International Cricket 2012/13

[Bucking Beads]

Happy with the Hughes selection. I like Khawaja but if the rumours are true about him his test aspirations are on shaky ground. You would hope that once he has been told of his short comings he changes his ways because he is too good for shield level.

 

[Browny]

I'd guess Johnson or Starc will be 12th man, unless Hilfy or Siddle aren't passed fit.

I'd like to see this batting order:

Cowan
Warner
Hughes
Watson
Clarke
Hussey

The interviews with Pup and Arthur suggest that.

I hope Uzzie can sort out the issues real or perceived as he has a good mindset for tests, he's always looked composed

 

[m1c]

I'm happy to run with Johnson now he has his mind right... It seems to be a prerequisite for him. I'm positive the Clarke/Arthur/Invers set-up will be far more nurturing than their predecessors. They were the absolute axis of evil - Ponting/Neilson/Hilditch. All fucking useless.

 

[ningnangnong]

Oh man, howler of an LBW decision against Sri Lanka!

 

[Meat77]

I'm happy to run with Johnson now he has his mind right... It seems to be a prerequisite for him. I'm positive the Clarke/Arthur/Invers set-up will be far more nurturing than their predecessors. They were the absolute axis of evil - Ponting/Neilson/Hilditch. All fucking useless.

Yes...if only all cricketers were as useless as Ponting...

 

[Browny]

Ponting, good batsman shit captain

 

[Meat77]

He wasn't a brilliant captain but I've seen worse. I think he gets a bad rap for reasons that are beyond me on here and with the general public

 

[Ari Gold]

He wasn't a brilliant captain but I've seen worse. I think he gets a bad rap for reasons that are beyond me on here and with the general public

He took one of the most talented teams we've had and managed to lose the Ashes with that team. He was a horrible, horrible captain who was lucky to have so many talented players in his team that most of the time he wasn't exposed.

 

[m1c]

I'm talking about leadership and foresight - nothing to do with is quality as a batsman.

Ponting has to share a large portion of the blame for the number of spinners we went through under his watch - none of them received anything close to the support requisite. He was a terrible developer of talent and confidence. The likes of Hughes and Johnson jumping at shadows would not happen under stronger and more competent leadership.

 

[Coxy]

Agree wholeheartedly with what m1c and Ari said.
Ponting seemed to be a captain with no vision. He didn't build a team or an era the way Waugh, Taylor and even Border did. IMO the most likely reason for that is Ponting never knew anything but a time when Australia dominated. Waugh and Taylor emerged during Australia's growth back into a super power, but they also experienced the heartbreak of defeat by the West Indies in 88-89, 91 and worst of all 92-93 (that Adelaide Test still makes me sad).

For Ponting it was always a case of if someone's badly out of form, there's someone else to come in and do the job. But suddenly as captain, that depth of talent wasn't there and he had to rely on some young and unproven players. He failed to give them the support and confidence they needed and so they came and went sporadically...all except Marcus North who Ponting seemed unwilling to ever admit was never going to cut it.

The 2005 Ashes was a great example of how if a team stood up to him he had no real answers to grind the win anyway. The loss of McGrath killed him.

 

[Mister Wright]

This match has Adelaide written all over it. After Snagakkara was dropped by Clarke he looked pretty solid. Even if Sri Lanka don't win, the time he spends at the crease will be a benefit for the rest of the series.

 

[ningnangnong]

Matty Wade is bowling!

 

[m1c]

This is a lion-hearted performance from Watson. The all-rounder has recently returned from injury yet he's going above and beyond and picking up the workload left by Hilfenhaus. Still, he charges in and looks as likely as any to take a pole. What courage.

 

[Browny]

It is his job, if he wasn't as fragile as fine china it wouldn't be commented on. Put Siddle on from both ends lol

 

[m1c]

It was more so satire of all the Peter Siddle is a lion heart jizz flying around at the moment.. If he was fit and/or talented he wouldn't be commented on - only doing his job, as you say. In fact, Watto has bowled more overs than him this innings - Lion heart!

 

[Big Pete]

m1c you sly devil.

C'mon Aussie, we need a victory!

 

[Ari Gold]

Regardless of whether we win or draw I think this test shows why Ponting was a bad captain. Were he leading we wouldn't have declared til we had 550 in the 1st inns and victory wouldn't even be possible.

 

[Big Pete]

This Ponting bashing makes me a sad Pete.

Good aggressive cricket here from Starc.