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Cricket IX


Jeor

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It would be a miscarriage of justice (sorry Hereward and other Englishmen) if England were to win a series 1-0 when South Africa dominated three draws!

I don't really agree that the current lead England have in the series is a miscarriage of justice, if you get into the positions South Africa have and fail to win you don't really have anyone to blame but yourself, England so far have been the only team to take advantage of being on top.

On the other hand if South Africa fail to get a win in this test due to rain then they can probably count themselves unlucky.

On that note, we need a rain dance emoticon.

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I don't really agree that the current lead England have in the series is a miscarriage of justice, if you get into the positions South Africa have and fail to win you don't really have anyone to blame but yourself, England so far have been the only team to take advantage of being on top.

I can see that point of view, but on sheer number of sessions of cricket won I think South Africa deserve more than to be 1-0 down. But true enough, it's the final results that do end up officially counting. It's like Pakistan and the Sydney Test - they played well for three days, Australia played well for two and a half sessions, Australia win. Some people will say Pakistan 'deserved' to win for being on top so much and doing so much of the hard work, some will say Australia 'deserved' to win for beating the odds and scratching out that final result against all probability, I guess it depends on your point of view.

If England end up needing to bat to save this, they need someone to channel Chris Tavare. I had a conversation with a friend about who was the slowest scoring top order batsmen we knew of, and I think Tavare topped the list. Anyone who can spend 337 balls at the crease and still not score a century deserves some admiration. Other particular innings of note on cricinfo stats include a brilliant 22 off 143 and an incandescent 35 off 240 balls.

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If England end up needing to bat to save this, they need someone to channel Chris Tavare. I had a conversation with a friend about who was the slowest scoring top order batsmen we knew of, and I think Tavare topped the list. Anyone who can spend 337 balls at the crease and still not score a century deserves some admiration. Other particular innings of note on cricinfo stats include a brilliant 22 off 143 and an incandescent 35 off 240 balls.

Tavare may have found himself a protégé here in the lower echelons of Perth grade cricket...I have scored 5 runs from my last 105 deliveries, including a scintillating 2 off 42 balls last week, opening the batting in a limited overs game :frown5:.

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I saw Tavare score a century against NZ at the Oval back in 1983. Stonewalling a top class bowling attack to save a game is one thing, but they were crap and we were dominating that game. I have never been so bored in my life, outside of a law lecture.

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A funny old series really. SA have actually been the better team, but until now, England have seized the key moments

It's a bit like the opposite of the England tour of the West Indies where England were the better team for most of the series and only their failure to take the last couple of wickets stopped them from being 2-1 up in the series, but because they couldn't make the final breakthroughs and had one calamitous batting collapse they lost the series.

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Another good morning of cricket, although England would probably prefer it to be raining.

England have bowled well and there's been some good batting from South Africa but England will be pretty aggrieved with the way the review system has gone for them, they probably should have at least one more wicket. Firstly I don't see how Daryl Harper could overturn the decision to give AB de Villiers out, it looked out to me and there was definitely not enough evidence to overturn the decision. The loss of a review due to technical problems also seems unwarranted and they almost certainly would have got de Villiers or possibly Boucher with that extra review.

ETA: Or apparently the first wrong decision was also due to Daryl Harper being crap and not turning up the volume on the stump mike.

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The weather holds some hope for England. The batting team controls the bad light situation so I expect there will be times in the next two days when they can choose to go off. While Collingwood is still there I would not rule out another escape - he can block up one end and if the rest do their job, and the weather plays it's part...I don't think they'd survive 6 sessions with only 7 wickets, but conceivably if the weather were to wreck it enough that they only had to face three sessions (or something under four) then I think it's quite plausible.

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I'm usually fairly neutral in South Africa v England series, but I must admit that I wouldn't mind seeing SA roll England on Day 4. I just feel that SA have played consistently better cricket than the English over the four tests and do not deserve to lose the series.

But whichever way this test goes, it has been a very enjoyable series to watch. SA are the more talented side, but England have shown some serious ticker.

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Not really sure what Shakib/Siddons were thinking putting India in at the ZACS. The pitch there is always flat and India have an exceptionally strong batting line-up. Why hand the victory to India on a platter? Baffling really. This is test cricket. Unless it's a green-top, you have to back your batsmen in.

ETA: Heh. Well, I well and truly underestimated the Tigers' wicket-taking ability. They are actually in a reasonable position here, although Sachin is still at the crease. Guess that's why Shakib and Siddons are running the show and I am just an interested spectator ;). So much for a baffling decision...

