India in Australia

[aussie1st]

Lillee thinks Tait can break the 170km/h barrier! Now that would be some feat. This is the best chance for Tait to break the current world record with this Perth pitch.

 

[SaiSrini]

If Cricinfo is anything to go by, I look forward to India finally choosing the correct XI.

Same here. Looks like India are going to finally pick a XI that is the most preferred.

 

[karnog]

Nah Australia don't use Bracken in tests because he doesn't have any natural ability that will get wickets in a situation when people can bat for days. Whereas the likes of Lee - Pace and Accuracy. Clark - Ridiculous accuracy and seam movement. Johnson - Variety-Pace. Tait - Raw, extreme pace. All have something that sets them apart.

Bracken will take wickets in ODI's because he keeps the runs down and because he isn't a big name. No international batsman will think of trying to play his shots to Shaun Tait before Bracken.

Johnson is also exceptionally wide. I disagree about Bracken but in my view if they're gonna pick a player for just being left handed as a bowler (which scion_kid suggested) then Bracken > Johnson considering the form Johnson is in. However, if Johnson gets any form then i'm sure he'll be dangerous but to me he looks a out of touch and out of confidence a tad bit. Bracken's domestic test record is similar to his domestic odi record:

FIRST CLASS: 25.79 at 61 matches
LIST A: 25.66 at 150 matches

JOHNSON
FC: 29.96 at 29 matches
LIST A: 29.24 at 46 matches

Secondly, Bracken is 6 foot 5 and will get more bounce that Johnson which often troubles sub-continent teams early in the series. Johnson is 6 foot 3 (or nearly). So on that issue i think Bracken wins that battle. Bracken also has more variety in how he bowls.

Well to me Bracken seems to be the better bowler if they're gonna pick a left handed bowler. But i think Johnson is first much younger and secondly far quicker which might trouble sub-continent teams. I don't think he's picked merely for being left handed. He's also got another decade on his hands (he's 26 i believe) while Bracken is nearly 31.

 

[zub2005]

any team news yet or too early. what time will close of lay happen in the uk

 

[Sureshot]

It starts 2:30 AM GMT so I imagine sessions are...

2:30-4:30 1st session
5:10-7:10 2nd session
7:30-9:30 3rd session

And given I'm up early I might catch the whole 3rd session!

 

[karnog]

It begins at 1:00 (coverage) in Sydney and i'm whining already. Another 4 hours to go...

 

[zub2005]

thanks for the times. i am getting ready to sleep. really hope the india team can perform.

 

[karnog]

You know i feel slightly gyped. I turned 18 on the 11th days after the sydney test finished. I could've drank alcohol and shared one with Kevin Rudd had it been the 3rd test...

Yeah i hope India pull off another jaw dropper with the bowling. And they say they can't take 10 wickets (sadly i was one of em)

 

[irottev]

Lillee thinks Tait can break the 170km/h barrier! Now that would be some feat. This is the best chance for Tait to break the current world record with this Perth pitch.

I doubt that's physically possible without chucking. The fastest ball ever was JUST over 160. He thinks he can go 10km over? 10km is a big difference.

 

[sohum]

Lillee thinks Tait can break the 170km/h barrier! Now that would be some feat. This is the best chance for Tait to break the current world record with this Perth pitch.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe bowling speed is measured out of the hand. What would help Tait is if he had the the backing of the wind.

Match starts in 1.5 hours!

 

[Roofrom50]

Looking forward to this Test Match, havent had much to do around my house, since it hasn't been on

 

[aussie_ben91]

Johnson is also exceptionally wide. I disagree about Bracken but in my view if they're gonna pick a player for just being left handed as a bowler (which scion_kid suggested) then Bracken > Johnson considering the form Johnson is in. However, if Johnson gets any form then i'm sure he'll be dangerous but to me he looks a out of touch and out of confidence a tad bit. Bracken's domestic test record is similar to his domestic odi record:

FIRST CLASS: 25.79 at 61 matches
LIST A: 25.66 at 150 matches

JOHNSON
FC: 29.96 at 29 matches
LIST A: 29.24 at 46 matches

Secondly, Bracken is 6 foot 5 and will get more bounce that Johnson which often troubles sub-continent teams early in the series. Johnson is 6 foot 3 (or nearly). So on that issue i think Bracken wins that battle. Bracken also has more variety in how he bowls.

Well to me Bracken seems to be the better bowler if they're gonna pick a left handed bowler. But i think Johnson is first much younger and secondly far quicker which might trouble sub-continent teams. I don't think he's picked merely for being left handed. He's also got another decade on his hands (he's 26 i believe) while Bracken is nearly 31.

Bracken's to low of a bowler for Test cricket IMO, I saw him he bowl to Matthew Hayden in a state game and he just got destroyed. Hayden was just walking down the pitch and hitting him over his head. I dunno if Johnson is good enough either because in that same game Simon Katich absolutely mauled him and hit a triple century.

I think Ashley Noffke would be a better option as an allrounder.

I dont. The WACA is hard to bat on early but once the new ball wears off its batsman paradise...

That happens at probably every ground in Australia.

 

[SaiSrini]

It starts 2:30 AM GMT so I imagine sessions are...

2:30-4:30 1st session
5:10-7:10 2nd session
7:30-9:30 3rd session

And given I'm up early I might catch the whole 3rd session!

Not a great change in timings for US viewers (like me!). The match used to start at 6:30pm and end at 1:30am in the night. Now it starts at 9:30pm and ends at 4:30am which means losing some night's sleep if I want to catch the whole day.

Waiting for the toss now. Looks like Sehwag and Pathan are almost confirmed additions to the Indian XI

 

[sohum]

India won the toss and are batting first. Sehwag and Pathan in.

 

[Roofrom50]

Australia gone with 4 quicks.. Lee, Clark, Johnson and Tait