Aussies v. India - ODI Tri series

[tazza2000]

Haydos stumped on 47 from 76 balls, average innings considering the SR and his recent form, Kumble on FIRE

Australia have lost a flurry of wickets in the time of a few overs and are facing a tough RR to catch the indians.

Symonds goooone LBW Khan 1 off 5 balls, very disapointing considering Symonds stunning world cup this year

Time for one of those BEVEN rescue missions

RR continues to slip and Aussies now require almost 7 an over to win with 20 overs remaining and 6 wickets in hand

[tazza2000]

Martyn bowled by Sehwag on 16 from 26 balls, seemed as though he thought he was playing a test match, little urgency shown

2 balls later...................................

Beven goone once again bowled Sehwag on 18 off 28 balls, Description: See Martyn's innings

The all-rounders are set a massive task now to get 8.5 per over in the last 12 overs

Punter would be kicking himself right now and be hoping that a miracle 'fast bowler' cure could be found

Harvey bowled by Tendulkar for 4 off 10 balls, No urgency once again, Tendulkar looking like he can do anything

Aussies are now looking towards the Kiwis in a couple of days time as am I
GOoOdnight

[JLC]

Lucky i didnt stay up to watch Bevan play although i was having trouble sleeping

jlc

[Donny]

Same old story

The Wisden Verdict by Dileep Premachandran


Australia's last one-day outing on the subcontinent ended in similarly embarrassing circumstances, with a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Thirteen months on, the world's best team revealed – to everyone else's relief – that the flaws that plague their game in these climes are very much intact.

They're still without a clue when it comes to playing slow bowlers on sluggish surfaces, and even a part-time offspinner like Virender Sehwag was made to look like Jim Laker thanks to the ineptitude of every batsman barring Adam Gilchrist.

To concede 283 in conditions that didn't help their attack might be considered unfortunate. But to surrender so meekly after a 132-run opening partnership smacked of carelessless and lack of preparation. Two strokes summed up the Australian effort – Ricky Ponting's nothing waft against Anil Kumble, and Ian Harvey's meat-cleaver swing across the line to Sachin Tendulkar, both shots played with little regard for the circumstances, or the conditions.

The bowlers had been just as profligate after Nathan Bracken and Brad Williams had started promisingly. Too often, the ball was speared down the leg side, and Tendulkar and VVS Laxman – so ruthless on anything pitched even on middle stump – revelled in the free hits. Two of the worst culprits were Andy Bichel and Harvey, the men expected to provide leadership to an inexperienced attack.

Bracken bowled beautifully at times, erring only at the death when a fixation with yorkers resulted in one full toss too many. The same couldn't be said of Williams, who was smacked all over the park when he wasn't trying to intimidate Yuvraj Singh with a conspicuous lack of success.

India owed their formidable total largely to Yuvraj and Ajit Agarkar, who came in and played blistering knocks just when the bandwagon was threatening to screech to a halt. Tendulkar and Laxman might have made centuries, but the manner in which they failed to up the tempo brought to light one of Indian cricket's most worrying frailties – the obsession with individual landmarks.

Tendulkar took 69 deliveries for his second 50, against bowlers who were hardly threatening, and between them, he and Laxman played out 128 dot balls. Were it not for the late injection of urgency from Yuvraj – who teed off with élan whenever the ball was in the slot – and Agarkar – his batting masked another appalling bowling performance – India would have finished 25 runs short.

Gilchrist's rollicking innings briefly suggested that even 283 might not be enough, but once Harbhajan Singh and Kumble came on, the old Achilles Heel started to show. Hayden should have been stumped by a mile, but was reprieved by Parthiv Patel's iron-gloved fumble behind the stumps. And when Gilchrist was given a life by Zaheer Khan in the deep, India might have feared the worst.

Gilchrist's decision to go for glory against Zaheer, just a small blip on the scoreboard, had a seismic effect on the result. Three more wickets fell for 9 runs, and the momentum had well and truly been lost. Sehwag's inspired spell late on was another reason to smile for Rahul Dravid, who rung the changes, and captained with a flair and imagination that made us temporarily forget a certain Sourav Ganguly. For Australia, it was another sobering reminder that they remain fast-track champions, and slow-wicket chumps.

[Donny]

Always good to hear from you, JLC.

It doesn't surprise me but I've already had one convo this morning, attacking me re. what I wrote about 'Sacred Sachin'

I just highlight a few sentences from the above article from Dileep Premachandran:

"Tendulkar and Laxman might have made centuries, but the manner in which they failed to up the tempo brought to light one of Indian cricket's most worrying frailties – the obsession with individual landmarks.

Tendulkar took 69 deliveries for his second 50, against bowlers who were hardly threatening, and between them, he and Laxman played out 128 dot balls. Were it not for the late injection of urgency from Yuvraj – who teed off with élan whenever the ball was in the slot – and Agarkar – his batting masked another appalling bowling performance – India would have finished 25 runs short"

[JLC]

I watched most of the innings and didnt think Tendulkar played brilliant cricket. It was more the bowling wasnt that good and he punished the bowling. I didnt think Indias batting had that much depth without Ganguly and they need Laxman and Tendulkar to lay a big foundation which they did.

The thing i find the most interesting will be the form of Ponting. Ponting still has a HUGE question mark in India in particular.

jlc

[NickiSlater]

Hmm Donny I find your comments about Tendulkar very interesting and I must say I have to dispagree.