ETA: Hah! And now India are 6 down!

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Not really sure what Shakib/Siddons were thinking putting India in at the ZACS. The pitch there is always flat and India have an exceptionally strong batting line-up. Why hand the victory to India on a platter? Baffling really. This is test cricket. Unless it's a green-top, you have to back your batsmen in.

ETA: Heh. Well, I well and truly underestimated the Tigers' wicket-taking ability. They are actually in a reasonable position here, although Sachin is still at the crease. Guess that's why Shakib and Siddons are running the show and I am just an interested spectator ;). Show much for a baffling decision...

ETA: Hah! And now India are 6 down!

8 down now. I think Bangladesh can be proud of causing such problems for such a strong batting line-up. I hope they can make a decent total when they bat, it would be nice to see them being competitive.

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8 down now. I think Bangladesh can be proud of causing such problems for such a strong batting line-up.

Especially after Sehwag's comments to the press about how they are an ordinary side and could never win against India because they couldn't take 20 wickets against their powerful batting lineup. ;)

Bangladesh really need to win a match against one of the top Test nations. They've beaten a weakened Windies side, but it would so much for them if they could beat one of the main international teams. They've come close against NZ recently and Australia were nearly embarrassed once (if not for Gilchrist saving them) but for their sake I hope they can cross the finish line sometime soon. It would be great for Test cricket and also a deserved moment for a lot of the Bangladesh players who have tried their hearts out for years without any Test results to speak of.

England went rather meekly in the Test there, although I guess one way or another the odds were stacked heavily against them. Once again Collingwood is the standout in a rearguard action. Apart from one score of 80-odd Pietersen didn't make any other score in the four matches, I think it has to be one of his quietest series so far. Although the English bowling struggled at times with South Africa racking up a couple of big innings, on the whole they actually did quite well throughout the series, and when matched up against the vaunted South African attack they more than held their own considering the Boks couldn't get 20 wickets either in most matches. The English batting was the main area of concern with Pietersen and Trott having rather quiet tours - when your No. 3 and 4 aren't firing it's pretty tough.

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Bangladesh really need to win a match against one of the top Test nations. They've beaten a weakened Windies side, but it would so much for them if they could beat one of the main international teams. They've come close against NZ recently and Australia were nearly embarrassed once (if not for Gilchrist saving them) but for their sake I hope they can cross the finish line sometime soon.

Well, they're playing England next, anything could happen there ;)

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Well, they're playing England next, anything could happen there ;)

Hah! One person that slightly irked me through this series was Stuart Broad. Twice he's looked indignant and asked for the referral when he's clearly hit it. I suppose that last one (gloved down the legside) was fair enough, he thought he could get away with it like Smith did. But in the Third Test he virtually smashed a ball from Harris onto his pad and then it was cleanly caught at short leg way above the ground and he immediately went for a review - no idea why he'd do something like that.

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Hah! One person that slightly irked me through this series was Stuart Broad. Twice he's looked indignant and asked for the referral when he's clearly hit it. I suppose that last one (gloved down the legside) was fair enough, he thought he could get away with it like Smith did. But in the Third Test he virtually smashed a ball from Harris onto his pad and then it was cleanly caught at short leg way above the ground and he immediately went for a review - no idea why he'd do something like that.

I've found myself taking a firm dislike to Broad as well. His constant misuse of the referral system - the system is there to catch errors, not for gamesmanship, and his generally annoying on field demeanour. I think it was very telling that when Kallis got him out in the first innings here, he was particularly jubilant - as the TMS guys said, it was very uncharacteristic of him, and I suspect that's because Broad behaves like a bit of a twat in the field some times. When he was on Jonathan Ross after the Ashes everyone who saw him (I missed it) said he was charming, so I'm guessing it's something to do with a competitive streak...but still, he annoys me.

Sir Thursday

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I saw him on Ross and he seemed OK, but he did talk about all the sledging he gets for looking a bit... well, pretty. I imagine acting like a prat on the field is either over-compensating or attempting to develop a hard reputation.

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Well, a fairly dismal test summer finally comes to an end here in Australia. Admittedly, the Adelaide, Perth and Sydney test matches were competitive and kept me interested (if a little suicidal in the aftermath of the SCG test :P), but they were completely overshadowed by three one-sided affairs at the 'Gabba, MCG and Bellerive, which hardly deserve to be looked back upon as "test" matches. Although I never really expected to see the WI or Pakistan play as well as SA did last season, I was still hopeful that one of the touring sides might at least win a match. Unfortunately it wasn't to be. I will have to console myself by watching recordings of the '09 Ashes series, or perhaps dig out my old tapes of India v Aus 2001 or Aus v Bangladesh 2005 ;).

