watson didnt manage to get the reverse swing but got good bounce.

Apparently the pitch is firming up, and is meant to favour the batters for the next day or so, so hopefully the Aussies do not get over confident and we get to see some batting masterclasses from Hayden, Ponting and the lower order who have been under performing for weeks now.

[i_amtrunks]

Scorecard (http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ausvnz2008/engine/match/351679.html).

Not a great game for anyone concerned.

The only note of interest was how Katich was overlooked for man of the match. When the pitch favours the bowlers as much as it did at the Gabba, the lone centurion is usually a shoe in...
That being said, all the Aussie Quicks had an excellent game, Lee still not great, but much improved.

Watson rightfully dropped, he had a bad game, after a few almost decent games in India, but Symonds (who also have an ordinary game with the bat) gets to keep his spot, most likely off his excellent fielding, and the way he manages to lift the team. Siddle replaces Watson in the 12, and unless a paceman gets injured I think he will be 12th man, Krezja will be bowling a lot of overs in Adelaide this week.

Hayden had another shocker, if he fails at batsman's friendly Adelaide in his 100th test, will it also be his last? who replaces him at the top of the order? Jacques? Personally I think moving Hussey to open and putting David Hussey or brad Hodge in at #4 would be better (and move Clarke to #5). However that would give us two slower openers, but that's the price we pay for being spoiled by Hayden and Langer for the past few years.

[STL]

The thing that annoys me is why play Watson at all. We -need- a spinner by the time we get to the Ashes next year which should be a first priority now and developing a spinner, be it Krejza or not, should be issue numero uno. I'm glad to see Watson go and hopefully not ever come back.

Siddle being recalled is strange but I guess they don't want their favourite boy Watson to be carrying drinks when he can be playing domestic cricket to get some form. But even if he doesn't, I wouldn't be surprised that on the bouncy WACA pitch, Ponting will use the excuse that Watson's done well in the past and its a great bowling strip.

Katich though has done well and credit goes to him. I'm not in favour of him b/c he's not a long term prospect but he's doing well. I mean, he was thrown completely out of his comfort zone and he's been one of Australia's most consistent over the past 3 series. As an aside, Chris Rogers is doing very well, would love to see him and Marsh open for Australia one day.

Oh and I'm surprised Ponting didn't bowl Hussey and Katich to make up his over rate. :rolleyes: Yet he did so in India? I'm a Ponting hater now. Didn't like him at first, now just can't stand his whole arrogance and snotty whining. He's still a good batsman in my mind just a piss poor captain.

[i_amtrunks]

Oh and I'm surprised Ponting didn't bowl Hussey and Katich to make up his over rate. :rolleyes: Yet he did so in India? I'm a Ponting hater now. Didn't like him at first, now just can't stand his whole arrogance and snotty whining. He's still a good batsman in my mind just a piss poor captain.

And seeing Gilly completely and utterly out-captain him in the Twenty-20 game didnt hurt either I bet.

You may yet get to see Rogers open again soon, Hayden (as well as Hussey and Siddle) are flying out after the Adelaide test to play in the Twnety20 Champions league, and Haydos got injured last time he played in the IPL. Who better to replace an opener for a WACA test than a local?

And poor Symonds cannot catch a break now can he?

[i_amtrunks]

Live Scorecard (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/351680.html).

Hauritz is in for Krezja, who strained some ligaments in his ankle at training during the week. He cant buy a game for NSW, yet he gets picked by the Aussie team, over Cullen, Casson and a few others that have better stats (and plenty more game time). He has gone for 17 off his first over... Clarke and Symonds will be bowling alot me thinks.
Hayden plays his 100th test, and unless he scores plenty of runs, he might not get too many more chances.

Ponting lost the toss again. New Zealand are batting, and doing fairly well, Lee was bowling decently, except for the no ball every over. Johnson improved his stature (he is improving every game) by replacing lee and tacking a wicket after 9 balls. Redmond is looking in good touch, and Ryder will be happy to not face Lee for a while, after what happened at the GABBA.

[optimus1]

NZ 1st Innings - 6/260

3 overs to go

NZ have pretty blown a good chance on a good looking batting pitch.

Redmond played good for his 83 earlier in the day, most batsmen had a good start but have not capitalised.

Hopefully Australia have a good bat 2morrow

[i_amtrunks]

NZ have pretty blown a good chance on a good looking batting pitch.

Now there is an understatement! A score of 350-400 is par for the first innings at the Adelaide Oval, and if the Kiwis lose an early wicket tomorrow, they might not make 300.


Redmond played good for his 83 earlier in the day, most batsmen had a good start but have not capitalised.

He was doing a Martyn. You look away for an over and he has added 6 runs, he was batting so well too, but got far too overconfident with bashing Hauritz out of the ground. Hope Hauritz is alright, we really need a fulltime spinner for the second innings.

[i_amtrunks]

Crap (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/351681.html).

Hayden blasted three 4's then out, Ponting a golden duck, Hussey played a poor shot, Australia 3/16 after only 6 overs. Lucky not to be 4 down after Clarke tried his best to run Katich out, the boy really was scared off facing the South Africans on this pitch.

Ponting finally won a toss, and he correctly chose to bat, all Australia had to do was survive the first hour or so, and then settle into batting, but it looks a waste, Clarke, Katich and Symonds will all have to bat for time, as well as score runs, or Siddle, Johnson and Krezja will have nothing to protect. This pitch will lay low after this first session.

Going to take a fine effort from the bowlers to be on top after the first innings.

[1orion2many]

:rolleyes:They always play like school boys(primary) over here for some unknown reason:D.

[jacksplatt11]

I checked the score today at around 2pm today and STL and I were pretty surprised that we were 2/15 or so, I wasn't that surprised to then find out that it was Hayden and Ponting out though. I then checked the score a bit later and we were 3/45 or something, arr... We seem to be consolidating now with Katich and Clarke batting pretty solidly.

I think time is up for Hayden, and I wouldn't be surprised if he announces his retirement during or after this series. He has been a great player, but you can't go on forever

[jacksplatt11]

Arrr Double post...

Clarke, Symonds and Haddin. Talk about throwing your wicket away, doing all the hard work then just playing a loose shot. All 3 could've gone on to make a 100, oh well, can't go back in time...

[STL]

Didn't catch much of the cricket today. Got to the missus place and wanted to watch some but then we went for a run and by the time we got back it was basically tea. Then it was dinner and then I snuck in a bit while dishes were being washed. From what I've saw and read up since, it seems like a day of missed opportunities.

Katich LBW on a full toss on 83? That's just lazy. But he has consistently held his own. It seems like a day where we could've gotten more out of despite being in dire straights. I was disappointed I didn't see Steyn bowl very much and all I saw him doing was getting belted by Krejza and Johnson. Very very glad to see Krejza playing, we need to develop a spinner. The Ashes aren't far away now.

I hope the Aussies go down one zip. Partly b/c a part of me hates Ponting and this all new defensive atttitude. Once upon a time, Australians would talk themselves down but more recently they keep talking themselves up. "Even if SA beat us, we're still the number one team" blah blah. Under Taylor, Waugh and Gilly, we focused on one game at a time. Now we're awfully defensive. This will make the Melbourne Test a very interesting affair and the series a livewire.

[i_amtrunks]

Katich has been our highest scoring and most consistant batter since he arrived in the Windies in January. Not bad for a guy that was only replacing Hayden for injury.

Clarke was scared witless yesterday, almost ran Katich out then was streaky at best, but at least he scored. Hussey got the ball of the innings to remove him, so his run of bad decisions and great balls continues. Hayden needs to fire a good score in the 2nd innings or he should not be picked for Melbourne and Sydney, his poor form has lasted too long now. (although he looked good while he was out there yesterday).

Good for Symonds and Haddin to get runs, but both should have score more. The pitch looks like it offers something for all, looking forward to seeing Krezja bowling, he and Siddle will be bowling into the wind all day, and I think then we will realise how great it would have been to have Clarke bowling his line and length balls to tie up an end. Hope Lee does not get carried away with trying to payback the SA's with bouncers.

Looking forward to Smith going cheaply, he lost all his composure yesterday handing Kallis the ball got the Aussies of the hook twice, and his field placements allowed too many runs. Hope his poor form continues with the bat, as I really want to see Amla batting.

Unless South Africa go cheaply, this is going to be an equal matched draw methinks.

[i_amtrunks]

Johnsons 7/2 in 21 balls puts the Aussies on top (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ausvrsa2008_09/engine/current/match/351681.html).

Hoooolleeeeeeee crap!

South Africa were cruising at 3/234, both deVilliers and Kallis looked in good touch, punishing the bad balls, and working the singles. Krezja in particular was taking a hammering after bowling an absolute pearler to remove Amla, who was also looking in fine form.

Enter Johnson on his new home ground... 5 overs later and South Africa were reeling at 8/241. What a spell of bowling it was. Lee was also bowlign well, with no reward, Johnson's mixing up of his pace, and length had them all looking like fools, with South Africa now right on the back foot.

And sadly Clarke's poor widdle thumb is fine, the big sook had to go get scans, when they showed there was absolutely nothing wrong with them. Guess he just wanted the attention that prince got for a similar injury...
I was hoping it would have been shattered and ended his career when they said he had been rushed to hospital.

[i_amtrunks]

So after being humiliated in Perth, do the selectors add another batsman to give Hayden, Ponting, Clarke or Symonds something to think about?

Do they drop Lee to show him his poor form cannot save him? Do they drop Siddle to show he needs more time in Domestic cricket?

No, they drop Krezja and bring back Hauritz. I'm glad they seem to have forgotten about Watson for now, but how can their spinners get into form when they are in and out of the side every other week? Will we miss Krezja's lower order batting?

Hopefully Lee will be 12th man and Hilfenhaus can get a run. I doubt it though, Siddle will most likely be the man to miss out.

Hayden better score some runs, but in saying that all our top order needs runs.

[Robzy]

Can they drop Ponting? :D

[jacksplatt11]

Can they drop Ponting? :D

Haha hopefully, it must be killing that arrogant little Tasmanian that AUS are playing probably the worst they ever have in the last decade or so while he is captain, and that he is performing terribly.

I find it laughable that he blamed Krejza and Siddle for the reason we lost (not taking wickets) and praised Lee for bowling tight (:confused: Lee is meant to be a wicket taker, not a tight bowler) and didn't not mention our batting at all which is where we really failed. I think a few batsmen (Clarke, Symonds and Haddin (First innings)) should look at how they went out, throwing their wicket away. Hayden I feel is past it and should probably retire or be dropped, and while I don't expect Ponting to retire (although I want him to :p) he definitely needs to find some form.

Agree with you Trunks, dropping Krejza is pretty stupid, how are we ever going to get a long term spinner, when we keep chopping and changing every few tests. Also, how must Krejza feel that Ponting gave Clarke a bowl first on sunday morning before Krejza (should be first choice spinner, obviously) and didn't give him an over till the last one before lunch. Strange

[STL]

Ponting is a retard. At least as a captain.

His body language is poor when they're up against the wall. Taylor, Warne, Gilchrist and Waugh were always positive, backbone. Ponting is a sulking little girl who makes me sick of the Australian cricket team.

To top it off, they lose the test and they point their fingers at the bowlers? What a joke. Most of the Australian batsman threw their wickets away. The tail made more runs than most of the accomplished batsman in the second innings. The batsman have been struggling lately to make runs and they were struggling against NZ, let alone South Africa.

