*Official* Australia in India 2010

[Prince EWS]

I'm gonna put it out there than even though he looks like a nothing bowler, O'Keefe's put in some seriously noteworthy performances of late. He took 7/35 in an innings (admittedly on a turning pitch) against Sri Lanka A - a team you'd presume to be fair players of spin bowling - and he's taken 3/25 (admittedly two tailenders) and 4/39 (four top seven bats - much more impressive) in the current game against South Australia.

33 First Class wickets @ 23 is seriously amazing compared to the figures of all the spinners in the country. I reckon you'd struggle to find any period in Hauritz's career at all where he took 33 First Class wickets @ anything even approaching 23.

 

[Ruckus]

As other people have already said, its not the players like Katich and Clarke who happened to have a bad series who are the problem, its the players who have consistently scored poorly over very long periods.

IMO Hussey is the main problem in the team, not North. I honestly think given enough time North will come to average around 40, which is good enough for a number 6. The problem with North seems so much worse than it is because players above him like Hussey are often getting out in single digits. North is a player who obviously makes up his average through very low scores and very high scores. I don't see a problem with that, as long as the batsmen above him can hold the innings together so a collapse is avoided. I believe Ponting is back to good form now (hopefully), and Clarke and Katich's form slumps are temporary. It is Hussey who needs replacing ASAP.

I also think Smith should replace Hauritz, because I really don't see Hauritz ever being much more than a mediocre bowler. Smith might not be great either, but at least he would dramatically boost out batting. Imagine have a number 7 who can average 40 or more.

 

[Ikki]

He didn't lost the SRs, because Zaheer was a way in front and Johnson did very well too - especially in comparison to his teammates.

 

[b1acksun]

Did anyone else notice that Sachin is (almost) quarter of the way to 15k runs? Zoom Zoom.

 

[Top_Cat]

To be honest, dropping a bloke who just made a ton isn't without precedence (Hodge, Love and Jones say hi) so I don't think North would feel like he can put his feet up (neither should he). I don't think this selection panel has it in them to make that decision, though.

 

[social]

But would have probably lost by 2 wickets without two umpiring errors.

Reckon you're better off bringing up the close run out when discussing how close Australia were to winning that test.

Mate, irrespective of what went on before, Ohja should've been given out and Australia would've drawn the series 1-1

Anyway, that's off track because it would've masked the teams blatantly obvious problems

 

[GotSpin]

To be honest, dropping a bloke who just made a ton isn't without precedence (Hodge, Love and Jones say hi) so I don't think North would feel like he can put his feet up (neither should he). I don't think this selection panel has it in them to make that decision, though.

Doubt there will be any major changes come the ashes

 

[Matt79]

Reckon the umpiring equalled itself out over the first test.

 

[Jono]

Sachin telling Hauritz to gagf

 

[Contra]

Well played. MOTM and MOTS in the bag for him.

 

[duffer]

Heh so in four knocks he has a 98, a double and a 50.* This guy can score Test centuries for a few years yet.

 

[social]

To be honest, dropping a bloke who just made a ton isn't without precedence (Hodge, Love and Jones say hi) so I don't think North would feel like he can put his feet up (neither should he). I don't think this selection panel has it in them to make that decision, though.

Agreed

Merv still reckons it was the right decision not to play a spinner on the Oval dust-bowl so there's little to no hope that they'll admit to making a mistake with North

 

[cricman]

Sachin showed a little sympathy right there thought he was gonna end it w/ a 6

 

[Jono]

Damien Martyn's tweet

dmartyn30 Damien Martyn
Are we going to Lose another test match ? How sad

Lol

 

[howardj]

Agreed

Merv still reckons it was the right decision not to play a spinner on the Oval dust-bowl so there's little to no hope that they'll admit to making a mistake with North

Yep, the panel is more concerned with vindication and not admitting error than it is with improving the team.

Bring back Hohns' panel - at least he had some balls.

 

[Teja.]

Over 400 runs this mini-series. What a man!

 

[Burgey]

Wow, didn't really kick for me that Katich has been pretty **** as well this series. Between him and Clarke that's most people expectations being completely wrong.

Lol.. A two test sample size tbf..

 

[Top_Cat]

Doubt there will be any major changes come the ashes

I'm sure you're right but it shouldn't be a monty that this is the batting line-up come November. That it's a big series should have little to do with it. I mean, before the '92 series against the WI, the selectors dropped Dean Jones, their best performed bat in the previous series, shoehorned Boon up to open and picked a young gun (Marto). It's been done before.

 

[Jono]

Imagine if they called bad light now

 

[b1acksun]

You guys reckon that Sachin will be topping the test batting charts after the performance in this test?