titan_uranus

This could be promising: Jason Krejza bowling for Tasmania v South Australia in their Sheffield Shield match. 1st innings figures of: 29-9-70-4. Pretty good. Looks like he's worked on his economy rate (2.41)

Well the only spinner we'll be facing now is Daniel Vettori. Well done NZ for beating the talented but unpredictable Pakistan, who had them on the ropes until NZ used their batting powerplay (which is how all team should be using them, don't just wait until the last 5 overs). Should be a good contest, but you'd back us in to beat NZ.

What a batting performance from Watson and Ponting! Supreme stuff. Sticking it to the Poms again too! I think Pakistan will beat NZ tonight, and I think they have the ability to beat us in the final. I'm not sure what it is, but we seem to struggle against Saeed Ajmal (the off-spinner). And they have a few good bastmen too (Mohammad Yousuf is a star). Absolute joke. From those nominated, Strauss should have won. But Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers should have been nominated. Read in The Age today that the South African players boycotted the event (amongst a lot of other players). Good on them. Those awards are token pieces of rubbish.

We should be able to beat England, but they're in better form now than 2 weeks ago. Watson's lucky Clarke's injured. He made 3 consecutive ducks before that match, and despite his bowling, I don't think his batting is good enough at the moment to keep opening.

Massive congratulations to Clijsters for winning the US Open. Fantastic person, great tennis player. Can't think of a better person to beat both Williams sisters and go on and win. Also looking forward to Federer-Del Potro, which I get the feeling could be a little lop-sided. It's a pity Nadal couldn't make the final, even though he's injured. Federer-Nadal matches always provide great spectacles.

Well this is interesting. Andy Murray, who has done diddly squat in Grand Slam tennis, will on Monday rise to number 2 on the World ranking list, in front of Nadal, by virtue of Nadal losing in the quarters of the Montreal tournament, and Murray making the final. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...6-11088,00.html Once Nadal fully recovers from his injury I'm sure he'll rise back to 2 and maybe even back to 1 again, but it just goes to show that the ranking system is a little bit flawed.

It's not just Brett Lee. Ponting's no good at Twenty/20 either. I don't care though. Cricket is about test cricket. So long as we win the Ashes, does it really matter?

If Stosur can beat Dementieva, I reckon she can beat Kuznetsova. Mind you, anyone who beats Serena must be doing something right, but still, the way Stosur's been playing, she certainly is in with a real chance to make the final. The final!

Of course you're allowed your opinion QueenC. I wasn't saying you were wrong for liking Rafa or for not liking Roger. I respect both of them and love the way they both play. I wasn't trying to put you down or anything, sorry if I did.

What do you mean you nearly cried? I love Roger, and Nadal seems a bit cocky to me. Agree though. It's now or never for Roger. The seas have parted nicely. Yes, well done Sam. Into the top 20 she goes.

No, Federer came back from 2 sets to 0 down to beat Haas. If ever Federer was going to win a French Open, it would be now.

Nadal's out of the French Open! Defeated in 4 sets by Robin Soderling. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...3-11088,00.html Sporting upset of the year?

Yeah, but can you remember the last time Federer beat Nadal in a lead up tournament to the French? Despite Nadal's supreme form at the moment, I think Federer might have as good a chance as he's ever had to get the French Open.

Federer beat Nadal on clay! http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...14-3162,00.html

Hey, at least we won a match!

Isn't Bellerive Oval in Hobart? You got the list pretty right there though. Maybe Hobart above Melbourne. But defintely Sydney and Brisbane are top 2, and Perth is bottom. You piqued my interest HT. Here's the data for matches since 1995: SCG: Only 1 draw since 1995 (vs India 2004), 14 results in same period MCG: Only 1 draw since 1995 (vs Sth Africa 1997), 12 results in same period Adelaide: 2 draws since 1995, 12 results in same period Perth: 2 draws since 1995, 11 results in same period Gabba: 3 draws since 1995, 10 results in same period Hobart: 2 draws in its 8 matches since 1989

Completely with you on this one. Too often pitches are so incredibly lifeless the match is a snore-fest. The SA-Aust series was so memorable because all 6 matches had a result. That's in part because the teams are so evenly matched, but in part because none of the pitches (except maybe the last one) were a batsman's paradise.

And quite a few of the Indian wickets to fall in the 1st innings were poor shots, rather than especially good balls. Still, they batted for more than 2 days to save that match. Gambhir's innings was particularly dogged.

Yeah, looks like this one going to be a draw now. India's in front by 37, still 7 wickets in hand. NZ have definitely let one slip here, but credit to them for fighting back from an innings loss in the 1st test.

There's an upset brewing in NZ: NZ 9dec/619, and in reply, India's 2/73. Good for cricket if NZ can win.

In other tennis news, Kim Clijsters (remember her) is about to announce her return to professional tennis: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...6-11088,00.html

One Monty is too much for either side. Besides which, they're playing Graeme Swann now I think.

Australia keep spin option open for Ashes Ponting doesn't really want to rely on 3 part-timers. In the article Ponting says that he pulls up sore in his lower back after bowling, so he doesn't want to make him sore before he opens the batting.

I can't remember when, I think he said it in the lead up to the third test, when everyone was talking about his 3 wickets in Durban. And I'm pretty sure it's his shoulder. Agreed, but I can't understand all this talk about Johnson batting at 6. He's over-worked as it is. He plays to take wickets, not make runs. The runs are a nice bonus, but we need him fit for bowling, so he shouldn't be batting any higher than 8.

Just saw this: over the 3 tests in SA, the Australian with the highest average was..... Mitchell Johnson (85). Compare that with Hussey's average of 22.