Anyone for cricket?

[H_T 3,049]

Australia 88 & 136/2 (41.0 ov)

Pakistan 258

Australia trail by 34 runs with 8 wickets remaining

Stumps - Day 2

I reckon Pakistan can still conjure a loss in this Test. It will be credit to their professsionalism and their bookmaker.

Just remarkable. What a sham of a outfit they are.

Good call. Get on the Aussies people.

[45HG 1,559]

We're favourites on sportingbet.

[titan_uranus 25,255]

Lets face it the teams been in decline for the last 5 years and the selectors have done little to nothing about it. Continuing to play their favourites and not giving players who could become stars of the future a decent run when they hit the slightest form slump.

Hussey & Ponting are well and truely past their best, I can understand why Ponting just holds his spot but there's no excuse for Hussey. For those who will remind me of Hussey's century at the SCG and the last Ashes series, they're his only two decent scores in about 30-40 innings, you give any first class batsmen that amount of innings and they should be able to score 2 centuries at least. Then when it comes to Marcus North the less said the better IMO.

Phil Hughes needs to be given much more of a run as should Cameron White in the middle order. He averages over 40 with the bat at state level, can bowl handy leggies and IMO is our best suited player to becoming captain (probably reason why they don't play him so Clarke can get the job).

I believe Ponting & Hussey should be given this years Ashes as farwell series and thenm look to replace them with White and maybe Callum Ferguson who I believe has the goods. As for North I'd be dropping him imediatley for Hughes. Here's what I believe is Australia's best XII post this years coming Ashes.

P. Hughes

S. Katich

C. Ferguson

M. Clarke (vc)

C. White ©

S. Watson

B. Haddin

M. Johnson

N. Hauritz

B. Hilfenhaus

D. Bollinger

12th Man P. Siddle

On the whole not a bad post, and I agree with your team. I'd be shifting Watson down the order for the Ashes and playing Hughes. Yes, he struggled in last year's Ashes against the short stuff, but surely he's worked on that by now. Too talented not to be in the side.

Watson's batting is OK, his bowling is now a lot better, and if he's going to be bowling considerable amounts of overs he shouldn't be opening the batting, it's a bit too taxing for someone with his history of injuries. I'd look to dropping North, who just doesn't stand up when the team needs him.

As replacements for Hussey and Ponting I can think of no better pair than White and Ferguson.

Edited July 23, 2010 by titan_uranus

[MadAsHell 4,217]

Had just been doing some research on our current dismal batting performances. So far in Marcus North's 15+ test career he's averaging about 37 with the bat, Hussey has been averaging 38 in his last 25 test matches and even Ponting is only averaging 41 in his last 25 tests. This is simply not good enough and the fact that the selectors have allowed this to run for so long is not good enough, especially considering Brad Hodge was dropped with a batting average in the high 40's or even low 50's after 5 tests.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Its worse for North if you measure the last 12 months. His spot is the most dicey.

Its all part of the concern for the Ashes coming up. Within the Test team for the first time in over 20 years we do not have any elite performing players. It would be interesting to see Clarke's averages since England. Suffered a bad bingle and his batting has suffered. I think only Watson and Katich may have respectable numbers.

[titan_uranus 25,255]

Its all part of the concern for the Ashes coming up. Within the Test team for the first time in over 20 years we do not have any elite performing players. It would be interesting to see Clarke's averages since England. Suffered a bad bingle and his batting has suffered. I think only Watson and Katich may have respectable numbers.

Averages since the end of the Ashes (thus the series against the West Indies and Pakistan at home, New Zealand away, and Pakistan in England):

Katich - 61.93

Clarke - 57.46

Watson - 46.87

Hussey - 44.26

Ponting - 40.05

North - 30.26

[QueenC 74]

You have to laugh!! B)

.....Or you'll cry !!!

[titan_uranus 25,255]

One of, if not the, best ball I've seen since the Gatting ball was from Swann to Farhat in the recent Test. You can see it in the video in this article: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/the-english-ball-of-the-century-20100810-11wcb.html?autostart=1

The two can't really be compared as the bowling styles and circumstances were quite different but Swann's is still a beauty.

[45HG 1,559]

Oh. My. God.

England 5-47, 7-102 are now 7-346.

Broad and Trott with centuries.

Anything's possible when Pakistan play.

[45HG 1,559]

Strike me down with an air guitar.

They ended up putting on 332 for the 8th wicket! The highest ever stand for that wicket. Broad making 169.

