*Official* Third Test at the WACA

[tooextracool]

He does it to all bowlers especially the ones at 80mph, and Asif only got him once all series in 2006 and he averaged 50 in that series. Mate, you've obviously got your point of view and nothing I say will change that.

Asif only played one test in 2006. He made him look like a club cricketer in the ODI series that followed. Much the same way this summer.

 

[tooextracool]

IIRC, TEC was one of the multitude calling for Cook to be dropped recently whilst little ole me, who wouldnt walk across the road to watch him bat, was one of the select few who supported him

Oh, the irony

Really? define recent? Because I havent called for Cook to be dropped for well over a year now. And I've actually been the one defending him throughout the entire summer while every single person on this forum was calling for his head. Get facts straight.

 

[Jono]

Yeah I recall TEC pointing out that Cook had fixed his technique.

 

[Jacknife]

Asif only played one test in 2006. He made him look like a club cricketer in the ODI series that followed. Much the same way this summer.

That wasn't your original point it was about him 'having a brain is up his arse and theres usually no method or strategy behind the way he plays' not him getting out to Asif, if I'm not mistaken Asif has got lots of very good players out. Asif got KP in the first couple of games out of the 5, so how is that make him look like a club cricketer,hyperbole much.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I recall TEC pointing out that Cook had fixed his technique.

Yeah TEC called for Cook to be dropped ages ago but recently he's been a big supporter despite the fact that he hadn't been scoring many runs - he maintained that the changes he made to his technique would take some time to adjust to and that he'd be better in the long run. I was actually thinking about those posts earlier today while watching Cook bat.

 

[tooextracool]

That wasn't your original point it was about him 'having a brain is up his arse and theres usually no method or strategy behind the way he plays' not him getting out to Asif, if I'm not mistaken Asif has got lots of very good players out. Asif got KP in the first couple of games out of the 5, so how is that make him look like a club cricketer,hyperbole much.

Its not that he gets out to him or that he has problems against him. Its just particularly annoying to see him employ the same methods that has resulted in his downfall against Asif time and time again. Pig-headed is what I'd call it.

As a bowler, the only thing that Asif doesnt really have going for him is his speed. By coming down the track to him Pietersen makes him look like a 90 mph bowler rather than the 80 mph bowler that he is. On tracks in England with a bit of movement around, its pretty much a lost cause. Asif will win that battle.

 

[Jacknife]

Its not that he gets out to him or that he has problems against him. Its just particularly annoying to see him employ the same methods that has resulted in his downfall against Asif time and time again. Pig-headed is what I'd call it.

As a bowler, the only thing that Asif doesnt really have going for him is his speed. By coming down the track to him Pietersen makes him look like a 90 mph bowler rather than the 80 mph bowler that he is. On tracks in England with a bit of movement around, its pretty much a lost cause. Asif will win that battle.

For me, I think he likes to get down the track to Asif, to get to the pitch a bit more and take away that seam movement and swing he gets, but the problem is, if he gets it wrong he looks a ****.

 

[Prince EWS]

For me, I think he likes to get down the track to Asif, to get to the pitch a bit more and take away that seam movement and swing he gets, but the problem is, if he gets it wrong he looks a ****.

If he does it basically every ball though, like he was doing, then Asif can just bowl a little shorter and get the same movement but give Pietersen a smaller reaction time. Maybe worth a try to disturb his length but it became obvious pretty quickly that it wasn't working and he kept doing it anyway.

 

[Woodster]

Excellent start to this vital Test for England, yet it could have been better still. To have them five down for about 70 was ideal yet it can be viewed as disappointing to let the Aussies make the total they did. That's on the one hand, on the other, we should have been delighted to have them five down when we did not bowl particularly well, especially in the first session, bar Tremlett who was outstanding throughout the day.

Anderson struggled with his radar early and enabled the batsmen to leave plenty, not that it did them any good really. Yet he still removed Ponting thanks to a fantastic one handed grab from Colly. Finn was below average again for me, and should he not excel in the second innings his position must surely come under close scrutiny for Melbourne. Swann did as much as you can hope for a finger spinner on this pitch. There was little spin around and Australia at one point looked as though they were going to attack him at every possible opportunity, but he kept his nerve and took the massive wicket of Hussey, again, with a beauty. Bowled a long spell, allowed rest for the quicks, was economical and deserved his two-for.

Tremlett though was the undoubted star. We knew the bounce would assist him, but he bowled excellent areas consistently and looked a constant threat. Hughes didn't have a clue how to play him in the one over he faced from him.

The pressure will inevitably mount on Ponting and Clarke, both pretty loose shots from them pushing at the ball away from the body. Credit again to Hussey and Haddin, the former taking his time to get set, left the ball sensibly, and built his innings cleverly. Haddin was slated for his shot on Sky Sports, and I agree it probably wasn't there for an expansive drive, but it's those shots that has had people praising his positive play and fluent strokeplay in the previous two Tests, he isn't going to nail every one.

Johnson also played what could be a very useful cameo. Struck the ball cleanly, but would have liked to have seen a few more around his napper.

Having Steve Smith at six must give Strauss and co a great lift knowing we need only four wickets before a batsman some way below Test standard is making his way to the crease.

Cook currently looks very solid at the top. Could have been a tricky period but he negotiated it expertly. I don't buy into Australia are bowling terribly to him, his judgement is spot on and he is the one forcing them to change their lines and he duly milks them. It's not that they can't bowl where they want to, they just don't know where to bowl to him.

