***Official Australia in India***

[Precambrian]

Haha, Mishy has started turning it superbly.

 

[Precambrian]

Spanked? Your bowlers were top class, but I don't think that your best XI would chase down 500+ on such a wicket.

BTW just watched that ripper from Ishy to Ponting, poor guy, no batsman could have played it!

 

[Precambrian]

Ponting's still got helluva lot to prove in India other than that he gets runs in the first innings on a dead wicket. His last 3 inngs will only add pressure on him.

 

[andruid]

BTW just watched that ripper from Ishy to Ponting, poor guy, no batsman could have played it!

Chanderpaul could have

 

[Matt79]

Nah, disagree. If we had the side that we had in the last Ashes series I think we'd have spanked you. The pitch was there to get a lot of runs on. The Indian bowlers, whilst being good, have gotten our batsmen to some really daft shots.

Our batting line-up consists of only 2 batsmen who have more than 3000 runs. Our bowling line-up consists of only Lee with a substantial amount of wickets. This is almost back to zero stuff for the Aussies. I don't wish to take any credit away from the Indians. But to see this side as it WAS is a mistake. This is an almost completely new side IMO.

Agree with regards to the bowlers, but amongst our batsmen who haven't got 3000+ runs you've got Michaels Hussey and Clarke, who are considered no slouches with the bat and are established test players who have both been brilliant in the last 18-24 months, so I think that argument is tending towards spin...

 

[Johnners]

Ponting's still got helluva lot to prove in India other than that he gets runs in the first innings on a dead wicket. His last 3 inngs will only add pressure on him.

TBF in this match he's been undone by 2 absolute ripper deliveries.

 

[Ikki]

Spanked? Your bowlers were top class, but I don't think that your best XI would chase down 500+ on such a wicket.

BTW just watched that ripper from Ishy to Ponting, poor guy, no batsman could have played it!

On such a wicket? This wicket is capable of a 4+ RR. Has enough bounce and is flat.

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist

I think this line-up is capable of chasing anything TBH.

And then the bowlers: Warne, McGrath, Lee and Clark. It would not have gotten this bad to need to chase such a total.

 

[silentstriker]

Having Hayden-Ponting-Hussey in their lineup would be something pretty much every other side would kill for.

 

[masterblaster]

On such a wicket? This wicket is capable of a 4+ RR. Has enough bounce and is flat.

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Hussey
Clarke
Gilchrist

I think this line-up is capable of chasing anything TBH.

And then the bowlers: Warne, McGrath, Lee and Clark. It would not have gotten this bad to need to chase such a total.

No doubt mate, that team is one of the greatest of all time. But even that team would've had trouble chasing down 516 on a fifth day Indian wicket.

 

[Uppercut]

Chanderpaul could have

AWTA.

 

[Pratters]

So you don't rate India's series victory in England where they were saved in the 1st test by the rain?

I hate any team including India being bailed out.

 

[Uppercut]

I counted at least 4 balls that missed off stump by a coat of paint though. Don't get me wrong, they've shown plenty of heart but 90 overs is a long long time under that type of pressure.

Yeah, but once they settled and went after Mishra the let-offs became fewer and further between. Don't get me wrong either, it's not likely and they'll have to ride their luck to get through 90 overs, but the match isn't over. The pitch isn't bad, and this batting lineup is a pretty long one.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Am I detecting flickers of Australians pining for past glories?

The worst thing about all this is that it's getting my hopes up for the Ashes next summer. There could be some riveting Test cricket going on this winter; with the Aus-SA double header and our trip to India, everything should come to the boil nicely... ready for it all to be spoiled by seven weeks of constant rain, like 2006 and 2007.

 

[Ikki]

Agree with regards to the bowlers, but amongst our batsmen who haven't got 3000+ runs you've got Michaels Hussey and Clarke, who are considered no slouches with the bat and are established test players who have both been brilliant in the last 18-24 months, so I think that argument is tending towards spin...

They're considered class batsmen. But no matter how much class they lack the experience at Test level. I can see how they would be strong next to batsmen like Martyn or Gilchrist or, getting back a bit, like Waugh. They will not have to carry a side. Now they are at that stage where they will be regularly asked to do that.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. And whilst they may end up being class, they are not there yet and to consider them a danger..as if this was the old Aussie side is wrong IMO.

 

[masterblaster]

Am I detecting flickers of Australians pining for past glories?

The worst thing about all this is that it's getting my hopes up for the Ashes next summer. There could be some riveting Test cricket going on this winter; with the Aus-SA double header and our trip to India, everything should come to the boil nicely... ready for it all to be spoiled by seven weeks of constant rain, like 2006 and 2007.

You guys don't have Zaheer, Harbhajan and Sharma though to trouble the likes of Ponting and Hayden.

Never thought I'd be able to say that!

 

[Uppercut]

Am I detecting flickers of Australians pining for past glories?

The worst thing about all this is that it's getting my hopes up for the Ashes next summer. There could be some riveting Test cricket going on this winter; with the Aus-SA double header and our trip to India, everything should come to the boil nicely... ready for it all to be spoiled by seven weeks of constant rain, like 2006 and 2007.

Atm it's looking like an excellent batting lineup with one or two good bowlers versus an excellent bowling attack with one or two good batsmen...

 

[Johnners]

I actually think SS is a jinx on Australia. Always talks us up, ban him saggers!!!

 

[Ikki]

No doubt mate, that team is one of the greatest of all time. But even that team would've had trouble chasing down 516 on a fifth day Indian wicket.

If they had 140 overs to do it, frankly, it can be done by them - requires a RR of 3.7.

You're right, this feat is tough for anybody, but they could do it - that's my point. If it was that team, I could appreciate SS's apprehensions. This line-up we have now simply could not do it. Not yet, anyway.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Atm it's looking like an excellent batting lineup with one or two good bowlers versus an excellent bowling attack with one or two good batsmen...

The case being that contests between flawed sides are often the most entertaining!

 

[duffer]

Yeah, but once they settled and went after Mishra the let-offs became fewer and further between. Don't get me wrong either, it's not likely and they'll have to ride their luck to get through 90 overs, but the match isn't over. The pitch isn't bad, and this batting lineup is a pretty long one.

After White the others are handy but wouldn't back them to hold up an end for too long under that type of pressure. Still very confident expecially as we'll have a second new ball to go with midway through the day as well.