2nd Test, day 4: An innings win for a memorable Test

*News: After writing this article it was announced James Pattinson will miss the remainder of the series due to "stress fractures in the metatarsal bone of his left foot."
Such a big loss. Gutted for him! Ryan Harris is set to return and Mitch Starc has been called in as cover.

The Baggy Greens have taken the 2nd Test by an innings and 68 runs also made some history of their own for the 100th Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
It's been a massive start to 2012 for the side and the victory was one as a result of collective output, as I always like to call it "synergy".
Congrats boys and just one win or, as bland as it is, one draw will secure the series. Still a challenge.

I wrote a very brief write-up yesterday when Michael Clarke reached his triple century.
I wanted to be in the moment when he achieved it and I had a good think long after the game about his journey as a Test cricketer. A Test series victory against India will result in proving something to himself as a true leader and it will be massive for this team.
However this Test should have gained him the respect that he deserves from the supporters.

I admittedly was one of the people who gave him some stick a few years back but I can honestly say (I have four years of blog posts to go with it) I never doubted him as a cricketer or questioned his character, given I don't know him personally. But like most people I had my concerns but always respected him. His positive outlook was something Shane Warne always spoke of highly in Clarkey's early days and it is more evident now than ever.

I hope many others can now respect him as both a leader and a cricketer who has just achieved something memorable. Throw in his wicket of Sachin Tendulkar and it was a game for Clarkey to embrace 100%.

Some achievement stats in the 100th Test at the SCG;
Michael Clarke scored a triple century and there were three centurions.
Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting were the other centurions.
Peter Siddle took his 100th Test wicket.

Full scorecard via ESPN Cricinfo (make sure you print this one out!)

Day 1 article, Day 2 article, Day 3 article.

Batting:
4/659 declared
Michael Clarke 329*, Michael Hussey 150*, Ricky Ponting 134

We witnessed something special with our Skipper Michael Clarke scoring a triple century.
It was one of the most fluent innings I have ever seen and, as mentioned in a previous article, he looked like a true traditionalist. He was mesmerising to watch and as one of my favourite stroke makers in the game he put on an unbeatable display of front and back foot shots to all areas of the ground, wielding his unbranded blade with brutal execution against the Indian bowlers.

I could write on about this innings but it's all in my head now.
It was just an unforgettable innings and being the Skipper of the Baggy Greens just makes it even better.

What was the most unforgettable part of his innings? His call for the declaration. It was purely one that was for the team and that is a sportman with integrity. I will never forget this innings and feel fortunate to have witnessed some record breaking performances from some of the greatest of the game over my 20 years of watching cricket avidly. I started following cricket passionately with 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Clarkey's wagon-wheel demonstrates his allround fluency. Lovely distribution of run scoring areas.
Taken from ESPN Cricinfo graphs.


I think Michael Hussey has been overlooked a bit in the context of Clarkey's incredible performance.
Huss ensured no momentum was lost and following his 89 at the MCG after a distressing poor run of form he hit back with aggression, something we are all accustomed to with his ODI game.
He scored 150 runs and it was the usual Hussey. Lavish cover drives, ridiculous running between the wickets and powerful bottom hand pull shots muscled away to midwicket or square leg.

Ricky Ponting hit back after going 33 innings without a century in which time he had scored 10 half-centuries, recently having begun to regain his confidence.
He was nearly run out on 99 taking that long awaited single and that would have been devastating even though he had already done the job for the team. He was covered in dirt, sweaty and as mentioned in my article a couple of days back, it was symbolic of the challenges to get it as he raised his arms.
Punter, the maestro.

Punter has now scored 40 Test centuries and is just 88 runs away from 13,000 runs and he has 70 combined International centuries.

Bowling:
India 400 all out from 110.5 overs
Ben Hilfenhaus 5-106 (32.5 overs), Peter Siddle 2-88

India let themselves down in the first innings, undone by some ferocious bowling from the fast bowling trio of JP, Hilfy and Pedro.
They fought hard in the 2nd innings but ultimately that first innings followed by two monstrous partnerships involving Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting, snuffed any momentum they had.

