***Official*** Australia in Sri Lanka

[howardj]

Yeah good summary there from Adub. Agree that we are heading in the right direction, already the change of personnel (Hilditch and Ponting gone from their former positions) is having an effect. Nielsen next to go, and then hopefully Sutherland. The Four Pillars.

 

[hang on]

how long will ponting last? he seems to be in decent nick but keeps getting out after looking set. if he continues like this, will the saffer series be his last? or will they keep him for an indian summer?!

 

[Spikey]

i like how we finally sort out the bowling selection and now we're going to the place that created the two years of shocking bowling selection

 

[howardj]

how long will ponting last? he seems to be in decent nick but keeps getting out after looking set. if he continues like this, will the saffer series be his last? or will they keep him for an indian summer?!

That's a good question. For mine, I think by not batting at first drop, it makes his place in the team far less secure. One of the main arguments in favour of him playing on as just a batsman was that there was nobody else 'first drop ready'. Now he's been moved out of that crucial position...I'm not so sure, absent some really good form, that he's not dispensable.

 

[Furball]

I'd bin him, IMO he's done.

 

[hang on]

no better team than the indians to get help get your mojo back!

 

[centurymaker]

I'd bin him, IMO he's done.

nah he'll score 2 double tons against harbhajan and end his (Harby's) career.

 

[SamSawnoff]

That's a good question. For mine, I think by not batting at first drop, it makes his place in the team far less secure. One of the main arguments in favour of him playing on as just a batsman was that there was nobody else 'first drop ready'. Now he's been moved out of that crucial position...I'm not so sure, absent some really good form, that he's not dispensable.

That's one of the biggest things to have happened on the tour. The change in the batting order. Punter looked almost unneccesary in the third test. I guess they'll give him the summer though to find form.

Clarke will be of far more use to the team at 5, whether it's a mental thing for him or not, very sensible of him.

Thank god Nielsen has bitten the bullet. Bloody rude to have a whinge though about having to reapply for his job. He should be grateful they are allowing him even that.

 

[Briony]

That's one of the biggest things to have happened on the tour. The change in the batting order. Punter looked almost unneccesary in the third test. I guess they'll give him the summer though to find form.

Clarke will be of far more use to the team at 5, whether it's a mental thing for him or not, very sensible of him.

Thank god Nielsen has bitten the bullet. Bloody rude to have a whinge though about having to reapply for his job. He should be grateful they are allowing him even that.

Agree that Punter is more expendable down the list. I think though with Marsh in his position, Australia is less likely to be dynamic. Punter's fast scoring allowed the team to counter-attack quite early in the innings. Marsh looks more like an accumulator in the mould of his father - though better. Of course Punter's dominant days are behind him.

 

[Daemon]

He looked in good touch in the OD series at least. Has to score runs against SA and India if not that might be it for him.

 

[Briony]

Looking back at my posts, I made it sounds like casual fans (i.e. people you talk to), but I meant people who actually have influence in the game.

The Gabba test in the Ashes was a disgrace, as was the Dubai tests between Pakistan and SA, and the first two tests of India vs. NZ. This was all at a similar time. We were having bore draws galore. Nothing was done about it, very little said by the captains.

Then the first test of SL vs. Aust happened and the match referee made a complaint.

Wtf?

Because it's a batsman's game essentially but the first test in this series was too heavily dependent upon the toss. SL gambled and lost. There should be inquiries into pitches that are roads as well though.

 

[Daemon]

Having a huge advantage by winning the toss immediately makes it a ****ty pitch imo

 

[Xuhaib]

Looking back at my posts, I made it sounds like casual fans (i.e. people you talk to), but I meant people who actually have influence in the game.

The Gabba test in the Ashes was a disgrace, as was the Dubai tests between Pakistan and SA, and the first two tests of India vs. NZ. This was all at a similar time. We were having bore draws galore. Nothing was done about it, very little said by the captains.

Then the first test of SL vs. Aust happened and the match referee made a complaint.

Wtf?

sometimes draws happen because both teams bat well or the bowling fro both sides was just not good enough its not always the pitch at fault.

 

[centurymaker]

Because it's a batsman's game essentially but the first test in this series was too heavily dependent upon the toss. SL gambled and lost. There should be inquiries into pitches that are roads as well though.

NO!!
In the 4th innings- jayawardene scored a ton, mattews got 90

Australia outplayed srilanka.

 

[uvelocity]

Agree that Punter is more expendable down the list. I think though with Marsh in his position, Australia is less likely to be dynamic. Punter's fast scoring allowed the team to counter-attack quite early in the innings. Marsh looks more like an accumulator in the mould of his father - though better. Of course Punter's dominant days are behind him.

Briony, you have so little of an idea it must seriously hurt the inside of your skull due to the strength of the vaccuum.

SOS is the only batsman in our test team who successfully plays all 3 forms of the game at present.

That that he was only one of the two to show the required application to play test cricket does not excuse your ignorance.

 

[Briony]

Briony, you have so little of an idea it must seriously hurt the inside of your skull due to the strength of the vaccuum.

SOS is the only batsman in our test team who successfully plays all 3 forms of the game at present.

That that he was only one of the two to show the required application to play test cricket does not excuse your ignorance.

I never said he couldn't play all three forms of the game, nor that he wasn't suited for test cricket. On the contrary application in the longest form of the game is a worthy, and sometimes all too rare attribute. My point was that Australia has often forced results via virtue of attacking batting and Punter was at the vanguard of this. It's hard to see Marsh being quite as destructive.

And while he's passed muster to date, we can't have premature ejaculations on his test career just yet. After all North made a debut ton against the Saffies and was thereafter inconsistent. Marsh's performances in the IPL has always suggested that he bats well in Asia but there may be sterner tests. His first class average belies his test performances to date. The jury is still out but the signs are promising.

 

[andyc]

Briony, you have so little of an idea it must seriously hurt the inside of your skull due to the strength of the vaccuum.

SOS is the only batsman in our test team who successfully plays all 3 forms of the game at present.

That that he was only one of the two to show the required application to play test cricket does not excuse your ignorance.

uvelocity, this sort of posting is not acceptable here. Leave the personal insults out of it, please.

 

[Redbacks]

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Err... I am not sure if you want to make a cricketing point (about Siddle's bowling perhaps) or if there's a story behind this picture.

 

[Jono]

sometimes draws happen because both teams bat well or the bowling fro both sides was just not good enough its not always the pitch at fault.

Which of the tests I mentioned in that post do you believe was a case of the bowling not being good enough and batting being awesome?