*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[I am Legion]

You mean the groundsman will get MOTM like at The Oval?

Where England scored 700 runs and Australia were 217-3 in the fourth innings before Ponting was run out? What exactly was wrong with that pitch?

[TumTum]

All I can think of is Headingley and The Oval 09. I certainly hope history repeats itself.

It won't. Difference being you are in Australia now and we have just trashed you after you fellas batted and bowled so well before hand. We have the momentum now and I doubt you'll be able to change it in-front of a packed MCG crowd.

[Uppercut]

Momentum, lol.

[GIMH]

It won't. Difference being you are in Australia now and we have just trashed you after you fellas batted and bowled so well before hand. We have the momentum now and I doubt you'll be able to change it in-front of a packed MCG crowd.

Yeah, and we had just been thrashed at home before having played well beforehand, in my example. Hence the comparison.

3-1 England.

[TumTum]

Yeah, and we had just been thrashed at home before having played well beforehand, in my example. Hence the comparison.

3-1 England.

First of all the performance of both teams have been pretty even. Secondly that is your home, not ours...

[GIMH]

Yes, I am aware the home advantage has changed. But my other points about comparing to 09 are pretty valid.

i.e

ENGLAND PLAYED WELL

then

ENGLAND PLAYED AWFULLY

Also, invert for Australia.

[Son Of Coco]

Haha, very true.

God knows what will happen in Melbourne. I don't like this ability we have to trade good with awful during test matches, and from one test to the next. Consistency is a wonderful thing, if we can manage it.

[Uppercut]

It doesn't really make for the best cricket either. I hope they both manage to turn up at the same match at some stage.

[vcs]

It doesn't really make for the best cricket either. I hope they both manage to turn up at the same match at some stage.

So true. A lot of Tests in recent times have been like this for some reason. I think India-Australia and SA-England usually provide consistently the best matchups and the most even contests.

[Son Of Coco]

Yeah, it'd be nice. Preferably in a test that goes right down to the wire. I doubt we could have both teams firing with both the bat and the ball and end up with scores of 350+ in the first innings leading us into an exciting match. An up and down contest would be nice though, rather than one team not turning up much at all.

[Pothas]

Yeah it would be good to see and I think we might do, Australia are surley not going to go back to being utterly awful and England nearly always responds well these days.

[BoyBrumby]

Sez The Guardian.

Think we need a change, but Bres as part of a four man attack scares me a little. If the Kookaburra refuses to swing he'll be fodder.

[treamcast34]

Yes, I am aware the home advantage has changed. But my other points about comparing to 09 are pretty valid.

i.e

ENGLAND PLAYED WELL

then

ENGLAND PLAYED AWFULLY

Also, invert for Australia.

Statistically, that series is the only one in the history of the game where the losing side had 4 of the top 6 run scorers and wicket takers. Even here in this 2010-11 series, we have 4 of the top 6 wicket takers but only 3 of the top 6 run scorers; even if you take out Perth's stats, we didn't have 4 of the top 6 in both categories. I wouldn't draw anything from the 2009 series and try to compare it to this one because we'll never see a series like that again in our lifetimes.

[howardj]

Yep, but they weren't runaway top scorers or wicket takers in 2009. They were fractitionally less worse than the guys who they finished ahead of.

Anyway, it will be a mortal blow for England or Australia respectively if either Anderson or Ponting can't play.

[outbreak]

Just herd Anderson probably won't play the next test because of a side strain? Anyone have news on this? He was playing with his boobs alot last match and looked to have abit of soreness...