*Official* VB Series - Australia, India & Zimbabwe

[Jono]

The way I see Agit with the bat, he's simply got these odd days where he's just on. Most of the time he looks like a fool with the bat (lol I'm still a fan but the truth can't be denied) however in odd games, like those mentioned and his slog against the Australians in the first TVS Cup game last year, he just seems to get it right in the middle. I wish it happened more often.

 

[jagaways]

the thing with AA is this...against the australians he lacks confidence and therefore can't just go out and slog (which is his usual game)...unfortunately..he's got a crap technique and has no idea how to defend..so when he tries to he looks stupid and keeps getting beaten/edges/etc. however all his good knocks have come from completely attacking innings..which is what he should stick to. bottom line: AA is not a batsman, he's a slogger.

 

[jagaways]

...and the first final begins!
India win the toss and elect to bat, Tendulkar and Sehwag batting as i speak...

 

[Vroomfondel]

GONE!

6/1

Laxman in to join tendulkar

 

[NikhilN]

OUT! Sehwag gone for 3 and India 6/1...not a good start from India... short delivery and good lenght and sehwag gets an edge to gilly

 

[jagaways]

good partnership now req'd between laxman and tendulkar

 

[Vroomfondel]

wow, what a ball. 14/2
seemed like tendulkar was completely at sea against what lee/gilly threw at him.

Looks like it's Perth all over again...

 

[abe]

that was a great ball. After five overs of short pitched at the body stuff Tendulkar backed away and played well outside a fuller ball.

Brett Lee had a peculiar celebration as the off stump went flying didn't he?

 

[Bapu Rao Swami]

Laxman caught at deep mid wicket.....:!(

 

[Bapu Rao Swami]

Dravid too gone at first slip..:!(


You Australians and South Africans are simply too good, I'll give you that!

 

[Slow Love™]

Well, I was obviously wrong about India feeling reassured and comfortable to be on a less-bouncy wicket than Perth.

Ganguly's going to need a good innings here. He's already taken his eyes off a Williams short ball though. With both Laxman and Dravid back in the pavilion already, the Aussies will be feeling on top (damned Healy, it's catching).

Interesting game.

 

[mustang]

Go Australia!

 

[Vroomfondel]

Go Australia!

This is the stuff we were expecting during the tests, but anyhow, it's good that they've found the plot.

perhaps this will put to rest the whole 'second best team in the world' stuff...fine, so secretly I expect Yuvraj and Ganguly to get us to respectibility before pathan and agarkar tear through the aussies, but that should probably stay secret.

 

[mustang]

This is the stuff we were expecting during the tests, but anyhow, it's good that they've found the plot.

perhaps this will put to rest the whole 'second best team in the world' stuff...fine, so secretly I expect Yuvraj and Ganguly to get us to respectibility before pathan and agarkar tear through the aussies, but that should probably stay secret.

I rate South Africa rank 2, they had a great series victory over the West Indies, infact they're ranked 2 in both forms of the game by the ICC and PWC. Pakistan is ranked 3.

 

[Choora]

Indian batting dissapoints again.*sigh*


Lee bowled beautifully, someone here was saying that Lee would soon become a laughing stock, Lee is not that bad a bowler.

 

[mustang]

Indian batting dissapoints again.*sigh*


Lee bowled beautifully, someone here was saying that Lee would soon become a laughing stock, Lee is not that bad a bowler.

Based on stats in the past 26 months, Lee is the second best One day International bowler.


Bowling Performances for 2 Years to 04/02/2004

Player Overs Mdns Runs Wkts 4w Avg

1 M Muralitharan (SRL) 347.5 38 1091 76 5 14.36

2 B Lee (AUS) 372.3 35 1690 87 7 19.43

3 G D McGrath (AUS) 309.0 57 1128 58 3 19.45

4 M Ntini (SAF) 446.0 48 1905 91 5 20.93

5 A Flintoff (ENG) 261.4 30 1017 46 3 22.11

6 J N Gillespie (AUS) 311.2 33 1271 57 3 22.30

7 J M Anderson (ENG) 226.2 27 1041 46 4 22.63

8 Shoaib Akhtar (PAK) 379.5 28 1675 73 4 22.95

9 A B Agarkar (IND) 277.4 27 1365 59 3 23.14

10 S B Styris (NZL) 234.3 17 1088 47 2 23.15

 

[Vroomfondel]

AA 43(43) with 4 4's and 2 6's

All right, Agarkar the all-rounder :O

 

[abe]

That second six was great, right into the Indian section of the crowd .

Australia being forced to use part timers to make up the overs. Agarkar top scoring in his side..who would have thought?

 

[abe]

Agarkar with a half century! :O And an almost run out for his partner

With all the plans to get the Indian top order out, Ponting forgot about Agarkar I guess the way he was playing (and continued to play at the start of his innings today) didn't warrant one...well, he's keeping this game interesting now.

 

[Slow Love™]

Agarkar's going buck wild...

We had some trouble cleaning up the tail in Perth, as well - Australia want to be careful here, because India are in danger of posting a competitive total - 230 or so would definitely give them something to bowl to. I've seen so many FABC's at the MCG in night-time chases that I've lost count.

Seems like Harvey messed up an easy run-out of Badani a few minutes ago. And was it Agarkar that Gilchrist dropped? Could be a little costly.

The Aussies are also well behind their over-rate today. If they fail to bowl India out, it'll be an interesting test for the match referee.