Australia vs India, 4th test at the SCG, Jan 3rd - 7th

[LukeParkerno1]

We tried a young Steve Waugh in 1985/86 v India
4 innings for 13 runs.
Took him until 1989 Ashes tour of England to make his first Test century.
Just realise if we play guys like Pucoski, Sangha, Mac Harvey or Jake Edwards early on it will likely take 3 or 4 years of learning to play at senior level for pay off to be realised.
Most fans do not have this patience despite long term it is likely where we are at. It is like Carlton playing all these new draftees since 2016. It is a long hard road and most cannot handle or understand it as fans. Whatever we do in next couple of years we are not going to be a top side no matter how much anyone wishes we can turn it around in a month or two,

I’d rather play the long game rather than try and paper over cracks with players that have severe deficiencies like Finch had. We missed a huge opportunity this year.

 

[Jimthegreat]

See, I agreed with the bans; you've to stand for something, and you cannot rhapsodize about "tough but fair" to and about your opposition without being able to live it. This bit, the fact that India are going to win their first series in Australia because we've played with our hand tied behind our back, is both.

And I wanted to see what we could do with out backs to the wall. Suffice to say, I wouldn't want to share a foxhole with anyone from the Australian team other than Cummins, Lyon and Paine, and while Harris has shown a little he's unable to survive 60 balls without giving a chance at his wicket, and you don't survive for long in test match cricket with that.

Bans were too greta given the ICC penalties were only a fine or one Test. Smith's was the most harsh given his issue was a lack of leadership, not ball tampering per se. At worst they should've been out for the last Test against SA, ODI's against England, ODI's against SA and the two Tests against Pakistan. They should've been back for this current series.

It was a chance though, as you said, to see the others under pressure as a way to looking at the future. It was a worry that might've been covered if Smith and Warner were there.

 

[Park cricketer]

Would rather we celebrated our first ever series win in Australia on the field than sitting inside the dressing room. Oh well..

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bans were too greta given the ICC penalties were only a fine or one Test. Smith's was the most harsh given his issue was a lack of leadership, not ball tampering per se. At worst they should've been out for the last Test against SA, ODI's against England, ODI's against SA and the two Tests against Pakistan. They should've been back for this current series.

It was a chance though, as you said, to see the others under pressure as a way to looking at the future. It was a worry that might've been covered if Smith and Warner were there.

This. At worst they should have been allowed to play domestic cricket this summer.

 

[footyfan1978]

I’d rather play the long game rather than try and paper over cracks with players that have severe deficiencies like Finch had. We missed a huge opportunity this year.

Yep. I do not even like Finch opening in one dayers. T20 is his game to open in where if he loses his wicket it is no real cost.
Finch opening biggest blunder this series of quite a few.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yep. I do not even like Finch opening in one dayers. T20 is his game to open in where if he loses his wicket it is no real cost.
Finch opening biggest blunder this series of quite a few.

Agreed having Finch opening in a test series has to be the single worst decision of all time- even playing MMarsh for 31 tests was better!

 

[Park cricketer]

Agreed having Finch opening in a test series has to be the single worst decision of all time- even playing MMarsh for 31 tests was better!

It could have been worse. He could have been opening the innings in the Ashes against Anderson and Broad in England.

 

[HLM*]

Would rather we celebrated our first ever series win in Australia on the field than sitting inside the dressing room. Oh well..

What will be emptier? The feeling of finally winning in Australia albeit against an understrength side who’s board bowed down to the fixturing demands of the BCCI or the the stadium that India will celebrate in?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

It could have been worse. He could have been opening the innings in the Ashes against Anderson and Broad in England.

What’s the difference he’d have made the same useless contribution there. Slogging hack.

 

[Balls In]

Bans were too greta given the ICC penalties were only a fine or one Test. Smith's was the most harsh given his issue was a lack of leadership, not ball tampering per se. At worst they should've been out for the last Test against SA, ODI's against England, ODI's against SA and the two Tests against Pakistan. They should've been back for this current series.

It was a chance though, as you said, to see the others under pressure as a way to looking at the future. It was a worry that might've been covered if Smith and Warner were there.

CA completely overreacted and then, without our two best batsmen the collapses compound the workload on our bowlers. Cooked them. Then we selected young out of form players like MMarsh to take the workload off. Cooked them mentally too. Pretty much screwed up everything did those genius's in CA. Idiots.

 

[toml]

The most annoying aspect of the Finch opening s**t was that he took Renshaw’s spot in the UAE while he was in incredible form. He was declared fit and the “lack of match practice” s**t that was rattled off as a reason for Renshaw not playing was a load of s**t, he had played more FC cricket in 2018 at the time than everyone in the squad except Bananaman. Huge opprtunity missed.

 

[YippeeYiYeo]

This rain delay is the most satisfying thing to come out of the last 2 test matches. India batting to 600+ was their way of sticking it to our weak side. Would love nothing more than to see the whole day washed out so they have to celebrate a draw in the dressing room.

 

[lionbear]

Why are the commentators talking like Warner is an automatic in, even if you presume the bowlers and Smith have forgiven and can be in the dressing room with him, his form leading up to the incident in South Africa wasn't exactly automatic selection standard.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

You’d think CA would have copped a hiding in regards to ticket sales, not sure how well it’s rated with dual coverage as against the old Nein regime.

Any figures would be appreciated.

