Cricket: Australia v. India v. Sri Lanka 2011/12

[spooony]

321 in less than 40 overs. Now that was one chase and a half. Its a shame it was witnessed by only 3000 people who turned up at the ground

 

[mark_s]

Amazing chase and innings by Kohli. It looked like they could have chased down 500 over the 50 overs.

 

[light]

As one of the commentators stated at the end of the match "one of the greatest ODI innings we have ever seen". For any of those commentators to make such a comment demonstrates the nature of Kohli's innings, it was something I doubt many other batsmen in the world could do.

The article in the Australian today comparing Kohli to Gilchrist I thought was well deserved. As he demonstrated last night, those two are in a league of their own when it comes to ball striking. I understand that most of that comes with form and any player can hit a 6 or a century on a good day, but to do it under those contraints and that much pressure in such limited time requires more composure than the average cricketer has. I couldn't see any current Australian batsman compiling such an innings, maybe with the exception of David Hussey.

Good way to leave Australian soil India, I hope for your sake you pick the right players next time.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Kohli has been the only Indian player to enhance his reputation on this tour. He's been good pretty much all summer, even though he's carried on a bit at times. That's OK though, he's young and clearly got a fire in his belly. The rest of the team have been listless, uninterested and generally pretty terrible. It's been great seeing their arses handed to them in the tests.

 

[spooony]

You mean the league that Klusener was in as well?

 

[Moses]

By the same token, you could argue that Hussey acted against the spirit of fair play by sticking his hand out. I have no problem with a batsman putting his body between the fielder and the stumps as he runs, that's gone on for ages, but then sticking your hand out to stop the ball is not on. I accept it could be somewhat of a reflex at times though. I'd have no problem with someone being out to a "Mankad" if they'd been given a warning. Stealing 2-3m on a run is, and should be, a high-risk thing.

I wouldn't even give them a warning. The Poms do this all the time and it shits me to tears.

I couldn't see any current Australian batsman compiling such an innings, maybe with the exception of David Hussey.

I'd back Warner to hit an innings like that on a good day, such as when he did in the Test we lost to NZ.

 

[light]

I'd back Warner to hit an innings like that on a good day, such as when he did in the Test we lost to NZ.

Maybe, but not until he matures as a player and learns to keep his composure. Good bowlers have always found a way to get him out. Mind you that knock he played in the IPL last year using the switch hit numerous times was good to watch, not that he could replicate it for his country under the same circumstances Kohli was under.

 

[spooony]

A lot of Batsmen can do it on a belter of a wicket which bounces like a tennis ball and all help it gives a bowler is helping his figures to a century under 10 overs.

While we at belter pitches and slogs I got a little confession to make.

When we played you guys in that 400 + affair I came home and switch on the tele and saw Aus 432. I said hell we are chasing 332 and had to look again cause I imagined seeing a 4. So after looking again and rubbing my eyes and looking again I saw that huge score and said we are fucked. Another choke and we probably wont get to 200. So I lied down on my bed waiting for the players to come out. I had this dream of Jessica Alba and some crowd going off in my conscience. Then I woke up and saw SA 438/9. I had to do the whole thing again to see if I were not dreaming. So after doing that I realized that I slept through one of the best ODI in history.

Same thing happened in the 95 WC semi vs France. Was waiting for the game to start fell asleep and woke up to hear the commentator say we are in the final lol

Every time people asked me did you see that game or do you remember that innings I say no I fell asleep and they look at me with a WTF GTFO face lol

 

[Torn Hammy]

Watching Malinga bowl leg stump full tosses to Kohli and getting whacked for 24 runs made me wonder how hard Sri Lanka were trying to win that match.

 

[spooony]

Malinga is fast and try to get reverse. Now to get swing you need to pitch it up. With perfect batting conditions a guy at his pace will go a long way into the stands

 

[Aussie D]

Sri Lanka win the second final with 5 overs and 8 wickets to spare - bring on the 3rd final it will be interesting to see how both sides play in a do-or-die affair. Good to see Dave Warner in the runs but he seems to be taking his time to get going as both his hundreds have come off more than 100 balls - I'm not particularly used to this in ODI as most players seem to get their 100s in around a hundred balls and then really launch. For someone who has a reputation as a "blaster" he hasn't reallly lit it up at 50 over level to match the expectations placed on him.

 

[mark_s]

I tip Sri Lanka to win. They have played better than Aus IMO and the adelaide track will suit them. We always seem to fade late in the summer.

 

[Aussie D]

If Clarke is injured I expect Sri Lanka to do it reasonably easy as Watson's captaincy is not up to Clarke's level. Hopefully Forrest will get the call up for the third final (if Clarke is injured) as he was one of Australia's form players in the preliminaries and unlucky to have missed out on the first two finals IMHO.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Sri Lanka will romp it in for mine. We've had trouble with them all summer and our bowling to them has been pretty ordinary. In the first final it should have been all over when they were six down, but then we bowled an absolute load of rubbish for 10 overs and they got back in it. I had to go for a walk I was getting so frustrated. The opposition have had all the momentum since then.

Our only hope is to lose the toss and have to bat second. We'd have to make 350+ to have anything like a defendable total against these guys.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Well credit where it's due, the bowlers really stepped up tonight. This was just about the first time all summer I reckon they've bowled the right length to Sri Lanka and it paid off. Too often the batsmen have been able to tee off on our quicks, but tonight they didn't. Much kudos there. Watson also did a great job as captain and bowler. I didn't think we had enough on an Adelaide track, but the wicket obviously wasn't as true as the other night and there was much greater discipline on display.

Well played.

 

[Lindommer]

Listened to this match for most of the day, no way did I think 230 was enough. But full credit to the Oz bowlers, on reflection clues were there when Alderman mentioned the pitch wasn't holding up well.

Well played Australia, and well led, Watson. 'Spose I'll have to drop the FU handle.

 

[Aussie D]

Fantastic game of cricket had me enthralled throughout. I didn't think Oz scored enough but Sri Lanka just fell apart in the first 20 overs. Thought the 2 SL batsmen at the crease during the 20-35 over-ish mark (Tharanga and ?) scored two slowly, albeit they were trying to save their wickets which put pressure on later in the innings. All the Aussies bowled well particularly McKay in what was a fitting finale.