***Official Australia in India***

[Precambrian]

And they said that you only get a whoosh with a wotsit!!

I don't get it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I don't get it.

Okay, this is just sad.

He wasn't saying Sachin would play on until he next played at the SCG, he was saying that they should knock down the SCG when Sachin retires, because he's been so successful there.

 

[Precambrian]

Ok, so I look the dunce.

Misinterpretation.

 

[pup11]

Doesn't make him any less of a tough nut.

True, its just that he has been such a fierce competitor on the field i never thought i would ever see him in tears, nothing more than that to it though.

 

[pasag]

Hating these pitches. If not for Australian batting going haywire in the second Test (though full credit to some real quality Indian bowling) we'd be sitting on, in all likelihood, three draws in a row now. And no, Australia isn't any better.

 

[pup11]

As far as the game is concerned really happy with the way Aussies fought their way back into this test and also into this series, virtually every Aussie batsmen got runs and the Aussie bowlers too in the 2nd innings looked much more effective, Lee especially was looking a lot better in the 2nd innings, his pace was right up there through all his spells and he was also making the ball move though the air a lot more than he has done right through this series, so all these are pretty positive signs for the Aussies heading into the 4th test at Nagpur.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hating these pitches. If not for Australian batting going haywire in the second Test (though full credit to some real quality Indian bowling) we'd be sitting on, in all likelihood, three draws in a row now. And no, Australia isn't any better.

Could've sworn there was some bloke who said the pitches before the start of the series that pitches would be roads and wouldn't spin all that much......

 

[Precambrian]

As far as the game is concerned really happy with the way Aussies fought their way back into this test and also into this series, virtually every Aussie batsmen got runs and the Aussie bowlers too in the 2nd innings looked much more effective, Lee especially was looking a lot better in the 2nd innings, his pace was right up there through all his spells and he was also making the ball move though the air a lot more than he has done right through this series, so all these are pretty positive signs for the Aussies heading into the 4th test at Nagpur.

AWTA but they are still way off where they should be in order to win the next test.

To say all their bowlers average 50+ in this series, except for Johnson who averages 35, shows how ineffective Aussie bowlers have been so far. And Clarke who lookstheir current first choice spinner averages 112 which is more than double that of White, who averages a mere 60.

Even though this test match pitch has been a road, overall it is a dire thing.

Hopefully they bounce back at Nagpur.

 

[Precambrian]

Batting lifts but bowling still a worry

http://content-gulf.cricinfo.com/indvaus2008/content/current/story/376678.html

Excerpts:

In three matches they have been unable to get close to taking 20 wickets. Here they managed 12, following the 13 in Mohali and 14 in Bangalore.

Four years ago Australia received a gift with a green surface in Nagpur, which seemed to occur because of a cloudy dispute between the groundsman, the BCCI and Sourav Ganguly. With the series to be decided over the next week, a second Australian pitch miracle cannot occur and the bowlers must find a more orthodox Indian way through the home side's batting wall. The attack has continued to charge in and its effort is without question, but more is needed.

Arguing over moral victories in this game will be pointless over the next few days. There is only one contest that matters and it begins on Thursday. Australia are missing a world-class fast bowler in all conditions, an effective spinner and attacking runs from their wicketkeeper. The McGrath-Warne-Gilchrist trio was essential to the 2004 success. Without these three elements the team is good instead of great. In India, against this balanced outfit, it is not good enough.

Sums it up.

 

[silentstriker]

Hating these pitches. If not for Australian batting going haywire in the second Test (though full credit to some real quality Indian bowling) we'd be sitting on, in all likelihood, three draws in a row now.

AWTA. Pitches need some juice.

 

[ret]

another tame draw .... the curator talked about giving Kumble a good pitch but in the end the pitch was just lame

Kumble hangs his boot and with that an era of quality spin bowling comes to an end. his retirement was on the cards so it was more a matter of when than why .... now it's Dravid's turn

India has had two good tests so it needs to be seen if they are able to maintain consistency. one bad session can turn a game so the Indians will have to be focussed and not complacent at Nagpur

Australia will have to think about its bowling. looking at their line up one gets the impression that they are playing to not lose

 

[pasag]

AWTA. Pitches need some juice.

