***Official Australia in India***

[Uppercut]

On Sky Sports, former England spinner Robert Croft was analysing, and suggested he was not too critical about Australia's line it was more their length that was wrong, too many easy drives. However, I think the problem they have with Sehwag is the line. They are obviously wary of giving him any width and are bowling straight at him, but too straight at times and he has scored a number of his boundaries eased off his legs. He is giving the bowlers a very small margin of error. Will be a fascinating contest tomorrow.

I'm quite sure Sehwag picks the ball first and foremost on length, so getting that right is probably the priority. In many ways the best thing to do is bowl line and length and suffocate him into making a mistake, but as you say, he doesn't give much margin for error (although if anyone could manage it, Stuart Clark could.) Shane Warne's stated that he believes Sehwag has a weakness when the pace is taken off the ball in ODIs and T20s, but that's not of so much relevance in tests. How to get him out is an extremely difficult conundrum, but luckily he often does the job himself.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Then you would make a very generous coach imo.

Ha, maybe. What I meant tho is that even if he'd been in the perfect position for a ball of that length it would have done for him anyway. He didn't leave himself with enough time to adjust if one were to be hyper critical, but it was a horrible ball to get at any time.

 

[Woodster]

I'm quite sure Sehwag picks the ball first and foremost on length, so getting that right is probably the priority. In many ways the best thing to do is bowl line and length and suffocate him into making a mistake, but as you say, he doesn't give much margin for error (although if anyone could manage it, Stuart Clark could.) Shane Warne's stated that he believes Sehwag has a weakness when the pace is taken off the ball in ODIs and T20s, but that's not of so much relevance in tests. How to get him out is an extremely difficult conundrum, but luckily he often does the job himself.

Regardless of length, if the ball has any width he will either flay it off his front foot or try and slash it off his back foot, or simply throw his hands through the ball. This is what the Aussies are attempting to deprive him of, the width, but may just be slightly over compensating. I don't necessarily blame Clark, who Sehwag has taken most of the boundaries off, because straight on this kind of pitch is generally the right idea and will be more so as the bounce becomes more unpredictable. It's just so far Sehwag has had an answer for everything. A tighter off stump line tomorrow, and as you say, Sehwag does have a habit of removing himself.

 

[Mister Wright]

Watson looked very ordinary in his very short innings tbh, which is very disappointing. However, Sharma continues to impress me, really like the way he goes about things.

 

[Woodster]

It was rather too brief to judge Watson really. There is obviously much better to come, but I continue to question his place in the side, which is just a personal thing. Australian selectors seem intent on having an all-rounder in the side and a spinner, regardless of whether the players for the said positions are good enough for Test cricket, and indeed better then those currently sitting on the sidelines.

 

[Manee]

Sensing an Indian massive collapse some time tomorrow, hopefully we'll be up around 350 when it happens.

 

[The Baconator]

Huh, let this series completely creep up on me. Shame it's on at fairly crappy times, but should be able to catch some. Glad to see Huss getting in the runs as well.

 

[archie mac]

Mike Coward is driving me mad on ABC radio. He knows his stuff but he's full of pretentious ****. I hate giving people a pizzling when they're doing their best, but I had to write the following email to the ABC about him:

Gents,
Thanks for the coverage and keeping us entertained.

Just one thing though. I'm sure Mike Coward is a lovely man, and he clearly knows his cricket. But can you please, please, please have him stop banging on about the wonders and significance of every little thing which happens in the context of Indian- Australian cricketing relations?

Frankly, it's just too full on and makes listening very hard work. Listening to "And the fact that ball passed harmlessly outside the off stump and through to Dhoni means an enormous amount to Australian-Indian cricket and speaks volumes for the new-found sense of Indian self-worth, and by the way did you know the town 54 miles away used to be called a different name andnow isn't" every over or so is dire. Me thinks he doth try-eth too much. Tone it down for God's sake. If I want that much pretence, I'll listen to Radio National and Phillip Adams.

Cheers,

Anyway, great fight back here by India - Sehwag being Sehwag with the sublime and the ridiculous rolled into one. He's the most dangerous of a very long and very good line up. Need a wicket tonight, get Dravid in and see what happens from here.

Anyone else think Watson looks scared at the batting crease? Not physically scared but worried about what's going to happen. You can almost sense his apprehension when he comes in at this level. I hope he kicks on but I think he's got some cob webs to clear in his head.

He annoyed me yesterday going on and on about Ponting and how he had to redeem himself to the Aussie cricket public after the last Test at the SCG

I think the problem is they only have four commentators, and only two of those are 'çolour' men

The wankers that are 666 (ABC) here in Canberra have made the decision to not transmit the first session. When I rang up the girl said 'don't blame me, I only work here'. I was actually being very nice!

