2nd Test: Australia v West Indies @ Bellerive

[scott]

Thursday 17 to Monday 21, November.

Australian XII: Michael Hussey, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Brad Hodge (debut), Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill. (12th man to be either Bracken or MacGill)

West Indies XI (likely): Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shiv Chanderpaul (capt), Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Dwayne Bravo, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore
Others: Dwayne Smith, Wavell Hinds, Jermaine Lawson, Tino Best.

Session Times:
1st session - 10:30-12:30
2nd session - 1:10-3:10
3rd session - 3:30-5:30

[spell_check]

Either Australia will win or the Hobart weather will win.

Last test match to be played at Hobart was in 2001-02; it was drawn between Aus. and N.Z, 1-0 to the weather in that series.

[stan]

WI won the toss. Batted, Gayle went of sick.......thats pretty much all that happened in the first session. Oh yeah 2/46.

[The_Bay_Boy]

Good to see lara's form slump continues. Out for 14

[stan]

Yes out for 13 I think. His form slump has pretty much been an ongoing saga. And then every now and then he'll hit a big score against banga's or Zimbarbwe. But i think hes gone.

[The_Bay_Boy]

Is Rik E Boy feeling ripped off yet?

All out for 149 doesn't offer much value for money.

[spell_check]

The alarm bells are deafening now for Windies.

[Jimmy]

interesting to see symonds and hodge in... and gorilla get teh wickets and not warne...hope hodge does well adn clarke too...symmo i hope gets some runs/wickets....

we should roll them completely this game..

oh and brett lee should be able to bump up that average of his this series

[stan]

While England are off playing hard tough cricket in the depth of Pakistan, we are flogging the shite out fo the Windies. I Hope South Africa come here to play. Because i think if we are to beat England and take back the ashes, we need to have some hard cricket. Because playing the Windies will hide some of our weak spots that will be found out against a front line team.

[TigerBoss]

The Saith Ufikaaaaans will be a much tougher opponent...still a lot of cricket to be played between now and the next Ashes series...perhaps we ought not look that far ahead...

[Rooster_cracker]

West Indies in trouble all ready.

Australia 406
West Indies 149 & 1/4 Smith 0*, Sarwan 0*
Day 3 - WI: Gayle 56 & 4, Chanderpaul 39, Powell 15, Lara 13, McGrath 4/31 & 1/4, Lee 3/32, MacGill 3/18 AUS: Hussey 137, Hayden 110, Hodge 60, Edwards 3/116, Collymore 2/54, Bravo 2/96

[stan]

Good to see the Windies putting up a fight. And giving us some stick. A good hard contest is all we want.

[Rik E Boy]

BRAVO!!

An excellent stand by Bravo and Ramdin yesterday. Finally some REAL test cricket was played and well done to Magilla and Warney for toiling away on a rather unresponsive surface to eventually win the day. The Windies have fought back well after the first innings disaster and maybe, just maybe the Adelaide test may be worth attending after all (Surely Lara can't get ripped off three times in three tests what a disgrace).

For the next match I reckon Best should come in for the expensive Powell and that Clarkey MUST go back to the Blues with Langer opening and Hussey in at four.

regards,

REB

[stan]

Clarke out Langer in. No problems there.

[MagicKiwi]

If Hodge gets picked I'll spew.

And if he does, he'll get a bit of advice from some of us in the members no problem.

[Rik E Boy]

If Hodge gets picked I'll spew.

And if he does, he'll get a bit of advice from some of us in the members no problem.

Yeah, he only made 60. 5hithouse. Give him the chop. Stick to what you know Key Wee..whatever that is!

regards,

REB

[stan]

Should be interesting to see how they go in adelaide. The biggest problem will be that they have no spin option. Although Gayle is reasonable, you dont really want your opening batsmen to be bowling 25 - 30 overs. Anyway good to see them show some fight.

[MagicKiwi]

Yeah, he only made 60. 5hithouse. Give him the chop. Stick to what you know Key Wee..whatever that is!

regards,

REB

Obviously you're in his wanker fanclub then REB - the group that believes that no-one deserves to be playing for Australia more than he does. Good on ya. You must also approve of first class supposedly experienced players running on the wicket? What else did he do, let me see, oh yes - the dropped catch! I can pick a bunch of players I'd rather see than him. 60 in one game, you must be very easy to please.

If being a spectator and lover of cricket (and not a knowledgeable player probably like yourself) since moving to this country in 1974, means nothing about the game has sunk in in that time i.e. stick to what I know, then must be time to hand my SACA membership in. Make room for the young fellas like your good self.

[JK]

Strewth Rikke, don't hold back ...

[Rik E Boy]

Big Deal Key Wee. So what if he's a wanker? You're hatred of this guy is illogical. You proudly brandish your SACA membership as irrefutable proof of your superior knowledge of our great game but it is probably revealing the real reason why you can't stand Hodge...he happens to be a Victorian. It is this provincial attitude that has held back SA cricket and been a major contributing factor to the Jellybacks being consistently amongst the ranks of the also rans in domestic cricket.

Hodge had to play instead of Clarke in the third test. I can't say that I'm a huge fan of the guy but he deserves to be in the team ahead of Clarke at this point in time.

Cheers o venerable cricket fan,

REB