***Official*** 3rd Test at the WACA

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Ian Bell:

"He is very polite, extremely enthusiastic and tells me that he is a particular fan of mine since he lives in my part of the world. He comes from Kent. He thinks I'm Geraint. Must make a bigger impression."

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

From CricInfo:

Rob Smyth, over on the Guardian site, spotted that he [Pietersen] had said in his book, “I see no way Shane [Warne] can bowl me round my legs”.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Harmison must be closing in on the worst ever figures for a series. 1@288, striking at 427

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I wouldn't mind seeing another one of those nightmare pitches...it's a change from the usual, and I don't mind seeing ridiculously bowling-friendly pitches here and there.

I think there's a point, where a pitch becomes dangerous or a genuine lottery, where it's gone a bit too far in favour of the bowling side to be worthwhile. It's like when a flat pitch becomes such a road that both teams score 600+ and the game is an obvious draw from stumps on day 2, like Antigua often is or a few of the wickets in Pakistan every now and then.

Nothing wrong with a greentop or a dustbowl every now and then. I think a repeat of the WACA in '97 would be a bit of a farce though.

 

[Darren]

I'm a big England fan and have watched every test since 2003 and for me Harmy has to be dropped because this is like the tour of south africa where he avaraged 74 and for me he is not going to come godd so don't wrap him up in cotton wool or he will be like gilespie in 2005. Though Flecther is so stupid he will play read but for some reason play giles I like giles personal but he is out of his depth. Strauss should be captain even though it may cause unrest it is to much for freddie to do great players don't make great captains ie. Botham.

This should be the side

Strauss. c
cook
bell
pietersen
colly
flintoff
read
mahmood
hoggard
pansar
anderson

 

[Darren]

I'm a big England fan and have watched every test since 2003 and for me Harmy has to be dropped because this is like the tour of south africa where he avaraged 74 and for me he is not going to come good so don't wrap him up in cotton wool or he will be like gilespie in 2005. Though Flecther is so stupid he will play read but for some reason play giles I like giles personal but he is out of his depth. Strauss should be captain even though it may cause unrest it is to much for freddie to do great players don't make great captains ie. Botham.

This should be the side

Strauss. c
cook
bell
pietersen
colly
flintoff
read
mahmood
hoggard
pansar
anderson

 

[aussie]

If he "isn't all that injured", he'd not be missing games through injury.

well on foxsports.com, the victorian coach was saying he didn't play in a recent domestic OD game because they were resting him just for precaution so that he won't aggravate his injury in case he was called up for the 3rd test. So really Hodge is going to be fit in time for the 3rd test.

 

[howardj]

Voges Got The Nod To Avoid Another Leftie!

 

[Josh]

From CricInfo:

Rob Smyth, over on the Guardian site, spotted that he [Pietersen] had said in his book, “I see no way Shane [Warne] can bowl me round my legs”.

Whoops.

 

[shortpitched713]

The variation in our pitches has always been one of the charms of Australian cricket.

TEC to jump in and berate the uniform flatness of Australian pitches in
5...
4..
3..

 

[GotSpin]

Voges Got The Nod To Avoid Another Leftie!

What a load of crap

 

[greg]

Originally Posted by howardj
Voges Got The Nod To Avoid Another Leftie!

What a load of crapWhat a load of crap

Yeah good to see that once (if?) the English selectors ever return to something nearing sanity, we'll still be able to look with admiration towards Australia What is it with selectors and crackpot theories? Making calls on team selection based on marginal things, whilst overlooking such standard questions as "who will make the most runs?" or "who will take the most wickets?"?

 

[Craig]

I wouldn't mind seeing another one of those nightmare pitches...it's a change from the usual, and I don't mind seeing ridiculously bowling-friendly pitches here and there.

Just a watch a Test match in New Zealand.

Hey you should because Test cricket played in New Zealand or by New Zealand is rareity in its self these days.

 

[Linda]

I struggle to believe they actually make the calls based on this stuff.. unless Im missing something. I tend to think they simply tell these things to the media to avoid saying "we're taking a gamble because we think we're going to murder them'.

 

[Laurrz]

the Fremantle Doctor is pretty important for a WACA test match.. just been reading on BBC... written by our very own JL

However the slow bowlers who have had some success are finger spinners.

They bowl into the sea breeze - known as the Fremantle Doctor - which blows strongly from the coast.

Finger spinners tend to be more accurate than wrist-spinners, so they can utilise the breeze and bouncier pitch more.

For fast bowlers not accustomed to the Fremantle Doctor, it can be very difficult to bowl into.

It can be so strong that it can make life difficult for home bowlers, but that is one of the intricacies of playing here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/6121246.stm

so who is the man to bowl into the Fremantle Doctor for both teams

Australia - Clark ?
England - Hoggard ?

i remember a couple of years ago Kaspa bowled into it very very well ... got a 5fer against the Paks i think

 

[Craig]

the Fremantle Doctor is pretty important for a WACA test match.. just been reading on BBC... written by our very own JL


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/6121246.stm

so who is the man to bowl into the Fremantle Doctor for both teams

Australia - Clark ?
England - Hoggard ?

i remember a couple of years ago Kaspa bowled into it very very well ... got a 5fer against the Paks i think

You would think so and it could suit both bowlers.

Although I don't know if it will go down to well if Ponting asks McGrath to bowl into the wind with Brett Lee with the tail wind on his back

 

[Laurrz]

You would think so and it could suit both bowlers.

Although I don't know if it will go down to well if Ponting asks McGrath to bowl into the wind with Brett Lee with the tail wind on his back

haha.. nah i think Pigeon is fine with that..didn't he bowl into the wind at Adelaide?

 

[greg]

the Fremantle Doctor is pretty important for a WACA test match.. just been reading on BBC... written by our very own JL


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/6121246.stm

so who is the man to bowl into the Fremantle Doctor for both teams

Australia - Clark ?
England - Hoggard ?

i remember a couple of years ago Kaspa bowled into it very very well ... got a 5fer against the Paks i think

I've made this rather obvious point before, not that the England selectors will let it get in the way of picking a stupid team, but if the spinners all bowl from one end then you don't need two of them

 

[Tomm NCCC]

Im going to have to change my sleeping habits now... Again. Why cant you just all play on the east side of Australia, or move the WACA WACA WACA! stadium to brisbane

 

[marc71178]

haha.. nah i think Pigeon is fine with that..didn't he bowl into the wind at Adelaide?

Didn't he also have his worst ever Test innings analysis at Adelaide?