Anyone for cricket?

[Cards13 9,117]

We're 2 nil up in a 4 game series and we're in no danger of losing this test ...

What the hell are you worried about TD?

I swear you must worry about getting worried

I'm more worried about us losing it Macca, they look in total control and is there spinner can jag a few and keep our 2nd dig low enough with enough time... Indians massive show.

New ball about to be taken, big couple of sessions to come in the heat.

Geee wizz they look so comfortable. Kohli and Rahane at ease.

[Macca 16,648]

I'm more worried about us losing it Macca, they look in total control and is there spinner can jag a few and keep our 2nd dig low enough with enough time... Indians massive show.

New ball about to be taken, big couple of sessions to come in the heat.

Geee wizz they look so comfortable. Kohli and Rahane at ease.

The new ball may well sort them out ... if they're 5/430 odd at stumps I might start to get a little concerned. Even if that happened I still believe we'd hold the whip hand. They have to try and win the game whereas we've still got the option of the draw.

In other words ... relax, we've got this

Edit: How did Lyon drop that? I guess we've all dropped one of a similar nature but you don't often see one dropped like that at test level - crikey!

[Cards13 9,117]

2 dropped catches... Kills us!

[Macca 16,648]

hello ... we picked up a wicket!

Edit: ... and we've dropped another one.

Edit (II) ... and we've finally caught one ... 5 down now.

... the match is nicely poised

[jazza 1,323]

2 dropped catches... Kills us!

That last ripper from haddin.

Not sure if he doesnt trust the bloke at first slip.

Or he doesnt realise there is a first slip.

[Macca 16,648]

Aussies end the day on top ... any sort of half decent lead on the 1st innings when batting first is generally an advantage considering the other mob usually have to bat last (and often on the 5th day and often on a wearing pitch)

Even a lead of 50 can be very handy especially if we can knock up 280-350+ when we bat for a 2nd time.

Anyway, I now expect us to go on and win the match and take a 3 nil lead in the series.

That last ripper from haddin.

Not sure if he doesnt trust the bloke at first slip.

Or he doesnt realise there is a first slip.

2 great catches jazza - the earlier one was almost a carbon copy of that last one.

He's had another terrific day behind the stumps ... we just need him to start making more runs with the bat. His knock in the 1st innings was a step in the right direction.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Macca

[Cards13 9,117]

That last ripper from haddin.

Not sure if he doesnt trust the bloke at first slip.

Or he doesnt realise there is a first slip.

Geebus that Watto fella needs to learn he was too wide for Haddins first take and too wide all day, had to fit his ego next to Haddin I guess.

India have sh it the bed and let us back in, the pitch is a highway and they were in total control. Dhoni on borrowed time. Kholi the angry Sihk, aren't they all, is breathing down his neck.

Draw looms for mine.

[Macca 16,648]

Geebus that Watto fella needs to learn he was too wide for Haddins first take and too wide all day, had to fit his ego next to Haddin I guess.

India have sh it the bed and let us back in, the pitch is a highway and they were in total control. Dhoni on borrowed time. Kholi the angry Sihk, aren't they all, is breathing down his neck.

Draw looms for mine.

It's generally up to the keeper to set the slips up ... also, if the first slip has to go too far to his left to take the catch it's either the keepers catch or the 1st slip is too wide. Again, more so the keeper was at fault for not setting up the slips properly.

The captain should be on top of things as well - it was a bush league error. Mind you, Haddin had a great day all the same. I suppose the good outweighs the bad.

[Cards13 9,117]

Macca you make your own choices on the field. He was loose all day.

By the by, I think his bowling is under-rated and he should be a bowling all rounder not a batting all rounder.

[Macca 16,648]

Macca you make your own choices on the field. He was loose all day.

By the by, I think his bowling is under-rated and he should be a bowling all rounder not a batting all rounder.