 

[archie mac]

I thought the Aussies bowled without luck, Sehwag almost played on three times. And with no worry re-Lillee/Marsh, I think India will make 255

 

[Top_Cat]

He annoyed me yesterday going on and on about Ponting and how he had to redeem himself to the Aussie cricket public after the last Test at the SCG

I think the problem is they only have four commentators, and only two of those are 'çolour' men

Also, Mike Coward has never played the game at a high level. It matters in this instance. I'm sure Ponting had 'the Australian public' in mind when he was about to get his ton, thinking silently "This one's for you, Australian public. Whew! I can face them now."

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I actually quite like Coward as a commentator. I'm one who doesn't subscribe to the theory you have to have played at the highest level to be a good commentator.

 

[archie mac]

Also, Mike Coward has never played the game at a high level. It matters in this instance. I'm sure Ponting had 'the Australian public' in mind when he was about to get his ton, thinking silently "This one's for you, Australian public. Whew! I can face them now."

Who is this public? I have no problem with Mr. Ponting

I actually quite like Coward as a commentator. I'm one who doesn't subscribe to the theory you have to have played at the highest level to be a good commentator.

I don't mind him either, I just think with the lack of commentators they (the ABC) have sent to India, means he is on too much and I think they (all the commentators) are struggling to be interesting. I think if we had Skull on all the time, I would get sick of him as well

 

[howardj]

Watson's problem was not that the ball kept slightly low, but that he was very very late on the shot. As I say though, I think you have to be patient with Watson. He's a mentally fragile type who needs time to settle and to build confidence. He's definitely worth investing in for the remainder of this series, at a minimum.

EDIT: Also wrapped to see Sharma still progressing well. It's fantastic for world cricket for India to have a bluechip leather slinger such as him.

 

[Salamuddin]

I expect him to retire by the end of the England series. If not, he will maximum hang for 1 more year. His shoulder troubles him permanently now.

He will be dangerous in the second inning of this game though given how the pitch is playing from whatever I have seen.

I personally believe Anil should quit at the end of the Australia series.

If I was to blood a younger spinner, I would do it at home first. And the ENgland series is probably as good a time to start as any.....

 

[Salamuddin]

I feel 430 is obviously advantage Australia.. But I do think that with that kind of a deep batting line up and after winning the toss, Ponting must have surely expected 500. So n that sense, I think India have done well... Also, inspite of the low bounce (and it should be noted that it hasn't really been all that uneven) and the reverse swing and the cracks in the pitch, I still think that at least for tomm. it should be a decent wicket to bat on. Plus the fact that India haven't allowed Australia to run away with the game in terms of run rate (which they have always done over the past 15 years, even against India in India), has meant that Aussies have had to take quite a bit of time to make just 430 runs. So while I do think it is very much Advantage Australia at the moment, I would think India have done extremely to hang in there as much as they have...

Personally I thought Australia would make more than they actually did. BUt it may very well be enough considering India are heavily reliant on Sehwag for runs.

I suspect my view that India picked a bunch of has beens will be proved right. And from what I've seen in the first couple of days hasn't changed that.
Expecting a typically "brilliant" performance from the so-called Fab Four over the next couple of days.

 

[howardj]

I actually quite like Coward as a commentator. I'm one who doesn't subscribe to the theory you have to have played at the highest level to be a good commentator.

As a rule, on TV, I like to hear the opinions of professional cricket journalists.

 

[pup11]

Watson's problem was not that the ball kept slightly low, but that he was very very late on the shot. As I say though, I think you have to be patient with Watson. He's a mentally fragile type who needs time to settle and to build confidence. He's definitely worth investing in for the remainder of this series, at a minimum.

EDIT: Also wrapped to see Sharma still progressing well. It's fantastic for world cricket for India to have a bluechip leather slinger such as him.

Yeah, its not fair to expect Watto to step in straight away and score runs, he is a good player we all know that, but the mental block you talk about very much exists with him, i think he is one of those blokes who puts way too much pressure on himself with everything he does on the field and that hampers his capabilities to a big extent, he just needs to relax a bit more and back his ability and he would do fine, and as you said he is worth the investment and i would surely persist with him through the series.

Sharma is a definite star in the making there are no two ways about that, the kind of rapid progress he has made since the Perth test is amazing, hopefully he continues with this because he is an amazing find for both Indian and world cricket.

 

[irfan]

I personally believe Anil should quit at the end of the Australia series.

If I was to blood a younger spinner, I would do it at home first. And the ENgland series is probably as good a time to start as any.....

AWTA.
He's been such a fantastic servant for Indian cricket that if he was to hang on for too long, it would greatly tarnish his standing as one of the best legspinners ever. I expect Kumble to be a lot more dangerous in that 2nd innings, but just recently he's been really down on form and not even looking threatening. Mishra should get the gig for the Eng series.

 

[howardj]

Hoping for Cam White to step up today.

Like Watson, he needs to be given some time to settle.

Whether we have that luxury in this series though, is an open question.

 

[howardj]

I gently pose the question, could Phil Jaques be the first incumbent player not to even take the field in the entirety of a whole tour? I feel for the guy in a sense. It's Slateresque to be dropped after averaging nigh on 50 as an opener.