***Official Australia in India***

[Johnners]

Pleased to see Mitch had a good day. As I said earlier in the thread, I reckon he'll have a fairly good series.

 

[pasag]

Care to elaborate pl? I think these two centuries by Kohli and Sharma would do infinitely to enhance their confidence, and prepare for even a test callup for the last two tests, should someone in the fab 4 screws up.

Put it this way, when would you rather a bowler bowling 0/120, in a practice match or in a Test?

 

[Jakester1288]

Very little. There was always a chance of him getting belted.. on a first day pitch, it was always a pretty good chance. Hopefully he comes into his own a bit more in the second innings when he shakes the nerves off and the pitch starts breaking up.

The pitch was getting footmarks after the first session.

Looking forward to seeing what him and Johnson can do in the second innings, hoping Krejza can do well, for Australia's sake.

 

[Polo23]

Good to see Mitch had a good day. As I said earlier in the thread, I reckon he'll have a fairly good series.

I wouldnt get too excited.

Two of his wickets came from some of the worst shots I have ever seen. His lack of swing is a concern.

 

[pup11]

A few positives and a few negatives about todays performance.

Firstly, Johnson did well, which I like. I think he has a big part of Australia's fast bowling future, and if he can perform in the test series, on these pitches, it would do a world of good to his confidence. Whilst I seem all anti-Johnson, it is because I think he is not ready. I still think Bollinger should be selected, but if Johnson is going to bowl that well, he deserves a few more games, just to prove his worth.

Secondly, Stuey Clark appeared to be struggling, especially through the first session. Is anyone aware of if anything happened, I didn't expect him to be destroyed like that, being one the the most economical bowlers in world Cricket. Or was it just an off day?

Thirdly, send over Casson right now. Whilst I have been waiting to see Krejza play, from his first class record and his performance stats today, he is obviously not ready. I mean, he couldn't even make the New South Wales first grade side, and now he is playing for a spot in Australia? I think McGain was holding a niggling injury or something, otherwise I doubt Krejza would have come on tour. If McGain was 100% fit, he would have been a waste of a spot, where another spinner or an all rounder could have toured. In hindsight, it is good we brought a spinner, however I think we brought the wrong one.

Now some points on India.

I think Rohit Sharma is vastly under-rated. He is consistently putting up good scores for India recently in one day internationals, and had a very good IPL tournament. He has only averaged a tad over 37 for India in first class cricket, but this assures me he is going to be big. Against two of the worlds best fast bowlers, to put on a century like that was amazing. Good luck to him in the future, and only being 21, I think he will play for India some time in the next 5 years. He still has up to 15 years left, so the selectors should feel no pressure rush him into the test side.

And all this is coming from someone who has not seen a ball bowled thus far in the match.

Look being ready or not is a different debate, but in Krezja' case he has looked like a guy completly out of his leauge today, and he wasn't even pitted against the mighty Indian batsmen and he still ended up looking pathetic, i am not concerned whether he went for runs or not, but the biggest disappointment for me was he wasn't able to bowl a single good ball in the day's play, had he shown any signs that he could even play a decent role in this series, i won't have minded his expensive bowling figures that much.

 

[TT Boy]

The pitch was getting footmarks after the first session.

Looking forward to seeing what him and Johnson can do in the second innings, hoping Krejza can do well, for Australia's sake.

Indeed and there is some uneven bounce. Look forward to seeing how the Indian spinners get on.

 

[pasag]

I think Rohit Sharma is vastly under-rated.

Hardly, he's been touted as India's next big thing for ages.

 

[TT Boy]

I wouldnt get too excited.

Two of his wickets came from some of the worst shots I have ever seen. His lack of swing is a concern.

It would if anybody else got the ball to swing.

 

[Prince EWS]

I wouldnt get too excited.

Two of his wickets came from some of the worst shots I have ever seen. His lack of swing is a concern.

Not if he isn't going to open the bowling, it isn't. There have been plenty of good bowlers who haven't swung the ball much if at all.

I reckon Bollinger is a better bowler at this point in time, but if Johnson can bowl fast, intelligently and accurately, he'll be a good bowler whether he swings it or not. Instead of obsessing with getting the new ball to move in the air and ending up completely toothless as he did last season in Australia and then in the West Indies, he should focus on improving his accuracy and consistency as well as hitting the seam more often than not to get some movement off the deck.

How much actual swing does Clark get? How much did McGrath get? It's obviously great to have in your armory but it's not a prerequisite to good bowling. FTR, I don't think Johnson is very good as it stands and he bowls how he did against India (at home) and the West Indies, he shouldn't be anywhere near the Test team, but he doesn't have to swing the ball to be dangerous.

