***Official*** Australia vs Pakistan in UAE

[Uppercut]

So the great Andrew Symonds is back:unsure,

He is going to have to put a few more performances with the bat to show me he is back to his best, although it's good to see him in the runs.

Why exactly does he need to convince you all over again? The guy's never stopped performing in ODIs. His last before this series was a 66 off 80 in the West Indies, preceded by a 87 off 78 balls against the same side. Before that he was owning everyone with the bat in the IPL.

The guy was pure class last time he played. He dropped out of the side for fitness and personal reasons, now he's back in it and- guess what- he's still pure class.

 

[Evermind]

Why exactly does he need to convince you all over again? The guy's never stopped performing in ODIs. His last before this series was a 66 off 80 in the West Indies, preceded by a 87 off 78 balls against the same side. Before that he was owning everyone with the bat in the IPL.

The guy was pure class last time he played. He dropped out of the side for fitness and personal reasons, now he's back in it and- guess what- he's still pure class.

Yep. People often mix-up his on-field and off-field behaviour, but really, he is far too valuable to the Australian team - possibly the most integral member of this team (next to Bracken and Haddin). They're playing without Ponting and Hussey so he's undroppable.

 

[four_or_six]

It will be really interesting to see over the whole series how Symonds performs. They need a reserve batsman for the Ashes squad and you imagine it has to be out of the blokes on this tour.

 

[Uppercut]

Symonds is going to the Ashes for sure so long as he doesn't get drunk and ride a trolley down a hill into a wall or something.

 

[TT Boy]

I thought Afridi batted well yesterday. Showed some mature. Good sign.

As for the game, Pak haven't got enough batting and a short of fire-power with the ball. Tanvir should be brought in and Gul shouldn't bowl with the new ball. Just the middle overs (get some reverse) and the death.

 

[Evilhoopler]

Finally, Symonds made some runs.
I don't no y he is still in ther side, he is 2 much trubble, more than his worth I think.

 

[DaRick]

Finally, Symonds made some runs.
I don't no y he is still in ther side, he is 2 much trubble, more than his worth I think.

Still in the side? He just got back in.

He's in the ODI side because the ODI team looked inadequate without him (certainly, he couldn't do much worse than David Hussey did in South Africa).

As for the Test side, I wouldn't put him in - unless Hussey's form slump continues and we've got nobody else of worth.

 

[TT Boy]

With Amjal being called for chucking, the chances of Shoaib Malik bowling again this series must be in doubt. His doosra is filthy.

 

[stephen]

Just looking at the scorecard, Symonds and Hopes were the heroes with the bat, and Hauritz the hero with the ball. Between these three players Aus scored half the runs and took 7 of the wickets.

Hauritz has really matured IMO. He's the one who is undropable at the moment.

 

[silentstriker]

Let me know when one of those guys accuses a bowler of chucking whilst on the field.

Anything besides baseless conjecture regarding that?

Cricinfo - Saeed Ajmal reported for suspect action

Might be something to it.

 

[Prince EWS]

Currently Pak is the only top 8 side that does not have a world class ODI batsman.

Sri Lanka? New Zealand?

Sangakkara and Taylor are definitely good OD batsmen but I'd put them a little short of being "world class" in the format. Jayasuriya still has an occasional good innings in him but he's a shadow of his former self.

 

[Evilhoopler]

Still in the side? He just got back in.

He's in the ODI side because the ODI team looked inadequate without him (certainly, he couldn't do much worse than David Hussey did in South Africa).

As for the Test side, I wouldn't put him in - unless Hussey's form slump continues and we've got nobody else of worth.

He is not a test batsman. The aussie side is too much of an old boys side. Last summer, Hayden should have been dropped earlier. Mike Hussey doesn't deserve his spot at all, when was the last time he made some runs. And I think that Phillip Hughes deserves a ODI spot. He hit a hundred off 96 in Newcastle against Tassie. In a four dayer.

 

[Evilhoopler]

Sri Lanka? New Zealand?

Sangakkara and Taylor are definitely good OD batsmen but I'd put them a little short of being "world class" in the format. Jayasuriya still has an occasional good innings in him but he's a shadow of his former self.

Taylor is a brilliant batsman IMO. Sangakarra is an absolute genius, averages 60 odd when he doesn't don the gloves.

There great players.

 

[duffer]

Heh @Watson, how low can you go?

 

[Son Of Coco]

He is not a test batsman. The aussie side is too much of an old boys side. Last summer, Hayden should have been dropped earlier. Mike Hussey doesn't deserve his spot at all, when was the last time he made some runs. And I think that Phillip Hughes deserves a ODI spot. He hit a hundred off 96 in Newcastle against Tassie. In a four dayer.

In one day cricket? Not so long ago I think.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Symonds is going to the Ashes for sure so long as he doesn't get drunk and ride a trolley down a hill into a wall or something.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Let me know when one of those guys accuses a bowler of chucking whilst on the field.

Ahhh, so that's the only measure of someone being a dick now?

 

[Jono]

Ahhh, so that's the only measure of someone being a dick now?

Never denied that Sreesanth, Yuvraj or Uthappa is a dick, so not sure what you're on about there.

I didn't know that the mentality of Watson fans was that if someone criticises him (rightly so) for his wanker behaviour (that is on show almost every match), the response is to name a player from the same nationality of the poster that is a dick too.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Never denied that Sreesanth, Yuvraj or Uthappa is a dick, so not sure what you're on about there.

I didn't know that the mentality of Watson fans was that if someone criticises him (rightly so) for his wanker behaviour (that is on show almost every match), the response is to name a player from the same nationality of the poster that is a dick too.

I'm not a Watson fan...but I know the mentality of people who aren't fans of a certain player or team is to be quick to criticise when they do something even slightly controversial. .

The point was by saying 'Let me know when they do what Watson did" it implied that was somehow the pinnacle of being an idiot on the field, when it's clearly not.

 

[Jono]

I'm not a Watson fan...but I know the mentality of people who aren't fans of a certain player or team is to be quick to criticise when they do something even slightly controversial. .

The point was by saying 'Let me know when they do what Watson did" it implied that was somehow the pinnacle of being an idiot on the field, when it's clearly not.

Sure, but if I criticise Watson (which I have the right to, and will continue to do if he tries to act tough and have a bitch at opposition players all the time), what is the point of throwing a Harbhajan or Sreesanth back at me?

And I do think 'dobbing' in a player for chucking is worse than a send-off btw. I thought it was "un-Australian" to dob others in