**Official** 5th Test at Sydney, 3-7 Jan 2025

[OverratedSanity]

Fun day. Big dick Pant top scorer so far in both innings has saved our arses again, for now. Don't think anything below 250 is a huge target if bumrah is gone though.

 

[subshakerz]

Marginally Australia's day.

Australia can't afford to be loose tomorrow. They need Cummins and Bolland on point from the get go and then Starc to wrap things up with the tail. Can wrap up India below 180ish and they have the advantage.

 

[Burgey]

This is the world xi team including all teams.

Jaiswal
Duckett
Root (C)
Brook
Kanos (Williamson)
Pant (w/K)
Kamindu Mendis (spinning all rounder - test batting average of over 70)
Jansen (left arm pace all rounder)
Rabada
Bumrah
Boland

Would be a big ask for Boland and Bumrah to bowl for both the combined BG team and the ROW XI as you seem to want them to

 

[jcas0167]

Haha that was wild from Smith. Even if he caught it I would have criticised him. Madness.

Mark Waugh complaining they were too close together. I think he's said that previously about the Aus cordon.

 

[Spark]

Marginally Australia's day.

Australia can't afford to be loose tomorrow. They need Cummins and Bolland on point from the get go and then Starc to wrap things up with the tail. Can wrap up India below 180ish and they have the advantage.

Tbh in an ideal world Starc's work for the Test is done

 

[Burgey]

That was stupid shot had he stayed another half hour we would have been 180/4

lol if he wasn’t playing expansive shots you’d be 7/90 odd

 

[trundler]

world xi team including all teams

That's a tautology

 

[smellcricketintheair]

This is the world xi team including all teams. This team is basically unplayable on a seam deck.

Jaiswal
Duckett
Root (C)
Brook
Kanos (Williamson)
Pant (w/K)
Kamindu Mendis (spinning all rounder - test batting average of over 70)
Jansen (left arm pace all rounder)
Rabada
Bumrah
Boland

Root the only spinner? Mendis isn't a genuine allrounder.

 

[Prince EWS]

Mark Waugh complaining they were too close together. I think he's said that previously about the Aus cordon.

It's easier to be further apart when you catch like Mark Waugh.

I think they were fine, Smith just lost his mind.

 

[Gob]

That catch could be match turning. Both these two can bat and I can see them putting 100 tomorrow. Not likely of course but still game could have been in the bag

 

[subshakerz]

Fun day. Big dick Pant top scorer so far in both innings has saved our arses again, for now. Don't think anything below 250 is a huge target if bumrah is gone though.

If the wicket deteriorates Siraj and the rest can still give India a chance I feel.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

This is really important for Head. Usually he does well in this circumstance, but this is much earlier than he came in at Adelaide and Brisbane.

Head is too hot and cold

 

[Prince EWS]

Root the only spinner? Mendis isn't a genuine allrounder.

The batting order from 3-5 triggers me so much too.

3. Someone who bats 4
4. Someone who bats 5
5. Someone who bats 3

 

[trundler]

Tbh in an ideal world Starc's work for tests is done

tru

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Mark Waugh complaining they were too close together. I think he's said that previously about the Aus cordon.

It's been happening for a while (past few yrs), the AUS slip cordon have never been able to get their spacings correct.

 

[subshakerz]

Both these two can bat and I can see them putting 100 tomorrow.

No way. They would be lucky to pull a 50 partnership. Jadeja looks incredibly dodgy so far.

 

[Gob]

It's easier to be further apart when you catch like Mark Waugh.

I think they were fine, Smith just lost his mind.

Only reason I can think of is that he thought that may not have carried to Usman. False judgement of course but that is the only feasible explanation

 

[Burgey]

Fun day. Big dick Pant top scorer so far in both innings has saved our arses again, for now. Don't think anything below 250 is a huge target if bumrah is gone though.

Great day’s play. I’ve only seen two better live at Sydney and they were only better because they ended with crazy climaxes (as did I tbf) - day one 98/99 had 300 runs, ten wickets, a century, a 90 and a hat trick to end the day and 02/03 had Waugh’s last ball ton.

Today was Awesome though. Compelling stuff the whole day.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

It's easier to be further apart when you catch like Mark Waugh.

I think they were fine, Smith just lost his mind.

As good as Smith is as a slipper, he seems to drop easy ones regularly. I never saw that with Mark Taylor or Mark Waugh. They were both very good slip fieldsman but also consistent in their craft too.

 

[halba]

What a halba take

i mean at slip re Smith. not about his batting obviously.
He should be fielding elsewhere. someone else at slip. thats two simple drops and likely the game right there.