Australian International Summer

[Booney]

Maybe they took the odds after Shafiq got out?

[Bombers4EVA]

Very very lucky Australia.

[The Dark Knight]

You f**king beauty Smudge what a way to finish!

Makes up for the dropped catches.

Thank f**k his dropped catches didn't cost us, made up for them with that brilliance.

[Booney]

wasnt even close. great bit of fielding but that was a bit average

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

Australian cricket team says hi.

(as to the windies)

Yeah, yeah, sure Ted.

[RustyCage]

wasnt even close. great bit of fielding but that was a bit average

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

Australian cricket team says hi.

(as to the windies)

Yeah, yeah, sure Ted.

Australian cricket has been many things over the years, but heartless isn't one of them

[The Bedge]

Crap pitch, crap test match.. dont know how people this it was a great test match - a humiliating collapse by Pakistan first innings, a friendly declaration by Smith, and then Pakistan hitting 450 on days 4/5 with the pitch looking as flat and good to bat on as it did at the start of the test!

Sack the curator.

The win by the aussies will only serve to sweep concerns under the rug - Maddinson's failures with the bat, Lyon's flat, fast T20 style bowling, Wade still an annoying keeper who thinks everything is out

[Dutchy]

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

WTF? DIdn't you watch them bat in the last 24 hours?

They were No. 1 in the test rankings 3 months ago!

[Dutchy]

Paki's will take more out of this match that Aussies, despite the loss. Batting is their weak link yet they showed they have upside in that 2nd dig.

[Booney]

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

WTF? DIdn't you watch them bat in the last 24 hours?

They were No. 1 in the test rankings 3 months ago!

Sure, I watched the last 24 hours, you've missed the last 24 years then?

As for being #1, they beat up on the sides but the ones that count.

Pakistan in Australia Test Series 2009/10 Australia 3-0 (3)
MCC Spirit of Cricket Test Series (Australia, Pakistan in England) 2010 drawn 1-1 (2)
Pakistan in England Test Series 2010 England 3-1 (4)
Pakistan v South Africa Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2010/11 drawn 0-0 (2)
Pakistan in New Zealand Test Series 2010/11 Pakistan 1-0 (2)
Pakistan in West Indies Test Series 2011 drawn 1-1 (2)
Pakistan in Zimbabwe Test Match 2011 Pakistan 1-0 (1)
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2011/12 Pakistan 1-0 (3)
Pakistan in Bangladesh Test Series 2011/12 Pakistan 2-0 (2)
Pakistan v England Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2011/12 Pakistan 3-0 (3)
Pakistan in Sri Lanka Test Series 2012 Sri Lanka 1-0 (3)
Pakistan in South Africa Test Series 2012/13 South Africa 3-0 (3)
Pakistan in Zimbabwe Test Series 2013 drawn 1-1 (2)
Pakistan v South Africa Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2013/14 drawn 1-1 (2)
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2013/14 drawn 1-1 (3)
Pakistan in Sri Lanka Test Series 2014 Sri Lanka 2-0 (2)
Pakistan v Australia Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2014/15 Pakistan 2-0 (2)
Pakistan v New Zealand Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2014/15 drawn 1-1 (3)
Pakistan in Bangladesh Test Series 2015 Pakistan 1-0 (2)
Pakistan in Sri Lanka Test Series 2015 Pakistan 2-1 (3)
Pakistan v England Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2015/16 Pakistan 2-0 (3)
Pakistan in England Test Series 2016 drawn 2-2 (4)
Pakistan v West Indies Test Series (in United Arab Emirates) 2016/17 Pakistan 2-1 (3)
Pakistan in New Zealand Test Series 2016/17 New Zealand 2-0 (2)

Bold, when they've played the teams who count since 2010. Under lined when they've won.

[bennymacca]

Australian cricket has been many things over the years, but heartless isn't one of them

our batting has been pretty woeful for a long time and lacked the required application. renshaw khawaja and handscombe seem to have bucked that trend but its a long time overdue if they do

[Grenville]

Smith has just played his get out of jail free card, very very lucky. Very average Test as a skipper. Ideally he would have a couple of old heads to turn to for a bit of advice, unfortunately his sounding boards are dickheads like Warner and Wade.

[Grenville]

Australian cricket has been many things over the years, but heartless isn't one of them

our batting has been pretty woeful for a long time and lacked the required application. renshaw khawaja and handscombe seem to have bucked that trend but its a long time overdue if they do

And when Renshaw knuckled down in Adelaide he was jeered by his own supporters. The hit and giggle mentality is well and truly entrenched in the minds of an increasing number of cricket 'followers'.

