***Official Australia in India***

[shankar]

And just how would "smoothing" out a rough area on the rough side of the ball help Oz?

Also, if by some chance the offending piece was on the "smooth" side of the ball, then all he needed to do was rub persperation into the area and rub it on his pants, i.e SHINE IT!!!!!! and the thing would stay down (if you dont believe, head down to the nets and try it)

Swing doesn't work that way. It's not like any random roughness on the 'rough' side regardless of size would aid reverse swing. A piece of leather sticking out into the flow is likely to even spoil the phenomenon that causes reverse swing.

 

[LJMJ]

Australia's been their own worst enemy in this Test Match. From Day 3's incomperehensible defensive play against India's 8-1 field to bowling part timers in the final session last night after an Indian collapse brought them back in the game again. Who gives a **** about run rates when you're down in the series and have a chance to WIN? This type of mental choking is something India's always been famous for...but it seems the roles have been reversed. It's India who's become uber clutch whereas Australia finds a way to fail even when they've gained the upper hand.

 

[aussie]

Regardless of what Ponting did, sacking him as skipper wouldn't make much of difference to Australia's results in the coming months would it?.

Its not like if anyone in the side has Mark Taylor like ability as skipper to come & suddenly make the bowling attack better in different conditions, which is the only problem Australia has in this post McGrath/Warne era.

If anyone should be sacked, its the selectors for me. The picking of White ahead of Clark seems more like a selectorial decision than Ponting's. So basically i'd worry about selections they could potentially make in series againts SA & ENG if put under pressure wayyyyyyyy more than any on-field error Ponting will have.

 

[xoox]

If anyone could gain an unfair advantage by ripping a loose piece of leather off a ball, then why would the umps do it when such an offending piece is brought to their attention?

The reality is that such actions dont give an advantage and, if anything, the reverse is true

Wait..the umpires merly clip the hanging stiches..if the leather is ripped off badly, they replace the ball..

When players try to remove the stitches themselves, its possible they peel off a quantifiable amount of leather with that one side of the ball becomes heavier than the other and so swing becomes so very difficult for the batsmen..

BTW, former Pakistani greats have admitted to such tactics in order for the ball to reverse swing..

 

[NZTailender]

Dare I say it, but I think the Aussies may have a good chance to pull this one off. Obviously, it's going to take some very, very good batting because India won't serve the match up on a plate to the Australian batsmen. In fact, I wonder if they'll continue their first innings tactics to be assured of a draw?

In my opinion, and possibly one that few of you will agree with, I think Australia should take up the counter-attack early and promote the likes of White and Haddin up the order.
Starting with the current, not out, openers, Hayden is obviously the more aggressive of the two and can be devastating when he's on form. However, he hasn't had the best series so whether or not he can make a big score close to a run a ball is doubtful to me right now.
Katich, as we saw in the first innings, can bat quickly and is in form. A lot will rely on these two to get them to about a hundred or more without losing their wicket.

Once one of (or both of) them go, I think White or Haddin should be promoted up the order.
Both can hit big and keep rotating the strike, as hitting 4 singles in an over would be one of the more effective ways to get the runs in this innings as opposed to always looking for boundaries.
If Australia can get a large amount of the score early on, in the first one and a half sessions or so, and then have a more sedate, controlled chase afterwards. That will be their best chance IMO rather than batting solidly and then trying to accelerate in the last session.
Follow those two with Clarke and Watson, who can score quickly in their own right, then Ponting and Hussey.
I'd have more confidence with those batsmen doing a Bevan style innings to get them home later in the game, than have them bat early and get most of the runs, then having to rely on White and Haddin to get the remainder of the runs.

IMO of course.

 

[shankar]

The important thing is whether the indian seamers get reverse swing or not. Because the spinners aren't bowling that well and without reverse it may be difficult to contain Australia.

 

[Uppercut]

Dare I say it, but I think the Aussies may have a good chance to pull this one off. Obviously, it's going to take some very, very good batting because India won't serve the match up on a plate to the Australian batsmen. In fact, I wonder if they'll continue their first innings tactics to be assured of a draw?

In my opinion, and possibly one that few of you will agree with, I think Australia should take up the counter-attack early and promote the likes of White and Haddin up the order.
Starting with the current, not out, openers, Hayden is obviously the more aggressive of the two and can be devastating when he's on form. However, he hasn't had the best series so whether or not he can make a big score close to a run a ball is doubtful to me right now.
Katich, as we saw in the first innings, can bat quickly and is in form. A lot will rely on these two to get them to about a hundred or more without losing their wicket.

Once one of (or both of) them go, I think White or Haddin should be promoted up the order.
Both can hit big and keep rotating the strike, as hitting 4 singles in an over would be one of the more effective ways to get the runs in this innings as opposed to always looking for boundaries.
If Australia can get a large amount of the score early on, in the first one and a half sessions or so, and then have a more sedate, controlled chase afterwards. That will be their best chance IMO rather than batting solidly and then trying to accelerate in the last session.
Follow those two with Clarke and Watson, who can score quickly in their own right, then Ponting and Hussey.
I'd have more confidence with those batsmen doing a Bevan style innings to get them home later in the game, than have them bat early and get most of the runs, then having to rely on White and Haddin to get the remainder of the runs.

IMO of course.

Hmm, i don't really agree with all the tinkering, the only place i'd consider changing is perhaps throwing Haddin or White in at 3 if an early wicket falls as a sort of pinch-hitter. The big partnership will have to involve two out of Hayden, Katich, Hussey and Ponting, and by splitting them up they could be forced to bat with a lot of different partners, which isn't at all ideal.

