Rhino Richards

Personally, I think Watson is a makeshift opener but neither proposed replacement has scored significant runs or demonstrated they are over their flaws. Anyone for Rogers?

The Age had him at 97kgs but Bailey on SEN described Gawn as a big unit. At 17 he is in the wings and will be developed. He is still a kid and an apparently still growing one too.

Any chance your side will call for a re- match? Defoe would be a dangerous FP in AFL. Knows where the goals are

Its hard to make it out TU. SL went in with one seamer and three spinners according to Cricinfo. Murali is in the twilight and Mendis is no mystery. The wicket was pretty ordinary the bowling was worse. Agree with that TU. Normally when you win the toss you want the "best of the pitch". Typically a good pitch should offer the bat and ball reasonable challenge. While the bowlers might get some green on the strip, the batsman have a hard true wicket where the bounce is reliable with little turn day one. Also the result of the game at the end of day 5 may not necessarily invalidate the toss decision on the morning of day 1. Interesting figures 45hg16. Well done. Cricinfo the bible???

They still have a number of injuries to Bracken, Clark, Lee and Jacques. They did have Katich, Haddin, Hauritz and Hughes missing for alot of the summer. Big gaps to fill Each to their own. I guess you liked Australia ruling the No 1 Test and One day spots for the last 15 years. *Cough* much of that was on the back of some great players from NSW, Taylor, Waughs, McGrath, Lee, McGill etc. Victoria did have Warne...but not much else.

Hardly, Lee and Hauritz have been injured/unavailable and have not played a Shield game. Bollinger has played one game since returning from India. Clark has been ordinary. Bracken is injured as well. Katich, Clarke have each hit centuries, Jaques and Hughes have had reasonable knocks. However NSW has had 2 and 1/2 innings in 2 matches. There is a problem with NSW and its called the pitch. Roebuck has been on about it and its a concern. In the game against WA there wer 22 wickets taken for 950 runs In the game against Tas there were 23 taken for 1000 runs plus. Its hard to drive results on lifeless dull tracks. And the comparison with Collingwood is quite bizarre. While Collingwood have won 1 flag in 50 years, NSW have won 15 shields in the same period more than any other side. And if it wasn't for there heavy international representation and the clash of fixtures they would have won more.

If he continually bats on feather bed wickets in sub continent he should average 55. Its no slur on the batsman because he has shown a capacity to concentrate but I feel dead as doornail wickets undermine batsmans and their achievement as much as they undermine bowlers efforts.

That the problem with a horrible cricket pitch. If even India are bowled out, 27 wickets in 5 days is an embarrassment. And the batting record that was broken had one of the previous holder being D.G.Bradman. A great effort by the two Sri Lankans in concentration but there is no Bradman quality in that pair. Go Vics. Humid skies on an interesting wicket. It will be interesting.

India 426 & 190/2 v Sri Lanka 760/7d Another fascinating lopsided battle between bat and ball. 19 wickets in 4 days! Its a case of the batsmen getting themselves out rather than the bowlers. Greg Chappell is right in his predictions. RIP Test cricket in the sub continent.

Peter Roebuck has written a very sage and long overdue article on the quality of wickets in Australia. Australian wickets have lost their character and its one factor that is killing the game.

Very good article by Roebuck on Pakistan and West Indies who are both coming to Australia this summer. At one time both teams were to feared and admired. How far have they fallen. Both are dysfunctional hulks of their former selves. I doubt they'll hold themselves together for the length of a Test and self destruct.

Agree. The problem is not solved and there is an opportuinity for a player if they are good enough. FWIW, I think Hauritz had a very good Ashes and should have been selected for the final test. He has been serviceable without being a bowler to run through sides. If there is a better option then that option might not be too bad.

The impact of the rule on the game has its implications. We were not told anything. The rule merely sets down the conditions of play. As a consequence your criticism of Ponting for that incident is unreasonable.

Re -read the last paragraph of my previous post. I understand the penalties mount with each contravention. Both suspensions and fines. Its not a whip around the pub to cough a few cents. And its not just about the NZ test. If my understanding is correct the penalty escalations cover a 12 month period. Your last sentence shows the clouds might be clearing. Well done. I dont mind the rule because its means the paying public get to see 90 overs of cricket and value for their ticket. Some of the over rates of the Windies made a mockery of a full day's value.

