***Official*** Super Series

[SquidAU]

Hmmm... Watson player of the match? Can't say I fully understand that call.

Vettori might feel a bit aggrieved.

He was unfortunate to be on the losing side....had they won, he would have definately got it.

 

[Adamc]

Hmmm... Watson player of the match? Can't say I fully understand that call.

Vettori might feel a bit aggrieved.

Vettori probably deserved it more, but really, when was the last time a player from a losing side got it (actually, don't answer that)? Three wickets and a runout is still pretty decent.

 

[NZTailender]

The World XI middle order that failed today failed against Victoria didn't it? Hope they work together on that more.

World XI: too many empty calories. Not enough vitamin Kiwi.

 

[honestbharani]

Well, first off, congratulations to Australia. It is no mean feat to defeat this side, even if it is a fact that they haven't played much at all as a team. The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that everyone was really involved in the game, there was no real amateurish attitude from any of the players and that, by itself, should prove that these games deserved international status. It would indeed have been a travesty had the good performances of Vettori, Murali, Watson, McGrath and Symonds NOT have been recorded in the official books. Australia really came out all guns blazing when they were fielding, even though their catching has not really improved much. I still think, atleast in the Australian conditions, their bowling line up for ODIs is really good. Lee and Bracken both seem to be able to get the white ball to swing significantly more than the red cherry and with the world class McGrath always around, that gives their side a good fast bowling line up. Add to that Watson, who seems to have come of age (albeit this is just based on this one match) and the few spinners that they have, they have a pretty good bowling side. The World XI simply lost too many wickets at regular intervals to have a realistic shot at the target and the nagging accuracy of McGrath didn't help them either. They have to pick up their socks big time before the next game if they want to make this series go down to the decider. Lara, Kallis, Pollock, Shoaib, Afridi have not had too much cricket at all in the past few months and it showed in the way they played. I think Pollock missed a trick by not having named Afridi in the actual eleven and Dravid as the super sub. Wright and Gavaskar might give them a piece of their minds tonight and I hope it helps them get better real soon. But it was a good game with some really good performances and I enjoyed watching the match.

 

[Robertinho]

Go Aussie

 

[andyc]

I don't think Watson should have been MOTM, either Lee or Vettori for me. Watson did play well, though.
Bracken hopefully played well enough to earn a spot in the team for the next little while, with an average of under 20 going into this match after 17 games, I don't see why he isn't a regular.
It was a bit disappointing seeing the World XI crumble so badly, although as an Aussie I was very happy, and the team was obviously too.
Finally, I'm very disappointed that White didn't get a bowl. His first one day match for Australia, and he did absolutely nothing.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I hope Bracken and Watson silenced a few doubters today, personally. I've always liked them a great deal as cricketers, and I think it's fairly obvious that even if Watson bowls as he did tonight (which wasn't all that great, but he had some good balls) and earns his place with the bat he can be a great cricketer.

Great win for Australia, clinical performance. Well done to White on debut doing absolutely nothing.

 

[marc71178]

There was banter apart from ones directed at Warne and the best case is Gillespie who did not take it in any way you describe.

Except I was talking about the MAJORITY of it, which was aimed at Warne and taken in goo dspirit.

 

[marc71178]

Marc, ask Gillespie or Tait

Tait only got any form of reaction when he started making mistakes in the field.

To equate either that or the Gyppo comments to the crap dished out by Aussies is way off the mark.

 

[marc71178]

Shane Bond is only a 3 hour flight away...I reckon he'd be a handy replacement.

For whom?

There's another 2 players in the squad, including a seamer, that'd be used surely?

 

[honestbharani]

I will honestly be disappointed if they don't drop Sehwag for Gayle. I don't think Sehwag will guarantee more runs than Gayle and at least Gayle will guarantee a better bowling option. although I do feel that Sehwag is underrated and underutilized as a bowler.

 

[Burpey]

Vettori should have got man of the match. Bracken bowled well after being in international wilderness for a while. Also, good to see Watson bowl decently.