I do think this chase is very much gettable, but a lot will come down to the quality of the Indian bowling. Harbhajan, Mishra and Sharma could all come up with unplayable deliveries at any time here, and if they even bowl to their usual standards they'll be big favourites to win. The danger for them is that only needing a draw might cause them to go on the defensive too early and hand the initiative back to Australia, but then Dhoni's shown that he can set much more strangling fields than Ponting was capable of by bowling one side of the wicket.

My prediction, Australia to fall 80 runs short in the final session.

 

[silentstriker]

It may well have been a really stupid response to a problem, but I just find it really hard to believe that he made a unilateral decision to fix the over rate problem with the game on the line. If it was as simple as "if we don't speed up the over rate I'll get suspended, so stuff winning the match", then yeah, it's pretty dismal. It's not poor tactics but it is an unbelievably stupid thing to do as a player, and it will and should reflect very poorly on him. I guess we'll see how it plays out over the next few days.

According to the coach, that is indeed what happened.

 

[Burgey]

Yes. Definitely ball tampering. Will be hugely disappointed if it does not get reported.

AWTA. He's captain of a 1st class team and, despite his relative youth, he's experienced enough to know better.

 

[Top_Cat]

So who else is surprised that the series is even still being contested on day 5 of the last Test?

 

[Burgey]

So who else is surprised that the series is even still being contested on day 5 of the last Test?

Given the way our attack has functioned, me for one.

 

[Top_Cat]

Its just plain **** captaincy though, firstly to ever be put in that position when the warning signs were there for God knows how long, and then to choose to bowl White and Hussey. They would have been better off telling Watson to bowl off a short run-up, he'd at least still reverse the ball like he was doing before tea!

The fast-bowlers bowling of a shorter run would have been a better idea, indeed. But....

Its akin to a captain batting slowly when quick scoring is needed, to save himself from being dropped. IF it was his choice, it was him putting his own self interest (let's be serious here, how important is that first test vs. NZ at home without Ponting compared to this series and its history?) ahead of the team.

Can't agree with this as I don't think the situations are comparable. Someone batting slowly is totally in control of what he does with his batting, no-one else bats for him. A captain can suggest, cajole, yell, scream and threaten bowlers to speed up the over-rate but he needs their help to pull it off. However.......

There's simply no denying it that if Australia do not win tomorrow, Ponting's legacy as captain will take a hit and be tarnished. You can call it hyperbole if you like, but there's a reason why not just one, but many commentators and journalists are calling it the most baffling and farcical captaincy choice they've ever seen.

This remains true. I do think his rep will suffer for his response to the over-rate problem, sure. But as far as the causes of the problem, as far as I see it, the team needs to take responsiblity for it too. Ponting can't force his bowlers to jog through their overs.

Mind you, nor should he have to. This is really crap play by the team.

 

[Burgey]

AWTA. It reflects poorly on their professionalism as a team.

 

[Top_Cat]

AWTA. It reflects poorly on their professionalism as a team.

What does it say about the Indian team that, at home, they haven't been able to completely put down a team with Cam White in the bowling line-up, over-rate trouble from lack of professionalism, a spinner with a FC bowling average higher than most batting averages and a captain who's drunk at the wheel?

Okay seriously, I blame the wickets. They've been so flat as to be the equaliser in a contest, I guess, that shoudln't have been equal. India, on slightly more sporting wickets, would probably have smashed this Aussie combination. Not that there's really anything the curators could have done about them, though.

Sometimes, like a bad bowel movement, some series' need to be evacuated then flushed. This series strikes me as one of them.

 

[andruid]

Just noticed Bret Lee only bowled 10 of the 82 overs in India's second dig. Is it that stomach bug or Ponting that was responsible?

 

[Johnners]

Both, he only bowled 12 in the first innings IIRC.

 

[ret]

So who else is surprised that the series is even still being contested on day 5 of the last Test?

imo, the thing more likely to de decided tomm is whether India wins this by 1-0 or 2-0

ok, i know that Australia have a sniff at leveling the series but let's face it that it's a tough task. they could manage 350 odd in their first inning batting in slightly easier conditions and below are the top 10 highest chases, which tell us that chasing anything over 350 is rare

- 418 by WI in 2003
- 406 by Ind in 1976
- 404 by Aus in 1948
- 369 by Aus in 1999
- 362 by Aus in 1978
- 352 by SL in 2006
- 348 by WI in 1969
- 344 by WI in 1984
- 342 by Aus in 1977
- 340 by SA in 2002

if OZ do it then it will be something special. something like Ukraine requiring to beat Italy in 2006 soccer world cup quarter finals. theatrically, it's possible but chances of that happening rare!!!!

 

[Top_Cat]

imo, the thing more likely to de decided tomm is whether India wins this by 1-0 or 2-0

ok, i know that Australia have a sniff at leveling the series but let's face it that it's a tough task. they could manage 350 odd in their first inning batting in slightly easier conditions and below are the top 10 highest chases, which tell us that chasing anything over 350 is rare

- 418 by WI in 2003
- 406 by Ind in 1976
- 404 by Aus in 1948
- 369 by Aus in 1999
- 362 by Aus in 1978
- 352 by SL in 2006
- 348 by WI in 1969
- 344 by WI in 1984
- 342 by Aus in 1977
- 340 by SA in 2002

if OZ do it then it will be something special. something like Ukraine requiring to beat Italy in 2006 soccer world cup quarter finals. theatrically, it's possible but chances of that happening rare!!!!

The point is that I expect would have expected this Test to be a dead rubber.

 

[ret]

The point is that I expect would have expected this Test to be a dead rubber.

do you think that Ind should have won at Delhi?

 

[Top_Cat]

do you think that Ind should have won at Delhi?

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm just saying that before the series started, most people would have expected India to have wrapped the series up by now.