Macca

So if India lose this Test they haven't really lost . I get it now . How silly of me not to see this . In all seriousness that "We've got nothing to lose" line is trotted out far too much . To me it's a total cop out and is just another way of making an excuse . It is often said when an individual or team has been completely outplayed . It never ceases to amaze me how , in a match where there is a winner and a loser , one competitor can say that they've "Got nothing to lose". Ah , yes you have , because if the other mob win , you lose ! In that 'Age' article Dravid also made a veiled reference to Sachin hopefully making "that" ton . I thought it was supposed to be a team game . I can't imagine an Australian player focusing on an individual performance if we were similarly precariously placed .

I'm not nitpicking at all . I made a comment on what I reckon is an outrageous statement by Dravid . The bloke has an excellent command of the English language so there's no excuses . "Clearly not the words he meant" ? Can you please explain what he did mean to this mere mortal .

Yep , and my comment was on his choice of words . Don't apologise for him , he's a big boy .

It's not out of context Nasher ! He said "We have nothing to lose" Whichever way you read it , it's a stupid comment . He's trying to somehow put a positive spin on a disastrous situation . If / when they lose this Test they will be 2 nil down . They have everything to lose ! "There's nothing to lose in the sense that we're so far behind now" said Dravid . He's effectively saying if we lose it doesn't matter ! But .......it does matter .

We have nothing to lose : Dravid Excuse me ? http://news.theage.c...0105-1pmrj.html

Nice goin with this thread . Ronny Jordan is my favourite jazz guitarist , hails from the UK . A lot of his tunes have a great feel to them . This song is called "7th Heaven" Macca 1.2

This track is by the one and only George Duke : Keyboard Jazz pioneer . Like most of the songs I will post on this thread, it's a bit of a toe-tapper ! The link to this track should play automatically . I found this music site has just about everything, and the sound quality is quite good . This song is called "T-Jam". George Duke - T-Jam

Ah yes , I used to check the District scores as a matter of course , einstein . ( that's not meant to be a put down btw ) ! , but have lost touch in a lot of ways because I don't buy the paper that much anymore ! The Age on the weekends is about it . You've reminded me that I should do so as the Melbourne Cricket Club are one of my many sporting teams that I support . Won a lot of Premierships have the MCC and I've played a bit of cricket with a couple of blokes that played in the 3rd eleven there . Cheers

Macca 4.5

Good on ya JJ . Thanks for that but you were the originator of the idea mate . I'll kick my contribution off with a nice little number from a superb jazz guitarist - Chuck Loeb . This song is called "Carbo Fuel" Macca 1.0 Chuck Loeb - Carbo Fuel

Hodgey and Ronnie put on a show . Some big 6's in that innings . Always nice to see Melbourne beat Sydney !!

Funny you should mention jazz because I like a fair bit of it as well . And I'm sure there are others here that do as well . Tell you what , if you start a jazz thread I will contribute whenever I can . Most of it would be on youtube or the like . Maybe the songs will just have still shots - but that's quite ok . Some of my favourite artists include George Duke , Nils , Jeff Golub , Acoustic Alchemy , Ronny Jordan , Chuck Loeb , David Benoit and various saxophonists . Most of the jazz I like is a bit uptempo but it's somehow described as downtempo - I don't get that , but let's face it , how do you describe jazz? Cheers and btw Korn are good .

A bit of holiday reading for you blokes and ladies The late great Keith "Nugget" Miller http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/482217.html

Yes wisedog, you make a good point re the "State competition" though I can understand why CA made the move . Most big sporting comps around the world are City based so they've just re-jigged it . It will take a bit of time before the public warm to the Stars , Renegades , Sydney Thunder and Sixers but in the other Capital cities the new "franchises" have been accepted ( if you go on crowds ) . The "Thunder" having Chris Gayle and the "Stars" having Warnie will help those teams pull a crowd you'd reckon . Possibly by the end of January people will start to accept the new teams and certainly by the end of next summer . I still find it a bit strange switching from "Test" mode to "t20" mode but I reckon most feel this way . Cheers

Yep , we're on the same wavelength Nasher . I think in time the purists will buckle . There's just too much to like about t20 . As ya said , that Gayle knock was exciting . Just wonderful artistry . Effortless in a lot of ways , pure timing . He's done it twice now in the comp and what a crowd puller he is . The sport is part exhibition as well which can't be denied but so what . People love it . I worry about the future of Test cricket sometimes but 189,000 at the MCG eases my mind somewhat . They should come in their droves to the Sydney Test as well especially it being the 100th test at the ground .

