Do you think Australia will repeat the heroics of 2004 ?

[Arjun]

If MacGill bowls like **** from now until then, quite possibly.

I'm surprised at that, because he was one of the best spinners in international cricket in the early 2000's, striking a lot, until the Indians played him in Australia.

Since then, he was never the same bowler.

 

[GIMH]

Predicting Aus here, or maybe a draw

 

[Salamuddin]

Can't see this Australian team going down easily, myself.

India should be favourites at this stage, but I'd still be very surprised if Australia got absolutely belted. There are quite a few unproven in India as has been pointed out, but they are still a very, very good team and India are far from perfect even at home as was shown against SA.

The only thing stopping me from tipping Australia is the big spin question. MacGill has been wholly unconvincing since Warne's retirement, injured or otherwise, and whilst that is so I think India hold the aces.

I can't see AUstralia losing easily that's for sure - they're not world champions for nothing.

But India are a very good team - it took a lot of effort to beat them 2-1 in Australia so beating them in India if it were to happen would arguably rank as Australia's finest achievement since winning in the Caribbean in 1995.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

1-1 draw, I think. An awful lot rests on Clarke, Katich and Hayden as the premier players of spin and the only ones who would justifiably put a quality India tour on their CV. Hussey post-purple patch is anyone's guess in the subcontinent.

MacGill will get one Test, a thrashing, and then banishment. The rest of the attack's fortune will rest on how often reverse swing and Clarke's golden arm keep them treading water. Hopefully the decks are a bit more fiery than in Australia, or the attack's going to be painfully exposed like it was in Hobart, Perth and Adelaide.

If two or three of the Indian Big 5 have anything to say, then there's going to be a lot of catch-up while facing Kumble. Will be happy if the rubber stays in the antipodes.

 

[Richard]

I'm surprised at that, because he was one of the best spinners in international cricket in the early 2000's, striking a lot, until the Indians played him in Australia.

Not really. MacGill's only golden moments came in the late-1990s, against England at The M and SCG, where he took 7-142 and 12-107.

Apart from that he's really not done that much of great note in his career. He's had odd other good games here and there - Rawalpindi 1998/99, SCG 2001/02, Bridgetown 2003, SCG 2004/05. And the odd other decent contribution in a backup role (taking 4-108, 3-41, 4-84 sorts of things). But mostly he's been a pretty poor performer.

 

[Richard]

India are far from perfect even at home as was shown against SA.

They're far-from-perfect if they get a green wicket, as they did at Ahmedabad. We also saw that at Nagpur in 2004/05.

Hopefully, though, that won't happen. Hopefully we'll get pitches more like Chennai 2004/05 and Kanpur 2007/08.

 

[Lambu]

Yeah why not.

Everyone else is thinking we'll struggle, and it is going to be tough, but I am thinking that Ponting will dominate and will be seen as easily the best batsmen in the world.

Australia 2 - 1 for mine.

..he never has, in this part of the world and the recent IPL stint has done nothing for me to believe otherwise.

But India too needs to bowl well and can't take things for granted..IND by a margin of 1 for mine
Injuries must be avoided.

 

[Laurrz]

i think we can do it

South Africa showed it can be done and it isnt as hard as the past..plus Indias record recently in India recently isnt that flash (?)

depends on the pitches..if its dustbowls it will be hard to go against India tbh...but more flat pitches .. hmm..or that pitch that South Africa beat india on

something has to be done with MacGill that is a certain..

 

[Laurrz]

1-1 draw, I think. An awful lot rests on Clarke, Katich and Hayden as the premier players of spin and the only ones who would justifiably put a quality India tour on their CV. Hussey post-purple patch is anyone's guess in the subcontinent.

MacGill will get one Test, a thrashing, and then banishment. The rest of the attack's fortune will rest on how often reverse swing and Clarke's golden arm keep them treading water. Hopefully the decks are a bit more fiery than in Australia, or the attack's going to be painfully exposed like it was in Hobart, Perth and Adelaide.

If two or three of the Indian Big 5 have anything to say, then there's going to be a lot of catch-up while facing Kumble. Will be happy if the rubber stays in the antipodes.

having flashbacks of the last series in India

the man in ur avvy.. i miss ..

 

[Ah Ya Punter!]

..he never has, in this part of the world and the recent IPL stint has done nothing for me to believe otherwise.

But India too needs to bowl well and can't take things for granted..IND by a margin of 1 for mine

In this part of the world? You mean the subcontinent? Maybe you should do a bit of research before you go on spouting your misinformed mouth like that. He averages 55 in Sri Lanka, 119 in Pakistan, 96 in Bangladesh and 97 in the UAE (neutral ground against Pakistan). Using these statistics, I would say that your conclusion that "he never has" performed in that part of the world is wildly misguided.

