***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[Pratters]

In how much time will the game start?

 

[Adamc]

In how much time will the game start?

In seven hours time (13:30GMT).

 

[Pratters]

In seven hours time (13:30GMT).

COOL

 

[marc71178]

Ponting as usual controlled his team perfectly for his 75th win in 95 ODI's.

As usual - so giving the number 9 easy singles to allow the big hitting man 5 balls an over when he's on fire is good captaincy is it?

 

[Scallywag]

As usual - so giving the number 9 easy singles to allow the big hitting man 5 balls an over when he's on fire is good captaincy is it?

9,10 & 11 all scored 0 runs.

 

[Barney Rubble]

9,10 & 11 all scored 0 runs.

I think he was referring to Pietersen in the first game. And he's got a point.

 

[Steulen]

Definitely. That was weak captaincy by Ponting.

 

[Scallywag]

I think he was referring to Pietersen in the first game. And he's got a point.

He's got no point because it has worked 82% of the time and attacking cricket will cost you some times but if you have conviction in your game plan it will pay in the long term.

Its all too easy to look at one point without an understanding and say it was Pontings bad captaincy, wihtout really knowing anything. You can plug up some holes but if the bowler dosent bowl where you tell him or the batsman plays very intelligent cricket then there is nothing you can do to stop singles. Still if thats all you have to go on then I suppose your arguement is paper thin. Good batsmen take singles all the time which means this great big mistake Ponting made is repeated ad-nausem by every cricket captain in ODI's.

 

[parttimer]

Ponting will have to win the ashes 5 - 0 to gain credibility back after his absolute farcial decision to persist with pace bowling in mumbai...

 

[Dydl]

Ponting didn't lose much credibility in Mumbai...(at least I don't think he did)....

 

[parttimer]

I remember shaking my fist and screaming at him to stop bowling Gillespie and bowl spin. I can't remember exactly how long but it was about 70 runs too long. And the fact that it was Clarke who did the damage just emphasises how stupid he was.

 

[Barney Rubble]

He's got no point because it has worked 82% of the time and attacking cricket will cost you some times but if you have conviction in your game plan it will pay in the long term.

Its all too easy to look at one point without an understanding and say it was Pontings bad captaincy, wihtout really knowing anything. You can plug up some holes but if the bowler dosent bowl where you tell him or the batsman plays very intelligent cricket then there is nothing you can do to stop singles. Still if thats all you have to go on then I suppose your arguement is paper thin. Good batsmen take singles all the time which means this great big mistake Ponting made is repeated ad-nausem by every cricket captain in ODI's.

Yes - good batsmen take singles all the time. No - there isn't an excuse for not bringing in the field when Jon Lewis (NOT a good batsman) is on strike, allowing him to get Pietersen back on strike. It wasn't allowing Pietersen the singles that was the big mistake IMHO - it was allowing Lewis.

 

[luckyeddie]

He's got no point because it has worked 82% of the time and attacking cricket will cost you some times but if you have conviction in your game plan it will pay in the long term.

Its all too easy to look at one point without an understanding and say it was Pontings bad captaincy, wihtout really knowing anything. You can plug up some holes but if the bowler dosent bowl where you tell him or the batsman plays very intelligent cricket then there is nothing you can do to stop singles. Still if thats all you have to go on then I suppose your arguement is paper thin. Good batsmen take singles all the time which means this great big mistake Ponting made is repeated ad-nausem by every cricket captain in ODI's.

On this specific occasion, Scallywag, you are defending the indefensible. However subsequent matches pan out, Ponting didn't have a clue - maybe his leadership was 'under-cooked' this time. You cannot 'blame the bowler' - any schoolboy captain, if he had a slogger at the other end, would do absolutely EVERYTHING in his power to keep the non-batsman on strike by bringing 6, 7 or 8 men in to save the single, not just have 4 men on the edge of the circle and 5 on the ropes. If the non-batsman flukes a boundary or two, he's not exactly lost anything compared to what might well have happened - and did. This is Jon Lewis's batting which you are using to justify a desperately poor decision, one which borders on the inept.

This is Nasser saying 'You have a bat, lads' standard.

I've got a big box of popcorn and I await further developments with interest.

 

[King_Ponting]

as much as i agree with pontings captaincy i have to agree with LE on this occasion. not exactly sure what ponting was trying to achieve

 

[luckyeddie]

as much as i agree with pontings captaincy i have to agree with LE on this occasion. not exactly sure what ponting was trying to achieve

To tell the truth, subsequent events have had me very much warming to Ponting's captaincy - he was absolutely faultless in the second games against both Bangladesh and England, which means it was either an aberration or he is a very quick learner indeed. Either way, he's been spot-on since.

 

[marc71178]

He's got no point because it has worked 82% of the time and attacking cricket will cost you some times but if you have conviction in your game plan it will pay in the long term.

That'll be why you disappeared for a few days then...

Its all too easy to look at one point without an understanding and say it was Pontings bad captaincy, wihtout really knowing anything. You can plug up some holes but if the bowler dosent bowl where you tell him or the batsman plays very intelligent cricket then there is nothing you can do to stop singles.

You can make it harder for them by not sticking men right on the boundary.

Still if thats all you have to go on then I suppose your arguement is paper thin. Good batsmen take singles all the time which means this great big mistake Ponting made is repeated ad-nausem by every cricket captain in ODI's.

Except Jon Lewis is far from a good batsman.

 

[King_Ponting]

To tell the truth, subsequent events have had me very much warming to Ponting's captaincy - he was absolutely faultless in the second games against both Bangladesh and England, which means it was either an aberration or he is a very quick learner indeed. Either way, he's been spot-on since.

Much inclined to agree with the former, rather than the quick learner idea

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

To tell the truth, subsequent events have had me very much warming to Ponting's captaincy - he was absolutely faultless in the second games against both Bangladesh and England, which means it was either an aberration or he is a very quick learner indeed. Either way, he's been spot-on since.

The only error I've seen is not putting a slip in for Hogg when he brought him in at Old Trafford. It was understandable at first because nobody knew how the wicket would play, but Hogg's first ball gripped and turned a mile, and a prudent move would have been to immediately put a slip in place. As it happened, two balls later Hogg turned one, caught the edge and it flew straight to a simple catch for first slip... who wasn't there. As you said in your match report, Ponting slammed then the door shut, but did so one ball too late.

Aside from that, his captaincy has been fine.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Much inclined to agree with the former, rather than the quick learner idea

Ponting has a history of not being able to deal with the tail batting with a big hitter, I'm afraid. If you recall the Brisbane test against New Zealand this summer, he consistently offered runs to Jacob Oram to try and bowl at the completely competent batsman at the other end, rather than trying to get Oram out. As it happened, Oram made a hundred and New Zealand got a big score, and in a team with a less strong batting lineup that might have been a serious problem.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Anyway, tips for tonight? I'm interested in seeing how England go if they have to bat first, since they haven't done so against Australia in a long time, and they seem to prefer to chase.

Anyway, picking an Australian win.