*Official* West Indies In Australia

[Son Of Coco]

The 96 was on a very flat pitch at Edgbaston and the 110 was against some very ordinary bowling routinely pitching the ball too short. The fact of the matter is that every time the England bowlers had their game on, North went missing should not be disregarded.

No, but in that case none of the Australian batsmen should be regarded as being decent. They all went missing when the England bowlers had their game on. As did the English batsmen when the Aussies had their game on.

 

[roseboy64]

Ravi Rampaul put in a big effort on the final day and really bowled a quality spell. That spell alone proved he's a better bowler than Darren Sammy, because Sammy's wickets are always somewhat incidental, whereas Rampaul actually looks threatening when he gets it right. Sure, he's not the finished product, but without Taylor and Edwards, he's certainly the next best option.

Tonge has to come in for Sammy though, as his bowling is a non-issue in this attack. Certainly the poor man's Bravo with the ball, and the very poor man's Bravo with the bat. That said, he should be scoring more runs than he does, with his shot-playing ability.

All that said, I doubt they'd change a "winning" team.

Yeah I fancy if there's a change it's Tonge for Sammy.

 

[Oscillatingmind]

They say the Perth pitch will be fast and bouncy each year, last year South Africa managed to chase down 400+ on it in the 4th innings.

The curator:

"It is a really fine line. Australia were 3-14 after half-an-hour (last year) so if you spice it up then it can become a two- or three-day Test match."

"The last curator who did (prepare a super fast wicket) got marched out in two days, so it does weigh on your mind a bit."

"That has played on my mind in previous years, people saying that it could be over in two days, so you tend to err on the side of caution. (But) we just are trying to find that balance."


Its sad that curators are just bitches to cricket Australia greed.

That and brittle flat-track loving batsman, can't let it get too hard out their, or else they wont last. Don't expect much from this pitch.

 

[Uppercut]

They say the Perth pitch will be fast and bouncy each year, last year South Africa managed to chase down 400+ on it in the 4th innings.

The curator:

"It is a really fine line. Australia were 3-14 after half-an-hour (last year) so if you spice it up then it can become a two- or three-day Test match."

"The last curator who did (prepare a super fast wicket) got marched out in two days, so it does weigh on your mind a bit."

"That has played on my mind in previous years, people saying that it could be over in two days, so you tend to err on the side of caution. (But) we just are trying to find that balance."


Its sad that curators are just bitches to cricket Australia greed.

That and brittle flat-track loving batsman, can't let it get too hard out their, or else they wont last. Don't expect much from this pitch.

It was a pretty fast pitch last year tbf, if not by Perth standards. It slowed down a bit in the 4th innings, but you also have to give credit to how well South Africa batted. The ball coming onto the bat doesn't necessarily help the bowlers. It just helps whoever plays the better cricket, and Siddle, Lee and Krejza were all toothless that day while Smith and De Villiers batted fantastically.

 

[Burgey]

Well, with Stuey Clark supposedly out for a month with a back injury at age 34, I think we can put a full-stop on his Test career.

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, barring a Dizzy style cameo vs Bangers over there or in Darwin, i'd say that's it.

 

[Number 11]

Well, with Stuey Clark supposedly out for a month with a back injury at age 34, I think we can put a full-stop on his Test career.

Sad to see him go. I feel he was underused, his accuracy was such an asset. He's lost a bit of pace since his injury as well.

 

[stephen]

Yeah but even the best have to finish at some stage. We all knew he was only a temporary fixture. At his peak he was 10 kms short of McGrath's pace. Still, had a very good, if short international career. Will go down as an integral part of the 06/07 6-nil whitewash team.

 

[shivfan]

Ravi Rampaul put in a big effort on the final day and really bowled a quality spell. That spell alone proved he's a better bowler than Darren Sammy, because Sammy's wickets are always somewhat incidental, whereas Rampaul actually looks threatening when he gets it right. Sure, he's not the finished product, but without Taylor and Edwards, he's certainly the next best option.

Tonge has to come in for Sammy though, as his bowling is a non-issue in this attack. Certainly the poor man's Bravo with the ball, and the very poor man's Bravo with the bat. That said, he should be scoring more runs than he does, with his shot-playing ability.

All that said, I doubt they'd change a "winning" team.

Yeah, indications do seem to be that it will be an unchanged side....

Personally, I would go for Tonge over Sammy too. However, I can't help shaking that feeling that Rampaul may be the one to make way for Tonge, if they decide to go that way.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Yeah but even the best have to finish at some stage. We all knew he was only a temporary fixture. At his peak he was 10 kms short of McGrath's pace. Still, had a very good, if short international career. Will go down as an integral part of the 06/07 6-nil whitewash team.

Sorry?

 

[andyc]

Sorry?

Haha indeed, find it hard to believe that many international seamers have ever been consistently short of 125ks

 

[stephen]

McGrath used to be a 140kph+ bowler. Not much over, but some way.

 

[Matt79]

Don't recall him ever being a consistently 140kph bowler. He might have got the odd effort ball up to that mark or a k or two over, on occasion over the years, but he was more mid 130s I'd have said.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Personally, I would go for Tonge over Sammy too. However, I can't help shaking that feeling that Rampaul may be the one to make way for Tonge, if they decide to go that way.

That would be ridiculous. They'd be replacing a bowler who looked really good in the final innings, and dismissed Ponting with some disciplined bowling. Instead of a pretty useless bowler whose only wicket came with a bad ball and a brilliant Bravo grab? I can't see Garner standing for that.

 

[aussie]

Don't recall him ever being a consistently 140kph bowler. He might have got the odd effort ball up to that mark or a k or two over, on occasion over the years, but he was more mid 130s I'd have said.

I'd say between Ashes 97 to PAK/IND 99/00, McGrath was bowling 140 kph consistently. But afterwards yea he was more 130s.

 

[stephen]

'On yer bike, Mike': Warne - Australia - Fox Sports

Interesting statements by Warne.

 

[Matt79]

He talks a lot of sense about cricket.

Whereas Rodney Hogg is one of those ex-players who makes a career as a commentator by writing off guys.

 

[Son Of Coco]

McGrath used to be a 140kph+ bowler. Not much over, but some way.

Clark was 134/135, so not 10kph behind. And McGrath at his peak was well under 140 too.

 

[NUFAN]

If Australia were to drop Michael Hussey and the selectors said that they didn't want to disrupt the rest of the batting order so everyone else was staying in the same spot, who would you bring into the team at number 4?

 

[AlanJLegend]

If Australia were to drop Michael Hussey and the selectors said that they didn't want to disrupt the rest of the batting order so everyone else was staying in the same spot, who would you bring into the team at number 4?

Hodge.

'nuff said.