Boxing day test v India 2014

[broncos4life]

A win in sight- really?

Have you blown up like this the other 100000 times it has been done? It's not comparable to golden point at all.

The game was done and a draw won us the series, four overs would have achieved nothing. Was India going to get the runs- no, was Australia going to get 4 wickets- no.

Yes a win in sight. We had 24 balls to get 4 wickets against arguably the worst batting tail in cricket. Are you joking right now?

I don't give a shit about the other 100000 times, I care what Australia do and that a team that has become renowned for going for the win just bent over and asked the other team to be gentle.

We had nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing on.

There is no way you can say for certain we wouldn't have gotten the final 4 wickets

 

[Socnorb]

I still can't agree with your thoughts on the pitch. Harris took 6 wickets in Melbourne and was MOTM bowling really well. Johnson took 5 and was a bit more erratic but still had some good spells.

That's 11 wickets between our two lead bowlers. Over half the job done. Last year in Adelaide Johnson took 7/40 and Harris 3/54. Followed up in Melbourne with Johnson 5/63 and 3/25. On the same pitch they weren't 'neutered' they bowled better then they have this series and got better results.

India beat us at the WACA in 2008 too.

Not just my thoughts. Me and most of the 9 commentary team.
Anyway I'm not saying that the pitch was terrible or anything like that . All I'm saying is that I would've liked to see something spicier

 

[1910]

Not just my thoughts. Me and most of the 9 commentary team.

The fact you keep ignoring every fact and stats thrown at you that disproves the pitch cost us a win and all the dropped catches doesn't help your argument.

 

[1910]

It's the principle.

Fans want to see a nation that fights to the end, even if the smarter option is to end things earlier.

Waugh/Ganguly called stumps in his last game chasing 433 and Australia 6/357.

Should he have pushed on and seen if Gillespie, Bracken and Lee could get the runs off the last few overs?

 

[Socnorb]

The fact you keep ignoring every fact and stats thrown at you that disproves the pitch cost us a win and all the dropped catches doesn't help your argument.

My argument is that I would have liked to see a pitch with a bit more for the bowlers. The stats don't change my view of what I would like. Also I did not say it cost the win.

 

[broncos4life]

Waugh/Ganguly called stumps in his last game chasing 433 and Australia 6/357.

Should he have pushed on and seen if Gillespie, Bracken and Lee could get the runs off the last few overs?

Completely different scenario. Both sides had something to gain from a draw in that scenario. There was a chance we could make the runs and there was a chance they could take the wickets.

In yesterday's game we had NOTHING to gain from conceding a draw. It was impossible for India to get a win.

 

[Ari Gold]

I don't understand your point about Harris? He bowled well all game and got MOTM. He hasn't said anything about the pitch. He bowls his guts out no matter what the pitch or condition. You've clearly never seen him post game and the condition of his body to question his toughness.

I recall he did say something about the pitch? Something to the effect of if he scores run on the pitch it says it all.

 

[KingWebcke]

Yes a win in sight. We had 24 balls to get 4 wickets against arguably the worst batting tail in cricket. Are you joking right now?

but we weren't bowling against the worst batting tail in cricket. We were bowling against Ashwin and Dhoni who average 36 and 38 with the bat ... that's basically the equivalent of Watson and Rogers (I'm trying to be complementary to Watson here).

if we had actually managed to get into the tail by that point I'm sure Smith would have stuck with it for the final 4 overs. but we were up against two pretty decent batsmen who had already held out for the previous 6 overs on a wicket that wasn't causing them a lot of grief

I'd have liked to see the final 4 overs bowled but it isn't the craven surrender to just call it a day and accept a series victory

 

[broncos4life]

but we weren't bowling against the worst batting tail in cricket. We were bowling against Ashwin and Dhoni who average 36 and 38 with the bat ... that's basically the equivalent of Watson and Rogers (I'm trying to be complementary to Watson here).

if we had actually managed to get into the tail by that point I'm sure Smith would have stuck with it for the final 4 overs. but we were up against two pretty decent batsmen who had already held out for the previous 6 overs on a wicket that wasn't causing them a lot of grief

I'd have liked to see the final 4 overs bowled but it isn't the craven surrender to just call it a day and accept a series victory

Michael Clarke would not have conceded at that point.

Ashton is not a good batsmen and dhoni is in career worst form currently

 

[1910]

Completely different scenario. Both sides had something to gain from a draw in that scenario. There was a chance we could make the runs and there was a chance they could take the wickets.

