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Cricket 40: Paines in the Ashes


TheLastWolf

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12 hours ago, Hereward said:

Well, looks like Sri Lanka think they’re playing T20. Badly.

It was not a day that would make a batting coach happy. Some very poor shots there, even if there were a couple of freak dismissals. Shanaka being caught by a rebound off a player's shoe when they were jumping and had their back turned was particularly unlucky. No excuses for most of the rest of the Sri Lankan batsmen.

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41 minutes ago, Hereward said:

Did you see the story about the England supporter who arrived for last year’s cancelled series and just decided to stay for the next one? If only.

I can't say I did but it sounds like a solid plan to me. Working from home from Sri Lanka for a year, I can think of worse things.

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Warner out quickly, that always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Seriously though, the Indian bowling attack is decimated. The batsmen are fine - Rohit, Gill, Pujara, Rahane, Pant. Agarwal comes in for the injured Vihari.

But the bowlers are totally gone. Siraj and Saini stay, but Bumrah, Jadeja and Ashwin are all out for debutant Natarajan, debutant Sundar and single-Test Thakur. If they can bowl Australia out for sub-400 totals that will be a massive achievement for such an inexperienced attack. The three near-debutants don't even have much of a first-class record - Natarajan with 20 matches, Sundar with 12 and then Thakur with 62 at least.

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Both openers gone cheaply, now it's back to the Smith/Labuschagne show again. 

Australia have relied way too heavily on these two in the past 18 months. To be fair, I think any team would want their Numbers 3 and 4 to have 60+ Test averages but now they're just making all the others look bad!

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2 minutes ago, Paxter said:

Marnus and Smith will ton up here.

My thoughts exactly. Would be a pity after such a promising start by the green Indian bowling attack. If they can just crack through them early and have a shot at Wade, Green and Paine, they could bowl Australia out for a gettable total. But Smith and Labuschagne are so reliable...

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4 hours ago, williamjm said:

It was not a day that would make a batting coach happy. Some very poor shots there, even if there were a couple of freak dismissals. Shanaka being caught by a rebound off a player's shoe when they were jumping and had their back turned was particularly unlucky. No excuses for most of the rest of the Sri Lankan batsmen.

I only watched the highlights, but I can’t think of many worse batting performances in terms of unforced errors. Since when did Sri Lanka become Pakistan?

It was almost comical because of the sheer variety of bad dismissals. Reverse sweeping, clean bowleds, chips in the air. And then the ricochet onto the stumps...

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Triple post but...have to comment on Smith being caught on the legside again. It’s proving a fruitful tactic to him, bowling to his strength but packing that side of the field.

Fleming famously did the same thing to Martyn in the early 00s, fed him cut shots until he eventually hit one to waiting point fielders.

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9 hours ago, Jeor said:

But the bowlers are totally gone. Siraj and Saini stay, but Bumrah, Jadeja and Ashwin are all out for debutant Natarajan, debutant Sundar and single-Test Thakur. If they can bowl Australia out for sub-400 totals that will be a massive achievement for such an inexperienced attack. The three near-debutants don't even have much of a first-class record - Natarajan with 20 matches, Sundar with 12 and then Thakur with 62 at least.

Thakur and Sundar have taken one each, and it's not single digit streaking Warner. That's Siraj. Thakur is a bit expensive but takes wickets with regularity in limited overs and first class. Csk. The other two Tamilians are a Pongal gift to the southern fans after the other Tamil, Ash retired with injury. Nattu was great in his limited overs debut and Washi is washi. Consistent. Economic. Takes wickets with ease. 

8 hours ago, Paxter said:

I would've been so tempted to play Kuldeep. I wonder if they will regret that decision. Obviously they are worried about the long tail...but he would've been a fantastic option on this deck. 

Kuldeep can't hold for long in tests. Like Chahal. 

6 hours ago, Paxter said:

Triple post but...have to comment on Smith being caught on the legside again. It’s proving a fruitful tactic to him, bowling to his strength but packing that side of the field.

Fleming famously did the same thing to Martyn in the early 00s, fed him cut shots until he eventually hit one to waiting point fielders.

Washington keeps the line and length simple yet sharply consistent with variations and bounce thanks to his height. 

Edit 

Damn, I'll post new 

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I see @Paxter and my attempts to jinx the Aussies only half-worked. Smith out quickly but Marnus got his hundred.

5/218, well done to the Indian attack so far, but they'll still want to keep going and make further inroads. I think if they can keep Australia below 350 that would be good. Commentators have been saying the pitch looks a little more worn than a first day wicket, so batting first could be a significant advantage.

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1 minute ago, Hereward said:

Fuck. Jinxed him. :(

The powers of this thread remain alive and well!

I see Root is onto 160* - making a big score as opposed to his usual (admittedly very reliable) half centuries.

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4 hours ago, TheLastWolf said:

Thakur and Sundar have taken one each, and it's not single digit streaking Warner. That's Siraj. Thakur is a bit expensive but takes wickets with regularity in limited overs and first class. Csk. The other two Tamilians are a Pongal gift to the southern fans after the other Tamil, Ash retired with injury. Nattu was great in his limited overs debut and Washi is washi. Consistent. Economic. Takes wickets with ease. 

Kuldeep can't hold for long in tests. Like Chahal. 

Washington keeps the line and length simple yet sharply consistent with variations and bounce thanks to his height. 

Edit 

Damn, I'll post new 

274/5

Thakur scalped just one and was expensive and 'experts' predicted he'd be better than Nattu who bagged two on his test debut first innings. Washi one. Siraj one 

Andy one more injury to add to india's list. Saini 

SMH 

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That was actually a pretty tidy performance from India's second attack. Fielding let them down a bit again, but five wickets and less than 300 runs is actually pretty good on the 'Gabba Day 1, after losing the toss. 

I just wonder without Bumrah how well they'll be able to mop up Australia's reasonably strong lower order. Aus could still get 400+ quite easily.

Root - the monkey is off his back (again!) But last time he made a daddy hundred (226 against NZ) he then followed up with a long string of double figure scores and unconverted 50s... 

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20 hours ago, Paxter said:

It was almost comical because of the sheer variety of bad dismissals. Reverse sweeping, clean bowleds, chips in the air. And then the ricochet onto the stumps...

I think the only thing they were missing was a run-out while both batsmen glare at each other at the same end.

12 hours ago, Hereward said:

Don’t throw this away now, Dan. Keeping everything crossed for a debut century.

He did look very assured for someone in their first innings. It looks like there might be quite a bit of competition for middle-order spots once everyone is available.

12 hours ago, Hereward said:

Worth trying to find Mickey Arthur’s tantrum when Root was rightly given not out after hitting the ball into the ground, back on to his glove and into the fielder’s hands. Very entertaining!

I'll admit I was also a bit confused, but I feel Mickey Arthur should probably know the rules better than I do.

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