***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[Briony]

It's his first series as skipper and it is very difficult to take wickets on this pitch, give him a break.

Yet he apparently saved the day with his innings. You can't have it both ways.

I've watched this whole series btw. Saw Clarke's 6 off 44 balls in the first dig and his other failures. He jagged a 60 early doors but it's his first ton for eighteen months.

Australia has looked quite good too, which is why there would be no harm in showing some aggression and trying to induce some panic in the SL dressingroom.

 

[benchmark00]

Yet he apparently saved the day with his innings. You can't have it both ways.

I've watched this whole series btw. Saw Clarke's 6 off 44 balls in the first dig and his other failures. He jagged a 60 early doors but it's his first ton for eighteen months.

Australia has looked quite good too, which is why there would be no harm in showing some aggression and trying to induce some panic in the SL dressingroom.

So we're just going to gloss over that aggressive 60 odd he made on an absolute minefield?

cool.

 

[Spikey]

So we're just going to gloss over that aggressive 60 odd he made on an absolute minefield?

cool.

yeah clarke's + hughes' knocks in that innings seem to have been forgotten but they were pretty important, considering we were 2/5....

 

[Briony]

Steve Waugh 'hid' down the order much of his career.

Which is why most don't talk about in the same breath as the likes of Greg Chappell or , Ricky Ponting despite his great record.

Like the way you put people on ignore if you don't agree with them.

It seems the Michael Clarke appreciation society is up and running.

 

[morgieb]

Series Ratings, anyone?

Watson 6.5 - bowled very well, but didn't bat as good as he should've.
Hughes 6 - saved the 3rd test, but was not very good otherwise.
Marsh 8.5 - the next big thing? Played great despite a dodgy referral in the last test.
Ponting 5 - looked in nick, but was too prone to throwing his wicket away. Might come under the pump later on in the year.
Clarke 7 - generally played pretty well, but like others, threw his wicket away too many times.
Hussey 10 - simply immense.
Haddin 4 - time to drop him for Paine? Probably not, but his form is concerning.
Johnson 4 - was relatively out of nick for most of the series, although was looking mediocre rather than awful.
Copeland 5.5 - looks more McDonald than McGrath at this stage, so the jury is still out. Still bowled reasonable.
Siddle 7 - bowled good in his only appearance. But he didn't have a chance to have a shocker that he usually does.
Harris 9 - man we've got to find a way to keep his mileage from exploding. Our answer to Zaheer.
Lyon 8 - played great for his debut series, but there are some concerns about his 2nd innings bowling.

 

[uvelocity]

Like the way you put people on ignore if you don't agree with them.

where's that button???? nah you're just trolling but it's a pretty agricultural effort.

 

[Briony]

So we're just going to gloss over that aggressive 60 odd he made on an absolute minefield?

cool.

It was noted. He batted well but sometimes when you take risks they come off. If you hang around on a pitch where it's likely a jaffa will come around, you won't make many. The fact is though, Clarke has been found wanting a lot in difficult situations over the years. The Ashes proved disappointing for him. He struggled in England against Pakistan. Even in 2009, he hardly troubled the scorers in the critical Oval test yet made runs in the ones we lost in a case of too little too late. He hasn't had too many great moments undre pressure over the years. His last twin series against the Saffers wasn't too flash from memory either. A guy who's highly rated batting down at #5 should be prolific.

 

[benchmark00]

Series Ratings, anyone?

Spikey - 4
Prince EWS - 3
morgieb - 3
Jono - -24
Burgey - 5
Spark - 5
benchmark00 - 9.8
Xuhaib - 4
adub - 5
Nnanden - 4
Jayzamann - 5
robelinda - 2
Top_Cat - 5

 

[uvelocity]

Series Ratings, anyone?

Marsh 9.5 - debut series (I know only 2 tests) averaging 80 and saving our asses
Clarke 8 - great captaincy plus 2 very important knocks
Copeland 7 - bowled with discipline and unlucky in the wickets column

 

[benchmark00]

It was noted. He batted well but sometimes when you take risks they come off. If you hang around on a pitch where it's likely a jaffa will come around, you won't make many. The fact is though, Clarke has been found wanting a lot in difficult situations over the years. The Ashes proved disappointing for him. He struggled in England against Pakistan. Even in 2009, he hardly troubled the scorers in the critical Oval test yet made runs in the ones we lost in a case of too little too late. He hasn't had too many great moments undre pressure over the years. His last twin series against the Saffers wasn't too flash from memory either. A guy who's highly rated batting down at #5 should be prolific.

Now I know you must be tr0llin'.

 

[Spikey]

Series Ratings, anyone?

Watson Bat: 4 Ball: 8 = 6
Hughes 6.5
Marsh 8.5
Ponting 5
Clarke 7
Hussey 10
Haddin 5
Johnson 4
Copeland 5.5
Siddle 6.5
Harris 9
Lyon 7.