I like South Africa. Their demeanour and attitude is what Australia used to be like. None of this complaining and whining. I hope they thrash the Aussies and we see Ponting lose the captaincy and get a real change. They're all talking about this transitional period but they aren't giving their bowlers a chance. They have 2 new young players they're blooding but those two cop all the flak when everything goes wrong. Remember, it takes time. Warne was spanked. McGrath struggled to make the team but the selectors persisted and look what happened. I'm not saying Siddle and Krejza are the equivalents but god damn well give them a chance. I remember A.B. DeVillers several years ago coming here and being intimidated and pretty unconvincing. Now, he's an exciting fielder, a smart batsman and a modest one to boot. It takes time. So if Hilfenhaus plays and performs poorly, what? Drop him too? Give the young players a chance and have a look at the batting first. It's been a joke since India. Katich has been stellar. I'm a doubter of him but he's proven his worth. The rest of the batsman need to get their act together and stop living off their cosy position with the selectors.

It was the batsmen who lost the Perth test. Not the bowlers. It was a batsman's paradise and the only reason it was lost was b/c of pathetic batting.

[STL]

I'm loving the cricket. Australia are getting smashed and rightfully so.

Ponting again shows why he is not a captain. Poor leadership on the field. Leadership isn't just about being a great batsman, its about being able to handle the pressure and giving ur team the confidence to perform at their best. His body language and fielding positions were pathetic and unsupportive.

On the other hand, SA have played w/ control, grace and modesty. I really like them. I remember Smith being quite arrogant but the years have seen him mature. Duminy and AB both sound like blokes u could sit down and have a long yarn with. Ntini has always been a great competitor too. I couldn't want any other team to beat us at home other than them. Of course, I quite hate India and England so I'm somewhat bias.

Back on the Australians, losing Lee exposed them a lot. Lee is supposed to be the leader of the attack but he clearly isn't. Hauritz is a mind boggling defensive choice which has been brought on by the loss of Stuart Clark. I have no idea how they could possibly have stuck with Hauritz. He was serviceable but hardly potent. Dropping Krejza was a poor and desperate move. We need to give the bowlers a chance and what they did with Krejza reminds me far too much of what happened to Damien Martyn back in '93 I think it was. We have only two strike bowlers, one of which is a work in progress (Siddle). There's a lot to like about Siddle but it's obvious he's still learning. The way he bowled at the tail had u questioning sometimes but I'm all for that. Ishant Sharma and Monty Panesar are the type of bowlers that developed at a young age, having never really proved their wares but have gone onto prove to be good cricketers. Australia needs to develop them and realise they're going to lose more often. If I was a selector, the majority of the team would be replaced. It might be fragile but we're only going to stagnate if we don't put in new players and give them a chance to find their feet over two or three series.

And the Aussie batsman, I don't think too much needs to be said. There's a lot of talent to pick from, give them a chance. I don't want to see us lose the Ashes.

[roller]

Is brett lee chinese? He doesn't look it, but then neither do i

[Golden Phoenix]

Saw a little bit today, and all I really saw was this:
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/funny-pictures-bird-cat-cage.jpg

[blackie]

Saw a little bit today, and all I really saw was this:
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/funny-pictures-bird-cat-cage.jpg

+infinity

australia are lacking someone who can take wickets, that and people who could bowl to a plan. stu clark could get smith out no worries, because he wouldnt bowl that crap on his pads, people its his only shot, and the same goes for the terrorist.

[Borgeman]

the aussie attack is average at best compared to 4 years ago - the problem is people still think we will roll teams over. brett lee has always been a strike bowler, with the likes of mcgrath and gillespie to put the pressure on, so for him to try and play the anchor role was never going to work. johnson bowls good spells, but is still much too erratic to destroy teams over the course of the match. siddle is still new, so cant say alot about him.

now with the spin stocks, you have two choices with who you choose - you either pick someone who can contain runs, or someone who will pick up wickets. only warne could do both, and in all honesty, no other aussie spinner can really dry up an end, so the pacemen have to then keep a tight line. the loss of stuart clark hurt, cause he wouldve bowled tight at home, and looking at the XI now, you cant say anyone would guarantee a tight spell of bowling.

fact is, the bowling is not what it was, so the batsmen now have to deliver every game. the bowlers arent good enough to defend scores anymore, so the batsmen need to take the game away from the opposition - make them want to play for a draw, then you will win. but the batsmen dont make the runs, then we wont be able to take the wickets - this game proved that (180 for the 9th wicket...)

i heard this on the radio, and it rings true - while warne, mcgrath and gilchrist were still playing, people in the know said that we had a big talent pool, and could ably cover them when they retired. yet if warne, mcgrath and gilchrist all wanted to play for australia tomorrow, they would walk straight back into the XI

George

[Golden Phoenix]

I'm not a big cricket fan, I'll admit that, but it appears to me that they are leaving the older players in, who have been good but aren't playing well and haven't been for a while, and switching out all the new guys when they have one bad game.
You can't do that to newbies. You have to give them time.

[blackie]

tis good to see they added hilfy and bollinger to the squad, but wow at picking andrew mcdonald. didnt see that one coming. would have thought hopes would have been next in line..... and now Amac wont be playing on friday night when i go to see the vics win :(

[Scattershot]

I used to play cricket with Nathan Hauritz in Hervey Bay when I lived there in the under 13's/14's. He was awesome back then. He was our opening Batsman, wicket keeper, captain and bowler. I always thought he'd play for Australia sometime and its pretty cool being able to watch him on tv now. I think he's doing a pretty damn good job considering hes only played 3 test matches. Hes pretty economical and taking some pretty important wickets. I hope the selectors keep him in the side for him to have a good chance to settle in.

[STL]

tis good to see they added hilfy and bollinger to the squad, but wow at picking andrew mcdonald. didnt see that one coming. would have thought hopes would have been next in line..... and now Amac wont be playing on friday night when i go to see the vics win :(

Depending on weather, I should be going tomorrow too w/ a few mates. :)

I'm not sure about the call ups though. When was the SCG anything other than a dustbowl? Do we really need to call up 4 quicks? Krezja is extremely unluckly and the scapegoat for Ponting's crap captaincy.

[i_amtrunks]

We should be playing both Hauritz and Krezja at the SCG, with Bollinger, Johnson and Hilfenhaus, Krezja and Johnson have already proven they can score runs, and could be more useful than this McDonald fellow I know nothing about.

Hayden should have been dropped, but he will be anyway after this test, maybe a century and innings to help Australia to a dominant win would save him, but I cannot see it happening. M. Hussey should move to opener to help turn his luck slump (and slight form slump) and move David Hussey into #5 with Clarke to go to #4 since he cannot bat with the lower order.

South Africa to clean sweep the series in Sydney.

[STL]

BigBash 20/20 at the G tonight was a pretty damn good match. It went right down to the wire when I thought we were already home. Lots of fun and all round good cricket. Mackay didn't really impress me again and boy was Nannes wayward. Anyone know why Younis Khan didn't play for the Redbacks? I thought he would given his form (he's brilliant)

[i_amtrunks]

Loved the WA vs NSW 2020 game. Will be going to the other games at Homebush on the 12th and 17th.

Good to see Johnson get his 50 in the test yesterday, could not give a damn about Clarke, but I guess it was nice for him to actually bat well when he was needed for a change. Hauritz's 41 was handy too. Wonder if Kallis or Boucher will Captain South Africa in the remainder of the test and ODI series?

[STL]

Australia took a pretty big risk today. I don't know why they declared so early tbh. I mean they could've pushed for a lead above 400 and put the game beyond doubt and still had over an hour to bowl at SA. It just did not feel like Ponting and given the consistency of the bowling attack, I think he should've erred on the side of caution and batted for another half hour and sent out Haddin.

Haurtiz just hasn't lived up to his containment role for me. He's bowled decently this 2nd innings but it was SA's interest to lose no more wickets before stumps. And generally speaking, he just does not look the part. And Australia need a good allrounder otherwise they need a proper attacking fourth bowler. Stuart Clark will help on that end though I have felt that Siddle is doing very well in his past 4 innings and not conceding too many. And on Siddle I think there's only more upward potential for him. Very unlucky today not to have Amla but the only person to blame is Ponting's fielding positions. I just don't understand why have 1 slip. In the old days we always at least had two.

I think there's some positives out of this match. Bollinger looks good but needs time to adjust. He should adjust quicker than Siddle though as he's not got that much to learn. He knows his trade and has played 3 times as mcuh first class cricket as Siddle. When Lee and Clark come back, there are going to be some serious selection issues. For me, Siddle and Johnson are the future. Bollinger needs time and we still need a spinner.

M. Clarke actually impressed me today. I do not like him and do not want him to be captain but he did change his game and adjust after tea to make quick runs. Sure the presssure valve was off but its still a good step forward. I should mention too that in the 1st innings he was pretty lucky, giving many chances. I wonder if we looked back at all his centuries, how often has he had good fortune? I think its a fair few times but could be wrong.

We're probably going to lose tomorrow, I reckon. Don't know why but I don't mind. A loss is best for us as it will mean the selectors will get a good kick up the backside and start looking to the future. Jaques is back soon in the first class cricket hopefully and i look forward to seeing how he goes. I'd like Hughes as well. He's 21 and he needs time to develop at the top level. There's been a lot of talk in the past about Australia having a lot of players who could walk right into the Australian test team but that generation is quickly passing. At the end there is no substitute to being blooded in the test arena. Look at AB, Duminy, G. Smith, Sharma, Panesar, Cook internationally. Give 'em time.

[blackie]

Haurtiz just hasn't lived up to his containment role for me. He's bowled decently this 2nd innings but it was SA's interest to lose no more wickets before stumps. And generally speaking, he just does not look the part.

As much as i don't like Kreja, cause i don't rate him one bit, hes what we need, although i think a wrist spinner, would be better. Sadly the only decent wrist spinner is >30yo and wont play much further you would think. Were now going to go through a time where we don't have a decent spinner, if we even pick a spinner at all, because in some senses we would be better to pick someone like another m clarke or kattich, someone who can bowl a bit, but bolsters our batting linup a bit more



And Australia need a good allrounder otherwise they need a proper attacking fourth bowler.

Andrew Flintoff is the reason were so fixated on allrounders now. all the teams want someone to bat at 6, who can bowl and bat well, and even flintoff cant do that apart from the ashes series he stared in. IMO we need to pick another specialist batsman and get over needing an allrounder.


When Lee and Clark come back, there are going to be some serious selection issues.

Easy, Clarke in for Hauritz. Lee needs to go back to either state, or when its our winter, county level to get some match fitness. hes no use when he can only bowl 150kph for 3 balls an innings. He needs to, like m clarke has now, to prove himself, and although hes been injured, the past few series, hes been extremely ordinary, and has probably been selected on past glories. If he was fit, and got selected for this test, then i think that would have been a worse decision than picking mathew hayden.



M. Clarke actually impressed me today. I do not like him and do not want him to be captain but he did change his game and adjust after tea to make quick runs. Sure the pressure valve was off but its still a good step forward. I should mention too that in the 1st innings he was pretty lucky, giving many chances. I wonder if we looked back at all his centuries, how often has he had good fortune? I think its a fair few times but could be wrong.

completely agree. hes showing he can actually fight it out, must have grown up a bit.

[i_amtrunks]

It pains me to admit it, but Clarke did very well this test, finally stood up when needed and is now bowling okay on a pitch that suits his style. Still he should not be VC and should never be the captain, but for some reason CA love him.

And why did Morkel open the batting, he would have been useful later on in the innings, like the first innings.

We will lose today, Ponting has made this test competitive (strange since he never declares a competitive total) and this is South Africa's Test to win now. if Ponting had have batted another hour or so and then had an hour at the South Africans last night I think the Ausise total (with Haddin, Johnson and co to come) would have been deemed unobtainable and the South Africans would have played defensive boring cricket today and played for the draw.

They might still do it, but with their line up they can also play for the win. especially if DeVilliers finds his Perth form.

