What an effort from Nathan Hauritz, 75 and 5-101!
He started the Test with 75 runs, a personal best for him butit was a valuable contribution as the night watchman that strongly assisted the 1st innings' dominant stand. Ritz ended the match with 6 wickets and picked up a 5-for which wrapped things up quickly for the biys after lunch but will also do his squad placement and confidence the world of good. He took on a slightly more controlled tactic, just outside of off and then straightening up on Day 5.
One small piece of the puzzle in place, perhaps with the determined spinner in Ritz becoming a better prospect?
There has been genuine concern over his place, but if I can be bold and look at a player like Graeme Swann, it has been his drift and ability to give slight deviation on the turn of the ball to set him ahead of the rest in Test cricket. In the current series against the Proteas he has quite a few really big wickets in the bag and, as well are well aware, he did an exceptional job in the Ashes when needed. The English selectors kept faith in him, and kept playing him. Experience, experience and more experience. It is what Shane Warne insisted on for Ritz, and now he is getting some luck in his favour, knowing his game better and looking less worried out there. He has sufficient match time now, like a pilot logging flight hours. Now he needs to carry on with what he knows and just keep the flight plan on course. Come next years Ashes he may be our man for the job and he can come up against Swann and, well, you know...
Mitchell Johnson was a different cricketer. Many of you like me will be wondering what the hell has come over Mitch, in the best way imaginable! Not only is the runs per over column under 4.5, but his line and length has been unbelievably consistent! Insane to see and he ended with 6 wickets, and 6 very deserved wickets too. Had he also not been run-out while batting with Shane Watson he may have even lodged a half-century the way he was upping his boundaries.
He had an 'on a hat-trick' moment, like Ritz, and it's good to see Mitch a happier looking bloke. Now for the bowling coaches to look at his performance and more important for Mitch to remember exactly what it was he did this game to be so on song! Don't need a Jeckyl and Hyde case here.
Things have come together very well for the boys in this Test!
Doug Bolliger picked up another 5 wickets for himself and did a fantastic job with the new ball.
He has that spot under control and is making it his own with burning ambition to let the left arm send a few rippa's down the track!
Peter Siddle didn't have too much luck on his side, and has two Tests to keep banging it in with Ben Hilfenhaus still in the healing zone for his knee. I'm upset that Hilfy pulled up with the injury so seriously after he picked up the player-of-the-match award in the 1st Test against The West Indies (and the Hilfy407.net site I run) but it gave Doug Bollinger the chance to give the lot of us some confidence that we have back up in our ranks! Things are looking better for the bowling unit, even if it's not quite there, even though 'it' is hard to pinpoint.
Shane Watson was awarded with the player-of-the-match award, and rightly so! 93 and 120* runs collectively, and he ended the Boxing Day Test in style as he took the winning catch. When he bowled he did it with effectiveness and it forced the Pakistan batsmen to sharpen up, and then when batting he stuck to his duty as opener and well, what a test for Watto.
Read my article for Day 4 and you can check out all about my views on Watto's performance.
Good on ya Watto!
Mohammad Aamer became the youngest man too take a 5-for in Test cricket and Ricky Ponting has a nice stat in that he has the most victories as a Skipper. Two Ashes losses in England aside, it was a worthy record to note in this game after Punter's better tactics in his declaration.
Calling the batsmen in early on day 2, it gave the bowlers more time to get the needed results and it paid off. The bowling unit certainly needs more time to get the 10 wickets (or 20) but atleast they are performing collectively, as opposed to the Ashes of those haunting Cardiff memories and Hilfy being the reliable one. Mitchell's radar has been nicely adjusted, Douggie B is settling well into his role, and Ritz' performance has put him on track perfectly to go into the next two Tests, one of the grounds being his home hunting ground...the SCG.
So good on Punter as to how he played out his tactics for our bowlers and while Jrod at crickwithballs had a humorous conspiracy theory that this a clone of Punter, I just feel Punter is starting to gel well with this group of players he has. He is realising their capabilties and the teams merged abilties. It is giving him more realistic options to work with and better tactics to employ to his respective players. All in all, things have been getting on track and this Test was a fine way to get the series off to a start.
It could also go pear shaped easily in the 2nd Test, but I am without doubt that Punter is adjusting his mindset to this team as his own Squad to take Australian cricket into the future and I have always been in favour of aggressive tactics, and seeing Punter take on a more aggressive stance to get the results is refreshing to see. Signs of confidence again?
Certainly, but now a ton is needed for our Skipper!
So with that brief summation and luckily few negatives to rant about, I am pleased to have walked away victorious from the MCG and that with the 1-0 lead it will be the injection of enthusiasm for the Baggy Green to head into the 2nd test fresh and ready for the second part of the duel with Pakistan who I really do expect to play better cricket.
1-0, I will take it with open arms and hopefully we don't see a melt down like we did against a Windies squad that took their side to a new plateau! It was great to see though.
That's all from me till the New Year, so have a great one mates, enjoy it with your own mates and family and wherever you are have a sensational time and take care of yourselves!
More cricket from the Baggy Green in the New Year, and I will catch the lot of you then.
Cheers to 2010 and the big events in Aussie cricket that await! Thanks.
29 December 2009
28 December 2009
1st TEST, Day 4: WATTO'S TON ENDS THE CENTURION CURSE
Shane Watson hit his maiden-century for the Baggy Green! Not only does this follow an innings of 93 and a sensational run with the bat opening up, but we finally have a centurion again in Test cricket!
After missing out three times this summer already on reaching the ultimate dream for any test match batsman, Watto raised his three figure milestone resulting in a childhood dream achieved after three emotional dissapointments. He has overcome one of the ultimate mental challenges the game possesses and after chirping back at the Pakistani seam attack, "Bring it on, mate", he sure did give them a challenge. He remained unbeaten on 120*.
At the same time Aamer picked up his first 5-for in test cricket.
Watto brought up his Maiden ODI century last year in the Windies in a return to International cricket. Unfortunately he had another injury issue and missed the home summer with some appearances for Queensland with minor success. It looked like a road with a destination point to far out of reach, which even I saw as the end of a career.
He then made up for the lost time by scoring his 2nd century in ODI cricket against current opponents, Pakistan, in the UAE which was a golden opportunity he seized.
He followed this after the English tour with two centuries in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, at the top of the order. His centuries came in memorable moments being the semi-final against England alongside Skipper Ricky Ponting, who Watto regularly praises due to his unshakable belief in Watto's cricketing abilities. Finally the big one was against New Zealand where a six brought up the century and the winning runs for the series! Epic memories for a crickter who has had a history in both Test and ODI cricket for continual upset and injury burdened progress.
It's a real display of will-power and passionate determination to rise above all the negatives and return to the ultimate-level of cricket, at the top of the order in uncertain circumstances (after Phillip Hughes being dropped in the Ashes). This should be one of the true tests to give Watto the drive to carry on from here with more centuries and match-winning performances in the future.
There were some nervous moments in the 90's for Watto but he passed the mark, and his batting efforts have not only given the bowlers the best total defend but also given Pakistan a somewhat daunting task to try win the MCG Boxing Day Test.
Pakistan are a long way from home, but I see Mohammad Yousuf's wicket as the big one as I feel strongly that we need to get him out asap tomorrow because he has the ability that once settled, he is truely anchored within his own abilities. Umar Akmal has recently become another worrying opponent with a natural instinct to change his momentum from defensive to rapid aggression against the seamers.
It's a big day of Test cricket tomorrow! Last time at the MCG we lost to the Proteas, but I am hoping, like the boys did at the WACA recently, we don't lose this one to prevent a possible run of MCG misery!
Still a big target for Pakistan, and even a daunting one so it's going to be a massive attack out there at the G between fired up bowlers and mighty determined batsmen.
7 perfect deliveries or given chances for the Baggy Green, 252 desperate runs for Pakistan.
I know where my money will be...and pride!
After missing out three times this summer already on reaching the ultimate dream for any test match batsman, Watto raised his three figure milestone resulting in a childhood dream achieved after three emotional dissapointments. He has overcome one of the ultimate mental challenges the game possesses and after chirping back at the Pakistani seam attack, "Bring it on, mate", he sure did give them a challenge. He remained unbeaten on 120*.
At the same time Aamer picked up his first 5-for in test cricket.
Watto brought up his Maiden ODI century last year in the Windies in a return to International cricket. Unfortunately he had another injury issue and missed the home summer with some appearances for Queensland with minor success. It looked like a road with a destination point to far out of reach, which even I saw as the end of a career.
He then made up for the lost time by scoring his 2nd century in ODI cricket against current opponents, Pakistan, in the UAE which was a golden opportunity he seized.
He followed this after the English tour with two centuries in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, at the top of the order. His centuries came in memorable moments being the semi-final against England alongside Skipper Ricky Ponting, who Watto regularly praises due to his unshakable belief in Watto's cricketing abilities. Finally the big one was against New Zealand where a six brought up the century and the winning runs for the series! Epic memories for a crickter who has had a history in both Test and ODI cricket for continual upset and injury burdened progress.
It's a real display of will-power and passionate determination to rise above all the negatives and return to the ultimate-level of cricket, at the top of the order in uncertain circumstances (after Phillip Hughes being dropped in the Ashes). This should be one of the true tests to give Watto the drive to carry on from here with more centuries and match-winning performances in the future.
There were some nervous moments in the 90's for Watto but he passed the mark, and his batting efforts have not only given the bowlers the best total defend but also given Pakistan a somewhat daunting task to try win the MCG Boxing Day Test.
Pakistan are a long way from home, but I see Mohammad Yousuf's wicket as the big one as I feel strongly that we need to get him out asap tomorrow because he has the ability that once settled, he is truely anchored within his own abilities. Umar Akmal has recently become another worrying opponent with a natural instinct to change his momentum from defensive to rapid aggression against the seamers.
It's a big day of Test cricket tomorrow! Last time at the MCG we lost to the Proteas, but I am hoping, like the boys did at the WACA recently, we don't lose this one to prevent a possible run of MCG misery!
Still a big target for Pakistan, and even a daunting one so it's going to be a massive attack out there at the G between fired up bowlers and mighty determined batsmen.
7 perfect deliveries or given chances for the Baggy Green, 252 desperate runs for Pakistan.
I know where my money will be...and pride!
1st TEST, Day 3: WATTO HOLDS THE FORT
Shane Watson is getting the hang of this opening role!
After a collapse, similar to that in Perth...nearly, Watto decided to carry on where he left off the other day!
A sensible knock, not without some high intensity from the Pakistan bowlers, he is still unbeaten on 64*. I won't mention the higher achievement on this note that is on every supporters mind.
After Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting and then Michael Hussey all fell with a collective 18 between them after their excellent innings' the other day, it left the boys in a rough spot. The lead was alright, but 10 wickets was dramatically down to 7.
Michael Clarke has had a relatively quiet summer but did the job in the 1st innings and along with Watto now, the two of them have the golden chance to get the lead over 400 and then the time will be there for Punter to get the spearheads in there for those 10 wickets.
That early declaration is showing glimpses of a smarter tactic to utilise for our slightly weakened, at times vulnerable bowling unit. They have been given a golden opportunity, and I don't expect the batting unit to hold up things too much until lunch tomorrow.
For Pakistan, should Watto and Pup, along with the rest of the batsmen, knock that lead way up to the rafters it will be another record chase set for a host team.
Mitchell Johnson, 3-36 in 22 overs! Good on ya Mitch, very impressive! Sure enough Pakistan weren't too impressive with the bat (Umar Akmal and Misbah the exceptions) but those figures are terrific! Douggie Bollinger grabbed another 3 wickets for his tally and also ended with tidy figures of 3-50 in 20 overs.
Peter Siddle was the most expensive of the lot, but delivered 24 overs. All in all a tidy bowling scorecard to look at. A repeat will be needed.
But Mitchell, what a turn around even if he is still claiming those victims with those very, very wide of off-stump deliveries that tempts the batsmen every time and atleast once an innings the lure will be successful. If it works, it works. In general I thought Mitchell's bowling radar was accurate.
Watto has played beatifully this summer with both the bat and ball. It is going to be a great day of cricket to follow his progress tomorrow and Michael Clarke will be out to set an innings of his own to secure the stance as the younger men of the senior group to take on the responsibility in steering our lead to the dominant landmark.
Will the curse of the 'C word' (triple figures folks) be broken at long last?
After a collapse, similar to that in Perth...nearly, Watto decided to carry on where he left off the other day!
A sensible knock, not without some high intensity from the Pakistan bowlers, he is still unbeaten on 64*. I won't mention the higher achievement on this note that is on every supporters mind.
After Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting and then Michael Hussey all fell with a collective 18 between them after their excellent innings' the other day, it left the boys in a rough spot. The lead was alright, but 10 wickets was dramatically down to 7.
Michael Clarke has had a relatively quiet summer but did the job in the 1st innings and along with Watto now, the two of them have the golden chance to get the lead over 400 and then the time will be there for Punter to get the spearheads in there for those 10 wickets.
That early declaration is showing glimpses of a smarter tactic to utilise for our slightly weakened, at times vulnerable bowling unit. They have been given a golden opportunity, and I don't expect the batting unit to hold up things too much until lunch tomorrow.
For Pakistan, should Watto and Pup, along with the rest of the batsmen, knock that lead way up to the rafters it will be another record chase set for a host team.
Mitchell Johnson, 3-36 in 22 overs! Good on ya Mitch, very impressive! Sure enough Pakistan weren't too impressive with the bat (Umar Akmal and Misbah the exceptions) but those figures are terrific! Douggie Bollinger grabbed another 3 wickets for his tally and also ended with tidy figures of 3-50 in 20 overs.
Peter Siddle was the most expensive of the lot, but delivered 24 overs. All in all a tidy bowling scorecard to look at. A repeat will be needed.
But Mitchell, what a turn around even if he is still claiming those victims with those very, very wide of off-stump deliveries that tempts the batsmen every time and atleast once an innings the lure will be successful. If it works, it works. In general I thought Mitchell's bowling radar was accurate.
Watto has played beatifully this summer with both the bat and ball. It is going to be a great day of cricket to follow his progress tomorrow and Michael Clarke will be out to set an innings of his own to secure the stance as the younger men of the senior group to take on the responsibility in steering our lead to the dominant landmark.
Will the curse of the 'C word' (triple figures folks) be broken at long last?
27 December 2009
1st TEST, Day 2: TAKING CONTROL
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.
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.
26 December 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.
25 December 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!
22 December 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.
20 December 2009
THE FRANK WORRELL SERIES REVIEWED
Finally a victory at the WACA, and that secured a series victory for the Baggy Green.
The WACA curse is over and a victory has ended the losing streak.
A major congrats to the Windies! They had a memorable recovery after the Brisbane mess up, and are playing like a team! All-round performances are more evident and this is shaping their side well. They have plenty of young players who look very ambitious to make a name for themselves and the best part was seeing Chris Gayle. He looked a more relaxed and in control sort of Captain, who is seeing the anger and frustration of the politics of the game wash away so he can do what he meant to do.
The results are showing and they can leave this series with the knowledge things are on the right track. It was good to see the cricket get tense and have the boys in a bit of trouble at times. Had we lost the Test I may have not said that having been against the Windies, but there was plenty cricket to take note of and I think the Windies were the more memorable performers on this occassion. Almost how the Ashes worked for us. Stand out individual performances, but collectively just not as good as the other team.
