1st test- Australia Vs India

[Pup]

Australia Vs India 26th-30th December

MCG

The start of another test series on home soil for the Aussies against the fiery Indians. The Indians who have only beeen here for less than a week seem pretty confident under Kumble but will their limited preperation hurt them? Will the Australians go with 4 quicks or play the enthusiastic Brad Hogg? Will either side be able to take 20 wickets? Particularly the Indians. Can the Indians once again stop the Australians Test match streak as they did 6 years ago. All will be answered in the next 5 days in one of the biggest days on the Australian sporting calender.

Squads

Australia- Phil Jaques, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting*, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Brad Hogg, Mitchell Johnsons, Shaun Tait

India- Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendaulker, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Pankkaj Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh.


Umpires- Mark Benson, Billy Bowden

Selection

Ten spots seem to be certain for the Australians, with Tait and Johnson fighting it out for the final pace spot unless the wicket is very pace friendly which will then leave Brad Hogg to carry the drinks. While Johnson has done nothing wrong there is no doubt that Tait has that awkard action, extra speed and that X factor that may make him more appealing to the selectors. Personally as i will be at the game i hope Tait plays. The only thing that came out of the washed out 4 day game against Victoria is that Jaffer may have Dravid as an opening partner to brunt the new ball attack. personally i would have liked to see Sehwag get a chance against the Vics to see where he was at. Zaheer Khan will come after a long break and will be fresh and will need to be to dislodge the likes of Ponting, Clarke, Hussey and Hayden. The bowling attack is a worry. Khan and Kumble are the two certaintys then it really is a toss of the coin who they will select. Lets hope they win the toss and bat because if they bowl first look for a score of 600+.

Form
We cant take to much out of the Indians washed game at Junction Oval. Their series against against pakistan will give their batsmen some confidence. Every batsmen that will bat in the top 7 made big scores, and the key players such as Laxman, Dravid, Ganguly and Tendaulker are all in good form. The bowling is the worry, i just cant see how they are going to take 20 wickets to win a test match, Kumble and Khan will bowl a lot of overs and if they cant run through this order then look out. I expect the Indian batting line up to look like this- Jaffer, Dravid, Laxman, Tendaulker, Ganguly, Singh and Dhoni which is a terrific top 7 if they can adjust to Australian conditions so quickly.

The Australians have been in terrific form as they almost always are, the captain had a terrific one day tournament against the Black Caps and can expect many runs in this series. Jaques has been brilliant at the start of his career, Hayden will be looking to dominate the attack. Clarke and Hussey have been in good form and Symonds loves Boxing Day. They destroyed Sri Lanka in the recent test series and have also put NZ to the sword in the ODI games. Kumar exposed a brittle attack late in the game in Tasmania and the big name Indians will be hoping to do the same.


Key Players

Australia- Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Stuart Clarke

India- Zaheer Khan, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble

Verdict
I am really looking forward to this test series, for a couple of reasons, i love watching the Indian top 7 and because i think if they play well this could be a real test for the Australian Bowlers. India really need to win the toss and bat and make 500+. That is the only way i think they can win these test matches. India has a brittle attack and if they bowl first i really think they will be chasing 550+ which will be a disaster. If Ganguly can keep up his recent form in his 100th test match, and Dravid and Laxman can conquer the new ball attack early then they might be a chance to pile on the pressure on the Aussies by making them chase a big total which they are not used to.

Saying all this i do think Australia will win this test match or at least draw it. I just cant see India taking 20 wickets. Thier big chance will come in Sydney and Adelaide on the spinners deck. IMO this will be a better series than the Sri Lankan one. Lets wait and see but i think Australia will be pushed harder than most people think especially in the field.

[spell_check]

Despite India's well known weakness of bouncy wickets and good quality fast bowling, it will be all set up so the game can go for 5 days just for the gate takings.

[locky801]

Am looking forward to this series, Think it will obviously be a batmans series, alot of batting talent on both sides, think the Aussie bowlers are just that much better than the Indians, having said that if their batsman get on top early in the series I think we will be well and truly tested. My prediction is aust 2-0

[locky801]

Ponting has won the toss and elected to bat, looks like Tait is 12th man

[magpie in the 80's]

Ponting has WON the toss and elected to bat, looks like Tait is 12th man

yep tait's 12th man with hoggy into the starting side

[locky801]

Ponting has WON the toss and elected to bat, looks like Tait is 12th man

yep tait's 12th man with hoggy into the starting side

haven't recovered from yesterday, now edited and is correct

[dinglinga]

Lets play

***im pumped!!**

[locky801]

Steady start by both openers,

Aust 0/42


Jaques 20*
Hayden 21*

[locky801]

Now 0/56 after the first hours play, already looking like a big score maybe on the cards

Jaques 25*

Hayden 27*

[rod_rooster]

After some good bowling early the wicket is starting to flatten out a bit now and the Aussies are looking very good. India were a bit unlucky but you make your own luck i guess and Hayden and Jaques will be looking to fill their boot here. Could be a very entertaining day.

[locky801]

Have to agree RR, one wonders what the Indians may well have been after the first hour if the Aussies had bowled well

Now moved onto

0/93

still 20 mins till lunch thought this was a Test match not a one dayer

[RoosterMarty]

Not happy that Tait isn't playing!!! That is very disappointing.

100 partnership up and Jaques has another half century.

That is Lunch. Very good opening session by the World Champs.

Australia 0/111

Jaques 57*
Hayden 49*

[locky801]

0/111 at Lunch

Jaques 57*

Hayden 49*

[rod_rooster]

Jaques st. Dhoni b. Kumble 66

Aus 1/135

Great piece of bowling from Kumble and very tidy work from Dhoni. India's reward, Ricky Ponting

[locky801]

Jaques gone for 66 stumped off of Kumble

now 1/135


Hayden 64*

Ponting 0*

[rod_rooster]

Kumble drops Hayden on 68. Ball goes for 4. That could cost the Indians big time.

[locky801]

Ponting now gone for 4, knocked over by a very good ball from Khan

aust now 2/162

Hayden 87*

Hussey 0*

[locky801]

Hussey now gone for 2, collapse is occurring

Aust now 3/167


Hayden 88*

Clarke 0*

[rod_rooster]

Ponting now gone for 4, knocked over by a very good ball from Khan

aust now 2/162

Hayden 87*

Hussey 0*

Well that's an understatement. It was a peach.

Hayden still looking good. Some good cricket from India though.

[locky801]

Ponting now gone for 4, knocked over by a very good ball from Khan

aust now 2/162

Hayden 87*

Hussey 0*

Well that's an understatement. It was a peach.

Hayden still looking good. Some good cricket from India though.

Yep have to agree Rob and nice to see Ponting acknowledge that fact as he walked off with a nod of the head, basically the unplayable delivery