Ponting, Hayden and Katich all threw their wickets away, I cannot remember another test where so many Batsmen got out by playing onto their stumps, especially when the shots have been so attacking rather than defending. Wish Ponting had have allowed Hussey to get 50, it would have helped his confidence.

Katich needs to bowl today, he Clarke and Hauritz really need to tie up one end and strangle the runs to allow Siddle and Johnson a go at the other end. plus the more overs they bowl, the better the chance is to get the South Africans out, 90 overs a day is only the minimum.

Clark needs to return to the side and Hilfenhaus and Krezja need to be in the extended test side for South Africa, Hauritz might be better off like Bracken, a one day specialist. Lee and McDonald need more state time, we can use Johnson and Krezja as out allrounders, coming in at 7 and 8.

Should be an interesting days play, I think South Africa will win, unless Australia take 3 wickets or more in the first session, something they have struggled to do.

Will be interested to see the ODI squad. If Noffke is fit and not picked there is something very wrong with our selectors.

[Fungal Infection]

That was an awesome match and a thrilling finish. Ponting's declaration yesterday was a good call to give the team enough time to bowl out the South Africans. Smith's appearance totally shocked me and I'd have to rate it as one of the top 5 greatest moments in sports that I have ever seen. SA thoroughly deserved to win this series but what made this series great for me was the lack of politics, unlike the India series last summer which was mired with threats to abandon the tour if India didn't get their way. Both teams in this series just went out played cricket in the spirit of the game. I just wish the selectors knew what they were doing when selecting the team...... :rolleyes:

[i_amtrunks]

Well aren't I glad to be proven wrong!

I missed the last hour thanks to a train derailment (damn cityfail) pretty peeved right now, but I did get to see the ball Johson got Smith with, it was a cracker, and I think it would have caused problems for Smith even if he hadn't had a broken finger and a seized elbow.

Kallis's wicket was an interesting one, I'm not sure if he was out or not, but he took it gracefully even though he was only a dozen runs off 10,000. He now has to wait till the last day of February to get another chance at it.

Overall it was great series that Australia could have been far more competitive if the selectors grew a pair and made the tough decisions instead of relying on injuries to force changers.
We would not have won this last test if Lee and Symonds had not injured themselves.

Australia managed to lose the first test and helped South Africa win the second, but I still think South Africa was the better team (and the best team in the world) and deserved the series win, as Australia were unable to play cricket for more than a session at a time, and always managed to lose whatever advantage they had gained.

And I agree with Fungal, it's been great to have the South Africans out here just to play cricket and not whinge, whine and sook like spoilt brats whenever they werent allowed to cheat and get their own way. Bring on the 2020 and ODI's I expect South Africa to belt us in those too.

[STL]

And why did Morkel open the batting, he would have been useful later on in the innings, like the first innings.


A lot of conjecture was so that it wouldn't upset the balance of the batting line up and I'd agree. Even playing at juniors, it annoyed me to come in at 4 or 5th as opposed to my usual spot. He wasn't handy but at the least it didn't change the rhythm for the rest of the team.



Should be an interesting days play, I think South Africa will win, unless Australia take 3 wickets or more in the first session, something they have struggled to do.


Very prophetic.



Will be interested to see the ODI squad. If Noffke is fit and not picked there is something very wrong with our selectors.

Damn straight.

I have to admit though my ODI interest is waning incredibly. I love test matches and 20/20 but the ODI format is boring me to tears. I think its become far too clinical and systematic. You know the exact way teams will bat and structure their line up and I've just fallen out of love with ODI. Not to say 20/20 is better for the skill and grace of the game but its certainly more watchable.


Smith's appearance totally shocked me and I'd have to rate it as one of the top 5 greatest moments in sports that I have ever seen.

Agreed entirely. We were watching and it was just one of those quiet moments were your in absolute awe and Smith has come a long way. My memories were always McGrath and Warne always got under his skin and would make him their bunny and he'd react impetuously. But this time around, years on, his maturity, poise, courage and leadership have come out. I have a lot of respect for the fella.

As for Australia, they really almost did not deserve to win this match. They couldn't convincingly clean up the tail and that's just not good enough. The fact they won takes a lot of focus away from the batsman who were again saved by the tail in the first innings. Johnson, Haurtiz and Siddle put on very important runs that essentially amounted to more than the lead on the 1st innings.

That delivery from Johnson hit a serious crack and that was what Johnson I had suspect had been trying for in the previous over he'd bowled wide of the stumps. It was fortunate but it didn't convince me. Stump to stump bowling outside the zone would've been much better. Especially in such a precarious situation. I understood why Johnson bowled wide but it was tough to stomach seeing him gamble on a crack in the wicket rather than his skill and the injured state of Smith and the skill-less Ntini.

Hauritz. No. Just no. He wasn't even being picked by his State side. And he barely was threatening and failed in the 1st innings to keep the runs down when the match was in the balance which is his stated job. He just doesn't cut it and Australia need to give a young bowler a chance. I've seen McGain and he is bloody good but he is too old. I'm not an ageist but we need to plan for the future now and the Ashes. It's not a long way away at all and we already screwed up with our opening batsman this series. We can't afford to waste the spinners position.

McDonald. I don't know. Very good, better than I've seen him do at state level but just not sure what was up with Hopes? Is he injured cos I don't recall him playing for Qld lately either.

Ponting's captaincy again was questionable. Why did he give each bowler an over at the death? Fact is, you NEED a few balls before you even hit your stride. Doesn't matter how mnay overs u've already bowled, you still need the time to get into rhythm. It was stupid captaincy.

I look forward to late Feb, now for the return test series. This series was an absolute delight and I'm glad Australia got beaten. It's raised serious issues and knocked us out of complacency.

[jacksplatt11]

Even playing at juniors, it annoyed me to come in at 4 or 5th as opposed to my usual spot.

11?

:p

Haha, but yeah, didn't Smith cut an imposing figure coming in at 11, even while injured. The looks on the AUS players faces were priceless when they thought they had it won, only to see one of the worlds best current batsmen coming out. Turns out it only delayed the inevitable by an over or two, but the fact that Smith came out, with a dodgy elbow and a broken finger, really gained him a lot of respect not just from me, but I dare say from most Cricket fans, and as Fungal alluded to, sports fans in general. You could see every ball from the fast bowlers, even MacDonald at his 125kmh-ish deliveries, was hurting him, but he still came out knowing it would. Would be interesting to see if Ponting would have done the same thing if he was in that situation, given it was a dead rubber and whether RSA won, lost or drew, they already had the series sewn up.

Overall, it was a good series, I know we lost, but we were able to see Johnson improve, Siddle improve considerably from the match in Perth to this match (hopefully the selectors persist with him and he is an AUS opening bowler for at least the next 6-7 years, bar injuries), and hopefully we've seen the last of Hayden and Lee. Both past it. Clark when fit back in for Bollinger, and Krejza back in for Hauritz (not really a fan of Krejza, but I think he is the best we've got at a relatively young age at the moment, and Hauritz is rubbish). I would love to see Hilfenhaus in there but I don't know where to fit him in. For Hayden's replacement, the Victorian in me says Rogers, but the AUS in me says Hughes will be better for the long run, and the sooner he is in the better.

Anyway, yeah 20/20s and ODIs, like STL said, the ODIs have become pretty repetitive and every team now has the same plan and team selection, but I still love seeing situations like 30 needed off the last 20 balls and the like, makes for good viewing. And yeah, Noffke should be in, but we all know what the AUS selectors are like...


This series was an absolute delight and I'm glad Australia got beaten. It's raised serious issues and knocked us out of complacency.

Plus one.

[i_amtrunks]

Would be interesting to see if Ponting would have done the same thing if he was in that situation, given it was a dead rubber and whether RSA won, lost or drew, they already had the series sewn up.

I'm a Ponting (as a batsman and fielder, not as captain) fan, and I would have to say that he wouldn't, his choice of bowling his part timers ahead of the seamers in India showed his character, he may love the team, but he feels he is more important than the result.
Strangely I think that any other player in the Aussie team would come out and bat no matter how wounded if it would mean they might be able to save the team from a loss. Especially Hayden, Hussey or any of the quicks.

I was surpirsed Smith came out, since South Africa could not win the game and a draw or loss would still leave them as the #2 side. I was expecting him to bat if South Africa needed only a handful of runs to win the series and take the #1 spot, but not to simply attempt to draw the test. Big Kudos to him.

[STL]

Saw the Vics on Thursday night and they were pretty classy though Jacksplatt11 myself couldn't help pissing ourselves as we watched Cam White pick up 4 wickets for nothing. I don't think I've seen district cricketers bowl pies like he does. They were pretty damned terrible. Yet ironically two of his better balls were scored off.

Saw the Aussies tonight too thanks to the missus agreeing as a last moment thing since a mate was stuck with an extra ticket. (And they were not cheap! :() Warner absolutely knocked the house down. Very glad that we're giving youth a shot. Tait was his usual self. Brilliant one moment, awkward the next. I can't say that I'm particularly enthralled by the skill at this level, its more just fun. But there were moments of brilliance like Duminy's innings was a delight. Kallis had a great classy four too that was just masterful before being dismissed. The rest of the Aussies tried to get one w/ the job but I think that after they lost 3 quick wickets, they should've tried to steady teh ship instead of continuing to go all out. Could've reached 200 but w/ the lack of hitting the SA side seems to have, they were never going to be a threat I guess.

[blackie]

Saw the Vics on Thursday night and they were pretty classy

should have gone, would have been more fun than cricket training.


though Jacksplatt11 myself couldn't help pissing ourselves as we watched Cam White pick up 4 wickets for nothing. I don't think I've seen district cricketers bowl pies like he does. They were pretty damned terrible. Yet ironically two of his better balls were scored off.

clearly ive missed my calling, i can bowl pies like that too :P


Tait was his usual self. Brilliant one moment, awkward the next. I can't say that I'm particularly enthralled by the skill at this level, its more just fun.

He hurt AB bad. getting smashed in the hip at 155kph plus is a killer, he was lucky he hit his wicket, because the next ball would have either been a toe crusher or a rib breaker

[Robzy]

Warner absolutely knocked the house down. Very glad that we're giving youth a shot. :eek: He was unbelievable! I like the "youth" policy too!


Tait was his usual self. Brilliant one moment, awkward the next. Like Blackie said - he got AB a good one! :D


Duminy's innings was a delight He's such a classy player!

[i_amtrunks]

He hurt AB bad. getting smashed in the hip at 155kph plus is a killer, he was lucky he hit his wicket, because the next ball would have either been a toe crusher or a rib breaker

If he hadn't hit his wicket I'm sure he would have retired hurt. Heavy contact to the hip is bad at anytime, let alone a cricket ball going over 150km. I'd be surprised to see De Villiers back for the next 2020.

Tait was his usual self, 4 good balls in a spell of 24, I would not pick him in anything other than 2020 games, he reminds me of Lee when Lee was young, but I doubt he will ever improve like Lee did. Hilfenhaus was getting some good swing, he is a must take to England, and should be in all the Aussie teams right now. D.Hussey was very useful, I say we use him as the test Allrounder!

Warner was fantastic though, he and Duminy were the only guys out there trying to bat rather than slog, and while Duminy mostly scored off singles and twos, his timing was perfect. Warner was brillaint, smacking anything that was short or a half volley to the boundary, but more than happy to take singles at the same time, it was very clever batting from a young kid who showed everyone else how 2002 should be played. Ponting did alright, but 2020 is something he and M. Hussey should give up, Ponting takes too long to settle, and Hussey is a Bevanesque player, he will help you no matter what in the ODI format, but he is too much of a plodderer for the 2020 game.

What was with South Africa? They had a weak bowling attack that did not bowl a bouncer! :eek: Amla was their twelfth man, and he was sorely needed
and would not have let them down in the field. That being said, SA did field very well (unlike White!).

here is a tricky one for you all, when Johnson and Clarke are fit, who do you drop to put them in the 2020 side? And who do you drop to make way for Warner in the ODI side?