Some good steps forward for both teams I reckon. Now a quick turnaround for Australia is needed with certain areas before the Boxing day Test against Pakistan, who are warmed up with a blaze against Tassie.
Day 4 would be the defining day for the final Test.
After the three wickets that took out the Windies perceived danger men with the bat in hand, the strong stand came from a courageous middle order duo where panic sunk into the bowling unit as the run-chase became a more reachable one. It took the simplicity of discipline to get the Windies on the back-foot again.
As soon as Shane Watson came back on and focused on line and length with consistency, the runs began to dry up for Brendon Nash and Deonarine, and then the wickets came. Brendon Nash had a good series to keep his name a strong one in the side, and he ended it especially well even if he may have come close to setting a record after being stranded on 48 for about thirty minutes! He ended the series as the Windies' second highest run contributor, and missed out on a century by 8 runs in Adelaide.
Doug Bollinger followed the same tactic with the new ball by just focusing on line and length and the assistance the ball would give him, and then Mitchell Johnson sorted his radar out a bit, but I wasn't aware he wasn't feeling too good so Mitch did well to push through the day. Clint McKay picked up his first wicket and after the initial wicket was referred and then declined he got his wicket soon enough. All the bowlers tightened things up and the Windies just lost the battle.
There are still concerns for every supporter regarding the bowling unit's lack of connectivity with injuries and inconsistency creating havoc.
While Peter Siddle is still looming as a possible candidate to play in the Boxing Day test, Ben Hilfenhaus has unfortnately lucked out due to the recurring pain in his knee after a grade-cricket match where he took 4-18 in 8.1 overs.
There was one little scare and that was the pretty impressive 10th wicket stand with Roach and Tonge, which I honestly expected somehow. Tail enders have that might! So that was a bit of a morning wake up for the boys on the field, but they wrapped it up and Doug Bollinger sealed the deal.
He bowled with a punch of passion, aggression and picked up 8 wickets for the game which was a fine effort from the tall bloke.
Here are a few of my highlights of this series regarding the stand-out players:
Adrian Barath scoring a century on debut was special to see. A young man who was spotted by none other than Brian Lara, walked out to the middle and as his senior batsmen were knocked over by Hilfenhaus and Johnson, he kept his composure and played an impressive innings. The little man leaped for joy at the landmark and everyone appreciated it. Injury ended his tour but he's a young batsman to look out for!
Chris Gayle was awesome! The Gayle storm was unleashed and the sixes flew from Adelaide to Perth and we were given a treat of demolishing slogging and a cool customer who still had that Test elegance when he needed to. In Adelaide in his monstrous innings he didn't get at all distracted as his batting mates fell apart around him. He kept things in his control and carved out one of the best innings I have seen from him.
He scored two pretty epic centuries that he will surely remember as two of his finest! He finished the series with an average of 69.20 and top scored by 44 runs.
As a man who initially made the break in the longer form of the game it was good to see him cast aside those erratic statements he made some months back now about Test cricket. His atitude has changed and suddenly the Windies looked animated. The way he performed and then the impact it had on his team-mates shows a Skipper's influence. Great to see Chris Gayle the Test cricketer, blending in the powerful stroke making many have come to realise from him in both ODI and T20 cricket.
Kemar Roach, now this is a young guy to watch out for! He started his cricket against Australia, for me personally, when he sent Shane Watson's off stump flying out the Wanderers wicket during the first game of the ICC Champions Trophy.
He bowled with pace, determination and menace throughout the series. He gave our top order a tough time to try negotiate and really graft their way through his overs, and while his final stats may not have too much of a wow factor, the impact is there and as a young gun there is still plenty pace and experience to fire in the future!
Dwayne Bravo came back to life as an all-rounder as he produced quality with both his batting and bowling. His century in Adelaide was an innings that had more risk and chance than the centuries composed by his team-mates but he made the ton and it came some wild shots, picked for perfect execution especially once he made it past the fifty mark. His bowling in the 2nd innings, where Australia were all out for a concerning 150, was the trouble starter for the eventual collapse which meant the Windies' required total didn't look to high a mountain to climb.
Sulieman Benn had a vocal time this tour causing plenty on field banter and love-loss, particularly between Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson.
The one incident got a bit out of hand, but we can't deny it is entertaining when we get to see the battle heat up that the players 'human side' comes out! When Billy Bowden slipped out of his on-field coma the situation had intensified to the point of a match referree reviewing, but it was eventful. Sulieman Benn made up for any clashes in verbals by doing so with the ball with turn, bounce and some big breakthroughs. He picked up a 5 wicket haul in the series and after my first notice of him in last years Frank Worrell series, he has become quite a key ingredient to the Windies side. He was nothing more than a tall, lanky left arm bowler who tossed a few slow balls down the track when he first took us on but the experience since then has forced him to improve his game. It was evident and he even had a bash with the bat.
All around the Windies had their share of contributions as individuals but it was all done in spatters as opposed to a collective effort which will make them an extremely competitive side again should they click in such a way.
Things can only get better for them now, surely?
Australia had a tough time notably from a mental perspective.
There is the relatively concerning problem with centurions still being non-existent in the Test arena and the substantial number of high scoring half-centuries not being converted into tons has become a bit ammusing. Although the players won't be too concerned as such, probably more frustrated at the constant failure to get the three figure mark.
Simon Katich was mighty consistent, again, and was alot more cautious this series. He has always taken on the role since his return last year, to be a cautious starter always giving the bowlers a few close calls, but when he gets settled he has that ability, a gift to an opening batsman, to all of a sudden pounce on the attack and a strike-rate of 30-40 will be boosted to a very comfortable 70-80.
He fell one short of the century mark he has really been in the waiting for, but he'll surely get it right against the Pakistan bowling outfit.
He was the top run-scorer for Australia with 402 runs at an average of 60.40.
He is forming a good bond with Shane Watson at the top of the order and considering he has had; Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Phillip Hughes and now Watto, he really has done well to keep a cool head and is a player who seems to be well in control of his natural game.
Shane Watson may not be the most natural or even suited Test opener but you can't really make the statement that he has failed? He has notched up quite a stack of half-centuries since his return as a fresh opener and has lucked out on the century twice in this series with scores of 89 and 96, a painful 96! The good news is that Watto has that flexible element to his game and with a conservative Katich at the other end, the attacking and cautious mix seems to work well. Now they just need the centuries. Watto also contributed effectively with the ball.
But with Ricky Ponting standing in line to possibly miss the Boxing Day Test after that nasty ball he took in the elbow against Kemar Roach, Phillip Hughes has been given the nod to return to the side as a potential cover for Punter should he pull up unfit to play. While there have been other strong performers like Cameron White, Michael Klinger and George Bailey, Hughes' call-up seems logical. He is hitting form again and despite the Ashes blunder he had done a terrific job in my opinion in South Africa. These are familiar conditions to him and with Shane Watson being as versatile as he is and being a familiar batting to Katich it may work.
Michael Clarke has for a long time now been one of our most consistent performers with the bat. He is quick to get going and has shown extra responsibility and leadership within his own duties on the field and is getting alot more pro-active with Ricky Ponting during the on-field consultations. It is for the better as there is a chance he may be Captain come the 26th. The impact of an absent Ponting shows how wide the gap for fillers is!
His ODI game has been on a bit of a down-hill where he has had issues to accelerate his game but he had started to generate some very good innings especially in England, but injury cast him out of the ODI side, but the Test arena is where he has been so consistent and will be keen to show the public why he should be taken seriously as a Test cricketer. Critics can say what they will but he is a very good batsman and has alot to offer the side.
Marcus North continued to make valuable contributions for the side and reflected a Brian Lara like style as he took on the Windies. Wristy stroke-play, cutting down on the ball, keeping his body low of the front foot while anything smashed to the on-side saw the front leg raised as the shot was executed, very similar to Brian Lara. As I usually say, I am not comparing the excellence of Lara's career but rather just an observation on some similarities in the Marcus' batting technique to that of Brian Lara.
Michael Hussey struggled intially in the series but at the WACA he looked a more confident cricketer and was far more extravagant in his stroke-play instead of the complacent like batting he has shown over the bleak run he has had in Test cricket. It is odd considering the excellence he has shown in ODI cricket and confidence is the problem and when that goes, even the best of players will see the rest fall apart. The WACA efforts have been convincing enough for the selectors to give him another shot against Pakistan. But it will be watched closely for Huss, as he has been given some golden life-lines due to his initial impact on not only the Australian results but also the way he inspires his team-mates. His fielding was pretty outstanding throughout the series at gully!
Brad Haddin's return has seen him take a big turnaround. His wicket-keeping was animated and at a standard that he has been far from for sometime.
He took quite a few classy catches and looked more like the top glovesman Australian cricket has to offer. Even better was how well Hads batted!
He really is the most picturesque stroke maker in the side, and when he plays any attacking shot on the front foot, the high motion cameras show the motion as picture perfect, text book like strokeplaying. He is my favourite batsman to watch for elegant shots while he still makes those lofted drives look so effortless. Brilliant to watch!
Ben Hilfenhaus started his series off with a bang, yet injury ended his run after receiving player-of-the-match. Doug Bollinger stepped up in his call-up while Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle looked out of it, Siddle predominantly owing to extensive cricket. But the bowling unit is still far from sorted and when our batsmen don't fire they become a bit vulnerable, and thankfully disciplined bowling paved the way to victory.
The positive is that there is a small pool of bowlers to work with now who have Test cricket experience, the issue is to get them all fit and able to be ready for selection 90% of the time. The pace bowling will come right, while the spin is still a concerning zone to look at even though Nathan Hauritz always finds a way to keep his luck spinning. He has contributed and he has no doubt improved dramatically dating back to the Ashes series. He has to keep playing though. It's the only way we can see any further improvements as he certainly puts in the work. He ended the series with 11 wickets - same as Sulieman Benn - at an average of 33.00 sending down the most overs for Australia.
But as a team there are still some changes to some not so serious issues that the Baggy Green face before the series against Pakistan, which will be followed a while after in a Test series against the Black Caps.
A fairly good series of Test cricket in the end, and it was a fine way to start off the summer. Good cricket, stand out performances and controversy where provoked!
So for the second series running, Australia have taken it 2-0, winning the first and the third Tests. The Windies can take plenty of encouragement and pride after this series.
The WACA curse is over and a victory has ended the losing streak.
A major congrats to the Windies! They had a memorable recovery after the Brisbane mess up, and are playing like a team! All-round performances are more evident and this is shaping their side well. They have plenty of young players who look very ambitious to make a name for themselves and the best part was seeing Chris Gayle. He looked a more relaxed and in control sort of Captain, who is seeing the anger and frustration of the politics of the game wash away so he can do what he meant to do.
The results are showing and they can leave this series with the knowledge things are on the right track. It was good to see the cricket get tense and have the boys in a bit of trouble at times. Had we lost the Test I may have not said that having been against the Windies, but there was plenty cricket to take note of and I think the Windies were the more memorable performers on this occassion. Almost how the Ashes worked for us. Stand out individual performances, but collectively just not as good as the other team.
Some good steps forward for both teams I reckon. Now a quick turnaround for Australia is needed with certain areas before the Boxing day Test against Pakistan, who are warmed up with a blaze against Tassie.
Day 4 would be the defining day for the final Test.
After the three wickets that took out the Windies perceived danger men with the bat in hand, the strong stand came from a courageous middle order duo where panic sunk into the bowling unit as the run-chase became a more reachable one. It took the simplicity of discipline to get the Windies on the back-foot again.
As soon as Shane Watson came back on and focused on line and length with consistency, the runs began to dry up for Brendon Nash and Deonarine, and then the wickets came. Brendon Nash had a good series to keep his name a strong one in the side, and he ended it especially well even if he may have come close to setting a record after being stranded on 48 for about thirty minutes! He ended the series as the Windies' second highest run contributor, and missed out on a century by 8 runs in Adelaide.
Doug Bollinger followed the same tactic with the new ball by just focusing on line and length and the assistance the ball would give him, and then Mitchell Johnson sorted his radar out a bit, but I wasn't aware he wasn't feeling too good so Mitch did well to push through the day. Clint McKay picked up his first wicket and after the initial wicket was referred and then declined he got his wicket soon enough. All the bowlers tightened things up and the Windies just lost the battle.
There are still concerns for every supporter regarding the bowling unit's lack of connectivity with injuries and inconsistency creating havoc.
While Peter Siddle is still looming as a possible candidate to play in the Boxing Day test, Ben Hilfenhaus has unfortnately lucked out due to the recurring pain in his knee after a grade-cricket match where he took 4-18 in 8.1 overs.
There was one little scare and that was the pretty impressive 10th wicket stand with Roach and Tonge, which I honestly expected somehow. Tail enders have that might! So that was a bit of a morning wake up for the boys on the field, but they wrapped it up and Doug Bollinger sealed the deal.
He bowled with a punch of passion, aggression and picked up 8 wickets for the game which was a fine effort from the tall bloke.
Here are a few of my highlights of this series regarding the stand-out players:
Adrian Barath scoring a century on debut was special to see. A young man who was spotted by none other than Brian Lara, walked out to the middle and as his senior batsmen were knocked over by Hilfenhaus and Johnson, he kept his composure and played an impressive innings. The little man leaped for joy at the landmark and everyone appreciated it. Injury ended his tour but he's a young batsman to look out for!
Chris Gayle was awesome! The Gayle storm was unleashed and the sixes flew from Adelaide to Perth and we were given a treat of demolishing slogging and a cool customer who still had that Test elegance when he needed to. In Adelaide in his monstrous innings he didn't get at all distracted as his batting mates fell apart around him. He kept things in his control and carved out one of the best innings I have seen from him.
He scored two pretty epic centuries that he will surely remember as two of his finest! He finished the series with an average of 69.20 and top scored by 44 runs.
As a man who initially made the break in the longer form of the game it was good to see him cast aside those erratic statements he made some months back now about Test cricket. His atitude has changed and suddenly the Windies looked animated. The way he performed and then the impact it had on his team-mates shows a Skipper's influence. Great to see Chris Gayle the Test cricketer, blending in the powerful stroke making many have come to realise from him in both ODI and T20 cricket.
Kemar Roach, now this is a young guy to watch out for! He started his cricket against Australia, for me personally, when he sent Shane Watson's off stump flying out the Wanderers wicket during the first game of the ICC Champions Trophy.
He bowled with pace, determination and menace throughout the series. He gave our top order a tough time to try negotiate and really graft their way through his overs, and while his final stats may not have too much of a wow factor, the impact is there and as a young gun there is still plenty pace and experience to fire in the future!
Dwayne Bravo came back to life as an all-rounder as he produced quality with both his batting and bowling. His century in Adelaide was an innings that had more risk and chance than the centuries composed by his team-mates but he made the ton and it came some wild shots, picked for perfect execution especially once he made it past the fifty mark. His bowling in the 2nd innings, where Australia were all out for a concerning 150, was the trouble starter for the eventual collapse which meant the Windies' required total didn't look to high a mountain to climb.
Sulieman Benn had a vocal time this tour causing plenty on field banter and love-loss, particularly between Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson.
