Official India vs. Australia - 1st Test Thread

[dr nick]

Originally posted by Slax
Bad light stops play once again and Queensland proves that the weather there isn't as good as they say. It doesn't rain that much in Melbourne.

Anyway the match is over Ganguly will be man-of-the-match, baring a shock on the last day, and about 1500 people will turn up to say farewell to Steve Waugh from the Gabba.

I was thinking that. For all the crap that is heaped on Melbourne's weather, i bet more play has been lost in the past decade at Brisbane than anywhere else. It cost us an easy win v the kiwis two seasons ago.

 

[pazza]

It could still be a wash-out on Boxing Day then all the Melbourne weather knockers will be out in force again

 

[Minkus_Swan]

Originally posted by EagleBlue
Or some of Tiffens and Asoka De Silvas interpretations of the LBW law last summer !!!!

Ahh Umpire Tiffen, I wonder if he has given a LBW since his tour here a couple of years ago?

 

[dr nick]

some thoughts on the umpiring in the Caribbean

Originally posted by IceTemple
Bring on the third umpire for LBW -- that was the most pathetic decision you can receive!! Has the ump never heard of the fact the ball needs to land in line with the stumps on the leg side?

Originally posted by lamby29
De Silva is a joke

Originally posted by dezzmo
After giving 2 others not out for the same thing - he must have gotten sick of shaking his head! Any umpire who keeps giving these out is incompetent - surely he can tell from where he is standing that ball was well outside the line. Far too many of these decisions have been given in the past 12 months - affecting all sides btw - and ODI's as well.

I have umpired a little bit and to me it was one of the easiest decsions to give not out to!!

Oh No -as I'm typing - Hayden gets exactly the same decision!! - What an imbecile! He must want to go home early! - could this be his last test on the elite panel! Maybe they want to even up on the rough decisions that the Windies got in the last test!!

Ian Bishop the commentator mentioned the embarrassment of the decisions!

Originally posted by dezzmo
Well Lehmann now has a chance to do something under pressure - if he stuffs here it might well be his last chance. Mind you being a lefthander he is in the running for a DeSilva special!!

Originally posted by red+black
yes, shocker is one of the worst umpires. cricket umpires are right up there with soccer referees. what a joke. it's about time these morons were held accountable for their poor decisions. otherwise we have to pick 11 right handers.

honestly, SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW. either the rule is changed so that the ball is allowed to pitch outside leg stump, or lefties are to be never given out to right arm pace bowlers, or we always go to video replays for LBW, or they draw lines down the pitch. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. WE CANNOT RELY ON INCOMPETENT UMPIRES TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCES.

I pity Lehmann and Gilchrist

Originally posted by Black Thunder
Asanka de Silva is a shocker - he has no idea to umpire.

LBW is suprisngly not that hard of decision to give, as someone mentioned above.

It really is quite easy to tell, especiallt after you've played a fair amount of cricket on turf pitches (the reason why umpires hwo have played are better) to give lbw decisions - you kno when it will hit hte stumps.

Originally posted by Unwritten_Law
Where did they find the umpire? Kanga Cricket. They were shockers, he must of wanted to give the middle order a go.

Originally posted by JUBJUB
De Silva is making Rusty Tiffen look good

Originally posted by Bomber Spirit
Ellewellekankange Asoka de Silva - an umpire who has no idea

 

[Lensen]

Originally posted by harry_hawka
As funny as this may sound, that task is not at all an impossible one.

I will go on record now and say I think Australia are still good things to win this test. Most people are suggesting that it will just die away to a drawn result, but I don't believe so. The Pura Cup history of rainy games at the Gabba has clearly suggested that the pitch is almost impossible to bat on once play resumes after a down pour. Therefore I think Australia will bowl India out for 180 odd by tea on Day 4, and then go in themselves and just have a bash and try for a lead of about 300 by, or just before, stumps. If this happens, Australia will have a day of fine weather to bowl India out, with the Indians having all but no chance of reaching the 300 target on such a tough batting pitch.

What we have to remember is that on this pitch, Australia's 332 is a big big score (about the equivalent to 500 on a good pitch IMO). They still have the upper hand in this match, and with probably 100 overs to be bowled each day, Australia are a big chance at knocking the Indians over twice.

My prediction: Australia to win, and with a little more ease than most are suggesting.

Good call mate.

(I thought the same)

 

[Lensen]

I went today and was boring as bat ****. Ah well.

I reckon INdia will be very happy with the draw. Probably the only two tests they thought they could win would've been Sydney & Adelaide - the two most spin-friendly pitches in Australia. Brisbane would've been their most feared, so for them to come out with a draw here would be probably the best result they could've hoped for.

 

[wagstaff]

This is only the 2nd time in their last 32 home Tests that Australia has conceded a lead on the 1st Innings (other was against New Zealand at Perth in 2001/02).

India have got a very small chance of winning, but they need to build up their lead to 100 in quick time and probably rely on Harbajhan to spin through what will be a more defensive then usual Australian batting lineup.

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by St-KriS
Did anyone hear Kerry O'Keith sing "Saddie the Cleaning Lady" on the ABC? I tell ya, the man is an national icon!

I like how he now calls Steve Bucknor 'Morgan Freeman'.
Kerry & Harsha going through some Aussie sayings after lunch was very funny.

Harsha asked Kerry if he "bent the arm at lunch".

 

[RogerC]

Well, whatever way you look at it, this has been a pretty big day for Indian cricket. There doesn't appear to be that much depth to the Australian bowling, and a lot more resilience in the Indian batting than some of us suspected - especially the openers. I'm also glad to see some spirit in their bowling.

