Ponting's solution: Bat second

[Richard]

I just don't really have the time for the research, but does anyone have any figures on how we've fared say, over the last 2 years or so chasing high totals? Both in terms of how high the totals get that we have to chase, and how we do when it is high (say, 280+). I have a feeling we don't concede that many mammoth totals bowling first anyhow, but I could easily be mistaken.

Took me about 10 seconds.

 

[pup11]

Richard, i was talking about aussie chases of 250 or above, not their overall record while chasing.

 

[Richard]

Well I just did 250-plus as well, directly below...

 

[Jono]

I'd feel much more confident defending 300 against Australia then chasing 345, that's for sure.

 

[Richard]

Well... yes... to an extent.

Personally I'd never feel confident defending even 350 against Australia until you'd got them 90\4.

 

[pup11]

The last time the aussies chased down anything near 350 was in 02 against south africa where they chased down 326 runs(which was then a record chase then, and its there highest chase till date).

 

[Richard]

But there's no doubt they're every bit as capable as everyone else.

 

[honestbharani]

India would LOVE to have Australia bat second against them. That is for sure. Even on a flat track, I just dont see the Aussie batsmen getting Kumble and Bhajji away for too many and then chasing down 300+. If we get bowled out for less than 270, though, it is a different issue. But I would rather see India bat first against Australia than bowl first.

 

[Richard]

That "chasing 300+" is the real killer, though, ain't it hbh...

Scoring 300 batting first against McGrath, Bracken et al ain't the easiest thing in The World.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Lol @ Ponting. If he is telling the truth, well done on airing your team plans to every captain/caoch in international cricket.

 

[Goughy]

Aussies have been very poor chasers in my book, anything around or above 250 they have always struggeled to chase it down. But due to strength of their bowling such instances have been very few as not many team succeeded in getting close to 250 or above against the aussies, the situation is dire atm because the bowlers have looked out of sorts resulting in such humiliating defeats.

Took me about 10 seconds.

Well I just did 250-plus as well, directly below...

Richard, that statsguru search is potentially flawed. It looks good and the list is right, however you may not have checked it as the filtered stats included the games Australia batted 1st in. Basically it is any game that Aus scored over 250 in. It doesnt isolate to just include chases. The list of games is just for Aus batting 2nd but the figures given at the top are for all games after the defined date where Aus score >250. Im sure you didnt mean it that way.

See list of 2nd Innings included in the search

Example game included in the search results where Pakistan bat 2nd

Im sure most people will look at the numbers for the filtered stats than go through a whole list of games below. I know I usually do.

 

[Richard]

Hah... strange... StatsGuru is an unreliable tool of times...

All the more reason to get this Stats Spider up and running ahead of it.

 

[pup11]

I think ponting is shielding his bowlers from an obvious problem, agreed that they might bowl a lot better when they bowl first, but what if an opposition side wins the toss and make them bat first. So rather than coming up with such stupid solutions, he should ask his bowlers to work on their yorkers, slower balls and bouncers which went wrong whenever they tried them.

 

[Perm]

If it's going to work, then good luck to him. Doesn't send out a particularly good message to his bowlers though.

 

[Richard]

I think ponting is shielding his bowlers from an obvious problem, agreed that they might bowl a lot better when they bowl first, but what if an opposition side wins the toss and make them bat first. So rather than coming up with such stupid solutions, he should ask his bowlers to work on their yorkers, slower balls and bouncers which went wrong whenever they tried them.

Who's to say he hasn't done both...?!?!

And who's to say that it's not a case of the bowlers not being good enough no matter how hard they try to work on Yorkers etc.?

 

[open365]

I agree with what Ponting said though maybe not whether he should have said it.

I think in Australia's case, they have far more quality and class in the batting department so batting second makes sense.

Look at their side,

Hussey-Excellent finisher,can play any type of innings and doesn't fade under pressure
Ponting-Prodigious run scorer
Clarke-Same as Hussey imo, has the class and mental ability to play the innings needed
Symonds-Perfect for when Australia are behind the rate, defending a total against Symonds is a very hard job indeed

From an Australian view i'd much rather have those players getting the final say in who wins the match than Mitch Johnon/Shane Watson/McGrath/Hogg et al

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Who's to say he hasn't done both...?!?!

And who's to say that it's not a case of the bowlers not being good enough no matter how hard they try to work on Yorkers etc.?

Well that really puts Australia in a bad place, because it means that their success is largely dependent on the toss.

 

[pup11]

My point is that with such a statement ponting is telling the whole world and his bowlers, that no matter how many runs we score we have no faith in our bowlers to defend it(that too just before a big tournament like the WC). He should have had a talk with his bowlers about this problem rather than criticising them infront of the whole world.

 

[open365]

My point is that with such a statement ponting is telling the whole world and his bowlers, that no matter how many runs we score we have no faith in our bowlers to defend it(that too just before a big tournament like the WC). He should have had a talk with his bowlers about this problem rather than criticising them infront of the whole world.

Sometimes the harsh kick up the backside approach works better, and it's hardly as if the bowlers can have any disagreement with what he's saying, they've been poor the last 7 games, i think any professional bowler worth his salt will not be bothered by Ponting's comments and word as hard as they can to make sure they perform better at the WC.

 

[Richard]

Well that really puts Australia in a bad place, because it means that their success is largely dependent on the toss.

Well... yes... but if your bowlers aren't good enough there's not a lot you can do, you just have to hope you win the toss.