The one incident got a bit out of hand, but we can't deny it is entertaining when we get to see the battle heat up that the players 'human side' comes out! When Billy Bowden slipped out of his on-field coma the situation had intensified to the point of a match referree reviewing, but it was eventful. Sulieman Benn made up for any clashes in verbals by doing so with the ball with turn, bounce and some big breakthroughs. He picked up a 5 wicket haul in the series and after my first notice of him in last years Frank Worrell series, he has become quite a key ingredient to the Windies side. He was nothing more than a tall, lanky left arm bowler who tossed a few slow balls down the track when he first took us on but the experience since then has forced him to improve his game. It was evident and he even had a bash with the bat.
All around the Windies had their share of contributions as individuals but it was all done in spatters as opposed to a collective effort which will make them an extremely competitive side again should they click in such a way.
Things can only get better for them now, surely?
Australia had a tough time notably from a mental perspective.
There is the relatively concerning problem with centurions still being non-existent in the Test arena and the substantial number of high scoring half-centuries not being converted into tons has become a bit ammusing. Although the players won't be too concerned as such, probably more frustrated at the constant failure to get the three figure mark.
Simon Katich was mighty consistent, again, and was alot more cautious this series. He has always taken on the role since his return last year, to be a cautious starter always giving the bowlers a few close calls, but when he gets settled he has that ability, a gift to an opening batsman, to all of a sudden pounce on the attack and a strike-rate of 30-40 will be boosted to a very comfortable 70-80.
He fell one short of the century mark he has really been in the waiting for, but he'll surely get it right against the Pakistan bowling outfit.
He was the top run-scorer for Australia with 402 runs at an average of 60.40.
He is forming a good bond with Shane Watson at the top of the order and considering he has had; Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Phillip Hughes and now Watto, he really has done well to keep a cool head and is a player who seems to be well in control of his natural game.
Shane Watson may not be the most natural or even suited Test opener but you can't really make the statement that he has failed? He has notched up quite a stack of half-centuries since his return as a fresh opener and has lucked out on the century twice in this series with scores of 89 and 96, a painful 96! The good news is that Watto has that flexible element to his game and with a conservative Katich at the other end, the attacking and cautious mix seems to work well. Now they just need the centuries. Watto also contributed effectively with the ball.
But with Ricky Ponting standing in line to possibly miss the Boxing Day Test after that nasty ball he took in the elbow against Kemar Roach, Phillip Hughes has been given the nod to return to the side as a potential cover for Punter should he pull up unfit to play. While there have been other strong performers like Cameron White, Michael Klinger and George Bailey, Hughes' call-up seems logical. He is hitting form again and despite the Ashes blunder he had done a terrific job in my opinion in South Africa. These are familiar conditions to him and with Shane Watson being as versatile as he is and being a familiar batting to Katich it may work.
Michael Clarke has for a long time now been one of our most consistent performers with the bat. He is quick to get going and has shown extra responsibility and leadership within his own duties on the field and is getting alot more pro-active with Ricky Ponting during the on-field consultations. It is for the better as there is a chance he may be Captain come the 26th. The impact of an absent Ponting shows how wide the gap for fillers is!
His ODI game has been on a bit of a down-hill where he has had issues to accelerate his game but he had started to generate some very good innings especially in England, but injury cast him out of the ODI side, but the Test arena is where he has been so consistent and will be keen to show the public why he should be taken seriously as a Test cricketer. Critics can say what they will but he is a very good batsman and has alot to offer the side.
Marcus North continued to make valuable contributions for the side and reflected a Brian Lara like style as he took on the Windies. Wristy stroke-play, cutting down on the ball, keeping his body low of the front foot while anything smashed to the on-side saw the front leg raised as the shot was executed, very similar to Brian Lara. As I usually say, I am not comparing the excellence of Lara's career but rather just an observation on some similarities in the Marcus' batting technique to that of Brian Lara.
Michael Hussey struggled intially in the series but at the WACA he looked a more confident cricketer and was far more extravagant in his stroke-play instead of the complacent like batting he has shown over the bleak run he has had in Test cricket. It is odd considering the excellence he has shown in ODI cricket and confidence is the problem and when that goes, even the best of players will see the rest fall apart. The WACA efforts have been convincing enough for the selectors to give him another shot against Pakistan. But it will be watched closely for Huss, as he has been given some golden life-lines due to his initial impact on not only the Australian results but also the way he inspires his team-mates. His fielding was pretty outstanding throughout the series at gully!
Brad Haddin's return has seen him take a big turnaround. His wicket-keeping was animated and at a standard that he has been far from for sometime.
He took quite a few classy catches and looked more like the top glovesman Australian cricket has to offer. Even better was how well Hads batted!
He really is the most picturesque stroke maker in the side, and when he plays any attacking shot on the front foot, the high motion cameras show the motion as picture perfect, text book like strokeplaying. He is my favourite batsman to watch for elegant shots while he still makes those lofted drives look so effortless. Brilliant to watch!
Ben Hilfenhaus started his series off with a bang, yet injury ended his run after receiving player-of-the-match. Doug Bollinger stepped up in his call-up while Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle looked out of it, Siddle predominantly owing to extensive cricket. But the bowling unit is still far from sorted and when our batsmen don't fire they become a bit vulnerable, and thankfully disciplined bowling paved the way to victory.
The positive is that there is a small pool of bowlers to work with now who have Test cricket experience, the issue is to get them all fit and able to be ready for selection 90% of the time. The pace bowling will come right, while the spin is still a concerning zone to look at even though Nathan Hauritz always finds a way to keep his luck spinning. He has contributed and he has no doubt improved dramatically dating back to the Ashes series. He has to keep playing though. It's the only way we can see any further improvements as he certainly puts in the work. He ended the series with 11 wickets - same as Sulieman Benn - at an average of 33.00 sending down the most overs for Australia.
But as a team there are still some changes to some not so serious issues that the Baggy Green face before the series against Pakistan, which will be followed a while after in a Test series against the Black Caps.
A fairly good series of Test cricket in the end, and it was a fine way to start off the summer. Good cricket, stand out performances and controversy where provoked!
So for the second series running, Australia have taken it 2-0, winning the first and the third Tests. The Windies can take plenty of encouragement and pride after this series.
18 December 2009
3rd TEST, Day 4: ANY TEAMS GAME NOW
Was hoping I wouldn't be having such a title, but due to some terrible batting to be blunt, the run chase has taken a bit of pressure off the accelerator pedal.
Nash and Deonarine are steering the Windies ship to a possible victory, which is bringing out a horrible pattern in Perth which has become our worst hunting ground.
With the score on 182 for the Windies it would indicate that our batting was about poor discipline. Strange after we had really held things together so nicely with the willow.
But they still have a long way too go. As I type the Windies are around 185 from victory, with the Baggy Green needing 7 wickets to get the victory in very hot conditions.
This game could be a thriller, but 2 wickets will be needed in the current session to turn momentum over to the Baggy Green.
The batting didn't get far in the end as the Windies bowlers dismissed us for 150! While the lead looked good, it didn't help our cause one bit seeing a scorecard of 150 all out.
With the Windies in, courtesy of some fine bowling from their batsmen, our bowlers took three massive strikes. Unfortuantely that is where we are currently still standing.
Dowlin, Gayle and Sarwan are all back in the hut, but the current partnership has given a pulse again to the Windies recovery from the middle order.
Mitchel Johnson is taking some further strain out there and we need him to really up his game now. If there's a time for Mitch to recreate some of that WACA magic from last year, now is the time so the team can get closer to a victory and end this depressing run in recent years at the WACA.
Tense stuff, and I have to ask myself...what is the bowling plan for the squad? Brendan Nash over after over wide of off and he just cuts it away.
Still going to be entertaining, but who will be the bowler who wants the victory, who wants ot knock down the Windies defences?
Follow on or no follow on? Do you think Punter made the right choice?
Shout hard for the boys if you can! They need the support now.
Nash and Deonarine are steering the Windies ship to a possible victory, which is bringing out a horrible pattern in Perth which has become our worst hunting ground.
With the score on 182 for the Windies it would indicate that our batting was about poor discipline. Strange after we had really held things together so nicely with the willow.
But they still have a long way too go. As I type the Windies are around 185 from victory, with the Baggy Green needing 7 wickets to get the victory in very hot conditions.
This game could be a thriller, but 2 wickets will be needed in the current session to turn momentum over to the Baggy Green.
The batting didn't get far in the end as the Windies bowlers dismissed us for 150! While the lead looked good, it didn't help our cause one bit seeing a scorecard of 150 all out.
With the Windies in, courtesy of some fine bowling from their batsmen, our bowlers took three massive strikes. Unfortuantely that is where we are currently still standing.
Dowlin, Gayle and Sarwan are all back in the hut, but the current partnership has given a pulse again to the Windies recovery from the middle order.
Mitchel Johnson is taking some further strain out there and we need him to really up his game now. If there's a time for Mitch to recreate some of that WACA magic from last year, now is the time so the team can get closer to a victory and end this depressing run in recent years at the WACA.
Tense stuff, and I have to ask myself...what is the bowling plan for the squad? Brendan Nash over after over wide of off and he just cuts it away.
Still going to be entertaining, but who will be the bowler who wants the victory, who wants ot knock down the Windies defences?
Follow on or no follow on? Do you think Punter made the right choice?
Shout hard for the boys if you can! They need the support now.
3rd TEST, Day 3: THE TEST ADVANCES
Exciting stand at the moment. The lead is pushing forward but it's not exactly easy out there. 6 wickets down already, but due to some excellent bowling from Doug Bollinger and Nathan Hauritz this morning, the lead is in a reasonably comfortable zone right now. Anything over 414 I will be happy with!
But things are falling apart now, and I hope Ricky Ponting can bat with Brad Haddin recently departed, unfortunately to Sulieman Benn. Time for Mitchell to do another Newlands-like job!
I liked Doug Bollinger's passion this morning. He displayed every bit of pride he had representing the Baggy Green when he took those wickets to give him the 5-for!
Terrific bowling and it's how I like to see it. Aggressive and getting the final wickets as quickly as possible.
Great achievement for the tall man and I appreciate his efforts. Always special to see a guy get a 5-for so early on in his career.
Bang, bang, bang Windies out in good time on Day 3.
Nathan Hauritz contributed and with Chris Gayle out the way he would've had a good rest knowing all he had to do was go out there, keep toiling and the mistakes from the tail-enders will come. The way the wicket is looking at the moment Nathan Hauritz should be very eager to get a few deliveries down the track.
But Mitchell Johnson will have to suddenly be at his best. He has been gifting the Windies with far too many half-volleys and spraying some gifts. I understand it is a part of Mitchell's bowling style, but with some mean stroke-makers in the Windies line-up we can't afford, esepcially seeing our build on the lead in a bit of trouble.
Hauritz should be the key, while Bollinger is undoubtedly the more suitable man to get things done. Hope the synergy will kick in when most needed.
On a fielding note things were far better! Brad Haddin has started his summer with excellent gloves work and took some fine catches off the bowling of Ritz.
Michael Clarke took a classic slip catch, diving to his left to hold onto a real beauty! That is probably my catch of the summer so far.
Will Ricky Ponting bat? Currently the boys are on 6/120, with the lead of 328. 400 is a must as far as I'm concerned, and with 4 wickets - possibly 3 - to play with, Nathan Hauritz and Mitchell Johnson need to consolidate and try keep the momentum going!
6 wickets down, pretty aweful and just when the batsmen seem to be getting their stuff right, things just fall apart. Good bowling, complacency, or just moronic batting? The guys have seemed a bit hesitant and not very confident in their shots, so I'm putting it down to complacency but this is just a bit concerning.
The bowling is the worry while the batting was somewhat in order. The bowling comes together and now the batting falls apart.
Synergy, synergy, synergy!
Hopefully Mitchell Johnson can pull it together now, and Nathan Hauritz isn't a dummy with the bat. He can play his shots.
This has been quite a strange match in terms of momentum switching. A bit like the Test at the WACA against the Proteas last year. We know who came out on top there, and I won't accept a draw here. It's victory or nothing for the Baggy Green here!
But things are falling apart now, and I hope Ricky Ponting can bat with Brad Haddin recently departed, unfortunately to Sulieman Benn. Time for Mitchell to do another Newlands-like job!
I liked Doug Bollinger's passion this morning. He displayed every bit of pride he had representing the Baggy Green when he took those wickets to give him the 5-for!
Terrific bowling and it's how I like to see it. Aggressive and getting the final wickets as quickly as possible.
Great achievement for the tall man and I appreciate his efforts. Always special to see a guy get a 5-for so early on in his career.
Bang, bang, bang Windies out in good time on Day 3.
Nathan Hauritz contributed and with Chris Gayle out the way he would've had a good rest knowing all he had to do was go out there, keep toiling and the mistakes from the tail-enders will come. The way the wicket is looking at the moment Nathan Hauritz should be very eager to get a few deliveries down the track.
But Mitchell Johnson will have to suddenly be at his best. He has been gifting the Windies with far too many half-volleys and spraying some gifts. I understand it is a part of Mitchell's bowling style, but with some mean stroke-makers in the Windies line-up we can't afford, esepcially seeing our build on the lead in a bit of trouble.
Hauritz should be the key, while Bollinger is undoubtedly the more suitable man to get things done. Hope the synergy will kick in when most needed.
On a fielding note things were far better! Brad Haddin has started his summer with excellent gloves work and took some fine catches off the bowling of Ritz.
Michael Clarke took a classic slip catch, diving to his left to hold onto a real beauty! That is probably my catch of the summer so far.
Will Ricky Ponting bat? Currently the boys are on 6/120, with the lead of 328. 400 is a must as far as I'm concerned, and with 4 wickets - possibly 3 - to play with, Nathan Hauritz and Mitchell Johnson need to consolidate and try keep the momentum going!
6 wickets down, pretty aweful and just when the batsmen seem to be getting their stuff right, things just fall apart. Good bowling, complacency, or just moronic batting? The guys have seemed a bit hesitant and not very confident in their shots, so I'm putting it down to complacency but this is just a bit concerning.
The bowling is the worry while the batting was somewhat in order. The bowling comes together and now the batting falls apart.
Synergy, synergy, synergy!
Hopefully Mitchell Johnson can pull it together now, and Nathan Hauritz isn't a dummy with the bat. He can play his shots.
This has been quite a strange match in terms of momentum switching. A bit like the Test at the WACA against the Proteas last year. We know who came out on top there, and I won't accept a draw here. It's victory or nothing for the Baggy Green here!
17 December 2009
WHAT A CENTURY!
The 5th fastest century goes to Chris Gayle, and I am actually on my feet for once regarding the opposition. A fast paced innings with monstrous shots down the ground courtesy of clean stroke play from the get go!
Our bowlers have their work cut out for them, and Nathan Hauritz is losing the battle to Gayle. Hope Ritz can keep plugging away, but wow, some of those shots were huge!
Ah well, Gayle has just been taken. Short ball from Bollinger, with steep bounce just away from Gayle's body which he politely cuts, almost nudgingly, in the air to Shane Watson at point for an easy catch. End of an entertaining innings.
Time to pull this game back now and Douggie Bollinger needs to cut back on the no-balls.
Century check:
WEST INDIES - 4
AUSTRALIA - 0 (come on!)
Our bowlers have their work cut out for them, and Nathan Hauritz is losing the battle to Gayle. Hope Ritz can keep plugging away, but wow, some of those shots were huge!
Ah well, Gayle has just been taken. Short ball from Bollinger, with steep bounce just away from Gayle's body which he politely cuts, almost nudgingly, in the air to Shane Watson at point for an easy catch. End of an entertaining innings.
