Anyone else enjoying the second test v Sri Lanka?

Have we uncovered a new offie?

Yep, it's been a good day of cricket, Jack. We bowled very well. Same as the first match, where we have been relentless in our bowling discipline. Just over 2 and a half an over during the Sri Lankan innings.

As for Lyon, I think he has a lot of promise. I like the way he is able to drop the ball on the batsmen. Probably needs to develop a bit of variation, but his stock ball shows good signs.

I also thought that Hughes looked very good in the time he and Watson batted before stumps. Very composed against both pace and spin.

England will be no.1 in tests for the next 10 years imo

Not even a pom would believe that .

England will be no.1 in tests for the next 10 years imo

Not even a pom would believe that .

What about Hussey's catch!!!!

Geez. Great performance from Aust. But SL should hang their collective heads in shame. Good batting strip won toss and sloppy batting.

Geez. Great performance from Aust. But SL should hang their collective heads in shame. Good batting strip won toss and sloppy batting.

Trying to play one day/twenty/20 cricket in a test match. Dilshan's not the sort of person that should be their captain and his batting far to ill disciplined and hardly sets a good example for his team mates.

Really like the look of Lyon & Copeland, lets hope they're given a good run at it. Wonder what this means for Siddle?

The rain in the second test may well cost us the series, looking at the way this Test is going.

Sri Lanka have passed our score with 6 wickets in hand. Dilshan and Mathews are set at the crease.

They're going to need to press on and get a significant lead, but we're not bowling well.

Lyon hasn't convinced me yet. Took 5 wickets in his first innings and only 3 since. Not really troubling the Sri Lanka batsmen. Johnson has, yet again, been a disappointment, and Copeland is economical and decent but nowhere near fast enough to be taking the new ball. Siddle is just OK. Harris was superb but is injury prone, which is unfortunate.

Hughes is still crap, Watson's out of form with the bat, so to Clarke, but Marsh's technique should prove to the selectors that people like Hughes and Smith, with ODI/T20 techniques, are not the way to go in Test cricket.

The rain in the second test may well cost us the series, looking at the way this Test is going.

Sri Lanka have passed our score with 6 wickets in hand. Dilshan and Mathews are set at the crease.

They're going to need to press on and get a significant lead, but we're not bowling well.

Lyon hasn't convinced me yet. Took 5 wickets in his first innings and only 3 since. Not really troubling the Sri Lanka batsmen. Johnson has, yet again, been a disappointment, and Copeland is economical and decent but nowhere near fast enough to be taking the new ball. Siddle is just OK. Harris was superb but is injury prone, which is unfortunate.

Hughes is still crap, Watson's out of form with the bat, so to Clarke, but Marsh's technique should prove to the selectors that people like Hughes and Smith, with ODI/T20 techniques, are not the way to go in Test cricket.

Spot on there TU!

I hope we give Lyon time. I do like the look of him. He has truggled since the 1 st test but I reckon he's the best we've got at the moment. I'd like to give him the whole summer to try and settle in, may turn out to be no good but a bit of faith could bring he rewards.

Trent Copeland has the potential to be a McGrath clone but I agree his lack of pace is a worry. Personally for our line & length bowler I'd have both Josh Hazelwood (always injured) and Clint McKay ahead of him. McKay could consider himself unlucky. He's far from express also, but I reckon he does have a bit moer on it then Copeland does.

Siddle as you said is ok but that's it. With Harris injured I can understand why he's getting a game but as soon as Harris is right to go again I'd bring him in. I reckon James Pattinson would be a better option then Siddle also. Different type of bolwer being a swing bowler but has a lot more upside then Siddle.

Johnson is the most annoying bolwe going around. Has the ability to be one of the best but is mentally fragile. I'd like to see Mitchell Starc have a good domestic summe to start putting some pressure on Johnson.

And as far as our batting goes some serious changes need to be made. Watson needs to drop down to at least number 4. His batting's suffering cause of the extra bowling we need him to do I reckon so the sooner we drop him down the order like RSA did with Kallis the better.

Hussey with his technique should move to open the innings IMO along with Marsh. Khalwaja is probably our best option at number 3 seeing as Ponting hasn't passed 50 in his last 9 innings! Clarke to number 5 cause he has to bat somewhere even though he isn't doing it well and Ferguson should bat at 6 I reckon.

