***Official Australia in India***

[social]

I won't go to the extent of saying that he hasn't been scoring runs consistently, the guy has scored 5 test centuries in his last 11 test matches, so one can't say he hasn't been consistent, all i am saying here is that since the last two ODI's in West Indies till now he has looked slightly off-colour, so as an Aussies fan i am just worried that he is just not looking in any sort of touch going into such a high-profile series.

If you analyse those 5 ceturies, 4 were scored on absolute roads when others cashed in whilst he came to bat in the innings in the WI at 3-200

I'm not saying that he's not a good player or that those runs werent important but he has rarely, if ever, played an innings of the type Hussey has in this game or of the type Symonds has made a habit of producing in the last couple of years.

Too often, he has been one of the failures in those collapses and he now has the experience (not to mention added responsibility as vc) to contribute when the going is toughest

IMO, it's about time he finished with the cameos

 

[Woodster]

Tbf to Clarke, it must have been a pretty daunting situation for him on debut, coming to the crease at 149-4 with Kumble and Harbhajan wreaking a certain degree of havoc.However, he combated well and made 151 leading Australia to a previously unthought of 474 (A Test they inevitably won).

However, for his batting to be thought of taking another step up in terms of quality, this has to become the norm rather than the exception.

 

[pup11]

If you analyse those 5 ceturies, 4 were scored on absolute roads when others cashed in whilst he came to bat in the innings in the WI at 3-200

I'm not saying that he's not a good player or that those runs werent important but he has rarely, if ever, played an innings of the type Hussey has in this game or of the type Symonds has made a habit of producing in the last couple of years.

Too often, he has been one of the failures in those collapses and he now has the experience (not to mention added responsibility as vc) to contribute when the going is toughest

IMO, it's about time he finished with the cameos

He is more than capable of doing so and as you said now he also has the added responsibility of vice-captaincy, so its imperative he raises the bar of his game and starts playing a more influential role in the side and soaks pressure better.

 

[social]

Tbf to Clarke, it must have been a pretty daunting situation for him on debut, coming to the crease at 149-4 with Kumble and Harbhajan wreaking a certain degree of havoc.However, he combated well and made 151 leading Australia to a previously unthought of 474 (A Test they inevitably won).

However, for his batting to be thought of taking another step up in terms of quality, this has to become the norm rather than the exception.

Probably one of the best debut innings in history and as the chances are that we're going to be in similar positions this series without having McGrath etc to bowl us back into the game, I hope that it can be repeated

 

[social]

He is more than capable of doing so and as you said now he also has the added responsibility of vice-captaincy, so its imperative he raises the bar of his game and starts playing a more influential role in the side and soaks pressure better.

No one doubts his talent but he's now a senior player that really needs to stand up and be counted when the going is toughest

 

[pup11]

No one doubts his talent but he's now a senior player that really needs to stand up and be counted when the going is toughest

I have my doubts whether he would be able to do that on this tour, as he seems to be out of touch and most worrying thing is that in all his recent knocks he has been troubled by spin and that's something you don't associate with Pup, but i hope he turns that around as he is the best player of spin in the team and for Aussies to do well on this tour and negate Indian spinners successfully he would have to come up with the goods.

 

[pup11]

Btw with White joining the squad on Monday, would you still play him ahead of Krezja in the first test, i am not too happy with White' selection but i can even see him bowling better then Krezja and he would bat decently lower down the order too, so i see even White as a much better option when compared to Krezja.

P.S: I saw Krezja wearing a baggy green in the tour game, why is he wearing the baggy green when he hasn't even made his test debut?

 

[Top_Cat]

Btw with White joining the squad on Monday, would you still play him ahead of Krezja in the first test, i am not too happy with White' selection but i can even see him bowling better then Krezja and he would bat decently lower down the order too, so i see even White as a much better option when compared to Krezja.

P.S: I saw Krezja wearing a baggy green in the tour game, why is he wearing the baggy green when he hasn't even made his test debut?

Don't all NSW players get one with their baggy blue?

 

[social]

Btw with White joining the squad on Monday, would you still play him ahead of Krezja in the first test, i am not too happy with White' selection but i can even see him bowling better then Krezja and he would bat decently lower down the order too, so i see even White as a much better option when compared to Krezja.

P.S: I saw Krezja wearing a baggy green in the tour game, why is he wearing the baggy green when he hasn't even made his test debut?

Dont know about the baggy green but I think it's obvious that the selectors have chosen their side with the only question being how Krezja performs tomorrow

 

[duffer]

Don't all NSW players get one with their baggy blue?

Zing!

 

[pup11]

Dont know about the baggy green but I think it's obvious that the selectors have chosen their side with the only question being how Krezja performs tomorrow

I meant to say that when Haddin was to make his debut in West Indies recently, before the first test Australia played a pracitce game there where all the Aussies wore a blue VB cap, because Haddin couldn't wear a baggy green.