Time to pull this game back now and Douggie Bollinger needs to cut back on the no-balls.
Century check:
WEST INDIES - 4
AUSTRALIA - 0 (come on!)
16 December 2009
3rd TEST, Day 2: EXCITING CRICKET!
Usually I don't do a mid-day analysis, but I can't stop myself. This is just turning into a very exciting game of Test cricket, with the flare of ODI cricket.
The amusing point to make is that not one Australian batsman has made a century, not one!
Yes, Michael Hussey added one to his overnight score! He went for 82. Had he kept at it yesterday we may have seen the century made but it wasn't too be. But it was a more confident innings from Huss and if you happened to watch the game or catch some highlights, you would have seen a more traditional Hussey innings and while he fell short of a century which many reckon he needed, I think the manner in which he scored his runs reflected a better looking player, with confident shots and clean power hitting. The pull shots were brilliant.
Otherwise the other bloke to play a fine knock was Marcus North. He went cheaply but in his first appearance at the WACA he gave the supporters a good innings to watch. I can't help but compare his style to Brian Lara. I know some people get sensitive when you compare a player to a legend of the game, but it is more a technique observation. North is a very wristy player who uses a spring in his stride to get on top of the ball to keep his shots on the ground. Usually the wristy action creates a sling like shot down onto the ball, and then the way he lifts the front leg on the pull shots as well as the low body movement on the front foot, it reminds me of Lara's technique so much. Seeing Marcus against the International bowlers has brought it out to my attention even more so.
The other guy to luck out was then Brad Haddin. Cracking innings from Hads with the expected picturesque drives, muscled lofted drives and perfect timing and execution of those late cuts.
His fifty was very entertaining and like the rest of the guys, he didn't get the century. He fell 12 short of his century in a soft dismissal. The good news is that Hads is in good form with the bat and his Keeping has been at a higher standard.
As always Brad usually gets himself out, which is exactly what he did this time but when he gets going, he gets going! Ending on 88 with the strike-rate just under 100 is superb!
And yes, it was a good wicket for Hads and Mitchell Johnson in the end!
While there are no centurions the fact is the total over 500 was pushed with the knowledge that the runs went onto the scoreboard. If three guys get out in the nineties, the main point is that they made runs and the collective efforts make a daunting total.
Cricket, a strange game where individual performances get over-analysed yet it is a team sport!
Chris Gayle has decided if Mitch and Hads could have a bit of a slog out, so can he! He's on 55* as a I write and he has been timing it well and really blasting our bowlers...who have been bowling far to wide and too short to Gayle. Great strike-rate! Usually when Gayle operates like this it opens a few golden chances. But no luck as of yet. Still, it means our inexperienced bowlers have their work cut out.
Travis Dowlin is now getting into the action!
Nathan Hauritz coming onto bowl. This could get exciting after Chris Gayle's public opinion regarding Ritz' bowling. Punter testing Ritz' nerves. This could get interesting. Ah, six runs hit off the second ball. Gayles stands and delivers and sends it straight down the ground for six. Wait, there's another far into the stands. Well, well. Sids (my one reader, not the nickname for the cricketer) you won't be liking this.
Ritz reminds me of that kid from that movie with Bruce Willis, the Sixth Sense. Haley Joel Osmond I think was the chaps name. Random thought. These things happen when I write and watch a live game!
As for the real talk of the day...Haddin vs Benn!
Here's how it happened on the tele. Mitchell Johnson scampered a single and him and Benn collided. Brad Haddin then pointed something out (literally) to the mighty tall Sulieman Benn...literally. Benn and Hads had a discussion which escalated into a face off between batsman and bowler with Hads giving Benn the stumps to aim at after playing one back to him. Benn decided to rather not take a shy in case he missed.
Then Gayle stepped in to calm the situation and finally things took a turn which resulted in Mitch just nudging Benn away from himself and Hads, after he (Benn) gestured a finger rather aggressively towards Hads. Benn pushed Mitch back and then Billy Bowden woke up from his trance like state in the middle to intervene.
So the talk is that there will be match fee reviews, possible hearings etc.
But what happened between the players in the middle exactly?
WE DON'T KNOW! So until then I see the situation as nothing more than a few cricketers getting mighty fired up. There needs to be composure but we weren't out there, and as always too much of this has been made. So let's wait to hear the real verdict. The battle of Test cricket!
Windies currently 0/97, Ritz having a quieter over in terms of sixes. The Windie run-rate is 6.06, so who will be pulling things back now? Clint McKay into another over...and another six. Doesn't look like Clint will the one to pull things back, yet.
The Sir Vivian Richards record may be at risk from being broken here. Last thing our team needs! Better bowling from Clint now, fuller and getting Gayle to play in front of his stumps. The tactic worked well for Ben Hilfenhaus!
Punter may need to introduce some ODI field tactics!
The amusing point to make is that not one Australian batsman has made a century, not one!
Yes, Michael Hussey added one to his overnight score! He went for 82. Had he kept at it yesterday we may have seen the century made but it wasn't too be. But it was a more confident innings from Huss and if you happened to watch the game or catch some highlights, you would have seen a more traditional Hussey innings and while he fell short of a century which many reckon he needed, I think the manner in which he scored his runs reflected a better looking player, with confident shots and clean power hitting. The pull shots were brilliant.
Otherwise the other bloke to play a fine knock was Marcus North. He went cheaply but in his first appearance at the WACA he gave the supporters a good innings to watch. I can't help but compare his style to Brian Lara. I know some people get sensitive when you compare a player to a legend of the game, but it is more a technique observation. North is a very wristy player who uses a spring in his stride to get on top of the ball to keep his shots on the ground. Usually the wristy action creates a sling like shot down onto the ball, and then the way he lifts the front leg on the pull shots as well as the low body movement on the front foot, it reminds me of Lara's technique so much. Seeing Marcus against the International bowlers has brought it out to my attention even more so.
The other guy to luck out was then Brad Haddin. Cracking innings from Hads with the expected picturesque drives, muscled lofted drives and perfect timing and execution of those late cuts.
His fifty was very entertaining and like the rest of the guys, he didn't get the century. He fell 12 short of his century in a soft dismissal. The good news is that Hads is in good form with the bat and his Keeping has been at a higher standard.
As always Brad usually gets himself out, which is exactly what he did this time but when he gets going, he gets going! Ending on 88 with the strike-rate just under 100 is superb!
And yes, it was a good wicket for Hads and Mitchell Johnson in the end!
While there are no centurions the fact is the total over 500 was pushed with the knowledge that the runs went onto the scoreboard. If three guys get out in the nineties, the main point is that they made runs and the collective efforts make a daunting total.
Cricket, a strange game where individual performances get over-analysed yet it is a team sport!
Chris Gayle has decided if Mitch and Hads could have a bit of a slog out, so can he! He's on 55* as a I write and he has been timing it well and really blasting our bowlers...who have been bowling far to wide and too short to Gayle. Great strike-rate! Usually when Gayle operates like this it opens a few golden chances. But no luck as of yet. Still, it means our inexperienced bowlers have their work cut out.
Travis Dowlin is now getting into the action!
Nathan Hauritz coming onto bowl. This could get exciting after Chris Gayle's public opinion regarding Ritz' bowling. Punter testing Ritz' nerves. This could get interesting. Ah, six runs hit off the second ball. Gayles stands and delivers and sends it straight down the ground for six. Wait, there's another far into the stands. Well, well. Sids (my one reader, not the nickname for the cricketer) you won't be liking this.
Ritz reminds me of that kid from that movie with Bruce Willis, the Sixth Sense. Haley Joel Osmond I think was the chaps name. Random thought. These things happen when I write and watch a live game!
As for the real talk of the day...Haddin vs Benn!
Here's how it happened on the tele. Mitchell Johnson scampered a single and him and Benn collided. Brad Haddin then pointed something out (literally) to the mighty tall Sulieman Benn...literally. Benn and Hads had a discussion which escalated into a face off between batsman and bowler with Hads giving Benn the stumps to aim at after playing one back to him. Benn decided to rather not take a shy in case he missed.
Then Gayle stepped in to calm the situation and finally things took a turn which resulted in Mitch just nudging Benn away from himself and Hads, after he (Benn) gestured a finger rather aggressively towards Hads. Benn pushed Mitch back and then Billy Bowden woke up from his trance like state in the middle to intervene.
So the talk is that there will be match fee reviews, possible hearings etc.
But what happened between the players in the middle exactly?
WE DON'T KNOW! So until then I see the situation as nothing more than a few cricketers getting mighty fired up. There needs to be composure but we weren't out there, and as always too much of this has been made. So let's wait to hear the real verdict. The battle of Test cricket!
Windies currently 0/97, Ritz having a quieter over in terms of sixes. The Windie run-rate is 6.06, so who will be pulling things back now? Clint McKay into another over...and another six. Doesn't look like Clint will the one to pull things back, yet.
The Sir Vivian Richards record may be at risk from being broken here. Last thing our team needs! Better bowling from Clint now, fuller and getting Gayle to play in front of his stumps. The tactic worked well for Ben Hilfenhaus!
Punter may need to introduce some ODI field tactics!
3rd TEST, Day 1: THE BAGGY GREEN IN CONTROL
Yeah, in control but still no centuries!
I am totally gutted for Simon Katich! 99, the second time he has been dismissed in the 90's this series. I couldn't believe it when he heaved the sweep shot and the catch was taken. For a while I really thought the catch had been spilled, but then I saw Katto walking and for 5 minutes all I could mutter was, "No Katto, no, no, no!"
Such bad luck is a given in the game of cricket!
It was a conservative innings from Katto therefore allowing Watto to be the extravagant stroke maker. I like the way Katto gets the job done and how he adapts to what his batting partner is offering to the game at hand! The right man for the job and he continues to show the consistency. 1 run though, I wouldn't have wanted to have been in the dressing room after that dismissal! Wonder where the equipment ended up? Surely not in the toilet like Michael Slater did!
Next time for Katto!
Shane Watson was sent back 9 runs short of his century in another one of those panic ride block shots he plays. Panic ride for the viewers I must add!I reckon every innings he plays that shot, atleast four or five deliveries slide just past the edge of the blade.
He was given a lifeline after being dropped by Chris Gayle and after that it was guns blazing for Watto. They ended up being too straight in line and length to him and the Windies bowlers got the treatment. He upped the attack at one point that must have had Chris Gayle in a cold sweat! 15 fours to his name gives an indicator.
Sadly for Watto, the century is still going to have to wait!
But there is hope...
Michael Hussey is playing in one of the most important innings of his Test career yet. This Test is a must win for the side for confidence, definite pride but to also keep the momentum alive as the summer moves forward. But importantly for Huss it is the innings to most likely keep his Test career alive!
He has been sensational in the ODI arena and has played in the true tradition of a middle order batsmen. That is that it is not about how many runs you make, but how you score them and at what intensity the team requires your efforts.
Given his great run for the side it has been a bit confusing to most of the supporters as to why his Test game has been schitzophrenic in comparison!
But after the last article mentioning that maybe Huss has some magic left, it seems we may be in for a very intense 1st session tomorrow from the Huss!
He played one pull shot in particular towards the close of play that just had confidence written all over it!
The over where he picked up three boundaries had a beautiful drive in there too!
There is no better ground to for him to try get that triple figure mark than the WACA! It was at this ground the defining moments of his first-class career began to blossom and then in the County cricket circuit he exploded with record breaking efforts! Since he has been in the side he has shown responsibility, dedication, inspirational work ethic and has been a main contributor to our side in so many ways and so many victories. For this reason I have continued to back Huss in the darkest of times in his career over the last few months and I was thrilled when he scored that century in the Ashes (even if it was a century overdue) but this would be an innings of determination and a huge one that the side needs! After winning the toss the boys have made a gem of a start to the final Test.
I will be glued to the tele if possible to see if Huss can get to the milestone, but the fact we are still waiting for that centurion is quite an amusing viewing game.
Katto fell one short this time around, previously 8. Shane Watson was four short, and now 11.
Ricky Ponting took a really nasty one on the elbow, from Kemar Roach whose figures don't quite indicate the aggression with which he bowled! Heck that must've been mighty discomforting. The good news was that it wasn't anything too serious, but I hope our Skipper returns to the ground in a good state. I am excited knowing that Punter is still lurking in the batting line-up and that Brad Haddin is still due to come to the crease with Marcus North showing total focus to get the job done on his home ground (his 1st Test at the WACA) alongside fellow Warriors team-mate, Huss.
I liked the courage Punter showed out there. I know I would fall to the ground howling in pain after taking a knock like that at around 150 km/h! Not Punter!
He stood his ground, copped some more brutal bowling from Kemar Roach and was totally focused on hanging out there for the Squad as our Skipper. Only when he realised it was in his best efforts to get it checked out did he leave. That is the might of a Skipper, and I hope people take note of these occurences. The Ashes was another example. Punter got one in the mouth while fielding, and he simply spat out the blood, got it checked and sorted and he was back out there again trying his best to motivate the boys. While he may not be seen as the ideal Captain, and for fair enough reason at times, he does have a huge influence as far motivation and self-belief goes for the team.
3/339 is the ideal situation right now for the batsmen, with quite a few players in the hut who will be eager to get a bash out there on the wicket, which has looked a bit more of a WACA like wicket.
Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin will be looking forward to it I am sure.
On another note, congrats to Clint McKay on his debut. He has entered the side in a more desperate like situation but having a brief think back to the cross roads he has come through, it shows alot of strength in his mental approach to the game and with this bowling attack being rather inexperienced at the elite level (which is a relief seeing how well our batsmen are going along) he has responsibility on his shoulders from the get go! Baggy Green number 412 has his moment.
And Doug Bollinger still needs a run to his batting stats.
Off topic from this game, did anyone catch the India vs Sri-Lanka ODI? What a marvellous match. The gift that the Gods gave to the Wanderers in 2006.
And Brad Hogg commentating? Haha! I never thought it would happen and good to see Hoggy is still around, proving the Barney voice is genuine.
I am totally gutted for Simon Katich! 99, the second time he has been dismissed in the 90's this series. I couldn't believe it when he heaved the sweep shot and the catch was taken. For a while I really thought the catch had been spilled, but then I saw Katto walking and for 5 minutes all I could mutter was, "No Katto, no, no, no!"
Such bad luck is a given in the game of cricket!
It was a conservative innings from Katto therefore allowing Watto to be the extravagant stroke maker. I like the way Katto gets the job done and how he adapts to what his batting partner is offering to the game at hand! The right man for the job and he continues to show the consistency. 1 run though, I wouldn't have wanted to have been in the dressing room after that dismissal! Wonder where the equipment ended up? Surely not in the toilet like Michael Slater did!
Next time for Katto!
Shane Watson was sent back 9 runs short of his century in another one of those panic ride block shots he plays. Panic ride for the viewers I must add!I reckon every innings he plays that shot, atleast four or five deliveries slide just past the edge of the blade.
He was given a lifeline after being dropped by Chris Gayle and after that it was guns blazing for Watto. They ended up being too straight in line and length to him and the Windies bowlers got the treatment. He upped the attack at one point that must have had Chris Gayle in a cold sweat! 15 fours to his name gives an indicator.
Sadly for Watto, the century is still going to have to wait!
But there is hope...