Ben Hilfenhaus is a personal favourite of mine.
He was dropped, which many players have somehow managed to escape, after a poor Ashes series and had evidently lost pace and was a little low on confidence, in many ways owed to his serious knee injury which resulted in some technical changes in his bowling action to accomodate these problems. He was swinging the ball too early with the drop in pace making it easy to read him.

He went back to State level, rebuilt his game (kudos to George Bailey), got picked for two Australia A fixtures and after the loss of Ryan Harris a senior was needed.
Credit to Mickey Arthur, John Inverarity and his panel for their transparent motives behind all the selections on this note.

He picked up another 5 wicket haul and that's his second in his career now giving him 70 Test wickets. He bowled two of India's veterans, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, while also removing MS Dhoni caught and bowled (quite amusing), Sehwag early on day 3 with a ripping catch by the Pitbull and then claimed his fifth when Ashwin (62) skied one to Nathan Lyon, fittingly ending the game.
I have a feeling India will try target him next game which will be a good battle.
Well done Hilfy!

Hilfy has been strongly assisted with the aggression and ambition from the Vic boys, James Pattinson and Pedro Siddle. They are fighters and while JP is short on experience he has been nothing short of spectacular. Having his good mate Pedro alongside him just adds fuel to the fire!
I love their ambition and eagerness. They work bloody hard at their game and Craig McDermott, while not suggesting anything unknown, clearly got his intentions in their minds and has worked wonders for the bowlers.

This trio all have different skill sets. They all have focus and they have confidence. Importantly they work together and can build pressure from both ends. With Clarkey being the sharp tactician he is, he can turn to them and work them over to add variation against the opposition.

Throw in Nathan Lyon to mix things up and some part time bowlers, things look on track.
Don't forget Ryan Harris (who was on the field for day 4) and the many emerging bowlers on the side lines!
Whilst it was a game that Michael Clarke starred in, our bowlers teed things up with their effort on day 1. It's as simple as that. It was just good they got the back up they have been waiting for.

Looking ahead to the WACA:

Nathan Lyon needs to keep playing. India have quality batsmen who are quality players of spin. This is a tough series for Nathan but where the previous selectors failed in constantly sacking spin bowlers, the key is too keep him going a bit longer for the new selectors to move forward.
He is averaging just over 30 and has over 20 wickets. The more he plays, the more he learns, the more he learns the better he will get. He's got a big heart and while I'm not sure if the NSP will select him for the WACA, he shouldn't be cast aside from future tours.

The big question is who will comprise the bowling attack?
Will it be a four man attack or an unchanged side?

I am sure many will think, "well if it is working why change it?"
Here's another spin off; the WACA is a flatter track and not as fast as that reputation of the nineties. Would it not be wise to have the full time spinner in there or is there sufficient skill with the part time bowling of David Warner, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey?

I am easy going. I have no objections to whichever route they take.
If Ryan Harris joins our bowling trio that would be great as Ryano is a beast with the ball and  is unquestionably one of our best who has just been heavily burdened by injury.
If Nathan Lyon plays, I will support him 100% but the gut feeling is that four men who bowl quickly with swing and variation within their respective skill sets will trouble India's batsmen who are already low on confidence in certain regards.

Another one will be the top order of David Warner, Ed Cowan and Shaun Marsh.
We have seen way too many batting collapses. Fortunately we witnessed a game where the middle order dug us out of a trench. In most cases of the recent past is has been the top order giving a solid platform that the middle order doesn't build upon.
This Test we saw something that we've missed for a long time and I strongly believe it will have a knock on effect for the 3rd Test.

I think it is wise to stick with David "Pitbull" Warner and Ed Cowan.
Ed has had a fair bit of bad luck and is a quality batsman who can perform at this level.
The Pitbull is young, learning and capable at delivering a big innings as we saw in Hobart.
A batting partnership can take time and patience is needed.
As our other contributor Sylvester pointed out, the middle order is experienced and have now have form to boost their confidence. This will aid the top order who need to find their feet.
The top order should not, in my opinion, be changed. I hope the NSP continue to use Ed Cowan and David Warner, as they are also bloody spectacular in the field!

