45HG

I took it as that because you had basically ignored all the analysis that I had provided to go with what I see as being a gut-feel informed essentially by the amount of catches taken and the desire to overstate how poor Australia were.

Maybe not!

That's why I included when he has come in in his innings' and the way the two teams have taken their wickets. Meanwhile in S.A., India are ruining a perfectly good test.

I think I've provided enough evidence to suggest otherwise, but that's just me. I don't think Haddin should lose out because his bowlers aren't good enough to get edges whilst Prior benefits from top class bowling for 4 and a half tests. You've pretty much just said he's taken more catches so he's been better. If that's all you'll say we should probably just leave it.

Ha. It certainly was his wicket.

OK. I've trawled through the cricinfo commentary from all 5 tests (yay for holidays) and have discovered this. Haddin has dropped two (one in Brisbane off Siddle and one in Adelaide in the first innings), he also had the one go between him and Watson... not sure if this is regarded as a drop though. Prior has dropped one (second innings at Adelaide, Hussey). I reckon you've made up your mind and there'll be no budging you, regardless of arguments. Do you give credit to Prior for his 3 catches today? Surely his catches alone don't push him ahead of Haddin's performances this summer (who now is looking pretty good, fighting it out on 27). I find it odd that two people who lament how rubbish our bowling is, while praising England's bowlers, also then give credit to their 'keeper for being the beneficiary of top bowling whilst ignoring Haddin's efforts. Oh well.

Sure was. Lazy running by both of them - was easily two there. This spell of bowling is perfectly summing up what I was talking about with Prior getting more opportunities!

I literally cannot see a way that you can look at those numbers and claim that Prior's had a better series with the bat. It's just not true that when he's had the chance he's made the runs. He's come in at 197, 98 and 94 for scores of 0, 12 and 10. Haddin coming in at similar scores (143, 156, 69, 66, 134 and 143) has made 136, 56, 53, 5, 55* and 6. The fact he's had to come in at those types of scores illustrates the extra pressure he has been under. Perhaps a he's got out a couple of times when he shouldn't have, but it'd be odd to ignore that with Prior. As for the keeping I've thought they were pretty even - I can't recall the drops but I won't doubt you. It'd be easier to keep to Bresnan, Anderson, Swann, Finn, Tremlett and Broad as opposed to Johnson, Hilfy, Beer and co. In the modern game I think a keeper's batting ability is more important than his 'keeping skills. That said, obviously they're still important. Haddin has 8 catchs and a stumping while Prior now has 19 catches. This series, Australia have taken 56 wickers. England have taken 83. That's a lot less opportunity. You'd be very hard pressed to say that the English bowlers haven't provided a much greater amount of edges than the Aussies bowlers. Of the 56 we've taken, 22 have been lbw or bowled (40%). Of their 83, only 21 have been lbw, bowled or runout (25%). I mean, in one innings in Melbourne Prior was able to get 6 catches!

Just to carry on with the Haddin vs. Prior debate. These are the scores they've come in on this series, and what they've done in them. 1st test Prior 5-197 (first ball duck) Haddin 5-143 (uncharacteristic 136 from 287) 2nd test Haddin 5-156 (56 from 95), 5-261 (12 from 21) Prior 5-568 (27 not out from 21) 3rd test Haddin 5-69 (53 from 80), 5-252 (7 from 10) Prior 5-98 (12 from 42), 6-94 (10 from 9) 4th test Haddin 5-66 (5 from 16), 5-134 (55 not out from 93) Prior 5-286 (85 from 119) 5th test (dead rubber) Haddin 4-143 (6 from 13) Prior 6-380 (118 from 130) I actually kind of find it laughable that you could say Prior has had a better series - all things considered. The two times Prior has registered 50, his team has been 188 ahead and 100 ahead - both times in the first innings, both times facing lacklustre (at best) bowling. Haddin's 4 times past 50 have each come when he has come in at 5 for less than 160 against pretty hostile bowling.

Haddin has had a better series than Prior IMO - if not through no fault of Prior's. I think it just gets to the stage where you get thrashed that everyone seems worse than they were. I also find it pretty hard to split Watson and Strauss for the series. Sure, Watson should've gone on - but it'd be hard to argue that Strauss had a more difficult time of batting. He faced a much weaker bowling attack and was supported by Cook in the white hottest of form with quality below him. Watson has had to deal with an injured partner, a kid coming in who has struggled to score a run. He's then got an injured captain in next and the incumbent who averaged about 18 this series. Watson has also had to bowl almost 80 overs in the series, nabbing 3 wickets.

Kallis is on 99. Would be the first time he's scored a century in both innings of a match at home. Freak! And there it is. 40th tonne, 8th at Newlands, 3rd of the series. He has almost 500 runs in the series! It's only 3 matches! It's only his 5th inning! He got run out at the non-strikers end and received a cracker in the second as well. Unreal.

You better be nice to me, I'm judging your team now! (RR's team took me over an hour!)

Ah, but you forget that getting out lowers Tendulkar's average. It's now Kallis 56.91 and Tendulkar 56.89 Is 2 a handy lead? B)

Amazing test. India lead by 2 on first innings, S.A. 2-52 in their second (though the second wicket was the nightwatchman). I had Kallis for most 1st innings runs, Tendulkar for most first innings runs and Steyn for most wickets (woo). Hopefully there will be a result!

From cricinfo: Reiterating a statistical speciality that won't be true for long - At the moment, Tendulkar and Kallis have the EXACT same Test average - 56.91.

Not sure. He's 36 so will probably retire soon and has scored just over half as many runs as wickets he's taken. Would have tossed him up, would rather have Sreesanth though.

Pfft. Wait until you see the unleashing of the 7th best Kiwi!

A.B. de Villiers is actually Jonty Rhodes mark 2. Gambir dropped at slip, A.B. runs to gather the ball from slip, slides turns and throws down the stump - Dravid out at the striker's end. Kallis is outrageous. 380 runs in the series - including being run out at the non-strikers end and getting a ripper from Sreesanth - with one inning to play!

He was picked on promise, which is wh. And what would you start with? Who would you "clean out?" Who would you replace them with? The Australian leadership situation is not similar to MFC's at all, and the rebuild is in much the same build. The Poms have the best spinner in the world at the moment, a painfully potent bowling attack and a strong upper order. Explain how they out-planned us?

Really? I thought his 4 was great... What handshakes? What are you talking about? I suppose you didn't enjoy Khawaja's effort today... Huh? In no way are the two similar...at all.

Nightmare decision by Asad Rauf as he gives AB out LB and may have handed India the match. Arguably he hit it, but hawk eye also showed it was missing by at least 5 inches. Need the UDRS!

Was there as well - good atmosphere. It just doesn't evoke in me anywhere near the same amount of passion as Aussie Rules.

Or few have been good enough... Good to see these boys fight it out - how did Harris break his ankle running in a straight line?

It'd have to be one of the worst days in Australian cricket history wouldn't it?

England should've batted.