Michael Hussey is playing in one of the most important innings of his Test career yet. This Test is a must win for the side for confidence, definite pride but to also keep the momentum alive as the summer moves forward. But importantly for Huss it is the innings to most likely keep his Test career alive!
He has been sensational in the ODI arena and has played in the true tradition of a middle order batsmen. That is that it is not about how many runs you make, but how you score them and at what intensity the team requires your efforts.
Given his great run for the side it has been a bit confusing to most of the supporters as to why his Test game has been schitzophrenic in comparison!
But after the last article mentioning that maybe Huss has some magic left, it seems we may be in for a very intense 1st session tomorrow from the Huss!
He played one pull shot in particular towards the close of play that just had confidence written all over it!
The over where he picked up three boundaries had a beautiful drive in there too!
There is no better ground to for him to try get that triple figure mark than the WACA! It was at this ground the defining moments of his first-class career began to blossom and then in the County cricket circuit he exploded with record breaking efforts! Since he has been in the side he has shown responsibility, dedication, inspirational work ethic and has been a main contributor to our side in so many ways and so many victories. For this reason I have continued to back Huss in the darkest of times in his career over the last few months and I was thrilled when he scored that century in the Ashes (even if it was a century overdue) but this would be an innings of determination and a huge one that the side needs! After winning the toss the boys have made a gem of a start to the final Test.
I will be glued to the tele if possible to see if Huss can get to the milestone, but the fact we are still waiting for that centurion is quite an amusing viewing game.
Katto fell one short this time around, previously 8. Shane Watson was four short, and now 11.
Ricky Ponting took a really nasty one on the elbow, from Kemar Roach whose figures don't quite indicate the aggression with which he bowled! Heck that must've been mighty discomforting. The good news was that it wasn't anything too serious, but I hope our Skipper returns to the ground in a good state. I am excited knowing that Punter is still lurking in the batting line-up and that Brad Haddin is still due to come to the crease with Marcus North showing total focus to get the job done on his home ground (his 1st Test at the WACA) alongside fellow Warriors team-mate, Huss.
I liked the courage Punter showed out there. I know I would fall to the ground howling in pain after taking a knock like that at around 150 km/h! Not Punter!
He stood his ground, copped some more brutal bowling from Kemar Roach and was totally focused on hanging out there for the Squad as our Skipper. Only when he realised it was in his best efforts to get it checked out did he leave. That is the might of a Skipper, and I hope people take note of these occurences. The Ashes was another example. Punter got one in the mouth while fielding, and he simply spat out the blood, got it checked and sorted and he was back out there again trying his best to motivate the boys. While he may not be seen as the ideal Captain, and for fair enough reason at times, he does have a huge influence as far motivation and self-belief goes for the team.
3/339 is the ideal situation right now for the batsmen, with quite a few players in the hut who will be eager to get a bash out there on the wicket, which has looked a bit more of a WACA like wicket.
Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin will be looking forward to it I am sure.
On another note, congrats to Clint McKay on his debut. He has entered the side in a more desperate like situation but having a brief think back to the cross roads he has come through, it shows alot of strength in his mental approach to the game and with this bowling attack being rather inexperienced at the elite level (which is a relief seeing how well our batsmen are going along) he has responsibility on his shoulders from the get go! Baggy Green number 412 has his moment.
And Doug Bollinger still needs a run to his batting stats.
Off topic from this game, did anyone catch the India vs Sri-Lanka ODI? What a marvellous match. The gift that the Gods gave to the Wanderers in 2006.
And Brad Hogg commentating? Haha! I never thought it would happen and good to see Hoggy is still around, proving the Barney voice is genuine.
14 December 2009
CHANGES, INJURIES & QUESTIONS
It seems we could keep our injury list running freely with Peter Siddle confirmed to miss 3rd Test and Nathan Hauritz is in doubt to miss the Test.
Chris Gayle would have had a laugh about it after he publicly stated his feelings regarding Ritz' bowling. Simply put Gayle thinks he is mediocore.
However the Windies have their issues too, and some big injuries have hit their camp too! Shiv Chanderpaul is still having an issue after being hit on the hand in the 2nd Test, while young opener Adrian Barath has a hamstring problem.
So, according the Sylvester (a regular on the site) this is possibly one of our most uncapped bowling attacks since: Williams, Lee, Bichel, Hogg. I cannot recall this game so refresh my memory please.
As a result Clint McKay is set to receive his Baggy Green tomorrow, while Steven Smith will fly in as a cover for Nathan Hauritz. Good for Smith after he scored a century the other day for NSW, even though his spin will be the key reason for his call-up.
And he has something brewing there with the bowling too.
There has actually been some brilliant State performances in both the Ford Ranger and Sheffield Shield matches. The talent pool isn't empty on the batting side of things but the bowlers are all toiling hard for the recognition.
Building upon some comments in the last post with Sylvester and Baiju, this is a possible scenario.
I reckon, should Michael Hussey's Test career meet a deadline, Cameron White has been batting really well lately in both forms of the game and has the advantage that he is younger, he is a regular now in the ODI side, he has Skipper experience and has played for the Test side. The number 1 spinner in India is still to this day a bit of a joke from the selectors point of view. But Cam is a batsman so that is what he'd be doing.
George Bailey has been spoken of alot lately and like White he has the Captaincy attributes, and his age is in his favour.
Also Ed Cowan in his season for Tasmania too has been rocking the State performances, and David Hussey has been looking in fine form too. The batting stats are impressive all around but we shouldn't be casting doom and gloom over a bloke who has done a great job for us in the past.
Maybe Huss still has some magic in the Test arena?
Or the other thing the NSP may do is take Shane Watson away from the top and bringing in another opener. I wouldn't rule the NSP out for doing something like that.
But given the general situation, and where Huss is usually anchored in the ODI order, Michael Clarke moving up to number 4 is something I am totally in favor of! He does it in ODI cricket, and it may be time the man moves up to the next level in the Test order. He deserves it.
Otherwise we wait for the 3rd Test too commence so we will know what is the story with Hauritz, are the Windies certainly two men down and importantly it is a special day for Clint McKay, who will be Baggy Green number 412.
Chris Gayle would have had a laugh about it after he publicly stated his feelings regarding Ritz' bowling. Simply put Gayle thinks he is mediocore.
However the Windies have their issues too, and some big injuries have hit their camp too! Shiv Chanderpaul is still having an issue after being hit on the hand in the 2nd Test, while young opener Adrian Barath has a hamstring problem.
So, according the Sylvester (a regular on the site) this is possibly one of our most uncapped bowling attacks since: Williams, Lee, Bichel, Hogg. I cannot recall this game so refresh my memory please.
As a result Clint McKay is set to receive his Baggy Green tomorrow, while Steven Smith will fly in as a cover for Nathan Hauritz. Good for Smith after he scored a century the other day for NSW, even though his spin will be the key reason for his call-up.
And he has something brewing there with the bowling too.
There has actually been some brilliant State performances in both the Ford Ranger and Sheffield Shield matches. The talent pool isn't empty on the batting side of things but the bowlers are all toiling hard for the recognition.
Building upon some comments in the last post with Sylvester and Baiju, this is a possible scenario.
I reckon, should Michael Hussey's Test career meet a deadline, Cameron White has been batting really well lately in both forms of the game and has the advantage that he is younger, he is a regular now in the ODI side, he has Skipper experience and has played for the Test side. The number 1 spinner in India is still to this day a bit of a joke from the selectors point of view. But Cam is a batsman so that is what he'd be doing.
George Bailey has been spoken of alot lately and like White he has the Captaincy attributes, and his age is in his favour.
Also Ed Cowan in his season for Tasmania too has been rocking the State performances, and David Hussey has been looking in fine form too. The batting stats are impressive all around but we shouldn't be casting doom and gloom over a bloke who has done a great job for us in the past.
Maybe Huss still has some magic in the Test arena?
Or the other thing the NSP may do is take Shane Watson away from the top and bringing in another opener. I wouldn't rule the NSP out for doing something like that.
But given the general situation, and where Huss is usually anchored in the ODI order, Michael Clarke moving up to number 4 is something I am totally in favor of! He does it in ODI cricket, and it may be time the man moves up to the next level in the Test order. He deserves it.
Otherwise we wait for the 3rd Test too commence so we will know what is the story with Hauritz, are the Windies certainly two men down and importantly it is a special day for Clint McKay, who will be Baggy Green number 412.
13 December 2009
THE FRANK WORRELL SERIES SHOWDOWN
I have decided that as the 3rd Test of the Frank Worrell Trophy gets closer to the action commencing, I would like to cast your thoughts back to the concluding Test in the West Indies last year, where Australia beat the Windies 2-0 in a similar stand off and draw vague comparisons from then to now.
Australia are in it for pride of the Baggy Green and to win the home summer Test series, while the Windies are in it for 100 percent pride retention! The showdown is set!
Australia took the 1st Test, with the Windies ultimately giving away the 2nd Test due to poor discipline from their top order which left them a mountain too high to climb with the run chase getting the better of them, even though they had 5 wickets in hand and an unstoppable Shivnarine Chanderpaul injecting every bit of stamina he could to try see his side to the end.
It came down to the final Test for the Windies to push Australia into a series draw.
It didn't happen and Australia were simply too confident. It was only the 3rd Test series Ricky Ponting and the side were playing since the rebuilding of Australian cricket actually started after the 2006/07 Ashes conclusion. Adam Gilchrist had recently departed, Stuart MacGill called it a day in that series, Brad Hodge would make what seems his final Test appearance and Andrew Symonds was not far away from a change in his cricketing world. Things have changed!
Having a look at some footage I have from the series lying around, the Windies weren't all that poor last time around. Looking at some of Shiv Chanderpaul's innings, he really shined with a stroke of utter brilliance against us in the series with his batting.
After copping a blow to the helmet from Brett Lee, which practically knocked him out temporarily, he got back on his feet and went on to score a century. Tough cricket and watching it again I admire the opposition on such an occasion. He was the master of his trade and to end the series with 442 runs at an average of 147.33, what isn't to admire! The left handed veteran for the Windies is not short on confidence in this series, but just hasn't had that impact he had in 2008.
Ramnaresh Sarwan began to peak at the end of the 2008 series, which is a similar pattern seen in this series. He has been the Windies most promising and in tune player in recent matches. When he gets in with Chanderpaul they can develop a really gritty stand together. Against Australia they have made a century stand together twice and out of the 17 centurion partnership stands against Australia, Chanderpaul has been involved in 9 of those. * These stats are relevant to the Frank Worrell Trophy.
Simon Katich made an awesome comeback to the Baggy Green also after an immaculate Pura Cup campaign. He ended his series in the Windies with the player-of-the-match award after two centuries at an average of 63.80, which included a massive opening stand of 223 between himself and Phil Jaques, who had then looked to be his partner for future Tests. Injury changed this course for Phil, but Katto carried on and is still there and doing the job extremely well, but I just hope a century is near! We've had three centurions for the Windies, none for Australia, giving strong indication where the issues have been from the Australian batting perspective.
On this point, the major aspect we did address, that is evidently the biggest issue in our Test cricket, is that we won the big moments in the 2008 series, as had been the pattern for so many years since the Border/ Waugh era's. We captured momentum when the chips were down in that series, there was a collective advancement on the opposition as opposed to one guy raising the bar and the result paid off. It only took another series for things to take a drastic turn, not for the better.
The way the Windies played in 2008 is similar to the observations I have made above for our current Squad. While the Windies continue to have this plague in their side of individuals over Team efforts, they are breaking free from it. The other problem is that the Aussie squad in 2008 was a lot higher on the confidence bar with the experience to bring back to life the hopes of a trademark rough-Aussie cricketer mentality to win in even the most hopeless situations.
The criticism that I make is only constructive against my side, and one I believe they can rectify predominantly from a confidence tactic. Aggressive cricket! Confidence is needed for this approach to be a feature again.
There are slight changes in the Aussie camp which shaped the 2008 Frank Worrell Series.
Brett Lee ended that particular series last year on a high, and on a personal note it was one of the greatest bowling performances I had seen from Binga. His performance in the 2nd Test is still clear in my mind. The way he utilised the reverse-swing was sheer excitement to watch and he kept probing the Windies batsmen with an expertise of variation in his deliveries that would keep even the most experienced of players, such as Ramnaresh Sarawn and Shiv Chanderpaul, guessing and well on edge. The Windies greats of pace would have noted it as memorable. But there is no Brett Lee this time, there is no Stuart Clark and Australia are already without Ben Hilfenhaus and possibly Peter Siddle.
Hilfy was called up to the Squad for the tour last year but an injury kept him at bay from the chance of a Test debut. This time around he started off on the right foot, but the bad knee gave him the final say of the series. The result is that the swing factor falls away from the current bowling outfit, as well as a consistent bowler and one who has been riding the confidence wave since his Test debut.
Peter Siddle on the other hand has been out of sorts, and now with no Clark or Lee and the reliance on Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger, it will have the Windies batsmen a lot calmer heading into the match. But one positive for Mitch is that he will be revisiting the hunting ground where he picked up 8 wickets against the Proteas, what a display of aggressive fast bowling it was! In his final outing against the Windies in the 2008 series he picked up 4/41 which made a massive impact on the 3rd Test, resulting in a progressive push to an Aussie victory. He isn't bowling to the expectations and what is certainly within his capabilities, but Test by Test he has looked more confident and in the 2nd Test there were signs of intimidating short balls and late seam movement coming back into his game, even if it unfortunately was saved as 'best for last'.
The mental edge is a fast bowlers best mate, and this accompanied by further improvement in his physical game will be crucial to Ricky Ponting in the field, especially noting the possible absence of two bowlers.
I am feeling the Australian batsmen are not far away from something big, even if it isn't in this series, and I am waiting for the expertise and enthusiasm to merge against the Windies bowlers.
The WACA will be a good showdown between bat and ball. Punter and his batting mates need to rise to the occasion now so the talk of starts not being converted into centuries can be set aside.
The batting is the side's strength and this needs to be boosted rather than exploited as a good Windies bowling performance will expose our bowlers 'vulnerability', needless to say our bowlers could also give the Windies batsmen a panel beating on the WACA strip.
Ricky Ponting logged in a breath-taking innings of 158 against the Windies in the 1st Test, the first innings, in 2008 all done on Day 1. It's time now for Punter to draw a similar effort to that of Chris Gayle's 165* and to do that in the final Test of the series would be one way of grabbing momentum! While Punter has looked good in the middle in general (and been dismissed cheaply at his own expense), the buzz will be how he works his way through the Windies quick bowlers, notably Kemar Roach! While the WACA lost a bit of it's 'pace sensation' tag, it still draws major attraction to the battle between fast bowlers and dominant batsmen.
So in conclusion it would seem the battle for momentum will be the intangible prize both teams will be looking to claim and put into motion that will animate each player so that synergy from the best side will put the match in their grasp for the victory Champagne!
Australia are the better side on paper, even with the void of Lee, Clark and Hilfenhaus and are the better side even on their best of days. But the Windies on their day can be lethal with their unpredictable attitudes, and if they capture momentum, well, it will be the golden opportunity for the Windies' moment of pride to move forward as a Test side. Australia need this with a back to back Test series, and I am sure I speak on behalf of all Australian cricket supporters that a victory here is vital moving into the next series, especially with the Test world all over the show with who stands where and who is on top. A victory to the Baggy Green is essential!
