***Official*** Australia in India 2017

[honestbharani]

I don't know about this tbh. Rahane never really looked comfortable against O'Keefe or Lyon, and Saha simply didn't look up to it in these conditions.

Maybe they would have managed to eke out the sort of 20-odd scores needed to avert a total collapse which is what the Aus batsmen did really well and allowed them to construct a manageable sort of total bit by bit, but that's the most you could say.

Rahane always looks iffy starting off against spin but once he is in, he can score runs and get them quickly as he has often shown in the past and Ashwin is good for a few in partnerships. I think he definitely took a 100 off India's total in these conditions. Its also the psychological impact of dropped catches. You just need to see Smith's innings to know how big it can be.


FWIW, I still rate Cook's efforts in 2012 as much better visitor batsmen innings in Indian conditions than Smith's. Having 6 lives kinda takes away a lot for an innings of a 100 odd but his mental strength, ability to basically change the way he bats based on the conditions, and amazing fitness and running between the wickets were eye openers for many batsmen, from any team, on how you can eke out runs on tough wickets.

 

[adub]

The multitude of chances does take away from TPC's ton (hat tip to Burgey), but the real issue wasn't the runs he scored this test. The problem is you've now got him in form and performing in these conditions. The dude's gonna rack up the scores from now on.

 

[Daemon]

He scored 109-6, still better than what India did in either go

 

[adub]

So, CotP then

Post nominals works fine.

Sir Stephen Norman John O'Keefe CotP BTW

 

[adub]

Marquis Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath 4th Earl of Rotund CotP

 

[honestbharani]

The multitude of chances does take away from TPC's ton (hat tip to Burgey), but the real issue wasn't the runs he scored this test. The problem is you've now got him in form and performing in these conditions. The dude's gonna rack up the scores from now on.

He scored 109-6, still better than what India did in either go

You guys should read better.. I just said I still rate Cook's efforts better. Does not mean I am saying his knock was bad coz of the chances. Just that as great a knock as his was, Cooks' efforts are better in my book and the chances Smith had play a part in that. Smith still played a great knock. Its like Sachin's knock against Pak in the 2011 WC semi. Crucial for the importance and impact, but a lil iffy on the quality front compared to even other great efforts of the same batsmen.

 

[adub]

You guys should read better.. I just said I still rate Cook's efforts better. Does not mean I am saying his knock was bad coz of the chances. Just that as great a knock as his was, Cooks' efforts are better in my book and the chances Smith had play a part in that. Smith still played a great knock. Its like Sachin's knock against Pak in the 2011 WC semi. Crucial for the importance and impact, but a lil iffy on the quality front compared to even other great efforts of the same batsmen.

Maybe you should read better. I wasn't arguing with you.

 

[honestbharani]

Maybe you should read better. I wasn't arguing with you.

oops. sorry. read does as doesn't for some reason. I shud take a nap.

 

[TheJediBrah]

You guys should read better.. I just said I still rate Cook's efforts better. Does not mean I am saying his knock was bad coz of the chances. Just that as great a knock as his was, Cooks' efforts are better in my book and the chances Smith had play a part in that. Smith still played a great knock. Its like Sachin's knock against Pak in the 2011 WC semi. Crucial for the importance and impact, but a lil iffy on the quality front compared to even other great efforts of the same batsmen.

Why do you always have to say something like this? Ruins all your posts

 

[Adders]

.

 

[Debris]

Disgraceful or not, it happens in nearly every test-playing country. Otherwise why would it be a challenge to go and play in India? If they prepared pitches that were considered 'good' by Australians?

Doctoring pitches is something that does not really happen in Australia. Groundsman in Australia tend to want to keep the characteristics that the ground is known for and you should know before even arriving in Australia what conditions you will get at each ground.

Brisbane - seaming wicket
Perth - Fast and bouncy
Sydney - turning wicket
Hobart - batting paradise
Adelaide - great batting surface that deteriorates in the last day and half
Melbourne - It used to be the pitch known for variable bounce but the character has kind of changed with drop-in pitches. It is mostly a fast bowler's wicket these days.

I really think groundsmen should be encouraged to do this at all test grounds. I also think the practice (particularly on the sub-continent) of preparing a pitch to captain's orders does a side no favours in the long term and I think is a big factor in why sub-continental sides are terrible away.

 

[bigmitch]

Again in regards to this thing about the aussies playing for the line not the spin...why then was no batsman from either side (from memory) comprehensively bowled through the gate due to extra spin + playing the wrong line? something to do with the wicket also? just curious

 

[TheJediBrah]

Again in regards to this thing about the aussies playing for the line not the spin...why then was no batsman from either side (from memory) comprehensively bowled through the gate due to extra spin + playing the wrong line? something to do with the wicket also? just curious

Because when you miss the ball on the inside of the bat there's a body there that gets in the way

 

[bigmitch]

Because when you miss the ball on the inside of the bat there's a body there that gets in the way

Yea but someone like Mitch Marsh looks like he could fit a semi trailer through the gap between bat and pad sometimes, let alone a ball that turns just enough from the no 1 ranked test bowler

 

[Spark]

Because when you miss the ball on the inside of the bat there's a body there that gets in the way

Right. Batting 101, at least make the umpire make a decision rather than just staring gormlessly at your own broken stumps because you've left them unprotected.

 

[bigmitch]

Got it now

 

[artvandalay]

Indians have had a tendency of giving memorable debuts to new bowlers, it's something visiting sides should try to use if they lack good spinners whenever they tour here.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Indians have had a tendency of giving memorable debuts to new bowlers, it's something visiting sides should try to use if they lack good spinners whenever they tour here.

Quality

 

[honestbharani]

Thinking about it now, while I still expect Australia to nail the series, surely this game was a bit of a lightning in the bottle moment for them. I know they were getting beaten intentionally when it turned but there were so many times when they were beaten by a matter of millimetres and so many balls that passed through everything but were just a few inches away from or over the stumps when we bowled. And almost all the umpiring errors went their way too, although the real blame is with the way we used DRS, but still, you expect a guy that the comms kept bigging up as the #1 umpire in the world to do better than he did during that 3rd inning.


Still think we are losing big time here though, unless something dramatic happens at Bangalore.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Thinking about it now, while I still expect Australia to nail the series, surely this game was a bit of a lightning in the bottle moment for them. I know they were getting beaten intentionally when it turned but there were so many times when they were beaten by a matter of millimetres and so many balls that passed through everything but were just a few inches away from or over the stumps when we bowled. And almost all the umpiring errors went their way too, although the real blame is with the way we used DRS, but still, you expect a guy that the comms kept bigging up as the #1 umpire in the world to do better than he did during that 3rd inning.


Still think we are losing big time here though, unless something dramatic happens at Bangalore.

Anyone who tells you luck doesn't decide matches in cricket is lying. I'm not saying Australia won purely because of luck, but I'm sure a lot more went their way and they probably weren't as much better than India as 333 runs suggests.

One of the eye-opening examples of this for me was in the last Ashes, think it was Trent Bridge. Australia were all out for 60 in the first innings, then in the second innings they got to 0-60 and everyone was going on about how much better they were playing. Having watched both innings I can tell you that was mostly bull****. In the first innings there wasn't a single play and miss until Australia were like 8-down. Every time the batsman was beaten the ball found the edge and went to a slip fielder. And in the second innings Warner and Rogers played and missed literally over a dozen times but the ball just never found the edge.

That's an extreme example but I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happened here, ie. O'Keefe kept getting the edges going to fielders whereas Jadeja just kept ripping it past. Luck can play a huge role, even if it should even out in the long run.