Test cricket is a Test and a better game to watch ( for me ) . T20 for me is a much better shorter version of the game . It might surprise some that I don't like 50 over cricket at all . ( except for world cups where I take a bit of an interest ) . To me the 50 over game goes far too long . We already have a long version of the game in Test cricket . I reckon it will be the 50 over game that will fade away to be perfectly honest . Btw t20 pays its way and probably subsidises Shield cricket ( which must cost a small fortune to run ) So , in fact , cricket needs t20 and the money it brings to the game . Big picture stuff in a lot of ways .

If t20 is aimed at kids then why do so many adults like the sport as well ? Check out the faces in the crowd . T20 is here to stay and will only get bigger . As an aside , the Test crowd at the MCG was over 189,000 so what are people worried about ? The crowd at the Sydney Test will be big as well btw It seems there is a percentage of people who don't like t20 and that is their right . But do they need to tell everybody about it ? There are loads of things in life that I don't like but I don't feel compelled to tell the whole world about it . I'll give you one though - I don't like brussels sprouts ! You do however make a good point about Test players playing t20 and that does need to be addressed . You are also correct in saying that it's a completely different game . If you treat it as such , you may not dislike it as much . I compare Test cricket to t20 like I do the Marathon to the 100 metre sprint . It's ok to like both . Overall t20 is family friendly , fun , exciting , entertaining . There's music and dancing etc etc . I go to the games and everybody is smiling and happy . What's wrong with that ? Btw , I'm waiting for the cavalry to arrive . I seem to be the only one on this thread who likes the sport . ( And I didn't kick it off ) Cheers

Came across a good new comedy called "Episodes" about a British couple who have a successful comedy in the UK . The plot revolves around the "American" version of the show with the lead played by Matt LeBlanc ( who is somewhat miscast as a Headmaster of an elite boys academy ) . It has been nominated for a Grammy award for best comedy series . Worth a look .

Renegades are on the board at last ! Scores are lower this year . It seems the bowlers are fighting back in this form of the game .

Macca 4.4 All the best for the New Year all you rock fans !

Here are the 2 scorecards from those 2 tests vs Pakistan in 1972/73 . 5 changes from a winning test ! ( For various reasons ) . The great DK Lillee bowled 23 overs straight in the 2nd innings in Sydney ( albeit with a break overnight ) . He of course broke down with stress fractures in his back soon after . Pakistan made 574 in their 1st innings in Melbourne yet somehow lost . They were chasing 159 for victory in Sydney and at one stage were 3/83 and lost again . Eerily similar to events in Sydney 2 years ago . http://www.espncrici...atch/63095.html http://www.espncrici...atch/63096.html Well done to the Aussies today . For a while there yesterday I thought we'd be 1 nil down but we got there in the end . Great team effort .

Too good WJ ! Yeah , John Benaud . After he failed in the 1st innings of the Melbourne Test vs Pakistan in 1972/73 he was dropped for the Sydney Test . He then went out and made 142 in the 2nd innings . I was at the game . He then went to the West Indies in 1973 and played one more Test ( his last ) Well played sir !

Quiz time Who was the Australian top order batsman who scored 142 in the 2nd innings of a Test match but was dropped for the next test match ? Clue - they were consecutive Test matches .

Whilst I like and prefer the DRS , I don't reckon we will see too many "sus" LBW decisions given . Batsmen on the front foot will probably get the benefit of the doubt . I can live with that . What we might see is a 1 or 2 LBW decisions where the batsman gets a thin inside edge . These ones are the toughest to adjudicate on . So far , India haven't been on the wrong end of a clanger . But it will happen . And can you imagine if it's Sachin ? ( in the 90's )

Well done Hilfo and the other bowlers . It's a pity that a lot of the cricket writers often don't seem to know much about Shield cricket . I'm wondering if any of them trot along to the games at all . They don't quote stats or have much to say at all . The general public seem to know very little about all these new players coming through . I go to cricket.com a lot these days to read match reports etc because you won't find much in the online daily's ( re Shield cricket ) . Hilfo has apparently been bowling well in Shield ranks but most folk wouldn't be getting this information . Therefore some opinions on Hilfo can only be based on last years Ashes series . Just on those Shield stats - if you asked the average punter about Jayde Herrick , Michael Hogan or Peter Forrest you'd get blank looks . Herrick and Hogan lead the aggregates in wickets taken ( 32 each ) and Forrest leads the batting aggregate ( 500 plus ) I had to look up these figures btw .