Before I go on about todays play, I am watching the cricket with The Proteas vs England. A very good point has been raised regarding the number of Caps issued to the Proteas in Test cricket. The player numbers are issued since readmission into International sport in the early 90's. Kepler Wessels was therefore Cap 1 as Skipper. I have always found this a hard thing to understand and as much as I understand it with the sensitive and at times disturbing political past, you can't ignore the excellence of players like Graeme Pollock, Barry Richards Hugh Tayfield and Mike Proctor for their Test caps as well as their contribution for the game totally ignored, even if some of these players in their respective era's played no more than 10 Tests.
Pathetic excuse for 'moving on' from the old regime as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, it looks like a good game going on there. Now back to what's important.
Control was seized for the Test after the big wicket of Mohammad Yousuf was claimed just moments before the close of play! He's a fine Test cricketer and he has the knack that once he gets settled he is hard to remove and shows little loss in concentration.
His dimissal was the faintest brush off the glove to Brad Haddin that was not noticed, understandably, by Billy Doctrove but Ricky Ponting took the risk for a Referral and it paid off perfectly. Hot spot and the hi-def replay showed the ball brushing the glove and that was that, and Peter Siddle's Victorian supporters cheered him on to get the big wicket!
Brad Haddin is still holding some high standards of his own behind the stumps!
Umar Akmal is a very good batsman. I donot watch alot of Pakistan cricket but I did see his debut. His brother Kamran has been been around a while, and cricket is certainly strong in the family. He had a more common start for a debutant in Test cricket with some dismal performances in finding his feet but has since started to find his niche very well in the recent test series against The Black Caps. Even though he looked very anxious out there I still perceive the young man as a big threat so his wicket would be the one I'd be eyeing now. Get the footage out and work out how Punter's bowlers could remove him early tomorrow!
But all in all, after a declaration I really didn't see coming, it's good to see the call has paid off and the bowlers did a tidy job to end the day with a strong lead and Pakistan 4 wickets down already. The MCG wicket was looking very good for the Test match...only to start flattening really quickly.
Nathan Hauritz managed to get a wicket too to end a good day for himself, which was courtesy of another fine catch by Michael Clarke who is settling in nicely to the slip area.
Michael Hussey did not get the century, and instead fell in the early 80's again. It was a very good innings from Huss though I thought. So pleased he's been finding consistency!
He was a little more at ease starting off today but he kept some good momentum with Nathan Hauritz at the other end, who embarassed Pakistan a bit after scoring an impressive 75! Outstanding effort from the nightwatchman.
I have often noted how valuable Ritz' batting is, especially in ODI cricket where himself and Michael Hussey have done some minor damage a few times, but this innings was a good one to boost his confidence to get some wickets now!
He has one, and he will be feeling the need to contribute with the ball too.
Overall the centuries still aren't coming, amusing or frustrating as it is, but the batsmen are getting good scores and that is the most important thing.
I was impressed with the way Shane Watson bowled, and I'm still equally impressed by his batting.
He controlled the swing fantastically and the last passage of play when he had the ball in hand was very entertaining! He is showing an understanding when it comes to reverse swing and it was Watto who turned the game around in Perth when he decided to hold the line and length, basically a patience game, the results came.
All the bowlers ended the day with clean figures, including Mitchell, and Pakistan not only have 4 wickets, but the run rate will give them a tough slog tomorrow.
The Baggy Green are well in control of this game.
Day 3 will be the comeback day for Pakistan if they need it.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
1st TEST: BOXING DAY TEST STARTS WITH TRUE ACTION
I love the build up to the Boxing Day Test match and Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test is even better when it has both excitement and drama!
The centurion curse continues for the boys though, notably Simon Katich!
Katto and Shane Watson were given lifelines due to some below standard fielding from Pakistan's fielders (which would have been blamed on match fixing had it been the defining day of a Test match) but they still batted as a strong duo, continuing their consistency and growing understanding of each others temperaments and capabilities against both the new and more worn down ball.
