**Official** Australia in West Indies

[chalky]

West Indies currently paying 3.6 to Australi'a 1.53 so the bookies still fancy Autsralia quite heavily.

Strange odds those now I look at them again if you don't fancy the draw you could hedge your bets giving you a no lose option.

$50 on the West Indies @ 3.6 would pay $130
$100 on Australia @ 1.53 would pay $53.33

Basically you couldn't lose unless there was a draw - hmmm might have to check to weather foreacst Jamica.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Australia rightly favoured here. West Indies second innings batting is not usually pretty.

Congrats to Chanders and Fidel. And who does Daren Powell think he is?! A Test bowler?!

 

[TT Boy]

Anyone brave to lay money on the West Indies?

Even if Australia were 17 for 4 overall I would still be apprehensive to lay any money on the Windies. They even should today in a mad half hour that they always on the brink of losing the plot and subsequently the game but anything under 250 and its game on.

 

[GotSpin]

Wow!

 

[Son Of Coco]

christ! wtf
I cant see Windies not being competitive from now on.. there's only 3 proper batsmen for Aus and only a smallish lead on a flat deck with Aussie attack looking shod... whilst a few breakthroughs or even two in the morning session and aussies are comfortably on the back foot.....mmmmm

Have to take into account the wicket I think. Apparently it's starting to produce a few tricks (according to WWOS anyway), so if Australia gets 200 infront it'll be difficult to get if they bowl decently.

 

[Son Of Coco]

LOL @ Colin Croft summerising for Sky TV

I will give you a quick summary of what was said:

Host: Did u ever KO any batsmen
Croft: Yeah Knocked Out Bruce Yardly with bouncer to the temple in 1978. He spent 2 days in intesive care.
Host: Did you check on him?
Croft: No
Host: Why not?
Croft: I'm not a doctor I couldn't do anything.
Host: What did you do?
Croft: Went back to my mark waiting for the next batsmen.
Host: Where you concerned for Yardly?
Croft: No I knew he wasn't dead.
Host: Did it affect the way you bowled for the rest of the match?
Croft: No the next batsmen got some bouncers straight away.
Host: Would you have checked on Chanderpaul if you where in Brett Lee's position?
Croft: No I would have sat at my mark waiting for him to get up to bat. Once he was up & ready to bat I would have bowled him another bouncer from around the wicket hopefully hitting him in the throat.
Crof finishes with: Test cricket is a tough game.

No wonder it wa sscary facing the West Indies in the early 80's Imagine Croft & 3 others coming at you.

 

[Jono]

Strange odds those now I look at them again if you don't fancy the draw you could hedge your bets giving you a no lose option.

$50 on the West Indies @ 3.6 would pay $130
$100 on Australia @ 1.53 would pay $53.33

Basically you couldn't lose unless there was a draw - hmmm might have to check to weather foreacst Jamica.

The word 'showers' comes up a bit when I check out Kingston, Jamaica. I like the way you think, but unfortunately the weather isn't as clear as I'd like.

 

[Simon]

Strange odds those now I look at them again if you don't fancy the draw you could hedge your bets giving you a no lose option.

$50 on the West Indies @ 3.6 would pay $130
$100 on Australia @ 1.53 would pay $53.33

Basically you couldn't lose unless there was a draw - hmmm might have to check to weather foreacst Jamica.

wouldn't waste my time and the 5% threat of a draw to make what would be $3.33 in all likelyhood.

 

[Top_Cat]

Interesting day. It's Tests like this that explain why T20 will never take over as the number 1 form of cricket. T20's don't generally start off tense but you just know, tomorrow morning is going to be the most intense cricket Hodge or Johnson have ever played.

And let's not get into panic stations yet, people; Aussies are still up by 130-odd. The last 6 wickets should be able to muster 100+ runs and chasing 250 in the fourth innings, unless the track is an absolute belter (which this one isn't) is pretty tense. And they're not in a hurry to set a target either with two days to go. The WI batting line-up would not be looking forward to facing Clark and Lee in 4th innings a chase unless they're chasing < 200.

SCG Magill going for 4.5 an over is a huge cause for concern I'd say. Don't think he'll get a lot of overs in the second dig unless the pacers have a bad day because this deck is one of those where the pace bowlers will get more overs.

 

[SJS]

WOW what a day's test cricket, the best i've seen for a while, completely engrossing filled with quality & drama, then a rather large twist at the end. The crowd were into everything which added to the atmosphere. Absolutely brilliant.

The match is probably 50/50 now a big test for the Aussie middle order tommorrow.

****TT !!

And I missed it

 

[SJS]

There are moments that can turn a Test match on its head and the exact time when it occurred at Sabina Park was when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was struck on his. Chanderpaul copped a sickening blow to the back of his helmet from a Brett Lee bouncer, but despite apparently being knocked out by the hit, he got up, scored a century, and sparked a remarkable fightback from West Indies. The momentum carried into their bowling effort as Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell rattled the Australia top order like few Caribbean bowlers have since the early 1990s, reducing the visitors to 17 for 4 at stumps, and the match was suddenly burst wide open.

Australia ended the day with a lead of 136, with Mitchell Johnson on 4 and Brad Hodge yet to score. They were still in the stronger position but their grip had loosened considerably thanks to Powell and Edwards. Fast, swinging deliveries did for all of Australia's top four, none of whom reached double figures.

Phil Jaques got a thick edge behind off Edwards for 4, Ricky Ponting edged a superb outswinger to slip off Powell for 5, and Simon Katich was trapped dead in front by a fullish ball from Edwards on 1. Such was the concern that Johnson was sent out as nightwatchman with 20 minutes still to play, but he couldn't save Michael Hussey, who lost his bails to a cracking inswinger from Powell on 1. When the umpires offered Australia bad light with about eight minutes to play, they jumped at the chance.

