Location: A civilised little County..with a bit of eccentricity to boot
Posts: 674
" I look forward to Krystal making comment on the rather splendid performance on one Stuart Broad in this 2nd Test. He really does make a difference to the make up of the England team when he plays"
Well since you asked surely, I invite you to read your own answer...
He's improved ie, not the same petulant prat, but, and it's a big but...IF he wants to be classed as a genuine all rounder..the brain now needs to be engaged....have a look at the "I can hit this into the Persian Gulf" shot in the previous match..
One also note that a Mr P ( bowler spin ) who attracted your castigation a while back, in contrast to ones support, didn't do too badly....now did he ?
In this age of transparency however, I feel a full and open investigation is required as to the evident close correlation between England's recent performances and the subsequent profits increase posted by various Australian alcohol producers and distributors.....
"Dear Andy
I have a few days leave left this year and am willing, for a suitable remuneration package, to come out of retirement for the next Test.
Yours,
K n C
PS, next doors cat is also available as it could probably do a better job than the 11 two legged manequins currently masquerading as a Test team. "
First of all, a big thank you to the English team. I don't feel as bad about my team now, we're not the only ones who are surrendering in an abject manner.
That said... I'm not sure if there is anything for me to say. I don't mind losing, I mind the nature of losing a lot. And two consecutive overseas 0-4s are not easy to process in my head. In the last two tours before these series our record in England was 1-2 and 1-0, and in Australia was 1-1 and 1-2. Both times hard fought, competitive and though we didn't always win, we could pinpoint one or two frailties at best.
We're going through the same patch, IMO, as Aussie supporters went post 2007. Some good signs but unwilling to accept that the writing was on the wall for a few players. Maybe we need to wipe things over with a bleach-soaked rag and start with only one or two names on the team sheet.
Maybe we need a massive break from cricket - yeah like that's gonna happen.
I could go over the list of where exactly we failed but it would be a very long post, it would not cover any new ground that you folks don't know of and most importantly, it won't do good for my mood. So I accept any and every barb at my team and players, they're mostly utterly deserved.
If there's only one rant I'd like to make it's that this team selection pisses me off as a fan of Bombay cricket. Bombay's team lost in the domestic semis - with its best middle-order player (Rohit Sharma) and one opening batsman (Ajinkya Rahane) not getting to play a single ball of test cricket while on international duty. There is also the small matter of Zaheer being shoehorned into the team for two games before the Aus tour and so upsetting its balance... another year, another trophy lost
All Australia has done is 'fix' their bowling attack. Something we have been calling for (vis-a-vis Mitchell Johnston) for for ages. The keeper is still Hellen Keller in a green cap and take out the resurgence of Ponting and Clarke and what do we have in the top 6? Pretenders. Of the Nos1-7 in the Indian and Australian lineups, of those 14 players only 2 failed to get a 100 run aggregate in 4 tests. Haddin 86 (42no came in the 1st innings at Adelaide) and Marsh 17 (avge 2.83). Australia aren't out of the woods by a mile.
Hey pom-mates whats going on with England? The spear chucker chimed in but you were largely rolled (chasing a princely 145) by a Monty 'Lazarus' Panesar like regulation leftie.
Maybe Bell, KP and Morgan need their white canes embossed with the 3 lions and crown?
Anyone got a video of the lads doing 'the sprinkler' dance in the UAE?
Lucky you jailed Amir for 6 months and the ICC banned him until 2016 (he will be 23 on re-eligibility and he is too gifted to remain out) otherwise you'd really be in trouble. 2010/11 seems so long ago.