 

[pup11]

Not if he isn't going to open the bowling, it isn't. There have been plenty of good bowlers who haven't swung the ball much if at all.

I reckon Bollinger is a better bowler at this point in time, but if Johnson can bowl fast, intelligently and accurately, he'll be a good bowler whether he swings it or not. Instead of obsessing with getting the new ball to move in the air and ending up completely toothless as he did last season in Australia and then in the West Indies, he should focus on improving his accuracy and consistency as well as hitting the seam more often than not to get some movement off the deck.

How much actual swing does Clark get? How much did McGrath get? It's obviously great to have in your armory but it's not a prerequisite to good bowling. FTR, I don't think Johnson is very good as it stands and he bowls how he did against India (at home) and the West Indies, he shouldn't be anywhere near the Test team, but he doesn't have to swing the ball to be dangerous.

But these guys can move the ball of the seam, can't they...., Johnson is a good prospect as he could bowl long spells at good pace and hurry the batsmen on the slowest of wickets, but the problem is he can't move the ball both ways, so due to that he kind of becomes one-dimensional and on certain days he might get away with the inability to move the ball, but against good batting sides he would struggle in general.

So if he can't swing the ball in the air he would have to learn to seam the ball or he would have to learn the art of reverse swing, blokes like McGrath were really good at reversing the ball and even Stuey Clark reverses the ball, so i can't see him having too much success by just slanting the ball one way.

 

[Prince EWS]

But these guys can move the ball of the seam, can't they...., Johnson is a good prospect as he could bowl long spells at good pace and hurry the batsmen on the slowest of wickets, but the problem is he can't move the ball both ways, so due to that he kind of becomes one-dimensional and on certain days he might get away with the inability to move the ball, but against good batting sides he would struggle in general.

So if he can't swing the ball in the air he would have to learn to seam the ball or he would have to learn the art of reverse swing, blokes like McGrath were really good at reversing the ball and even Stuey Clark reverses the ball, so i can't see him having too much success by just slanting the ball one way.

Johnson's already shown he can reverse swing the ball, actually. Not consistently or anything, but I distinctly remember a spell last Australian summer where he did it.

Bowling fast, accurately and hitting the seam should be his go, really. He doesn't have to swing it. I don't think he's good enough at the moment, personally, but I think he can get there without having to become a swing bowler.

 

[mikeW]

Interested in hearing how Siddle went? Are we any chance of seeing him play a test?

 

[James90]

Surely they can't pick Krejza. Even if it's in India, if McGain's not fit you've gotta give Bollinger a run and turn to Clarke as your slow option.

If the selectors agree with this Siddle's a good chance as Bollinger and Johnson are quite samey (Bollinger is much better though)

 

[pup11]

Interested in hearing how Siddle went? Are we any chance of seeing him play a test?

He was good, one of the better Aussies bowlers on display today, though didn't get to bowl too many overs, they almost used him like Watson, if you ask me they were almost stimulating playing a test match against India, the way different types of fields were set, the way bowlers were rotated and used.

 

[Precambrian]

Hopefully BP go on to post a total in excess of 450 tomorrow, and put Australians under pressure. Can't wait to see how Ponting plays Ojha and Chawla.

 

[G.I.Joe]

From an Indian point of view, not a good idea to provide Ponting a lot of practice playing quality spin out there in the middle before the tests.

 

[pasag]

From an Indian point of view, not a good idea to provide Ponting a lot of practice playing quality spin out there in the middle before the tests.

On the other hand getting him out early could really put another nail in his confidence coffin, so quite a lot to gain if things go well.

 

[pup11]

Surely they can't pick Krejza. Even if it's in India, if McGain's not fit you've gotta give Bollinger a run and turn to Clarke as your slow option.

If the selectors agree with this Siddle's a good chance as Bollinger and Johnson are quite samey (Bollinger is much better though)

I won't mind even a half-fit McGain playing instead of Krezja, frozen shoulder or not he is still more likely to bowl better than Krezja.

Best solution though is to ask Warney to make a comeback.

 

[G.I.Joe]

On the other hand getting him out early could really put another nail in his confidence coffin, so quite a lot to gain if things go well.

Yeah, but I'm banking on him doing really well against the spinners this tour. Damn non-turning pitches.

 

[pup11]

On the other hand getting him out early could really put another nail in his confidence coffin, so quite a lot to gain if things go well.

Yeah that's true, but good opportunity for Punter nonetheless to go out there and get a good hit-out there in the middle, i want him, Clarke and Haydos to make a few runs and get their confidence going before the first test.