[Bombers4EVA]

How do you think Hanscomb has performed since coming into the side? I think he's fitted right in and taken off as if he has been in the side for 2 years. I am really excited to see how he goes. What are his positives and his negatives as a batsman? What number would he be best coming in at?

[am Bays]

Unchanged 12 for Boxing day, at this stage (pending recovery of bowlers)

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-test-squad-boxing-day-test-pakistan-steve-smith-nic-maddinson/2016-12-19

[Bombers4EVA]

Unchanged 12 for Boxing day, at this stage (pending recovery of bowlers)

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-test-squad-boxing-day-test-pakistan-steve-smith-nic-maddinson/2016-12-19

If so, Maddinson will be very lucky. I reckon it'll be his last shot.

[Dutchy]

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

WTF? DIdn't you watch them bat in the last 24 hours?

They were No. 1 in the test rankings 3 months ago!

Sure, I watched the last 24 hours, you've missed the last 24 years then?

Oh Im judging them on their performances this year not the last 24 years, silly me.

[am Bays]

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

WTF? DIdn't you watch them bat in the last 24 hours?

They were No. 1 in the test rankings 3 months ago!

Sure, I watched the last 24 hours, you've missed the last 24 years then?

Oh Im judging them on their performances this year not the last 24 years, silly me.

24 years ago, well 22.5, Inze and Mustaq put on 70 odd at Karachi to win a Test Match chasing 315.

Best description of Pakistan is that they are enigmatic, they lose the shocking but then win the impossible

[Grahaml]

Definitely some good signs for the Aussies IMHO. Might have ended up closer than expected, but our entire second innings was played under the premise that it was about the declaration. As for the timing, I think it was reasonable enough. With weather around and wanting to maximise the number of overs with the Pakis under the most pressure (ie, session 3) I think it worked well enough. That the game went as far as it did was simply down to some luck (Hazlewood bowled one of the great zero wicket spells), some bad fielding and quite a lot of impatience. The third is understandable given how bad things felt only a few weeks ago.

But I think we've finally showed an all rounder is a near total waste of time. I never got the impression we needed another seamer and Bird should finally get an extended crack at it. Someone here tried to say he's just a clone of Hazlewood. If he were I'd take him in the side but I'm guessing now that person has actually seen them both bowl he won't be eager to repeat that piece of comedy.

Batting wise, Handscomb can't have done more and Renshaw is really showing something. Especially being a guy who can field at first slip. Given our selection record I'm sure when Shaun Marsh is fit they'll look to get him in, but I'd be looking for ways to keep Renshaw around. Reckon he's got something worth persisting with. Number 6 is a concern still, but now that we've got Maddinson there we've got to stick with him. A culture where blokes can lose a spot right away does nothing to let blokes just play. Personally I think the spot should still be Ferguson's but the decision has been made.

Pakis will feel good about themselves but there's more to feel good about from our pespective. Aside the obvious fact we won, they only took 15 wickets while our bowlers created a heck of a lot of chances. There were many times this game (until we started looking desperate) that they really struggled against our quicks. Even when set, Shafiq (a good knock but the MOTM decision was a joke) nicked off as soon as Starc went back to just bowling properly. Certainly won't get dropped like that too often in his career. The simple fact that their bowlers lacked the same threat ours did should be more than enough reason to feel confident going into boxing day.

[Booney]

They're dead set heartless on the cricket field, don't try and tell me any different.

WTF? DIdn't you watch them bat in the last 24 hours?
They were No. 1 in the test rankings 3 months ago!

Sure, I watched the last 24 hours, you've missed the last 24 years then?

Oh Im judging them on their performances this year not the last 24 years, silly me.

Well, if you'd judged them on the 24 hours prior to that then my assessment would have been right. Their 1st innings was awful, other than the last 2 they showed no fight at all. Perhaps I should have said "historically they are heartless". I'll grant you they fought on Sunday, for one day.

[stan]

Honestly if we held our catches the game would have been done by the end of day 4.

Honestly Wade needs to be looked at. The number of stumpings that he missed in this one test alone still suggests hes not up to it at this point.

Seriously his keeping was putting more pressure on Lyon. When the Pakis were attacking him he gets one past the and then when the keeper fumbles it and misses the stumping it would be pretty deflating.

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