09/10 Summer of Cricket - Page 2

**buggerlugs** · 21-12-2009, 09:08 AM

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cr...-1225812252781

BENT_8 · 26-12-2009, 02:57 PM

Well guys, the Boxing day test is well under way and from all accounts im liking what im seeing.
Although the Pakistani's have dropped a couple, their bowling attack has been tight forcing the Aussies to create runs.
If they can keep this up with the pitch appearing to favour the batsmen i' can see frustration setting in the Aussie camp.

To be honest, with a young/inexperienced but spirited bowling attack and some good batting from Pakistan i can see two drawn tests on the horizon and i think that will be a win for Pakistan.

Your thoughts...

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 03:58 PM

to be honest i think it's too early to make a call on pakistan. they've dropped 2 relatively easy catches (for that level of cricket). Yes the bowlings been tight but can they sustain that for 1.5 to 2 days straight. The aussies also may have learnt their lesson about getting impatient and hopefully can keep their cool in tight periods.

Having watched a bit of the Pakistan vs New Zealand series, they're a bit unpredictable. You never quite know which teams gonna turn up, with time that should iron out and the young players will make a name for themselves.

The first 2-3 days of this series should show us how the series is gonna pan out.

My early prediction 3-0 to the aussies.

DoreSlamR · 26-12-2009, 04:40 PM

Holy crap Watson and Kattich!

WTF were they doing?!

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

Holy crap Watson and Kattich!

WTF were they doing?!

Short answer Katich was ball watching, not trusting/hearing his partners call.

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 05:21 PM

All this talk of Ponting getting tested with the short ball is a bit of a joke. Yes he had a few issues against Kemar Roach but the man's proved year after year to be one of the best players against the short ball (Pull/Hook shot). Pakistan may fall into a bit of trap if they're not carefull. Alternatively they may pepper him with short balls and get him out but i'd be betting on him having a field day if they go down that path.

DoreSlamR · 26-12-2009, 05:43 PM

Now Katich out in the 90's!

This thing of not getting a 100 is becoming annoying!

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

Now Katich out in the 90's!

This thing of not getting a 100 is becoming annoying!

Ponting will stand up this Test and get a hundred. If anyone can break this Streak of 90-100 scores Ponting can.

BENT_8 · 26-12-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84ltd

Ponting will stand up this Test and get a hundred. If anyone can break this Streak of 90-100 scores Ponting can.

Oops!
Ponting was trying too hard scoring at 8 an over after the slow Aussie start, was always gonna happen.
I doubt Pakistan can beat them, but like i said with a relatively inexperienced side a couple of draws will be as good as win...considering the competition.

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Oops!
Ponting was trying too hard scoring at 8 an over after the slow Aussie start, was always gonna happen.
I doubt Pakistan can beat them, but like i said with a relatively inexperienced side a couple of draws will be as good as win...considering the competition.

I'll admit it was a big call on my part. It's highly unlikely i know but there's still a second innings which is why i said test not innings. With the score on 1/180 odd the number 3 has the job to press on with great start and score aggressively. Ponting has proven to be an aggressive, counterpunching batsman and thats what makes him one of the best in the world.

Sending Hauritz in as a nightwatchmen on a fantastic batting track is a bit odd to me, I hope he makes a 100. Apart from Pontings wicket Pakistan have been very lucky to have australia 3 down.

I do hope Pakistan put up a good fight but i don't really see any sort of result for them out of this test.

prydey · 26-12-2009, 08:17 PM

these days, having great batsmen and bowlers won't win you too many matches. you need to be 100% switched on in the field at all times. dropping catches at their level is inexcusable.

pakistan do have a couple of great batsmen but i reckon the aussies will win 3-0.

not scoring 100's is not hurting the team total too much but their will come a time when it will. the ability to capitalise on a good start is something all the great batsmen do.

g220ba · 26-12-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

these days, having great batsmen and bowlers won't win you too many matches. you need to be 100% switched on in the field at all times. dropping catches at their level is inexcusable.

Completely agree mate, You need a team effort in every part of the game (batting, bowling and fielding). On the day 1 fielding effort by Pakistan they are struggling in that dept. Bowling was tight but not backed up by the fielding. The point about centuries is good, it's not hurting them as a team but individually 1 or 2 of them might have in the back of their minds. Katich i think now has 3 90's and Watson 2 90's and an 80.

BENT_8 · 26-12-2009, 11:11 PM

Totally agree, but im not looking at it from a point of Pakistan winning the series or even a game.
The way i see it Australia are expected to win on ability and recent form of both sides.
Australia have a much better line up, thats fact, but if Pakistan can keep Australias score ticking over slowly as has been the case with the exception of Ponting, Australia will be forced to either bat for 2 full days or declare much less than their usual 450-550 first innings totals.
They then need to then take 20wkts in 3 days against some good batsmen on what should still be a decent wicket.

As i said, depending on where your team is at, a draw can be as good as a win

prydey · 27-12-2009, 07:46 PM

pakistan are one of those teams who have a very long tail. all the top teams now bat quite competitively right down to no.11.

haven't really seen a lot of the game so far so can't comment too much. aussies managed to get the ball 'reversing' late in the day. couldn't believe what i was seeing.

g220ba · 27-12-2009, 09:26 PM

In terms of autsralia, that's gotta be the best days cricket for a while. Steady in the first session, Accelerate in the second, Very Aggressive Declaration considering the pitch and finishing the day taking 4 wickets. Don't think they could've played much better today.

