Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) Dec-Jan 2011/12

[StinkyBoHoon]

@ Aayush - whats the use of only winning in SC? So Cricket will now be, SC game for SC teams?

because they're not the best team in the world, have no right to claim to be and hence being beaten is expected away from home.

sai isn't explicitly saying it but he has a point, that it's very easy to get excited/miserable about your teams performance depending on whether they're playing at home or away, because unless you are the best team in the world you will struggle playing good teams away from home.

the real worry for india in this test (but not the first one, they were ok there) is that they have been blown away so comprehensively. would australia be staring down the barrell of innings defeats in india? not sure they would. also australia are playing with a much younger team so the future looks rosier.

 

[sifter132]

Even if we didnt win this test and lost the series, its just a series, it has no relevance in history, yay we lost a series who cares, like come the next series everyone will forget we lost the series, if the series meant something then yes, but I think Clarkey should have made himself immortal. I dont respect him for declaring, I think he is actually a bit stupid, but it was a great innings non-the less and I dont think people will forget it for at least 10 years.

I think he just saved himself a headache situation where he had to choose between himself and tactical advantage. Consider Clarke had scored about 36 runs in the 15 overs after lunch. If he wanted 400 that means he needed to be prepared to bat for around another 30 overs. Which would have left Australia with 9 overs to bowl at India before stumps. That's OK, but if he couldn't keep that scoring rate up of around 2.5RPO (for himself - not particularly easy), then he could have easily found himself on 380 or 390 with 5-10 overs to go before stumps for example, and suddenly he's throwing away a good tactical advantage of declaring before stumps for selfish reasons.

Of course he could have gone harder earlier to make sure he got to 400 well before stumps, but that also increases the likelihood of him throwing it away, and I'm guessing he would prefer a 329* than a 360 bowled from a wild shot. It also helps his public rep, where he's been seen as selfish in the past with his sports car, model girlfriend and seemingly in quite a few magazines.

All that said however, you look through the records and most of those really high scores are selfish ones, so there is certainly a precedent there to chase records. Lara declared after beating Hayden and getting 400, Hayden threw it away only after beating Lara's 375, Lara extended the first innings into day 3 to get his 375, Sobers 365* stopped straight after beating Hutton' 364, Hammond's 336* declared straight after beating Bradman's 334. Mark Taylor's 334* declared is about the first one you can call unselfish, and given Taylor's upstanding reputation then it's no surprise that Clarke wanted to emulate him in that way.

Kinda wish he'd gone for it though - would have been a great story. As it is, it's the highest score I've seen. I didn't see Hayden's 380 or Tubby's 334.

 

[mgt98]

Haddin's never been a great keeper, but he's dropped some real howlers lately. I guess Wade would be the next guy in line, but I'm not sure whether he'd actually be much better in the keeping role. Time to find out IMO - the Victorian should be our primary keeper for the limited overs matches later in the season. He can open against the white ball, IIRC.

I know, aye! I was surprised he was considered the next best after Gilly's retirement. Paine could come in too and he's in good form with the bat too.

Respect to Clarke for declaring. A real sign of class by putting the team first.

I reckon he's put the team behind, or atleast not made the situation better. With alot more time in the Test, he didn't need to declare that early. He's got to back himself to bowl India out cheaply and get an innings win. And of course, if he doesn't, there's still two more days!

but really if he bats the rest of the day gets the 400 and they cant bowl india out in two days then really who will care 3 weeks later that we didnt win the test, Setting history is more important i reckoon.

Not quite, mate.

 

[SaiSrini]

Whoaaaaaaa..... India scoring at more than 7 runs per over in the first 6 overs of the day! Very positive start and the right approach. (touch wood). KEEP IT GUYS!!!

Its very overcast out there! Rain due today. It could be advantage and disadvantage to India. It might eat up some time, but after rain, the pitch and conditions could spice up for Australia to run though us. Hope we are not hurt by the rain in this match!

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

was just about say siddle has yet to bowl and australia have always found something from one of their quicks each session.


tbh, the passage of play we saw shows the value of gambhir, the left right combination can make it a bit harder for bowlers and with gambhir out too often in the first few overs recently it's just been the aussie quicks finding the spot for right handers and hitting it repeatedly.

 

[SaiSrini]

Disappointed with that shot from Gambhir. After batting so well in this innings, he threw it away when he should have batted the day with Tendulkar. This innings has redeemed him a little bit but still that big knock eludes him.

All hopes on this pair. Make or break pair for India! If they are broken early, the funeral procession will start!

 

[mrtwisties]

Interesting to see the difference in opinion on the importance of individual statistical milestones. I've always thought that the iconic series (India 2001, Ashes 2005) lay at the heart of cricketing immortality, and that it was the match-winning performances within those (eg KP taking on Warne) that elevated players to true "great" status. I'm not sure I've ever met someone who thought different, to be honest, and I've often heard Lara derided for his 400 as "pointless stat-stuffing".

I can imagine Clarke's 329* being seen as a defining moment in his captaincy - a selfless, attacking and tactically astute decision that sets the tone for a successful near-decade at the helm. If so, it'll be all the more meaningful than, say, a 360 out nicking behind, or a 400+ score that risked a draw. Don't forget it's supposed to be raining right now.

I'd be interested to hear from someone who thinks that the statistical milestones matter more than the match-winning performance. Would a triple century on a flat pitch in a drawn match really matter more to you than a gutsy 110 that sealed a series victory on a seaming green strip? I can't imagine that anyone really believes that!

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I know, aye! I was surprised he was considered the next best after Gilly's retirement. Paine could come in too and he's in good form with the bat.

Isn't Paine pretty much finished? I heard his fingers were so mashed up that he was unlikely to ever return to first class cricket...

See here: Make or break: Paine's first-class career could be over

 

[VC the slogger]

Looks like Laxman has gained the touch to play those Very Very Special shots again

 

[SaiSrini]

That was an encouraging sign from VVS giving a hint that he might be hitting back to form. (TW). crucial crucial pair this!!

 

[teamindia]

Trendy to break Don's highest score !!!

 

[midgetwars]

Pattinson is the most unluckiest bowler in the Australian team this innings. It's usually Hilfenhaus. But I rather Hilfenhaus to be unlucky.

 

[SaiSrini]

Was that the first session of the test won by India? I think so.... 5 more to go! (TW) Come on boys!

P.s: If Australia win here, all credit to them. I dont see anything on this wicket for India to be worried about. They have to be worried about their own mindset and play the way it should be played (i.e. a mixture of positive and caution). So far, they have done it very well in the 2nd innings. Hope they continue doing it.

 

[Adarsh]

This is why India shouldn't have given up, and kept the Aussies to 3 runs per over or so. Or at least tried to. Because on this pitch, India could bat 1.5 days I reckon. It's just the weight of the runs and the amount of time still remaining in the game that I think India will most probably lose this game.

Some rain could make this game interesting.

 

[SaiSrini]

There goes the match! Shocking from Tendulkar. Having been so so positive right throughout the day and having racked up so many runs, yet again getting clouded in the mind with that hundred in sight and losing perspective of the team situation! TERRIBLEEEE!!!! I am pretty sure nothing else stopped him from being positive apart from that sight of that 100th hundred. I BET!!

 

[alexczarn]

Clarke and the SCG