**Official** Australia in Sri Lanka

[tooextracool]

Hmm, I seem to remember a certain bloke named Sachin Tendulkar at the SCG? 301 without losing his wicket at all - after a pretty poor series otherwise, and not exactly great history either. Just saying that it is possible to bat well even if your history at a place isn't that good.

(ok, so the attack was Lee, Gillespie and Bracken, and I know you don't rate Tendulkar...)

u just proved my point there didnt you? i was saying that for someone who has been having a poor series u need to throw some really poor bowling at him to let him hammer u all over the place.....but the australian bowling at the scg wasnt poor...it was horrible, and on a pitch that was absolutely flat scoring 240 when the entire team scores 700 for 7 odd wickets is no great feat. gillys case is completely different...we know that he has not only been struggling in this series but on slow turning tracks in general and for him to go around hammering an attack that consists of murali, vaas and zoysa in SL requires some really bad bowling.
And i do rate tendulkar as a good batsman who would find a place in and side in the world, but for people to go around calling him the best batsman since don bradman is an insult to all the other great players.

 

[Mister Wright]

For those who have access to actual coverage of the match (outside of the cricinfo text commentary), does it look like there will be further play today? I haven't seen any updates since they went off for the light, and the rain came.

Doesn't look like it - even with the covers covering the entire ground. The rain is absolutely pooring down and doesn't look like stopping, although Greg Matthews reckons that the ground is 'thirsty' and will get rid of the excess water quickly.

We are getting highlights of the '99 tour ATM.

 

[Gaijin-san]

It is stumps on day 3.

 

[Slow Love™]

Thanks guys.

 

[SquidAU]

One must apologise to Linda for even thinking that Damien Martyn should be dropped. I stand corrected! Well done on his 2nd Test century in a row today.

 

[Maddy]

All those Martyn-detractors are really looking a tad silly now.

I think Linda's signature says it all about him, even though his "bad form" was still averaging 40+!

I think people have tendency to remember those players who blugeon attacks and smash centuries, but not so much the consistent ones even if they have a good average. Then when they show a little bad form these are the players derided and dismissed (verbally) the most. Look at Bevan, he's arguably the greatest ODI batman ever, but there were reports after the last ODI series he might struggle to retain his place in the side after his low scores.

PS. anyone know where Errol Alcott is and why he's not the Aussie physio on this tour?

 

[Mister Wright]

PS. anyone know where Errol Alcott is and why he's not the Aussie physio on this tour?

Retired I think?

 

[Adamc]

Ponting is out - I cant' tell from the cricinfo commentary whether it's a dodgy call or not... They seem to allude that it came off the pads, but maybe it touched the bat on the way through as well.

Ball hit pad then bat hit pad is what i saw, hence the two sounds. Ponting looked very surprised in any case.

 

[Linda]

Damien Martyn is, has always been and always will be Damien duck Martyn :P

Ahhh so it was you?! So wheres this duck? He must be lying down in Sri Lanka somewhere, pelted with runs...

Originally posted by SquidAU
One must apologise to Linda for even thinking that Damien Martyn should be dropped. I stand corrected! Well done on his 2nd Test century in a row today.

Dont apologise to me, its the God himself you should be apologising too :P
But what can I say? Ok I'll say it... I knew he could do it

Meanwhile, lets hope Symonds can get some runs, he needs them desperately I would think.

 

[V Reddy]

All those Martyn-detractors are really looking a tad silly now.

I think Linda's signature says it all about him, even though his "bad form" was still averaging 40+!

Well it's time he repays the faith i had in him all this time in the fantasy and prediction leagues. How great it would be if he scores 50 runs more in this game and becomes the top scorer of this match . Go Marto and Warney 8D

 

[The Argonaut]

Retired I think?

Errol Alcott is temporarily away from the Aussie team. He is travelling with a high profile Aussie athlete as his physio. I can't remember who it is though. I just remember he is a world class sportsman.

 

[Linda]

Marto gets his highest Test score today, hopefully Gillespie can stay in a bit for him, carn the 150!

Today is a good day

 

[bennyr]

I can't remember noticing Dave Orchard's umpiring a hell of a lot before, but I've been really impressed with the fact that he has the guts to give LBW decisions in the current test where we have become accustomed to umpires not giving some appeals that were blatantly out.

I accept the concept of the batsman getting the benefit of the doubt, but I thought the reluctance to give LBW's was a scourge on the India-Australia series with both Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor making some really poor decisions, notwithstanding the one bad decision that Bucknor made to give Tendulkar out.

Orchard has been dropped from the elite panel. Is there a perception that he has a penchant for giving too many LBW's?

Or is he an ordinary umpire having a good match?

 

[Cactus]

One must apologise to Linda for even thinking that Damien Martyn should be dropped. I stand corrected! Well done on his 2nd Test century in a row today.

ditto.......apologies to Linda.......i admitt it's come back and bitten my butt pretty hard!!

and after reading another post of Linda's....i must apologize to the "God" himself.........so apologies to martyn!

 

[Linda]

Martyn accepts all apologies by hitting a six to bring up his 150, followed by a four.
What a great day for Marto, Im so proud. :saint:

I cant see it going on much longer however... McGoo is there:P
A lead of 320 odd, thats gotta be enough surely?

 

[Cactus]

well MacGill has scored two 4s already...........not wasting anytime the Aussies!

:P

 

[Linda]

I was just about to say I'll have to take back what I said about McGoo!

Marto gone for 161 instead! So, wheres the champers?!

Lala lala...

 

[Ferd]

Murali picks up Martyn to end the Innings.

I cannot remember Australia bowling Warne when there's tail enders out there. Maybe this is why Murali's stats compare

 

[Adamc]

I cannot remember Australia bowling Warne when there's tail enders out there. Maybe this is why Murali's stats compare

You seem to have an extremely short memory. In this series alone, 40% of Warne's wickets (6 out of 15) have been tailenders (batting positions 8-11), and the same percentage for Murali (8 out of 20). On Test career stats, 35.4% of Warne's wickets have been from the tail, whereas the corresponding figure for Murali is 30.3%.

 

[Ferd]

How many overs against the tail for Murali though. When Waugh was incharge the quicks would come back for the end. Maybe Punter's got different ideas...