The Official Cricket Thread 2006/2007 (4 Viewers)

[jazzbaby]

im curry but i totally agree that the behaviour was just plain dumb. Oh man Yuvraj Singh was that crap

 

[wuddie]

really, when you have a cricket-mad nation like the ones in subcontinent, especially india, and you are faced with a demoralising lost, the fans will have to entertain themselves one way or another. they can't sing about the scoreboard because, well, they are getting fken hammered, so they take their frustrations on the opposing team. cricket is practically a religion over there, and i am sure they have a god devoted to cricket alone. you can murder the president and no one would have cared, but if you lose a game of cricket (like ganguly in '03), you better leave the country asap.

that's the thing with sport. in my opinion, whether you are the athlete or the spectator, the sport should be a competitive game, and that's it. if you go out of your way to cheat and harm the opposition to win the game, you've damaged the sport. simple as that. some people just take it too seriously.

at the end of the day, we all know we won the game and that's all that matters.

 

[AntiJap]

well said, wuddie.

 

[wuddie]

aussie test match against lanka soon, here's my XI for the first test

jacques, hayden, ponting, clarke, hussey, symond, gilchrist, lee, johnson, clarke, macgill, hogg the 12th man.

pup hasn't had a big inning in test for ages, long overdue for one. come on pup.

 

[Slatteryexpress]

Surely Hogg plays i wouldn't risk Macgill with his knee, too much too soon for my liking.

 

[Muz4PM]

I believe that Hogg should get a run. Whilst both I think are 36 and reaching the end of their careers I believe that Hogg is a better option. I think that he is more energetic and dynamic in the field than MacGill and is a more accomplished batsman. In regards to bowling I believe that Hogg has proved himself to be an excellent spinner in the 50 over form of the game, in some great form. I also believe he is best to utilise the Australian conditions, particularly at the Gabba and WACA where there is an extra little bit of zip and bounce in the pitch. Not to take away from the excellent bowling of Stuart MacGill, he certainly should, and probably will be selected for Sydney and maybe Melbourne, but I believe that Hogg, to pardon the pun, has the 'runs on the board.'

 

[wuddie]

ok let's not go all out for hoggy yet. yes he is certainly a very good player and someone who i admire a great deal. his competitive spirit is right up there, even if he's having a bad day, he'd still keep his head up and body language positive.

BUT, hoggy will be debuting if he gets picked. his unproven record in the longer form of the game plus nerves may unsettle him enough to probably never get picked again. remember martin love, the queensland batsman? scored 300 runs against england in their touring game, gets picked for the first ashes in 02(?), scored 0 and 2, never got another test again.

so i think if hoggy is to be picked, the selectors need to think wisely. maybe they can play him and macgill at the same time on a turning pitch? say sydney? therefore they can have each other for support.

that's my thinking behind my XI anyway.

 

[Muz4PM]

Hogg has played 4 tests already, mind you, as you say, he has not exactly proved himself.

I am not sure nerves will be a problem, he seems like the sort of bloke who thrives on nerves. However, as you say, and use the Love example, that could happen. I still however think he would be an excellent choice.

 

[wuddie]

the first day hangs in the balance. jaques and ponting started to pull away from the lankans, but murali managed to put a few quiet overs towards the end to tighten things up. hope clarke will get a big inning.

what a wonderful century by phil jaques on the first day. that will do his confidence a whole world of good, keep a close eye on him over the summer, he will be a rising star. he was playing out of skin today, patient, watchful, really didn't play his usual game till haydos got out. sensational stuff by him, well deserved.

not to bring controversy back again, but watchin how murali's action today, it was VERY hard trying to convince myself he is bowling like everyone else. but if icc says its all good, then its all good.

 

[extraordinary07]

all aussie batsman in form thats great. ponting was looking perfect, un lucky stumping i guess and huss and clarke have gone great guns.

lets just hope our bowlers are up to the task. cant wait to see macgill bowling again.

 

[wuddie]

great work pup, answering the calls of the critics, excellent innings from all the aussie batsmen. they did it tough in the beginning, but once things settled down, they all played superbly, playing shots all over the park.

great start by binger, hope we bowl them out quick and smart, make them follow on and win by an inning.

doesn't anyone care about cricket anymore?

