*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[Turbinator]

Dull and boring to be honest.

Bring on the South Africa - India series, that's what it's really about. The real battle of the titans starts then.

 

[outbreak]

Aussies will probably collapse here. I'd still like to see them have an early knock and see how it goes.

 

[Son Of Coco]

England to get a wicket 1st ball...



Edit: maybe not.

 

[Spark]

Requied run rate over 7.

Could happen, I guess.

 

[stephen]

Kevin Mitchell Jr proving once again that he knows how to prepare the greenest of greentops for shield cricket and the flattest of roads for test cricket.

Admittedly there's not been a thunderstorm to juice up the pitch this year, which is probably why it's such a dire wicket on day 5.

 

[Redbacks]

Well... good declaration this and tricky period in the game coming up for the Aussie batsmen, big responsibility on Katich and Watto to bat out the remaining time as the Aussie middle order looks pretty fragile to me.

The fact that they were afraid of losing has probably been the reason the declaration could only be made as a symbolic gesture. Baring a freak collapse, they really could have declared a fair while back if they believed the middle order was shaky enough or backed their ability (stength) to win the contest.

 

[tooextracool]

Cant say I understand the point of this huddle. You just spent 20 mins in the dressing room FFS, whats the point of coming out and getting into the huddle straight away.

 

[stephen]

****, i wanted strauss to declare but i just imagined a miracle victory for australia on the back of a stunning 100 by punter

This would be the most awesome outcome possible and would be such a crushing and demoralizing defeat for the English I'm not sure that they could come back from it.

 

[social]

Anderson has already bowled more accurate deliveries in this innings than Johnson did in the entire match

 

[social]

Cant say I understand the point of this huddle. You just spent 20 mins in the dressing room FFS, whats the point of coming out and getting into the huddle straight away.

Thanks Warnie

 

[stephen]

Khawaja in for Clarke in the next test? At least we know that he can catch.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Chappell talking about how he was wrong re: Cook again.

While I'm sure Cook has done a lot of work on his weakness around off, I reckon McGrath would give him nightmares there again if he was still playing.

We haven't bowled well enough to test him out there this test. Especially 2nd innings.

 

[Spark]

What the **** Tony Grieg

 

[pskov]

Chappell talking about how he was wrong re: Cook again.

While I'm sure Cook has done a lot of work on his weakness around off, I reckon McGrath would give him nightmares there again if he was still playing.

We haven't bowled well enough to test him out there this test. Especially 2nd innings.

McGrath is gone. You may as well say that Bradman would've done better than North and Clarke in this test. Australian cricket needs to move on.

 

[howardj]

I think our catching is a barometer of the team's spirit at the moment.

Ponting needs to be a happy face around the team.

I remember Leigh Matthews (great AFL coach) saying that as a leader, when the team's down, you've got to be up and pumping up their tyres, and vice versa

 

[freckleslol]

what on earth was he doing!?

 

[Redbacks]

Chappell talking about how he was wrong re: Cook again.

While I'm sure Cook has done a lot of work on his weakness around off, I reckon McGrath would give him nightmares there again if he was still playing.

We haven't bowled well enough to test him out there this test. Especially 2nd innings.

Bit like trying to argue with someone that Dougie should have been picked ahead of Siddle at the end of the first innings. Better off backing down and letting time take it's course before taking up the topic again.

 

[morgieb]

McGrath is gone. You may as well say that Bradman would've done better than North and Clarke in this test. Australian cricket needs to move on.

Difference is that McGrath is still alive and has bowled recently. Agree with the basic point, however.

 

[Spark]

what on earth was he doing!?

I'd love to see the "diamond" slips field

 

[social]

Chappell talking about how he was wrong re: Cook again.

While I'm sure Cook has done a lot of work on his weakness around off, I reckon McGrath would give him nightmares there again if he was still playing.

We haven't bowled well enough to test him out there this test. Especially 2nd innings.

Yep

As well as he's played, there are still glaring technical deficiencies that a decent bowler could exploit