*Official* West Indies In Australia

[Goughy]

I think it's more a lack of confidence in the batting, chasing anything on a pitch that could well be difficult on day 5. Inherent to that is some level of respect for West Indies batting.

It shows a lack of confidence in the batting to chase, it shows a lack of confidence in the bowling to take out WI in the 2nd innings and it shows a lack of strategy.

Its great to see Aus play such passive and negative cricket against what can only be termed pretty ordinary opposition.

You should build on a position of strength and dont give a downed opponent a chance to get up. Aim to crush them. Australia backed off and gave WI a chance rather than go for the throat. They will still probably win the Test but it is tepid captaincy.

EDIT- Just to say again, I have no issue with declaring at 520 if you want to roll the opposition. That can be seen as active, aggressive cricket. But to declare and then not enforce the follow on is mind blowing.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Oh and I forgot to mention Australia are of course leading 1-0 in the final game of the series... why would you even dream of letting the opposition have a shot at getting an unlikely win? And of course the only moderately freakish thing that's happened is Australia have collapsed to 136-8. West Indies didn't exactly score too many when it was perfectly plausible for them to get a 400+ type score.

I think if it had been an equivalent position in the Ashes there's no way Australia would have considered declaring.

 

[NZTailender]

A bit of a joke? Your jokes towards NZers generally consist of sheep-shagging. Wow, really creative - think of that all by yourself, even though Australia has a crapload more sheep than New Zealand?

And yes, rubbish jokes usually do make me narky - but then, as I said at the start, you are one of the first to leap to any defence required for Australia. At least someone like Top Cat doesn't think the sun shines out of the arse of every single player to ever put on the baggy green. Perspective's fun - you should try it sometime.

Haha, thought you were being serious but the made it a brilliant reply.

 

[Johnners]

FWIW, i do agree in general that in the first innings, make as many runs as you can. I just don't get the hammering over these two instances given the number of wickets already fallen. Fair enough if they were declaring with only 5 down, but they weren't. Do i think Ponting should have declared? Probably not, but I really don't think it was THAT bad of a decision to be labeled arrogant, disrespectful etc.

Reckon Hauritz will take 4/5 today though.

 

[NasserFan207]

Can people shutup about the decleration? Yes, it was probably born out of a touch of arrogance, but this is Australia we're talking about. Its hardly breaking news.

This is potentially a fascinating days play. Hopefully Windies can end up chasing a total around 350.

 

[Johnners]

Heavens forbid there be cricket discussion on a cricket forum.

 

[Jono]

Can people shutup about the decleration? Yes, it was probably born out of a touch of arrogance, but this is Australia we're talking about. Its hardly breaking news.

This is potentially a fascinating days play. Hopefully Windies can end up chasing a total around 350.

Compared to the **** that has been on this forum over the last 6 months, the declaration debate was actually quite interesting.

 

[Jono]

Prince, Australia at $1.21, thoughts?

Lay from 1.41 or get on more

 

[NUFAN]

It's vital for West Indies that they get the remaining wickets almost straight away today. If Australia can get the lead to almost 400 it'll be too much I reckon, unless Gayle just goes absolutely crazy.

McKay and Hauritz aren't mugs with the bat, hoping they do a Swann and Anderson.

 

[four_or_six]

Or this could be your Adelaide...

 

[GotSpin]

It shows a lack of confidence in the batting to chase, it shows a lack of confidence in the bowling to take out WI in the 2nd innings and it shows a lack of strategy.

Its great to see Aus play such passive and negative cricket against what can only be termed pretty ordinary opposition.

You should build on a position of strength and dont give a downed opponent a chance to get up. Aim to crush them. Australia backed off and gave WI a chance rather than go for the throat. They will still probably win the Test but it is tepid captaincy.

EDIT- Just to say again, I have no issue with declaring at 520 if you want to roll the opposition. That can be seen as active, aggressive cricket. But to declare and then not enforce the follow on is mind blowing.

I disagree. IMO his declaration was aggressive, potentially giving Australia an unassailable lead if they bowled well against a weakened Windies batting line up due to the absence of Chanderpaul. There's no need to enforce the follow on when the pitch would hopefully deteriorate and give even further assistance to the Australian bowlers in the 4th innings. It's just so happened that Australia's batting has collapsed, and as such Ponting cannot be criticised strategically, especially considering the batting performance in the 1st innings.

 

[inbox24]

Considering that Ponting is out for Boxing Day we could probably slot Phil Hughes back in at opening and maybe push Katich to 3 where he usually bats at first class or have a Katich - Hughes alliance at the top and Watson at 3.

 

[Mister Wright]

Considering that Ponting is out for Boxing Day we could probably slot Phil Hughes back in at opening and maybe push Katich to 3 where he usually bats at first class or have a Katich - Hughes alliance at the top and Watson at 3.

Hughes hasn't scored many runs though. Not as many as Rogers at least. Shaun Marsh has been getting some runs, wouldn't be a bad bet at 3 or 5.

 

[Mister Wright]

Actually, on 2nd thoughts, I think Klinger deserves his chance. Just fresh off a double hundred. and a great season last season.

 

[howardj]

It's dire having North and an out of sorts Hussey in the same middle order. There is no balance there. This was shown up yesterday with Ponting's absence, when they both scratched around and stifled any chance of us building momentum. The whole batting lineup at the moment is weird. I do know one thing - you can't afford to have an out of sorts number four, and a defensive number six in the same order. Ideally, number six should be an aggressive shot maker who can put pressure back on the bowlers.

My ideal lineup:

Katich (part of furniture)
Hughes (last start 70 for NSW and averages 50+ in Tests)
Watson (a born top-order player)
Clarke (ready for the prime spot in the order)
North (number five is for gritty players)
Ponting (time for Rick to drop down, ala Border and Viv. We need to ween ourselves off relying on him so heavily. He's 35 today FFS).

 

[inbox24]

It's dire having North and an out of sorts Hussey in the same middle order. There is no balance there. This was shown up yesterday with Ponting's absence, when they both scratched around and stifled any chance of us building momentum. The whole batting lineup at the moment is weird. I do know one thing - you can't afford to have an out of sorts number four, and a defensive number six in the same order. Ideally, number six should be an aggressive shot maker who can put pressure back on the bowlers.

My ideal lineup:

Katich (part of furniture)
Hughes (last start 70 for NSW and averages 50+ in Tests)
Watson (a born top-order player)
Clarke (ready for the prime spot in the order)
North (number five is for gritty players)
Ponting (time for Rick to drop down, ala Border and Viv. We need to ween ourselves off relying on him so heavily. He's 35 today FFS).

Drop North for Hussey and you've got a team. Michael is enough of a gritty player and despite being so out of touch is still better than North.

 

[howardj]

My God heads will roll if this series is drawn.

Nobody will be safe, except for perhaps Nugget.

 

[mikeW]

Any thought of bring Cam White in?

 

[howardj]

No.

 

[pasag]

Yesterday we really missed A. Symonds.

Windies to win this by 4 wickets.