Important England make 400 to really put us in pole position, any less it could be game on. It looks a good pitch to bat on, the bounce makes it beneficial to both batsmen and bowlers and if England can get past the opening hour tomorrow, when the ball will then be around 30 overs old, they can hopefully cash in.

 

[tooextracool]

For me, I think he likes to get down the track to Asif, to get to the pitch a bit more and take away that seam movement and swing he gets, but the problem is, if he gets it wrong he looks a ****.

Yes this is true, and it is why he does it against every bowler when the ball is moving about. Asif is a very intelligent bowler though. He can usually tell when Pietersen is coming down the track and he just drops it a bit shorter so that Pietersen doesnt get to the pitch of the ball. Either way, after batting against him 20 odd times its just something that you'd expect any intelligent batsman to pick up.

 

[Jacknife]

If he does it basically every ball though, like he was doing, then Asif can just bowl a little shorter and get the same movement but give Pietersen a smaller reaction time. Maybe worth a try to disturb his length but it became obvious pretty quickly that it wasn't working and he kept doing it anyway.

Obviously didn't work for him and your right, it's finding that medium between attack and defense, which is what gets KP into trouble sometimes and most good bowlers know that they have a chance with him, but when it does come off, like the last test, it's a joy to watch, well if your English.

 

[Jarquis]

Calm down eh.

benchmark's post was fairly similar to some of the ones you've made RE Swann & Anderson, after all.

Where were you before anyway, thought you'd have been all over this one

I'm not bothered in the slightest.
And while it might've been similar it's not the same. I never said Haddin was a bad player. Or couldn't bat in a certain country, unlike people about Swann and Anderson.

Yeah, nice seeing us win and all that but cbf

 

[marc71178]

Warnie interviewing Susan Boyle on his chat show now.

She may be the only Englishwoman he's met on this trip who he hasn't thrown a leg over.

Broad?

 

[Prince EWS]

Broad?

No, he went there.

 

[Jarquis]

Burgey when you gonna admit you were wrong about Anderson?

?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Cook is just like watching Katich. Both so **** unless you support that team

Agreed. Wasn't Steve Waugh like watching paint dry too?

Not every player is like KP, Bell or Mark Waugh in that they are a joy to watch when going. It is part of what makes cricket such a great game that different types of players fit into a team to make it successful.

 

[social]

Excellent start to this vital Test for England, yet it could have been better still. To have them five down for about 70 was ideal yet it can be viewed as disappointing to let the Aussies make the total they did. That's on the one hand, on the other, we should have been delighted to have them five down when we did not bowl particularly well, especially in the first session, bar Tremlett who was outstanding throughout the day.

Anderson struggled with his radar early and enabled the batsmen to leave plenty, not that it did them any good really. Yet he still removed Ponting thanks to a fantastic one handed grab from Colly. Finn was below average again for me, and should he not excel in the second innings his position must surely come under close scrutiny for Melbourne. Swann did as much as you can hope for a finger spinner on this pitch. There was little spin around and Australia at one point looked as though they were going to attack him at every possible opportunity, but he kept his nerve and took the massive wicket of Hussey, again, with a beauty. Bowled a long spell, allowed rest for the quicks, was economical and deserved his two-for.

Tremlett though was the undoubted star. We knew the bounce would assist him, but he bowled excellent areas consistently and looked a constant threat. Hughes didn't have a clue how to play him in the one over he faced from him.

The pressure will inevitably mount on Ponting and Clarke, both pretty loose shots from them pushing at the ball away from the body. Credit again to Hussey and Haddin, the former taking his time to get set, left the ball sensibly, and built his innings cleverly. Haddin was slated for his shot on Sky Sports, and I agree it probably wasn't there for an expansive drive, but it's those shots that has had people praising his positive play and fluent strokeplay in the previous two Tests, he isn't going to nail every one.

Johnson also played what could be a very useful cameo. Struck the ball cleanly, but would have liked to have seen a few more around his napper.

Having Steve Smith at six must give Strauss and co a great lift knowing we need only four wickets before a batsman some way below Test standard is making his way to the crease.

Cook currently looks very solid at the top. Could have been a tricky period but he negotiated it expertly. I don't buy into Australia are bowling terribly to him, his judgement is spot on and he is the one forcing them to change their lines and he duly milks them. It's not that they can't bowl where they want to, they just don't know where to bowl to him.

Important England make 400 to really put us in pole position, any less it could be game on. It looks a good pitch to bat on, the bounce makes it beneficial to both batsmen and bowlers and if England can get past the opening hour tomorrow, when the ball will then be around 30 overs old, they can hopefully cash in.

We're not talking about a new kid on the block here

The guy has got the same strengths and weaknesses that he's had for years and literally every coach and player in test cricket should know where to bowl to him

It's irrelevant as to whether he is showing greater levels of discipline - bowl the right areas for long enough and you'll not only dry up his scoring but he'll get out

 

[tooextracool]

Yeah its a patience game I'm afraid. Bowl in the right areas consistently enough and long enough and eventually you will have your man. Ultimately thats been the difference between the 2 sides so far, its not really about talent or form.

 

[social]

Yeah its a patience game I'm afraid. Bowl in the right areas consistently enough and long enough and eventually you will have your man. Ultimately thats been the difference between the 2 sides so far, its not really about talent or form.

Form, skill and planning dictate whether it can be achieved

From the looks of it, Australia have bugger all of any of the above

 

[MW1304]

The problem was Hughes didn't defend. If he did, he wouldn't have been walking back to the pavilion.

Not knowing when to defend is part of not having a good defense.