Well I played a lot of cricket and often fielded in the slips and it's up to the keeper to get the stagger right (both in the spacing and the depth) ... if Watson was "loose" as you say, it's up to Haddin to pull him into line (so to speak)

I think it's just another reason for the knockers to slag off at Watson again.

It shouldn't have been his catch.

Agree with you on the batting/bowling bit with Watson though - he's a no.6 who has batted too high in the test team ... the ODI's confuses the issue because he opens up in that form of the game ... let's not forget that Mark Waugh and Gilly used to open in the ODI's as well ... you wouldn't have either of those 2 open the batting in test matches.

[Cards13 9,117]

Well I played a lot of cricket and often fielded in the slips and it's up to the keeper to get the stagger right (both in the spacing and the depth) ... if Watson was "loose" as you say, it's up to Haddin to pull him into line (so to speak)

I think it's just another reason for the knockers to slag off at Watson again.

It shouldn't have been his catch.

Agree with you on the batting/bowling bit with Watson though - he's a no.6 who has batted too high in the test team ... the ODI's confuses the issue because he opens up in that form of the game ... let's not forget that Mark Waugh and Gilly used to open in the ODI's as well ... you wouldn't have either of those 2 open the batting in test matches.

Keeper says but as someone who like yourself has played behind the stumps you also need to make your own judgements on pace, bounce of the bowler/pitch on your positioning.

So looking fwd to tomorrow play, it can go either way from here. Both teams have weakness within the batting but it is such a perfect batting deck I think the draw is more likely. It still hasn't turned a great deal but days 2-3 are the best to bat at the G with the rubbish drop ins.

[Macca 16,648]

Keeper says but as someone who like yourself has played behind the stumps you also need to make your own judgements on pace, bounce of the bowler/pitch on your positioning.

So looking fwd to tomorrow play, it can go either way from here. Both teams have weakness within the batting but it is such a perfect batting deck I think the draw is more likely. It still hasn't turned a great deal but days 2-3 are the best to bat at the G with the rubbish drop ins.

The odd bit is that Haddin let that one go to Watson's left which Watto dropped but went after the other 2 (and caught them brilliantly) when both those 2 other edges were going comfortably to Watson's midriff (or thereabouts) One of the 2 might have even been going to Watson's right.

Again, it's the keepers call but the keeper has to be consistent otherwise the 1st slip can become hesitant or move late (which may have been the issue with the Watson dropped catch) I mainly stood at 2nd slip but one thing's for sure, an understanding needs to be adhered to in the slips. Like the catcher in baseball, the keeper in cricket has more to do than some might think. Again, 1 or 2 errors doesn't mean Haddin didn't have a terrific day behind the stumps.

Agree with you generally on the drop in wickets ... the wickets around the country used to have far more distinct characteristics ... the Gabba was more of a green top, Perth had ridiculous bounce, the Adelaide track used to turn a lot more, Sydney would turn as well but often really helped the quicks on days 1 and 2. Are all the tracks drop ins these days?

For years, the MCG wicket was a low, slow, deadish wicket ... this current one is so much better to bat on but you're right, the tracks have a neutral (ish) feel about them these days. I reckon the drop in wickets have improved a bit though - the MCG wicket drop in wickets had "trampoline" bounce there for a few years.

I can remember the Aussies being 4/92 at tea on day 1 against South Africa at the MCG about 15 or so years ago - the ball just wasn't coming on to the bat. Here's the match I'm talking about Cards (note the scoring rates)

Edited December 28, 2014 by Macca

[gsmith12 491]

The Indian out fielding was appalling in our first dig as was their catching.

Whilst Haddin took two rippers he also put down two easy chances and Lyon's effort was laughable, as Bill Lawry said 'a ten year old would not miss that chance'.

For a team that has taken great pride with their work in the field for many years, we need to lift our game.

[MadAsHell 4,209]

Those dropped catches by Lyon & Watson really could come back to haunt us now.

