*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[Rant0r]

When we lose this Test, let's please not hear from the hierarchy that we went down because we 'lost the big moments'.

This was the excuse for the loss of the Ashes.

The harsh reality then, as in this Test, is not that we lost the big moments. But rather we failed to dig in during a whole innings.

It did not come down to a defining 'moment', but rather a whole innings of slackness.

agreed

Agree with howard. I am aching for an Aussie batsman who REALLY values his wicket. I don't care if he is ugly to watch, scores slowly or anything of the type. But someone who can at least put on a good 40 runs and slow down the bowling team's momentum. I am tired of seeing this team crumble in one innings and effectively hand over the match.

They still play like millionaires on flat wickets

Honestly, MJ Clarke is starting to **** me by not kicking on, North's gone and afaic, if Haddin played that shot in the 1st dig under Border he'd be (rightfully) dead now.

Actually no, he would not have dreamt of playing it under AB. I'd like to see the batsmen similarly scared of Ponting when it comes to that sort of thing.

Dire.

I've never agreed with anything as much as I agree with this

 

[Jayzamann]

Bless Shane Watson's childish optimism.

 

[Frakstar]

Honestly, MJ Clarke is starting to **** me by not kicking on, North's gone and afaic, if Haddin played that shot in the 1st dig under Border he'd be (rightfully) dead now.

Actually no, he would not have dreamt of playing it under AB. I'd like to see the batsmen similarly scared of Ponting when it comes to that sort of thing.

Dire.

Burgey, coach Australia please

 

[Rant0r]

I wonder if Hussey can stroke another hundred with a tailender like he did with MacGill and McGrath ?.

But yeah, good onya Watto for your optimism, but this pitch isn't the '94 dustbowl

 

[Jayzamann]

He'd say exactly the same thing if they were 50 runs behind with two wickets in hand, tbh.

 

[Rant0r]

Yeah, I spose he can't really say 'We're Doomed' when he's being interviewed. But legends weren't made by Fanie De Villiers, just trundling in in Sydney in '94 when all seemed lost were they ?

 

[Jono]

So he should.

Hussey has to play an absolute blinder. Get Aust to 140 or something and just give Pakistan a scare.

Look Pakistan should win but you never know.

If Pak are chasing 140 and lose 2 quick wickets, well

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Agree with howard. I am aching for an Aussie batsman who REALLY values his wicket. I don't care if he is ugly to watch, scores slowly or anything of the type. But someone who can at least put on a good 40 runs and slow down the bowling team's momentum. I am tired of seeing this team crumble in one innings and effectively hand over the match.

His name is Brendan Nash.

 

[Noble One]

Yeah, I spose he can't really say 'We're Doomed' when he's being interviewed. But legends weren't made by Fanie De Villiers, just trundling in in Sydney in '94 when all seemed lost were they ?

Shane Warne made the point today that this test poses no similarity to 1994. Remember the SCG wicket then was cracked, and full of uneven bounce, a total nightmare to bat on. This pitch is now flat, even bounce, little sideways movement, and none of the spinners deliveries are suddenly turning square.

 

[Top_Cat]

burgey and hj on the money. Tired of aussie rearguards, how about some first inning runs when the game is really on the line? Can't help but notice the fairly strong correlation between ponting's run of outs and middle order woes. Don't think it's a form issue either. Just have a look at the outs of clarke, north, haddin and kat in the past year. It's a pressure issue. Ponting's outs aren't much better but he's done the job for so many years, he's entitled to a modest run. The rest of the order shouldn't fall into a heap like that just because ponting goes early.

 

[Rant0r]

Shane Warne made the point today that this test poses no similarity to 1994. Remember the SCG wicket then was cracked, and full of uneven bounce, a total nightmare to bat on. This pitch is now flat, even bounce, little sideways movement, and none of the spinners deliveries are suddenly turning square.

I did mention this earlier, but there's also no reason to suggest that they can't make Pakistan fold like a deck of cards. Mitchell Johnson took 8 for in Perth last year on a pitch that yielded 400+ second innings runs

 

[Jayzamann]

Can't help but notice the fairly strong correlation between ponting's run of outs and middle order woes.

Ties in nicely with the theory of Clarke's scores being pegged to whatever Ponting scores.

Many a drunk night arguing and loling over that.

 

[Rant0r]

Or every time there's plenty of movement off the seam and in the air the aussies struggle. Particularly Clarke. See 05 and this match, but that could be the next step in his development provided we see more pitches like this *fingers crossed*

 

[Rant0r]

His name is Brendan Nash.

Like this by the way. But you don't get into the Aussie team anymore by playing unfashionable cricket and not having a fake tan.

 

[Jayzamann]

Particularly Clarke ... the next step in his development provided we see more pitches like this *fingers crossed*

Next step would be finding out the intricacies of this newfangled t20 bizness so he'd have any semblance of knowing what to do when he eventually has to captain his country in it.

Oh and not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars he'd make in the process. Winwin. I hear his girlfriend needs a new car.

 

[Rant0r]

AHAHAHA, indeed she does.

He seems OK at captaincy the little of it i've seen him do, aggressive, although there's aggressiveness and tactfullness I suppose, it's easy to be aggressive in McCricket.

But I don't think he's short of a quid, the world has changed

 

[Jayzamann]

It just a bit frustrating I guess that he actively avoids an opportunity to get some work experience in a format that he'll eventually be judged on his captaincy for the first time. If I were him (ha) I'd want to get as much experience in as many situations as possible. The dollars and db9's are a happy side bonus. I suppose locks to your garages are a relatively small expense, but you can't put a price on how much of a dumb**** your girlfriend is.

 

[Rant0r]

She doesn't need brains, although if we still lived in caves you'd use her as bait to catch some fish.

In the old days Clarke would be captain of his state to get the experience. But it is good to see him staying out of the Indian Cash League

 

[four_or_six]

It just a bit frustrating I guess that he actively avoids an opportunity to get some work experience in a format that he'll eventually be judged on his captaincy for the first time. If I were him (ha) I'd want to get as much experience in as many situations as possible. The dollars and db9's are a happy side bonus. I suppose locks to your garages are a relatively small expense, but you can't put a price on how much of a dumb**** your girlfriend is.

Difficult balancing act given the degenerative back condition he has, already struggled with it pretty badly last year.

 

[Jayzamann]

Ohhh that thing.

They come with heated seats, right?