But wait, there's more.

In reply the Pakis made a whopping...74! And after being forced to follow on are currently 4-41.

Broad has 3-19 for the match.

Indeed, take out the 332 and the match tally stands at Pakistan 14-115 and England 9-114. 23-229.

Edited August 29, 2010 by 45HG16

[titan_uranus 25,255]

Read this:

184, 169, 26, 22, 21, 13, 13, 10, 10, 10, 6, 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

The scores of all the dismissed batsmen in this test.

It's really hard to work out exactly how Broad and Trott managed to make those scores, when in every other partnership the ball has dominated.

[H_T 3,049]

Strike me down with an air guitar.

They ended up putting on 332 for the 8th wicket! The highest ever stand for that wicket. Broad making 169.

But wait, there's more.

In reply the Pakis made a whopping...74! And after being forced to follow on are currently 4-41.

Broad has 3-19 for the match.

Indeed, take out the 332 and the match tally stands at Pakistan 14-115 and England 9-114. 23-229.

Read this:

184, 169, 26, 22, 21, 13, 13, 10, 10, 10, 6, 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

The scores of all the dismissed batsmen in this test.

It's really hard to work out exactly how Broad and Trott managed to make those scores, when in every other partnership the ball has dominated.

Fixed ?

[H_T 3,049]

Anything's possible when Pakistan play.

Spot on 45. The last 48 hrs has been quite revealing.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Strike me down with an air guitar.

Cute.

Spot on 45. The last 48 hrs has been quite revealing.

Do you think so?

Just confirmation about what we all suspected was happening.

I am not sure ICC has the will or the integrity to do anything about it. The ICC is controlled (owned) by India who use Sri Lanka, Pakistan and B'desh voting blick for its purposes.

I just cant see Indians seeking/wanting to delve in and change Paki cricket politics.

And meanwhile 20 million Pakistanis sit around with no home, impoverished and awaiting AID.....

I cant see the Pakistani Govt getting distracting over reforming a corrupt arm given the problems they have.

[WonnaJurah 5]

the team should donate the matchfixing money to the people affected by the floods. Really ruins that comeback vs Pakistan, though apperently the keeper butterfingers isnt involved in it

now it gets serious

Players could face death penalty

Edited August 31, 2010 by WonnaJurah

[titan_uranus 25,255]

Let's be honest about what's happened at Lord's. Mohammad Amir is 18. He earns something like $35,000, where for any other country he'd earn in the hundreds of thousands. A man offers him money to do nothing other than bowl a few no-balls. Not to deliberately drop a catch, or give a wicket away, or try not to take wickets. Just to bowl 2 or 3 no-balls. Sure, it's the wrong thing, and it's corrupt, but in my mind it's not match-fixing per se. Outside of those no-balls he did what he was expected to do, which was to take wickets. He did take 6 of them.

Match-fixing is one thing. Bowling no-balls is another, and whilst it's corrupt and wrong, and he should be punished, I see the kid's reasoning. Hopefully we don't over-react to this if this is all he is guilty of, and he can learn from this mistake and continue what will be a fine career.

This is, of course, separate to the possible (and likely) rigging of the Sydney test. Amir didn't play in that Test, but I would be fairly confident that the Pakistanis threw that match for money. Possibly Salman Butt fixed the Hobart match, too. But I want to defend Amir until I'm proven wrong, I think he is just too young to fully understand what he did and he is poor enough to do what is asked of him for extra cash.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Its all about the culture of taking money to create outcomes. Whether it is one ball or one match it demeans your country, your opponent the spectators and all involved with cricket. Its a malignant cancer that has been knowingly allowed to flourish by the PCB and the ICC.

The offending players should be punished. But the problem extends higher up. In total, the last six Pakistan captains have either been caught red handed or have heavy and reasonable suspicion of being on the take. The PCB is rotten from the top down.

And its the same clowns in the ICC that railroaded Australia's appointment to the ICC Chair that have overseen this disaster.

[H_T 3,049]

Its all about the culture of taking money to create outcomes. Whether it is one ball or one match it demeans your country, your opponent the spectators and all involved with cricket. Its a malignant cancer that has been knowingly allowed to flourish by the PCB and the ICC.

The offending players should be punished. But the problem extends higher up. In total, the last six Pakistan captains have either been caught red handed or have heavy and reasonable suspicion of being on the take. The PCB is rotten from the top down.