Indian fans are the ones that should be most upset really, they're not even favouring them! Where were the raging turners we were promised? Where was this parting gift for Kumble the curator was going on about?

Not asking for minefields, but surely batting shouldn't be this easy.

 

[TT Boy]

AWTA. Pitches need some juice.

Why, last time there was a hint of juice on an Indian wicket, India were bowled out for nothing and lost by an innings and you were up in arms, right?

 

[pasag]

Can someone explain to me why we shouldn't go all out pace in the final Test with Bollinger?

Who will take more wickets in the last Test? The bloke who went for 0/300 in the tour match or the guy that has had previous success in Indian conditions and a guy who has actually taken wickets in the country. It's a risk and it can backfire, but IMO it's our best chance of squaring the series. Krejza will not trouble in the slightest an Indian batting line up in sensational form, there's just no point in playing him.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Australia need to make a change to the bowling for the fourth test. The current setup clearly isn't working, and while none of the established bowlers deserve to be dropped, White needs to be replaced with a wicket taking option.

Bollinger, most likely.

 

[gettingbetter]

Can someone explain to me why we shouldn't go all out pace in the final Test with Bollinger?

Who will take more wickets in the last Test? The bloke who went for 0/300 in the tour match or the guy that has had previous success in Indian conditions and a guy who has actually taken wickets in the country. It's a risk and it can backfire, but IMO it's our best chance of squaring the series. Krejza will not trouble in the slightest an Indian batting line up in sensational form, there's just no point in playing him.

Tend to agree, but it won't happen.

 

[Matt79]

Can someone explain to me why we shouldn't go all out pace in the final Test with Bollinger?

Who will take more wickets in the last Test? The bloke who went for 0/300 in the tour match or the guy that has had previous success in Indian conditions and a guy who has actually taken wickets in the country. It's a risk and it can backfire, but IMO it's our best chance of squaring the series. Krejza will not trouble in the slightest an Indian batting line up in sensational form, there's just no point in playing him.

Australia need to make a change to the bowling for the fourth test. The current setup clearly isn't working, and while none of the established bowlers deserve to be dropped, White needs to be replaced with a wicket taking option.

Bollinger, most likely.

Over-rates would be a concrete reason. Ponting is going to find himself suspended given we're consistently not getting the overs in WITH Clarke, White and Katich bowling. If you're going to be forced to bowl a slow bowler, you might as well have the best available one.

 

[Uppercut]

Can someone explain to me why we shouldn't go all out pace in the final Test with Bollinger?

Who will take more wickets in the last Test? The bloke who went for 0/300 in the tour match or the guy that has had previous success in Indian conditions and a guy who has actually taken wickets in the country. It's a risk and it can backfire, but IMO it's our best chance of squaring the series. Krejza will not trouble in the slightest an Indian batting line up in sensational form, there's just no point in playing him.

Can't agree tbh. Clark, Lee, Watson, Zaheer and Sharma all bowled very fast and very well at certain stages in that match but the pitch was so, so unresponsive that nothing ever came of it. In these circumstances, a five-pronged pace attack is a bit pointless IMO.

For the SA tour though, don't even put a spinner in the squad.

 

[pasag]

Can't agree tbh. Clark, Lee, Watson, Zaheer and Sharma all bowled very fast and very well at certain stages in that match but the pitch was so, so unresponsive that nothing ever came of it. In these circumstances, a five-pronged pace attack is a bit pointless IMO.

For the SA tour though, don't even put a spinner in the squad.

If the pitch is unresponsive we're stuffed anyways. Need to go all out attack and the best way of doing that is playing our four best bowlers. I'm a big fan of playing a spinner in ordinary circumstances but I don't think anyone actually believes, on the evidence of the tour match, that Krejza will be a threat and as such there's no point of playing him.

 

[Uppercut]

If the pitch is unresponsive we're stuffed anyways. Need to go all out attack and the best way of doing that is playing our four best bowlers. I'm a big fan of playing a spinner in ordinary circumstances but I don't think anyone actually believes, on the evidence of the tour match, that Krejza will be a threat and as such there's no point of playing him.

Yeah, he's useless. It's so frustrating. There must be someone who can turn a ball on those pitches. Kevin Pietersen could do it. I could do it. Get me a dodgy Aussie passport and fly me out there ffs.