So is it Indian conditions he struggles with? Obviously not, as one wouldn't average 40 runs per ODI innings there if that was the case. And is it the Indian bowling? Obviously not, otherwise he wouldn't average 79.35 against them in Australia.

Most sensible, rational people acknowledge that Ponting's Test record in India is a mere statistical abberation.

 

[Laurrz]

have a feeling Symo will gun it actually
Ponting imo will struggle again against Harbhajan as Kumble will call him on immediately
he just does not read him - its pure guesswork from when the ball comes out of the hand.. its so so frustrating

 

[Lambu]

In this part of the world? You mean the subcontinent? Maybe you should do a bit of research before you go on spouting your misinformed mouth like that. He averages 55 in Sri Lanka, 119 in Pakistan, 96 in Bangladesh and 97 in the UAE (neutral ground against Pakistan). Using these statistics, I would say that your conclusion that "he never has" performed in that part of the world is wildly misguided.

So is it Indian conditions he struggles with? Obviously not, as one wouldn't average 40 runs per ODI innings there if that was the case. And is it the Indian bowling? Obviously not, otherwise he wouldn't average 79.35 against them in Australia.

Most sensible, rational people acknowledge that Ponting's Test record in India is a mere statistical abberation.

So an average of 12 in 8 matches is a statistical abberation? ..and the subjct of discussion is Test cricket,in case you didn't notice.

 

[Lambu]

have a feeling Symo will gun it actually
Ponting imo will struggle again against Harbhajan as Kumble will call him on immediately
he just does not read him - its pure guesswork from when the ball comes out of the hand.. its so so frustrating

I agree though harby is pretty much useless against others.

 

[Lambu]

So is it Indian conditions he struggles with? Obviously not, as one wouldn't average 40 runs per ODI innings there if that was the case. And is it the Indian bowling? Obviously not, otherwise he wouldn't average 79.35 against them in Australia.

So the most rational and sensible people would conclude it is Indian bowlers in Indian conditions..quite obvious really.

 

[Laurrz]

5) They had Gilchrist - he was instrumental in Australia winning at Bangalore and whatever Ian Chappell thinks I don't feel that Haddin will quite match what Gilchrist achieved
.

well Chappell is right in that going by recent times Haddin is a plus IMO
esp. with that recent series ...Gilly didn't do much and dropped some crucial catches (that was the worse ive seen an Australian team field ..ever, for a series..one wonders what could've been had they held onto their catches)

Haddin is exceptional against spin, i expect him to perform and play some very pivotal innings..thing i like about him is that he's not really a handy 20-30 runs player ..but can actually win games with big tons.. obviously not in tests though, yet

 

[Ah Ya Punter!]

So an average of 12 in 8 matches is a statistical abberation? ..and the subjct of discussion is Test cricket,in case you didn't notice.

So it's a subject of Test cricket, yet you bring up his IPL form as something to back your argument up? Top stuff, mate. If you can bring One Day stuff into it, so can I. And 12 Tests? Once again showing that you have very little idea about what you're talking about. He has played 8 Tests in India. Ponting has been in poor form when coming to India for the last couple of series, there is little question about this, and as I've shown, it is not the Indian conditions, bowlers or subcontinent he has a problem with, as proven at other points in his career. Thus, his record in India is clearly an abberation.

 

[Ah Ya Punter!]

So the most rational and sensible people would conclude it is Indian bowlers in Indian conditions..quite obvious really.

Which he has proven isn't the case by averaging 45 against Indian bowlers in India in One Day cricket. See here.

 

[Lambu]

So it's a subject of Test cricket, yet you bring up his IPL form as something to back your argument up? Top stuff, mate. If you can bring One Day stuff into it, so can I. And 12 Tests? Once again showing that you have very little idea about what you're talking about. He has played 8 Tests in India. Ponting has been in poor form when coming to India for the last couple of series, there is little question about this, and as I've shown, it is not the Indian conditions, bowlers or subcontinent he has a problem with, as proven at other points in his career. Thus, his record in India is clearly an abberation.

I said he has done nothing to really make me believe otherwise and the primary reason i say it is he averages a dismal 12 form 8 tests..read before posting thank you.

 

[Lambu]

Which he has proven isn't the case by averaging 45 against Indian bowlers in India in One Day cricket. See here.

whatever..but Bhajji's bunny won't be much of a problem for us in tests.

 

[Lambu]

Lol @ post #36.