 

[zingerburger]

I do. I love the cricketing summer. It gives me something to do and watch now that school's over.

Yeah, it's good to see Hussey and Clarke get a whole bunch of runs because they haven't had a bat for a while now. Clarke was due for a big score, and I think Lee's due for a good innings as well.

 

[Muz4PM]

If I maybe a Nark and ask, what the heck Phil Jacques? He played a fantastic innings, maiden test century, he played a extraordinary knock. I was impressed by his ability to remain calm and composed early in his innings, especially being on 0 for 34 balls, that takes enormous amounts of self composure, not to stab at one or play a rash shot. After he reached about 20 I was glad to see he opened up and played a great innings. Here is my only qualm, Why did he charge Murali? Yes, he is on 100, yes his spot is probably nailed for a while, but, he had a great chance to really push on and get a big’un. I guess you could say the same about Hayden too, he got a little ambitious. However, well done Jacques, a great century, hopefully it isn’t the last for him for the summer.

Pup and Mr Cricket played I think played exemplary innings’. Clarke looks in great touch and seems to be reading Murali better than most others, and is not afraid to smother either, which is a good sign.

I was proud to see Johnson playing, however, he was a little wayward, which is understandable. Lee bowled extremely well and fiery, to get 2 wickets was a good show. From what I saw of MacGill, yes, I was not impressed; he looked to bowl a lot of pies. However, I do concede, he was bowling with an 11 over old ball, grip would be a problem, it is the first test and he only bowled a few overs, so he still has time.

Australia should not lose form here, they have everything to gain.

 

[wuddie]

man, when was the last time aust lost a test match?

i am seeing a real problem here. aust batted beautifully in the first inning, no doubt about it. but when it was sri lanka's turn to bat, they seem to have no idea what they are meant to be doing, and loses 2 early wickets. there is a major contrast in the way aust bats and how the rest of the world goes about it. is aust really that good? i mean surely, we are due to see a contest. maybe india will offer that in the summer, i pray they do.

i propose we give the lesser nation of a test match a handicap, say 100 run head start or something - but that still means sri lanka is chasing 450 with 8 wickets in hand.

 

[Muz4PM]

Haha, idea of a handicap, however, "It's just not cricket."

I think Australia, especially batting first and amassing large totals tend to intimidate their opposition. Then, the operners and three come out behind the eight ball and are unsure of what to do. If they watched how Australia would approach such a situation, when in trouble, such as Adelaide vs England, I believe that they need to back themselves more.

 

[extraordinary07]

i think another problem with opposing sides playing in australia is the lack of match practice they get. i think sri lanka had 2 practice matches, i hardly think that is enough to adjust completely to conditions. batting sides especially have struggled.

if you look at ashes tours to england, australia has plenty of practice matches against county sides and last time we went over we played the one day series first, which we struggled in early on.

i think in future more time should be given for sides that tour here, and just give them more practice matches that way the team is ready for the 1st test and not the 2nd or 3rd or 4th.

and yep bowlers are killing them, hopefully macgill will be able to clean up the tail now, 6 down 4 to go

 

[Kujah]

What do you guys think of MacGill?

 

[Muz4PM]

MacGill has not set my world on fire to be honest, I thought that he has looked a little lacking. However, I do think he has bowled good enough to warrent another go, he has had a few chances and has asked a few questions.

All of the Australian bowlers have looked pedestrian in this second innings, probably a result of two days bowling. Johnson has looked a little wayward I think.

 

[A High Way Man]

man, when was the last time aust lost a test match?

05 Ashes, probably.

Last time they lost on home soil was 2004 when Rahul Dravid won it for India with a double hundred

India should've won that game at Melbourne, especially with Sehwag smashing 195 on the first day.

 

[wuddie]

13 consecutive test victories, now that is something. hopefully we can clean sweep the indians over the summer and break our own record. judging by the performance of this test, there's nothing suggests that it can't happen. what i am more impressed about, is the fact that lee is in form and taking wickets. he is such a wonderful bowler to watch when he gets going.

if i was the sl selector i would not risk sangakarra in the 2nd test. he is risking further injuries and as if they can beat aust even if he played.

what do people think of the comments atapatu made about the selectors? fair or uncalled for?