Mainly because the pacemen (apart from Pattinson) look even less likely to do anything. Same as when we went 3/1 in the first test last year, nothing in pitch for the quicks so you either have to bowl exceptionally well or get some luck.
He's 6-overs-a-day fragile? Surely his body couldve handled another spell?
Agar could of been handy bowling into the rough outside the right hander's leg stump
The thing is Clarke doesn't want to play around with the 'could've'.
Agar's gone back home.
Yeah exactly. You have to build up to big work loads. Silly to smash him in the hope he stands up to it, but with the rick he'll break down again.
Wishful thinking.
At least one Shield game afaik. Not sure how much more than that.
He played a game for Victoria in which he was only allowed to bowl 12 overs a day - and he did exactly that, 12 overs in each innings. Then he went to India and bowled 9 overs in a tour game, had the second tour game off, and this is this third game back. Coming into this game he'd bowled 33 overs since his injury.
That's all well and good if you have a Monty Panesar who averages a touch over 30 in FC and 32 in Test cricket in your squad. We have a guy averaging a touch under 45 in FC and 102 in Test cricket. Add in the fact our best spinner not doing much then I would say the second spinner would do little to help our cause. Bird should have been playing and if we had picked SOK then the second spinner option wouldn't have looked as bad.
I think he was bowling to a plan tbh. Around the wicket for that long isn't something done on a whim. No doubt they'll reassess it over night. India has hardly got away from them.
Our lineup is pathetic though... after this pair, only Ashwin's a good batsman imo. I have zero confidence in Dhoni and Jadeja. These two need to bat on for a while longer to take us to a decent position... 200 is a lot to be trailing by
You'd expect that when the runs are coming from the three best players though.