Shaun Marsh is a WACA resident so it may be that home ground advantage and vocal support of the WA crowd that gives him the injection of self-belief he needs.
The team is one Test away from a series win, win or draw, so give Shaun one more go. He has to come right as he is a classy player. Don't come with his First-class average to me and all that crap or even suggest he only scored a maiden century on debut because it was a flat track.
He is a classy player and is capable. Sometimes it goes further than statistics as technique, confidence and current form can be a deciding factor in a player's future, such as Ed Cowan.
This is coming from a stats fanatic.

Last question is a big one for debate. What about Brad Haddin?
He has been struggling with the bat in hand which relates to confidence given the way in which he gifts away his wicket. His Keeper standards are not for the elite level as they once were and that catch he put down on day 3 was worrying.
Everyone drops catches but it was the way he completely misjudged a straight-forward catch. It went in between his arms! He threw in the roll when he he didn't have to. It was just puzzling how he screwed it up so badly and that can sadly be a sign of a when a Keeper is past his best, which Hads could very well be at.

I am a vocal supporter for each and every player in our side so trust me when I say it is not at all easy for me to type this. It is upsetting to do so but sometimes you can't candy coat things.
Some players (such as Hilfenhaus, Clarke, Ponting) have been dropped at some point in their careers and fought their way to come back. Hads has had some lifelines maybe due to his age but while he had a frustrating wait to take over from Adam Gilchrist, it's hard for a Keeper to turn his standards around at Hads' age.
The impression is that the selectors need to make the decision now and I don't base this on one catch. Just look at Hads' 2011 Stats and they don't paint a good picture. He has been struggling.

Tim Paine is going to be out a while longer so the option is Matt Wade who has given himself the best chance to show the selectors he can score runs and is most importantly a quality Keeper.
He will improve in time given his age and he has been in the system a while now. Having Tim is a gift as there's more than one Keeper but perhaps we may see the debut of Matt Wade sooner than later?

In any case, what a start to the year, what a performance from Michael Clarke and his team and if ever this made DVD I would be buying it without a doubt!

Two Tests remain, next one is at the WACA and a win or a draw will ensure the Baggy Green regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
What a victory it would be for the Baggy Greens.

THE BORDER-GAVASKAR AUSTRALIAN STATS (2 Tests):

Batting (top performers):

(1) Michael Clarke: 3 innings/ 361 runs/ HS 329*/ 180.50 average/ x1 100/
(2) Ricky Ponting: 3 innings/ 256 runs/ HS 134/ 85.33 average/ x1 100/ x2 50s
(3) Michael Hussey: 3 innings/ 239 runs/ HS 150*/ 119.50 average/ x1 100/ x1 50
(9) Ed Cowan: 3 innings/ 92 runs/ HS 68/ 30.66 average/ x1 50

Bowling (top performers):

(1) Ben Hilfenhaus: 98.5 overs/ 26 maidens/ 15 wkts for 271 runs/ 18.06 avg/ BBI 5-75/ BBM 8-157
(2) Peter Siddle: 67.4 overs/ 14 maidens/ 11 wickets for 248 runs/ 22.36 avg/ BBI 3-42/ BBM 6-105
(3) James Pattinson: 75.0 overs/ 15 maidens/ 11 wickets for 257 runs/ 23.36 avg/ BBI 4-43/ BBM 6-108

Ben Hilfenhaus took his second 5 wicket haul in Test cricket and has made an epic comeback.

© Getty Images

Michael Clarke charges after taking Sachin Tendulkar's wicket. While I am one for the series win first and not too cared about the opposition, you almost felt with Sachin so close that it would have been a massive relief for him to get his 100th International century.
In any case, well done Skipper with your SCG bowling magic.
© Getty Images



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