Bring on a better Cricket Box for the second 2020!

[STL]

The Blame Game (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/12/2463781.htm)

Ironically, who gets to point the fingers at the selectors? Sure those players were in form slumps, Lee all the way back in India and Hayden's been awhile too. The selectors didn't act quick enough and they've got themselves to blame. The Ashes aren't far away and we have 3 tests to blood our opening duo. That or Hayden lifts his game. But the team has batted like a team for a long time either. All the way through India and back to Australia, there's been a lack of partnerships. In the South African series what was patently obvious was how well the tail performed which should've put the batsmen to shame. It just annoys me hte selectors now push their lack of foresight onto the players. They're there to make decisions and they didn't. They are to blame too.

[i_amtrunks]

Australia get out of Jail (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ausvrsa2008_09/engine/match/351695.html)

Good game last night, Duminy carried the South Africans again after he was promoted after a great start from the Aussie bowlers. Ponting rotated the bowlers every over and the South Africans couldn't get a rhythm. they started swinging the bat in the last 5 overs, Duminy's 69 not out giving them 5/157.

The South Africans had a bowling plan for Warner this time around and it worked, Botha opened the bowling and was very tidy, his four overs went for 19 runs. Warner and marsh went out cheaply and Ponting (38) took some time to get into his groove, before being run out. The South Africans bowled well for 15 overs, tying the Aussie line up down with slow full tosses. The Aussies needed over 10 an over midway through their innings.

David Hussey came and went for 2. When White joined Mike Hussey (53no) and clobbered 40 no from 18 balls the Aussies gained ascendency, thanks in part to terrible bowling from the Morkels and Parnell, and won by 6 wickets with 7 balls to spare.

Drop McDonald from the test team and bring in David Hussey, he got out trying to score quick runs, but his work in the field was fantastic, as was Duminy who I thought was a shoe in for MotM, that catch he took was a blinder!

[STL]

Some good games over the last week and I reckon it ended up about where it should be. 1-1. The one dayers have been surprisingly interesting but I think both sides are playing average cricket atm and pretty close to each other. Australia have the better team on paper with the big hitters but just aren't producing hte goods. South Africa's fielding is letting them down but the same could be said for the Aussies.

Hilfenhaus seems to lack penetration. A lot's been said about him but I'm a tad bit disappointed. Bracken continues to be great. I wonder what his 4 day figures are like b/c if he bowls this well in the longer form of the game, shouldn't we bring him?

And very pissed off about the Vics losing to NSW. They shouldn't have. Hughes didn't play and Warner was recalled to the national one day team. Nannes was brilliant with the ball and the more of him i see, the more I think he shld be going to South Africa or even England. The only bright spark for the Vics batting was Finch who looks a lot like Hodge technique wise. Anyways, annoyed we won't see the final in Victorai this year like the past two years but I think losing two of the world's best 20/20 players had a big hand in upsetting the team's balance. The Vics really only had themselves to blame though b/c they were on top at various times but stupid, real stupid, run outs cost them. They bowled better than the Blues but they're inexperienced batsman in Finch ran out Quiney and McDonald which changed the complexion of the game. But he's a prospect so hopefully he becomes better w/ years to come

[jacksplatt11]

NSW sign Brendon McCullum for Twenty20 final (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/387358.html)

Gotta say I'm pretty pissed off with this. I know that international players are allowed to play in our domestic Twenty20 comp, I'm too lazy to look up names but there was a couple of Pakistan bowlers playing, one for WA. Anyway, I'm fine with that because if they had made it to the final, those players had been playing ever game of the comp. But, for NSW to recruit, arguably, the best Twenty20 batsmen into their squad, just for the final, seems pretty unfair to me. If he had been playing every game so far, so be it, but to come in straight away and only play the final, hmmm. Their should have been a qualification rule, ie you have to play 3 matches before you can qualify to play in the final. I'm not just angry because I'm a Vic and we are playing NSW, I'd be angry if we did it too. It just goes against the spirit of the game, and the fact that this is a DOMESTIC comp, for the most part.

[blackie]

what youve got to remember is that the NSW keeper is sooooooooo bad, and a tard :P

at least they have someone half decent

And he wont make any runs anyway, D.Nannes will knock him off :D

[jacksplatt11]

what youve got to remember is that the NSW keeper is sooooooooo bad, and a tard :P

at least they have someone half decent

And he wont make any runs anyway, D.Nannes will knock him off :D

Quiet you, as a Victorian you should be agreeing with me, not supporting the stupid NSW cricket peeps

Shame Shame

[STL]

Damn straight. One of the problems with this 20/20 Cricket phenomena is that it brings out the worst in teams/players. Money does that, doesn't it? What NSW did was not outside the rules but it definitely wasn't within the spirit of the game nor very sportsmanlike. I'm annoyed we won't be able to see it and will have to instead rely on someone w/ Foxtel to see it. :mad:

but yeah, NSW have always been arrogant, wanting to do what they can. Doesn't surprise me they're pulling this stunt now.

[STL]

Bloody f---ing NS f--ing W won the final. The umpire calling the ball over leg a wide must've been a NSWelshman. Okay, it's only 20/20 but we were totally jibbed. Missing Hodge was the difference, he's one of hte best 20/20 players in the world.

And Australia lost the series to SA. Something's definitely not right with the line up. It just doesn't click through the middle order and M Hussey I think is hurting the momentum a lot. It feels like he's struggling to me. The bowlers have lacked potency. The strike bowlers aren't there. I've mentioned it before but Mitchell Johnson has too many loose deliveries and it came out here. Picking Hauritz was hilarious. Why persist with a guy who can barely make his state side? B/c he's a NSWelshman?

Bringing Bracken to the Ashes is an interesting idea but nothing about him says to me that he's a wicket taker. He's an economic tight bowler with great control but lacks that venom. I think if we need a Stuart Clark type bowler, we should bring him but he's not a strike bowler. Hilfenhaus... just doesn't seem the goods to me.

Warner's interesting too. Will he make a move interstate? B/c that NSW side has a few openers in the wings already and I'm sure he has ambitions beyond the shorter forms of the game.

We'll beat NZ but that doesn't mean very much now, does it?

[i_amtrunks]

We'll beat NZ but that doesn't mean very much now, does it?

Did not think this statement would be wrong.

Both Mike Hussey and Haddin are climbing out of their form slumps, Ponting cant hit his stride, Warner looks to be something to keep around and encourage, White is a great lower order hitter and Hopes is more than useful.

Clarke needs to be dropped permanently, his batting is woeful, and his bowling moreso. David Hussey should be "rested" I really like the Huss, but I am not sure he is what we need when Hodge returns from injury. I know Hodge is older and not in the future plans for the ashes and whatnot, but we need the best team we can get, and he is one of the best ODI and 2020 players we have. Too bad he is injured as he would have made a perfect replacement for the injured Marsh who has not been playing well at all.
I like to keep the Test and ODI sides somewhat different, but maybe Katich might be a good replacement for Marsh?

Johnson is tired even after his 2 week break he still looks buggered. Bracken is great as an ODI specialist, and I think he should stay that way. Noffke needs to be taken to South Africa with Bollinger, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Johnson, Tait needs to quit cricket, if he cannot bowl two good overs in a row he should give it up (plus he looks like he is chucking is later overs). Hilenhaus needs match time to prove whether or not he is up to the task, while Bollinger and Siddle need more game time to settle in.

Are we allowed a geneticist to try and merge Krezja and Hauritz into a single being? Haurzja would be a somewhat capable spinner.

The team we have at the moment cannot take 10 or 20 wickets in a match, and it cannot bat in long partnerships either, I dont think we will win in South Africa, and I dont think we can retain the ashes either. We might do okay in the 2020 cup, but not much else.

Oh and any NSWelshmen planning on going to the women's world cup? It is in Sydney, and Bowral and looks to be some good fun, the Southern Stars are a damn good team, probably could beat the men with blindfolds on right now.

[blackie]

personally i dont think much of warner at the top of the order
if they want a hack to open the batting theyre better to get cam white to do it, all he needs is to take a few overs to get his eye in, and he will be far more consistent than warner will ever be.

we need to invest in youth again. we did it the last time we were crap, and its time to do it again.
Put Hughes in at the top of the order for the injured marsh, it may take him a little while to acclimatise to this, but so many other greats in australian cricket (waugh, warne, mcgrath etc) all were put in quite young, and were made to learn how to play with the big boys early, and look what they did.

People like symonds should just have their contract disscontinued, because he'll never be right ever again. And although M.Hussey has 'got' out of his form slump (i say 'got' because i think hes still in it) i think hes another that needs to be moved on out of the one day side to help bring in the next era.

Also i still cant get over the fact that Johnson cant seem to actually bowl many legitimate 'wicket' balls. most of what he bowls is crap, and in more cases than not its actually the batsman that get themselves out than vice versa. Tait is another exponent of this problem, bowling few genuinely amazing deliveries.

I think we have to put up with loosing a lot for the next few years before we can start to consistantly win again.

[STL]

Pretty much agree with most of the thoughts up there. We need to go for some fresh blood. I'm happy to lose if we're trying to develop. Not just drop them after 2 or 3 bad games. But some of the choices are mindboggling. Hodge definitely needs to play. He would have been one of the best batsmen in the world if not for the way CA treated him.

And the Vics did brilliantly today. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/02/2480448.htm)At one point it seemed imposssible at 3/153 but we pulled it off and bowled them out.

And there's a question of whether we bring McGain too. I want youth but then McGain si the best spinner we have. By a long mile.

Warner's still got a lot to prove. But that was a lot to do with the media. Still his innings was pretty special to me. One of the best innings I've seen live

[STL]

Lookie here, it's April Fools Day! (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/03/2481618.htm)

Just a few months too early.

[jacksplatt11]

Haha yeah, the whole thing was a joke, it was so cringe worthy

[i_amtrunks]

How did our worst player get Test player of the year? Even MacDonald is more useful than Clarke.

Then Ponting and Clarke split the AB Medal?? WTH? Johnson could consider himself robbed by Clarke on two accounts. Johnson should have gotten AB medal, and Katich test player, he has been the only form batsman.

Katich did win some beauty pageant award though. :p

The Ceremony was unwatchable, Mark Nicholas is a terrible host, the thing in a man suit has no soul, and monotones everything he reads. He more than Tony Greig or Shane Warne makes me switch on ABC's commentary for the cricket (having Kerry O'Keefe doesn't hurt either).

[i_amtrunks]

Why Clarke Should not be Captain (http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25014355-5017479,00.html).

It's not a bad article on the back of the Clarke and Katich tussle, where Clarke again showed his lack of teamsmanship and more of his true self.

I wonder if Bingle has his balls in her purse or if Clarke is just a git?

[jacksplatt11]

Yeah, Clarke sucks, definitely pretty full of himself, and I really hope he doesn't become captain after Ponting but it's looking that way.

We are batting shocking, NZ are a better bowling side than batting, but even they should be able to chase down 200 odd again seeing as they just did it the other night. 3/185 after 45 is terrible in this day and age, but I guess they could put some more on in the last 5 overs.

Anyway, talk about Duminy having a golden summer. Made his test match debut, made a 50 and hit the winning runs then in his second match made his first 100, then made 3 or 4 50s in the ODIs and 20/20s along with fielding brilliantly and being more than a handy bowler, to now just being bought in the IPL for $950,000. What a summer haha

Good to see no-one bought BAD Haddin, although I suspect someone will take him for his base price later on. Shaun Tait went for $375,000 I think from memory, which I think is about right, too unreliable so I wouldn't have expected the really big bucks for him.

