*Official* Third Test at the WACA

[social]

So the Aussie batsmen are idiots for not applying themselves properly, but Strauss is crap because he realises his limitations, blocks/leaves balls that aren't in his zone and scores when the bowlers bowl crap.

Interesting.

Where did I say he wasnt any good?

I simply cannot stand watching either he or Cook bat

They're good professionals but boring as bat**** (especially Cook, who would be lucky to play a scoring shot off the front foot between extra and mid-on if his life depended on it)

But hey, if you enjoy seeing full balls on off stump leg glanced to fine leg all day, more power to you

 

[Son Of Coco]

Cook, when on form at least, has a solid defense. I'm yet to see Hughes on form, so can't really tell if he does, but if he defends like this all the time he won't last long.

The problem was Hughes didn't defend. If he did, he wouldn't have been walking back to the pavilion.

 

[Spark]

So the Aussie batsmen are idiots for not applying themselves properly, but Strauss is crap because he realises his limitations, blocks/leaves balls that aren't in his zone and scores when the bowlers bowl crap.

Interesting.

"He's not good to watch" =/= "He's crap"

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd go even further: Selection issues have very little to do with Australian direness. Apart from nearly picking Beer for this Test, the selectors eventually got the right XI. Yes, we could debate for hours, days and threads whether some positions should be filled in differently, but the current Aussie XI is, imho, simply the best they can send in. Even if some adjustments could or should be made, there wouldn't be a significant difference.

Apart from Mussey and Haddin, all Aussie players have underperformed. With bat AND ball!

Yeah thank god people are finally seeing it. The selectors have made some pretty poor decisions but they're not the major problem.

 

[Son Of Coco]

It was an excellent ball. They're not bowling outside off because they're not good enough to bowl at the stumps, they're bowling outside off because that's how Ponting always gets out.

I think excellent is over-stating it somewhat. It was a decent ball helped out by a very poor shot. If that's the plan to Ponting, then it is working well. But normally you'd expect him to at least be forced to play a shot there (ala Anderson in Adelaide), and not gifting chance from a ball that was about 6-inches outside off and going a foot over the stumps.

 

[Rant0r]

Some people's take on what is entertaining cricket annoys me, go watch a T20 game if you're bored, punks. This is a gentleman's game

 

[jondavluc]

I'd go even further: Selection issues have very little to do with Australian direness. Apart from nearly picking Beer for this Test, the selectors eventually got the right XI. Yes, we could debate for hours, days and threads whether some positions should be filled in differently, but the current Aussie XI is, imho, simply the best they can send in. Even if some adjustments could or should be made, there wouldn't be a significant difference.

Apart from Mussey and Haddin, all Aussie players have underperformed. With bat AND ball!

I must say you are out of your mind!!!!. Not beating England can only be explained by poor selection and possibly dark English magic not because we have just not been good enough that is not possible.

 

[tooextracool]

I cannot, and never have been able to, stand watching him bat and it's not because he's boring (s/r is ok if I'm not mistaken)

It's because he is so limited in his range of shots

Mind you, he's Lara compared to Cook

This whole boring stuff is nonsense. If good effective test match batting is considered boring then don't bother watching it, just follow t20 cricket. Seems like half of every thread is filled with Aussies moaning about how boring watching Strauss, Cook, Collingwood and Trott are. FFS, if your team could bat half as 'boring' as ours you'd actually be half good.

 

[Ruckus]

Happy with 268 after the start we had. It's hard to get upset at the team when they're just not really that good.

I agree that our standards definately have to be lower than what we are used to, but at the moment I think still think this team is playing well below what it should be...

 

[Rant0r]

This whole boring stuff is nonsense. If good effective test match batting is considered boring then don't bother watching it, just follow t20 cricket. Seems like half of every thread is filled with Aussies moaning about how boring watching Strauss, Cook, Collingwood and Trott are. FFS, if your team could bat half as 'boring' as ours you'd actually be half good.

High 5

 

[Son Of Coco]

I agree that our standards definately have to be lower than what we are used to, but at the moment I think still think this team is playing well below what it should be...

Yeah, I agree. We're a much worse team than we were. But we're also playing poorly. With England possibly making us look worse than we are at the moment by being organised and in control of their game. There are players there who have performed against England before though, so there are other issues too.

