Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
And Pathan takes another.
Jacques gone.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Aussie ki taisi contest -- says the TV commercial
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
And the famous Desi half-dive
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
At Stumps - Aus 65/2
While India are in a strong position to win, all is not lost for Australia. Just one decent 100+ runs partnership and it will be anybody's game. They have 3 more batsmen with 40+ batting average still to come....and a tail that has the ability to wag.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
although I'd prefer an Indian win, I somehow feel that the aussies will pull it off...
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
^ Unlikely. Its 413 and even tho they have powerful batsmen to come, they dont have 'grafters' like Langer and Waugh and this kind of score requires a grafter at one end. Hussey is the key in my opinion.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Watched the last few overs, i felt the Indian bowlers did not bowl that well except for Pathan. The line and lenggth was not there. This new guy sharma kept sending the ball down the leg stmup to ponting.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
It just doesn't matter. We won the 2nd test for all practical purposes and bucknor and ponting cheated criminally to take that away, thus costing us the series. Who cares about this test.
If umpiring had been even mediocre and if crooks like ponting had been prevented, this is India's series.
Well done India!
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
It is India's game unless they bowl really bad which they are quite capable of. India should make the most of the first session of play. Ponting will have to come out and deliver unlike Indian superstars who choked yet again last night. Umpiring has been satisfactory in this game and I hope it doesn't become a scapegoat for either team's loss.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
excellent batting by laxman, dhoni, rp, also ifrans batting was invaluable
why is the top order so pathetic, its like they left all the hard work for laxman knowing he is still there, rest of them just want to go back and sit in their air conditioned rooms
good bowling from pathan to get rid of the openers
will be interesting to see if aussies go all guns blazing or look to accumulate runs slowly, they have a LOT of time (way ponting was batting, seems like they will go after the bowling)
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
its gonna be a tough contest...the aussies are very well capable of pulling this of...but im hoping they wont.....
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Aussies have 2 days to bat, so they cannot bat for a draw. If they can survive with 4-5 wickets at hand till tea tomorrow then chances are they will take the game.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Australia is not going to score like Dravid. They will score at 4 runs per over. 90 overs/day. If Australia wins, the game should be over today or early tomorrow.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
To win, Indians will have to bowl like the Pakis just like they did in the first innings...Swinging the ball everywhere !!
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
hey
my friend working at the stadium for this match
he got original ball signed by ponting gilly which they used during practice at the nets during the match. get to see al the players and chat with commentators, they are really funny. wasim is here as well.
i worked their last year during england aus and eng newzealand
got my bat signed by the whole comment panel (Nasir hussain, david loyd, boycott, micheal holdin, tony etc. . . . . loyd is a really fuuny guy my God)
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Regardless of the result, this is one of the best Test Match I have followed.
Some commentator said - that in recent years India have actually done better when the conditions were fast bowling friendly (contrary to the popular perception). And I totally agree. The reason is simple - India's unheralded pace attack needs help from the pitch more than the opposition bowlers....and when they get that support, the opposition loses it edge over India in the fast bowling department.
BCCI should use some of its "billion dollar windfalls" on creating these kind of wickets at home...and not pitches like we recently saw in Kolkata/Bangalore where even mediocre batsmen like Wasim Jaffer seemed like Vivian Richards.
Finally, I continue to be not very impressed with Ishant Sharma. He is being compared to McGrath and Ambrose....but I feel that he has very little variety and will be easy meat in less friendly conditions.
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
I have a confession. I like Kumble. He is a player I used to hate but his classy personality and leadership has won me over. As a matter of fact I am beginning to like most of the Indian players including Sachin. Before I would yearn for his dismissal but now I route for him to play longer. I just loved the way he played in the first innings at the WACA. Some of those cuts over slips were shots I have never seen before and I owe it to the grace of Tendulkar for adding those to my viewing pleasure.
I had always liked VVS and his on-side stroke play reminds me of the young Miandad.
Ganguly has always been a favorite since he is a very determined fellow. Any other desi skipper would have drowned by what Chappell and the BCCI did to him three years ago but he bounced back - ala DADA ishtyle.
I still don't like Irfan Pathan.
The way Dhoni carries himself on the field reminds me of Viv. I am not comparing his batting technique to Viv but the demeanor. Good stuff. I think he should become the captain after Kumble.
I don't like Yuvraj. He is arrogant for no reason. he needs to learn from Sachin and Dravid on how to be a international cricketer.
Good luck India and please stop the Aussie run. Did you guys know that Steve Waugh's phenomenal 16 wins run was also brought to a screaching hault by the Indians in kolkata?
I am still in shock that India is at the brink of victory and of all the pitches, the WACA!
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
^Interesting that you have developed a liking for almost all Indian players except the two I really like --- Pathan & Yuvraj.
*Waise...*what happened....I mean this new found love for Indians....did some Indian just treat you to lunch !!
Talking of Kumble - I was not impressed with his Captaincy in the Pak series (waiting for Dinesh Karthick to score a half century before declaring instead of trying to win the game and all). But here I have to commend him for a few things -- like the decision to BAT FIRST on a WACA wicket --- most Captains would have wanted to play defensive and bowl....
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
Some1, I don't rate captaincy on a few decisions like when he declared or chose to bat or bowl. Captain is more than that. He is a leader, he has to have a personality and character to lead. He should at least know how to communicate. This is why I rate Kumble way higher than other subcontinental skippers. I never liked Inzi as the captain because he was a bad communicator.
May I ask what do u like about Yuvi and Pathan?
Re: 3rd Test: Australia vs. India at Perth (WACA) Jan. 16-20, 2008
^Well, Kumble speaks articulately....that's for sure....most of these guys from South are seriously well-educated types.....Dravid, Murali Kartik, Dinesh Karthick....Srinath previously....even some of their movie heroes...Nagarjuna is an BS and MS in Engineering (from US)...Arvind Swami (of "Bombay and "Roja" fame) is an MBA from US and now the head of a software company !!...but I digress.
Talking of Yuvraj and Pathan ---- I like Yuvraj for his chutzpah, aggressive temperament and of course for his loads of talent as a batsman and as a fielder. I have been a fan even before he hit those 6 Sixes.
Pathan is such a useful player - I don't know how anybody can dislike him as a Cricketer --- he is an intelligent bowler (I don't care too much about "speed"), technically correct batsman and a very good fielder (I don't remember him dropping a catch ever).
btw, I like Zaheer Khan too.