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

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Lol, thats the best time to watch any test

 

[sifter132]

I find that players are at their peak and most consistent in their late 20s. you give them an early taste in test cricket send them away and when they hit their next form high. They then have 10 solid years of good test cricket. However these days you have T20Is and ODIs to breed youngsters and perhaps speed up their progress into test cricket. This side is perfectly balanced age wise except it has 1 too many players over 34. need to swap them for a youngster.

Exactly right. I'm not sure it's such a necessity to pick these under 25 players like midget is suggesting, when quite frankly they are playing like crap!! Maybe Steve Smith too, he's under 25?? It's NICE to have good under 25 players in your team, but if there aren't any good ones, you don't just keep them in the team hoping that they'll suddenly get it one day - you send them back to state cricket to master their games. It's worked with basically every good Aussie batsman you can think of in the last 20 years, all got dropped early on and came back in their late 20s - except maybe the Waugh bros. and Mark Taylor who always seemed to keep their spots. Everyone else got dropped as some point: Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Martyn, Clarke, Slater, Katich etc.

As long as your team doesn't have too many old players, and they aren't all around the same age so they'll retire at the same time, then I don't really care what age the players are.


As those above have pointed out, with India well suited to Adelaide and Sydney in particular, combined with India's poor record in 1st Test matches of tours - I think Australia really needs to win at the MCG if they want to take the series. No pressure lads

 

[tarun87]

want this match to be a draw

 

[aussie1st]

Butterworth

If only he a) wasn't injured b) had a breakout season with the bat like Christian.
His FC batting average is about the same as Christian if you throw in half a season worth of form. I can't see him getting in for his bowling alone after the Copeland saga but if he could establish himself as a batsmen, show what he can do with the ball without the pressure of being a bowler and if his stats stacked up with his FC one then he could then be picked as a bowling all rounder.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

So latest news regarding weather? I havent really slept, really excited

 

[tarun87]

weather is clear at the moment link

and im very tense

 

[Yaserk99]

C'mon Austraaalia!!!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

I hate to spoil the cheer, but weather updates from Melbourne indicate there's a bit of rain in the air

Oh come on!!

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The weather forecast says it has rain till 2.00 PM which means very little play till tea. I just hope India dont bat please god please!! Help Dhoni win one toss!!

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Well, Good Morning INDIA! Early morning tbh. Toss is coming up soon is what is been said on cricinfo

 

[0601731]

Australia choose to bat.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

Perfect decision from Australia. What worries me is Dhoni losing tosses

Fully fit Indian side *Touch Wood*

 

[0601731]

Well maybe the pitch isn't what it is being made out to be my the media.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

There has been showers for past few HOURS! Its going to be filled with moisture. Little bit of greenness on pitch and we could well be able to pick their wickets. I am really scared of this Ed Cowan guy. He looks the find of the season for Australia and from India's point of view it will be Umesh Yadav

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Here it is confirmed

Shaz and Waz: Live grass on the pitch, rolled in a touch, but the ball is going to zip off this one.

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Well first ball bowled and Zak has reduced his run up

 

[aussie1st]

Cowan looks pretty calm, already left 2 balls.

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Sun has come out too

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

That is a good news!! Sun out now!

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Aussie1st just a bit early

 

[aussie1st]

What was Sharma pace like in his last test match? Seems like he has peaked just in time for this match as no signs of the 130km/h.