There's a lot of issues with the Australian side at the moment. They were unlucky with the weather in the 2nd test but certain areas still need to be addressed.

Hughes is surely pulling off a Marcus North, one career saving innings every 15 tests in order to keep his spot followed by more failure and the cycle repeats. Marsh has shown his quality and Khawaja deserves his spot a lot more than Hughes, hes back for his 3rd spell now and didnt set the world on fire in any of them, I think its time to move on and start building with openers who actually have a technique

Hughes is surely pulling off a Marcus North, one career saving innings every 15 tests in order to keep his spot followed by more failure and the cycle repeats. Marsh has shown his quality and Khawaja deserves his spot a lot more than Hughes, hes back for his 3rd spell now and didnt set the world on fire in any of them, I think its time to move on and start building with openers who actually have a technique

Agreed! Reckon Hussey & Marsh are the way to go at the top of the order for now. But no doubt they'll stick with Hughes for awhile now with his Marcus North impression.

Some other names to consider for the openning position though are Ed Cowan and Nic Maddinson a little further down the track. Both have very good techniques.

Husseys form just shows what a bad decision it was to drop the Kat on age alone. Hilditch was and is the greatest administrating moron ever to foul the ACB and Jame Sutherland doesn't impress me either.

How divisive it is to have meddling amateurs in a professional sports team highlights a lesson for the MFC?

They make us look like the New York Yankees by comparison.

Graham Dilley dies prematurely after an illness. Deserved a longer innings

A sad loss to any ever youthful bowler who was better than Dilley ever gave himself credit for.

RIP and thanks for memories.

http://www.theage.co...1006-1la8y.html

I thought he had a funny action (I know it's no longer pc to call someone a chucker) but his best effort apart from partnering Botham in that remarkable 500/1 recovery was surely this -

.

RIP G.Dilley. Always liked his approach to the crease. Good fast bowler. Deceptively fast.

I really admire Andrew McDonald as a cricketer. But his captaincy???!!!

He was lucky enough to win the toss in the T20 v. Qld. Sent 'em in on a perfect strip. The inevitable happened.Our young side batted under tremendous pressure. We lost to an inferior side.

The Shield Match? Lucky boy!! Won the toss again!! Sent 'em in on a belter! Our guys failed under pressure again , and are now battling for a draw with little hope.

I really admire Andrew McDonald as a cricketer. But his captaincy???!!!

He was lucky enough to win the toss in the T20 v. Qld. Sent 'em in on a perfect strip. The inevitable happened.Our young side batted under tremendous pressure. We lost to an inferior side.

The Shield Match? Lucky boy!! Won the toss again!! Sent 'em in on a belter! Our guys failed under pressure again , and are now battling for a draw with little hope.

Careful Jack your pushing an argument which belongs with the square earth crowd.

It does not matter a jot in T20 whether you bat or bowl because the wicket aint going to change that much.

In the Shield match we could have been playing for a win had we held critical catches and batted better (sans Quiney) in the 2nd dig.

I am not sure Q'land are an inferior side. Victoria has been routed by retirement and injury in the off season.

Rhino.

You could have added some substance to your argument by pointing out "Ronnie's" decision to continue bowling Glenn Maxwell with his offies for 3 overs too long in thje Ryobi Cup match, which proved a match losing decision.

By the way, I accidentally called it a T20 match , when it was 50:50. Is it "square earth" to want to bat first in those games, too?

Funny how most captains seem to adhere to the "square earth" policy.

I guess they're less knowledgable than us.

20/20 or 50/50 - Psst it played on the same day on the same wicket. So the reason to bat or bowl in short forms of the game are not dictated by the state of the wicket as in the longer forms of the games. Check that the captains you have observed follow that basis without you falling off the edge.

If you actually do the research JJC you might find they dont always adhere to your square earth policy and the result of the game was not dependent on which the toss of the coin. Most times in longer forms of the games you bat first..... but wait for it.... not always. Shock heresy i know but there you have it.

This argument cannot seriously be back.

This argument cannot seriously be back.

I dub it the Terminator argument.

What are we doing playing that stuff in South Africa and who are the people who come to watch it?

"Bangladesh became only the fourth ODI side to score 200 after having lost three wickets for under five."

I find that a weird stat - how often have teams been 3 for less than 5?

This argument cannot seriously be back.

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza...

have to watch something when the footy not on