***Official*** India in Australia 2014-5

[Blocky]

Sucks to be Smarsh. Left hander with those footmarks against a bowler who can hit them.

 

[Spark]

good to see ashwin picking up a few poles, btw. deserves them for being the one competent bowler in his side.

 

[Antihippy]

That's such a soft dismissal.

 

[Burgey]

Lol Marsh

 

[Riggins]

Is Raina just in the team for his slips catching? Fair enough if so.

 

[Spark]

Is Raina just in the team for his slips catching? Fair enough if so.

and fake throws

 

[cnerd123]

Doubt Aus will declare.

Expecting a 5th ton for Smith.

 

[Dan]

good to see ashwin picking up a few poles, btw. deserves them for being the one competent bowler in his side.

Yeah I do like Ashwin. Don't really rate his bowling overseas, but man he's a great character to have around the international scene.

Give Burns a nice not out here, Smitteh. Gotta get his stats up

 

[Swingpanzee]

Is Raina just in the team for his slips catching? Fair enough if so.

Reckon he was in for the fake throw. Even better if so.

 

[Tangles]

Ashwin just went up a notch for that. Getting Darsh early and at slip is always amusing.

 

[Spark]

Yeah I do like Ashwin. Don't really rate his bowling overseas, but man he's a great character to have around the international scene.

Give Burns a nice not out here, Smitteh. Gotta get his stats up

nah he's been alright here, as good as you can reasonably expect from a visiting finger-spinner. it's worth noting that he hasn't had many of the donations which result from having any pressure built up from the other end.

 

[Blocky]

Other issue being that he was so, so good in ODIs that he'd never have lived up to expectations if he played Tests again.

Thoughts on Ian Harvey? Let's see how much we agree when it comes to rating fringe Australian players from the mid-90s

Bits and pieces player who was very canny with the ball, I don't rate him that much but I think he influenced a lot of players with the tonne of variations he had during the middle and end stages. Didn't he end up being quite a good T20 player even late on in his career? I would never have him anywhere near the test side.

 

[Dan]

No way should they declare tonight. 240 in front, 35 minutes to go means they have to declare in, what, 20 minutes to get 2 overs? You'd be setting 260 on a pitch that's still not doing much unless you're Ashwin.

Madness.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Doubt Aus will declare.

Expecting a 5th ton for Smith.

No need to declare they need to go berserk and score as quickly as possible. Will lose all wickets if so but the faster they get a 350ish target within a set time the better.

 

[Dan]

nah he's been alright here, as good as you can reasonably expect from a visiting finger-spinner. it's worth noting that he hasn't had many of the donations which result from having any pressure built up from the other end.

Yeah he has bowled pretty well. He seems to be using his flight a bit more, realising he's less likely to beat guys off the deck in the first innings especially.

Didn't expect him to do anything, really, but I'm not unhappy that I've been proven wrong. Ashwin WAFG.

 

[Swingpanzee]

No way should they declare tonight. 240 in front, 35 minutes to go means they have to declare in, what, 20 minutes to get 2 overs? You'd be setting 260 on a pitch that's still not doing much unless you're Ashwin.

Madness.

That too it's only doing much if you're a southpaw facing an offspinner (sucks for me but oh well). Smith gonna be a factor as bowler too.

 

[Dan]

Bits and pieces player who was very canny with the ball, I don't rate him that much but I think he influenced a lot of players with the tonne of variations he had during the middle and end stages. Didn't he end up being quite a good T20 player even late on in his career? I would never have him anywhere near the test side.

I'm biased, but surely he could have snagged a random dead-rubber Ashes Test in England somewhere. Would have been great on a real greentop as a fourth seamer/#8 batsman alongside McGrath/Gillespie/whoever. That role Andrew McDonald played in the 2008/09 South Africa tour.

Alas, Warne.

 

[dermo]

Yeah we need to see him do well against South Africa or someone.

this guy gets it

 

[Blocky]

I'm biased, but surely he could have snagged a random dead-rubber Ashes Test in England somewhere. Would have been great on a real greentop as a fourth seamer/#8 batsman alongside McGrath/Gillespie/whoever. That role Andrew McDonald played in the 2008/09 South Africa tour.

Alas, Warne.

Yeah, some selections like John Hastings, Tom Moody, McDonald or Brendon Julian (different eras, granted) make no sense to me at test level considering Australia have generally always had someone in the top order capable of giving reasonable overs ( Steve and Mark Waugh, Greg Blewett, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Katich etcetera)

 

[Blocky]

I don't think Smith has the balls to declare for anything less than 350-375. I don't think he should either.