[blackie]

i cant believe duminy went for that much

you wait maybe 6 months, his head will increase in size, everyone will work him out, and that will screw him over... good old second yearitis. saying that if he bounces back he'll be a superstar the year after.

and why cant we make runs against the Kiwis?
its not like shane bond plays for them anymore, they dont have a decent bowling attack anymore and were struggling

Time for a new team and new selectors :D

[i_amtrunks]

Ponting needed that rest, his captaincy was better for it last night. Scorecard (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ausvnz2008/engine/match/351691.html).

Luckily for both teams the game was played in Sydney, where it was a nice 32 degrees, had the game been played 20km or more inland, they would have had another 10 or more degrees to deal with. Vettori won teh toss and put the Aussies in, happy to chase down the Aussies again.

Warner was dropped and Haddin promoted with Clarke. After a slow start, the two had their eyes in, and while they wasted the bowling powerplay, they fired after it, before useless Clarke fell for 64. Ponting, and the promoted D Hussey and White all failed to make an impact, but hung around enough for Haddin to make 109, his maiden century.
White fell trying to score in the batting powerplay, and that brought Mr Cricket and Ferguson together. M.Hussey has refound his form, and he and Ferguson put on a very entertaining 62 before Ferguson fell for 28. Hussey made 51, falling in the final over. Australia 8/301 after umpire Bucknor deducted runs in a bogus claim of running on the wicket.

new Zealand were sloppy int eh field, and there spinners could not contain the Aussie Batsmen. To add injury to insult, McCullum was injured after taking a Mills quick ball to the shoulder when standing up to the stumps.

Australia started well, New Zealand falling to 2/16 after 5 overs, before rallying. Fulton (40) and Elliot (115) staving off what looked to be an inevitable defeat. McCullum's shoulder injury kept him off the pitch until he came in at number nine, where he blasted 36, batting one handed, until he lost his bat and wicket to Hilfenhaus.

Australia get a 32 run win, with every bowler bar the expensive useless Clarke getting a wicket.

They didnt dominate like they should have, with Bracken and Hilfenhaus getting pummelled in their late spells, but Australia had done enough for victory.

Keeping Haddin as opener until someone forces Australia to rethink may not be a bad idea, he isn't a stable steady hand down the order, his type of play suits an opener. Since Clarke wont be dropped he will move down the order for Marsh when he returns pushing out either White or Ferguson. Siddle comes into the 13 man squad at the cost of Harris, he will most likely replace Hilfenhaus. Thank whatever deity you want that Tait is out injured.

Doubt we will win the series, but if McCullum is out we might have a chance.

[STL]

Not happy about dropping Warner though. Think its pretty pathetic. We're not in a winning mode anymore, only thru giving players the chance to develop are we goinna build a team. It takes time but the selectors seem to think we can get a Duminy in a few innings. Not many great cricketers were stars from the get-go it must be remembreed

[i_amtrunks]

Not happy about dropping Warner though. Think its pretty pathetic. We're not in a winning mode anymore, only thru giving players the chance to develop are we goinna build a team. It takes time but the selectors seem to think we can get a Duminy in a few innings. Not many great cricketers were stars from the get-go it must be remembreed

Personally I'd like to see Warner open with Haddin or North, but I don't think the time in State Cricket will do him much harm, and he will be the better for it this time next year. Marsh has had a go, and not done too well, perhaps he should be ept for 2020 only, since that is where he excelled.

[blackie]

Not happy about dropping Warner though. Think its pretty pathetic. We're not in a winning mode anymore, only thru giving players the chance to develop are we goinna build a team. It takes time but the selectors seem to think we can get a Duminy in a few innings. Not many great cricketers were stars from the get-go it must be remembreed

he needs to learn to play cricket properly
the way i see him, he doesnt play the ball on its merrits, he just gets to a point and says to himself "no matter where this ball is its going"
not a good mindset, he needs to pick his shots better, and develop himself as a cricketer more

[i_amtrunks]

Rain is going to ruin a great 2020 match (reduced ODI game) tonight.

Clarke missed the match as his back can't take the strain of lugging his huge head around. Not that he was needed Haddin carried his bat through the innings, with little support until Ferguson belted a half century.

New Zealand batting really well now too, McCullum was clean bowled by Hilfenhaus, but from there, the Kiwis have put the foot down.

[i_amtrunks]

Cricket Catch of the Season (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25058162-23212,00.html)

If not the century. May not have been overly flashy, but certainly intelligent.

Haddin is a better captain then Clarke is.

[jacksplatt11]

It was smart, but definitely not the best, all he did was stand there, catch it, throw it up, step over the line (didn't have a great deal of momentum), then trip over and catch it again

I've seen much much better

Just what I think though...

[i_amtrunks]

It was smart, but definitely not the best, all he did was stand there, catch it, throw it up, step over the line (didn't have a great deal of momentum), then trip over and catch it again

I've seen much much better

Just what I think though...

I agree with you, it wasn't flashy, or lucky or insanely fluky-talented-whatthehell,howdidhedothat??!!!!

But from the contrlol used in a highly stressful situation, and the fact that he kept his head, and executed it perfectly is what makes me think it is the best catch of the summer. I've seen a couple of people try it in grade cricket (before they put the fence up), and plenty try it in backyard/schoolyard cricket but never pull it off.

I'd still prefer to watch Duminy and Hussey's catches from the summer on replay over and over again. :)

[optimus1]

I agree with you, it wasn't flashy, or lucky or insanely fluky-talented-whatthehell,howdidhedothat??!!!!

But from the contrlol used in a highly stressful situation, and the fact that he kept his head, and executed it perfectly is what makes me think it is the best catch of the summer. I've seen a couple of people try it in grade cricket (before they put the fence up), and plenty try it in backyard/schoolyard cricket but never pull it off.

I'd still prefer to watch Duminy and Hussey's catches from the summer on replay over and over again. :)

I agree with u there Trunks! Voges' catch was good, but not the best of the summer. My personal fav is Duminy's.

But Voges catch does seem to emulate Australia's luck against NZ in the final matches

[STL]

Loss to Qld really sucks. We've been the most dominant team for the last 4 seasons now and we've got very little silverware in the cabinet. I hope the Vics don't choke on the Sheffield Shield. That's the most important one to have.

[i_amtrunks]

Loss to Qld really sucks. We've been the most dominant team for the last 4 seasons now and we've got very little silverware in the cabinet. I hope the Vics don't choke on the Sheffield Shield. That's the most important one to have.

You Vic's are finally feeling the NSW Blues (ba-dom-ch!). it's what happens when your best 6 players are nicked for National duty, leaving you with a second string squad.

Aus vs. Presidents XI (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/match/350471.html).

What a batting wicket the tour match was held on! Run rates of over 4 an over for every innings. The Presidents XI belted a weak bowling attack, McGain took the biggest beating, with Johnson also not up to his normal form.

An unbeaten century to Katich and half centuries to Ponting (93) and North gave Australia a competent chase before an early declaration.

The South African XI were skittled in the 2nd innings, North Taking 6/69 from 11 overs, wiping out the middle order. North was promoted to open the 2nd innings alongside Hughes, both making quick 50's before retiring. Johnson was strange 3rd drop, but managed about his average score. Perhaps we are picking him as a batting all-rounder now? :p

So I'd say on the back of this match North will slot in at #6, McDonald didn't play badly, he was just outplayed, and the inclusion of North allows them to drop McGain who needs more match practice after his injury, and go with 4 quicks.

So I'm thinking the line-up will look like:
Katich, Hughes, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, North, Haddin, Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Bollinger.

With North moving to 5, and McDonald replacing Clarke if he is still injured. We will struggle to complete 90 overs in a day with this squad, with North being treated as a frontline spinner, I doubt Clarke will be able to bowl if he plays (I suspect he will start the match, then leave us a player down after the first session, due to his own self importance), we will then hopefully see Katich roll his arm over for some overs.
If the pitch looks more conducive to spin, Hilfenhaus will be dropped for a spinner (who I have no idea).

[i_amtrunks]

South Africa vs. Australia (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/current/match/350472.html)

So the Early swing caused problems for Hughes, who has gone from Crickets golden child to a dunce in a single innings in the media... The pressure they put on the kid, and now they are acting like they weren't the ones expecting massive things from him.

Katich out to a screamer catch from Mckenzie, and Hussey outbowled, the Aussies were in trouble at 3/38, and Steyn was devastating. Ponting 83 was out to a brain snap, while the ever reliable (and seems to be our new #5) Clarke 68 managed to make sure he didn't have to come back to the crease post tea, the guy cannot play out a session.

North and Haddin both look good heading towards half centuries, with McDonald to come (Bollinger missed out), and only 75 overs were bowled due to weather and bad light.

Be interesting to see how the bowling goes as the swing and pace seeps out of the pitch.

[STL]

Overnight Report (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/28/2503903.htm)

I always knew North could bat but the question is his role with the ball. McDonald's economy rate is great and he's a superior bowler. North though is a more batsman than bowler whereas McDonald is the exact opposite. Not sure who should take the spot when it comes down to it but both have a role to play. The thing that surprises me is that North has struggled for WA this season YET he's made runs against SA, unofficially the best team in the world, on a swing bowlers paradise.

I agree with Trunksy, the media need to get off Hughes back. He's 21 and he needs time and a chance. I'd say at least all 3 tests here before we judge him. Yes, its a stark contrast b/n the experience of North and the inexperience of Hughes but nothing beats firsthand experience and Hughes can only get better b/c of it.

We've got them on the ropes and the question is whether we can finish them off. That was the problem last series. We didn't have the ability to go for the kill.

[Jimreborn]

How long is going to take before Johnson is recognized as an all rounder. He's been pulling up stumps for ages with the bat. Shame to see him miss out on a ton...

[i_amtrunks]

I think we have found our team for now.
As in Waugh's day, have #6 as a recognised Batsman, who can turn his arm over here and there. We have Clarke, Katich and now North who can all bowl spin competently (even if Katich is vastly underused) plus Husey can bowl mediums if we are down a bowler at any time.
Then rotate the bowlers as required. McDonald has done nothing wrong, but has been outplayed by Johson and Siddle, Hilfenhaus has had a decent game.

Anywho to overnight cricket, and South Africa Strikes Back (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/match/350472.html).

South Africa dominated all but Hughes(75) and Haddin(37). Australia collapsed thanks to a Hussey double failure, and Clarke doing his usual folding when we need him. North and Johnson were cleaned up by Ntini, who alongside a rejuvenated Kallis wiped the Aussies out from 2/99 to all out for 207 from 53 overs.

Smith and Mckenzie started well, but both fell after tea, Amla and Kallis holding the ship well, South Africa 2/178, requiring only another 276 with 8 wickets remaining on a pitch that has held up okay, and has as much to give bowlers as batsmen.
With Bollinger injured and Geeves called in, each bowler is fighting for their spot in the 2nd test in Durban. Johnson and Siddle's batting will give them an extra edge.

Personally I think the Aussies went too hard and made too many simple mistakes, Hussey seems to have slumped back to his test form, he had improved tenfold in the ODI's. He needs to get back to form by the end of the series, or should lose his spot. Personal dislike of Clarke aside, he too needs to lift his game. He cannot be relied on when we are struggling, again getting out when runs and a level head were needed. Great bowling by Ntini allowed Kallis to nab wickets, Australia needed to bat till at least tea today to give the South Africans 500 to chase down in 115 overs, they can chase down anything under that easily as they proved over the summer.
McDonald needs to bowl alot of overs from one end, tightening the run-rate and allowing the others to strike to take wickets. Hilfenhaus and Siddle have bowled well for alot of overs, giving Johnson a much needed break.

I think the Aussies are infront right now, but I think come Lunchtime if South Africa are only 4 down with under 180 to collect, South Africa will win.

[i_amtrunks]

Ouch (http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/match/350473.html).