To lose Tendulkar and Dravid so cheaply, and still end up 6 for 362 is a very respectable effort. And Ganguly has answered his knockers in the best way possible.

I'm not much fussed by the Tendulkar disimissal. It was probably the worst decision of the match (except maybe Martyn's in expecting Waugh to abort that third run ), but it didn't do much damage in the long run, and I'm sure we'll have plenty of chances to see Tendulkar bat this summer.

I'm starting to suspect that maybe the Australians rated their wins over Bangladesh and Zimbabwe a bit too highly. Hopefully this will shake them up a bit. Not sure putting Lee into the line-up will revolutionise the bowling all that much - we really need McGrath out there.

It's too much to expect an Indian victory (I'd like it to happen mainly because it would make the rest of the test series very interesting indeed), but even if they get a 140-160 lead and knock off three or four top order Australian wickets, we can all go to Adelaide expecting a contest.

 

[harry_hawka]

Originally posted by L-Nizzy
Good call mate.

(I thought the same)

hahaha Lenny. This proves that us Queenslanders obviously no nothing about our own Gabba ground! But deadset, I thought the pitch would be playing up something shocking, it was much better than it is after rain in the Pura Cup games.

 

[harry_hawka]

Originally posted by nicko18
I was thinking that. For all the crap that is heaped on Melbourne's weather, i bet more play has been lost in the past decade at Brisbane than anywhere else. It cost us an easy win v the kiwis two seasons ago.

Nicko, I understand what you are saying, and it is incredibly frustrating losing play at the Gabba (I live in Brisbane, and to miss out on the chance to go along to a good test match is very annoying), but I reckon we should almost be thankful that the rain has come this time. The way India have played (apart from the start of day 1) you'd have to say they were a big chance to win the game. Of course, things would be totally different if it was a five day game, but credit where its due- India have possibly been robbed of a very big win in this test match.

Australia will still win the series 3-0, IMO.

 

[Nandoz]

India still have a very minute chance of pulling a result out of the match. Say they can pile 100 or so more quick runs onto their total this morning, for a lead of 150 or so, on a Day 5 pitch, anything really can happen, and although youd expect the Aussies to easily play it out for the draw, India will be attacking, whilst Australia will be defending. Its a funny game cricket, and stranger things have happened.

Will be an interesting days play, although cant see anything other than a draw being the result.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Has Steve Waugh lost the plot?

Surely he can see that Zaheer Khan is more than comfortable against the seamers, therefore the need for MacGill.

Wasting time right now.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by phatandphreaky
Has Steve Waugh lost the plot?

Surely he can see that Zaheer Khan is more than comfortable against the seamers, therefore the need for MacGill.

Wasting time right now.

Amazing, MacGill comes in and gets Khan immediately.

Deadset, i think i could captain Australia from my desk without much fuss.

 

[Wicked Lester]

This could prove to be a very awkward day for Australia.

With overs lost for the change of innings (when it comes) plus around 15 overs (or more) to knock off the deficit (80 now) any chance of an Australian victory is prcatically gone - and besides with this bowling lineup would you really want to give India a target.

Therefore Australia will have to do what it has not done for a long, long time - bat out two and a bit session on a final day with no prospect of winning. Hmmmm.

Interesting to see how they adapt to that prospct.

As for India - they'd be delighted to get out of this match with a draw. If there was one ground they'd have been certain of a loss it would have been the Gabba!

 

[The Spornstar]

Originally posted by nicko18
I was thinking that. For all the crap that is heaped on Melbourne's weather, i bet more play has been lost in the past decade at Brisbane than anywhere else. It cost us an easy win v the kiwis two seasons ago.

And it cost us a series win against the Windies in 92-93 (a while ago I know, but traumatic all the same)

 

[The Spornstar]

Originally posted by Slax
Bad light stops play once again and Queensland proves that the weather there isn't as good as they say. It doesn't rain that much in Melbourne.

Yes I found it quite amusing that for almost all 4 days of the golf and cricket when you'd flick between channels 7 and 9 the sun would be shining bright in Melbourne and it'd either be p.issing down in Brisbane or very murky.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Some brilliant strokeplay happening right now, we are seeing the three best batsmen in the world in this match.

 

[ScouseCat]

Ricky Ponting brought up his 2nd half century of the match, then was brilliantly caught by Sehwag in the gully.

Australia: 2 for 155 (lead 69)
Hayden 99 not out
Martyn 3 not out

 

[roostersgal4eva]

isnt it ironic...

whilest im disapointed at not seeing good cricket because of the rain, I have to laugh because when the Cricket Accadamy was moved to Brisbane from Adelaide , the Qdl Premier threw a jibbe at the SACCA saying that Cricket Oz made the move because Brisbane has 'better weather' then SA!

Better Weather hey??????
HA!

 

[JUBJUB]

Hayden out for 99.

 

[bluechampion]

Hayden.

Crikey. How many runs has Hayden made this year?

At least he's found a way to enjoy a largely pointless day of cricket.

Not that falling for 99 is fun... but you know.

 

[St-KriS]

****!

 

[EagleBlue]

Originally posted by nicko18
It cost us an easy win v the kiwis two seasons ago.

As well as Hobart, yet some geniuses on this forum still think Australia was very fortunate to NOT lose to NZ in that same series.

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Steve Waugh has set India 199 in 23 overs.

A Hansie Cronje special, that decision.