*Official* Second Test at the Adelaide Oval

[Ausage]

I haven't seen the footage of Ponting berating Strauss at the close of play yet, but am I right in thinking that he was having one of his little outbursts about "the spirit of the game" because Strauss started walking off before "time" was called?

Nah man. The chimp was threatening to eat the kings children.

 

[Spark]

Haha that set of VB ads is hilarious IMO. Well, not Clarke's so much, but Watson's reaction is absolutely classic.

 

[social]

He excelled just as much as #4.

If Clarke moving back to #5 will solve his problems then I'm all for it.

I don't think it's anywhere that simple myself.

There is absolutely no chance of Clarke being dropped so .....

 

[Ruckus]

He excelled just as much as #4.

If Clarke moving back to #5 will solve his problems then I'm all for it.

I don't think it's anywhere that simple myself.

Nay, Huss is much better at no. 5, 64.95 vs 46.02. But I agree with you, I don't think that batting at 4 or 5 shouldn't really make a difference. I like Hussey at 5 though because he is better at working with the tail, and is in the perfect spot to rebuild an innings. I also like, in theory, Clarke at 4 because he is right next to Ponting and when they get good partnerships going (which unfortunately seems a rarity these days), they can win matches by themselves.

 

[Spark]

I wouldn't be so sure if he keeps looking so horrifyingly bad. Although I think, as usual with Clarke, if he borrows a bit of Hussey's luck and one of the edges is dropped/doesn't carry, he could be back in business.

 

[Spark]

Nay, Huss is much better at no. 5, 64.95 vs 46.02. But I agree with you, I don't think that batting at 4 or 5 shouldn't really make a difference. I like Hussey at 5 though because he is better at working with the tail, and is in the perfect spot to rebuild an innings. I also like, in theory, Clarke at 4 because he is right next to Ponting and when they get good partnerships going (which unfortunately seems a rarity these days), they can win matches by themselves.

How much of his record at 4 is brought down by his horror run in 08-09?

And Clarke on form gets partnerships going with basically everyone. Clarke/North has actually been our most productive non-opening pair in the last two years...

 

[Ruckus]

I wouldn't be so sure if he keeps looking so horrifyingly bad. Although I think, as usual with Clarke, if he borrows a bit of Hussey's luck and one of the edges is dropped/doesn't carry, he could be back in business.

None of his recent bad form can be attributed to batting at no.4 imo. Injuries, one bad series, and good bowling account for it.

 

[Spark]

Hence the "I'm not sure things are so simple".

 

[Adamski]

Really crucial day for Aus tomorrow. If the replacements can't do it and England are on something like 300/3 at the end, then I think the game will be England's and also the series.

 

[pasag]

Have a little bit of faith in our bowling but it's going to be tough. Can see a guy like Paul Collingwood making merry again like 06/07. Let's see if we can come back from poor first day batting like England did last week. If we can't, it's obvious they're the better side and deserve the Ashes.

 

[Hurricane]

I haven't seen the footage of Ponting berating Strauss at the close of play yet, but am I right in thinking that he was having one of his little outbursts about "the spirit of the game" because Strauss started walking off before "time" was called?

I didn't get to see Ponting I more saw Haddin having a few words. I am sure that it was just cold hearted calculated sledging designed to throw Strauss off his game tomorrow.

 

[Ruckus]

Hence the "I'm not sure things are so simple".

Then why did you say "I wouldn't be so sure if he keeps looking so horrifyingly bad". You either think his bad form is due to his batting position or you don't

 

[Xuhaib]

Have a little bit of faith in our bowling but it's going to be tough. Can see a guy like Paul Collingwood making merry again like 06/07. Let's see if we can come back from poor first day batting like England did last week. If we can't, it's obvious they're the better side and deserve the Ashes.

haha...soft.

 

[Spark]

I think his bad form is due to his bad form myself...

 

[TumTum]

Well England will be leaving this Test 1-0 up. Another ****ing pathetic performance I had to endure in the last couple of years, I don't know why I even follow this team anymore tbh, probably trying to convince myself that it will turn around but it never does.

 

[Ausage]

My god. People acting like a test has never changed after the first day here.

 

[robelinda]

Well England will be leaving this Test 1-0 up. Another ****ing pathetic performance I had to endure in the last couple of years, I don't know why I even follow this team anymore tbh, probably trying to convince myself that it will turn around but it never does.

Lucky you never saw any Aussie tests from February 1984 to Jan 1989. Painful doesnt begin to describe. We couldnt even beat NZ! Hadlee or no Hadlee its still NZ FFS!

 

[Spark]

My god. People acting like a test has never changed after the first day here.

Haha I reckon. FFS 245 isn't great but it's not 88 not out and even then the game was a long, long, long way from over.

 

[Xuhaib]

My god. People acting like a test has never changed after the first day here.

exactly reading this thread feels they were shot out for 45 not 245.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Not everything about being too good is about getting wickets, they couldn't score off him apart from a couple of overs straight after tea.

If that's the case, he did very poorly to go for 70 in those two overs then.