*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[Howe_zat]

So I've just watched the highlights of the few hours I missed.

> Does Strauss realise the nature of reviews, i.e. that it'll only be overturned if the umpire is obviously wrong? Don't ask the bowler, Straussy - what else is he going to think but "out"?

> Is Clarke's back giving him issues? Seriously scratchy innings.

> Didn't see much of Finn on the highlights reel. Was he keeping tight? There was a lot of discussion on whether he would be too expensive. I get the impression from the dismissals that Clarke and and Katich may have been pressured into daft shots.

> Anderson's spell either side of lunch was flipping outstanding. I was kind of sick of the arguments making him sound like an on/off switch depending on conditions. Yes, he had a ****house average in 06/07 but he's a different bowler now. He was a bit rubbish for his first few seasons in England too. These days he's ****ing quality.

 

[GIMH]

That catch of Finn's was incredible

 

[Gilly Fan]

I reckon it's going to be a bit faster.

That's what they say every year.

Mate of mine said he heard on the radio that the boxing day test match is set to break record attendance. Cannot wait! They did rumour that 4 years tbf, but we'll wait and see.

If the series is close we'll get a full house day one (depends on MCC showing up though if we can get over 85k) and 70k for the other days. We would've smashed it last time but the game finished inside 3 days.

 

[Ruckus]

All been said before, but North's continued selection is mind boggling....last 5 Tests..

0, 20
16, 0
0,10
128, 3
1, ?

178 runs @ 19.78......another fail in the 2nd innings and surely that will be it?

I honestly think it will be this time. The selectors finally showed they can get rid of someone with the Hauritz omission, so I think North will be next if he fails again. If he doesn't go, then something is seriously wrong. They used the 'career average' argument to keep Hussey in (which has proven to be a pretty wise choice so far at least), but they can't used that with North. Poor test average, mediocre FC average, consistently poor form and no hundred to save him (assuming he fails in the second innings).

 

[Howe_zat]

I honestly think it will be this time. The selectors finally showed they can get rid of someone with the Hauritz omission, so I think North will be next if he fails again. If he doesn't go, then something is seriously wrong. They used the 'career average' argument to keep Hussey in (which has proven to be a pretty wise choice so far at least), but they can't used that with North. Poor test average, mediocre FC average, consistently poor form and no hundred to save him (assuming he fails in the second innings).

Except he does have a hundred to save him, the 128 in his last match. I don't agree that North should be in the side but if he was picked to play at Bangalore (when he had averaged 24 in his previous 8 matches, despite a hundred against NZ) then he'll be picked to play at Adelaide, even if he fails again this match.

It is possible that the selectors will become more reactionary during the Ashes, but likely only if Australia are losing.

 

[pasag]

a

all been said before, but north's continued selection is mind boggling....last 5 tests..

0, 20
16, 0
0,10
128, 3
1, ?

178 runs @ 19.78......another fail in the 2nd innings and surely that will be it?

HOW THE **** IS HE STILL IN THE SIDE????

 

[GIMH]

Would have been dropped ages ago if he was English tbh

 

[Briony]

Mate of mine said he heard on the radio that the boxing day test match is set to break record attendance. Cannot wait! They did rumour that 4 years tbf, but we'll wait and see.

The first day was a bit inclement and could have made the difference between breaking and not breaking the record.

 

[four_or_six]

With Clarke in doubt, I don't think they'll remove North from the side. Even when Swann gets him out first ball to take his second innings hattrick.

 

[aussie tragic]

a


HOW THE **** IS HE STILL IN THE SIDE????

Especially when compared to Dean Jones dropping (who was sometimes criticized for being inconsistent)....just looked up his last 5 Tests...

41, 0
7, 150*
10, 57
77, 100*
11, 21

 

[ripper868]

My tips for this Test:

Strauss to outscore Australia by himself

heh.

Sorry Gimh, made me chuckle.

 

[GIMH]

heh.

Sorry Gimh, made me chuckle.

Will do it in the second innings tbh

 

[ripper868]

Nah, Strauss for a pair imo.

 

[kingpin]

Whaaa... Really loving this.....Muss in form...watch out England....

 

[morgieb]

a


HOW THE **** IS HE STILL IN THE SIDE????

Ton in India I think.

 

[Spikey]

Especially when compared to Dean Jones dropping (who was sometimes criticized for being inconsistent)....just looked up his last 5 Tests...

41, 0
7, 150*
10, 57
77, 100*
11, 21

....What a bizarre comparison. At least compare North to Hughes or something

 

[aussie tragic]

....What a bizarre comparison. At least compare North to Hughes or something

well maybe too much wine, but the point was that North should be dropped for being inconsistent, despite scoring a century in his last test, as the Aussie selectors used to be a lot tougher as was the case with Jones....

 

[NUFAN]

I think the selectors will put him on notice but say his spin bowling 'may' be useful at Adelaide. He then has his home Test up next so I would be suprised, pleasantly if Khawaja comes in.

Khawaja to do a Mark Waugh on debut at Adelaide I hope!

 

[Ruckus]

Except he does have a hundred to save him, the 128 in his last match. I don't agree that North should be in the side but if he was picked to play at Bangalore (when he had averaged 24 in his previous 8 matches, despite a hundred against NZ) then he'll be picked to play at Adelaide, even if he fails again this match.

It is possible that the selectors will become more reactionary during the Ashes, but likely only if Australia are losing.

If he fails in the second innings he won't have a hundred to save him. You can't really count a hundred made two tests ago in India, especially seeing as though the scores in between have been close to nothing. That hundred only saved him for this test (although I'm sure he would have played anyway) because it was literally the previous test to this one - and there is the unwritten law that you shouldn't drop someone straight after a hundred. I agree though that if we are winning he is far less likely to be dropped. I'm remaining hopeful that he will be dropped though whatever the circumstance...I just feel his time might be finally up.

 

[treamcast34]

Magnificent fightback today to give us a sniff at least. That's as well as I've seen Anderson bowl in conditions that don't suit him, he really did turn the game. Broad was a close second for bowling honours despite not taking a pole; looked on the edge all day. Finn struggled as I suspected; took a sensational catch but both wickets were half chances that rarely come up. Tremlett in by the third test remains my tip.

Thought we bowled without luck for most of the day, but colour me unsure about how this series is going to pan out on the basis of play so far. For one thing we won the toss, batted first and were skittled for 260 when the bowling was absolutely atrocious aside from Siddle; Hilfenhaus is much better than that and Johnson is a freak when he's on, though they'll be concerned about how long between drinks it has been for him (hopefully no second innings special incoming now that I've said that). So there's real upside in their bowling...yet we still found ourselves out for 260. That's a concern.

Meanwhile we bowled frankly pretty outstandingly, real good even effort and yet they look poised to get past our total. And that's WITH the walking wicket that is Marcus North. I sort of hope he plays a decent knock in the second innings because he is as much a key to our chances as any player in either camp. A big component of our win last year was being able to orchestrate the collapse through the exposure of North; get one, North comes in, that's two and the pressure amps into the stratosphere. If he gets the chop, in comes the sickeningly talented Usman Khawaja. Half-century it up in the second dig Northy

So we wait and see I guess. They still have to reach our total and we didn't go to bits after an ordinary first day. She's not over.