dee-luded

.... and that shows his (toumpas) desire is there, even if his hardness needs growing. bennell, morton, & even davey, never liked actually tackling... even green to a point, as well. davey liked chasing & harassing, but not actually bringing them down. green just wasn't good at it, & many weren't from that Era. this Era is where bruise free started.

IMO Jack, the direction is now forward, off the field. but what we're witnessing is the results of the last few years of Off field efforts & poor judgement from the administrators.. be careful who you wish for. the previous Australian cricket culture,,, of many greats included, Warne, Mcgrath, Taylor, Gilchrist etc, didn't need a culture shift... but I think the ACB administrators decided a shake up was in order, at a time of a changing world... they got it wrong for a group where a combative nature is required... IMO this is where the similarity to the MFC is... they were in danger of becoming what we've been for 45 years. .... fancy having a south african, plus a suit & tie, telling us how we should be culturally, out on the cricket battlefield.... to me This, is where the conflicts began. & with the changing of the leadership guard, leaving behind a vacuum of onfield generals that leaves the teams nature up for grabs. ... create the wrong nature/environs & the newcomers won't know where they fit in, & the results can be a mess. I think the winning old guard have returned to rebalance the good ship Australia... I trust the works now being done. although I don't think they have the batting lineup right, IMO. ... I don't think Khawaja is ready yet, for the top order, & certainly Not hughes. to me both middle order. Hughes should never bat ahead of Clarke except as a run-dash. I'd bat Smith ahead of both of them atmo, in the lineup. I just think smith is more composed at the minute for a 3 or 4 berth. I wonder if one day, Smith & Agar could both bat before No5 ? this would steady our middle order imo. & we could slowly rejig our top order.

I remember Lillee saying years ago to young bowlers coming into the test team... just bowl fast, hard & fast... & improve from there. I think a bit of menace wouldn't go astray. along with guile.

lets hope the wicket plays its best on day 2 & 3... & late on day 3, we get some of them out with the new ball... Pattinson is due.

thats the point, but we are not the games rulers, so we have to do as the others do unto us,, until the powers step in to fix it... like the AFL & the youth policy of List management. ... we must do it & make hard fast pitches & stop worrying about games going 5 days.. It should Not be about TV & sponsor blood'y money... or the bloody TV rights. it should Just be about 'the game', 'the contest' & 'the fan'... forget about the F*%@k!n sponsors.

I hope we prepare some really quick wickets, hard & bouncy for our next home test series. 1970's style wickets for the pace bowlers. pin them back on the stumps.

Now I understand why you want Bird in.... I'd forgotten that line of thinking, since I'd lost interest in test cricket.... the ability to tie down the opposing batsmen at one end. Bird may be right... .. even if we go with 4 x pace, the other swing bowler may be out of starc & faulkner... I'd have Siddle & Pattinson in as the first 2 bowlers picked. add bird....then ?

I understand standing your ground was common in the past... but since we have this video ref & other moral changes around the world, it looked really blatant & he stood there after a solid nick & watched the keeper glove it cleanly... then just stood... bad for the game... the video ref IMO, should be keeping tabs on all umpiring decisions 'Live', & if there is one that looks 'OFF',,, the 3rd Ump should immediately put a red light on,,, up in the scoreboard, halting proceedings, whilst he checks it out, live on the scoreboard screen... not up to either team to challenge.

... what about Cowan for Smith (I'd love Punter back in)... James Faulkner/Bird? 4 pacemen, + alrounders? Warner back, into the middle order, after the 2nd test??? get a move on Hughes... Australia Shane Watson Chris Rogers Ed CowanSteven Smith??? Michael Clarke © Philip Hughes Steven Smith???Brad Haddin (W) Brad Haddin (W)Ashton Agar Peter Siddle James PattinsonJames Faulkner Mitchell StarcJames Pattinson Ashton AgarMitchell Starc ?????????????? this is not just about the 2nd test, or this series, but consolidating the team for the back to back Ashes series... we have to get the team settled. what do you think TD ?

thats exactly what I thought as well... & while the video ref was adjudicating, my video recorder switched channels on me... when I got back onto station, expecting a non decision, Haddin was given. I immediately switched off & went to sleep.

... they may have registered a win in the books, but they have given themselves & their countries image a major Black Eye. its a disgrace & totally spoilt a great contest, & we should have won it, with broads extra runs with the bat & the altering the flow of the game, via not walking & with the ball... ... we on the other hand, maybe should have pushed on a bit with the scoring, with agar & haddin at the wicket,,, putting more pressure on the poms. I feel disgusted, & disappointed at the proceedings & with that last video ref decision, as the ball already had the hotspot on it, prior to passing the Bat, & the hotspot on the bat was so insignificant, it was to me, too Inconclusive,,,, so I expected benefit of the doubt to the batsmen.. play on your honour.

Yesterday early, it seemed the ball was holding up, coming thru slowly? but I guess the wicket got better, as they scored more heavily as the day went on? lets hope we can remove them quickly, while the wicket may still be playing well.

I just saw it on replay, that miss should cost Aleem Dar his career. it brings the question of umpires into the spotlight, for all the wrong reasons.

... of course thats plainly obvious... his strokemaking is a pleasure to watch, the balance & rhythm. Thats why I wonder, if he could use the protection of wickets around him, allowing time to construct an innings. also I think he played better against their so called pace attack, rather than the spin. so going in earlier May help our run chase? It may actually take away some pressure to rush.

I think I heard on good authority, he's called 'Ed'..... especially after Pattinson makes him his bunny.

My dad, when we were up watching a young Pat Cash arriving on the international scene back in the days, he wanted off to bed in frustration with Cashy, thinking its all too hard. he went to bed & missed the rise & Win. needless to say where Cashy ended up. some can see it, others, my dad couldn't...

... could agar go up to partner smith & haddin in the 2nd innnings? or would you leave him where he is?

draft him?

Have you heard what they nicknamed root?

wait a minute!!! He's barely started bowling just Yet?

LoL, very nice of the Poms to leave the back door agar.... help ourselves....hey? a batting alrounder? now for the front door!

I think thats what they're doing, but I'd hoped before the test for the about face. With Watson + Cowan & Rogers at 3... but I think they want to get Rogers up 7 going in the No2 spot, with Cowan hanging on as backup opener @ 3 in case something goes astray. Khawaja hanging about, but I wouldn't make the change until watson & rogers look strong together. I'd like to see Khawaja in the middle atmo, to get a feel for it... prior to promotion.. he needs to get some test runs into his head first...

thats why imo he's at 3

he's the bowling cornerstone that we have... he has to play all tests. 1st picked.

captain coook, goorn !!!