45HG

No love for The Mighty Ducks? The White Sox have got on quite a role after quite a start. Perhaps it shows the benefit of not heaping a mountain of pressure onto yourselves.

I know it's not UFC but this has to go somewhere. Watching a dock on Mayweather v. Cotto fight. They both come across as complete and utter immature, self-indulged individuals.

Please elaborate...

Go Flyers!

Phil Humber with a perfect game!

3-pronged finals series in Adelaide and Brisbane I believe. It's a funny one - I'll happily watch a test series that I don't even know has a trophy or not, but will almost immediately call into question the point of a one day series.

Where were you blokes 3 years ago? (yes, I know, probably saying the same thing!)

I just don't think the third man should be in such a position to rule (insert cheeky emoticon). The year has started very well thanks mate, lovely kids. Wedding in a month is freaking me out though!

Conflict of interest.

Monty took 6 in the second didn't he? Spinners took 19 of the 20 English wickets.

He can be quite good at driving back the infields, I thought.

Ponting has already scored more runs this calendar year than last year.

Pakistam 7-256 at Stumps day one. 94 overs bowled! That included a wicket in the 92nd over. England rewarded for good intent. Compare that to India bowling 76 overs in a day.

RR, Ponting did it against the same opposition in '03?

I can't see us winning by an innings. I'd say low.

I'm simply of the opinion that your best batsman should bat 3. A bit simplistic to say that he's susceptible to swing (good bowling essentially) early in the innings. Name a batsman who isn't. Out of interest, these are his stats since he's become captain. Versus SL 23 (In at 2-36 off 9.4 overs) 60 (2-5, 3.2) 13 (2-95, 36.5) 6 (3-101, 35.5) 112 (3-188, 55.5) Versus SA 151 (3-40,16.2) 2 (2-11, 5.3) 11 (3-193, 46.3) 2 (3-141, 36.5) Versus NZ 139 (3-91, 27.1) 22 (3-31, 15.2) 0 (3-159, 45.4) Versus India 31 (3-159, 48.3) 1 (3-24, 11.3) 329* (3-37, 8.5) 18 (3-242, 44.5) 109* (3-84, 25.5) As you can see, quite often he's coming in quite early. Whilst he has still failed on occasion coming in early, he's probably failed as much coming in later in the innings, after, say, 150. When he's come in after the team has posted 100, he has scores of 6, 112, 11, 2, 0, 31, 18 - 180 runs at 25.7. When he's come in before the team has posted 100 he has scores of 23, 60, 13, 151, 2, 139, 22, 1, 329* - 740 runs at 92.5 (this obviously includes the once in a lifetime knock but that just as soon can't be ignored and the stats have also left out today's century). That's 7 innings for 180 runs versus 10 innings for over 850 runs. I simply think he's our best batsman and has proved since he's become captain, IMO, that he performs better with the team under the pump than vice versa. Obviously he's in sparkling form and may very well be best to leave his balance alone. I just would rather see him come in at 1-20 rather than 3-40.

I reiterate my previous position, Clarke should be batting at 3.

Much-maligned for how people see him, I find it impossible to see how anyone could say that Hewitt is anything less than an exceptional sportsman. Just gets so much out of himself and is one of the better fighters in sport that I've seen.

For the record Vettori played four tests last year, against Pakistan (2), Zimbabwe and Australia. He took 16 wickets (1/48, 4/100, 1/57, 5//70, 3/71 and 2/88) at 27 and scored 298 runs (0, 3, 110, 1, 40, 31, 96 and 17) at 37.

Are you saying Wade is not capable of playing at Test level because he hasn't yet done so? Or is there something in his 'keeping that you think wouldn't translate?

I know how you feel. The Vics and Aussies aside (funnily enough, even though I follow the cricket and get excited by the wins, for some reason cricket trophies etc. just don't really sit well/properly with me - goes against the grain of why I watch the game IMO). Having said that, I am a White Sox fan. I met my, now fiance(e?), in early September of '05 to see them win the Series in the end of October. But, having never been to a game and only following them for a month and a half, doesn't really cut it. In terms of the NHL, I follow the Flyers. A magical run in 2010 just fell short, bit of a disappointing end to last season. Seem to be going well this year again. Silly story about why I follow them - in about '98-'99 my brother and I bought NHL '99 (think that was it) with a Flyers player (Lindros?) on the front and they were the default team you played with - it was love from then on.

That's their first loss since Perth 2010 in the ASHES, a very strange series to record the loss!

Not even close? I'd put it very, very close.

The following players from the starting 11 in the third test have captained India in some format and some stage are: G Gambhir: 6 ODIs V Sehwag: 3 tests, 11 ODIs and 1 T20 R Dravid: 25 tests, 79 ODIs S Tendulkar: 25 tests, 73 ODIs MS Dhoni: 37 tests, 112 ODIs and 27 T20s Total: 90 tests, 281 ODIs and 28 T20s Since August 28 1996, the first time any of this team has been captain, India have played 163 tests, 505 ODIs and 31 T20s. Current players have skippered the side 57% during this time. So in the past 15 years; 73 tests, 224 ODIs and 3 T20s have been led by other players (by my reckoning). Of those matches, S Ganguly captained 49 tests and 147 ODIs. A Kumble captained 14 tests and 1 ODI. Take them from the mix and only 10 tests and 76 ODIs have been captained by players outside this current Indian 11 (12%). This, of course, removes the fact that many of the current team have been around during much of this period - surely adding to the "leadership" credentials.

Why did we bowl?