Cricket- the sport not the insect

[ramjambunath]

How's the pitch? Early season moist slowish pitch or normal Saffer wicket.

If it's a normal pitch, Johnson will fire today (if I say it enough times, I will soon be correct). Real prediction- Siddle or Cummins (but I think the latter will be unlikely).

 

[craig1985]

I must admit I was sort of hoping the WI would at least make India bat again. Losing by 10 wickets is better than losing by an innings IMO.

 

[ramjambunath]

That's ****. They crumbled again 6 wickets in 62 runs. Maybe they still need a Brendan Nash in the team.

On a bit of a different note, Kirk Edwards has a very bad technique and will not succeed against high quality bowling. His bat comes around from the 3/4th slip or gully direction and he plays the ball in front of him, a million ways to get out with that technique.

 

[craig1985]

Pat Cummins to bowl his first ball...

 

[ramjambunath]

Any swing from either?

 

[craig1985]

That's ****. They crumbled again 6 wickets in 62 runs. Maybe they still need a Brendan Nash in the team.

On a bit of a different note, Kirk Edwards has a very bad technique and will not succeed against high quality bowling. His bat comes around from the 3/4th slip or gully direction and he plays the ball in front of him, a million ways to get out with that technique.

They could do with a Sarwan and if only Chris Gayle would comeback into the fold. There's no way Brathwaite should be playing Test cricket at his age. What do you think of Bishoo as a spinner? Having a fit again Jerome Taylor would be a big help (I saw him score that random century v NZ and believe me, I wasn't happy seeing that).

For mine (if Taylor is not fit, but Gayle, Sarwan, and Nash were back in the team):

Gayle
Barath
Sarwan
Dwayne Bravo
Chanderpaul
Nash
+ Baugh
Sammy
Roach
Edwards
Bishoo

 

[craig1985]

Watson goes off injured.

 

[ramjambunath]

Power back early (compared to last couple of weeks).

What happened to Watson?

They could do with a Sarwan and if only Chris Gayle would comeback into the fold. There's no way Brathwaite should be playing Test cricket at his age. What do you think of Bishoo as a spinner? Having a fit again Jerome Taylor would be a big help (I saw him score that random century v NZ and believe me, I wasn't happy seeing that).

For mine (if Taylor is not fit, but Gayle, Sarwan, and Nash were back in the team):

Gayle
Barath
Sarwan
Dwayne Bravo
Chanderpaul
Nash
+ Baugh
Sammy
Roach
Edwards
Bishoo

Batting's fine but I'd have Chanderpaul at 4 and Nash 5, Bravo at 6. Bowling- Sammy Edwards Rampaul and Bishoo. Rampaul in the past year has been very good while Roach's form just went from bad to worse. Also, I'm not yet fully convinced by Baugh (he hasn't done anything wrong) so Ramdin is on the shortlist as well.

I like Bishoo, he's a decent spinner and what's clear from his action and release is he has a lot more improvement to do. He still doesn't control the turn with the same degree as Warne/MacGill (it's tough when the two previous leggies would both be legends if they had full careers) but his wrist position allows for quite some natural variations.

Kallis taking Lyon to the cleaners.

 

[Ferminal]

Why wouldn't you have Darren Bravo?

 

[craig1985]

Because I had a brain fade and who I meant.

<facepalm.jpeg.

As for Watson, it's his hamstring.

 

[ramjambunath]

Why wouldn't you have Darren Bravo?

Forgot him. Weird that two of us made the same mistake. Darren Bravo in for Nash

 

[auscyclefan94]

Great to know that one of the best allrounders of all time is firing.

 

[craig1985]

Kallis brings up 12,000 Test runs.

EDIT: And is now out the next ball.

 

[ramjambunath]

Kallis gone. Too many shots? Great player though.

 

[auscyclefan94]

As good as it was to see Kallis going crazy at the crease, it was ultimately a selfish innings.

 

[ramjambunath]

Awful shot from Amla. Congratulations to Cummins, first wicket.

Edit: Only wickets Australia are getting are through awful shots, Prince this time. Lyon gets his third wicket since the first innings in Galle.

Cummins! What a catch by him. De Villiers with a poor pull shot. 6/243, Siddle with the wicket.

7 down. The Philanderer is gone for a duck lbw plumb. Lyon's second.

8 down. Boucher gone, top edge pull shot to fine leg. Good catch by Lyon. 8/245.

9 down. Morkel edges to Watson (who's been on the field for some time) at first slip of Michael Clarke. Bring on a fast bowler next over (bad light), there's no need to bat tonight. 9/258, they were 4/241.

 

[ramjambunath]

Saffers all out for 266. Crazy collapse again, 6/25.

 

[Ferminal]

Amazing how they threw their innings away.

 

[ramjambunath]

Luck's been on Australia's side today, on another day Watson could have been out a few times and Hughes was out but not referred. They deserve it though after it deserted them a bit in the last match. 0/105

 

[craig1985]

I feel Australia will post a massive score and surely Ponting has to fire with the bat eventually.

 

[ramjambunath]

Ponting's been as much out of luck as out of form, a bit like Strauss in 06-07 he's been on the end of a few bad decisions and some exceptional fielding. If the openers stay another 10 overs, the Saffers should be in for a massive toil (if Australia bat sensibly).
Tahir into the attack.

Edit: With that shot I think Watson's injury can't be too serious.

 

[craig1985]

If South Africa had batted with a bit more sense, hell they would still be batting right now.

 

[ramjambunath]

True, there was more than one Haddin dismissal in their innings. Cringeworthy batting. De Villiers backed the batting up with a stupid interview pre play today and said that there's no place for defensive play in tests nowadays.

Referral, not out.

 

[craig1985]

I think de Villiers has been playing too much T20.

 

[craig1985]

I would take Paul Harris over Imran Tahir , at least Harris is not a total bunny like Tahir. At lunch Australia is 0/169.