**Official** 4th Test at Melbourne, 26-30 Dec 2024

[Starfighter]

and starc just bowled rubbish.

It's those sort of performances why people continue to criticise him - with reason. When he's having a bad spell it's like he's playing for the opposition.

 

[Spark]

Tests we've blown since Sandpapergate:

* Leeds 2019
* Sydney 2021
* Brisbane 2021
* Karachi 2022
* Delhi 2023
* Leeds 2023
* Brisbane 2024

and now quite probably this Test.

How many Tests can you say we've won when hopes were looking glum? Edgbaston 2023 perhaps but even then I don't think hopes were as grim for us as things were for the opposition in those Tests. I suppose Melbourne last year was a 50/50 we won in tight circumstances, but not quite the same thing (and we were hot favourites in that Test). Also perhaps Adelaide 2020 you could say things weren't looking great, but it wasn't quite the level of advantage lost that some of the other ones were.

And maybe we could defend 250, but I don't have much faith unless Starc or Cummins goes full super saiyan.

2nd Test against NZ this year definitely counts, and Brisbane this year definitely doesn't

 

[honestbharani]

"flat wicket". See why salty does not watch cricket and is only here because for some reason, its satisfying for him when India does badly?

 

[stephen]

Jimmy Peirson is the hero we need at 7

Or Neser

 

[morgieb]

The uneven bounce has definitely become more pronounced and it feels like ball is still moving at the 37th over. It's hard to compare with India's innings because Cummins was overpitching a ton early and starc just bowled rubbish.

Yeah I think that's a fair point. India 1st innings were getting the ball to talk a bit too, but then Konstas put them back in the shells. And while I think Australia bowled fine with the old ball, they didn't use the new ball as well as they should've. Now India have found a way to use the new ball and....

 

[Spark]

Yeah I think that's a fair point. India 1st innings were getting the ball to talk a bit too, but then Konstas put them back in the shells. And while I think Australia bowled fine with the old ball, they didn't use the new ball as well as they should've. Now India have found a way to use the new ball and....

This ball ain't new any more

 

[Kirkut]

I like Kohli being the proxy captain here. Looks like his old self again with all the exuberance.

 

[mr_mister]

Marsh must go

 

[Daemon]

This is actually 50-50 atm. Can hardly believe it given where they were early yesterday.

India won’t be comfortable chasing 200+, let alone 300 if Australia can stitch something together.

Facing Boland in these conditions will be a nightmare.

 

[honestbharani]

And surely, shielding Cummins from Bumrah is not the best play, I understand Boom is on a roll and all but strangely defensive for a home team no? And Australia have a healthy lead and well ahead of the game even now.

 

[morgieb]

How is the Brisbane test blown? It was just rain.

Referring to the Shamar Joseph Test. Probably should've clarified!

In fairness, that was a lethal spell of bowling, but still Australia needed 80 runs with 8 wickets in hand before he went bang.

 

[silentstriker]

This is actually 50-50 atm. Can hardly believe it given where they were early yesterday.

Draw is way down but India are favorites on the betting sites atm. Not massively but it’s not close either.

 

[Skyliner]

You expect the odd one to keep low on Day 4, more so on Day 5. Surely a straight bat and ensuring there is no gap between bat and pad are fundamentals. Your technique should be adequate for the challenge of test cricket. This constant scrutiny of the pitch does not happen when Australia are piling on runs, as that is seen as ‘the norm’. You never hear ‘gee this pitch is flat as a pancake’ when Smith or Head are compiling a big first innings hundred.

 

[Starfighter]

Tests we've blown since Sandpapergate:

* Leeds 2019
* Sydney 2021
* Brisbane 2021
* Karachi 2022
* Delhi 2023
* Leeds 2023
* Brisbane 2024

and now quite probably this Test.

How many Tests can you say we've won when hopes were looking glum? Edgbaston 2023 perhaps but even then I don't think hopes were as grim for us as things were for the opposition in those Tests. I suppose Melbourne last year was a 50/50 we won in tight circumstances, but not quite the same thing (and we were hot favourites in that Test). Also perhaps Adelaide 2020 you could say things weren't looking great, but it wasn't quite the level of advantage lost that some of the other ones were.

And maybe we could defend 250, but I don't have much faith unless Starc or Cummins goes full super saiyan.

It's this kind of thing that annoys me. Every time there's a bit of pressure but a bit of application would put the match firmly in their grasp, they go to water.

 

[Daemon]

Have we not figured out yet that Cummins exclusively makes room and plays through the offside

 

[Spark]

It's those sort of performances why people continue to criticise him - with reason. When he's having a bad spell it's like he's playing for the opposition.

Marsh is the problem. It means Starc and Cummins get overbowled and the former in particular has a long history of dropping off badly when overbowled. We can all talk around it, but the all-rounder position whether Green or Marsh or someone else is absolutely critical to the balance of this team unless it's an actual turner, and playing a nonentity in that position causes a dozen other problems to radiate out over the rest of the attack (as well as making the batting order look very short).

 

[morgieb]

2nd Test against NZ this year definitely counts, and Brisbane this year definitely doesn't

Oh yeah forgot about the NZ Test. That was wild to follow.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Sleep deprivation will do that to you

Oh well he's had plenty of time to rectify that.

 

[Spark]

Oh well he's had plenty of time to rectify that.

As someone who suffers from something similar I can tell you that you could give him his entire lifetime and he probably still wouldn't "rectify" it

 

[honestbharani]

Marsh is the problem. It means Starc and Cummins get overbowled and the former in particular has a long history of dropping off badly when overbowled. We can all talk around it, but the all-rounder position whether Green or Marsh or someone else is absolutely critical to the balance of this team unless it's an actual turner, and playing a nonentity in that position causes a dozen other problems to radiate out over the rest of the attack (as well as making the batting order look very short).

Its true but you are also not addressing the fact that Lyon being off the boil is also what is causing this issue. You played the same 4 bowlers without an AR for a fair while too and it was never a problem then coz Lyon bowled so many overs.