Edwards and Powell were the heroes late in the afternoon but undoubtedly the towering star of the day was Chanderpaul. His 118 was not a huge century by his standards, but the circumstances must make it one of his most cherished. He was on 86 when Lee, coming around the wicket, dug in a short one that Chanderpaul tried to duck. It stayed a bit lower than he expected and as he turned his head it struck him.

Like a boxer receiving the knockout punch, Chanderpaul's body went suddenly limp and he crashed to the ground and onto his back. Lee immediately knew something was wrong and ran to the batsman to check if he was okay. A stretcher was brought out, a doctor and physio attended and several minutes passed by as the dazed Chanderpaul, who lost some of the feeling in his hands, regained his composure.

Not only did he bat on, but when he got another short ball he was confident enough to pull it away to take him into the 90s. When he brought up his century with a straight drive for two off Stuart Clark, the Australians understandably acknowledged his achievement. As he ran out of partners he tried for some late boundaries and eventually holed out to mid on from a Stuart MacGill full toss, but by that stage he had already inspired his team-mates.​

.... and to think that for some T-20 is more exciting and riveting

 

[Days of Grace]

Cue Symonds looking all at sea tomorrow, before an Edwards snorter gets the clear edge and is not given out by the deaf umpire. Symonds goes on to score a crucial 80*.

 

[Top_Cat]

****TT !!

And I missed it

What curse ends in 'tt'? Seriously, I can't think of one! I wanna know so I can use it.

 

[Craig]

Strange odds those now I look at them again if you don't fancy the draw you could hedge your bets giving you a no lose option.

$50 on the West Indies @ 3.6 would pay $130
$100 on Australia @ 1.53 would pay $53.33

Basically you couldn't lose unless there was a draw - hmmm might have to check to weather foreacst Jamica.

Thinking of that plan TBH.

 

[howardj]

Career Pprospects as a result of this Test:

Katich - gold watch (unless Hayden is still injured)

Johnson - under real pressure. Is he really the 3rd best quick in Australia?

MacGill - still doesn't look fit; needs to improve quickly

Hayden - shares in Haydos Inc have gone right off the chart

 

[Laurrz]

Man i love watching Windies celebrate
The crowd was unbelievable.. i reckon there would be maybe 10 000 ppl max.. but they make it seem so much more.. very passionate people!!

Hoping Hodge and Midge can do a Martyn/Gillespie

 

[Top_Cat]

Career Pprospects as a result of this Test:

Katich - gold watch (unless Hayden is still injured)

Shouldn't have been opening anyway. Don't necessarily think Huss should have opened either but he was set up to fail a bit. Openers aren't generally the sorts of blokes who are nervous starters and Kat has always been one as he tends to feel for the ball early on. Good ball that got him, though.

Johnson - under real pressure. Is he really the 3rd best quick in Australia?

Good point. If the Aussies win, he'll be read the riot act and retained I reckon. He's obviously still in favour because he's getting plenty of the ball and isn't conceding many runs. If they lose, Bolly or Noff might get a go (likely Noff).

MacGill - still doesn't look fit; needs to improve quickly

Again, if they win, I reckon he'll be on his last chance.

Hayden - shares in Haydos Inc have gone right off the chart

Exactly why it's just so ridiculous how his contribution to the team is denigrated on this forum. He is a massive, massive loss to the team. Langer turned from a stodge to almost resembling a dasher for a while. How? Because he knew there was a solid bloke at the other end.

 

[pasag]

Have to take into account the wicket I think. Apparently it's starting to produce a few tricks (according to WWOS anyway), so if Australia gets 200 infront it'll be difficult to get if they bowl decently.

Dunno, seemed to be two pitches, the 'minefield' when we batted and the one the WIndies used, where they never really looked that troubled at all. Can't remember Chanderpaul having too much trouble in his epic innings besides the one or two times and the other batsmen who got out yesterday were to silly shots more than anything else. Ominous times ahead.

Anyways, great match and all, but Australia has made a real fist of it. The opening pair have been woeful, really goes to show how much we miss Hayden and what a champion he is.

In all honesty, I'm running out of patience with Jaques, had a brilliant start to his career, but has been doing sfa since then. I'd consider opening with Katich and Hodge in the next Test. I know it's not perfect and I know it will annoy the purists, but I'd imagine they'd be more productive than Jaques and whoever.

Depending on what happens in the fourth innings, Johnson and MacGill have to go, as SST said for Noffers and Bollinger. Clark and Lee just can't carry those two and if they don't perform they will lose us Tests.

Might be in a bit of a bad mood for staying up till 8am and feeling a bit knee-jerk, but that's one of the more insipid displays of cricket I've seen from this side and not what you'd expect from the world number one ranked side against the world number eight.

 

[aussie]

Fairly Australia to produce on those brilliant recoveries that we've been so regularly over the past 13 years given that Edwards/Powell are the only major threats. Only problem with that is that the pioneer of most of those recoveries has just retired.

Good to see Windies fight though, Edwards should have probably been making his test debuted right now given he should never have played test cricket until South Africa 07.

 

[chaminda_00]

.... and to think that for some T-20 is more exciting and riveting

Has anyone ever claimed T20 > Test Cricket. It is One Day Cricket that is boring as bat ****. This Test Match just shows why we need more Test matches and no more boring 7-Match One Day series. Would love to see and six Test matches just like this to follow tbh. Feeling short changed there is only two more after this this. Then the boring ODIs start.