The Panglossian

i don't want the world cup to be in australia.

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I agree , WYL, I don't want it,either.

But the reason I'm opposed is because I see Soccer as a threat to our home-grown, superior game, Australian Football

Having the World Cup here will not only badly disrupt the season of the Footy I'm interested in, but it will concentrate attention on the inferior sport.

Many young kids will follow soccer instead of Australian football. Especially the kids of recently arrived Australians. I love the idea of migrants embracing the Australian way of life, and in my opinion, that includes Aust. Football, not European football, or "mobile wrestling"(rugby...also not native Australian).

I like the idea of us Australians distinguishing ourselves sportwise by having a very strong League of our very different game.

I see the World Cup in Australia(Sydney), as a threat to that.

Well done Hammers....4 nil v. Manchester U. in he Carling Cup!!!

Can't help thinking what a huge advantage the Poms gained by winning the toss.

Even though their first innings was poor, it was obvious the Aussies would need a HUGE lead to make the game safe, batting fourth against Swann .

Luckily, the Poms batted slowly this afternoon. If they'd got 140 ahead tonight, as they could have if they'd shown more initiative, we'd be in a very vulnerable position to LOSE this Test. It's still not impossible.

Bloody Bushrangers have won the toss the last 2 games and chosen to bowl on featherbeds, with the obvious disastrous outcomes.

Fantastic ton in each innings by McDonald, against a test standard attack.(though Starc was injured in the second innings).

He deserves to be looked at seriously by the selectors for the Ashes series.

Probably a better bat, and better bowler(albeit not a spinner) , than North.

He would add variety to our attack, and looks a class batsman to me.

Do any other Demonlanders watch some of the live Telecast on the Cricket Australia website?

The poor Old Hammers. Stayed with Arsenal till the 87th min. Dammit!

They remind me of Melbourne so much!

Don't give up,WYL, we could still win this. If Johnson gets a chance against the spinners he should try to whack a few sixes.200 ahead and we're a fair chance!The Indian quicks were looking just as dangerous as the spinners,with the ball reversing and keeping low more and more often.

Fantastic match. Over 400 for both first innings, with a century and numerous fluent half centuries, then under 220 for both second innings with plenty of wickets falling. This match proves how Test cricket is totally a better form of the game than ODIs or T20s. A great showcase, and pity there's only one more match in the series.

Having said that, it exposed more of our flaws.

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What about our learned captain's bowling changes and field placements!!??

He used up the quicks, then left it too late to try Watson,Clark or Katich. Then, with us desperate for a wicket, and with no runs to spare,we bowl North and Watson.

We needed a finer third man and fine leg to the tail-enders earlier.

With VVS Laxman batting on a slow pitch, he needed cover and midwicket sweepers on the boundary.

He's lost it as a captain, but I can't suggest anyone else.

Really great match, though.

It really emphasised the necessity for video reviews with the modern technology available.

Mitchell Johnson is the Dane Swan of the Aussie cricket team. Great job getting a five fer.

On the other hand, Marcus North needs to produce when he comes out to bat tomorrow. If not, he should go out and buy some tickets for the Commonwealth Games events.

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At least he got Tendulkar out.

But he doesn't look up to it with the bat.

One last chance today!

Did anyone else watch the Bushrangers v. the CSK last night? I recorded it and watched it not knowing the result this morning.

Exciting!!!

The Bushies got off to a great start chasing 162, but their rate slowed as the pressure rose. They needed one to win off the last ball to McGain, but failed to score, resulting in a tie!

We batted first in the "Super Over", and Hussey belted 'em out of the ground for 27!! They only got 13.

Rivetting stuff!

Thank God we batted first!

You call that batting, HG!!??

I haven't wasted my time posting every time the side batting first has won!

Very important to win toss tonight and BAT!!!! I'm sure HG agrees!

Great to watch The Big V beat South Australia over there.

And didn't it emphasise, once again, the value of winning the toss and batting!

We did so well to make the Final after chasing runs so often , after losing the toss. If we'd won the toss a few times we'd have romped it in even more easily.

Yahoo Bushrangers!

Great effort to beat Qld on the Gabba in the 'Big Bash", after being 3/5(should have been 4/5). Absolutely zero from Huss and Hodgey, too! Lucky with the weather and the Duckworth/Lewis, but we deserved to win!

"Its going to depend on the conditions. While on most occassions you will bat first, it is not golden rule. So the word "always" is simply wrong and history proves it. And using one game to back your argument is wooden thinking at best."

Note that I said " when possible", so I'm not saying absolutely always. Sure, there will be times when the pitch preparation has been impaired, or perhaps a side has venomous quicks, but no spinner, and a pitch(like Perth) may help the quicks. There it would be good to get the runs on the board, but it may not be appropriate.

In no way was that the case in this match.

As for "wooden thinking", I agree . HG is saying that SA's victory proves he's correct.

I contend that the fact SA got 6/517 suggests that it wasn't wise to send them in. Surely not an unreasonable suggestion.

So you DIDN'T think we'd lose, HG. You have phenomenal prescience.

Your statistics on choosing to bowl then winning matches would be heavily weighted by pitches which have been affected adversely one way or another in preparation, making it obviously preferable to bowl first.

On a normal pitch(as was the MCG's for the Vic/SA match), you must bat when you win the toss. SA's 6/517 shows that this premise was correct on this occasion. I contend it's always wise to bat first in cricket matches if possible.

