*Official* Third Test at the WACA

[Woodster]

England didn't bat poorly, Johnson was just close to impossible to play because as I pointed out earlier there is absolutely nothing you can do if you cannot tell which ball is going to swing and which one isn't. Especially when some of them swing prodigiously, a la the one that got Pietersen.

Alternatively, Johnson bowling well has nothing to do with the rest of the attack, which quite honestly was about as poor as they have been all series. Harris is no more than a serviceable fast bowler at best, honestly a poor man's Michael Kasprowicz. Hilfenhaus was ordinary and Siddle was rank. So to use this performance as an argument that they have suddenly hit their straps is BS and a half, as is the fact that Australia don't have serious bowling and batting issues at this point in time (irrespective of the result of this series)

On our own bowling, there is no getting away from the fact that we bowled to short and let Australia back into the game when we could have so easily rolled them out for 150 odd. Finn was pathetic in the first dig and the conditions weren't exactly favorable for Swann/Anderson who were decent but nothing more. Tremlett started well I thought but then fell away and bowled a Finne-sque spell of short garbage later in the day.

Would agree with most of that TEC. The main thing about Johnson's swing today was more to do with how late it went, the one that got Collingwood, he wasn't even going to play a shot but it tailed in late and his last gasp effort wasn't enough, he was a considerable distance from getting the bat on it.

Think Harris is a better bowler than just serviceable. He lacked support at Adelaide, and picked up three more today.

I said in an earlier post I don't know if I'm being impatient with Finn, we know he's only young, but in a four-man attack he's got to give us more than what he has already. Sounds strange because he has picked up a few wickets, but he just doesn't do the right things for long enough. He started well today, he was hitting the right length at decent enough pace, but then drifted off with long hops and half volleys.

 

[Woodster]

Johnson was unbelievable today and there is not much you can do against a guy that is bowling quickly, accurately and swinging it a long way (and late) other than to say "too good today."

But I reckon you're far off the mark with the others

Despite the fact that I disagreed with the tactics, Siddle made a very good and in-form player in Prior look like a total novice

He wasnt consistent but he made a massive statement with his pace and aggressiveness

Harris is simply a very good bowler

He should have had one of the best openers in the world out at least 3 times before getting him and deservedly got some wickets

Today was a MASSIVE step forward from what we've seen and if Oz had more than 3 reliable batsmen, we'd be looking quite good for the future

As for the conditions, how can they be favourable to Australia's bowlers and not the other when the latter had the best of them?

Not sure about Siddle, he was quick to realise he couldn't bowl at Prior from round the wicket, but he did get the wicket so fair play. Apart from that don't think Siddle was that impressive, but I suppose an improvement on recent performances for the attack can only be a good thing for them.

Harris is a good bowler, I agree, I like him.

 

[tooextracool]

Despite the fact that I disagreed with the tactics, Siddle made a very good and in-form player in Prior look like a total novice

He wasnt consistent but he made a massive statement with his pace and aggressiveness

Harris is simply a very good bowler

He should have had one of the best openers in the world out at least 3 times before getting him and deservedly got some wickets

Today was a MASSIVE step forward from what we've seen and if Oz had more than 3 reliable batsmen, we'd be looking quite good for the future

As for the conditions, how can they be favourable to Australia's bowlers and not the other when the latter had the best of them?

I think to suggest that Siddle was anything other than garbage yesterday would be doing him and the whole world a huge disservice. Even when he was trying to execute this plan of firing in short deliveries, he was able to get about 1/10 of them on target. Perhaps for the first time in the history of cricket he managed to bowl an entire over with 6 deliveries all down leg side without Prior even having to negotiate them. He got his wicket yes, but it was a case of God feeling a bit sorry for Siddle and giving him a bit of luck, nothing to do with Siddle's own prowess. Theres no way he better yesterday than he did at Brisbane or Adelaide.

Harris bowled ok, hes bowled ok all series. What a surprise, an 'ok' bowler bowls an 'ok' spell. Give him a medal for turning this series around. This is the first pitch in the series that has offered any sort of assistance for the bowlers, and its not particularly surprising that Australia have looked a bit more threatening. This is the same thing we saw in England at Headingley. Look the fact of the matter is that unless theres a bit of juice in the pitch, your bowlers don't have the tools to take wickets consistently. Im going to ignore Johnson for now, because his performance has absolutely nothing to do with anything that's happened over the past 18 months.

 

[social]

Not sure about Siddle, he was quick to realise he couldn't bowl at Prior from round the wicket, but he did get the wicket so fair play. Apart from that don't think Siddle was that impressive, but I suppose an improvement on recent performances for the attack can only be a good thing for them.

Harris is a good bowler, I agree, I like him.

The tactics were obviously to beat up on Prior

I'm not sure why they were adopted when you consider that nearly a quarter of his innings end up with him being bowled and he looked pretty much all at sea to anything pitched up but, hey, it eventually worked

I think the Australians like Siddle because he can rough people up and, as I said, if we had more than a couple of reliable batsmen I'd be happily looking towards the next couple of tests

 

[social]

I think to suggest that Siddle was anything other than garbage yesterday would be doing him and the whole world a huge disservice. Even when he was trying to execute this plan of firing in short deliveries, he was able to get about 1/10 of them on target. Perhaps for the first time in the history of cricket he managed to bowl an entire over with 6 deliveries all down leg side without Prior even having to negotiate them. He got his wicket yes, but it was a case of God feeling a bit sorry for Siddle and giving him a bit of luck, nothing to do with Siddle's own prowess. Theres no way he better yesterday than he did at Brisbane or Adelaide.