In yesterday's game we had NOTHING to gain from conceding a draw. It was impossible for India to get a win.

1-1 in the series and day five in the decider and they call it off and you say we had something to gain from a draw- How's that work? More was on the line in 2004 than yesterday. Calling it a draw yesterday won a series, calling it a draw in 2004 cost a series.

A chance we could make the runs? You're backing those three to get 76 off a couple of overs?

So really your stance of calling a game a draw being weak and should never be done is now- well sometimes it's ok.

I can't believe this has polarised opinion so much to be honest, I didn't even give it a second thought.

 

[1910]

I recall he did say something about the pitch? Something to the effect of if he scores run on the pitch it says it all.

That's hardly a criticism of the pitch that's trying to be funny.

No doubt it was a nice pitch to bat on I am not disputing that- what I am disputing is that it was this bowlers' grave yard that gave them nothing and produced an uneven contest between bat and ball.

Johnson proved yesterday if you bowl smart and well you could swing it and trump batsman beautifully. I'd be looking at catching, fielding and poor bowling not the pitch.

 

[Ari Gold]

I didn't see the context of the quote so I don't know if it was just humour or a humorous way to criticize the pitch.

I still think the game was not won by batting slowly in the morning. I think at the very least we should have left them 86 overs so we'd have a second new ball to use.

 

[KingWebcke]

Michael Clarke would not have conceded at that point.

I doubt he would have but Clarke is also the best captain in world cricket at the moment. he is ballsy and ferocious to the point of lunacy. it is a tall order to be compared to Clarke, especially when Clarke should probably be remembered as one of the best Australian captains (tactically and as a leader) since AB or Taylor.

I think Clarke is the only captain in world cricket who would have done anything differently to what Smith did on Day 5. I reckon McCullum, Cook, Dhoni, G. Smith, Misbah etc would have been just as conservative and willing to take a draw and savour the series win.

Ashton is not a good batsmen and dhoni is in career worst form currently

I think Ashwin is a fine batsmen. not exceptional but he is no mug either. he averages 36 in Test cricket and 36 in first class cricket, so he has to have some skill with the bat.

 

[KingWebcke]

My argument is that I would have liked to see a pitch with a bit more for the bowlers. The stats don't change my view of what I would like. Also I did not say it cost the win.

I think there was a bit in it for the bowlers. on Day 1, Day 2 and early on Day 3 there was a bit of bounce and movement. the pitch rewarded bowlers who were smart and discipline (which was none of the Indian pacemen) and likewise rewarded batsmen who had good footwork.

the only problem I saw with the pitch was that it didn't fall apart on Day 4 and Day 5, when you'd usually expect cracks and uneven bounce for the fast bowlers and more turn and natural variation for Lyon. And that was (partially) because of the weather.

at the end of the day, Melbourne is never the fastest or spiciest pitch in Australia. it usually has less in it for the fast bowlers than the WACA or Gaba but isn't usually as slow as Adelaide or Sydney. I think that is what we saw this time around. it was a decent pitch to start with but it just flattened out after Day 3 and remained a really good batting track

 

[Socnorb]

I think there was a bit in it for the bowlers. on Day 1, Day 2 and early on Day 3 there was a bit of bounce and movement. the pitch rewarded bowlers who were smart and discipline (which was none of the Indian pacemen) and likewise rewarded batsmen who had good footwork.

the only problem I saw with the pitch was that it didn't fall apart on Day 4 and Day 5, when you'd usually expect cracks and uneven bounce for the fast bowlers and more turn and natural variation for Lyon. And that was (partially) because of the weather.

at the end of the day, Melbourne is never the fastest or spiciest pitch in Australia. it usually has less in it for the fast bowlers than the WACA or Gaba but isn't usually as slow as Adelaide or Sydney. I think that is what we saw this time around. it was a decent pitch to start with but it just flattened out after Day 3 and remained a really good batting track

It looked like it was getting there, more like a day 4 pitch. The cutter that got pujara was an absolute corker. I should have pointed out ,I do lean toward the bowling side of the game , and have a general disdain for batsmen.

 

[1910]

We haven't had a drawn Test in Australia since November 26 2012. When we played South Africa in Adelaide.
That was a classic Test match which took heroics from du Plessis and de Villiers.

MCG has had 16 consecutive results and has not had a draw since 2009. We've won 10 games in a row at home.

 

[Bucking Beads]

We should be enjoying a series victory instead of complaining about Steve Smith. He made a judgement call and I'm happy to back him not that I agree with it.

 

[Ari Gold]

Wtf? Who put Beads on Prozac!?