Tour of India

[The Red Baron]

For some reason, I think Cowan will have a really good series. He needs to though, he is often guilty of throwing his wicket away once he is in. He really needs to start going on and posting some big scores.

Good point about the sweep shot, the batsman I have seen sweep the most recently is Wade. It would seem he was consciously working on the shot. Good thing too, as his sweep needs a lot of work to be effective.

Too often Aussie batsmen attempt the 'slog sweep'. All well and good, but in my opinion they have less control over the shot, and it heightens the possibility of a top edge.

I really do think that the Aussies are attempting to use Wade in the same way as SA use de Villiers. Batsman first, keeper second. I think they have it arse about.

 

[Braveheart81]

The biggest conundrum this test match poses is that it is on at the same time as Super Rugby games.

I can only watch one thing at once!

 

[mark_s]

Yeah I think the next two series are made for Cowan to come into his own, I think we will need him in england given the moving ball. Back to today, I don't mind the final team for the first test. What a great tiome of year with all this top class sport on.

 

[mark_s]

Well done to Moises and Pup, a fine partnership, following a good opening stand. This looks a tough pitch to bat on so 300+ could prove to be a good score. Bad luck for Cowan, looks like he was batting well and I think he was right to trust his footwork (as shown by the run of LBWs for those that chose to play from the crease). Pup is as good a player of spin bowling I can remember, he could be the best ever by the end of this series.

 

[The Red Baron]

That partnership between Pup and Moises really set the Aussie innings up. Great to see Pup churn out yet another ton. And Moises looked very much at home in the middle. Hopefully he can follow up with a good performance with the ball.

Cowan was looking very comfortable until he got out. Unfortunately, he committed the cardinal sin again - he threw his wicket away. I know he was looking to dominate Ashwin, but he really didn't need to hop down the pitch. Warner for mine looked really uncomfortable, I think his hand is really giving him grief.

Hopefully we can get some more runs on the board this morning and then get some reverse happening with the ball.

 

[The Red Baron]

India 3/182 at stumps. Patto has bowled well, although Pup has been using him in short, sharp spells. The Indian openers aren't all that worrying, but god I am glad Pujara got out before he posted a big score. That guy is going to end up carrying India in the future.

Tendulkar is the next wicket we need, I really don't want him to score another hundred against us. Another wicket or two and we will be right into the tail. We need a couple of quick wickets early tomorrow.

 

[Runner]

Watching this test on a pitch that is in worse condition than a well kept garden in the Simpson Desert is a joke. Why play there till they fix it. They don't have ptches like that for the 20/20

 

[Braveheart81]

Why play there till they fix it.

It is how Australian cricket is funded.

 

[mark_s]

Well looks like we are stuffed. Dhoni and Kohli tool the game away from us yesterday and now our top order are showing how to do origami on the field. Disappointing, we will be beaten at all aspects of the game.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yep. Letting Dhoni won the match for India. A double hundred in such quick time advanced the game substantially and put India in the box seat. Letting them get 572 was way too many runs.

Our bowling attack hasn't worked. Lyon has been decent and Pattinson has been excellent but Siddle hasn't threatened and Starc has bowled poorly.

The problem is we don't have the right spinners on the tour. I'm pretty sure Doherty will play the second test but I don't see him as really being a wicket taking threat.

Realistically, our batting scores should have beeen pretty close to good enough. On a turning Indian pitch, you'd think 380 batting first and then more than 600 total runs would put you in with a big shout of winning the game.

 

[The Red Baron]

Our top order unfortunately has failed the spin test so far. Despite my predictions, Cowan has twice found a way to get himself out when he is set. What makes that even more criminal is that of our top order batsmen, he by far looks the most comfortable against spin. He was even using the sweep to good effect!

You are right BH, our bowling attack didn't work. Patto bowled well, and Lyon got through a mountain of work, but they were poorly supported. I am not sure what the answer is.

I suppose the one good thing to come out of this test is Henriques. He has really stood up as an all rounder, and hopefully kicks on. To come in twice when our innings was in serious trouble and score runs is a remarkable achievement for a debutant.

 

[No4918]

Wonder if we will play the 3 spinners next game. Going with the 3 quicks and a medium pace allrounder backfired spectacularly. Doherty looks our most intelligent spinner and must be played at least. Drop Starc or Siddle for him. Despite not being a fan i will put more faith in Henriques with the bat than Maxwell any day.

 

[The Red Baron]

If we play 3 spinners, it would mean that Henriques would get the chop. I don't think that is such a good idea. I would be more tempted to simply drop either Siddle or Starc and include Doherty. I daresay it will depend on what Clarke thinks of the next pitch.

 

[No4918]

Clarke made a terrible misread of this pitch. It's the only reason i can see to go in with the bowlers he did. Doherty & Lyon must play the remaining tests. The poms worked out 2 spinners were needed after the first test as well.

 

[No4918]

I'd only seen the scores but after seeing the full scorecard agree Henriques can't be dropped after his second innings effort.

 

[barbarian]

I can't see how this would have been avoided. Playing Doherty would have been a bad move, for two reasons:

1. He is worse than Lyon, and Lyon got pretty well tonked by the Indians. Doherty would have just doubled our pain.
2. He would have been picked at the expense of Pattinson, who was easily our best bowler.

It's all well and good to say 'play two spinners', but you need to have two test quality spinners to make it happen. We barely have one.
.

 

[Braveheart81]

Our biggest problem is that Doherty struggles to take wickets in long form cricket. He bowls with little flight or turn and is really just a limited overs bowler because he is very accurate. He poses little threat in long form cricket when batsmen aren't trying to force the issue against him.

His first class record is horrendous.

He will almost certainly play the second test but I can't see it really improving our chances. Steve O'Keefe should have been on this tour (because Michael Beer is injured. Otherwise he should be playing).

I think the lineup for the second test will be:

Cowan, Warner, Hughes, Watson, Clarke, Wade, Henriques, Johnson, Pattinson, Lyon, Doherty.

Johnson will be unlucky not to get a run after Starc and Siddle have both been ineffective and Doherty is surely a certainty to come into the side. Bird is being sent home with an injury for those who aren't aware.

Pattinson bowled 30 overs in the first innings and if Australia manages to build much more of a lead, he'll have bowled quite a lot of overs in the match. The second test starts on Saturday so there is a very short turnaround. Based on recent history there is a pretty high chance that Pattinson will break down with back to back tests involving a fair number of overs so there may be the thought of resting him. I guess it all depends on what happens in the second innings. Assuming we can't build on our lead much, he'll probably only bowl 4 or 5 overs.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I agree the comment RE Doherty. Lyon is arguably not good enough. 2 decent spinners would be ideal, but we barely have one.

 

[Moses]

Great debut Test for Moises Henriques
68, 1/48 (17), 81*, 1 catch

 

[Braveheart81]

Great debut Test for Moises Henriques
68, 1/48 (17), 81*, 1 catch

Terrific debut. The best bit about his batting was his concentration. He really focused and played well. He's had a great year but it has been a long time coming based on his early promise. Maybe he's one of those guys who is a big game player and will rise to another level in the test arena.

Good to see you supporting a fellow Mo(i)ses.

Maybe you should change your nickname to Moey in support of him.