Even with a lead of 50 odd runs, if India knock us over for about 200 they are the ones then in total control, and after our batting in the 2nd dig at the GABBA I'm far from convinced we've got this. We're slightly ahead in the game, but it's still up for grabs.

Well done to Haddin on his two great catches, Rhino for a great bowling performance and Nathan Lyon for moving into outright second for our all time leading off spin wicket taker, but I hope between Melbounre & Sydney a lot of work is done on our fielding.

[Cards13 9,117]

Potential for a little rain today as well.

[MadAsHell 4,209]

Potential for a little rain today as well.

I don't mind if they loose a day's play. Suits us well actually.

[hardtack 10,425]

Sad to see no-one saying anything positive about Kholi's superb knock. I actually took some pleasure from him not taking a backward step against both Johnson's bowling and aggression. The match is set-up for a very interesting final two days... a draw is obviously the most likely outcome now, but if either side collapses in a heap in their second innings (something both have proven that they are very capable of doing), there could still be a result.

[Cards13 9,117]

Was a great partnership from both of the Indian bats, outstanding in fact. Really enjoyed watching it but we let it last to long with the dropped catches.

Kholi has been a joy to watch all series.

Now enjoying Warner having a flash.

[titan_uranus 24,680]

Ridiculously huge turn around in this game. From 3/409 India lost 7/56 - some were saying they could push on through today to end up 150-200 in front and then have a go at bowling us out on Day 5, but instead we're now 112 runs in front with 10 wickets in hand and two days to come (with some rain it seems).

Kohli and Rahane both played beautiful innings (though both were dropped and should have been caught), they kept our bowlers away nicely. Once we had someone else to bowl to at the other end though Harris and Johnson came to life a bit more.

[gsmith12 491]

Sad to see no-one saying anything positive about Kholi's superb knock. I actually took some pleasure from him not taking a backward step against both Johnson's bowling and aggression. The match is set-up for a very interesting final two days... a draw is obviously the most likely outcome now, but if either side collapses in a heap in their second innings (something both have proven that they are very capable of doing), there could still be a result.

That was the third great innings of the series by Kohli, no doubt he is a great talent, however it's difficult to heap praise on someone who gobs off for the wrong reasons.

Johnson had every right to throw the stumps down as Kohli was out of his crease and Kohli took the course of action any cricketer worth his salt would do and stayed in the line between the stumps and the fieldsman.

He was hit, so what, cop it and get on with the game.

Virat has far more aggro than is healthy for his game.

Meanwhile we lead by 112 with all second innings wickets intact and in the ascendancy.

[Cards13 9,117]

Marsh needs a big one here, we are sh I ting the bed here. Still a ridiculously flat track with very little in it and we are 5- not many only 240 in front.

Lot of talk out on the ground, love it. Hopefully we show the likes of Kholi up. It has gone from us looking like a draw and a series win was on the cards to India now in front.

[Macca 16,648]

Marsh needs a big one here, we are sh I ting the bed here. Still a ridiculously flat track with very little in it and we are 5- not many only 240 in front.

Lot of talk out on the ground, love it. Hopefully we show the likes of Kholi up. It has gone from us looking like a draw and a series win was on the cards to India now in front.

India have had their chances right throughout this series.

I wonder whether they'll take their chance this time?

[Cards13 9,117]

India have had their chances right throughout this series.

I wonder whether they'll take their chance this time?

Haven't they, if they had a tail and didnt let ours go on with it each innings it might be 2-0 the other way.

The stupid T20 glide has claimed a few this match.

[Macca 16,648]

Haven't they, if they had a tail and didnt let ours go on with it each innings it might be 2-0 the other way.

The stupid T20 glide has claimed a few this match.

I thought that was the "one day cricket" glide? :-)

I guess we've got to get a t20 reference in somehow!

[Cards13 9,117]

I thought that was the "one day cricket" glide? :-)

I guess we've got to get a t20 reference in somehow!

When 40yr olds are still start players of the game it's lost me.

Need this partnership to stick.