Australia v India, 3rd Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December, 2014

Henry wrote:Two things- Australia's decision to bat on this morning looks incredibly negative, and why the hell would they shake hands with four overs to go, considering India has three number 11's??

If I was Smith, with India six down I wouldn't be shaking hands until there are three balls left in the final over.

Being India, I wouldn't be shaking hands until the last ball. We could contrive to lose three off it.

And, oh by the way, what a shower of.

Henry wrote:I wonder if it was Smith's decision alone, or did Lehmann advise him?

Smith said it was his call.

skully wrote:

Big Dog wrote:What is the consensus....Was Smiths late declaration an error of judgement or was he more concerned with not losing than winning?

...i'm thinking the latter.

Of course. Why would you outplay a side for 2 and seven eighths Tests then give them a chance to get back in the series?  I'd rather a tense search for wickets than a worrying "why did we declare so early?"

Indeed and having grown up in the late 70s/80s I will never begrudge a captain who makes it his priority to make sure his side can't lose before worrying about the win.

Given how the bowlers looked towards the end Smudge may have thought they only had 70 overs in them anyway.

lardbucket wrote:

Henry wrote:One thing's for sure- If it had been Dhoni batting on this morning, Chappelli would have torn into him.

Why does anybody give a shit what Chappell ever says?

Average player, as a captain lucky enough to have Lillee, Thomson, and his brother in his side for most of his tenure, at a time when all other sides were weak. Highly over-rated.

Best batsman in the world. Bill Lawry said so

Big Dog wrote:

Red wrote:Had this been England and Cook, how would people have reacted?

I have to agree with Red on this one. Its always been our policy to go for the win. Smith has broken this policy by playing for the draw. If it had been Ponting (or any other unpopular captain) you would all be baying for his blood.
If this is going to be Smiths captaincy for the future.....he isnt going to have a future.

Didn't Ponting blow a game by bowling spinners to get the over rate up?

If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

beamer wrote:If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

Sage.

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

Red wrote:Had this been England and Cook, how would people have reacted?

I have to agree with Red on this one. Its always been our policy to go for the win. Smith has broken this policy by playing for the draw. If it had been Ponting (or any other unpopular captain) you would all be baying for his blood.
If this is going to be Smiths captaincy for the future.....he isnt going to have a future.

Didn't Ponting blow a game by bowling spinners to get the over rate up?

Yes he did - against India. Qunt.

So Aussie policy unless there is a fine involved.

taipan wrote:So Aussie policy unless there is a fine involved.

To be fair - Punter was likely to be suspended otherwise.

No excuse though.

JGK wrote:

taipan wrote:So Aussie policy unless there is a fine involved.

To be fair - Punter was likely to be suspended otherwise.

No excuse though.

So?

JGK wrote:

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

Red wrote:Had this been England and Cook, how would people have reacted?

I have to agree with Red on this one. Its always been our policy to go for the win. Smith has broken this policy by playing for the draw. If it had been Ponting (or any other unpopular captain) you would all be baying for his blood.
If this is going to be Smiths captaincy for the future.....he isnt going to have a future.

Didn't Ponting blow a game by bowling spinners to get the over rate up?

Yes he did - against India.  Qunt.

He also over-bowled the spinners in Cardiff to get more overs in; he went for quantity over quality.

beamer wrote:If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

Too many sides around the world these days get 1-0 up early, then are content to play for draws in the following tests. It's a problem that is driving away fans.

Too many captains are scared of losing these days.

Henry wrote:

beamer wrote:If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

Too many sides around the world these days get 1-0 up early, then are content to play for draws in the following tests. It's a problem that is driving away fans.

Too many captains are scared of losing these days.

Well, I've always believed that losing a Test after declaring in a live series situation is a sackable offence for any captain.

If you're a team with the aura of the 1980s West Indies or 2000s Australia then you can afford to take such risks, as if you throw one match away it probably won't matter, you can relentlessly pursue whitewashes. But there's no side of that calibre today. Also, the change in batting brought about by T20 means anything's gettable in the fourth innings. You can set a team 400 in a day and not be comfortable.

skully wrote:What a dick. E-coli looks at the pitch as if it wasn't just his arrogance that got him out.

never mind new bradmans or new bothams kohli is the new ganguly
like the game needed one

lardbucket wrote:

Henry wrote:One thing's for sure- If it had been Dhoni batting on this morning, Chappelli would have torn into him.

Why does anybody give a shit what Chappell ever says?

Average player, as a captain lucky enough to have Lillee, Thomson, and his brother in his side for most of his tenure, at a time when all other sides were weak. Highly over-rated.

henry and australia
red and south africa
you and ian chappell

whole lot of blind irrational hatred running around in here

beamer wrote:

Henry wrote:

beamer wrote:If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

Too many sides around the world these days get 1-0 up early, then are content to play for draws in the following tests. It's a problem that is driving away fans.

Too many captains are scared of losing these days.

Well, I've always believed that losing a Test after declaring in a live series situation is a sackable offence for any captain.

If you're a team with the aura of the 1980s West Indies or 2000s Australia then you can afford to take such risks, as if you throw one match away it probably won't matter, you can relentlessly pursue whitewashes. But there's no side of that calibre today. Also, the change in batting brought about by T20 means anything's gettable in the fourth innings. You can set a team 400 in a day and not be comfortable.

How about losing a yesy after enforcing a follow-on. Hanging too good?

Bradman wrote:

beamer wrote:

Henry wrote:

beamer wrote:If you need a draw to clinch a series, you make sure of the draw first. Series results are all that matters. Anything else is like throwing your goalkeeper forward for a last minute corner when you're already 1-0 up... like it or not, results come first and entertaining the crowds second.

Too many sides around the world these days get 1-0 up early, then are content to play for draws in the following tests. It's a problem that is driving away fans.

Too many captains are scared of losing these days.

Well, I've always believed that losing a Test after declaring in a live series situation is a sackable offence for any captain.

If you're a team with the aura of the 1980s West Indies or 2000s Australia then you can afford to take such risks, as if you throw one match away it probably won't matter, you can relentlessly pursue whitewashes. But there's no side of that calibre today. Also, the change in batting brought about by T20 means anything's gettable in the fourth innings. You can set a team 400 in a day and not be comfortable.

How about losing a yesy after enforcing a follow-on.  Hanging too good?

What's a yesy, the opposite of a noey?

A 'yesy' is a 'test' punched out on a laptop pre-dawn.

see that wouldnt have happened if you had daylight saving

Yeah but we'd be inundated with porn.

Ethics? The Gall! wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

Henry wrote:One thing's for sure- If it had been Dhoni batting on this morning, Chappelli would have torn into him.

Why does anybody give a shit what Chappell ever says?

Average player, as a captain lucky enough to have Lillee, Thomson, and his brother in his side for most of his tenure, at a time when all other sides were weak. Highly over-rated.

henry and australia
red and south africa
you and ian chappell

whole lot of blind irrational hatred running around in here

You forgot me and Shane Watson, ETG. Oh wait, it's not blind or irrational.

Isn't all hatred blind and irrational? Why are people so unkind?

Bradman wrote:Yeah but we'd be inundated with porn.

Your point being....?