Australia v. India. 4th. Test - Gabba.

[Lazza]

Agree with about 90% of what you wrote K, but I think all teams have at least one batsman who is technically correct. 25 years ago there were at least five batsmen who were. They are an endangered species though and dwindling quickly due to the reasons you mentioned. Funny but I remember coaches telling us young ones that playing indoor cricket affected the outdoor performance techniques but none of us took that advice on board 😆

[Pies4shaw]

[90 nice]

Is it true that New Zealand is the current number 1 test team in the world with Australia in 2nd and India 3rd all I know these 3 it’s all pretty close but NZ are currently number 1

[Pies4shaw]

Not in the real world, no.

Meanwhile, Hazlewood is my nomination for life-membership of the ICC. Pujara gone, cricket resumed.

[K]

[K]

India's 3rd XI bowlers Thakur and Sundar have put the Oz bowlers to the sword with the bat. A century partnership and 50s for both. Thakur brought his up by smashing Lyon for 6.

They are showing how flat this pitch is. The specialist batsmen should be ashamed for throwing their wickets away.

A Test win and series win are slipping away from Oz. Our boys do better when there's something in the pitch for the bowlers. If they keep producing pitches like they have in recent years, Oz will continue to struggle to win at home except at Adelaide.

..........................................................

Before tea, Brayshaw: "The famous Gabba swing. We haven't seen it."

Brayshaw: "Still very flat. That ball apologised its way to the keeper and it's only four overs old!"

After tea, Ponting: "Starc hasn't swung a ball the whole match."

Ponting was critical of the bowlers for not trying a short-ball attack earlier. It reminds me of the silly bowling to Broad in the Ashes. They didn't bowl short to him, although everyone knows he's struggled with the short ball since having his jaw broken. He went on to his longest innings in years.

..........................................................

Now Slater retuns to Oz's batting. He says on a "450" pitch they have only themselves to blame for what's happened.

[K]

Cummins finally gets the breakthrough with an off-cutter hitting stumps.

Still 3 wickets to go before batting again though.

................................................

Slater says Oz will have to "go for broke" when they bat again.

I just don't agree with that. They could end up losing. Sure, India hold the trophy. But there is a Test championship final to qualify for. Why gift India a spot?

[Pies4shaw]

Not now.

All out 336. Hazlewood 5/57.

[Pies4shaw]

Good partnership, this. Both openers are still there.

[Pies4shaw]

Congratulations to Harris and Warner. That's already Australia's second-best opening stand of the Series. And the lead is 50. 0/17, now, really digging in.

[Pies4shaw]

Stumps. 0/21. The lead is 54. Two days to play.

[90 nice]

Time to move on the following players as in drop them:

Wade - the weak link in the middle order and besides hes too old
Warner- warner mark 2.0 is past it and no longer a reliable opener gets out too early for my likeing
Smith- see Warner

like to see Will Pski and Harris as our future opening batting pair.

Like the look of Green too.

Green and Will are the future of the Aussie cricket team.

Like the bowling attack but i feel they are getting on and Lyon say is in the twilight of his career. Starc Cummins Hazelwood are ok but are not really threatneing these days either.

[Pies4shaw]

You really do throw the baby out with the bath water. Wade is not skilled enough. Warner has only been back for a game or two after a lengthy injury-stint on the sidelines. His Test average in 2020 was 156, for goodness' sake.

Harris lacks talent, too.

[Pies4shaw]

(Yet another) Test 50 Bradsmith. 4/185. The lead is 218. Green is at the other end, channeling Pujara.

[Pies4shaw]

The bounce is now very uneven, so it will be difficult on this pitch for any team to reach 250, now.