India v Australia, 2nd ODI, Kochi, 2nd Oct

Powar has been fodder for the Aussies in this series, whereas we made him look like he was bowling hand grenades.

tac wrote:

doremi wrote:So, we conceded 300+ after playing with 5 bowlers again? Wow, am I shocked!

Oh well, Ganguly for Powar next match if they have any sense.

Yep, and Aussies need to replace Hodge with someone . . . Maybe Ponting is worth trying?

Never heard of him. Any good?

doremi wrote:

tac wrote:

doremi wrote:So, we conceded 300+ after playing with 5 bowlers again? Wow, am I shocked!

Oh well, Ganguly for Powar next match if they have any sense.

Yep, and Aussies need to replace Hodge with someone . . . Maybe Ponting is worth trying?

Never heard of him. Any good?

Not bad, they say. Bit iffy to LBWs first up, but plays some nice shots.

I didnt watch the Aus innings today morn but there were some ugly incidents of shouting and glaring featuring Cannibal* and Sreesanth it looks like. we will hear about it tomorrow in some fines I expect.

here are my predictions:

• Powar may not get another match in this series
  
• Dravid might announce his retirement from ODIs real soon, the whole body language was of a man who had resigned from the co and was on the notice period only
  
• SCG might be wise not to press the issue and cede his seat to Rohit Sharma who is very promising and a far younger pair of legs
  
• SRT looked in reasonable shape , he might continue for sometime longer
  
• India needs to pull up for sake of honor & dignity, this type of leaving their bottoms exposed will result in a 6-0 whitewash...key seems to be restricting aus to around 250 or below. both matches Ind seem to have struck early hard blows that would fell most enemies but aus just seemed to shrug it off.
  

*>Symonds

I've barely noticed Rahul Dravid so far in this series. Obviously, being the great team man that he is, he's making a conscious effort to allow Dhoni to run the show, but you're right about his body language being down. Doesnt have the intensity that he normally has. I have a feeling however, that Ganguly will try to hang around like a bad smell for as long as possible.

PS- Tendulkar's huge pulled six of Lee was a wonderful reminder of the form he showed in 1998. He's still got the shots, it's just the mindset that occasionally lets him down these days.

The pull has well and truly been out for some time now. He'll get runs, he's in good-ish touch.

Dravid has never been that visible in the field. During the captaincy they zoned in on him frequently but that is about it. Not that worried about him at all. Someone has to tell Uthappa that we expect a bit more from a no. 3 than brainless slogging. He looks good for a few balls, then gets out and puts pressure on the team. I could understand if it was Pathan at 3, but Uthappa actually is a specialist batsman. Gambhir I'm still not convinced about. Just doesn't strike me as being good enough.

Powar has to go. Bowling shit. Sreesanth has to be a little less 'oh look at me, I'm supposed to give it back to the Aussies and look stupid'. Zak bowled well, so did Irfan. Bhajji decent-ish. Play four bowlers. Stop this 5 bowler non-sense, it emphatically doesn't work, but it's tried again and again and again......

I dont think Uthappa slogged. He played some awesome shots, but he does have a tendency to shuffle that front leg too far accross. In time he could be a very good player for India.

He definitely has the ability. He aced the FC batting stats last season, a season in which Tiwary scored runs at an average of 99.5 or something. Whether he has the temperament is still to be seen.

nothing to say about this game except that sreesanth is a major embarassment and should be dropped by the team for a few matches. that appeal for a 'run-out' was pathetic. when dhoni ran in to cool things down and push santh away i wished he would slap him around a few times. or just give symonds and hayden 5 minutes with him in the change-room

australia far and away the better team in 50 overs. no way they should have got 300 on that pitch after that start. the indian bowling has a lot of thinking to do

I wanna see Tiwary.

It's a long way to see Tiwary, it's a long way to go...

For all the entertainment the England-India series provided, I think this week's games show they are both still well short of what it takes against the best in 50-over cricket. It's the start of a new four-year cycle though and plenty of time for that to change.

eng, ind and wi are probably the 3 weakest odi teams around right now.

JEBUS.

Just seen the highlights.

What the FARK was that from India???

They were totally mullered.

No wonder the England V India ODI series was so close and exciting.....both teams are complete SH1TE.

Amazing catch by Johnson on the boundary.

And Uthappa looked good.

Henry wrote:I dont think Uthappa slogged. He played some awesome shots, but he does have a tendency to shuffle that front leg too far accross. In time he could be a very good player for India.

That involuntary front foot shuffle worries me too. He seems OK with full pitched balls and the shortish ones but seems to end up in no man's land on the slightly short of length variety. Problem will show up more acutely on livelier wickets.

Wonder why Australia didn't go in with Hogg in the recent twenty twenty series giving us five bowlers.

Symonds and Clarke who are batsmen primarily went for far too many and IMO cost us the series whereas Hoggy would have bowled four tight overs possibly got wickets and a few runs.

Who to drop Hodge of course.

Minnesota Fats wrote:Wonder why Australia didn't go in with Hogg in the recent twenty twenty series giving us five bowlers.

Symonds and Clarke who are batsmen primarily went for far too many and IMO cost us the series whereas Hoggy would have bowled four tight overs possibly got wickets and a few runs.

Who to drop Hodge of course.

I get the feeling that the Aussies didn't want Hoggy to damage his "mystique" by bowling in the T20 . . . no other reason as far as I can see.

Ponting had his farknut head on at the T20 selection meetings ....

It looked like Ponting was trying to captain Australia from the boundary yesterday.

Henry wrote:It looked like Ponting was trying to captain Australia from the boundary yesterday.

And . . . ?

Henry wrote:It looked like Ponting was trying to captain Australia from the bar yesterday.

Fixed.

"rum hin out...... cash him.... you're ma besht friend..."

tac wrote:

Henry wrote:It looked like Ponting was trying to captain Australia from the boundary yesterday.

And . . . ?

Always on the defensive, arent you.

tac wrote:

Minnesota Fats wrote:Wonder why Australia didn't go in with Hogg in the recent twenty twenty series giving us five bowlers.

Symonds and Clarke who are batsmen primarily went for far too many and IMO cost us the series whereas Hoggy would have bowled four tight overs possibly got wickets and a few runs.

Who to drop Hodge of course.

I get the feeling that the Aussies didn't want Hoggy to damage his "mystique" by bowling in the T20 . . . no other reason as far as I can see.

If thats reasoning and I think you're on the right track as it's been touted before when they left him out previously.
Hogg has not been given a fair go.

I also think Ponting was the one to keep him out
The grapevine up here says he overates Symonds ability to curb runs especially when targeted as he was in the 20/20.

Much harder to target Hogg.

Symonds' off spinners get crapper by the week.

Henry wrote:

tac wrote:

Henry wrote:It looked like Ponting was trying to captain Australia from the boundary yesterday.

And . . . ?

Always on the defensive, arent you.

Not at all, just interested in what crap you will spout next. Better than a play . . .