Cricket

They scored 400 last week...

Mario Leontiou wrote:They scored 400 last week...

bastard, forgot they did that in a losing battle. When was the last time they hit 400 in the first inning?

630 and 590 in first innings against Windies in Novemeber and a 400+ in one of the 2nd innings. Not against the strongest opposition, mind. I think the question is when did they score a 300+ away from home? Or how consistently are they doing it?

In the first innings away from home, maybe once in the last year? Twice? It's really strange because their batting is world class but whether they all have the same fight in them, I don't know. I think most do, though. Maybe the Indians can tell us more. Thing is, you can't replace the old guard for a 1 off game, if you replace them now then has to be for good to allow the next generation time to grow. But Kohli has struggled a bit and Raina wouldn't have scored a run in these conditions, either. Rohit Sharma looks good.

But we shouldn't downplay the role of England and now Australia in reducing India to this state. Both teams are playing very good cricket. Although this Australia team just last month were bowled out for 47. And lost to New Zealand at home from a winning position. Erm, yeah.

Kohli needs to sort his attitude out. Both him and Raina are one day players. They don't know how to play test cricket. The Indian Cricket Board needs to make some serious ballsy decisions. At the moment they are just prolonging the inevitable downfall and rebuilding period. The quicker they start, they quicker they climb back up, at the moment it is just shocking

Mario Leontiou wrote:But we shouldn't downplay the role of England and now Australia in reducing India to this state. Both teams are playing very good cricket. Although this Australia team just last month were bowled out for 47. And lost to New Zealand at home from a winning position. Erm, yeah.

I would like to think (or, at least, hope) that Australia's batting has turned a bit of a corner. They've certainly been helped by some very poor Indian bowling, but sometimes you need that kind of luck to get your confidence back. All of the players who needed big scores, with the exception of Haddin, have gotten them in the last couple of months. Clarke has looked a different player since taking over the captaincy, scoring three or four centuries, including that mammoth total. Ponting has been in great form, scoring several half centuries in the matches leading up to his long awaited century. Mike Hussey is Mike Hussey, goes through short periods of poor form, but always manages to find a way back to form and stays there for longer than not. Dave Warner is an enigma. He can get out easily, but he can also play like he did yesterday. Two centuries in his first five matches is an excellent start to his test career. Ed Cowan looks like a solid, if not unspectacular, opener. That said, Watson will be back soon, though I wouldn't be surprised if he shifts down the order.

What is even more enticing is our pace attack. Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Harris are all seasoned players now, each showing very good form. Pattinson has been a revelation since coming in. Big, tall, fast and seems to be able to hit the right spots on the pitch more often than not. Cummins was excellent in his first test and Starc has shown some promise (his first wicket yesterday was a pearler). There aren't many test sides out there at the moment who have six in form quicks. and while we're still nowhere near replacing Warne (though it's perhaps an unrealistic expectation to ever properly replace him) Lyons has shown himself to be more than competent and certainly the best spinner we've had since Warne left.

So, all in all, things are looking good for Australia. At least in the short term. The only players who have question marks over their heads are Haddin and Marsh. I think Haddin would have been dropped by now if there was a viable alternative. Well, there is a viable alternative, but Tim Paine is more of a crock than Watson.

Why is it so difficult for visitng teams to take advantage of the bounce at the WACA? It seems that so many teams are reluctant to use it.

Good work Marsh, you spastic. That's now 14 runs from four innings. we went more than 500 runs without losing a wicket and you can't last 15 minutes.

Warner gone for 180 off just 159 balls. 290/3, Australia leading by 149.

And that is why visiting sides should use bounce at the WACA. Starc takes a wicket with his second ball and Gambhir did not have a clue how to play it.

Oh my word. Starc gets Tendulkar with the first ball of his second over. That ball swung a mile. How good is this kid?

Laxman goes for nothing. He's had a shocker of a series. Hilfenhaus picks up his 20th for the series.

88/4 120 runs behind... test match probably ends tomorrow, only question is whether or not it is an innings defeat or not

Certainly not an innings defeat. Australia to win by 10 wickets though.

Definite innings defeat. another 4-0. Pressure on Dhoni but it should lie with the senior players.

Last int'l test series for Laxman. Bring in Pujara or Rohit Sharma.

In his six innings, Dravid has made one half century and been bowled 5 times. It's not often that you see a batsman get out in the same fashion so consistently within such a short period of time.

Big innings for Dhoni here. He's been woeful thus far.

Hilfenhaus on a hattrick. Wonderful catch from Clarke off a peach of a ball from the Haus. Innings victory only a few minutes away.

No hattrick. But he takes three wickets in five balls! 23 wickets for the series.

Game over. Series win, another innings defeat, no century for Tendulkar, Dravid bowled again, Laxman makes no runs. Crazy stuff.

The only positive to come out of this series for England is Yadav's wicket taking, if not expensive, bowling.

ICC MEDIA RELEASE: The India team has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third Test against Australia in Perth, Western Australia, and as this is the second offence within 12 months India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been suspended for the next Test match in line with the ICC Code of Conduct.

It's probably for the best. He would probably have been dropped if not suspended.

David Hogan wrote:Game over. Series win, another innings defeat, no century for Tendulkar, Dravid bowled again, Laxman makes no runs. Crazy stuff.

The only positive to come out of this series for England is Yadav's wicket taking, if not expensive, bowling.

OI! low blow Hogan!

Haha, I didn't even notice that. Obviously have the Ashes on the brain. Am I perhaps getting ahead of myself?

Maybe.

My colleague is convinced we are going to lose to Pakistan which is a bad sign because he predicted we would win 3-1 in Australia and 4-0 against India ><. He did say that come the next Ashes it'll be #1 vs #2 in the world

Sami Rockfeller wrote:

It's probably for the best. He would probably have been dropped if not suspended.

Sami - no way would Dhoni have been dropped. He is the captain, yeah he is under performing with the bat but he is the leader on that squad. The day Dhoni is dropped we will have riots in India haha.

England going down....they are going to lose badly like they did in India

fkamil wrote:England going down....they are going to lose badly like they did in India

you do know odi and test cricket are two very different forms of the game right? england have proven time and again they cant play odis and their results dont really indicate test form