*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[Jayzamann]

Declaration an indicator that North will be required to bowl a ton of overs. Hauritz not to bowl today, tbh.

Hopefully this is enough of an excuse to get Kat in there to turn the arm over.

I would have thought they'd bat till tea at least. Give Clarke an opportunity to get the 21st fifty. But it remains to be seen whether Pakistan can mount a good first innings total. Salman Butt is in a big hundred mood this tour so far.

 

[ozone]

Unlikely given catches would need to be held to roll Aus for a low total.

Precisely my point.

 

[Cruxdude]

Pakistan to take the lead and put Aussies under pressure.

 

[Furball]

Actually really like this declaration. Will go one of two ways, either the pitch will be proved to be completely flat, and neither side is going to have a chance of bowling the other out, or Pakistan are going to be rolled over. Either way the Aussies aren't losing this match without a massive second innings collapse.

Why risk Pakistan racking up 600+ in 2 days, when your main spinner has tweaked his groin, and risk batting against Asif and Ajmal on a deck which might have deteriorated?

With Hauritz injured, I'd want to bat as long as possible, and grind the Pakistanis down. Australia don't have the firepower of Warne and McGrath, their best bet is to wear the opposition down completely.

 

[R_D]

Ponting clearly doesn't rate Pakistan's batting, and I think he's right, but against anyone else.....

Johnson to kill someone.

haha was going to say this... Must have watched Pakistan bat in NZ test series.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hopefully this is enough of an excuse to get Kat in there to turn the arm over.

I would have thought they'd bat till tea at least. Give Clarke an opportunity to get the 21st fifty. But it remains to be seen whether Pakistan can mount a good first innings total. Salman Butt is in a big hundred mood this tour so far.

Yeah, like I said, against anyone else, I think it was too soon. Against Pakistan, though..... the way I see it, they'll look stylish and play some glorious shots but 300 will be a big ask even on this deck.

Also, Pakistan's runs were against Tas, to be fair.

EDIT: Just wanna point out Pakistan are just as likely to hit 1000+ as 100+. It's why I love them so.

 

[Top_Cat]

Pakistan to take the lead and put Aussies under pressure.

Would absolutely love that, tbh. The only cricket-related thing I'm proud to be fanboyish about is Pakistan.

EDIT: Love Butt's Christmas stripes on his bat-handle.

 

[NUFAN]

I don't like the declration at all. Ponting got out at 291/3 and if the team was happy enough to make just another 163 runs MClarke should have come in to bat at number 5. Instead we've had Hauritz tire/injure himself and not even let someone as aggressive as Haddin get a bat.

It really doesn't make sense to me, regardless of how many Pakistan make today.

 

[Burgey]

Interesting declaration - Hauritz injured and Siddle back from an injury as well.

Dougy almost a wicket 1st ball. Dougy to take six-fer. Dougy.

Dougeh.

 

[Top_Cat]

Heh, if Farhat is turning his head on Siddle's warm-up over......

Reckon we'll see a few more in the bowler's half from now on. I'm guessing 60/40.

 

[Midwinter]

Wow , is this an alternate universe ?

Picking non-specialist opening batsmen, continuing to play players regardless of form and then declaring to make a game of it !!

It's keeping me interested.

 

[ozone]

Why risk Pakistan racking up 600+ in 2 days, when your main spinner has tweaked his groin, and risk batting against Asif and Ajmal on a deck which might have deteriorated?

With Hauritz injured, I'd want to bat as long as possible, and grind the Pakistanis down. Australia don't have the firepower of Warne and McGrath, their best bet is to wear the opposition down completely.

If Pakistan are going to score 600+, I really can't see them doing it before the end of the 4th day. Also, if this Pakistan line up score 600, the pitch isn't going to have deteriorated that much, hence it would take something very special for them to be skittled.

It might be a bit too early, but I would rather see him declare now than declare too late.

BTW, is there any confirmation on the severity of Hauritz's injury?

 

[silentstriker]

Just popping in to commend Ponting. I don't care how little you rate the Pakistani batting, declaring that early is gutsy.

I think he is trying to do his best to ensure a positive result on a flat pitch. I've been a critic of his captaincy in the past but this is a good aggressive move in the post McWarne era. Just want to say now for the record that I totally support this even if it ends up backfiring and we get into a discussion about it later. Good for him. It's one thing to merely critisize non result oriented pitches - it's another to risk a loss to achieve a positive result.


Two thumbs up.

 

[Top_Cat]

Nasty ball by Dougeh! Nice flat pitch.

 

[DaRick]

This declaration is somewhat suspect.

Fine, it caught Pakistan on the hop, but the pitch is still quite flat and Hauritz is not 100%. I would've gotten to at least 500+, or until Hauritz was adequately treated. There is also Australia's tendency to collapse at inopportune moments. What this side can do boggles the mind.

 

[GotSpin]

Great declaration IMO

 

[Matt79]

Oh yeah. This is a featherbed, watching Bollinger and Siddle.

note to Asif - bend your back next time.

 

[Burgey]

Pitch doesn't look as flat here. One from Dougy really took off there.
Been lost a bit in the declaration, but the referral system spot-on in overturning Rudi there
Dougeh.

 

[Craig]

How Farhat ever managed to score a Test century and bat through the innings against New Zealand in his last Test, I will never know. He and Butt look like getting out.

 

[Craig]

Rodney Hogg in today's paper is of the opinion that Pakistan will win this series, or at worst, they won't lose the series.