***Official*** 2nd Test at Adelaide

[Starfighter]

That's disappointing. Pretty much how it's gone for England for three innings now.

 

[adub]

Considering Darsh survived six innings for 17 a few years back I doubt it. If you're in favour you're in, if you're out of favour (like Maxwell) you're not.

Is Handscomb a son of Swampy too?

(doesn't look like the *** when he makes a big score either)

 

[Burgey]

Good partnership that. Bit of ticker, which is unusual in an Englishman.

If England can roll Australia tonight for 30 they’re a 15% chance of winning the game.

 

[Starfighter]

Starc has bowled a lot better the last few overs attacking the sticks and so when the shorter one comes...

You'd almost think bowling well gets wickets. No doubt Warnie will attribute that wicket to the merciless attack on the body at some point later on.

 

[Gob]

Considering Darsh survived six innings for 17 a few years back I doubt it. If you're in favour you're in, if you're out of favour (like Maxwell) you're not.

Keep beating the dead horse

 

[adub]

Pitch it up Haze FFS

 

[stephen]

Starc is clearly going to get the most wickets in this innings too isn't he? Always seems to be our worst bowler and always seems to take the most poles.

 

[Starfighter]

Is Handscomb a son of Swampy too?

(doesn't look like the *** when he makes a big score either)

In this case more that Lehmann seems to dislike, or at least be dismissive of, Maxwell. Just brushed off his 278.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Next person to mention any country, it's players or pitches that are not involved in this series gets 20 infraction points

Not a very interesting series though is it? It is already virtually guaranteed to be another whitewash and the second test isn't even over!

 

[Daemon]

Excellent stuff from Australia. I hope this has taught Britain a lesson. Never build your country on the foundations of Colonialism.

 

[stephen]

Pitch it up Haze FFS

Hazlewood had been way below his best this series so far. I wonder if something has gotten in his head and he's trying too hard to bowl fast instead of with the control that he's had in the past.

 

[TheJediBrah]

In this case more that Lehmann seems to dislike, or at least be dismissive of, Maxwell. Just brushed off his 278.

Lehmann and Smith seem to have gotten together and decided that they don't want him in the team. It was so weird last season when Smith just refused to give Maxwell a bowl at any stage during the ODIs

 

[Second Spitter]

Hazlewood had been way below his best this series so far. I wonder if something has gotten in his head and he's trying too hard to bowl fast instead of with the control that he's had in the past.

The constant comparisons to McGrath don't help.

 

[adub]

You voted for Barnaby didn't you Haze.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Excellent stuff from Australia. I hope this has taught Britain a lesson. Never build your country on the foundations of Colonialism.

Britain? ''Britain'' are not even playing, and I fail to see the relevance of colonialism!

 

[Second Spitter]

c&b Starc is the new c Marsh b Lillee

 

[mr_mister]

Lehmann and Smith seem to have gotten together and decided that they don't want him in the team. It was so weird last season when Smith just refused to give Maxwell a bowl at any stage during the ODIs

I thought the same but Smith defended Maxwell pretty hard at a press conference before the Bangladesh tour. Scoffed at the idea of dropping him, saying he was probably one of the best players of spin in the side. Remember he was at the other when Maxwell made his century in his return to the test team. I think thats important to consider

 

[Motorwada]

Yeah OK I'll concede that there have been a few upsets to the general pattern over the last 4 years but for the most part it's held true.

In the last 4 years India has lost 1 home test, Australia has lost 2, New Zealand 3 and South Africa 4. Only England, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies have lost a significant portion of home tests and in England's case they have only lost one series - a two test series vs Sri Lanka where they literally were 1 wicket away from drawing the series.

Over the 4 years, the overall win% for teams is:

Aus: 55%
India: 50%
New Zealand: 50%
South Africa: 45%
Pakistan: 43%
Sri Lanka: 40%
England: 39%
Bangladesh: 26%
West Indies: 22%
Zimbabwe: 0%

Hardly looks like India are dominant over the cycle does it? Yes they have a better w/l ratio but that further proves my point. ALL teams in world cricket right now have strengths and weaknesses and it's difficult to actually say who is the best side because conditions seem to matter more than anything else right now.

This is again very selective stats. There are also things like drawn series and drawn matches which are better than lost matches. England have also DRAWN home series against Pak/NZ. India haven't.

Also here is also the loss %:

Aus: 31%
India: 20%
New Zealand: 22%
South Africa: 29%
Pakistan: 45%
Sri Lanka: 44%
England: 45%
Bangladesh: 52%
West Indies: 61%
Zimbabwe: 90%

This means Australia win more matches as a percentage but also lose a lot more as a percentage. India in their overseas cycle of 2013-14 were never whitewashed and drew matches. Australia were whitewashed in their last tours of the UAE and SL. Conditions might seem to matter but like I said India has total mastery in slow and low conditions (which is more than 50% of the cricketing world). None of the non-SC teams have total mastery of non-SC swinging/seaming conditions. You don't have this one team which keeps winning everything in Aus, SA, Eng, NZ but isn't that good in Asia (which is what India is the mirror of now). If there was a team like that then that hypothetical team could be compared to India. The same SL that is being disparaged has a better W/L record than England in the past 4 years.

 

[morgieb]

Hazlewood had been way below his best this series so far. I wonder if something has gotten in his head and he's trying too hard to bowl fast instead of with the control that he's had in the past.

Seems to struggle a lot against England. Might be the amount of left-handers they have? Also had less overs in him than Cummins and Starc.

But yeah, he doesn't seem to be pitching it up enough.

 

[jcas0167]

The constant comparisons to McGrath don't help.

I thought he was a dead ringer for McDermott.