But most importantly, Katich got 58 and Martyn 0. How good life is at the moment

 

[honestbharani]

What about the catching of the world XI? I mean, I loved it when Manjrekar mentioned that their fielding would be a weakness and they ended up catching everything that came their way.

 

[Dasa]

Well, first off, congratulations to Australia. It is no mean feat to defeat this side, even if it is a fact that they haven't played much at all as a team. The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that everyone was really involved in the game, there was no real amateurish attitude from any of the players and that, by itself, should prove that these games deserved international status. It would indeed have been a travesty had the good performances of Vettori, Murali, Watson, McGrath and Symonds NOT have been recorded in the official books. Australia really came out all guns blazing when they were fielding, even though their catching has not really improved much. I still think, atleast in the Australian conditions, their bowling line up for ODIs is really good. Lee and Bracken both seem to be able to get the white ball to swing significantly more than the red cherry and with the world class McGrath always around, that gives their side a good fast bowling line up. Add to that Watson, who seems to have come of age (albeit this is just based on this one match) and the few spinners that they have, they have a pretty good bowling side. The World XI simply lost too many wickets at regular intervals to have a realistic shot at the target and the nagging accuracy of McGrath didn't help them either. They have to pick up their socks big time before the next game if they want to make this series go down to the decider. Lara, Kallis, Pollock, Shoaib, Afridi have not had too much cricket at all in the past few months and it showed in the way they played. I think Pollock missed a trick by not having named Afridi in the actual eleven and Dravid as the super sub. Wright and Gavaskar might give them a piece of their minds tonight and I hope it helps them get better real soon. But it was a good game with some really good performances and I enjoyed watching the match.

Y'know, I have to disagree with that. I just got back from the match and it seemed to me that the atmosphere was rather flat...the WorldXI (to me) seemed like they weren't really fully into it and let it drift a bit. Aussies bowled very well though.
I feel very sorry for Murali....it's quite understandable why he didn't tour Australia last time Sri Lanka were over - large portions of the crowd were absolutely disgraceful.

 

[honestbharani]

Y'know, I have to disagree with that. I just got back from the match and it seemed to me that the atmosphere was rather flat...the WorldXI (to me) seemed like they weren't really fully into it and let it drift a bit. Aussies bowled very well though.
I feel very sorry for Murali....it's quite understandable why he didn't tour Australia last time Sri Lanka were over - large portions of the crowd were absolutely disgraceful.

He still bowled a brilliant spell, though. And I thought that the World XI were pretty serious, but I watched the match on TV.

 

[Burpey]

Pretty disappointing crowd. Am I right in saying that the match would have been broadcat live into Melbourne despite it not being a sell-out ?

 

[vic_orthdox]

Pretty disappointing crowd. Am I right in saying that the match would have been broadcat live into Melbourne despite it not being a sell-out ?

Yeah, it was. A very disappointing crowd. Would have loved to have gone if I weren't buried with uni work I reckon Vettori wouldn't mind wrapping that pitch up and taking it with him - or alternatively, organise someone to drop it in at every ground he plays at He bowled fantastically at the Dome last year, and did so again.

 

[andyc]

It was a bad crowd, but I don't get it, I'd have loved to go.

 

[vic_orthdox]

It was a bad crowd, but I don't get it, I'd have loved to go.

We Melbournians are simple people. We like our beer cold, our horse racing in October/November, our cricket in Dec - Feb, and our AFL in any other spare space.

I think the prices were a bit exorbitant (from memory) and put a few people off. I thought the ground got shown up as a cricket venue too, the outfield was rather ordinary - both aesthetically, and safety wise. I was wincing every time someone stuck their knee into the ground to dive.

 

[Burpey]

It was a bad crowd, but I don't get it, I'd have loved to go.

Me too, at least for the night session. I'm looking forward to the Supertest here in Sydney. Unfortunately, I can't go on the Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because of school and the Saturday because of cricket