I hope come Perth, we will not only end the depressing results at the WACA from the last few years but also just have that synergy again and really intimidate the Windies.
After the 2nd Test Chris Gayle and his troops will be bloody eager to keep this issue alive, and Punter will be revisiting his old-school memory banks to lead the team forward to a home series victory.
* Brett Geeves has been called in as cover for Peter Siddle. Great move my the selectors as Brett has been playing really for Tassie. Last season he was really impressive too, although his ODI impact wasn't too thrilling but in all fairness the One Day side wasn't too impressive around that time either.
Australia are in it for pride of the Baggy Green and to win the home summer Test series, while the Windies are in it for 100 percent pride retention! The showdown is set!
Australia took the 1st Test, with the Windies ultimately giving away the 2nd Test due to poor discipline from their top order which left them a mountain too high to climb with the run chase getting the better of them, even though they had 5 wickets in hand and an unstoppable Shivnarine Chanderpaul injecting every bit of stamina he could to try see his side to the end.
It came down to the final Test for the Windies to push Australia into a series draw.
It didn't happen and Australia were simply too confident. It was only the 3rd Test series Ricky Ponting and the side were playing since the rebuilding of Australian cricket actually started after the 2006/07 Ashes conclusion. Adam Gilchrist had recently departed, Stuart MacGill called it a day in that series, Brad Hodge would make what seems his final Test appearance and Andrew Symonds was not far away from a change in his cricketing world. Things have changed!
Having a look at some footage I have from the series lying around, the Windies weren't all that poor last time around. Looking at some of Shiv Chanderpaul's innings, he really shined with a stroke of utter brilliance against us in the series with his batting.
After copping a blow to the helmet from Brett Lee, which practically knocked him out temporarily, he got back on his feet and went on to score a century. Tough cricket and watching it again I admire the opposition on such an occasion. He was the master of his trade and to end the series with 442 runs at an average of 147.33, what isn't to admire! The left handed veteran for the Windies is not short on confidence in this series, but just hasn't had that impact he had in 2008.
Ramnaresh Sarwan began to peak at the end of the 2008 series, which is a similar pattern seen in this series. He has been the Windies most promising and in tune player in recent matches. When he gets in with Chanderpaul they can develop a really gritty stand together. Against Australia they have made a century stand together twice and out of the 17 centurion partnership stands against Australia, Chanderpaul has been involved in 9 of those. * These stats are relevant to the Frank Worrell Trophy.
Simon Katich made an awesome comeback to the Baggy Green also after an immaculate Pura Cup campaign. He ended his series in the Windies with the player-of-the-match award after two centuries at an average of 63.80, which included a massive opening stand of 223 between himself and Phil Jaques, who had then looked to be his partner for future Tests. Injury changed this course for Phil, but Katto carried on and is still there and doing the job extremely well, but I just hope a century is near! We've had three centurions for the Windies, none for Australia, giving strong indication where the issues have been from the Australian batting perspective.
On this point, the major aspect we did address, that is evidently the biggest issue in our Test cricket, is that we won the big moments in the 2008 series, as had been the pattern for so many years since the Border/ Waugh era's. We captured momentum when the chips were down in that series, there was a collective advancement on the opposition as opposed to one guy raising the bar and the result paid off. It only took another series for things to take a drastic turn, not for the better.
The way the Windies played in 2008 is similar to the observations I have made above for our current Squad. While the Windies continue to have this plague in their side of individuals over Team efforts, they are breaking free from it. The other problem is that the Aussie squad in 2008 was a lot higher on the confidence bar with the experience to bring back to life the hopes of a trademark rough-Aussie cricketer mentality to win in even the most hopeless situations.
The criticism that I make is only constructive against my side, and one I believe they can rectify predominantly from a confidence tactic. Aggressive cricket! Confidence is needed for this approach to be a feature again.
There are slight changes in the Aussie camp which shaped the 2008 Frank Worrell Series.
Brett Lee ended that particular series last year on a high, and on a personal note it was one of the greatest bowling performances I had seen from Binga. His performance in the 2nd Test is still clear in my mind. The way he utilised the reverse-swing was sheer excitement to watch and he kept probing the Windies batsmen with an expertise of variation in his deliveries that would keep even the most experienced of players, such as Ramnaresh Sarawn and Shiv Chanderpaul, guessing and well on edge. The Windies greats of pace would have noted it as memorable. But there is no Brett Lee this time, there is no Stuart Clark and Australia are already without Ben Hilfenhaus and possibly Peter Siddle.
Hilfy was called up to the Squad for the tour last year but an injury kept him at bay from the chance of a Test debut. This time around he started off on the right foot, but the bad knee gave him the final say of the series. The result is that the swing factor falls away from the current bowling outfit, as well as a consistent bowler and one who has been riding the confidence wave since his Test debut.
Peter Siddle on the other hand has been out of sorts, and now with no Clark or Lee and the reliance on Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger, it will have the Windies batsmen a lot calmer heading into the match. But one positive for Mitch is that he will be revisiting the hunting ground where he picked up 8 wickets against the Proteas, what a display of aggressive fast bowling it was! In his final outing against the Windies in the 2008 series he picked up 4/41 which made a massive impact on the 3rd Test, resulting in a progressive push to an Aussie victory. He isn't bowling to the expectations and what is certainly within his capabilities, but Test by Test he has looked more confident and in the 2nd Test there were signs of intimidating short balls and late seam movement coming back into his game, even if it unfortunately was saved as 'best for last'.
The mental edge is a fast bowlers best mate, and this accompanied by further improvement in his physical game will be crucial to Ricky Ponting in the field, especially noting the possible absence of two bowlers.
I am feeling the Australian batsmen are not far away from something big, even if it isn't in this series, and I am waiting for the expertise and enthusiasm to merge against the Windies bowlers.
The WACA will be a good showdown between bat and ball. Punter and his batting mates need to rise to the occasion now so the talk of starts not being converted into centuries can be set aside.
The batting is the side's strength and this needs to be boosted rather than exploited as a good Windies bowling performance will expose our bowlers 'vulnerability', needless to say our bowlers could also give the Windies batsmen a panel beating on the WACA strip.
Ricky Ponting logged in a breath-taking innings of 158 against the Windies in the 1st Test, the first innings, in 2008 all done on Day 1. It's time now for Punter to draw a similar effort to that of Chris Gayle's 165* and to do that in the final Test of the series would be one way of grabbing momentum! While Punter has looked good in the middle in general (and been dismissed cheaply at his own expense), the buzz will be how he works his way through the Windies quick bowlers, notably Kemar Roach! While the WACA lost a bit of it's 'pace sensation' tag, it still draws major attraction to the battle between fast bowlers and dominant batsmen.
So in conclusion it would seem the battle for momentum will be the intangible prize both teams will be looking to claim and put into motion that will animate each player so that synergy from the best side will put the match in their grasp for the victory Champagne!
Australia are the better side on paper, even with the void of Lee, Clark and Hilfenhaus and are the better side even on their best of days. But the Windies on their day can be lethal with their unpredictable attitudes, and if they capture momentum, well, it will be the golden opportunity for the Windies' moment of pride to move forward as a Test side. Australia need this with a back to back Test series, and I am sure I speak on behalf of all Australian cricket supporters that a victory here is vital moving into the next series, especially with the Test world all over the show with who stands where and who is on top. A victory to the Baggy Green is essential!
I hope come Perth, we will not only end the depressing results at the WACA from the last few years but also just have that synergy again and really intimidate the Windies.
After the 2nd Test Chris Gayle and his troops will be bloody eager to keep this issue alive, and Punter will be revisiting his old-school memory banks to lead the team forward to a home series victory.
* Brett Geeves has been called in as cover for Peter Siddle. Great move my the selectors as Brett has been playing really for Tassie. Last season he was really impressive too, although his ODI impact wasn't too thrilling but in all fairness the One Day side wasn't too impressive around that time either.
12 December 2009
CHIRPERS, YOUR INPUT PLEASE!
As we get closer to the 3rd Test against the Windies, I am doing some comparitives between this series, and last years Frank Worrell Series in the Windies.
Having a look at some footage I have from the series lying around, the Windies weren't all that poor last time around. Looking at some of Shiv Chanderpaul's innings he really shined with a stroke of utter brilliance against us in the series with his batting.
After copping a blow to the helmet from Brett Lee which practically knocked him out temporarily, he got back on his feet and went on to score a century. Tough cricket and watching it again I admire the opposition on such an occassion. Simon Katich made an awesome comeback to the team also after an immaculate Pura Cup campaign. He is still there and doing the job really well, but I just hope a century is near!
But one aspect we did do, that is evidently the biggest issue in our Test cricket, is that we won the big moments. We captured momentum when the chips were down, there was a collective advancement on the opposition as opposed to one guy raising the bar and the result paid off. It only took another series for things to take a drastic turn, not for the better. But I am, as always, confident things will get better but this will be assuming the NSP are doing their evaluations wisely as the golden opportunity to make changes in back to back Test series doesn't come around regularly in what is already a ridiculous cricketin calendar. I hope come Perth, we will not only end this depro run at the WACA but also just have that synergy again and really intimidate the Windies. After the 2nd Test Chris Gayle and his troops will be bloody eager.
But in the meantime I see the sites stats have had quite a rapid increase in visitors lately as well as a few new guys sharing their input on the relevant articles. As always, cheers to that.
I would like to know now if you guys would like to any changes to the site, anything you would like my opinions on more so in the future, anything you want to have added on to the site?
Send me an email or post a comment to give me some feedback.
This site has always been a place to share my opinions and analytical yet heart-felt feelings about Australian cricket with other supporters or cricket enthusiasts, which would allow the opportunity for guys reading to participate in the relevant affairs with the freedom to say exactly what they want (if constructive).
So please, let me know and I'll see what can be done or if you are satisfied with things as they are.
My main hope is that you still like the site content, my writing and that the site is of quality.
Cheers
Having a look at some footage I have from the series lying around, the Windies weren't all that poor last time around. Looking at some of Shiv Chanderpaul's innings he really shined with a stroke of utter brilliance against us in the series with his batting.
After copping a blow to the helmet from Brett Lee which practically knocked him out temporarily, he got back on his feet and went on to score a century. Tough cricket and watching it again I admire the opposition on such an occassion. Simon Katich made an awesome comeback to the team also after an immaculate Pura Cup campaign. He is still there and doing the job really well, but I just hope a century is near!
But one aspect we did do, that is evidently the biggest issue in our Test cricket, is that we won the big moments. We captured momentum when the chips were down, there was a collective advancement on the opposition as opposed to one guy raising the bar and the result paid off. It only took another series for things to take a drastic turn, not for the better. But I am, as always, confident things will get better but this will be assuming the NSP are doing their evaluations wisely as the golden opportunity to make changes in back to back Test series doesn't come around regularly in what is already a ridiculous cricketin calendar. I hope come Perth, we will not only end this depro run at the WACA but also just have that synergy again and really intimidate the Windies. After the 2nd Test Chris Gayle and his troops will be bloody eager.
But in the meantime I see the sites stats have had quite a rapid increase in visitors lately as well as a few new guys sharing their input on the relevant articles. As always, cheers to that.
I would like to know now if you guys would like to any changes to the site, anything you would like my opinions on more so in the future, anything you want to have added on to the site?
Send me an email or post a comment to give me some feedback.
This site has always been a place to share my opinions and analytical yet heart-felt feelings about Australian cricket with other supporters or cricket enthusiasts, which would allow the opportunity for guys reading to participate in the relevant affairs with the freedom to say exactly what they want (if constructive).
So please, let me know and I'll see what can be done or if you are satisfied with things as they are.
My main hope is that you still like the site content, my writing and that the site is of quality.
Cheers
10 December 2009
DAVID WARNER DOWN THE ORDER
Finally my cries have been heard, even if it is just for NSW.
David Warner was finally placed in the middle order (number 7) in NSW's Ford Ranger game against the Bulls and while it wasn't explosive batting from David 'Pitbull' Warner, he seemed to do alot better than his other efforts of 15 runs or so at the top of the order.
Steve Smith is making a good name for himself after another cracking innings, so the young man is showing his potential. His bowling is impressive too!
So back to Warner. In T20 cricket get the man at the top of the order, but in ODI cricket (should he play for us again) I am fully in favour in getting him settled into the middle order to launch the Andrew Symonds/ Dean Jones like innings.
Even though Sylvester will disagree with me here.
Explosive power hitting saved for later is a strong ingredient, and it may be good for him to read the innings as opposed to just going out there and attempting to bash it around the park!
Luckily for usCameron White has found his form again (and is playing well for the Vics too) and seems quite confident again to smash the bad balls away. Michael Hussey was great too in this regard recently in India...Hussey in Test vs ODI cricket. It is too puzzling!
The Proteas use Albie Morkel in a similar way, and also reminds me of how Lance Klusener was used back in his days. The Black Caps have Ross Taylor who can do the power hitting too if he has too.
I like this article too folks: CLICK HERE
Missing not having Ben Hilfenhaus in the side, and Brett Lee for that matter too! The pace!!
David Warner was finally placed in the middle order (number 7) in NSW's Ford Ranger game against the Bulls and while it wasn't explosive batting from David 'Pitbull' Warner, he seemed to do alot better than his other efforts of 15 runs or so at the top of the order.
Steve Smith is making a good name for himself after another cracking innings, so the young man is showing his potential. His bowling is impressive too!
So back to Warner. In T20 cricket get the man at the top of the order, but in ODI cricket (should he play for us again) I am fully in favour in getting him settled into the middle order to launch the Andrew Symonds/ Dean Jones like innings.
Even though Sylvester will disagree with me here.
Explosive power hitting saved for later is a strong ingredient, and it may be good for him to read the innings as opposed to just going out there and attempting to bash it around the park!
Luckily for usCameron White has found his form again (and is playing well for the Vics too) and seems quite confident again to smash the bad balls away. Michael Hussey was great too in this regard recently in India...Hussey in Test vs ODI cricket. It is too puzzling!
The Proteas use Albie Morkel in a similar way, and also reminds me of how Lance Klusener was used back in his days. The Black Caps have Ross Taylor who can do the power hitting too if he has too.
I like this article too folks: CLICK HERE
Missing not having Ben Hilfenhaus in the side, and Brett Lee for that matter too! The pace!!
08 December 2009
2nd TEST: THE FRANK WORRELL TROPHY IS RETAINED
While the trophy is still in the possession of the Baggy Green, the Windies probably looked like the better team at the conclusion of this Test.
Primarily a few people will question the batsmen not converting their initial hard work into even bigger scores. It is certainly an aspect of the game Ricky Ponting will be expecting the guys to address and rectify come the Perth Test.
But recent history would indicate the WACA is not a happy hunting ground for us, and things will have to turn around quickly.
The Windies will know this and they have done their fans and themselves the world of good. They showed determination to bounce back after that terrible performance at the 'Gabba, and they fought hard as a unit.
Chris Gayle was Player-of-the-match, and rightly so! Fully deserved after that spectacular innings that showed a different blend to his batting. Most would be labelling him as the ball chasing, T20 monster slogger who races along well over a strike-rate of 100! But no, this time we saw a mature innings, and Captains innings, one that will be giving him the credibility he has really needed after his comments stated a while back regarding the Captaincy and his attitude towards Test cricket.
