Very even tussle in Battle 3, with
Martyn (6) the standout and
Warne's (4) comedy 99 just scraping past Watson's comedy leave (3) and Clarke's failure to read Harmy's slower ball bringing up the rear on 2. Much more clear-cut with
Bell achieving an impressive cleansweep with a pair of 7s and no votes for the others.
---
Battle 5
Two awful shots, one inexplicable piece of absent-mindedness and one that can only be described as odd.
David Gower, Aus vs Eng,
4th Test 1991 @ Adelaide, 1st innings. It's really hard to know what to say about this one that isn't said by flicking one in the air to an obvious deep legside trap just before a break.
Andrew Strauss, Eng vs SL,
1st Test 2012 @ Galle, 2nd innings. Was a real shock to see Strauss waltz down the track and swipe wildly across the line at one in a 4th innings chase.
Peter Fulton, NZ vs Pak,
1st Test 2009 @ Dunedin, 2nd innings. Sometimes "refer it" is a joke, sometimes it becomes very good advice - which only makes it more astonishing that it wasn't followed.
Kevin Pietersen, Eng vs WI,
3rd Test 2007 @ Old Trafford, 2nd innings. Getting out hit wicket off your helmet is different, I'll give him that.
---
Battle 6
Another double here, though I daresay that Mussey's competition is rather strong.
Mike Hussey, Aus vs Eng,
3rd Test 2009 @ Edgbaston, 1st innings. As with Watson's above, leaving your first nut is good - but not when it pitches middle, hits off.
Mike Hussey, Aus vs SA,
1st Test 2011 @ Cape Town, 2nd innings. Given that we were sitting on a massive lead and the guy at the other end was fresh off one of the most insane hundreds in living memory, one wonders what could've been had Hussey not done this straight after tea.
Shane Thompson, NZ vs SA,
3rd Test 1995 @ Cape Town, 2nd innings. It is one of the basics of cricket to get your back foot behind the line - so if you're run out from silly point because you were too busy holding the pose, that's pretty dumb.
Rangana Herath, Eng vs SL,
1st Test 2011 @ Cardiff, 2nd innings. When your wild country mow is the standout dismissal in a ridiculous collapse in a previously dead game, you know you've ****ed up.
---
This one and the next two may run for a bit longer than usual since I'll be at the Sydney Test for days 1+2, but I'll try to roll it over in good time. Two from each.