***Official*** Australia in India

[Mister Wright]

Yes.. which suggests an injury, which explains why he wasn't bowling.

Ok, misread the post. My bad.

 

[bugssy]

Matt pointed out Clarke seemed a bit proppy while batting in the third ODI, so maybe he has a slight twinge and can't bowl.

Johnson has looked dangerous with the new ball, but has looked pretty average in his second and third spells. Surprised he got the nod over Clark.

yer agree clark is very underrated.........he is quality.

 

[pup11]

Clark has improved as an Odi bowler but still his bowling is a bit circumspect in the death overs, on the other hand i think Mitch has done well in general he just had a poor last game but he is looking in good rhythm so Aussie should presist with him.
Bracken needs to make sure that he puts in a better performance then he did yesterday.

 

[Raghav]

Clark has improved as an Odi bowler but still his bowling is a bit circumspect in the death overs, on the other hand i think Mitch has done well in general he just had a poor last game but he is looking in good rhythm so Aussie should presist with him.
Bracken needs to make sure that he puts in a better performance then he did yesterday.

S clark would have done better than Bracken in the 4 th ODI

 

[Matt79]

Gotta love it when Clarke fails all the possible excuses under the sun come out. Batsmen don't score runs every time the get to the crease unless their last name is Hayden...

And it was the game before that he was looking proppy, not this last game. He holed out having got his half-century, looking like he was in a bit of strife and was trying to either hit out and not have to run or get out and get off. Australia has bowled twice since then and Clarke hasn't bowled a ball - Hodge was given a go and then Symonds instead. Although he hasn't been obviously restricted in the field, so it can't be too bad.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I've got no problem with Lee as a ODI bowler, and have stated many times I feel he is Australia's best ODI bowler. So don't know where that one came from.

You were singing the praises of Richards for his insightful remarks about how all Lee's wickets are tail enders and so on, weren't you?

 

[Mister Wright]

You were singing the praises of Richards for his insightful remarks about how all Lee's wickets are tail enders and so on, weren't you?

Maybe for that game. But I have for plenty of years claimed I think Lee is one of our greatest ever ODI bowlers both because of his ability to get top order wickets and lower order wickets which is very important in ODIs.

And if you look back several pages you'll will find my bewilderment at the lack of overs from Lee in the most recent game.

Tests are a different matter, I'm still not convinced of his credetials as a test match bowler. However, if he does do well without McGrath and Warne in the attack, I am willing to change my assessment.

 

[aussie]

This series could well and be decided in the next three games by which team wins the toss & bats first i'd say.

 

[jeevan]

This series could well and be decided in the next three games by which team wins the toss & bats first i'd say.

Or by Australia bowling a more usual number of wides.

I wish the above was true, but the difference between the two teams is larger than that.
The only equalizing factor may be Dhoni's mojo in saying whatever he says to his bowlers who turn in fabulous last spells while bowling second.

Certainly in the 4th ODI, team batting first had a pitch that was assisting bowlers initially. It was the combined experience of Tendulkar, Ganguly (& possibly the umpires) who got India through it, at a cost of a very modest run rate till about 12 or 14 overs.

 

[Jono]

They had to bat like that as well due to the fact India were only playing 6 batsman and Pathan. Had Tendulkar and/or Ganguly been dismissed early, the series could have been curtains within the first 10-15 overs.

They played quite smart, even if they had luck on their side.

 

[pup11]

There is no reason why anybody should ever doubt Lee's credentials as an Odi bowler because he swings the new white ball at great pace and that's good enough to knock over many top-order batsmen around the world and he has done that over the years.
Only problem with Lee is that when the ball stops swinging (especially on slow and low tracks) he is then a pretty hittable bowler because he doesn't have too many canny variations up his sleeve, so IMO its better to either bowl out Lee before the death overs (and use him as an attacking option in short bursts during the middle overs) or give him one or two overs at the most to bowl at the death.
Anyways Sree Santh seems to be at it again, he seems to have taunted Symonds after he got out during the 4th Odi and clapped in his face and said your team is gonna lose now!!
Now how pathetic is that is that, after doing all this in front of people who have witnessed him doing this, he doesn't even have the balls to accept this and he is completly denying the incident.

 

[hardnut]

Bowling at the death has been a problem for Australia for most of the year. McGrath was by far the best, but his retirement has left a huge hole for us to fill.

Bracken has probably been the best, but was having a shocker (after his excellent opening spell) the other night and Ponting probably should have given Lee a go. Next best probably Tait, but the rest are a long way behind.

 

[biased indian]

Anyways Sree Santh seems to be at it again, he seems to have taunted Symonds after he got out during the 4th Odi and clapped in his face and said your team is gonna lose now!!
Now how pathetic is that is that, after doing all this in front of people who have witnessed him doing this, he doesn't even have the balls to accept this and he is completly denying the incident.

he have said that he has said those words..and denied only the clapping part....

and by the way who is the witness ....Clarke ?????

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Bracken is generally an extremely good bowler at the death, but he's had a strange habit of losing it in the 50th over of late. Lee is also quite good at the death most of the time, but has his poor patches. They would be the best choices most of the time regardless, at least until Clark is a more regular member of the ODI side and we get an idea of his death capabilities.

 

[Athlai]

Bracken is generally an extremely good bowler at the death, but he's had a strange habit of losing it in the 50th over of late. Lee is also quite good at the death most of the time, but has his poor patches. They would be the best choices most of the time regardless, at least until Clark is a more regular member of the ODI side and we get an idea of his death capabilities.

I thought Lee had a horrible record at the death?

 

[Laurrz]

Clark is good and im a massive massive fan of him.. but Bracken is definately a class above... quality ODI bowler .. has the occasional bad game though but it is very rare..he won't have two bad games in a row

but as a first change bowler i might prefer Clark to Johnson..

 

[Laurrz]

and by the way who is the witness ....Clarke ?????

the crowd i presume

 

[adharcric]

Sorry I misunderstood.

A lot of posters here keep clamouring for pace championing bowlers who are ordinary in every other way. So mine was probably a reaction to that.

BTW, RP is a very good bowler even otherwise. So if he can bowl as he is capable of (line, length, consistency etc) then this speeed would be more than welcome.

Of course, pace is not everything and clearly it is less important than line, length and consistency ... but it is an important factor. RP Singh wouldn't have taken as many wickets as he has if he were clocking 130 instead of 140 over the past few months.

 

[honestbharani]

Can see the side trying to consolidate their psychological advantage, in all honesty. More strategic than sentimental.

it's stupid, because Symonds said something like Sree is a child or whatever and compared to Sachin, Symonds is just in his womb, to use the same analogy. I have always felt that he was a big idiot and this is just proof of that.

 

[honestbharani]

I would love to know who he talked to in England.

At the beginng of that tour (in Ireland) he was as bad as ever. Somewhere along the English leg he was transformed and he hasn't put a foot wrong (almost).

Someone told me he was seen talking to Stewart for long time but I would like to think he talked to some other keepers there too.

Engineer is another who he talked to extensively in England.

Well, tbh, he has been far from perfect, really. He has missed a few stumpings off Powar and Bhajji in this series itself and he still seems to have problems handling extra bounce off the spinners. Not only is it costing us stumpings but he was also regularly letting them go through him for 4s. And he is still not the best at taking them if they are WELL down the leg side.


But credit to him though. I dunno how he manages it but he always seems to do well when there is a dismissal at stake. Takes even the really tough catches both when standing up or back more often than not and now, is doing excellently with the leg side stumpings when there is a chance of a dismissal. He does seem of the sort who will work on their games all the time, though, which is a very good thing.