And its the same clowns in the ICC that railroaded Australia's appointment to the ICC Chair that have overseen this disaster.

Indeed !

RR, I think harsh penalties should be implemented and actioned immediately by the ICC. But their inaction record suggests otherwise, so I'm not holding my breath. And if so fraudulent behaviour has been verified, perhaps imprisonment should follow. I heard Malcolm Speed suggest this yesterday after he referred to the outcomes from the Cronje, Azhuriddin ?(spell) cases.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Indeed !

RR, I think harsh penalties should be implemented and actioned immediately by the ICC. But their inaction record suggests otherwise, so I'm not holding my breath. And if so fraudulent behaviour has been verified, perhaps imprisonment should follow. I heard Malcolm Speed suggest this yesterday after he referred to the outcomes from the Cronje, Azhuriddin ?(spell) cases.

There is no doubt fraud at the high levels of cricket administration in the sub continent. Many of the senior appointments have had chronic conflicts of interest where the interest of cricket are aligned to their own commercial interests. At the country level, Africa and the sub continent are filled with Government lackeys, opportunities and in a couple of cases, crooks. The ICC member reaction to Australia's appointment to the ICC Chair was systematic of where the problems are. i suggest Malcolm Speed knows alot more than he is telling...for good reason.

[MadAsHell 4,217]

It wont happen but I'd love to see Australia and England make a huge stand and try and take the game back World Series Cricket style.

Australia, England & New Zealand should dispand from the ICC, try and bring South Africa & West Indies across with them and intergrate Ireland to International status in their own 6 nations comp (Ireland dominate all the lower ranked countries in all forms of the game.)

They could start their own 6 nations International cricket commitee and start taking the game in the right direction. Hopefully in time Sri Lanka & Bangladesh may even come across and the game can rid itself of the cancer that is Indian and Pakistani cricket that is a huge blight on the game!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

It wont happen but I'd love to see Australia and England make a huge stand and try and take the game back World Series Cricket style.

Australia, England & New Zealand should dispand from the ICC, try and bring South Africa & West Indies across with them and intergrate Ireland to International status in their own 6 nations comp (Ireland dominate all the lower ranked countries in all forms of the game.)

They could start their own 6 nations International cricket commitee and start taking the game in the right direction. Hopefully in time Sri Lanka & Bangladesh may even come across and the game can rid itself of the cancer that is Indian and Pakistani cricket that is a huge blight on the game!

There is a reason why it wont happen. India controls at least 70% of the revenues derived form the game. It is the elephant in the room of world cricket. Australia and England are minnow.

IPL should clearly demonstrate who calls the shots in the game. And you can forget Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket as their cricket councils are effectively financed by Indian cricket and its commercial arrangements.

Your proposal would send the game further backwards at a greater pace than what is happening now.

At this time, cricket needs unity of action not the disintegration bred from discontent.

[MadAsHell 4,217]

There is a reason why it wont happen. India controls at least 70% of the revenues derived form the game. It is the elephant in the room of world cricket. Australia and England are minnow.

IPL should clearly demonstrate who calls the shots in the game. And you can forget Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket as their cricket councils are effectively financed by Indian cricket and its commercial arrangements.

Your proposal would send the game further backwards at a greater pace than what is happening now.

At this time, cricket needs unity of action not the disintegration bred from discontent.

Your right RR, that's why although it's something I'd like to see I'm well aware that it wont happen.

There just seems to be no end in sight the this great game spiraling down the sink while India holds a monopoly over everyone else.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Your right RR, that's why although it's something I'd like to see I'm well aware that it wont happen.

There just seems to be no end in sight the this great game spiraling down the sink while India holds a monopoly over everyone else.

I understand your sentiments and feel the same way. But I think we need to work through the existing system.

[H_T 3,049]

There just seems to be no end in sight the this great game spiraling down the sink while India holds a monopoly over everyone else.

I understand your sentiments and feel the same way. But I think we need to work through the existing system.

Feel the same way. Certainly frustrating as an avid participant and fan of Cricket.

[titan_uranus 25,255]

To move on from the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Pakistan, the squad for our two tests in India has been announced:

Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (vice-capt), Doug Bollinger, Peter George, Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazlewood, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Marcus North, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith and Shane Watson.

Hughes was named, a good thing IMO. I hope he gets a game somehow (would it be too much to ask for North to be dropped?) and makes some runs, I still reckon he's going to be a good player and thus should be getting time in the team.