Australia v. India - 4th. Test, Sydney

Donny · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:34 pm

1/201 at 5 r.p.o.

Langer is 114 n.o.

Donny · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:47 pm

At tea, Australia is 1/209.

Langer is 115 n.o. and Ponting, 10 n.o.

If India had batted at that rate, they could've got their 700 by tea on the second day.

Donny · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:16 pm

Langer out for 117. An excellent innings.

He could have played for a personal double century or even 241 but he played for his team, first and foremost.

Donny · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:26 pm

Kumble takes his third. Ponting, l.b.w.

He's bowling very well and has 3/55.

Donny · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:01 pm

Pathan bowled a pearler to Steve Waugh and got the edge.

Waugh scored 40 and in so doing, went past 1000 Test runs at the SCG.

It's 5/322 with Katich on 40 n.o.

JLC · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:46 pm

The difference was Tendulkar and Laxman both got starts and converted them into big centuries.

India should win the match from here weather permitting.

jlc

JLC · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:47 pm

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:29 am

Simply this. Even though India ground out 700, the Aussies didn't run up the white flag. They knew the only way to have any chance of a win, they must bat quickly.

Langer digging in and running up a huge personal score (which, at least by your estimation, he needed) might've made a draw more likely but that's not how Australia play the game.

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:34 am

Well in todays paper Waugh wants them to fight like hell for a draw and not to throw in the towel. That would imply something different.

IMO one player needed to hold up and end for Australia and ensure they made a big total. Katich may yet be that player but ideally you want someone in your top 3 to do that.

jlc

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:51 am

The only hope i could see for Australia if they still wanted to win the game would be to declare 200 behind India that is 1 run behind the follow on total and hope India are stupid enough to enforce it. If they are open up with Hayden and Gilchrist and treat it like an extended one day game and try and score around 350 to 400 and set India around 150 - 200 to win and the hope like hell the NSW "Untouchables" can actually do something.

MacGill and Bracken are both wicketless on their home tracks very disappointing and Lee was far too expensive.

jlc

Donny · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:54 am

Waugh is commenting on the situation now, not at the start of the innings.

He has always stated he'd rather lose a Test going for a win than taking the safer option of a boring draw. They had a go. It didn't come off.

We're not looking at a boring draw here. They will now fight like hell for it.

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:30 am

Kumble is teaching MacGill how to bowl.....lol

5 wickets already for the innings and he took care of the top order.

jlc

ScottyMac · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:52 am

I think a boring Draw is already a foregone conclusion.... The indians made that decision by batting as long as they did yesterday!!!

They way they batted was boring and the way they field and bowl is disgraceful..

Timed a Pathan over yesterday bowling to Langer and Ponting and he averaged 1.45 mins per ball!!!!! that is between the ball being dead and the bowler starting his run up!!!!

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 1:00 pm

Great fighting partnership by Dizzy and Katich. Dizzy is a great fighter and shows what a littlbe bit of application at the crease can do.

India hold the Sunil Gavaskar trophy and the series is tied at 1-1 which for them is a fantastic result already given that they were ridiculed before the start of the series and were at long odds to win or even tie the series.

India dont have to do Australia any favours by giving them even a sniff of victory. Im sure India would like the win but would be happy with a draw and then defeat Australia at home in India.

jlc

JLC · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:15 pm

There will be a big decision for Ganguly to make should Australia not reach the follow on. I think it will be a good result for Australia if they dont make it as the onus is back on Ganguly.

1. Does he enforce the follow on and try and go for victory although this could open the door slightly for Australia. His bowlers especially Kumble would be tired.

2. Does he have another bat and try and get a big lead ?? An inspired spell by Dizzy could give Australia a slight hope if they bowled India out for 180 ish. This option of batting would give India less chance of winning.

Just remember how passionate and crazy the India public are. If Ganguly stuffs this up he probably wont have a house when he returns home...lol

thoughts.....

jlc