Dec 16-20: 3rd Test - Australia v England at Perth

[StinkyBoHoon]

ponting may be out for the series after that parry in the slips.

hate to say it, but that may be a blessing in disguise for the aussies. Lets them get all "lets do this for the skipper" without having to cause major tremors by dropping him.

That is, of course, if the selectors put the right man in to replace him.

 

[Covvy]

Ah, this day couldn't get any better! Ricky Ponting out for the series apparently

 

[Adarsh]

Not Australia with South africa and vice versa.

Both smashed each other in the away conditions... lol

But point taken.

The conditions are not hugely different between Australia and SA. Although SA conditions are probably a combination of England and Australia, more bowler friendly than most pitches in Aussieland.

 

[aussie1st]

Haven't seen the game but followed it with my limited internet access. Looks like whatever Troy did with Johnson worked a treat, too bad it took him this long to get it sorted. Still will see how he goes in the next 3 games before going all crazy over him again.

 

[Lee1981]

I can see us really struggling now in the rest of the series, i just gota a horrible feeling the heads will be dropped and the pressure will tell, we are no good under pressure in any sport.

 

[AkshayS]

Don't know why exactly, but I'm dying to see the rest of 5 getting out quickly.
I want Australia to win this.

 

[Themer]

we are no good under pressure in any sport.

That is if you completely disregard the second innings first test match.

 

[War]

True true true. Everyone accepts that the top 5 teams are very close to each other in ability. Fact is, all the teams are struggling outside home conditions.

Exactly test cricket is very even at the moment which is great for the game & why it has been so ridiculous due to horribly flawed ranking system than claims India are # 1.

Until somebody proves they are good enough to win home & away fairly consistently amongst the top 5 sides, nodbody should be called # 1.

 

[Adarsh]

I'm not sure if it's flawed, there are many methods of working it out, but the system itself isn't too bad. Yeah sure you can modify it in certain ways, but if you have a ranking system then someone WILL be on top. I think it's nice to have a rankings system though.

 

[Sureshot]

Colly is going to have pull out some mega innings in the last two matches if he wants any hope of playing in the 2011 summer tests.

I think we've bowled okay in this match, Tremlett bowling very well and glad he got a five-for. Strauss captaincy was pretty awful today in the field.

 

[pcfan123]

Ponting out of the series might harm England as his replacement can only be in better form.

Really shocker from the batsmen this match after putting up 600 and 500 in the previous ones. Thus is the state of cricket today, everyone plays on flat wickets and when you finally get one with some life in it, 300 is a good score.

I really hope it's not another 17 match wait for KP to get a ton again.

 

[cooks1st100]

The last two days have been two of the most intense days of test cricket I have witnessed for a long time. The Aussies have come out fighting, A five seamer attack has been a relentless one and as a result we have collapsed like asphmatic donkeys..... It has really sparked the series into a battle now. Verbals are flying are so are wickets, the Australian psycholigical warfare has been immense and now England really have to show their mettle. Are we just the same old England or is the hype true??? Bring on the MCG!!!!

cooks1st100 added 14 Minutes and 59 Seconds later...

Ricky Ponting out for the series apparently

Heard a rumour that Warnie was in the nets ten minutes after Ricky did his finger in.......... Batting by all accounts.
After smashing one over the bowlers head he was heard to mutter"that's just been Hurleyed!!!"

 

[pcfan123]

You heard this rumor from yourself ?

 

[McLOVIN]

Anderson is a retarded nightwatchwoman. You gotta take that single man! That's why you are there.

Anyways, good to have a fighting Aus, or else this was getting pretty boring. Now go make it 1-1.

 

[sifter132]

I think you just have to put your hand up as an England supporter and say yep, well done, pretty big to come back at us like they have done and the Aussies deserve to be in the position they are in. It will indeed make a cracking Boxing Day test. I just wonder whether England can re-group, not panic and come back just as hard. Is there any news yet on the Ponting injury?

Well said mate

No definitive word on the Ponting injury yet. Siddle's interview last night speculated he would be OK, but you never know with these things. I went to the hospital last year and the doc thought my wrist was cracked, but X-rays found nothing. So you never know for sure until the X-rays are done. And Ricky's should have been done last night, not sure why it's taking so long to tell us.

Ponting out of the series might harm England as his replacement can only be in better form.

Maybe Marcus North will come back?? Surely not - he failed again yesterday for WA. It's Ferguson v Khawaja for the Ponting spot you'd imagine (although Cameron White, Dave Hussey or Chris Lynn are darkhorses). I'd like to see both young guys actually: Khawaja in for Hughes to open and Ferguson in for Ponting and bat him at #5 probably. Move Clarke/Hussey up to #3. Probably Clarke so you can keep a leftie further down.