Both Katto and Watto played a relatively conservative innings, complementing each other through a strong and patient partnership which resulted in 182 runs, before the drama struck.
243 minutes, 191 balls and 11 fours ended in a freakish run-out which would have made any batsman being so close to their maiden century, for the third time, break down in an emotional wreck on the field! Shane Watson was robbed by just 7 runs to get the century he has been dreaming and working towards all his cricketing life.
It seems he will have to keep at it still! Scores of 96, 89 and 93 are painful but Simon Katich has been in the same boat with even closer realisation.
I have mentioned so many times how I value Katto in this team and how I am fond of his characterised innings' time after time, but this time to fall 2 runs short is agonising to watch! First it was 92, then 99, none of us expected 98 with a cut straight into the gully! Gutted, I am absolutely gutted for the two of them but the good news is that while cricket is a game where the individual stats are so closely analysed, it is still a team sport and the two of them contributed valuably.
Watto has had great success at the top of the order given his circumstances and looking back at his scores since taking on the opening duties you can't critic him too much, besides a collection of LBW's which he seems to have started to push aside.
Also seeing Watto collapse back onto his seat when Katto was caught kind of summed up the mood of the camp with this whole lack-of centurion run.
When Watto was run-out too the lack of eye contact and emotion in the middle was quite something. These guys both know how close they are and for a run-out to happen was just an terrible way to go. As we keep saying, next time!
Ricky Ponting played a great innings. 57 runs were 57 runs with a slight disability to his usual game. I have no recollection of ever seeing Punter wear an arm guard. He is no doubt one of the toughest cricketer I have come across especially on a physical level. In the recent Ashes series he was blasted by a ball on his lip, and when the cut opened he simply spat out the blood and carried on. In the Ashes 2005 it happened, he also stuffed up his ankle once in the mid-nineties which was the defining moment for all games to have a rope as the boundary indicator and there have been many more body blows and knocks to the helmet and dents to the finger joints. But he toughens up and keeps going.
He went along with little stutter in his innings and it was a pity he departed relatively close to the end of play but it was great to see Punter make the Test and get out there to get the job underway. He cruised along in his innings!
Michael Hussey has come off from a decent session at the WACA where he looked a much more confident cricketer. He has shown a slightly more intensified innings similar to that of his ODI game where he doesn't hold his game up too much and plays his shots on instinct and there's always some hard running involved. Aggression is what Huss had in that innings, that ODI instinct, that aura of revenge against all the opponents who had practically driven his career to the end but he is fighting back and mental toughness is what every cricketer in this team should possess. I hope Huss can be the bloke to break the triple figure mark and put the Ashes nightmares to rest.
He will resume on 38 and let's hope he does manage to build upon his overnight score unlike the WACA! Nathan Hauritz has waltzed out as night watchman and was unbeaten on 5 runs.
305 runs on the first days play was a great way to kick start things and I hope we continue to dominate Pakistan and maintain the focus for all 3 Tests.
I want the boys to take this series 3-0 after the way the Windies gave us a pretty good battle for 2 Tests.
The centurion curse continues for the boys though, notably Simon Katich!
Katto and Shane Watson were given lifelines due to some below standard fielding from Pakistan's fielders (which would have been blamed on match fixing had it been the defining day of a Test match) but they still batted as a strong duo, continuing their consistency and growing understanding of each others temperaments and capabilities against both the new and more worn down ball.
Both Katto and Watto played a relatively conservative innings, complementing each other through a strong and patient partnership which resulted in 182 runs, before the drama struck.
243 minutes, 191 balls and 11 fours ended in a freakish run-out which would have made any batsman being so close to their maiden century, for the third time, break down in an emotional wreck on the field! Shane Watson was robbed by just 7 runs to get the century he has been dreaming and working towards all his cricketing life.
It seems he will have to keep at it still! Scores of 96, 89 and 93 are painful but Simon Katich has been in the same boat with even closer realisation.
