*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[NUFAN]

That'll be $16.60 thanks.

Kaneria would be a decent bet now IMO. Do you know what his odds would be now?

 

[James90]

$8.20 on betfair last I saw.

Could probably get some value when the bookies re-open the market before Sydney.

 

[archie mac]

Ponting must be one of the most unjustly derided captains in recent times.

Good bowling by Mitch.

Apart from Yallop and Hughes, he is the worst Aust. captain of my time

 

[DaRick]

Apart from Yallop and Hughes, he is the worst Aust. captain of my time

I'm actually inclined to think that Waugh was tactically inferior (he could seriously struggle when he had a reduced bowling attack because he was one-dimensional - he always attacked, never defended).

Ponting's inferior to Taylor and Border, but this stuff about Ponting being a terrible captain is just bull****.

 

[Burgey]

I friggin hate it when pollies try to score points by turning up to sporting events

Suffice to say this sentiment was never expressed between March 1996 and November 2007.

 

[NZTailender]

Without having read any posts from todays play, reckon Ponting declared so they'd have more time to finally score a century the second time around.

 

[Top_Cat]

suffice to say this sentiment was never expressed between march 1996 and november 2009.

*2007.

 

[andyc]

Didn't agree at all with Scaly when he posted in the Windies thread about Australia being arrogant and declaring early, but geez it's hard to disagree with him now. Was at the mall all day and couldn't believe it when I saw they'd declared with only 450. FFS, just put Haddin and Johnson in for a bit and let them go nuts. It's Pakistan's bowling that's going to be their weak point this series IMO, so take advantage while you can.

 

[archie mac]

I'm actually inclined to think that Waugh was tactically inferior (he could seriously struggle when he had a reduced bowling attack because he was one-dimensional - he always attacked, never defended).

Ponting's inferior to Taylor and Border, but this stuff about Ponting being a terrible captain is just bull****.

I would not say terrible, but i would say average

 

[DaRick]

Didn't agree at all with Scaly when he posted in the Windies thread about Australia being arrogant and declaring early, but geez it's hard to disagree with him now. Was at the mall all day and couldn't believe it when I saw they'd declared with only 450. FFS, just put Haddin and Johnson in for a bit and let them go nuts. It's Pakistan's bowling that's going to be their weak point this series IMO, so take advantage while you can.

Nah, their batting always looked more brittle than their bowling did. Many regarded their bowling as a potential threat if they got it all together.

Still, I feel that Ponting declared too early.

 

[Matt79]

Would have been tempted to let Clarke and Haddin go their hardest for another 30 mins while you got some accurate assessment of what the situation with Hauritz's injury. Still, think we're still an 80% chance to win.

 

[DaRick]

I would not say terrible, but i would say average

I would say that he's just above average on the whole (Waugh, I feel, was average but not too bad), but much of the talk has revolved around him being terrible and that is what gets my goat.

 

[archie mac]

I would say that he's just above average on the whole (Waugh, I feel, was average but not too bad), but much of the talk has revolved around him being terrible and that is what gets my goat.

It is very subjective, how do we know what he does off the field? Or how does he relate to his bowlers when they are struggling? I don't like the way he uses his bowlers, sometimes he seems to decide that a particular bowler should not be used, and the way he handled Warne was bordering on poor

 

[Prince EWS]

Absolute bull**** this 'for the first time, Test cricket owes Ponting a thank you'. He's no Taylor-like statesman but very, very harsh.

EDIT: Poor form from MoYo for not coming out at 3. Fine to bat lower when Inzi and others are in the side but when you're clearly the side's premier batter.....

Well it was pretty ****ing stupid when he sent Umar Akmal out at three in New Zealand, but Faisal Iqbal is a top order batsman - just a bad one. Don't have an issue with it here. It's not like he's Chanderpauling it up batting five either; he'll bat four which is hardly hiding.

 

[Jayzamann]

Well it was pretty ****ing stupid when he sent Umar Akmal out at three in New Zealand, but Faisal Iqbal is a top order batsman - just a bad one. Don't have an issue with it here. It's not like he's Chanderpauling it up batting five either; he'll bat four which is hardly hiding.

I tend to agree here. Yousuf wouldn't be able to pull of Dhoni-esque batting order flexibility because they're such different archetypes, but as long as he is first or second drop, he's doing what's best for his teams balance.

 

[Prince EWS]

Awful declaration IMO. Didn't increase the chances of winning or increase the chance of overturning a draw in Australia's favour at all as it just means they'll have to bat for a long time again in the second innings. All it's done is increase the chance of losing.

 

[DaRick]

It is very subjective, how do we know what he does off the field? Or how does he relate to his bowlers when they are struggling? I don't like the way he uses his bowlers, sometimes he seems to decide that a particular bowler should not be used, and the way he handled Warne was bordering on poor

Off the field, he's been fairly clean since 1999, although I have heard a couple of people whinge about him.

He appears to back his bowlers even when they are getting pummeled (although sometimes this isn't prudent). Johnson and Krejza are but too examples. Waugh did too, though.

I honestly can't say whether he handled Warne well or not. He certainly bowled him for long periods, but that's not a sin in itself. He did occasionally use him somewhat negatively, but I can't see how Ponting's handling of Warne or most other quicks was poor enough to say, infirm them for long periods (like Waugh did with Brett Lee).

The difference between Waugh and Ponting was that Waugh seemed to lack a Plan B when things were not going so well. Granted, this is probably due to having a phenomenal team most of the time, but his consistently attacking mindset could allow opposing batsmen to run away with the match, as occurred a few times against India and WI.

I can't say the same thing about Ponting, even though he has made the odd howler (although less so now than say, earlier on in his career). He appeared to be willing to shut down scoring opportunities and even use the odd novel field setting when the batsmen were getting on top (i.e - Hogg to Laxman in Sydney '08 - very good captaincy). I saw Waugh deploy part-timers at random times, but so did Ponting.

 

[Goughy]

Didn't agree at all with Scaly when he posted in the Windies thread about Australia being arrogant and declaring early, but geez it's hard to disagree with him now. Was at the mall all day and couldn't believe it when I saw they'd declared with only 450. FFS, just put Haddin and Johnson in for a bit and let them go nuts. It's Pakistan's bowling that's going to be their weak point this series IMO, so take advantage while you can.

Yeah, I didnt get it last time and I dont get it now.

I still expect Aus to win but I dont think this is good captaincy.

 

[Matt79]

Great to see Warne chatting with Smith in the nets.

 

[Matt79]

Lol at Haddin before pointing out Haury's doosra. Champion stuff.