The fact that we won does not in any way prove what you say is correct.

Well done Vics.!!!

But next time don't waste 2 points by giving up the advantage of winning the toss.

It doesn't often happen that you have 6/500 scored against you in the first inns. and still win! I wouldn't hope for such a miracle to be repeated!

HG you are the only one playing "I told you so"! Surely it's more meaningful to give an opinion while the match is on , rather than waiting for the final result to "prove" you're wrong or right.

I re-iterate my opinion that it is always wise to bat first if you have the chance in cricket matches(of any duration).

Hey Hotgod! What did you think of Cameron White's decision to bowl first against S.A. on Thurs. ?

I rolled up at 5 past 11, watched one over , and said...."I hope we didn't send them in on this batting paradise!" I later learned, to my dismay, we DID!!!!

The pitch is looking worn now. We've got a test leg-spinner, and they've got Aaron O'Brien, who has about 30 first class wickets to his name! We'll lose.

When you captain a side, it's SO tempting to send the opposition in after inspecting the wicket. It's a gutless option to bowl first. There ALWAYS seems to be a bit of moisture that you hope will make it hard for the openers against the quicks. But there's nothing like runs on the board. I think the following scenario encapsulates it.....

Batting first, in a one-day game, you EXPECT at least 10 from the last over , and usually get it. Batting second....10 to win from the last over?? Sometimes, but not often.

[quote name='titan_uranus'

You were right, Titan!! The guys did well!

Luckily, I didn't put my money where my mouth was.

If we'd batted when we won the toss, I contend that we'd have got all the points.

Did you hear the rumour on 3AW this AM that Hodgey and Victoria are set to part ways by Christmas? I hope that's not right!

I find the Sheffield Shield fascinating. I really care how we go. I know it's function is as a breeding ground for Test players, but the over-riding strength is the competitive nature of the games.

I want us to gradually catch up on NSW in Shields. This will take till at least 2100!, so I may not see it,but at least I'll see the Demons overtake Carlton, Coll. and Ess for Flags, and clear out on the Tassie Waverley Hawks!

I went to the first session of days one and two. It looks like a bloody good cricket wicket. Something in it for the quicks and McGain. Hope it doesn't break up on day 4.

Victoria on the comeback: WA 7/155. Voges and Ronchi out in the last 4 overs. Their lead is 186. We're still a good chance to pull it off.

This is a great game! We've knocked off 60 of the 250 without loss. BUT, chasing in the 4th innings is always tough, even after great opening stands. You lose 3 wickets, then suddenly you realise there's only one specialist batsman left and you still need 100 odd. The pressure builds. My money's on W.A. I hope I'm wrong.

So glad to see someone else CARES about the Bushies, Titan!

"Any credit to the captaincy ?"

Ricky's 35 and he's finally realised it's an advantage to bat first in cricket matches.

He captained this match well.

It might be worth opening the bowling with a spinner to Sehwag.

Today's match was one of the best ODI's I've ever seen. A great, courageous victory by our boys against very strong opposition in their home territory.

Our fielding was sensational.

I particularly liked Doug Bollinger's great catch running back after spilling a hot one,and Voges' gulley catch!!!

We were a bit unlucky with shots at the stumps just missing for run-outs, and lofted shots always seemed to drop between fieldsmen.

This has been a great effort so far. After that second game, we looked thoroughly outclassed.

What about the crowd atmosphere!!!

I reckon our batsmen should attack the spinners immediately they're introduced into the attack. Greg Chappell used to do it to Underwood, and Steve Waugh and Dean Jones did it to the subcontinental offies with success. They have to use their feet, like Michael Clarke.

Early risks have to be taken, before these guys get the psychological edge.

I thought we won?

If you saw the match you'd understand. Not only were batting conditions much harder when we went in(as the pitch rapidly deteriorated), but we unnecessarily subjected ourselves to the pressure of chasing runs, even against a low score. It was so predictable. Despite our solid start, it was always likely that the loss of a couple of quick wickets suddenly would change the way the new batsmen would play, especially against the turning ball, often keeping low.

Batting first, anything less than 10 off the last over is looked on as a failure. Batting second, it can be hard to pick up 5 to win off over no. 40. We sure struggled.

When's Ponting going to learn.....???? If you win the toss,......BAT!!!!!!!!

I'm very worried about our chances in the Ashes.

My main worry is our poor technique and approach against the spinners.

I can see Monty and Swann causing us lots of bother.

I reckon our guys should attack them from ball one. Blocking and waiting for the loose ball is doomed for disaster.

The Poms will provide Spinners' pitches. We should have picked Jason Krezja(?spelling). We have no-one who'll trouble them.

Hauritz isn't bad, but Pietersen will hit him off his length.

Bopara looks a danger with the bat.

The big x-factor is Hughes. If he comes off in a big wAy, as well he might, that'll help us a lot. Don't know what he's like against the spinners.

I'm worried.

"White absolutely threw away his wicket, and ran Hussey out too."

I agree about White's irresponsible shot.

But I reckon Hussey's dismissal was his own fault. White called him for what should have been an easy quick single. Hussey wasn't backing up AT ALL. He still nearly made it, which means he would have been in by 2 yards if he'd remembered the basic fundamental of backing up.

We lost because of this and other fundamental errors when batting.

I reckon Benny Laughlin gives it a bit of a flick, by the way!