As for how individual members of the Australian team performed over the summer (ratings out of 10):

Ponting - 7: Looked well below his best for most of the season, but finally came good on his home ground in a dead-rubber. His average of 51 over the six tests flatters him. The Bellerive test shows that he still has what it takes mentally to succeed at the highest level, but I think there are some serious questions now about his ability to handle the short ball. Will also be interesting to see how he handles the swinging ball in the upcoming tours of NZ and England (v Pakistan).

Watson - 10: Easily the best Australian player of the summer. Was the most consistent batsman by some distance, and he also chimed in with some important wickets (getting Gayle in the second innings at the WACA was particularly vital in the context of that series). He has probably proved his critics (me included) wrong. The only question now is whether he can maintain this standard of performance over the next few seasons and whether he can stay fit.

Katich - 8.5: Another great series from the Kat. Still needs to improve on his conversion rate, but it's hard to criticise someone averaging 57 over 9 innings. Probably the best short-leg in world cricket. His wrist-spin remains criminally under-employed, but that may be a fitness issue.

Hussey - 8.5: Well, he's back. He will probably never again score as consistently nor as quickly as he did in the early part of his career, but he has shown this season that he still has what it takes to deliver match-winning performances at the test level. The likes of Marsh and Ferguson will have to wait some time yet before earning a place in the Aussie middle order.

Clarke - 7: Like Ponting, looked below his best for most of the summer, but came good in the dead rubber. Average of 58 over 10 innings doesn't tell the full story. Still hasn't really taken the next step to becoming a truly great test batsman.

Haddin - 8: Perhaps not his best series with the bat, but he still averaged a respectable 37 over the six tests and the 88 he scored in very quick time at the WACA was vital. His improved wicket-keeping earns him an extra mark. Actually, Australia is very well placed in the wicket-keeping department. Haddin still has a few seasons left in him, and Tim Paine is a fantastic long-term option.

North - 4: Very poor summer with the bat - his first on home soil. His excellent tours of SA and England will ensure future selection in the short-term, but he will have to start contributing again soon to avoid the selection axe.

Hauritz - 9: At times looked fairly innocuous and unlikely to rip through the batting order, but he led the wicket-taking for Australia (29 wickets in six matches) and was also fairly economical (which seemed to be the selectors' major problem with Jason Krejza) so it's difficult to criticise him really. Along with Swann, he is leading an international mini-revival in non-doosra off-spinning. Interesting stuff really. Also should mention that Hauritz was quite excellent with the bat (200 runs @ 33).

Johnson - 8: Very strange summer for the spearhead of the Aussie attack. Quite often he didn't look like taking a wicket at all, but then before you knew it he had two or three. Fair to say that he's not bowling anywhere near as well as he was this time last year (RPO of over 3.5 for the summer demonstrates a lack of control), but he is still a wicket-taker. Had a poor season with the bat.

Siddle - 5: Played well in the dead rubber, but his strike-rate for the season is well down on his career stats. If Hilfenhaus is fit for NZ, he will probably be shown the door. Still a long-term prospect for Aus though, as he's only 25.

Bollinger - 9: Outstanding summer. Doesn't give the batsmen any easy runs and can regularly produce wicket-taking deliveries with both the old and new ball. I was completely won over by how well he bowled at the WACA. Great find for Australia and deserves to be picked in front of Siddle in future test series. On the negative side, he is probably one of the worst tail-enders I have seen in recent times ;).

Hughes - 2: Only played one test but failed in both innings. Although I'm not a big fan of his, I must admit to feeling just a little bit sorry for him after he virtually won Australia that series in SA last year off his own bat. He's still only 21, so he will definitely have more opportunities down the track.

McKay - 1: Didn't really look like a test bowler to me. Might join his Victorian team-mates Bryce McGain and Darren Pattinson in the ranks of one-test wonders.

Now come the ODIs. Hopefully the addition of ODI specialists like Afridi will lift the Pakistan team to a few victories, which might take their mind off the test series whitewash. Shame that Razzaq has (I think) gone home injured.

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Daft innings from Ashraful. Bangladesh have a great chance of saving this game, but he goes out there wanting to score from every ball and eventually gets caught trying to drive on the up. Even after 50 test matches the same mistakes are repeated over and over again. :bang:

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