Rhino Richards

I have not done the Statsguru but is there no love for Vettori....Can bat a bit too!! Just because they put a Tasmanian captain of an Australian side.....

I read a Cricinfo/Wisden write up where they name their Test side for 2011 and Ajmal was the spinner. A faire tribute. He has improved alot and the England Test is testimony to his improvement.

Its early days TU its early days. We are talking about a side that has question marks over the integrity of key individuals, teams and administrations for well over a decade. I am pleased with what they have done over the past 12 months because they have not blown themselves up with a scandal, a bribe or just plain cheating. They have achieved in the past 12 months what any other side would call a normal year at the office. For that we should be grateful. But lets not overcook it. The next Pakistani scandal is just around the corner.

Notwithstanding what they have done this series, i think at least one of Hussey or Ponting should retire and we start easing in one of the upcoming younger players for the WI tour. Both players have been grand servants to Australian cricket and deserve a fitting send off to celebrate their respective careers. I think Haddin will tour the WI and there is a fair chance that a stroke player like Haddin may indeed like Adelaide. I can remember some years ago he hit a cracking ton there

Here is there results in the past 12 months. Apart from the recent win against England, they shown little above what is expected from 5/6th ranked nation. Result, margin, toss, bat 1st/2nd, Against, Location, Date Pakistan won 10 wickets won 2nd v New Zealand Hamilton 7 Jan 2011 Pakistan draw - lost 2nd v New Zealand Wellington 15 Jan 2011 Pakistan lost 40 runs lost 2nd v West Indies Providence 12 May 2011 Pakistan won 196 runs won 1st v West Indies Basseterre 20 May 2011 Pakistan won 7 wickets won 2nd v Zimbabwe Bulawayo 1 Sep 2011 Pakistan draw - won 2nd v Sri Lanka Abu Dhabi 18 Oct 2011 Pakistan won 9 wickets lost 2nd v Sri Lanka Dubai (DSC) 26 Oct 2011 Pakistan draw - lost 2nd v Sri Lanka Sharjah 3 Nov 2011 Pakistan won inns & 184 runs won 2nd v Bangladesh Chittagong 9 Dec 2011 Pakistan won 7 wickets won 2nd v Bangladesh Dhaka 17 Dec 2011 Pakistan won 10 wickets lost 2nd v England Dubai (DSC) 17 Jan 2012 I think its too early to suggest they have ditched the unpredictability. Its been there for decades. Its a great win but they can just as easily fall in a heap. And there will always be concerns about their on field integrity. Off field they will always have problem with corruption, incompetence and nepotism. There is wealth of talented cricketers in Pakistan but no functional system to bring them through. Ajmal has come along in strides in 2011.

Bad choice of words on my part. Paine has had a chance to prove himself and has done so which at advantage to Wade who still remains an unknown at Test level. Wade could be very good at Test level but we dont know. From the little Paine has shown we do know that. Both Paine and Wade have good claims for Haddin's spot. Paine's injury is a cruel blow in timing. The impact of Roger Woolley on Tasmanian cricket was substantial.

The word "yet" is missing at the end. A Brad Haddin moment!!

i think the issue in Paine's favour is that he is capable at Test level where as Wade is not. But you are right I would not mind either player. Thanks for the stats.

....so long as Haddin is not injured or gets an extended bout of the yips with the gloves.

I think Haddin is on the nose longer term. i dont think he has burnt up all his credits yet. But a cricket tragic friend of mine who is walking encyclopedia on the sport has told me that Paine's injury is not recovering as expected and he wont be ready for the Windies tour. There is no clear date when he will be ready to resume playing. The info is not gold but generally reliable. If that is the case then Wade could be the second keeper for the Windies tour. If they dont take one there at the start then Wade should be on stand by for injury/form etc. By the sounds of it Paine has missed so much cricket so far with more to come that he will be best preparing for the next summer. Another injury within our top 25 cricketers.

I think that makes sense as Siddle has played right through the SA, NZ and India series. i think we have had enough examples of bowlers breaking down to be prudent in this area....particularly with the WI tour on the cards. I think its great experience for Starc in Adelaide. Happy with the move if Conn is correct.

Yeah its the risk of the niggles becoming with twinges and the stresses.

Despite the sterlng performance of the quicks this summer, I cant see how you can play 4 quicks and no spinner....unless you are one of the great West Indies sides. Lyon must play. GIven its a dead rubber I would rest Hilfy ahead of the WI tour and play Starc for his own development. There is no surety that Harris, Pattinson or Cummins will be fit and we should be trying to nurture Starc through. And if the Indians cant make runs at Adelaide.....well....there will be a procession out of the Test team. Laxman and Dravid should retire. Tendulkar will be in 12 months. Dhoni will step down and look at other pursuits. Khan could be gone within 12 months as well.

