Way of the Rodent

I don't know, the 90s Ashes series give good value in the onesidedness stakes.

Australia were all out for 284 in the first innings of their Test match against South Africa. Today, I watched them skittle the Saffers for 96. Batting again, Australia are currently 16 for 5 in their second innings.

21-9!

Still the best bowler to watch - and listen to.

Yeah - it's amazing what can happen when you put the ball in the right place. Don't worry, by the time you chaps face him the older bowlers would've taught him to bowl proper rubbish.

Oh yes - it would be remiss of me to not mention how much I celebrated when Ponting "quit". Three bottles of champers and a puddle of vomit, IIRC. I was a bit worried about Clarke - though anyone is better than Ponting - but I reckon he's shown a bit of initiative in the role, which is nice. He's certainly more Tubby than Waugh, anyway. Unfortunately, his "wacky change-up" always seems to be "throw Hussey the ball" - which will only work so long.

Now - to find some batsmen that can score some runs...

Ah, well, in this country, John Major sits among the members, and Tony Blair would just float over the entire stadium on his own bag of hot air.

So, India, right? The second-highest ranked Test nation? The team that England pummelled 4-0 at home? Well, they're not having a good time of it in Australia... a classic tale of them not being able to play away.

So when they lost the toss and got sent in to bat at the WACA, there was no real surprise that they lost a couple of quick wickets. Slow scoring, and they were 4/74 at lunch. A bit of a partnership and they make it to 131, before a decent old collapse sees them all out for 161. But it's the WACA, it looks a little green, and Australia still have 27 overs before stumps.

Suddenly, it's a batter's paradise (or the Indians are bowling pies). By the time Warner brings up his 100 in 69 balls (bringing it up with a 6, after being hit in the head), Australia was 144 inside the 20th over.

Just think about that... he's brought up a century on the first day of a Test Match... batting second.

Ooo, just got that little twinge in the upper back from the first bowling session of the new year.
Nets are at the Manchester grammar school, lovely full length setup with the surface being the floor itself.
I am still rubbish-poor :-)

Same one I was training with over the summer.
Nice group of guys just a bit terrifying even with the top players training separately.

Also, looks like there's only two sodding one day matches at Old Trafford again this year. Which I've probably been too slow to get tickets for, if I did want to go.

I used to be a reasonable medium quick bowler, and, yes, a fairly agricultural hitter! But ultimately it was a game that I left behind in Kent...I played as much for the people as I did the sport itself. And I paled in comparison to my two younger bros, who routinely take apart attacks in village cricket with almost Botham-esque brutality.

Hey did anyone see that best ever in the history of cricket catch the other day? amazing.

Yeah, that was the one.

Haha! Now it is *truly* "Welcome Back, Pete"!

:-D

That Yadav fella looks a good bowler, very quick as well. Or maybe that is the effect of the Perth pitch.

What's going on with the established order of cricket? England batting collapse and Australia skittling the opposition? I thought those dark days were a figment of our past...like mining, socialism and Ocean Software.

Oh, and what the fuck is happening in the New Zealand - Zimbabwe game?

8-O

This Australia v India series has been really odd - there's no doubt that India are completely overrated off the subcontinent, and *all* the media is trying to keep this 4-0 whitewash in perspective.

But there's a bubbling undercurrent where the public is starting to think that Australia is on the ascension again... but (surprise!) I'm loathe to think that myself. Our first-choice number 3 scored a grand total of 17 runs in 4 matches, and whilst I think our makeshift opening pair of Warner & Cowans have promise, they haven't settled into Tubby/Slater or Hayden/Langer consistency yet. Great to see Ponting/Clarke/Hussey getting a few runs, too, but I think that Haddin should retire soon: Ronchi or Wade should go to the West Indies next month.

And, in the face of India's crapulent batting, it's hard to really judge the bowling... but my word it's been good this summer. It may be hard for you to believe after the last Ashes, but Hilfenhaus has been fucking brilliant - persistent line & length, moving the ball in the air and off the seam both ways. Siddle has been The Menace - absolutely scary and at the batsmen all the time, with plenty of pace and venom. Likewise for Harris, though he was a smiling assassin. Lyon had limited opportunity from the pitches, but bowled well enough... unfortunately, he's a finger-spinner, and he'll always be in the shadow of Warne and MacGill. And we've seen some great young pacemen coming up - Pattinson looks brilliant, and whilst Cummins hasn't bowled at home yet, all noises indicate that he's got some promise.

We haven't seen Watson or Bollinger all summer either. In short, if we can keep these players together, at least the next Ashes should be a bit closer. But we need to fix the top order, and we need the bowling team to be sorely tested.

Nah - Australia still 4th, India still 3rd. Of course, Australia's going to play some more Test Matches in the next six months, whereas India don't have another long-form game until September.

moobaa said:

Nah - Australia still 4th, India still 3rd. Of course, Australia's going to play some more Test Matches in the next six months, whereas India don't have another long-form game until September.

Oh yeah, I mean, it takes time for things to be reflected in the rankings. But Australia are obviously resurgent and South Africa seem to have found at least a couple of very handy new bowlers... so the top teams should be having some very watchable battles over the next couple of years.

Christ.

It wasn't doing that much. Trouble was, neither were our players.

Oh my... here's a great comment from CricInfo:

Posted by Naveed Khan on (January 28 2012, 08:10 AM GMT)

India should be restricted to play Test Cricket only in Sub-Continent. This is mockery of Test Cricket. India lacks the skills and the ability to compete in Test Cricket outside the Sub-Continent. Why should the world wide Cricket fans of Test matches be subject to such abject mediocrity? We the fans want Test Cricket to be competitive. If it is not fought with skill and grit, then Test Cricket is boring. Indian Cricketers are making Test Cricket boring. ICC should take up the matter in next Board of Governors meeting that India should be limited to play Test Cricket on Sub-Continent pitches. It will Test Cricket more competitive and exciting. I urge global Cricket fans to write to ICC at its headquarters in Dubai.

budgie said:

Bloody hell, the news popped up whilst I was in the car.
Pretty certain Boycott put his house on an England victory in his review last night :-)

@BumbleCricket:
Geoff Boycott homeless I hear

:-D

Sounds like a good day's cricket today. Need to get back into the habit of listening.

Good Morning
*looks at score card*
Bollocks.