KP is the best player of spin i've ever seen. But you know it's not his great technique - it's his bravery to hit them out of the attack. He takes huge risks and it doesn't always pay off - but when it does, he reaps the benefits of the bowler having to bowl unthreatening deliveries for the rest of the innings in fear of getting hit out of the ground. He's one of those players when a spinner comes on you close your eyes and just hope it only goes for 4. Warne was bowling rubbish to him, as I thought he bowled the whole Brisbane test. He is out of form....he appears to be bowling different (although his action changes every season) - or maybe it's just the platsic surgery he has so obviously had. KP forces him to bowl outside of his strengths, which is an absolute credit to him. He is bowling way too full at the moment and needs to sort it out. KP is my second favourite batsmen outside of Afridi, which i'm not afraid to say being an aussie....but maybe that's only because he isn't actually english.
Stuey Clark made the interesting comment that it seemed to be a 2nd day pitch ie. that's as flat as it will get...it's only down hill from here, which aint good for the aussies. But the stupid move to play Anderson leaves the door wide open. 260 odd in a day isn't commanding at all. They're gonna have to bat all of tomorrow to get the 600 required to to win this match. With a bit of rain about and a strong aussie batting line up some serious brain freezes are going to be required for this to be anything but a draw. The poms were playing like they had a lot to lose today...which is a long way from the attitude they had at edgbaston.
Speaking of Stuey Clark.....I get the feeling this guy is actually starting to believe the hype. He shouldn't be bagging Punter for under bowling him even if he was painfully underused. I know it must've been frustrating when the likes of Tait and Johnson, and even Lee were being talked about and he wasn't, you should really avoid team critisism like the plague.
That Binga has to go....he was the difference today between them being bowled out by tea and finishing up where they did. He is like a pressure release valve...and for some reason Punter always turns to him. We were bowling superbly on a very flat track - then Lee comes in and gets rid of any pressure that was applied. He either takes wickets with the new ball, which is becoming a rarity, or gets batsmen out trying to hit him for consecutive fours. He doesn't swing the ball, get appreciable bounce or get anythign off the seam if there aren't massive cracks - in this day and age 90mph+ bowling isn't enough to get wickets.