Quote:
Alastair Cook tried to work Mohammad Hafeez into the legside against the spin and chipped a gentle return catch off a leading edge. It was the least that Pakistan deserved because he should have been out leg before three balls earlier. Only Adnan Akmal, the wicketkeeper, was convinced that it was out and by then his incessant appealing had started to wash over everybody, his team-mates included. Ian Bell's woes against Ajmal's doosra have wrecked his series. This time he got out to a trick shot, trying to dead bat a doosra but contriving to pop it through his own legs onto the stumps. He left looking to the heavens, an accomplished batsman suddenly Little Boy Lost again. (LMAO at that last line)
Aficionados of Kevin Pietersen's supposed fallibility against left-arm spin of any quality will find fresh evidence in the way he played outside Rehman's arm ball. Pietersen's recourse to DRS was overturned, the ball shown to be clipping the top of middle, and he trudged off with the air of a man about to fashion an excuse first and a technique later.
That left Eoin Morgan, reputedly one of England's best players of spin, a reputation that owes everything to adventurous innings in one-day cricket. The pressure of Test cricket demanded a reassessment as he edged onto the back foot as Rehman turned one back slightly and was bowled past a horribly angled blade.
England's plight could have been worse if Strauss had been given out caught off bat and pad at short leg by Azhar Ali off Rehman. Strauss, on 16, was blessed as the umpires turned to the third umpire, Billy Bowden, to check if the ball had carried and Bowden, in a pernickety decision that defied common sense, responded that he could not be certain. It was impossible to see where his doubt had arisen.
But Strauss was unable to organise prolonged resistance. He made 32, more than half England's runs, produced virtually England's only moment of authority when he swept Rehman for four and then fell to the next ball as he was lbw, caught on the back foot. England challenged the decision and lost their second review.
If Trott had produced heroics, the Test would have forever been dubbed Trott's Trots. Perhaps it was just as well he did not. He might have been run out on nought when he angled Rehman to backward point and was late setting off for a run and soon fell to one from Rehman that straightened, another England batsman pinned on the back foot.
Rehman bowled Broad through the gate two balls later to quell thoughts that he might repeat his first-innings adventure and the mopping up of the England tail was a formality.
Can't wait for the third test!
Maybe England can take heart from Sehwag
Quote:
Sehwag said there were no technical flaws with the Indian batsmen, who he said were the main reason why India went down. "I don't think technically there is a fault," he said. "Nobody was working on their technical thing because they think they have played enough cricket and they have experience and they can handle. I think they realised they were making mistakes, and they were trying to not make the same mistakes in the next games."
Location: A civilised little County..with a bit of eccentricity to boot
Posts: 674
" we're not the only ones who are surrendering in an abject manner."
BD...that is tantamount to blasphemy !.....we do not surrender....we simply proceed with a tactical capitulation...... ( how's that for a bit of spin....two criclet puns in one.....sorry..... )
Wish we knew the answer TC....even by our well established pecedents, this one takes some beating.....one looks forward to watching the Windies tour "with interest"....
I'm not intending any offence gents but, looking back at our inept leadership and selections over 8 years, an opportunity arises to kick sand in the face of Indian and English supporters, it must be taken.
It will be short lived, its fool hardy pinning ones hopes on a 4ft 7in slogger, an opener with a concentration span of 20 overs, A No3 who has 'political immunity' but rivals Ben Cousins for party tendencies and chemistry skills, A No6 who is a flat track bully against inept bowling and captaincy and finally, Keeper-Keller.
What does that leave? A resurgent ex captain and formerly flawed current captain carrying the batting line up.
Two batsman, a good bowling attack and a national management only No2 to India in the inept administration by folks who have no idea about cricket awards. I'll keep the Bolli on ice.
TC, one of the drawbacks of Indian culture is that we can't give or take public criticism, especially of those considered higher up in the hierarchy. There's no one out there that will raise their hands and say "You were shite. Now F*** Off" and more's the pity.
No, I have no hope. I'm deliberately keeping expectations at zero, and I might do that for the rest of my life. There are important things to give myself ulcers over than the performance of one cricket team
(and if there is a cricket team I'd get frustrated over, I'd like to be the one playing in it! )
Apologies to historians and my distortion of Menzies' 3rd September 1939 speech...
