H_T

Over 7 overs left or over 30 mins of play still to come and Lyon comes in at 5 as night watchman. India won't mind that at all...jeebus

Now Smith has come in at 4??? I must have missed something, Clarke must be injured....

Just got home, why is Clarke not coming out at 3? Anyone know?

Fair enough I suppose re: their forte. I think they both were well respected by their players. 0/109 at Lunch AUSvIND. Good solid start by the opening batsmen in Mohali. Clarke won toss (batted). VICS v TAS - TAS 6/369, VICS are 4/208. Tassie in a strong position. VICS after 1st innings points.

Maybe I didn't recall hard enough 45...

Yep. Wasn't Watson & Siddle the two who stayed with Hussey in the changerooms? Anyway....clearly from Pat Howard's perspective the Captain/Vice Captain relationship isn't plain sailing. And clearly there is a lack of team harmony within the squad, hence a lack of spirit. It's not good, whichever way you cut it. Perhaps there is a common theme here. Clarke is a wonderful player and tactician IMO. A wonderful leader on the field. But from the reports of journalists on tour etc, there is a bit of work to be done off the field as well as on. If they want a professionally run outfit and this is line in the sand stuff to prevent the short cuts and "attitude/back chat problems", so be it. I'm hopeful that Clarke can be as good a leader off the field in the changerooms like his predecessors in Taylor, Waugh, Ponting where they were inclusive of all. The Australian cricket team has traditionally been a team that plays hard and celebrates hard appropriately behind closed doors. Let's hope that continues in a professional manner.

Clarke will bat at 3 tonight/this Test.

Where's the spirit in the Australian Cricket team?

Found it. I had searched on his Twitter, but he seems to have been taken down now. It was published in todays paper by Jon Anderson, (having recalled reading it), it says...: ....former England captain Alec Stewart took to Twitter yesterday to twist the knife. Stewart went with: "They've got Xavier Doherty, or whatever you call him.... (and) that Afghanistan bloke they're trying to give a passport to" (Fawad Ahmed- from Pakistan).

Have you guys heard about Alec Stewart's tweet? Tool.

He's checking out the rumps. Hope you nail a good one Redleg. There has to be another Makybe Diva some where.

Well if you can't find batsmen that are good enough to bat at 3 or 4 outside of the team, what's the answer? It's to lift Clarke up the order, isn't it? I know you don't like it titan_uranus, but Clarke now understands it, "there's no other choice"...isn't that what he said post match. He has the technique and ability and know how to occupy the crease and nut out gritty innings. If we lose him early it will appear we're papering cracks, but we have to try it, becuase the guys up the order aren't achieving what they're supposed to. I agree with your comments on Cowan and Khawaja. They have good technique, Cowan has proven he can hang around despite minimal centuries to date. We need guys who can hang around as well as score to provide support. That's why there's the Cowan-Warner combo. Watson and Hughes appear shaky given Clarke's comments and we'll know soon enough which way they will go, but IMO Khawaja should polish his boots. Clarke has got to move up to 4 if Hughes goes, Khawaja at 5. If Watson goes, Hughes and Clarke shuffle up, Khawaja still at 5. Henriques at 6. Wade 7. Lyon in for Doherty. Starc in for Maxwell (pitch permitting). England is a different proposition to India in terms of conditions and all is not lost, sure. I think our quicks are sort of settled for England. It's the middle and top order that need organising and perhaps our choice of spinner. I would have said Lyon would have been a lock, but it appears that's not the case with the selectors.

Too much red wine can cause balance problems...:

So am I. I want a contest! And I want 5 days at Old Trafford. Not 3. I still agree with 45, he has to go up IMO. Whilst he is batting well at 5, he can do the same at 4 or 3. I'd move him up to 4. My current Twelve for the Ashes. Cowan Warner Watson Clarke Khawaja Maxwell Henriques Wade Starc Siddle Pattinson Lyon The selectors have made a rod for their own back IMO. They shielded Hughes from Sth Africa, JI admitted as much when he said they prefer Hughes play against Sri Lanka as a preparation for India, England. They'd rather Hughes gain confidence and form against a softly Sri Lanka on the hard flat decks of Australia, rather than the pace and torment of the South African bowlers. If they were fair dinkum, they should have wheeled him out against Steyn, Philander and Morkel - if they had England in mind for Hughes. IMO Khawaja has better technique than Hughes does. I still think (like 45) Clarke being the premier batsman of the team needs to move up, Khawaja at 5 for me. The top 3 can occupy the crease, they get starts but don't seem to be getting on in their innings. Warner and Watson need to value their wickets more. They do score relatively quick, just needs more concentration. Lazy at times. Warner getting bowled around his legs is the perfect example.

Agree. Where to from here? Put Lyon back in straight away for the 3rd, despite a knock to his confidence? As for the top order, I would imagine Usman is getting a little closer to selection.

lol. I was going to say if you want to see more of 0/260..... Adjusted.

Fox sports news have just suggested Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc likely to miss 2nd Test. Doherty and Maxwell in. Huge shock for Lyon given Clarke's support for him 2 days ago. Spinners paradise predicted once again.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-south-africa-2012/content/story/592948.html Don't think that's a good move Nasher.

Updated Tendulkar, Starc & Henriques figures (ref: espncricinfo)

He's close.

Thompson to me is considered utterly consistent in terms of output. He doesn't perform when it suits him, he performs when required dc. That was the point I was making. The Wiz was good, every now and then. Thompson to me is a more valuable player.

The only concern I have is the performances and progress of those in my team, old dee. I couldn't care less how former MFC players go at opposition clubs. Just like I couldn't care for Travis Johnstone and other former players who have had little influence after leaving and only seemed to perform when it suited them, not necessarily when required or on a consistent basis. There is however one exception. Scott Thompson still burns.

Ok, it's a choke. lol. Fwiw in Qld's innings a second gamer piled on the runs near the end, the Vics could have had them out for 115-120. Despite the rain, I agree the Vics should have still been able to chase down the 147. I thought McDermott's ball was an absolute cracker to get the 8th? wicket I think. I definitely thought we had it sewn up when the Vics got a boundary needing 5 off 9? Until McDermott got his wicket. From then on it was up to what was left of the tail (no guarantees). Thought McDermott and Harris bowled quite well. Don't discount Harris, he still has something left to give for Australia I think.

Can you really blame the AFL for taking his performances in 2012 into account? Just saying.

Stosur? I watched it last night, at 4 for, I thought the Vics did well to get back in it and used the power play at the right time. Particularly with rain around. Ryan Harris' short ball to McKay was a cracker in the last and was pretty much the sealer with the Vics still needing 3 to win off 3, despite the edge by Ahmed to first slip next ball. Would you call that a choke? I wouldn't.