India vs Australia 2010

Chance for Ponting to really establish himself in world cricket, if he can get a ton in India it will show that he is more than capable of making runs in India... he only has one ton in India; albeit he hasn't played a hell of a lot of tests in India (that one failed 2001 series really killed his reputation at that time).

Watson also has posted 50, Australia is 130/1 after lunch, with the Indian fielding rather lacklustre and another poor start by Sharma, who is lacking both pace and rhythm (no balls aren't helping).

Very small crowd. Looks like the IPL has ruined both Ishant Sharma (... $900k contract) and the test crowds.

Sharma is now injured apparently...
... For Australia I've seen Johnson, Harris, Bollinger, Lee, Tait, even Hilfenhaus register above 147kph. We probably have about 20-30 bowlers who bowl above 140kph regularly. India doesn't even have one (even Khan is barely 140kph these days). I don't really understand it. Sure environment, genetics and so forth comes in, but not even one? Pakistanis are genetically similar and they have dozens of sharp paced bowlers.  Sharma is really tall and is getting no bounce, even on this crap wicket, and his pace is barely 135kph.
India need a really strong, hard working fast bowler. Someone in that Javagal Srinath/Andy Bichel sort of mould.



Edited by milkman - 01 October 2010 at 8:35am

Mate that's almost 3 years back, and back then he was hitting 145kph regularly and was getting marvellous bounce in Australia. He looked a real find.

Harbhajan, I've said it before... he gives the ball no air, relies too much on his doosra. I'd really like to see him stop bowling like a robot, and actually look for bounce and spin. Ojha looks much better, but he's not a wicket taker, he's economical and that's all.

Ponting is out, run out. Such a shame. He gets out, but it's not even due to good bowling. He really is having a lot of poor luck.

Sresanth was mauled in the warm up tour game. They're probably better off playing Mishra in his place. A dibbly dabbler medium bowler like Mithun will get pulverised by the Australia top order. Spin is always going to get the wickets. That's the reason why India beat Aust at home but struggle against SL. SL batsmen can play spin, the Aussies struggle... otherwise India won't get 20 wickets.
Australia need at least 400 to be a chance. They are 179/3... Watson needs to make a big ton and Hussey and North MUST score. 

Cricinfo:

Khan in his first over back gets Hussey with the old ball and now it's 4 wickets down. Could this be the moment that the Indians were looking for?

Nelson strikes again!

I have my doubts about Hussey, but then he goes and does something special when you least expect it and turns a game around.

Plenty of others queuing up for North's place!

I was wrong. Zaheer has done it brilliantly. I guess Hussey did not play it right. He went too cautious. North is just useless. We all saw that in the Pakistan series. He is good for nothing. Hussey too lives too much on the edge - a career saving century whenever he is under threat wont help. He will have to be mroe consistent.

I really, really can't see why North has been retained. If they wanted a 30+ batsman why didn't they go for Chris Rogers, Michael Klinger or Phillip Jaques?

I'd rather see a young batsman being given a go, and his bowling is obsolete. 6-for against a pretty poor Paki line up isn't much.

White, Dave Hussey.... mate there's plenty of experienced guys. Plus younger talent like Shaun Marsh, Callum Ferguson, George Bailey, Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja, etc.
Much better players than he.

Both are very good, particularly the young Usman Khawaja, who has a better record of converting scores to 100s.
          Phillip Hughes, I still believe, is a very, very dangerous batsman. Mark my words about him. He played 3 innings in the Ashes and was dropped. In one of those innings he was out to a no ball (poor umpiring). His technique is unique, but he is effective.

Agreed - but North has to go for sure now. I hope for Australia's sake he does not score a hundred in the second innings. He just needs to sit out and let the better players take their chances.

Dhoni's keeping was atrocious today - looked like he is related to Kamran Akmal.

i think the 1st match is going to draw

Yes I think Hughes could bat anywhere! I don't see why he would do poorly elsewhere. For mine, it's harder to go from middle order to opener, than the other way around.
But you know just look at ODI cricket, we've seen Clarke, Ponting, Katich, Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Haddin all open for Australia with success. If you're a very good batsman you can bat anywhere and that's fact.
The reason why Sachin at 4 is bad is because he's the BEST  batsman, thus he should have the opportunity to bat out the whole 50 overs.

This pitch isn't great for batting. Australia is now 8 wickets down for 373 after a wonderful knock from the keeper, Paine and an invaluable 47 from Johnson who's back in form after an indifferent summer for the all rounder with the bat.
If Australia can put to about 400 or 420, with Hilfenhaus  being a decent no.10, then I think it will be competitive. The Aussies bowlers will be fresh and ready to rumble, and the 1 and a half days off batting my Australia would mean that Bollinger, who was a concern with jetlag, won't be facing the jetlag as much. I will be interested to see how India bat. Someone like Sehwag who pushes hard at the ball may struggle with the low bounce, but I wonder if India will score faster.