 

[Uppercut]

I think excellent is over-stating it somewhat. It was a decent ball helped out by a very poor shot. If that's the plan to Ponting, then it is working well. But normally you'd expect him to at least be forced to play a shot there (ala Anderson in Adelaide), and not gifting chance from a ball that was about 6-inches outside off and going a foot over the stumps.

Meh, gets the job done.

The problem with trying to make Ponting play at Perth is that there's so little margin for error because he can pull length balls so easily. Obviously it was a terrible shot, but it's the type of terrible shot you expect Ponting to play eventually if you keep it on a decent length outside off for long enough. It was just the ugliest in a long line of similar dismissals.

In fairness, against 99% of fielders it runs for four, the commentator says "streaky" and we all forget it ever happened.

 

[social]

This whole boring stuff is nonsense. If good effective test match batting is considered boring then don't bother watching it, just follow t20 cricket. Seems like half of every thread is filled with Aussies moaning about how boring watching Strauss, Cook, Collingwood and Trott are. FFS, if your team could bat half as 'boring' as ours you'd actually be half good.

I respected Allan Border but coulldnt care whether I watched him bat towards the end of his career

Ditto Steve Waugh and any no. of other players

If you actually think a guy like Cook is good to watch then you need to get out more

 

[Son Of Coco]

Meh, gets the job done.

The problem with trying to make Ponting play at Perth is that there's so little margin for error because he can pull length balls so easily. Obviously it was a terrible shot, but it's the type of terrible shot you expect Ponting to play eventually if you keep it on a decent length outside off for long enough. It was just the ugliest in a long line of similar dismissals.

In fairness, against 99% of fielders it runs for four, the commentator says "streaky" and we all forget it ever happened.

That's what makes it such a poor shot though, he doesn't have to play it, and if he doesn't then it makes it harder for the bowler as their margin for error decreases significantly. Ponting just helped him out by turning an innocuous delivery into a wicket.

As someone else said, if he'd been doing that for most of his career then he wouldn't have anywhere near the amount of runs he does. I think it's fair to say it's become a problem area though the past year or so. Good luck to England for targetting it successfully.

 

[GotSpin]

Cook is just like watching Katich. Both so **** unless you support that team

 

[tooextracool]

Meh, thing about Perth is you have no business defending or pushing at deliveries outside off stump. Either you commit wholeheartedly and slash hard, in which case it will probably go far too quickly to or over the slips, or you just leave it alone.

 

[Rant0r]

I respected Allan Border but coulldnt care whether I watched him bat towards the end of his career

Ditto Steve Waugh and any no. of other players

If you actually think a guy like Cook is good to watch then you need to get out more

Cricket is obviously not the game for you

 

[Rant0r]

That's what makes it such a poor shot though, he doesn't have to play it, and if he doesn't then it makes it harder for the bowler as their margin for error decreases significantly. Ponting just helped him out by turning an innocuous delivery into a wicket.

As someone else said, if he'd been doing that for most of his career then he wouldn't have anywhere near the amount of runs he does. I think it's fair to say it's become a problem area though the past year or so. Good luck to England for targetting it successfully.

He's got lots of "weaknesses" that COULD be exploited, problem is no one has been good enough to take advantage of them, most of them are early in his innings anyway, so if you don't get him early he tightens up a bit

 

[tooextracool]

I respected Allan Border but coulldnt care whether I watched him bat towards the end of his career

Ditto Steve Waugh and any no. of other players

If you actually think a guy like Cook is good to watch then you need to get out more

Bottom line is that Id much rather watch quality players bat sensibly than watch a bunch of idiots like Pietersen come in and decide to leave their brain in the dressing room. Give me McGrath bowling line and length every ball and the batsmen leaving as many of them alone than Mitchell Johnson sending one ball to slip and the other to leg slip while people like Pietersen, Clarke etc find a way to edge it.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Meh, thing about Perth is you have no business defending or pushing at deliveries outside off stump. Either you commit wholeheartedly and slash hard, in which case it will probably go far too quickly to or over the slips, or you just leave it alone.

Exactly, was a poor shot for a batsman who has played there before and knows the conditions.