Pakistan will have alot of work to do going on their batting form against new zealand. Losing their captain in the last over really was the worst thing to happen for them. They do have a few good batsman to come but the tail really is unproven, on averages they're not that good. With ball hooping around especially Watson, Pakistan are really up against it.

BENT_8 · 28-12-2009, 04:54 PM

With all these late 80's 90's scored by the Aussie top order lately, anyone think we're due a top order collapse?

prydey · 28-12-2009, 05:03 PM

will it matter?

i'm a big fan of test cricket, a purist you might say, and yet i'm struggling to get into this pakistan series. loved the west indies series but so far this test i've been busy doing a few house chores and have missed most of the game but it hasn't really bothered me. one of those teams that doesn't really have any individual 'characters' in it.

is it just me or does s.watson look like he's about to cry all the time. or have a whinge or something.

BENT_8 · 28-12-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

will it matter?

Well Pakistan is paying $40 the win now, so might be of interest to some

BENT_8 · 29-12-2009, 01:27 PM

Pakistan needs to be careful now, if they bowl Australia out too soon they'll have to bat for alot of overs to save the game, i doubt they'll score enough to beat Australia.

g220ba · 29-12-2009, 02:29 PM

Finally Watson after trying his best to get out on 99 has broken through with his maiden 100. Pakistan really are up against but someone like Umar Akmal or Misbah Ul-Haq are very capable of making quick runs. Really has turned into a pretty good game.

gtxb67 · 29-12-2009, 02:30 PM

just like everyone else probably did, i thought he was gone on 99

it was good to see shane get a century, he has done a great job recently and it was great to see him get those measily runs that mean nothing, but everything

BENT_8 · 29-12-2009, 03:20 PM

I feel RP left the decleration too late. There is no way Pakistan will be tempted to go after the win from here whereas if they were chasing 350 they might have been tempted.
IMO Pakistan will play defensive now looking for the draw, wether they can bat for 130 overs is anybodies guess.

g220ba · 29-12-2009, 03:54 PM

130 overs is a long time to bat defensively. All it takes is a couple of quick wickets and everything changes. On a day 5 Melbourne pitch Pakistan have very little chance of survival. It will need very patient batting. If they're 3 down tonight it'll be very tough.

For the sake of the game i hope they give it a real go and try and chase. Records are made to be broken.

BENT_8 · 29-12-2009, 04:36 PM

Talking about Watsons 100, did anyone see the replay of the HotSpot from his LBW decision yesterday.
He was trapped early on and was given not out, the Pakistan bowler called for the reply decision which at first showed an inside edge onto the pad...not out.
Later in the telecast they showed a close up of the impact which clearly showed the ball clip the pad first leaving a slight HotSpot, before hitting the bat and then into the pad again leaving a larger HotSpot just above the first.
Not a word was spoken by the commentry team about it and no further replays, unusual considering they've shown every other replay over and over again.

g220ba · 29-12-2009, 08:40 PM

Day 4 over with and all 3 results still possible, just the way it should be. A lot the load has to be taken on by the Pakistan captain Yousef. The Akmal brothers will be a problem for Australia as they proven to be very with the bat. A dropped catch by Hauritz off Katich could turn out to be very costly.

In terms of Bent 8's comment about the LBW decision for Watson, Fair comment but i don't know about you but i get sick of the wickets/chances being replayed 10 times over as it is. They could of discussed it more.

It's good to see the last few tests played well into day 5. For me test cricket is well and truly alive in this country.

RG · 29-12-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Talking about Watsons 100, did anyone see the replay of the HotSpot from his LBW decision yesterday.
He was trapped early on and was given not out, the Pakistan bowler called for the reply decision which at first showed an inside edge onto the pad...not out.
Later in the telecast they showed a close up of the impact which clearly showed the ball clip the pad first leaving a slight HotSpot, before hitting the bat and then into the pad again leaving a larger HotSpot just above the first.
Not a word was spoken by the commentry team about it and no further replays, unusual considering they've shown every other replay over and over again.

The decision given was not out so that's what it was, not out.

I for one am bloody sick of the constant rehashing of every little possibility.

g220ba · 29-12-2009, 09:09 PM

Well anyway now the monkey's off his back we may just Watson and the rest of the Aussies make a few more hundreds. Did anyone else see Merv Hughes at tea talking about the selectors considering Watson opening for the last 3 years. That really did surprise me as there are so many specialist openers vying for that position.

BENT_8 · 29-12-2009, 09:12 PM

Sorry, but no one asked you to read it or comment.

I just thought the silence when the replay was shown was deafening considering the hype about this new system getting the dodgy decisions right.

RG · 29-12-2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Sorry, but no one asked you to read it or comment.

I just thought the silence when the replay was shown was deafening considering the hype about this new system getting the dodgy decisions right.

And no one needed to ask me mate, not your forum and I can post where I choose.

BENT_8 · 30-12-2009, 11:35 AM

As this is a cricket thread, we'll get back ON TOPIC 'ey.

Here we go, 90 overs, games on the line, could go either way or the draw.

Pakistan are really up against it, but i give them credit as they have really made a game of it.
I think this is going to be an entertaining series so long as Pakistan get the fielding together.