The Cricket Thread

[STL]

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

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/indv...ry/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

we are 1/43 in reply off our 8 overs

George

[Soundwarp]

Man we are in big troubble