He was cool out there. Not fussed as to what happened around him, and he just put his head down and played his strokes with power and focus throughout his stay at the crease with an unbeaten 165*. An excellent innings that may have been the injection of energy the Windies need to ensure they have an attitude adjustment and can somehow move forward. It will take a while but Chris Gayle can take a bow after that innings.
Dwayne Bravo was equally fitting within the bounce back for the side. He scored a century that was built upon risk taking and confidence duels between our bowlers.
He was dropped a few times but after each chance went by he made sure it mattered. It wasn't a pretty innings to behold but he got there in the end and the relief in getting back to the centurion mark boosted his bowling. It must have as not only was his fielding spot on but his bowling caused us some major issues! Luckily Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin made sure there wasn't any panic in the end.
Mitchell Johnson picked up his 5-for in the end which I'm really pleased about. The Southern Hemisphere certainly is his place! Since the Ashes he has started to get back into a more comfortable rhthym. He is focusing on his pace and his short balls have that element of danger again, which I like to see. Rapid pace, a steep bounce and no words get exhanged, just a look at the batsman to make a statement. He then goes back and tries something else. I hope this will be a good summer for Mitch after the rather tough challenge he has faced over the last few months. The tough challenge just makes these guys alot tougher.
Doug Bollinger did a good job in his 2nd Test and should be pleased with the work he put in. He got the wickets, kept it tidy and while his emotions certainly got the better of him, it just showed how excited he is to be representing the Baggy Green.
Michael Clarke was the pick of the batsman for me. He rarely seemed to be uncomfortable and he didn't get complacent or stumble to much. His run scoring was free flowing and his shot selection was spot on from what I could see. He read the game well in both his innings, and executed his shots with super timing while making sure he was the dominant striker in the middle. Nice to see Pup continuing his Test form, which has been grand. Back to back half-centuries and the result is that the Adelaide Oval remains a great ground for him!
Brad Haddin had a good Test match too. His batting has been sound and his 'keeping is at a top standard again! The lay off probably ended up being the best thing for him. He is a great bloke to watch when he is settled at the crease as I really think he has a 'text-book' elegance when executing his shots. Anything Hads plays off the front foot rarely passes by without a comment from the commentators and I certainly enjoy the high-motion camera replays of his shots to see the picture perfect timing!
Good to have both Pup and Hads in good form.
Shane Watson did well to reach 48 although he'll be kicking himself to have lucked out on the century in the first innings and then missing out on the half-century in the second innings. It has to be backed by a century at the WACA, surely!
The batting isn't in dire straits, but it is just frustrating not seeing any of our guys making a century or a massive impact with the bat with an intimidating total to the opposition. All the centurions have been Windies batsmen (Barath, Bravo and Gayle) and hopefully the WACA will see a change to our fortune in not only ending the losing streak there, but also rewarding our batsmen.
The Windies will be pumped after this Test but atleast we have retained that Trophy with no upset!
But will there be any changes for the 3rd Test?
We spoke about this as there will be no ODI series to follow this series, but instead we'll have another Test series against Pakistan, meaning the Selectors will be very closely analysing the Squad...maybe, we never know. I imagine Peter Siddle's injury will be causing some doubt regarding any risks to play him, but any other changes some of you see?
Primarily a few people will question the batsmen not converting their initial hard work into even bigger scores. It is certainly an aspect of the game Ricky Ponting will be expecting the guys to address and rectify come the Perth Test.
But recent history would indicate the WACA is not a happy hunting ground for us, and things will have to turn around quickly.
The Windies will know this and they have done their fans and themselves the world of good. They showed determination to bounce back after that terrible performance at the 'Gabba, and they fought hard as a unit.
Chris Gayle was Player-of-the-match, and rightly so! Fully deserved after that spectacular innings that showed a different blend to his batting. Most would be labelling him as the ball chasing, T20 monster slogger who races along well over a strike-rate of 100! But no, this time we saw a mature innings, and Captains innings, one that will be giving him the credibility he has really needed after his comments stated a while back regarding the Captaincy and his attitude towards Test cricket.
He was cool out there. Not fussed as to what happened around him, and he just put his head down and played his strokes with power and focus throughout his stay at the crease with an unbeaten 165*. An excellent innings that may have been the injection of energy the Windies need to ensure they have an attitude adjustment and can somehow move forward. It will take a while but Chris Gayle can take a bow after that innings.
Dwayne Bravo was equally fitting within the bounce back for the side. He scored a century that was built upon risk taking and confidence duels between our bowlers.
He was dropped a few times but after each chance went by he made sure it mattered. It wasn't a pretty innings to behold but he got there in the end and the relief in getting back to the centurion mark boosted his bowling. It must have as not only was his fielding spot on but his bowling caused us some major issues! Luckily Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin made sure there wasn't any panic in the end.
Mitchell Johnson picked up his 5-for in the end which I'm really pleased about. The Southern Hemisphere certainly is his place! Since the Ashes he has started to get back into a more comfortable rhthym. He is focusing on his pace and his short balls have that element of danger again, which I like to see. Rapid pace, a steep bounce and no words get exhanged, just a look at the batsman to make a statement. He then goes back and tries something else. I hope this will be a good summer for Mitch after the rather tough challenge he has faced over the last few months. The tough challenge just makes these guys alot tougher.
Doug Bollinger did a good job in his 2nd Test and should be pleased with the work he put in. He got the wickets, kept it tidy and while his emotions certainly got the better of him, it just showed how excited he is to be representing the Baggy Green.
Michael Clarke was the pick of the batsman for me. He rarely seemed to be uncomfortable and he didn't get complacent or stumble to much. His run scoring was free flowing and his shot selection was spot on from what I could see. He read the game well in both his innings, and executed his shots with super timing while making sure he was the dominant striker in the middle. Nice to see Pup continuing his Test form, which has been grand. Back to back half-centuries and the result is that the Adelaide Oval remains a great ground for him!
Brad Haddin had a good Test match too. His batting has been sound and his 'keeping is at a top standard again! The lay off probably ended up being the best thing for him. He is a great bloke to watch when he is settled at the crease as I really think he has a 'text-book' elegance when executing his shots. Anything Hads plays off the front foot rarely passes by without a comment from the commentators and I certainly enjoy the high-motion camera replays of his shots to see the picture perfect timing!
Good to have both Pup and Hads in good form.
Shane Watson did well to reach 48 although he'll be kicking himself to have lucked out on the century in the first innings and then missing out on the half-century in the second innings. It has to be backed by a century at the WACA, surely!
The batting isn't in dire straits, but it is just frustrating not seeing any of our guys making a century or a massive impact with the bat with an intimidating total to the opposition. All the centurions have been Windies batsmen (Barath, Bravo and Gayle) and hopefully the WACA will see a change to our fortune in not only ending the losing streak there, but also rewarding our batsmen.
The Windies will be pumped after this Test but atleast we have retained that Trophy with no upset!
But will there be any changes for the 3rd Test?
We spoke about this as there will be no ODI series to follow this series, but instead we'll have another Test series against Pakistan, meaning the Selectors will be very closely analysing the Squad...maybe, we never know. I imagine Peter Siddle's injury will be causing some doubt regarding any risks to play him, but any other changes some of you see?
06 December 2009
2nd TEST: AN AUSSIE FIGHTBACK!
Congrats to Chris Gayle on his Captains knock. His innings has been rather flawless and to make the 150 mark and still be standing as the number one batsman with 8 wickets down, is quite impressive.
His innings has given the Windies a chance as the bowlers ripped apart the Windies batting line-up! It was good to see him in the Test cricket zone and it may change his attitude towards Test cricket. His innings makes you realise how important his contribution has been. Test cricket is about all-round contributions as it rarely happens where one batsman will make the difference in one innings if the other is equally poor. So building upon their innings of 451, his current knock of 155* stands out!
Mitchell Johnson bowled really well today. He looked to be in control and while we all know Mitch will leak a couple of runs here and there, he bowled with the fast intensity that we always want to see from him. His wicket taking deliveries were well executed and it's good to see him walk away 4 wickets to his name, with the chance of a 5-for tomorrow. Crucial wickets fell in the final session and not only was our fielding far better, but Mitch and Doug Bollinger worked well at the end and Shane Watson was in good control of the swing department, varying the movement to the batsmen.
Simply a good performance with the ball and after the Windies first innings being a high scoring one, the guys fought back well and the lead is currently 296. Nothing too threatening, yet, and it would be ideal to not let that edge pass the 300 mark, but we'll see how the bowlers sort out the final two wickets.
The 5th day of the Test match is going to be exciting to watch!
I expect Chris Gayle to come out ready to launch an attack with the attitude of his T20 and ODI batting. It is just a gut feeling I have, as instead of waiting on his tail-enders to graft away he would probably choose the option to take on the bowlers with his focus aimed at the boundaries to push that lead as far ahead as possible. Watch out for him tomorrow!
And Doug Bollinger needs to calm down! Seriously, I understand bowlers get frustrated and every bowler has a row with the Umpire in their career, but he really needs to calm down out there and hold back his emotions if he can before he gets the hearing, which is probably coming his way already.
Peter Siddle is the one who has it right. You can see the mans frustration but he doesn't take it to the next level which may be seen as disrespectful. I know Doug's not the type of bowler to shy away and be conservative on the field, but it would probably work in his favor to just tone it down a bit. Kick the ground, but then get back and bowl again. He is doing a good job anyway at the end of the day!
The frustrations for a modern day cricketer! The match fee takes a cut too.
His innings has given the Windies a chance as the bowlers ripped apart the Windies batting line-up! It was good to see him in the Test cricket zone and it may change his attitude towards Test cricket. His innings makes you realise how important his contribution has been. Test cricket is about all-round contributions as it rarely happens where one batsman will make the difference in one innings if the other is equally poor. So building upon their innings of 451, his current knock of 155* stands out!
Mitchell Johnson bowled really well today. He looked to be in control and while we all know Mitch will leak a couple of runs here and there, he bowled with the fast intensity that we always want to see from him. His wicket taking deliveries were well executed and it's good to see him walk away 4 wickets to his name, with the chance of a 5-for tomorrow. Crucial wickets fell in the final session and not only was our fielding far better, but Mitch and Doug Bollinger worked well at the end and Shane Watson was in good control of the swing department, varying the movement to the batsmen.
Simply a good performance with the ball and after the Windies first innings being a high scoring one, the guys fought back well and the lead is currently 296. Nothing too threatening, yet, and it would be ideal to not let that edge pass the 300 mark, but we'll see how the bowlers sort out the final two wickets.
The 5th day of the Test match is going to be exciting to watch!
I expect Chris Gayle to come out ready to launch an attack with the attitude of his T20 and ODI batting. It is just a gut feeling I have, as instead of waiting on his tail-enders to graft away he would probably choose the option to take on the bowlers with his focus aimed at the boundaries to push that lead as far ahead as possible. Watch out for him tomorrow!
And Doug Bollinger needs to calm down! Seriously, I understand bowlers get frustrated and every bowler has a row with the Umpire in their career, but he really needs to calm down out there and hold back his emotions if he can before he gets the hearing, which is probably coming his way already.
Peter Siddle is the one who has it right. You can see the mans frustration but he doesn't take it to the next level which may be seen as disrespectful. I know Doug's not the type of bowler to shy away and be conservative on the field, but it would probably work in his favor to just tone it down a bit. Kick the ground, but then get back and bowl again. He is doing a good job anyway at the end of the day!
The frustrations for a modern day cricketer! The match fee takes a cut too.
2nd TEST: AN EVEN BATTLE!
Things feel apart a bit for us considering the start Shane Watson and Simon Katich put together, but to end up just 12 runs short of the Windies first innings was a fine effort. Chris Gayle and Adrian Barath have edged that lead forward after a bit of carnage to Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger in the 4 overs faced for the second innings, but the Baggy Green will need that quick victim in the 1st session, and the chances of it happening are very good. But I reckon Day 4 is going to be the determinant for the rest of the match, even if Test cricket can change in a matter of overs in a session on Day 5!
Peter Siddle has an injury too, so we'll have to wait and see how he is, so hopefully Ben Hilfenhaus will be ready for the Perth Test should Sid's need a rest. He has played a hell of alot of cricket! Stuart Clark would be the next man on my list, even though the NSP have him on the 'has been' list.
So Shane Watson didn't contribute to his overnight score. I made a comparison to his first ball duck in the ICC Champions Trophy to Kemar Roach in my last article, and somehow I feel bad about doing that, as only the 2nd ball of the day resulted in Watto being bowled for 96. Absoulutely gutted for him as I really wanted him to get to the triple figure mark but it wasn't to be. Hope he didn't have a sleepless night because it didn't make too much of a difference. He'll have another chance, I am certain! Simon Katich was cheaply dismissed in another well played innings, as he scored 80. His consistency is outstanding and he can't be far from another century, surely!
Once again the batsmen made starts that were promising, and they all ended up walking away from the middle with cheap, soft dismissals to quite a few fully pitched deliveries.
Michael Clarke had another great knock out there at the Adelaide Oval with 71 runs, and at once stage was going at a strike-rate I wouldn't mind seeing in his One Day game. Good to see Pup playing aggressively and his Test cricket is improving all the time. So good to see it!
Am I the only person who thought Michael Hussey seemed to struggle quite alot out there? Just an obervation but he didn't look to comfortable throughout his innings but 41 runs off 126 balls indicated his intentions to just try and consolidate things a bit more after the wickets of Watto, Katto and Punter (who also gave away his wicket) fell.
But atleast one of these guys have to go on to a century!
These starts not being converted into centuries gets a little bit frustrating. Imagine how they are feeling though, especially after Punter stressed that it was something they are trying to rectify! The main thing though is the runs are going on the scoreboard, so it's not that bad, just frustrating because I love seeing one of our players valiantly raise their bat upon reaching the Test batsmans ultimate goal.
Hopefully it will be soon enough. Marcus North lucked out too with a bit of an unlucky bat/pad scenario, but he has been a valuable contributor who is still very much in form, so I won't be expecting him to not be in the contenders list to get the century that is desperately up for grabs.
Brad Haddin was pretty awesome, if I can take on a more slang like approach to my wording, but I really thought his innings was quite a tactful and free flowing one.
His shot selections were attacking, if at times passively aggressive like that outstanding late paddled nudge between 'keeper and first slip. His straight bat strokes are always picture perfect and it was great to see him bring up the half century with a launched slog sweep into the stands! The bloke who took it with one hand was impressive...and quite casual about it too!
But Hads is looking alot better behind the stumps with cleaner gloveswork, similar to the standards I remember him at a while back. His batting is so effective and I hope he keeps it up. He looks alot more ambitious, and maybe having two other 'keepers get some International exposure helped his cause in a positive way.
Sulieman Benn: Watched the man debut and I still laugh at his unexpected role.
Built like a Windies fast bowler, who bowls slow orthodox spin deliveries with the action of a lazy old man, but boy did he work hard for those 5 wickets out there!
Credit given where it's due.
Another big day ahead and while the game has been frustrating at times, it has been good to see a nice battle of Test match cricket.
As for India going to number 1 on the rankings, we will see how long they stay there. And that Test match! 726 runs, either Sri-Lanka cannot bowl anymore and should just move on, the flat wickets are just too easy to bat on or India are just in the synergy zone with the willow!
They have to hold that spot to earn it though!
