*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[Spark]

Yeah to be honest Broad has looked the most threatening and that's not saying much.

 

[Debris]

By the way, this is why those who picked Tim Paine were out of their minds. Haddin, like Prior, is a proper batsman capable of scoring genuine Test hundreds. Unlike Prior, he can also keep wicket.

Am I allowed to be sacrilegious and compare him to Gilchrist as a batsman yet?

 

[Jayzamann]

By the way, this is why those who picked Tim Paine were out of their minds.

I'll admit I was shaky about Haddin walking back into this team. I've always liked Tim Paine and thought he had done admirably in the opportunities he got. I'm also glad that Haddin has proven me wrong so emphatically.

Had similar feelings towards Mussey before this test as well, tbh.

 

[Ruckus]

I don't really buy any of this 'luckless' stuff. The only time Anderson has been unlucky is with the wrong LBW decision. If he beats the bat heaps of times it either means the batsmen are correcting themselves well, or he is making the ball do slightly too much/too little. Same with the close LBWs - he wasn't unlucky, he just pitched the ball in a slightly wrong place etc. Anderson has undoubtedly bowled very well, because he has ruffled the batsmen and been close to getting more wickets, but I don't think you can say he is unlucky.

 

[Spikey]

By the way, this is why those who picked Tim Paine were out of their minds. Haddin, like Prior, is a proper batsman capable of scoring genuine Test hundreds. Unlike Prior, he can also keep wicket.

Didn't understand the calls for Paine at all. He's terrible at going on with his starts

 

[irottev]

Australia should declare. They have enough. Would still win by an innings if they did probably.

 

[NUFAN]

Anyone else get the feeling that Richie thought that tea has already been taken?

 

[Debris]

The number of overs Andersen is bowling is starting to be hazardous for the rest of the series.

 

[Debris]

Australia should declare. They have enough. Would still win by an innings if they did probably.

Why take the risk? Plenty of time left.

 

[hazsa19]

I don't really buy any of this 'luckless' stuff. The only time Anderson has been unlucky is with the wrong LBW decision. If he beats the bat heaps of times it either means the batsmen are correcting themselves well, or he is making the ball do slightly too much/too little. Same with the close LBWs - he wasn't unlucky, he just pitched the ball in a slightly wrong place etc. Anderson has undoubtedly bowled very well, because he has ruffled the batsmen and been close to getting more wickets, but I don't think you can say he is unlucky.

I think it's impossible to say we lacked some luck in the first hour this morning.

But I will say that's cricket and this afternoon our heads have dropped and we've been poor.

 

[Spark]

Yeah don't think the declaration should be tonight. Tomorrow morning sometime.

 

[pietersenrocks]

Australia just need to keep getting their run-rate up. With England's shaky batting line-up, this game looks to be in the bag.

 

[Speersy]

Why take the risk? Plenty of time left.

Because on this deck, they could quite conceivably bat out two days. England would take the draw right now.

 

[Cevno]

By the way, this is why those who picked Tim Paine were out of their minds. Haddin, like Prior, is a proper batsman capable of scoring genuine Test hundreds. Unlike Prior, he can also keep wicket.

In India Paine looked better than what Haddin did the last time round and Paine performed well .
In Australia it is a different kettle of fish though.

 

[pasag]

lol, why on earth would you declare?

Haddin will overtake Hussey if both stay in long enough.

 

[TumTum]

Our current innings run rate doesn't represent the fact that we have been going very fast in the last 3 hours. There was some tough batting early half of the innings where our RR was just 2.

 

[morgieb]

Largest partnership at the Gabba now it seems.

 

[Prince EWS]

Because on this deck, they could quite conceivably bat out two days. England would take the draw right now.

Yeah, there's little point declaring until you reach a point where the opposition would not reach your score should they bat out the rest of the game, though. If England can bat out two days, they can chase down 161 pretty ****ing easily, too.

First innings declarations are vastly over-rated, especially batting second.

 

[Spark]

Yeah exactly, unless you reckon you already have enough that you won't need to bat again. Every run you make first innings is one you don't need to make second dig, might as well do it when it's easy.

 

[James]

What an awesome fightback by the Aussies, superb stuff. Interested to see it's forecast for thunderstorms on Monday afternoon so that could well come into play.