Series predictions, India v Australia

Absolute doom-mongering for Australia and its current veteran-dominated side is de rigeur, it seems, so I'm just putting this up pre-series to see what people think might happen during the series. I am assuming for now that Hussey, Haddin and Ponting will be chosen in the MCG first XI, and that Watson rather than Cowan will gain a place there, though none of these things seem as certain as Phil Hughes' exclusion.

So how many runs, how many wickets, how many Tests this year for the 'ageing and hopelessly out-of-form hacks' as caricatured by Mick, Trev, etc?

Sticking my neck out, and with rose-coloured glasses firmly plastered on:

HUGHES: no Tests this series
WATSON: one Test, 153 runs as opener, without a century, 2 for 38 bowling and a series-ending muscle strain
COWAN: two Tests, 148 runs, 2 failures followed by a 32 and an 86
WARNER: four Tests, 145 runs, one fifty, one wicket
MARSH: one Test, 180 runs
KHAWAJA: four Tests, 257 runs, including a century in Melbourne
PONTING: four Tests, 457 runs, including a century in Melbourne and two centuries in Adelaide, a wicket somewhere
CLARKE: three Tests (missing Sydney because of a back strain), 123 runs, one fifty in Melbourne, 2 wickets
COWAN: one Test (coming in for Clarke), 44 runs
HUSSEY: four Tests, 489 runs, including a century in Melbourne, two in Sydney, and a fifty in Perth; 2 wickets: then retires
HADDIN: two Tests, 81 runs, then dropped
WADE: two Tests, 81 runs
LYON: three Tests, 6 wickets
PATTINSON: three Tests, 8 wickets
SIDDLE: three Tests: 9 wickets
JOHNSON: one Test (Perth) 8 wickets and a century (I'm not looking forward to this, I am actually scared it could happen)
HILFENHAUS: two Tests, 7 wickets
CHRISTIAN: two Tests, 5 expensive wickets
COPELAND: one Test, 1 wicket
CUTTING: one Test, 5 wickets

56 wickets isn't nearly enough and India will win two games by large margins, with Australia maybe jagging one.

At this stage I really can't envisage anything better than that happening for the good guys.

Oh, and Tendulkar will get his 100th Century in front of an adoring SCG crowd which does NOT include JGK, who will be held up en route to the ground by some transport mishap.

Well i'm not going to give predictions for every player, but i'll go with-

Ponting- 2 tests, one fifty at Melbourne, failures in the other innings, and dropped (officialy "retired").

Hussey- Same as Ponting.

Haddin- A few quick 50s at Melbourne and Sydney save him until a shocking test at Perth leads to Mathew Wade making his debut at Adelaide.

Clarke- 2 centures mixed among low scores.

Pattonson- Struggles to back up the NZ series, but isn't terrible.

Lyon- Solid but not devastating. Labelled 'brave' at the end of the series.

Warner- Another hundred at Melbourne and the hype reaches fever pitch, comparisons with Bradman, Sehwag, Barry Richards, and Graeme Pollock are made, then a 50 at Sydney, but slowly fades away as the series goes on ad the Indian bowlers develop a plan.

Injuries to play a big part, I think. Tendulkar to make just the one century ... of course that's all he needs. Also, he will be dismissed LBW three times, all outrageous decisions that would have been overturned on appeal.

My prediction is that at least one of the guys that bat between numbers 8 and 11 for India getting a century before any of the top order.

My money is on Ishant.

lardbucket wrote:

COWAN: two Tests, 148 runs, 2 failures followed by a 32 and an 86
COWAN: one Test (coming in for Clarke), 44 runs

You've given this a lot of thought I see.

oops ... the second Cowan was supposed to read Katich, coming in for Clarke

too much cut and paste

Have you turned into Allan?

No, I've already admitted my error

2-1.

India will get a couple of shocking decisions against them and the media will clamour for umpires to be replaced by Asimo robots.

Australia 2-1

Lyon to struggle, Pattinson to get a shed load of wickets and Kohli getting out hooking at least 4 times.

That's an unexpected prediction from an Indian supporter. Apart from the bit about the shocking decisions, which is a given.

He's a Zimbo supporter, you soggy biscuit lover

Of Indian extraction?

Don't really support India that much. Neutral observer for Indian matches.

With an intense dislike for Kohli, Yuvraj and Harbhajan.

What's Kohli done to upset you?

Harbhajan I can understand ...

Yuvraj I just feel sorry for. Talented from the neck down.

Just the fact that for some irrational reason every time I see him on the telly, something gets on my tits.

Yuvraj, yes I agree he's talented but the fact that he appears on celeb talk shows (not of the sports kind) and talks smack about others and the fact that he's not a great player himself add up to another obnoxious weed. For me anyway.

My series prediction...it'll all be very disappointing and skully will be to blame.

2-1 India...Think Australia will put up a good fight though.

Do we win an easter egg if we predict the right score ?

I don't know, ATM I find it difficult to see the Indian bowling line-up taking 20 wickets but juxtapositionally I can't see the Australian batting line-up making enough telling scores to put India's batting line-up under pressure.

To conclude, I think Aus will win.

draw or aus win

I think it will turn on whether Z Kahn is fit and firing and quite frankly whether India really want it luv. If like the England tour India treat the series as just another part of the international merry go round, a hurting Australia will scone 'em. I just don't think Dhoni the half a*sed test captain will get them up for it.

How about they just go bonkers and bring back Harbajan and put him as captain? Would do f*cking wonders for the series...

2-0 to Bannies. If some bouncy decks are served up, maybe 2-1 to Aus.

How're they going to win, skulls? Do you think spin? I can't see their seamers being loads of trouble. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but it's hardly a stellar line-up.

Hopefully not 4-0 Aus. I'll be satisfied with any improvement on that scoreline.

Doomed.