Watson maybe a bit high with the ball, but his spell won us the first match, with respect to Lyon. Ponting and Haddin got bumped up a bit because they were pretty good in the field.

 

[SamSawnoff]

Series Ratings, anyone?

Watson 6.5 - bowled very well, but didn't bat as good as he should've.
Hughes 6 - saved the 3rd test, but was not very good otherwise.
Marsh 8.5 - the next big thing? Played great despite a dodgy referral in the last test.
Ponting 5 - looked in nick, but was too prone to throwing his wicket away. Might come under the pump later on in the year.
Clarke 7 - generally played pretty well, but like others, threw his wicket away too many times.
Hussey 10 - simply immense.
Haddin 4 - time to drop him for Paine? Probably not, but his form is concerning.
Johnson 4 - was relatively out of nick for most of the series, although was looking mediocre rather than awful.
Copeland 5.5 - looks more McDonald than McGrath at this stage, so the jury is still out. Still bowled reasonable.
Siddle 7 - bowled good in his only appearance. But he didn't have a chance to have a shocker that he usually does.
Harris 9 - man we've got to find a way to keep his mileage from exploding. Our answer to Zaheer.
Lyon 8 - played great for his debut series, but there are some concerns about his 2nd innings bowling.

I'd take .5 off Marsh for not giving the 3rd ump a chance to do something dodgy with a referral.

Harris 9 - his hammies - 6.

Actually Shaun Marsh's hammies can have an 8 as well. They are made of glass after all.

 

[Spikey]

Spikey - 4
Prince EWS - 3
morgieb - 3
Jono - -24
Burgey - 5
Spark - 5
benchmark00 - 9.8
Xuhaib - 4
adub - 5
Nnanden - 4
Jayzamann - 5
robelinda - 2
Top_Cat - 5

bitch i will kill you

 

[Son Of Coco]

Spikey - 4
Prince EWS - 3
morgieb - 3
Jono - -24
Burgey - 5
Spark - 5
benchmark00 - 9.8
Xuhaib - 4
adub - 5
Nnanden - 4
Jayzamann - 5
robelinda - 2
Top_Cat - 5
Son of Coco - 10

Awww, thanks mate! Am a bit emotional after that to be honest

 

[Spark]

It was noted. He batted well but sometimes when you take risks they come off. If you hang around on a pitch where it's likely a jaffa will come around, you won't make many. The fact is though, Clarke has been found wanting a lot in difficult situations over the years. The Ashes proved disappointing for him. He struggled in England against Pakistan. Even in 2009, he hardly troubled the scorers in the critical Oval test yet made runs in the ones we lost in a case of too little too late. He hasn't had too many great moments undre pressure over the years. His last twin series against the Saffers wasn't too flash from memory either. A guy who's highly rated batting down at #5 should be prolific.

Errrr he was by far our best batsman and probably the best batsman on either side in the home SA series. Revisionism = not cool.

Don't even know where to begin with the 09 stuff, apart to say that you're on the moon if you think Clarke could've done anything about his dismissal in the Oval 2nd dig.

But not to worry, because as you say a guy batting down at #5 should be prolific. And Clarke's record at #5 is one of the best of anyone who's spent a decent amount of time there.

Love how two failures in four knocks in difficult batting conditions against a world class attack is a massive black mark, btw.

 

[Briony]

Marsh 9.5 - debut series (I know only 2 tests) averaging 88 and saving our asses
Clarke 8 - great captaincy plus 2 very important knocks
Copeland 7 - bowled with discipline and unlucky in the wickets column

Not sure about saving our arses as enough others have made runs this test on the highway to put us out of danger. We owed a lot to Hussey in the second test too. A very good effort in a debut series but would probably reduce the rating to eight given how cod ordinary the Sri Lankan attack is.

Lyon is a difficult one to rate as is five-fer was a big factor in the first test win but he's struggled since.

 

[benchmark00]

Awww, thanks mate! Am a bit emotional after that to be honest

Must've posted during my week off

 

[Spikey]

OD series: win
Test series: win
T20 series: loss

oh hai cameron white...or should i say cameron whitewash




thank you thank you very much

 

[benchmark00]

Need to ban Victorians.

 

[Briony]

Errrr he was by far our best batsman and probably the best batsman on either side in the home SA series. Revisionism = not cool.

Don't even know where to begin with the 09 stuff, apart to say that you're on the moon if you think Clarke could've done anything about his dismissal in the Oval 2nd dig.

But not to worry, because as you say a guy batting down at #5 should be prolific. And Clarke's record at #5 is one of the best of anyone who's spent a decent amount of time there.

Love how two failures in four knocks in difficult batting conditions against a world class attack is a massive black mark, btw.

Would have thought maybe Smith. From memory his one failure was the broken hand innings. As an opener that is significant. Clarke was dropped twice, early by Ntini and then Amla just before stumps during his dead rubber ton.