Fellow Australians, It is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that in consequence of a persistence by Cricket Australia to favour certain individuals, Australia's leading Sheffield Shield run scorer, Peter Forrest, won't be representing Queensland against Western Australia on the 6th February, further Keeper-Keller has been advised that he in the picture for Ashes 2013.
As an avid Australian cricket supporter, cricket ppruner and ex-player I view this as Cricket Australia has declared war upon the knowledgeable cricket aficionado, as a result, I am also at war.
No harder task can fall to the lot of a cricket nut and ppruner than to make such an announcement.
One of those was Forrest, 26, who is leading the Sheffield Shield run tally this summer with 581 at an average of 58.10, justifying his decision last year to head north from New South Wales for greater opportunities. His Ryobi Cup form this season has been less impressive, with 176 runs at 29.33, but Inverarity said it was a matter of giving Forrest a taste of the top level.
"With Peter Forrest, we've been looking and saying there will be some time in, say, the next three years when we're going to be without Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey," Inverarity said. "So we're looking to develop three or four or five young batsmen and invest some opportunity there. Peter Forrest has had a very good Sheffield Shield season thus far, I think it's three centuries that he's made. He's certainly a player at the moment who we're looking for all-round development."
Peter Forrest is 26, in 3 years he'll be 29. In three years 'I can't bat against South Africa or England', Hussey will be on a zimmer frame.
How f*cked are this lot? I want armour on the right flank, an infantry division on the left and artillery on the ridge.
South Africa are sending Krugerrands to the BCCI as we speak.
Where else in the world could you go to a Test Match For free, and 10 minutes later watch Luke Donald, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy tee off on a magnificent golf course, again for free if you were a HSBC customer or wore an article of red clothing. You also recieved a free fold up stool, soft drink and golf accessory pack every day.
Did I mention you could wander the fairways in a Muslim country Beer, Wine, Cider or Champers in hand.
So TC et al, as CG alluded I did the right thing and "TOOK ONE FOR the TEAM".
Last edited by Rule3; 30th Jan 2012 at 14:48.
Reason: Omission
hey Rule 3 don't go telling everyone what a good place Abu Dhabi is or we will have swarms of tourists over here ruining it!!
Fascinating days play in Dubai on the 1st day of the 3rd Test. Bowlers on top a little too much for a 1st days play, but they have made the best of it for sure. Good to see Broad continuing to do well leading the England attack and also nice that Anderson has got some reward at last in this series.
I am not going to make any predictions on the result as they seem to rebound and smack me in the face!
TC, seems you,me and Dean Jones have similar opinions of the "brown nosed dwarf"............from the SMH
Quote:
Dean Jones has it out with Justin Langer: ''After I presented the Test cap to Ed Cowan and the boys got into their warm-ups, the Australian batting coach Justin Langer confronted me regarding my criticism towards him. My belief is that Justin has not improved anyone in the team during his time as batting coach.''
I'll put my head on the block. Couldn't post last night when England were 104/6 now 133/9. Here is what I wanted to type: If England can somehow manufacture a lead of 50 runs they can win, otherwise I think it will be a whitewash. Time will tell.
Location: A civilised little County..with a bit of eccentricity to boot
Posts: 674
"England now building a commanding lead."......
Written, one has to say without even a trace of sarcasm and with ones blood stream completely devoid of alcohol....and based entirely on a reprise of the Pakistan first innings.......
On the other hand, the words dire, inept, useless, ( the latter as this is a family site ) also come to mind....
Please, no kicking the Poms when we are down ( we're very sensitive souls after all ) as it's jolly unsporting.......on the way down is perfectly acceptable however......
It looks a little bumpy for England in the 3rd Test............
On the bright side it seems the pitch might be less full of terrors and dramas. On the cloudy side............. Englands top order can make anyone look like they're bowling on a minefield at the moment.
In the middle of gnashing and wailing about batting and bowling, I almost forget that the cricketers I curse at times are human. I hope he makes a full recovery.
) 
Interesting interview........