I have mentioned so many times how I value Katto in this team and how I am fond of his characterised innings' time after time, but this time to fall 2 runs short is agonising to watch! First it was 92, then 99, none of us expected 98 with a cut straight into the gully! Gutted, I am absolutely gutted for the two of them but the good news is that while cricket is a game where the individual stats are so closely analysed, it is still a team sport and the two of them contributed valuably.
Watto has had great success at the top of the order given his circumstances and looking back at his scores since taking on the opening duties you can't critic him too much, besides a collection of LBW's which he seems to have started to push aside.
Also seeing Watto collapse back onto his seat when Katto was caught kind of summed up the mood of the camp with this whole lack-of centurion run.
When Watto was run-out too the lack of eye contact and emotion in the middle was quite something. These guys both know how close they are and for a run-out to happen was just an terrible way to go. As we keep saying, next time!
Ricky Ponting played a great innings. 57 runs were 57 runs with a slight disability to his usual game. I have no recollection of ever seeing Punter wear an arm guard. He is no doubt one of the toughest cricketer I have come across especially on a physical level. In the recent Ashes series he was blasted by a ball on his lip, and when the cut opened he simply spat out the blood and carried on. In the Ashes 2005 it happened, he also stuffed up his ankle once in the mid-nineties which was the defining moment for all games to have a rope as the boundary indicator and there have been many more body blows and knocks to the helmet and dents to the finger joints. But he toughens up and keeps going.
He went along with little stutter in his innings and it was a pity he departed relatively close to the end of play but it was great to see Punter make the Test and get out there to get the job underway. He cruised along in his innings!
Michael Hussey has come off from a decent session at the WACA where he looked a much more confident cricketer. He has shown a slightly more intensified innings similar to that of his ODI game where he doesn't hold his game up too much and plays his shots on instinct and there's always some hard running involved. Aggression is what Huss had in that innings, that ODI instinct, that aura of revenge against all the opponents who had practically driven his career to the end but he is fighting back and mental toughness is what every cricketer in this team should possess. I hope Huss can be the bloke to break the triple figure mark and put the Ashes nightmares to rest.
He will resume on 38 and let's hope he does manage to build upon his overnight score unlike the WACA! Nathan Hauritz has waltzed out as night watchman and was unbeaten on 5 runs.
305 runs on the first days play was a great way to kick start things and I hope we continue to dominate Pakistan and maintain the focus for all 3 Tests.
I want the boys to take this series 3-0 after the way the Windies gave us a pretty good battle for 2 Tests.
Friday, December 25, 2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS & ALL THE REST
Just a quick one to wish you blokes a Merry Christmas and I hope your travels are safe and that you have a great day with your families and mates!
Here's to a good Boxing day Test for the Baggy Green tomorrow!
Here's to a good Boxing day Test for the Baggy Green tomorrow!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
ACA SURVEY 2009
Have a look at this Survey released by the ACA (link in the final paragraph).
It is the Australian Cricketers' Association Player Survey for 2009.
This years report has substantial changes regarding the players' viewpoints on all the matters we talk about here time and time again.
These are topics like Umpiring, which format needs attention, the IPL, meaningless cricketing fixtures, overkill cricket, review systems, how to keep Test cricket in tact and how to keep the game balanced via tradition with qualitative and quantative substance.
Some of the stats regarding Cricket Australia players' views (all players are anonymous in the survey within their relevant samples) on some rather hot topics.
CLICK HERE to download the survey (it should download automatically in your browser) and we can discuss the various points you/we feel strongly about.
The first few pages have a good summation.
It is the Australian Cricketers' Association Player Survey for 2009.
This years report has substantial changes regarding the players' viewpoints on all the matters we talk about here time and time again.
These are topics like Umpiring, which format needs attention, the IPL, meaningless cricketing fixtures, overkill cricket, review systems, how to keep Test cricket in tact and how to keep the game balanced via tradition with qualitative and quantative substance.
Some of the stats regarding Cricket Australia players' views (all players are anonymous in the survey within their relevant samples) on some rather hot topics.
CLICK HERE to download the survey (it should download automatically in your browser) and we can discuss the various points you/we feel strongly about.
The first few pages have a good summation.
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