***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[SamSawnoff]

Stuck to it though. Haven't lost discipline and gone for shed loads of runs at least.

The bowling is pretty encouraging really. Both batsmen (not Haddin obviously, he's beyond salvation) and bowlers have to learn discipline when the games aren't going their way, it's what's been lacking for ages.

Sheet, just before the new ball.

 

[uvelocity]

this bad light ****e is a joke

 

[adub]

Don't know what the complaints are about. We know this is a great track to bat on and yet we rolled em for 170 on the first day. We're miles ahead of where we should be in the game, and we break this partnership we could easily run through them and give ourselves a shot at the win. Mahela and Sanga don't fail to make at least a couple of big scores in a home series so it's hardly the end of the world that they haven't collapsed and gifted us another win yet. Just need to hang tight and keep them working hard for their runs. If they don't crack then fair play to them.

 

[Spark]

Very late, after Day 1 Melbourne, this is a walk in the Park. We are probably not going to lose the match after all and these two have eaten better attacks than this for lunch at home.

Lyon is doing ok, he has created chances.

I meant frustrating in that things simply aren't going our way at all. I can't really fault the effort we're putting in, the results simply aren't coming. Hence frustrating more than depressing.

 

[Ruckus]

I meant frustrating in that things simply aren't going our way at all. I can't really fault the effort we're putting in, the results simply aren't coming. Hence frustrating more than depressing.

Can't do much when the pitch is a road.

 

[SamSawnoff]

I meant frustrating in that things simply aren't going our way at all. I can't really fault the effort we're putting in, the results simply aren't coming. Hence frustrating more than depressing.

Yeah, fair enough, but if they keep showing this level of concentration and discipline, they will get luckier all the time.

Anyway Huss getting two batsmen out in one match has probably used up our luck for the match.

 

[uvelocity]

I was just thinking what happens in the 82nd over tomorrow when we need another 14 runs to win and the umps come out with their dodgy light meters?

 

[Spikey]

They'll test the light and depending on what the light meter reads play will either stop until light gets better or play will go on unless light gets worse in the subsequent overs

 

[SamSawnoff]

I was just thinking what happens in the 82nd over tomorrow when we need another 14 runs to win and the umps come out with their dodgy light meters?

They've been so hot on the light in this match, it very well could happen.

 

[uvelocity]

They'll test the light and depending on what the light meter reads play will either stop until light gets better or play will go on unless light gets worse in the subsequent overs

I hope we get to find out. Will be exciting if it happens.

 

[Nate]

Copeland's miserly bowling is a good foil to a bowling line-up with attacking bowlers but unfortunately we don't have any apart from Harris so basically his inability to contribute in terms of wickets is only adding to the burden of this bowling attack.

Go watch a 20/20. What a joke.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Hussey now averages 26.75 as a test bowler. I love that so much.

Worst bowler to average below 30 after 60+ tests?

 

[Cevno]

Hussey now averages 26.75 as a test bowler. I love that so much.

Worst bowler to average below 30 after 60+ tests?

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...ualval1=matches;template=results;type=bowling

 

[The Battlers Prince]

pitch isn't a total road, a few deliveries from lyon kept low and spun, we've got the chance to do it we'll see how good we are for relative newcomers in the side, then get on to the next test and get rid of hughes

 

[Howe_zat]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...ualval1=matches;template=results;type=bowling

Kirmani my favourite there.

 

[Cevno]

Didn't know Boucher had a test wicket either.

 

[pup11]

Unless Harris tears it up with the new ball tomorrow morning our chances of securing a win are all but gone, also would like to see Clarke show a bit more patience with his bowlers tomorrow rather than juggling around with them in short spells.

Also did anyone else notice that the ball was perfectly prepared for reverse swing yet none of our quicks managed to reverse it.

 

[uvelocity]

Also did anyone else notice that the ball was perfectly prepared for reverse swing yet none of our quicks managed to reverse it.

It's a strange science though, isn't it. Watto quite obviously is a good exponent of reverse, so I can't say why it didn't swing

 

[Riggins]

Hussey got it reversing to be honest.

Give him the new ball!

 

[pup11]

Go watch a 20/20. What a joke.

What has T20 got to do with this..!? All I'm saying is Copeland is an accurate seamer who depends on help from the conditions to create his chances, during the first hour of the test he was using the freshness of the pitch beautifully and was moving the ball both ways but beyond that point he has hardly looked like picking a wicket and that hardly is a great thing for an attack that is also carrying a mercurial bowler like Johnson.

I think there is some sort of a myth that since the Australian attack leaks way too many runs hence we need people who can block an end allowing other bowlers to attack, but that argument doesn't take into account that we have been leaking runs as an attack due to our inability to take wickets at a consistent rate and I don't think we have done enough to correct that problem.