Harris bowled ok, hes bowled ok all series. What a surprise, an 'ok' bowler bowls an 'ok' spell. Give him a medal for turning this series around. This is the first pitch in the series that has offered any sort of assistance for the bowlers, and its not particularly surprising that Australia have looked a bit more threatening. This is the same thing we saw in England at Headingley. Look the fact of the matter is that unless theres a bit of juice in the pitch, your bowlers don't have the tools to take wickets consistently. Im going to ignore Johnson for now, because his performance has absolutely nothing to do with anything that's happened over the past 18 months.

Glad to see you're not bitter at Eng's worst day in about 10

 

[Woodster]

The tactics were obviously to beat up on Prior

I'm not sure why they were adopted when you consider that nearly a quarter of his innings end up with him being bowled and he looked pretty much all at sea to anything pitched up but, hey, it eventually worked

I think the Australians like Siddle because he can rough people up and, as I said, if we had more than a couple of reliable batsmen I'd be happily looking towards the next couple of tests

No not buying into that about Siddle. I think he is used as the bang it in bowler, but you have to have more about you than being able to hit the middle of a Perth track at decent pace. I think he does have more about him, but he hasn't showed it in the last couple of Tests.

Happily looking forward to the next couple of Tests ? My oh my, what a difference a good day makes hey ?

 

[tooextracool]

Not really bitter to be honest, Im actually quite excited that for the first time we actually have a contest. It was all starting to get boring. But its particularly frustrating when people make conclusions based on the result rather than the actual performance. Just because England scored 189 it doesnt mean they batted badly, and just because Australia dismissed them for 189 it doesnt mean that everyone bowled well.

 

[Burgey]

I think to suggest that Siddle was anything other than garbage yesterday would be doing him and the whole world a huge disservice. Even when he was trying to execute this plan of firing in short deliveries, he was able to get about 1/10 of them on target. Perhaps for the first time in the history of cricket he managed to bowl an entire over with 6 deliveries all down leg side without Prior even having to negotiate them. He got his wicket yes, but it was a case of God feeling a bit sorry for Siddle and giving him a bit of luck, nothing to do with Siddle's own prowess. Theres no way he better yesterday than he did at Brisbane or Adelaide.

Harris bowled ok, hes bowled ok all series. What a surprise, an 'ok' bowler bowls an 'ok' spell. Give him a medal for turning this series around. This is the first pitch in the series that has offered any sort of assistance for the bowlers, and its not particularly surprising that Australia have looked a bit more threatening. This is the same thing we saw in England at Headingley. Look the fact of the matter is that unless theres a bit of juice in the pitch, your bowlers don't have the tools to take wickets consistently. Im going to ignore Johnson for now, because his performance has absolutely nothing to do with anything that's happened over the past 18 months.

You ignore him at your peril, it would seem.

But it certainly came from nowhere.

 

[Burgey]

Not really bitter to be honest, Im actually quite excited that for the first time we actually have a contest. It was all starting to get boring. But its particularly frustrating when people make conclusions based on the result rather than the actual performance. Just because England scored 189 it doesnt mean they batted badly, and just because Australia dismissed them for 189 it doesnt mean that everyone bowled well.

Lol... An Englishman getting bored after dominating one and a half matches. Tbf, that constitutes an epoch for you I know.

Imagine how we felt from 89-03, and again in 06/07

 

[Pothas]

Lol... An Englishman getting bored after dominating one and a half matches. Tbf, that constitutes an epoch for you I know.

Imagine how we felt from 89-03, and again in 06/07

There is always something reassuring about a good old English collapse though.

I have loved the last couple of weeks but one always has to return to reality, rest of the series promises to be a real cracker though.

 

[Woodster]

Yes it looks game on now. A lead of 200 with seven wickets remaining, what do we expect England to be chasing, 350 ?

 

[howardj]

Rhinoceros Harris - you gun!

Big man

Big engine

 

[GIMH]

212

 

[Tom 1972]

I've got to say, when Johnson swings the ball like that, it is like he is channelling Wasim Akram. Just that Wasim did it for 19 years.

 

[GIMH]

Lol... An Englishman getting bored after dominating one and a half matches. Tbf, that constitutes an epoch for you I know.

Imagine how we felt from 89-03, and again in 06/07

Australian cricket fan talking about the good old days? Surely not?

Change the record old man, the only sport you're world leaders in now is Aussie Rules and that's because no other country is ******** enough to play it.

 

[howardj]

Ohhh our Pommy cousins lashing out~

They must be under the pump!

Yeeee-haaaarrrrr!

 

[GIMH]

Two questions.

Who holds the urn?
What's the score?

 

[Burgey]

There is always something reassuring about a good old English collapse though.

I have loved the last couple of weeks but one always has to return to reality, rest of the series promises to be a real cracker though.

It most assuredly should be. Mind you, Australia isn't unassailable yet. Bur I think if they get to lunch 4 or 5 down with a lead of nearly 300, they'll be close to it. And if Ponting declares or us left with two full days or more, then I don't care either tbh. He has to gamble. If England chase the runs down, they deserve to win.

 

[GIMH]

I need to go to bed. Think people might start mistaking my posts for actual serious ones, getting a bit cranky haha.

 

[howardj]

I need to go to bed. Think people might start mistaking my posts for actual serious ones, getting a bit cranky haha.

Just joking

You're good value.

It is game on though

Should be a beauty today.