 

[iluvparis]

Love all the salt blaming CA for where we are at. The fact is 3 of our players blatantly cheated and got deservedly banned and the rest of the team isn't good enough so we lose.

 

[corbies]

I’ve gone in hard on the MCG pitch the last 2 years and deservedly so, but I’m beginning to understand why the Victorians have a chip on their shoulder in regards to Sydney.

I don’t think there has been a decent New Years test in god knows how long and since Warne and MacGill finished their careers, the pitch has just become a ******* flat road where scores of 500+ are the norm and despite what is being bandied around, the SCG pitch doesn’t even spin that much and is just a preconceived myth based on what it use to do much (much like the myth of the WACA pace in its latter years)

The SCG has largely gone under the radar and should at least be receiving as much criticism as the Boxing Day Test if not more. In fact the SCG has been diabolical for longer than the MCG by a country mile but because no attention is given to it by the media, it goes through to the keeper unscathed.

A quick look at the last couple of New Years tests paint a horrid picture yet the NSW pundits continue to bury their heads in their sands and pretend that the SCG test is one of the premier tests on the calendar.

2019 vs India - LIKELY DRAW DUE TO WASHOUT
AUS 300 & 0/6 Rain Delay
vs
India 7/622d

2018 vs England - WIN
AUS 7/649d
vs
ENG 346 & 180

2017 vs Pakistan - WIN
AUS 8/538d & 2/241d
vs
PAK 315 & 244

2016 vs West Indies - DRAW
WI 330
vs
AUS 2/176d
(Washout before 1st Innings completed)

2015 vs India - DRAW
AUS 7/572d & 6/251d
vs
IND 475 & 7/252

2014 vs England - WIN
AUS 326 & 276
vs
ENG 155 & 166

2013 vs Sri Lanka - WIN
AUS 9/432d & 5/141
vs
SL 294 & 278

2012 vs India - WIN
AUS 4/659d
vs
IND 191 & 400

2011 vs England - LOSS
AUS 280 & 281
vs
ENG 644

The stats show that it’s either weather affected in Sydney or the pitch is just a ******* road with no balance between bat and ball. Only 2013 and 2014 I would give a pass mark for in the last decade and both of those were dead rubbers. No I know why you Victorian’s have your necks up over the Sydney Siders. They should lose the New Years Test.

Firstly I don't really see what was wrong with the 2012 pitch? Australia knocked over India for 191 thanks to a fairly green pitch which Patto and Siddle exploited. Australia were then 3/30 as the new ball really hooped before Clarke and Ponting got through a tough spell of bowling from Zaheer Khan before Clarke made a very memorable triple century. The pitch was fine.

Also the 2017 test match v Pakistan was pretty good. Warner made a century before Lunch on Day 1 and Australia took 10 wickets on the final day with the pitch providing enough for spin to take 5 wickets and pace to take 5 wickets.

 

[sherb]

Seriously does the sun never come out in Sydney? It's January and they only get a few hours a day of daylight and it rains every morning?

Nope, the sun never comes out here in Sydney.
It is cloudy and raining 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

[Xtreme]

I am happy India have finally won a series here albeit against a severely weakened side with fixturing altered to suit BCCI’s demands. Good on them!

To be the man you've got to beat the man. If Australia were any good they'd have adapted and at least been more competitive than what they showed.....

For Australia to lose a test series at home against one of their biggest rivals has to sting a lot of people.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Love all the salt blaming CA for where we are at. The fact is 3 of our players blatantly cheated and got deservedly banned and the rest of the team isn't good enough so we lose.

Could have done the same thing but made the ban end before this summer. Ban them from the Pakistan tour. That was plenty.

 

[Park cricketer]

What will be emptier? The feeling of finally winning in Australia albeit against an understrength side who’s board bowed down to the fixturing demands of the BCCI or the the stadium that India will celebrate in?

Reckon it's Australia's batting stocks at the moment.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Would rather we celebrated our first ever series win in Australia on the field than sitting inside the dressing room. Oh well..

Was also thinking the fans may have preferred a more exciting contest ala the 2005 Ashes than the pretty fairweather resistance Australia has put up (although of course it takes nothing away from the achievement).

 

[JimDocker]

Why are the commentators talking like Warner is an automatic in, even if you presume the bowlers and Smith have forgiven and can be in the dressing room with him, his form leading up to the incident in South Africa wasn't exactly automatic selection standard.

I would be very surprised if Warner and Smith are not back in very quickly. All this talk of players that may not be up to standard. It would not make any sense to leave a player with Warner's record out, once he has paid his penance.

 

[Park cricketer]

Dharmasala having a better weather than Sydney right now. Think it's going to be a skiddy surface for the bowlers though!

 

[DT_fanatic]

To be the man you've got to beat the man. If Australia were any good they'd have adapted and at least been more competitive than what they showed.....

For Australia to lose a test series at home against one of their biggest rivals has to sting a lot of people.

And to top it all off the King is going to deliver. That would grate so many people.

The only annoying thing about the rain is we’ve got nothing to pass the time with until its official.


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[Park cricketer]

Was also thinking the fans may have preferred a more exciting contest ala the 2005 Ashes than the pretty fairweather resistance Australia has put up (although of course it takes nothing away from the achievement).

Yeah the England series was pretty captivating till the very end. But we ended up on the wrong side of the result more often than not. So I would take a victory whatever way it comes. Besides series wins in Australia do not come every day, so one sided or close series are the least of the concerns.