So how is Krezja wearing one even before he has made his test debut , one more thing this could mean is that Krezja is almost certain to make his debut in the first test.

 

[pup11]

Don't all NSW players get one with their baggy blue?

But.. the baggy blue was snatched from him because of his direness, so obviously his baggy green would have also been taken away from him.

 

[Mister Wright]

Btw with White joining the squad on Monday, would you still play him ahead of Krezja in the first test, i am not too happy with White' selection but i can even see him bowling better then Krezja and he would bat decently lower down the order too, so i see even White as a much better option when compared to Krezja.

P.S: I saw Krezja wearing a baggy green in the tour game, why is he wearing the baggy green when he hasn't even made his test debut?

All players when playing for Australia get a Baggy Green. However, it's not an official one until you play a test match.

 

[ret]

It wasn't a Test buddy.

i knew someone would say that^

 

[silentstriker]

Johnson has bowled well and should be in for a good series

The question is whether the likes of Watson/Clarke/Krezja/White/Katich can keep things quiet for long enough to give Lee, Clark and Johnson a breather

By the same token, it'll be interesting to see who India pick

If they go with Zaheer/RP/Ishant/Harby/Kumble then they have a massive tail with Dhoni, who is not a particularly good test batsman, having a massive weight on his shoulders at no.6

If they drop a paceman, then they'll have no choice but to provide for spinning pitches or else they'll be in the same, or even worse, shape as Australia

I also agree with your thoughts on Clarke - he's been spoon-fed most of his career and its about time he started making important runs consistently

Yea, I'd have to agree. You can't play without Harby if you're playing Australia, and obviously Kumble is the captain. I think you make your selection based on the pitch, but on a spinner you go with Zaheer, Ishant, Harby and Kumble, and hopefully Ganguly can keep things quiet. If you don't pick Ganguly in your XI, then you are in a bit of trouble.

The talk lately has been on Australia, for obvious reason, but aside from the crap that will be [insert Aussie spinner not named Clarke], they have many less questions top to bottom than India. I think draw is most likely, but I think Australia win this before India, unless the BCCI wake up and tell the curators to prepare proper pitches.

 

[silentstriker]

Though, I am still waiting to hear a good explanation of why Australia are better off with a spinner than without. Other than, 'Well, he might take 10 wickets on a crumbler.' That, to me, doesn't make sense because if the pitch is that bad, then Michael Clarke and others can do it, and if its not that bad, the spinner won't be effective no matter who it is.

 

[ret]

Though, I am still waiting to hear a good explanation of why Australia are better off with a spinner than without. Other than, 'Well, he might take 10 wickets on a crumbler.' That, to me, doesn't make sense because if the pitch is that bad, then Michael Clarke and others can do it, and if its not that bad, the spinner won't be effective no matter who it is.

the answer to that Q is simple

1. if it is a flattish pitch with nothing for quick bowlers then you need someone to bowl lots of the overs and may be block one end up. It's difficult for quick bowlers to bowl 150+ overs amongst them on such a pitch. Clarke and Katich, even though they are useful, are not the answer to bowling extended spells, especially considering that the side depends upon them to get runs too

2. If the pitch has something in it for the spinners then obviously a specialist spinner is a good option. Will a side play 2 spinners on a green pitch? if the answer is 'no' then you don't play 4 pacers on a spin friendly surface and depend upon part-timers like Clarke and Katich to run through a side. you can easily accommodate a specialist spinner [no matter how average] as one of the four bowlers on a spin friendly surface as he is likely to be more useful no matter how good the "4th" pace bowler is. if you are eating noodles then a fork, no matter how bad, is always more useful than eating it with your hands *winks*

3. if the pitch has something in it for the pacers then I guess that OZ are better of playing their 4 good quick bowlers than 3 pacers and an average spinner

 

[sirdj]

Its funny that Ponting wants the Indians to take the word of the fielder in case of a close catch decision when he can't take the word of the third umpire
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/thebuzz/

 

[ret]

Its funny that Ponting wants the Indians to take the word of the fielder in case of a close catch decision when he can't take the word of the third umpire
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/thebuzz/

may be Ponting is suggesting that everyone take his word when he/OZ team is on the field

 

[social]

the answer to that Q is simple

1. if it is a flattish pitch with nothing for quick bowlers then you need someone to bowl lots of the overs and may be block one end up. It's difficult for quick bowlers to bowl 150+ overs amongst them on such a pitch. Clarke and Katich, even though they are useful, are not the answer to bowling extended spells, especially considering that the side depends upon them to get runs too

Agree with everything you say but it ignores the most vital aspect of Australia's problem - the potential spinners have not shown the ability to block up an end for 5 overs let alone for an extended period