Peter Siddle has an injury too, so we'll have to wait and see how he is, so hopefully Ben Hilfenhaus will be ready for the Perth Test should Sid's need a rest. He has played a hell of alot of cricket! Stuart Clark would be the next man on my list, even though the NSP have him on the 'has been' list.
So Shane Watson didn't contribute to his overnight score. I made a comparison to his first ball duck in the ICC Champions Trophy to Kemar Roach in my last article, and somehow I feel bad about doing that, as only the 2nd ball of the day resulted in Watto being bowled for 96. Absoulutely gutted for him as I really wanted him to get to the triple figure mark but it wasn't to be. Hope he didn't have a sleepless night because it didn't make too much of a difference. He'll have another chance, I am certain! Simon Katich was cheaply dismissed in another well played innings, as he scored 80. His consistency is outstanding and he can't be far from another century, surely!
Once again the batsmen made starts that were promising, and they all ended up walking away from the middle with cheap, soft dismissals to quite a few fully pitched deliveries.
Michael Clarke had another great knock out there at the Adelaide Oval with 71 runs, and at once stage was going at a strike-rate I wouldn't mind seeing in his One Day game. Good to see Pup playing aggressively and his Test cricket is improving all the time. So good to see it!
Am I the only person who thought Michael Hussey seemed to struggle quite alot out there? Just an obervation but he didn't look to comfortable throughout his innings but 41 runs off 126 balls indicated his intentions to just try and consolidate things a bit more after the wickets of Watto, Katto and Punter (who also gave away his wicket) fell.
But atleast one of these guys have to go on to a century!
These starts not being converted into centuries gets a little bit frustrating. Imagine how they are feeling though, especially after Punter stressed that it was something they are trying to rectify! The main thing though is the runs are going on the scoreboard, so it's not that bad, just frustrating because I love seeing one of our players valiantly raise their bat upon reaching the Test batsmans ultimate goal.
Hopefully it will be soon enough. Marcus North lucked out too with a bit of an unlucky bat/pad scenario, but he has been a valuable contributor who is still very much in form, so I won't be expecting him to not be in the contenders list to get the century that is desperately up for grabs.
Brad Haddin was pretty awesome, if I can take on a more slang like approach to my wording, but I really thought his innings was quite a tactful and free flowing one.
His shot selections were attacking, if at times passively aggressive like that outstanding late paddled nudge between 'keeper and first slip. His straight bat strokes are always picture perfect and it was great to see him bring up the half century with a launched slog sweep into the stands! The bloke who took it with one hand was impressive...and quite casual about it too!
But Hads is looking alot better behind the stumps with cleaner gloveswork, similar to the standards I remember him at a while back. His batting is so effective and I hope he keeps it up. He looks alot more ambitious, and maybe having two other 'keepers get some International exposure helped his cause in a positive way.
Sulieman Benn: Watched the man debut and I still laugh at his unexpected role.
Built like a Windies fast bowler, who bowls slow orthodox spin deliveries with the action of a lazy old man, but boy did he work hard for those 5 wickets out there!
Credit given where it's due.
Another big day ahead and while the game has been frustrating at times, it has been good to see a nice battle of Test match cricket.
As for India going to number 1 on the rankings, we will see how long they stay there. And that Test match! 726 runs, either Sri-Lanka cannot bowl anymore and should just move on, the flat wickets are just too easy to bat on or India are just in the synergy zone with the willow!
They have to hold that spot to earn it though!
05 December 2009
2nd TEST: GAME ON!
Alright folks, we have a game on our hands here!
The Windies are showing some fight out there, and Watto and Katto are replying with top class brilliance!
We definitely leaked far too many runs and there were a number of chances that slipped by, even if a few of those were tough chances. I still reckon we let them on 100 runs too many given the circumstances, but what's done is done and the Windies had a great first innings total to make this a good Test match battle.
On this positive, fair play note it has been nice to see the site hasn't been bombarded with 'cheating Aussies' remarks and all the rest of the rubbish after the controversial dismissal of Shiv Chanderpaul. Sure it's unfortunate and not how the viewers want the Referral system to be running, but the Umpires make the call and that is that. Many more blunders to come in the future just like there's been many others in the previous decades!
But as far as I'm concerned...the sound made as it passed the edge had the trademark sound of bat and ball, and in the one camera angle, the deviation looked to be very much off the bat. My opinion anyway, and far more conclusive than that first referral which was rightly so, rejected.
Brendon Nash showed courage after Mitchell sent one into his elbow and even I admit it was unfortunate he landed short of a century. Time for Simon Katich to make up for his lost chance in the 1st Test! Dwayne Bravo took his chances, played a risky innings but reaped the benefits for a century! Good to see the Windies showing better attitude to the game in this Test!
Doug Bollinger started with a beating from Chris Gayle on Day 1, but I think he held his nerve really well as it couldn't have been too easy for him to walk away from those first few overs. But he fought back hard and using his steep bounce with some good pace, he got Gayle out to a classic bouncer. Maybe Gayle was a bit lazy, but Brad Haddin took a flyer in response. The perfect execution in the leap and a one handed grasp is always a sight. Hads has had a few of those in his time behind the stumps!
However, I think the fielding let us down at times which gave the bowlers a frustrating run at times. But these things happen! Perhaps the void of Ben Hilfenhaus reflects a bit of the value, I think, he brings to the side, especially to the left hand batsmen. I don't like to get too technical on this site but Hilfy has a big X factor to offer the side. Doug B did however, do a fine job in the end only going at a rate of 2.68 runs per over (and 2 wickets) while Nathan Hauritz did a decent job too.
He probably gifted the Windies middle order quite a few runs but Punter made him work hard out there as he bowled 36 overs.
Importantly everyone chipped in with wickets, and Peter Siddle was a tad unlucky in his early spell (and he certainly showed his frustration too) but he will bounce back with better fortune at some stage.
Michael Hussey's catch at gully was a blinder to grab the wicket of Adrian Barath! Not the first time we've seen that acrobatic excellence from the Huss.
Both Simon Katich and Shane Watson have been very cautious in their partnership but things have ticked along very, very nicely!
Interesting to see is the difference in their roles at the crease.
Katto was great in nudging the ball into the gaps, playing his trademark strokes, using his wrists to punch the ball through the on-side and in his stand of 71*, he only has 4 boundaries and 1 six to his name.
Watto on the other hand, on 96*, has hit 16 fours, resulting in 64 of his runs. The attacking mentality versus the conservative mentality!
The funny thing with Simon Katich is that if given half a chance tomorrow, that strike-rate will increase drastically! I enjoy watching him bat so much.
But the focus is on Watto! He has certainly made up for his fielding blunder (which would have been a marvellous catch had he just tossed the ball inside the boundary ropes!) and the duck at the Gabba. How about it, just four runs away from scoring his maiden Test century representing the Baggy Green! What a moment it will be.
We have seen a few guys luck out on ton's so far (both centurions in the series being West Indian) but Watto will be looking to get that over with as soon as he can!
Hopefully Kemar Roach doesn't send him one of those freakish fully pitched inswingers like he did in the ICC Champions Trophy which got Watto first ball!
Our openers are doing the job well and are complenting each other perfectly under the circumstances. With a strong batting line-up to follow and 174 on the board, it is the best start we could ask for from the boys as this Test match is set to be a tough contest! Come on Watto!
The Windies are showing some fight out there, and Watto and Katto are replying with top class brilliance!
We definitely leaked far too many runs and there were a number of chances that slipped by, even if a few of those were tough chances. I still reckon we let them on 100 runs too many given the circumstances, but what's done is done and the Windies had a great first innings total to make this a good Test match battle.
On this positive, fair play note it has been nice to see the site hasn't been bombarded with 'cheating Aussies' remarks and all the rest of the rubbish after the controversial dismissal of Shiv Chanderpaul. Sure it's unfortunate and not how the viewers want the Referral system to be running, but the Umpires make the call and that is that. Many more blunders to come in the future just like there's been many others in the previous decades!
But as far as I'm concerned...the sound made as it passed the edge had the trademark sound of bat and ball, and in the one camera angle, the deviation looked to be very much off the bat. My opinion anyway, and far more conclusive than that first referral which was rightly so, rejected.
Brendon Nash showed courage after Mitchell sent one into his elbow and even I admit it was unfortunate he landed short of a century. Time for Simon Katich to make up for his lost chance in the 1st Test! Dwayne Bravo took his chances, played a risky innings but reaped the benefits for a century! Good to see the Windies showing better attitude to the game in this Test!
Doug Bollinger started with a beating from Chris Gayle on Day 1, but I think he held his nerve really well as it couldn't have been too easy for him to walk away from those first few overs. But he fought back hard and using his steep bounce with some good pace, he got Gayle out to a classic bouncer. Maybe Gayle was a bit lazy, but Brad Haddin took a flyer in response. The perfect execution in the leap and a one handed grasp is always a sight. Hads has had a few of those in his time behind the stumps!
However, I think the fielding let us down at times which gave the bowlers a frustrating run at times. But these things happen! Perhaps the void of Ben Hilfenhaus reflects a bit of the value, I think, he brings to the side, especially to the left hand batsmen. I don't like to get too technical on this site but Hilfy has a big X factor to offer the side. Doug B did however, do a fine job in the end only going at a rate of 2.68 runs per over (and 2 wickets) while Nathan Hauritz did a decent job too.
He probably gifted the Windies middle order quite a few runs but Punter made him work hard out there as he bowled 36 overs.
Importantly everyone chipped in with wickets, and Peter Siddle was a tad unlucky in his early spell (and he certainly showed his frustration too) but he will bounce back with better fortune at some stage.
Michael Hussey's catch at gully was a blinder to grab the wicket of Adrian Barath! Not the first time we've seen that acrobatic excellence from the Huss.
Both Simon Katich and Shane Watson have been very cautious in their partnership but things have ticked along very, very nicely!
Interesting to see is the difference in their roles at the crease.
Katto was great in nudging the ball into the gaps, playing his trademark strokes, using his wrists to punch the ball through the on-side and in his stand of 71*, he only has 4 boundaries and 1 six to his name.
Watto on the other hand, on 96*, has hit 16 fours, resulting in 64 of his runs. The attacking mentality versus the conservative mentality!
The funny thing with Simon Katich is that if given half a chance tomorrow, that strike-rate will increase drastically! I enjoy watching him bat so much.
But the focus is on Watto! He has certainly made up for his fielding blunder (which would have been a marvellous catch had he just tossed the ball inside the boundary ropes!) and the duck at the Gabba. How about it, just four runs away from scoring his maiden Test century representing the Baggy Green! What a moment it will be.
We have seen a few guys luck out on ton's so far (both centurions in the series being West Indian) but Watto will be looking to get that over with as soon as he can!
Hopefully Kemar Roach doesn't send him one of those freakish fully pitched inswingers like he did in the ICC Champions Trophy which got Watto first ball!
Our openers are doing the job well and are complenting each other perfectly under the circumstances. With a strong batting line-up to follow and 174 on the board, it is the best start we could ask for from the boys as this Test match is set to be a tough contest! Come on Watto!
03 December 2009
2nd TEST vs THE WINDIES AT THE ADELAIDE OVAL
The good news is that quite a few of our batsmen have a really good record at the Adelaide Oval, notably Michael Clarke (remember the 2006/07 Ashes series for him?), Brad Haddin and Ricky Ponting who has a few special highlights in Adelaide.
The Windies have Ramnaresh Sarwan back in the side most likely, which will be a huge boost to their line-up with another experienced senior to assist them, and Darren Sammy is set to enter with Jerome Taylor out with a back problem.
The Windies are a side that I never ever rule out. I don't see it as an under-dogs factor, but more so that they are just such an unstable unit and you can't predict their efforts on any day.
They will be really impressive one day and then all of a sudden they are bloody terrible, like the 1st Test.
They have one of the best batsman in World Cricket (Shiv Chanderpaul) and a group of players who are probably alot more capable than they make out to be.
I am very excited for the 2nd Test to see how/if the Windies fight back!
The big loss was Ben Hilfenhaus to a knee injury last game, but it has given Doug Bollinger another chance to represent the Baggy Green, and there is no harm in having another left-arm seamer in the side!
He can create steep bounce with rapid pace (his height being a major benefit) which can make shot selection a bit of a test for the opposition batsmen.
Otherwise you all know the rest of the unit by now. Hopefully Hilfy makes a comeback soon enough, but I still believe this bowling unit for the 2nd Test will do a good job.
The batting was really good last match considering it was the first Test of the summer and some guys were playing their first International match since the Ashes.
The only concern would have been that most of our line-up made good starts, but couldn't dig in further to get a big score. Simon Katich came close with another gem of an innings, but the end result was still good none the less for Squad with 480 declared.
All round contributions make a difference in Test cricket as opposed to one guy standing out, so if one or two of our batsmen could carry on to the triple figure mark, while there were other batsmen in the order getting starts like we saw in the 1st Test, it is the best recipe to set up a daunting total.
Shane Watson will be looking to get his run account flowing in the series after it didn't work out for him at the Gabba, and Michael Hussey got off to a good start in the series with 66 even if he was very scratchy at times during his innings. It is still a good way to get going and would have done his confidence the world of good.
The Sir Frank Worrell Trophy is still up for grabs so I really do expect that we will have a fiercer battle for the 2nd Test. I hope to see aggressive cricket from the side and the Punter applies the tactical approach he did in the 1st Test. It was mighty encouraging!
The Windies have Ramnaresh Sarwan back in the side most likely, which will be a huge boost to their line-up with another experienced senior to assist them, and Darren Sammy is set to enter with Jerome Taylor out with a back problem.
The Windies are a side that I never ever rule out. I don't see it as an under-dogs factor, but more so that they are just such an unstable unit and you can't predict their efforts on any day.
They will be really impressive one day and then all of a sudden they are bloody terrible, like the 1st Test.
They have one of the best batsman in World Cricket (Shiv Chanderpaul) and a group of players who are probably alot more capable than they make out to be.
I am very excited for the 2nd Test to see how/if the Windies fight back!
The big loss was Ben Hilfenhaus to a knee injury last game, but it has given Doug Bollinger another chance to represent the Baggy Green, and there is no harm in having another left-arm seamer in the side!
He can create steep bounce with rapid pace (his height being a major benefit) which can make shot selection a bit of a test for the opposition batsmen.
Otherwise you all know the rest of the unit by now. Hopefully Hilfy makes a comeback soon enough, but I still believe this bowling unit for the 2nd Test will do a good job.
The batting was really good last match considering it was the first Test of the summer and some guys were playing their first International match since the Ashes.
The only concern would have been that most of our line-up made good starts, but couldn't dig in further to get a big score. Simon Katich came close with another gem of an innings, but the end result was still good none the less for Squad with 480 declared.
All round contributions make a difference in Test cricket as opposed to one guy standing out, so if one or two of our batsmen could carry on to the triple figure mark, while there were other batsmen in the order getting starts like we saw in the 1st Test, it is the best recipe to set up a daunting total.
Shane Watson will be looking to get his run account flowing in the series after it didn't work out for him at the Gabba, and Michael Hussey got off to a good start in the series with 66 even if he was very scratchy at times during his innings. It is still a good way to get going and would have done his confidence the world of good.
The Sir Frank Worrell Trophy is still up for grabs so I really do expect that we will have a fiercer battle for the 2nd Test. I hope to see aggressive cricket from the side and the Punter applies the tactical approach he did in the 1st Test. It was mighty encouraging!
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