Johnson handed the Aussies a big present early on day 2, breaking Smith's finger, which caused him to retire hurt. Later on he opened up Kallis' chin.
McDonald and Johnson doing the damage, with Siddle cleaning the tail up in the first over of Day 3. South Africa all out for 138, thier lowest score in Durban since being re-admitted to Test cricket. Duminy scored 73 runs, Extras 23 and Kallis 22, with no other batsman making double figures. 3 ducks graced the scorecard.

2 centuries and a half century in 3 innings has made a fool out of all the newspapers that were ripping into Hughes after his first innings duck, Hughes and Ponting (81) put on 164 for the second wicket, and even when Hussey fell cheaply, Australia were effectively 3/506 with 2 days of play to go.

In the Women's world Cup, New Zealand beat Australia in their rain affected match at North Sydney oval. The enormously talented Ellyse Perry (http://content.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/275487.html) had her finger dislocated attempting a difficult catch, had it treated, and came on to bowl in the final overs, taking 3/40 from 6 overs, and remained on an unbeaten 17 when rain ended the match.

In Domestic Cricket, it will be a VIC vs QLD final, and I think everyone wants to know if Victoria will choke in yet another final they should win handily. it will be a rematch of this weeks runfest (http://content.cricinfo.com/australiandomestic/engine/match/361265.html). NSW end up with the wooden Spoon, while SA leapfrogged TAS with their 5 wicket win.

[STL]

Hussey's in trouble. I don't want to call it on him but that's a whole summer plus India and now SA that he has been well below par. I'd give him to the end of the series but if there's not a faint of light, we have to start thinking.

Very happy w/ Hughes progress. What annoys me is the media. They were jumping all over him after his failure in the 1st innings of the 1st test and now they love him. Give all young players a chance. Only that way do they gain any belief. in themselves and get better.

We still have a problem with the bowling tho and that's the spinner. Good teams need a spinner and that's a severe deficiency we have.

The Vics must win this final. If they choke I'm gonna be shattered. At times, the Vics mean more to me than the national team. They've been the best team all year and they need to back it up on the scoreboard. The rivalry w/ QLD is pretty sweet. I remember the pain of watching them make 900 odd in one final and us capitulating. The weekend ahead is gonna be one of interest given no one knows how the pitch at Punt Rd will play.

[i_amtrunks]

Hussey's in trouble. I don't want to call it on him but that's a whole summer plus India and now SA that he has been well below par. I'd give him to the end of the series but if there's not a faint of light, we have to start thinking.

Sadly I agree, Hussey has not been up to scratch of late, even though he was starting to get back into form in the ODI's, it just hasn't transferred across tot he test Arena. If Hussey is dropped, we need to bring in Hodge as his replacement, but I bet the selectors go with a younger batsman.

Great to see Katich get a bowl, but he's so rusty he went for a few runs. Clarke must still be slightly injured, he has not done much of note this test, and I think McGain will debut next test, as Johnson looks buggered and Siddle is in pain. having a full-time spinner who can bowl 20-30 overs in an innings removes a lot of the workload from the front line pace attack.


The Vics must win this final. If they choke I'm gonna be shattered. At times, the Vics mean more to me than the national team. They've been the best team all year and they need to back it up on the scoreboard. The rivalry w/ QLD is pretty sweet. I remember the pain of watching them make 900 odd in one final and us capitulating. The weekend ahead is gonna be one of interest given no one knows how the pitch at Punt Rd will play.

The Vic's are finally feeling the pain of success, just like NSW have for the past 20 years where they have lost at least half their top side to national duty. They should win, as QLD seem the much weaker side. I wonder if they will try and bat for 3 days in the first innings and play it safe, or go for the kill?

[STL]

It's all over. We win the series that no one thought we would, myself included. I was more hoping for some strong development out of the series.

While we have seen Hughes take the position everyone was crying for way back when, North/McDonald's roles aren't completely decided on either. Do we want a bowling number 6 or a batting one? I'm inclined to think that McDonald is pitch by pitch option. More than handy on a good wicket. North is the batsman though. His spin is okay but between Katich/Clarke/McDonald, I'd say Ponting has enough options.

The other development thing we haven't sorted out is a spinner. We cannot escape the fact that an excellent spinner is core to every great team. If we want to continue being the best in the world, we need good spinners otherwise we're gonna be in for a lot of hurt if our quicks don't penetrate - which will happen on dust beds in West Indies, India or Sri Lanka. Plus having the spinner opens the game tactically up way more. McGain needs to play the last test to show us what he's got otherwise its straight to the Ashes for him and we haven't seen him on the international stage yet.

The selectors have a licence to experiment with the last test now that its over and I think they should. They need to give Siddle a rest. He bowled admirably with an injured toe and foot as well as Johnson who has bowled an incredible number of overs since India. I can't recall the number offhand but the ABC commentators mentioned something very high. Hussey needs to work very hard too. I want to see him stay but if his form doesn't permit, he has to realise its time to go.

[i_amtrunks]

175 run victory (http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/match/350473.html), Australia retain the #1 ranking thanks to a good young side, and plenty of bad decisions and poor gameplay from South Africa who will not be voting for the permanent introduction of the referral system. :p

Hughes man-of-the-match, and really it could not have been anyone else.
Siddle and Katich took 3 wickets a piece in the second innings, Katich may finally get to bowl a bit more now, he isn't the best part time spinner, but far more threatening than White and Clarke.


The selectors have a licence to experiment with the last test now that its over and I think they should. They need to give Siddle a rest. He bowled admirably with an injured toe and foot as well as Johnson who has bowled an incredible number of overs since India. I can't recall the number offhand but the ABC commentators mentioned something very high. Hussey needs to work very hard too. I want to see him stay but if his form doesn't permit, he has to realise its time to go.

Siddle may not want a break, but his body will force him to. The selectors may want Johnson to rest, but my bet is they would have to drug him and have him on a flight home before he woke up to stop him from playing. So McGain in for Siddle, with McDonald likely to drop out (depending on the pitch) for the next series.

I maintain that if Hussey does not improve Hodge should come in at #4, to continue protecting Clarke. North has confirmed his place, batting sublimely and bowling useful spinners. McDonald may not be a consistent wicket taker, or indeed ever look like taking wickets, but he is so very good at tying down an end, he makes it easier for the other bowlers to take wickets. Batting has been poor thus far.
Here's a stumper for you, supposing Clark returns fit as a fiddle, who makes way for him? Hilfenhaus who the selectors obviously picked to get experience before relying on his swing in England?

Hopefully South Africa can fire up for the third test, if Smith is rested, Prince can finally come back into the side, his cricketing brain may handle the captaincy much better than Boucher has done. If not I'd still drop Mackenzie, move Amla to open, Kallis at #3 and Prince in at #4.

[i_amtrunks]

Will QLD even get to bat? (http://content.cricinfo.com/australiandomestic/engine/match/361279.html)

Aussie Women cannot make WC Final (http://content.cricinfo.com/wwc2009/engine/match/357970.html)

In Men's news, Siddle is struggling still, which would make him the prime candidate to be dropped for McGain for this third test.

It does leave us a genuine quick short. Hilfenhaus and Johnson to open, with McDonald and McGain to be the work horses. Otherwise we have to bring in Bollinger who was very unwell or Geeves who was a backup for a backup player.

South Africa dropping Morne Morkel is the smartest thing they have done all series, but putting Prince in to open when he is one of the best middle order batsmen in the world is ridiculous. Kallis will be captain in name only.

[i_amtrunks]

Dismal weekend for cricket.

The Aussie Womens team were beaten (http://content.cricinfo.com/wwc2009/content/story/396163.html) into 4th spot by India in a rain affected match against India. Australia were outplayed by India twice this series, after wiping the floor with them when India visited late last year.

In the 3rd Test against South Africa, not even Johnson's debut century could make the South Africans bat again. Australia have their first innings loss in over a decade.
Johnson topped scored with a better than a run a ball 123, his highest first class score, thanks to a fighting 68 from MacDonald who has finally shown why he was selected as an all-rounder in the first place.
The Aussies were terrible in the top order, Hussey looks like a rabbit in a spotlight at the moment, Steyn has his number. Haddin, is consistently scoring runs, but has not been able to stick around with the tail in the manner Gilchrist used to. It seems that if one of the top three score runs, Australia does well, but once we are relying on Clarke, Hussey and Haddin we are in trouble.

The McGain experiment is over, give him some trial games in England, but if he cannot improve his woeful stats from the trail game and 3rd test (18 overs, no wicket for 149 runs, at over 8.2 runs an over) he does not deserve a run. I may be being a little harsh, perhaps his stats would look far better had he had a chance to bowl again in the final innings. Johnson bowled 39 overs, and still did not go for that many runs.

It's amazing how losing North affected the team balance, yet had North been fine, we would have been a bowler short, wonder how many South Africa would have put on us then...

[Fungal Infection]

As far as I see it, we were a bowler short even without North - McGain was absolutely woeful. Harsh, but to concede so many runs like that in so few overs, I'm sorry to say, his test career is dead. The search for a spinner continues......

[STL]

Good win to SA but I think the young team had a lot to do with the lack of focus for the last game. Really enjoyed watching the highlights of AB. Good player. But more importantly, England looms and I can't wait.

McGain's figures were shocking btu I think we're still yet to see his best. He has had too little match practice since coming back from injury. A few one dayers and 3 Shield games hardly counts. His biggest problem is age tho and we are looking to the future. Problem is, none of the spinners are standing up at the moment either.

Siddle was brilliant with the ball. Those are some seriously crazy figures and it wasn't as if he was bowling a foot outside the offstump. He was making the batsman play but was extremely unlucky to get more wickets.

While I agree that Johnson is the leader of the attack now but too often he doesn't do it consistently enough. I guess though that the team is young (generally) and still in development.

Interesting development with the IPL too.

[i_amtrunks]

Interesting development with the IPL too.

Let's hope it goes to England, that will benefit us all the more.

[i_amtrunks]

David Hussey needs to stop running everyone out (http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/current/match/350476.html).

South Africa dominated the Aussies in the two 2020 matches, lets hope Australia are at least competitive in the 50 over format, Ponting and Clarke look determined to join Hussey in the slump departments.

[STL]

Yeah Clarke looked pretty woeful in the replays. Grinding out an innings, he realises its 20-20 cricket, right?

Thought the draw between India /NZ was quite uninspiring. Really, India never tried to push on with it and go for a win. With that mentality, they'll never be respected as a team. Looks of good individual players but as a team, they have no passion or hunger.

[i_amtrunks]

Thought the draw between India /NZ was quite uninspiring. Really, India never tried to push on with it and go for a win. With that mentality, they'll never be respected as a team. Looks of good individual players but as a team, they have no passion or hunger.

It's a national mindset that India has had for over 4 decades.

Nice to see the Kiwi's in amongst the runs as well, I am against having pitches especially doctored (like what India and Pakistan are well known for), but with India's record in New Zealand, they were a bit silly making such flat dead wickets.

bet Sharma and the Indian pace attack cannot wait to get back to the bouncy fast pitches of South Africa and Australia (since the West Indies have been putting up concrete slab wickets).

[STL]

M. Hussey strikes back (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/04/2534871.htm)

But he did this last time in the one day series too. Found his form only to be a liability in our tour of South Africa so I'm really not sure what we should do about him. I'm really 50-50 on the Huss. He's a great player but recently hasn;t been able to back it up in the highest form of the game.

The most interesting bit was Hauritz. Could this spell the entry of him into the Australian test side? I'd like to think not but with our selectors u never know

[i_amtrunks]

The most interesting bit was Hauritz. Could this spell the entry of him into the Australian test side? I'd like to think not but with our selectors u never know

If McGain gets belted in the tour matches, and we need a specialist spinner Hauritz is the first pick, so him doing well in the ODI's cannot hurt his chances.