The three I mentioned have been credible under the circumstances. Yadav is young and looks good. Both Sharma and Khan have done well after injury lay offs. At 3/31, it was series on! It took a truly awesome innings from Clarke and then Warner's special cameo to break then but FMD they have been given no totals to bowl at by the insipid batting.

Why would it be different in the Ashes? Sharma, Khan and Yadav have been very good this summer. They have been terribly let down in the field and the batting unable to chase or set score. In addition Warner has show his application is sound carrying his bat in difficult batting conditions in Hobart. Warner has shown he is more than up to the challenge. Of course he should open. I not sure why you think he can be hidden at 3. Even worse would be to bat him at seven. It was Ok for Gilchrist given we had established openers and Ponting and let Gilly focus on his keeping. He has shown comprehensively he likes the ball coming onto his bat. He is going to be stand and deliver. So why wouldn't let me do that from the front when the ball is hard? We get a player who emphatically demonstrates that he can open the batting in spades yet we seek to oversmart by trying to move elsewhere in the order. Ridiculous.

I am not sure the length of the Test dictates this. However the rules are there to stop fielding captains turning the play in a Test to a meandering farce. There have been a number of examples over recent years where the minimum 90 overs has not been even closely achieved in a day. Its bad for the paying spectator, its bad for the batting side and its not good for cricket to allow the unfair manipulation of the tempo of the game.

Dhoni out of Adelaide...... Oh dear. Cant get much worse for the Indians. The criticism of the BCCI is welcome and long over due. For all its incredible money, resources and talent pool, I cant understand why India cannot produce world number 1 sides in all forms of the game. Their beneficial disposition should be putting them on dynastic global surpremacy that could challenge and dwarf the recent Australian and WI domination of the game. The fact they arent is a terrible indictment on the integrity competence and governance of those in charge. Oh and given the buckets that they have incurred on the thread, I think the selectors, adminstrators and Michael Clarke deserve huge praise for the turnaround. And Clarke is making all the right noises in the Press conferences and handling himself very well in public as an Australian Captain is expected too.

Hilf to Laxman was good but here was a 2nd gamer who shows promise bowling an unplayable jaffa to the Little Master. If Starc can consistently shape the ball like that at Test level, he is going to be a very awkward customer.

Warner has the quickest hundred by an opener and did so on a difficult. He has also carried his bat through an innings on a difficult wicket. Pidgeon hole at your peril. I cant believe so many are dismissive of Warner's technique. Unbelievable. If we move Warner from opening it makes as much sense as turning Pattinson into an off spinner to reduce pressure on his foot.

Absolutely. Why oh why would you move Warner??? Hells bells we finally find a batting pair that works well together then we want to split them. Oh they are obth left handers. Hilf has been a revelation. All the quicks have bowled well. Very disciplined. Mitch Johnson was our No 1 and bowl us to victory in Perth against the Poms. One Year later I would rank him seventh in the list behind the present four bowlers and Pattinson and Cummins. WJ, I would go for 4 players having captained their side before. I think in 2008 it was 5 players...Sachin, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble and Dravid. Mitch Starc LBW on Tendulkar was almost the best ball of the series. Scary upside for a 2m left hander.

FMD. They were lying on it. Given that they get 100kg fast bowlers pounding their feet on it and they have walked on it countlessly in the preparation. In addition they will run the 3 tonne roller up and down it 100 times before play in the morning. So much for Mother Nature.... Its not a good look but its not bogan behaviour. And I agree its a very small thing.

I didn't misquote you at all. I know exactly what you referred to and its ill informed to call it "bogan" behaviour for a such a small thing. If its said more than twice on this site it must be true regardless of the facts. India 4/73 with Sehwag, Sachin, Dravid and Gambhir back in the pavilion. Not good. Great session Australia.

No thats the Australian bogan behaviour you referred to. And issue of Indian crowds is irrelevant. There is no need for Australian heroes in the crowd to abuse visiting cricketers...period. And it happens to every touring side.

I agree on the cultural differences. However, its not a good look at all and I dont think should be done. And yes it does give the Indians another issue to complain about. I hope we absolutely pole axe them in Perth. 3-0 and the lost trophy means there are fewer places to hide. Footnote: While I dont agree with the Pitch party, it was hardly bogan behaviour. There are far greater examples to be cringing about. While the Indians have been rightly penalised for gesturing to the crowd, the elements within the crowd that seek to villify and abuse visiting cricketers are shameful and embarrassing. If you really want to cringe then that the place.

It seems that a few people have had a good look at the wicket last night. http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/india-stunned-as-people-caught-drinking-on-waca-pitch-20120113-1py0z.html If the footage is indeed a true account of what went on then its so unprofessional and its an appalling behaviour and lack of judgement. No one should be unduly touching a pitch before a match. I think that may be the last pre Test party held on the WACA.