Thanks for filling in the gap on Adelaide. You are right. Only backs the point. I am not sure at Shield level Krejza has been that convincing to be back in the selectors vision just yet. Thanks for that. The problem is that not only do you lose your Captain for a Test but any further infringements involve heftier penalties. Its a really tough law.

His 12 wickets were a great effort but there were some prevailing factors at hand that contributed to the unusual haul. His lead up form to that Test had been poor, really poor. The first Test in Australia after he returned was a green top in Brisbane. Australia bowled seven overs of spin in the game. The next test they went in with Hauritz who justified his selection with an accurate tight performance that was beyond Krejza. You cant play a McGain or Krezja when they simply do not put up Test standard performances. Both players were woefully under the level required. Who'd be a Captain for that? You dont know that at all. The rules have changed since Taylor, Chappelli and Waugh were around and the penalties for breaching over limits are severe and they mount with each penalty. The extent of the severity of the penalties can lead to the suspension of Captain for one or more Tests plus individual and team fines. I think its a horrible position for a Captain. If I remember carefully, had Ponting breach the requirements then he would be suspended for the next Test, fined and Australia loses its premier batsman and captain for the next test in the tough climate of India

No you have passed many of your opinions as statements of fact and I have established a number of them as pure myths. We cant afford contracts for 36 players and cannot provide them with enough cricket to justify their professional status. Krezja could not survive leaking over 4 runs an over against the Sth Africans and took 1-240. He is not sustainable at Test level unless he can contain as well as take wickets. Mind you Ponting gave him 50 overs in the 1st Test in Australia..More fool punter.

While there has been situations of question, would you have given McGain another Test? There are actually about 25 contracted players for the ACB. There are at least 20 selectors and scouts covering every state. There are some good cricketers but few of the calibre we have been lucky to witness in the past decade. Your 35 years of cricket should have taught the goals arent mutually exclusive. The last week has shown that to absolute crap. You really do come out with some ignorant garbage. ...because he does not always bat first when he wins the toss. But you rated Warne as an Australian Captain.....

I'm not sure if Ponting is being scapegoated for that but I did think we chose one of the weakest and poorly balanced squads for an Ashes that I can remember. And when your two key strike players from the previous series self destruct or lose form then it does not give the Captain alot of options. FWIW, if Mitchell Johnson had bowled anywhere near his past Australian or South African form then we would have been holding the urn.

I guess you can say the Ponting had to make the best out of Dhoni taking the initiative and then taking it away from him. Anyway at least it provided me with a mythbusters moment. There are some issues but he has had to lead Australia through an incredible transition which is not over yet. Filling the void of those great players may not be complete during his reign. Are the issues with him or where Australian cricket is at? Agree wholeheartedly with the bolded statement.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni clearly agrees. Won the toss and batted first today. Doh!!! As they say on Mythbusters....Myth Busted!!

Your comments about not winning the toss lacked emoticons. FWIW, I think Ponting has received a bum wrap on this site. He not a great captain but he is not a bad captain either. HT's comments were about the first compliment I have seen anyone give Ponting around here. Obviously one to many for some. Every captain looks bad if his bowlers fail their task. Just my opinion

Captaincy is more than just the toss in both ODI and Tests. Who is the person that controls the bowling changes and the field in ODI? Bollinger should be congratulated ...but then again so should Ponting for excatly the reasons HT gave. The fact that he was prepared to back Johnson (incredibly inconsistent) and Bollinger (young, inexperience) is a credit to Ponting.

Some of the stats from the game.... WOW Prime Numbers All five of Australia's batsmen had strike-rates of 100 or more. Cameron White's 57 off 33 balls at 172.72 was the best. Shaun Marsh's 112 is his maiden ODI hundred. His 145-run partnership with Watson is the highest opening stand in the series. Sachin Tendulkar's 175 is the third-highest score in an ODI defeat, behind Charles Coventry's 194*, and Mathew Hayden's 181*. The match aggregate of 697 is the highest in India and the third highest overall, after 872 by South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg, and 726 by New Zealand and India in Christchurch. India's total of 347 is the third-highest score in the second innings of an ODI, after South Africa's 438 for 9 in Johannesburg, and New Zealand's 350 for 9 in Hamilton. It is also the highest second-innings total in a defeat. Also, Shane Watson 93 at better than a run a ball and 3-47....Great effort in a mentally tough game with a depleted side...Great win. While I am not mad on ODI this is one of the few I would watch a replay of.

Any credit to the captaincy and the selectors for cobbling a side together with all those injuries? I expect not.