I got to watch the whole game FINALLY WE GOT CABLE YAY and I thought Tendulkar played really well how you can criticise someone who actually makes a big partnership and century is beyond me.

I understand your points and those from the article but you can't criticise someone who does that in a game. Sure it was Yuvraj and Agakar who got the total a lot higher than it was going to be, both played very entertaining and exciting cricket but that's what this game is about working as a team not just an individual winning the game.

I actually thought that if we didn't get Tendulkar out when we did he was going to start destroying Australia but anyway that's just my opinion.

I can't say much more about the game as all has been mentioned I will say that I thought the Aussies had a chance to win the game but it would be hard and with Gilly and Haydos starting off solid I was happy but once Gilly went out I had a feeling it was all over. Better luck next time.

Haydos getting angry with the people at the ground was a bit scarey and the commentator stating "OH HE'S LOST IT!" made me laugh.

[Donny]

Good post, Nicki, and that - "I actually thought that if we didn't get Tendulkar out when we did he was going to start destroying Australia" - was my whole point.

The only reason a batsman like him could be excused for slowing down to get a century is if he does the right thing and tries to thrash the bowling after he does. Tendulkar may as well have retired rather than tickle one to the keeper playing a 'get out' shot.

As Dileep Premachandran said: "Tendulkar and Laxman might have made centuries, but the manner in which they failed to up the tempo brought to light one of Indian cricket's most worrying frailties – the obsession with individual landmarks"

That's not "working as a team"

[JLC]

Thats how Bevan bats all the time......lol

Normally the established batsman tries to bat through the innings and Laxman would be the one to play more strokes and up the run rate. I think it didnt help that Laxman seemed to be getting a lot of the strike.

jlc

[piedys]

Okay, so Katich moves from WA to NSW so that the national selectors can see him play, as they only attend NSW games. Yet all his mates are in India. Send him over there ASAP before we lose this tournament!

[Donny]

Winning this tournament is not all that important, in the grand scheme of things.

What is important is our players, esp. our new bowlers, getting experience in the heat of battle.

[Donny]

We lost our nerve: Ponting
By Jon Pierik in Gwalior
October 28, 2003

A CANDID Ricky Ponting conceded Australia lost their nerve in their losing run-chase against India on Sunday – but has vowed his men will return a more hardened unit.


After centuries from Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman helped the host nation amass 5-283, the Australians wasted a superb start to finish 37 runs short at the end of their 50 overs.

The Aussies seemed in control as Adam Gilchrist (83 from 79 balls) and Matthew Hayden (47 from 76 balls) carried the score to 132 in the 25th over.

But the return of paceman Zaheer Khan triggered a major collapse as the tourists lost 4-9 in five overs, and 6-45 within 10.

"Some of the shots were a bit disappointing," Ponting said. "Just looking back at the end of the game, it's probably because we haven't been in that situation for a while in a tight contest like that where we were having a lot of pressure put on us.

"We didn't respond very well."

Ponting (1), Damien Martyn (16) and Michael Bevan (1 were all dismissed softly.

Ponting spooned a simple return catch to leg-spinner Anil Kumble while Martyn and Bevan were bowled by the tame spin of part-timer Virender Sehwag.

"It was the first game we been back together for a little while. It generally takes a little while to be back playing somewhere near our best," Ponting said.

Ponting said his batsmen had failed to adjust to the low, slow and flat wicket.

"A wicket like that tonight where the ball didn't really bounce at all for the whole game is probably something we have to expect for the rest of the tournament," Ponting said.

And New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes the Kiwis have a chance in Faridabad tomorrow against an Australian side missing Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

"It's a good chance for them to feel what everyone else feels. They're certainly there for the picking," he said.

"Everybody in this (New Zealand) side's played in a game where we've beaten them so they don't hold any mystique."

Another question for skipper Ponting and his brainstrust is who should bowl at the death, after the side conceded 90 runs in the final 10 overs.

Paceman Brad Williams coughed up 39 runs in his final four overs and Nathan Bracken – otherwise the pick of the attack with three wickets – was also dealt with severely late on.

McGrath, Gillespie and Lee usually share the ball in the closing overs but all are at home nursing injuries.

"We have three blokes in the side that all do it for their states," Ponting said.

"Nathan Bracken and Brad Williams in particular do a good job for their states and Ian Harvey has done it for Victoria, Gloucestershire and Australia in the past.

"We just haven't had a chance of getting any of that yorker-length of bowling under our belts in the last couple of days."

Play was stopped on a handful of occasions on Sunday due to movement behind the sightscreen at the main pavilion end.

Tendulkar, Gilchrist and Hayden all complained of not being able to see the ball clearly.

"There were people running on either side of the sightscreens all night," Ponting said.

"Sightscreens are always a problem in India."

[Blanch]

Mcgrath, Warne, Gillespie, Lee - arguably the 4 best bowlers in the world. Throw in Mcgill and you've got a pretty good lineup of bowlers. So, if we put Australia A's attack with Australia's batting are we going to win every time? I doubt it....not until these younger fella's get some experience. We might have better success at home but not in India.

I tell you what. Let's throw out India's 4 best batsmen and see how they do against Australia A. I've got my money on Australia A flogging them.

[commonwombat]

Where will they play this match, Blanch???

Australia or India??? Might change the betting depending on venue.

[piedys]