*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[flibbertyjibber]

Well batted Belly. Loved hearing the boos when he got the ton asit is all Australia can do, they certainly can't play cricket.

This game is too easy like the series has been, just bat on and on tomorrow until we are all out then win by an innings. Let the ****s boo then.

 

[pup11]

I'm amazed as to how a team with a middle order of Ponting/Clarke/Hussey, all averaging close to 50, are labelled as so terrible.

Surely more credit should go to England rather than talking about how pathetic the opposittion are.

The batting has been an issue for a while now, batting collapses and underachieving with the bat mainly in the 1st innings has become a common theme for Australian cricket in the last 2-3 years.
That's why there is desperate need to make changes to the top-order and that itself would go a long way in lifting us from these woes. The Aussie bowlers have been getting a fair deal of stick from everywhere, but tbt batting is really the root of the problem.
Regarding Clarke's captaincy, he is no doubt a better captain than Ponting as far as the tactical side of things are concerned, which was obvious from his LO stints itself, but don't think we need him in the side just for his captaincy skills.

 

[four_or_six]

Pretty fantastic day. Some dubious decision making, by umpires and players alike, but that's cricket. The Barmy Army were fantastic once more.

Johnson, Watto and Beer the only of our boys to come out with any respect today. Don't have anything new to say that I haven't said before the series started, which is pretty frustrating.

Johnson? Looked like he was all over the shop again from what I saw. I missed some of the play, though.

 

[Spark]

Yeah though Johnson was shocking today. Bowled some real rubbish.

 

[GotSpin]

The batting has been an issue for a while now, batting collapses and underachieving with the bat mainly in the 1st innings has become a common theme for Australian cricket in the last 2-3 years.
That's why there is desperate need to make changes to the top-order and that itself would go a long way in lifting us from these woes. The Aussie bowlers have been getting a fair deal of stick from everywhere, but tbt batting is really the root of the problem.
Regarding Clarke's captaincy, he is no doubt a better captain than Ponting as far as the tactical side of things are concerned, which was obvious from his LO stints itself, but don't think we need him in the side just for his captaincy skills.

Yeah the batting has been woeful for a long time now. That's basically why the English bowlers aren't been congratulated as much as Australia has been criticised.

 

[Nate]

Johnson? Looked like he was all over the shop again from what I saw. I missed some of the play, though.

He wasn't fantastic by any means, but he kept his pace up all day, and looked positive. I guess when you're comparing him to Hilfenhaus, he looks like Barnes.

 

[GotSpin]

He wasn't fantastic by any means, but he kept his pace up all day, and looked positive. I guess when you're comparing him to Hilfenhaus, he looks like Barnes.

Mate he bowled fast positive crap for most of the time.

 

[Nate]

Mate he bowled fast positive crap for most of the time.

He bowled some dross to Cook, but looked better against the right-handers, his wicket of Bell was well deserved imo.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The thing with Johnson is you can accept him being expensive and still picking up the odd wicket if the rest of the attack performs but when they don't look like getting wickets like this entire series his waywardness stands out. Lets face it at least Johnson despite his woefulness at times has done more than Hilfenhaus who has been pathetic for 4 matches and not looked like getting wickets.

 

[TumTum]

Our bowlers are dire against left-handers.

 

[GotSpin]

The thing with Johnson is you can accept him being expensive and still picking up the odd wicket if the rest of the attack performs but when they don't look like getting wickets like this entire series his waywardness stands out. Lets face it at least Johnson despite his woefulness at times has done more than Hilfenhaus who has been pathetic for 4 matches and not looked like getting wickets.

Basically we need someone to replace him as leader of the attack.

 

[four_or_six]

I'm not sure it's been great for some of the other bowlers with Johnson spraying it all over the place at the other end.

 

[vcs]

It's not a particularly popular opinion and I don't care about what the stats say, but I still feel the occasional upside that Johnson brings is not worth the downside. Bring him back when he properly understands his craft and can reproduce it on a fairly consistent basis.

 

[GotSpin]

It's not a particularly popular opinion and I don't care about what the stats say, but I still feel the occasional upside that Johnson brings is not worth the downside. Bring him back when he properly understands his craft and can reproduce it on a fairly consistent basis.

Reckon it'd be better if he wasn't considered the leader of the attack.

As leader of the attack, he tends to set the trend for the rest of the bowlers when he starts spraying juicy cut-all-day deliveries. Not to say he can be blamed for harmless hilf but it definitely hurts the attack when the perceived leader is sending down last nights chicken on a stick.

 

[Prince EWS]

Meh I reckon this 'leader of the attack' stuff is a bit over-stated. He bowls first change and he was recently dropped - he's just a role player.

 

[GotSpin]

Not really, he's definitely still perceived as the leader or the go to bowler when really it'd better if he wasn't relied on to fire up and do well every 4 tests

 

[TumTum]

Well this bowling attack sucks. Johnson can't even control the damn ball, so ridiculous of a Test match bowler. Siddle is gun barrel straight, don't understand why he smiles when his half volleys get hit for 4. Hilfenhorse is predictable, surprised he doesn't bowl the bouncer anymore.

We need to give the young fast bowlers in domestic cricket a chance. Copeland should be first choice but also Starc, Pattison and Hazlewood when he's fit again.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Maybe the captain needs to use him differently then. I can see an argument for dropping him but who replaces him?

Lets face it, Siddle,Hilfenhaus and Johnson have lost 2 ashes series as an attack now. Something needs to change before the next one as Australia will lose again if they turn up with the same bowlers who have failed before. Much the same as we used to fail with the same batting time after time in the 90's.

 

[Spark]

He wasn't fantastic by any means, but he kept his pace up all day, and looked positive. I guess when you're comparing him to Hilfenhaus, he looks like Barnes.

Oh for sure he was better than Hilfenhaus by a country mile, but geez, talk about damning with faint praise...

 

[Ausage]

Deafening silence from the English posters who pasted Hughes about Bell gaming the system. Isn't hypocrisy fun.