Hussey does well when his brther does not run him out.

[jacksplatt11]

Hussey does well when his brther does not run him out.

Dave Hussey was playing in the last few test series's?

[i_amtrunks]

Dave Hussey was playing in the last few test series's?

You knew I meant the shorter forms of the game! :p

Not looking good tonight, Ferguson is saving our bacon after a massive failure from #1-#5.

Haddin needs a break, and Ponting and Clarke has been sucktacular since the third test, a rest might do them well.

[STL]

You knew I meant the shorter forms of the game! :p

Not looking good tonight, Ferguson is saving our bacon after a massive failure from #1-#5.

Haddin needs a break, and Ponting and Clarke has been sucktacular since the third test, a rest might do them well.

SA crushes Australia (http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/engine/current/match/350478.html)

That was over pretty quickly. Nice to see Hauritz go for a few. Clarke and Ponting haven't been performing consistently for awhile now if my memory serves me well. Big score here, big score there but little inbetween. Pretty disappointing of two key figures in the team.

More interestingly, the test match in NZ really sucks. The more I read about India, the more I really don't like them. They have 531 run lead. Do they really think NZ's brittle batting line up can make that? They should move in for the kill and take the game by the scruff of the neck. Instead all they ever do is sit back and wait for the other team to roll over. Yes they win. But there's no class or stamp of authority.

[STL]

Har[d]wood bought in to bolster the stocks (http://content.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/content/current/story/399300.html)

:D

[i_amtrunks]

Fast bowlers and their injuries...

Clark has been called into the ODI side for the rest of the SA series and for the UAE.

Since we have been crushed this series, why not tamper and play with our lineup now, before we play Pakistan? Clarke is a failure, Haddin has lost his rhythm, both players need a break. We need to find some openers, at least one to partner Clarke/Haddin/Hopes or whoever else they want to try opening.

[i_amtrunks]

Thrashed (http://content.cricinfo.com/pakvaus2009/engine/match/392616.html).

That was abysmal. Marsh was run out in the 9th over, before Haddin and Watson put on a 50 partnership. From 1/94 we collapsed to be 9/122 after 31 overs thanks to some great Pakistani spin bowling. Clarke and Symonds looked useless, Ferguson was out to a great catch. The tail matched the middle order, with Hopes (unbeaten on 48) and Hilfenhaus managed to drag us to a paltry 168 in 39 overs. Clarke was almost as poor as Ponting in using the powerplays, and once again failed to be of use when the pressure was on.

Pakistan took forever to chase down the target, taking 44 overs to make 6/171. Hopes was again the pick of the bowlers, and bracken was miserly, but not threatening. Hauritz never looked like replicating the feats of the Pakistani spinners.

Australia are not looking good in the short forms of the game, we would be more successful in the T20 format if we recalled Gilchrist, Hayden and Warne (dont think he could bowl more than 4 overs a game now). The middle order needs a revamp for the ODI's. We are missing a Bevan type player, Hopes is very good, and can bat from 1-8 but with such a weak middle order providing no assistance, he is having to do too much with a mediocre (and long) tail.

[Jimreborn]

*shakes head* I have been so over Clarke for a long time now...

[STL]

Remember too that Marsh pulled a hamstring while batting though. bad news for the young talent. Where's Hughes though?

Anybody watch the cricket (IPL) last night? Gilly smacking Steyn. It don't get much better den dat!

[optimus1]

I forgot the Pakistan series has started.

Most of my attention was on the recent ICC Trophy, it was good to see the Afghani team get ODI Status.

[i_amtrunks]

Remember too that Marsh pulled a hamstring while batting though. bad news for the young talent. Where's Hughes though?

Marsh cannot catch a break, that is his second hammy injury in a row, he should stay away from Watson (who I think will move to open with Haddin). North has been called into the squad (hooray!) while Hughes is getting batting practice in England County cricket.

Missed the ICC tournie, last I heard was Netherlands and Argentina were not doing well.

Watched Hayden bludgeon the ball last night though.

[i_amtrunks]

What do you know, the twerp stepped up (http://content.cricinfo.com/pakvaus2009/engine/match/392618.html)!

Instead of throwing his wicket away when we were in early trouble, Clarke (66)stepped up and combined with Ferguson (41) to get Australia to 7/198 after being 2/28. Late hitting by Hauritz helped, with the scorecard once again fairly dismal. David Hussey and Symonds are walking a fine line between selection and demotion, and there is no lack of players waiting in the wings.

198 was going to be hard to defend, but frugal bowling by Hauritz(!) broke the 95 run opening partnership, before removing Younis Khan next ball. No hat trick but the damage was done, Pakistans middle order collapsed to Clarke's spin (3/15 off 6) , and Hauritz (2/25 off 10) backed him up well. Every other bowler bar Hopes getting a wicket, Pakistan all out for 171 in a game they should have won.

Australia used 7 bowlers, without resorting to Hussey or Ferguson (who can bowl some spinners too, I think), and if not too prevent a back strain, Watson would be bowling too. I wonder if we have ever had such a side with so many bowling options?

[i_amtrunks]

Dismal (http://content.cricinfo.com/pakvaus2009/engine/match/392615.html)

I am not a fan of the perennially injured Watson, but he has been in fine form playing as a specialist batsman, but he has once again injured himself in our terribly embarrassing thrashing at the hands of Pakistan. After Watson was erroneously given out on 33, Australia fell under the spell of Afridi and Gul wiped out the tail, Australia collapsing again from 1/61 to all out for 108.

Our bowling was not better than our batting, the lacklustre Lee pulling up okay, with Bracken and Hopes punished from their overs. Both Hopes and Bracken join Watson on the sidelines with minor injuries.

The team needs a refresh and injection of young blood, Bracken cannot compete on the 2020 stage, we will be lucky to win half our pool matches in the world cup at this rate.

[i_amtrunks]

Back from the dead!

The Aus vs. India series has been fantastic, been too busy listening/reading the updates to really get into my essay.

Australia and India both took turns dominating days, Watson top scored, but Tendulkar did what he does best, and Australia were lucky that Laxman was plagued by back spasms in India's first innings, to take a slender lead after the first innings.

Second innings for both teams have been less than spectacular, both sides bowlers getting on top, as I type, India need 11 runs, Australia needs 1 wicket... gripping conclusion (and nice to actually get a conclusion from an Indian game, their series vs. Sri Lanka saw bat-a-thons where 1500+ runs were being scored on lifeless wickets, no wonder Sharma and co looked flat on the first day of this test!)

And anyone have feelings about the new ODI domestic comp format? 25 and 20 over innings for both teams, and teams allowed to pick 11 players from their 12 man squad for each innings (so you might have someone bat the first innings, and take no further part...).
I'm interested to see how it goes, but I liked the 50 over domestic comp, it was the international games that I felt were going stale.

[i_amtrunks]

Went and watched NSW vs. Sri Lanka at Blacktown on Wednesday, a great game, Sri Lanka had a near full strength team, and it showed, Murali, Malinga, Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Fernando and Dilshan!
Rain took the game away from NSW, Sri Lanka never really let them get into the match post the rain delay and I am expecting them to be very good in the 20/20 and 50 over games.

And as I switch on the TV to see Australia struggling, I'm not surprised, Sri Lanka are the best fielders from the asian teams, and they are a great bowling team with a strong early batting lineup, only weakness is once they get 4 wickets down, they collapse quickly.

Up to Haddin, Smith and the bowlersa to get Australia 120-130 and defend it, Clarke is a decent fielding captian, but I think this is further proof he should not be in our 2020 side, let alone the captain, let White do the job.

[i_amtrunks]

England are playing well in their tour matches, if they dont choke, they will be very strong this summer.

Australian test palyers had a terrible week, Ponting, Hauritz, Watson, Hussey, North all failed to score runs, but then again, no-one on the fringes (bar McDonald, who has been in fine form all season) put in a stellar effort either.

Clarke played well, but seems to have done his back again (so no bowling from him this summer, meaning more chance of playing Hauritz at the Gabba), and Bollinger, Siddle, Katich are all only coming back from injury. Hilfenhaus is only recently back from injury too, so the entire 11expected to be chosen are either only just back from long term injury or out of sorts on Australian pitches...

[Kazza]

Time to revive this thread, anyways sucks that Ricky Ponting won't be going out on such a highnote, i don't see australia winning this test let alone batting out a draw against RSA.

[Trent]

I reckon they could get a draw if they really want to, just depends on what They want as a team. It wouldn't be easy though. 2 days of nothing but blocking would require focus and patience. It will also result in a boring as hell game that won't win them any fans.

Personally if I was Clarke I'd be chasing a spectacular victory or going down in flames trying :D

[Kazza]

I want to see if they can actually bat out a draw, faf du plesis is a freaking tank when it comes to blocking back in adelaide. I'm hoping we can achieve that, cause i dont want ricky ponting leaving test cricket behind with a lost to RSA. Draw is better than that.

[Kazza]

Thoughts for (if he decides to) warne coming out of retirement? I for one hope he does come back and play some test matches. Maybe even bat 100 runs.

[Trent]

Past his used by date.

[Kazza]

Past his used by date.

Haha, but i think he definately looks fitter than he was when he was bowling in his prime, somewhat of a large gut. Oh well guess it depends on the selectors and if he is good enough for international cricket.

[i_amtrunks]

We are so desperate with our bowling stocks that Wade had to bowl an over before tea. Losing Hilfenhaus (and the DRS system being more friendly to bowlers) has hurt, but we also do not have that killer strike bowler. Siddle is the workhorse we need, but no-one else is knocking on the door.

I'd be bowling more Warner, his spin is pretty good.

[Trent]

We are so desperate with our bowling stocks that Wade had to bowl an over before tea. Losing Hilfenhaus (and the DRS system being more friendly to bowlers) has hurt, but we also do not have that killer strike bowler. Siddle is the workhorse we need, but no-one else is knocking on the door.

I'd be bowling more Warner, his spin is pretty good.

Have only been listening intermittently during the test but I hope Australia win. It really would suck to draw this game as well.

[Kazza]

Well we won, and now there is controversy regarding to Siddle picking at the seams.

[Trent]

Well we won, and now there is controversy regarding to Siddle picking at the seams.

Sure looks like Siddle's arm and hands, but the fact that we only have a still, not the game footage indicates that it is not seam picking at all. They have caught a still with his finger on the seam.

If it was real, showing us the video would be HEAPS better proof. We don't know what game it's from, what Siddle (IF it was even him) was doing at the time.

They reckon its from sunday. Why wait until they lose to throw it at us? Sounds like sour grapes to me.

[i_amtrunks]

They reckon its from sunday. Why wait until they lose to throw it at us? Sounds like sour grapes to me.

Massive sour grapes. Which is sad, they didn't play well enough to win on any day. There is some super slow motion footage that when played real speed is about 1.5 seconds of fingers around seam. No way he could be picking the seam in that time frame.

[i_amtrunks]

So my favourite player has announced his retirement, Mike Hussey is the heart of the Australian team and they will plummet without his batting, fielding and pseudo-captaincy.

He will be missed as much, if not more than Ponting, since Ponting waned so quickly in the last 23 months. Australia will get rolled in India and the next two ashes series.

We have too many new batters, Watson is not worth being selected as a batsman only, yet he will as there is no one else stepping up, Hughes is a terrible runner and fieldsman and has little confidence at the moment and should not have been selected. Clarke's goodluck will end and we will be left with no standout batsmen.
Our bowlers are too injury prone and the rotation policy and focus on 20/20 and ODi's means they do not get a good solid run.

Clarke will miss Hussey the most, he wont have the senior player to support him on the field, bat with him after our top order collapses, or to do all the press and off-field activities he has shied away from as they don't get him any extra $$$. Clarke has been babyfed the captaincy, and now when he actually has to do the job by himself, he will fail in all departments.

I am contemplating going and watching Hussey's last test, but $60 (plus ticketeks rorting booking fees) to sit in the Sydney sun all day and hours to get in and home due to terrible public transport...

[Bidoofdude]

Tony Greig has died from a heart attack today. RIP. He already had cancer and the man will be dearly missed. :(

[Trent]

So my favourite player has announced his retirement, Mike Hussey is the heart of the Australian team and they will plummet without his batting, fielding and pseudo-captaincy.

He will be missed as much, if not more than Ponting, since Ponting waned so quickly in the last 23 months. Australia will get rolled in India and the next two ashes series.

We have too many new batters, Watson is not worth being selected as a batsman only, yet he will as there is no one else stepping up, Hughes is a terrible runner and fieldsman and has little confidence at the moment and should not have been selected. Clarke's goodluck will end and we will be left with no standout batsmen.
Our bowlers are too injury prone and the rotation policy and focus on 20/20 and ODi's means they do not get a good solid run.

Clarke will miss Hussey the most, he wont have the senior player to support him on the field, bat with him after our top order collapses, or to do all the press and off-field activities he has shied away from as they don't get him any extra $$$. Clarke has been babyfed the captaincy, and now when he actually has to do the job by himself, he will fail in all departments.

I am contemplating going and watching Hussey's last test, but $60 (plus ticketeks rorting booking fees) to sit in the Sydney sun all day and hours to get in and home due to terrible public transport...

A let down indeed.


Tony Greig has died from a heart attack today. RIP. He already had cancer and the man will be dearly missed. :(

Yeah poor fella. He was a fantastic commentator to listen to.

[i_amtrunks]

Yeah poor fella. He was a fantastic commentator to listen to.

Very clever cricketer and commentator. I'll miss his banter with Lawry and Chappelli. I wonder what the 12th man will do now, retire the character or continue as a tribute to him?

[Robzy]

Very sad news all round today :(

[Kazza]

I was dreading the day Hussey announces his retirement but i guess at 37 it was going to be soon. He is currently my favorite player and will be sorely missed.:(

R.I.P. Tony Greig

[Kazza]

Well done Wade:cool: Bit surprised the tailenders lasted long enough to help Wade get his century.

[i_amtrunks]

Not surprised Clarke called them in after Wade's century. I know there was 20 minutes to lunch but wade could've scored another 20+ and had the Sri Lankans in the heat for a little while longer.

It's bad enough Clarke ran Hussey out for no reason but if these are the decisions he is going to make when he doesn't have Hussey and Ponting to fall back on, Australia are going to struggle every match.

[i_amtrunks]

Last time Australia's bacon saved by the great Hussey.

I hope everyone enjoys he last test victory we will have for years, the rest of the team showed today we will struggle in India to bat a day and our bowlers cannot bowl out sides cheaply in favourable conditions.

You will be missed Michael Hussey.

[Kazza]

Respect to Mike Huessy, you will be missed. Sigh, it's going to be a tough road ahead for australia, they better team build as much as possible.

[Kazza]

Good batting from the Australians in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, well done to Phillip Hughes, George Bailey and David Hussey.

[i_amtrunks]

Hard to get into the odi series. No one to cheer for with no mr cricket or Warner. Most of the team I am indifferent or uncaring towards. I wanted to see Khawaja bat but he ran himself out. Running between wickets is something you don't want to do when Hughes is out there, strange amount of run outs involving him.

Jayawardene loves the 50 over game. I hope he guides Sri Lanka to a series win both against Bailey (who finally did something in the aus team) and Clarke. I wonder who Clarke will be leaning on through this series? David Hussey? Warner?

[Kazza]

Perhaps put both on the team, as we need as much batsmen with experience as possible that can score consistent runs. I also wonder if Haddin could make it back in as keeper as he can judge a dive or catch better than Wade who let many go pass him because he judged incorrectly.

For 2013 test squad i would like to see:

1. Watson (only ever batted good when opening, never when down the order)
2. Warner
3. Hughes
4. Clarke
5. D. Hussey (Part time spin aswell)
6. Wade/Haddin (Wade probably is more in form for batting, but Haddin has more experience with wicketkeeping)
7. Johnson (He is generally a good all rounder, maybe more so with the bat than ball nowadays)
8. Siddle
9. Starc
10. Lyon
11. Bird

Back up batters and bowlers
Khawaja
Cowan
Doherty
Pattinson

[i_amtrunks]

So Australia doing their best to replicate Sunday's game. In saying that, the Sri Lankan attack has been spectacular, Kulasekara and Malinga are dominating us. Some beautiful deliveries and brilliant catches too.

How Henriques, Hughes and Bailey are in our top 11, even considering injuries is beyond me. Michael Hussey should be happy to not be part of this farce, he can continue to smash it in the Big Bash Final on Saturday.

Resting Clark and Warner has backfired big time, they lost the limited form they had, and Wade is a good ODI batter, but needs more than support from some smashing bowlers.

I think the 2 new ball in ODI is brilliant, finally something to give the bowlers a little tiny chance in this batsmans game.

[Kazza]

Definately disgusting batting from Australia... even more so to Bailey. 2013 is going to be a building year for australia in ODI and Test.

[i_amtrunks]

So after that farcical 4th game washout, Australia once again proved they are not good enough with their current team. I am not a Clarke fan, and was disgusted by his waste of the DRS on at best a 50/50 call, it is not what the system is there for, and it isnt the first time he has wasted one that resulted in an incorrect decision being overturned for a teammat. Hopefully he bought Warner a slab.

For the 5th and final game, a new selection criteria must be used. Drop everyone and select on merit. Mitchell Starc is our new opening batter with Waner. :D

I think only Warner, Wade and the bowlers could be retained from game 3.

[i_amtrunks]

As nice as it has been to see Australia not collapse, watching Hughes bat has been boring. His selfish batting trying to get a 100 has put Australia in a bad place runs wise. 220-230 is not going to be enough in 50 overs. T20's are getting 180 in 20, anything under 250 is not enough.

Once Hussey got out, I was half expecting our best batsman to come out and score some quick runs, but Maxwell is a good lower end slugger. (As I type this, Hughes has finally started to score some runs at a decent clip, only after scoring a century :rolleyes:). I'd like to know what Henriques has done to get so many chances, just so we can tell Khawaja and Finch what they need to do.

Sri Lanka should win this in a canter, as long as they resist their natural urge to collapse after losing an early wicket.

[i_amtrunks]

WI all out for 70, Aus chase down in 9 overs...

Game over before 5.30 AEST. Channel 9 will be spewing chunks, especially for a Friday night game in the big markets.

Imagine my surprise when I turned the radio on at 3.15 after the last students left my room to hear that the WI were 5/20 after 8 overs! :eek:

[blackie]

lol @ maxi
always good to see a local make runs for australia, doesn't happen too often :P

[Trent]

Short game today…

That's really all there is to say:rolleyes:

[Kazza]

Well at least our bowling is in good touch...:rolleyes:

[Kazza]

That was impressive from George Bailey:eek:

[Kazza]

Hell yeah Shane Watson got his 100

[i_amtrunks]

Hell yeah Shane Watson got his 100

You'd hope any International level player with his talent could score 100 after having 3 months off! :p

Nice to have him back, but really, how long will he be back for?

Australia getting a par score on a tiny ground, the Windies catching once again the highlight for me. Lets hope they can actually bat competitively in the next few hours.

[Kazza]

You'd hope any International level player with his talent could score 100 after having 3 months off! :p

Nice to have him back, but really, how long will he be back for?

Australia getting a par score on a tiny ground, the Windies catching once again the highlight for me. Lets hope they can actually bat competitively in the next few hours.

Pollard has been very impressive with his catches, but George Bailey has become a freaking batting weapon.

[Kazza]

Just complete utter shambles for Australia in the indian Test matches. I see us falling in the world ranking.

[Kazza]

First test against england live on GEM at 7:30pm

[MayzaPrime]

First test against england live on GEM at 7:30pm

Come on Aussie come on...

Lets bring the urn home were it belongs

[i_amtrunks]

Lovely bowling first up, cook gone is one of the big worries out of the way (1 down, 19 more times to go!) but bowling has never really been an issue, even at our lowest.
How competitive Australia is during these ashes games all relies on the batters. Not sure if our order of Cowan at 3, Hughes at 5, Smith at 6 is the way to go. Cowan has the temperament to hold down #3 when Watson fails to make a century but I feel that Hughes makes a terrible 5, especially if the top order collapses. Not sure Warner is the solution either...

I am torn, half of me wants us to be whitewashed 10-0 so Clarke is forced to quit so we don't have to deal with his poisonous personality anymore, while the other half of me wants us to get a respectful win or 3 over the 10 games.

[Kazza]

Pietersen out, maybe we stand a chance now.

[Kazza]

Hell yeah, siddle with a 5 wicket haul.

[i_amtrunks]

Went to bed when Aus were 2/19 as I didn't relish watching Australia flounder further. Once again Clarke failed when Australia needed him to provide some grit and leadership. He can only score big when Australia already have posted a decent score when he is hidden at #5. Maybe what Australia need is for his back to go...

[Soundwarp]

Come on Aussies

[Kazza]

Impressive batting from agar

[i_amtrunks]

More than impressive. he has been patient, collected and decisive. He has been happy to leave balls, but more than happy to punish the woeful bowling England have provided, too full, too wide and Agar has been picking them off at a run a ball. I hope he can get his 100 on debut, he already has the highest score for a number 11 in the history of the game.

The Australian batting contingent should be made to watch every ball to see how they should have batted.

Hughes has done an excellent backup role, for both Smith and Agar, still scoring at a great rate for tests, accumulating runs without being too destructive. sadly his efforts will be (rightfully) overshadowed by Agar's brilliant batting debut.

If the sun stays out, this pitch may be a wonderful batting surface for another day or so, but the spin Swann has been getting worries me about our second innings.

And now Agar gets out with a good hit out of the middle that found the fielder. Great innings, unlucky, that ball was there to be put away. Bugger!

[i_amtrunks]

Up to Agar once again to score big to save us father another inept batting display. Cowan must be dropped, Clarke and even Hughes must be near the end of their chances too. Not that Clarke will be dropped, I think his use of the DRS on 50/50 calls has always been irresponsible and he always seems to waste them.

If Australia win it'll be only because of the tail batting better than the actual batsmen. Bring on Kawajha and anyone else who can actually craft an innings.

[Kazza]

Yeah i completely agree cowan has to be dropped, watching him bat is atrocious, for a no.3 he does not display much technical skill. They probably end up sticking warner back in for cowan.

[Kazza]

Need 20 more to win with Haddin and Patterson, no wickets left. God i hope we can finish it off with a win. Haddin taking control and batting his way, good on him.

[serialmonkey]

Let's hope the boys haven't fallen asleep over lunch.

[i_amtrunks]

This is nail biting stuff. Good bowling, stoic batting and wonderful fielding.

Thought we were done for with only pattinson to go as I thought Hardin would do something silly, but he has been exemplary.

Excellent game of test cricket.

[serialmonkey]

Well, that's just a bit crap.

[Kazza]

Piss off DRS review. :mad:

[i_amtrunks]

Had Clarke used his DRS options better, left it available to get the clangers like it is meant to be used, then Broad would be gone, and we would have been even closer.

DRS didn't lose this match for Australia, their batting did. If not for Agar and Pattinson we would have lost by 150+

[Kazza]

Yeah i'm aware our top order batsman failed to deliver in this first test, its just disappointing to see this game lost in a controversial manner. Would of been happier if haddin smacked the ball and was caught in the field. Though terrific batting from him.

Something really needs to be done with the top order batsman. I suspect the drop of cowan for warner.