Second Test Jan 3rd-7th@SCG

[redandblack]

I agree with the last sentence.

Most of the first three are just simplistic and incorrect.

[Mr66]

Shyte!
I watched college football, ice hockey and the WWE all day thinking this was over.
WILL NOT be missing the hilites on Foxtel tonight.

LMAO You missed a great day of cricket, don't miss the hi-lights.

.

I didn't.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I cringe at the validation of Ponting's clear mistake at the toss and the after-the-event justifications.

Why couldn't Ponting savour the win and admit he might have made a mistake?

Well, he based his decision on the fact chasing runs in the 4th innings on the SCG is very difficult to do. He was proven to be correct. Why does he need to justify winning the toss and BATTING?

[NFC]

I cringe at the validation of Ponting's clear mistake at the toss and the after-the-event justifications.

Why couldn't Ponting savour the win and admit he might have made a mistake?

Well, he based his decision on the fact chasing runs in the 4th innings on the SCG is very difficult to do. He was proven to be correct. Why does he need to justify winning the toss and BATTING?

Don't worry, people are just stupid.

[CoverKing]

Sorry RnB, as much as i dont want to, i completely agree with NFC and AH for once

[redandblack]

I cringe at the validation of Ponting's clear mistake at the toss and the after-the-event justifications.

Why couldn't Ponting savour the win and admit he might have made a mistake?

Well, he based his decision on the fact chasing runs in the 4th innings on the SCG is very difficult to do. He was proven to be correct. Why does he need to justify winning the toss and BATTING?

AH, he wasn't proven to be correct. The result relied, apart from the excellent fight-back by Australia, on an inept wicketkeeper. If he had held just one of the catches offered, Pakistan would have won. I would argue that if Pakistan had batted first, Australia would have had the upper hand throughout and won comfortably. It's easy to re-write history. Until the final result, it was generally thought he'd stuffed up. The result doesn't change that, it was due to a completely different set of circumstances.

We've all played cricket. I generally agree with the old axiom "If you win the toss, bat", but we all saw what assistance the bowlers got on day one. Ask Michael Clarke what he thought of the ball that got him out. We saw second-rate Pakistani bowlers look like world-beaters.

NFC, you're entitled to your different opinion, but I don't appreciate being called stupid. Your calls during that game speak for themselves, but I'm happy to back my knowledge of the game against yours at any time.

[Courtney Fish]

Anyone know what odds the Aussies were paying at 8 for not many ahead on day 3? Anyone get on it?

[The Cadet]

Anyone know what odds the Aussies were paying at 8 for not many ahead on day 3? Anyone get on it?

Pakistan got on it

[smithy]

I agree with you redandblack.
It's easy to tow the line after the fact and act like an expert.
I heard 3 ex Australian players through the media before play on day 1 say that it was a bowl 1st pitch.
Waqar Younis was on FOX saying they would've won the toss and bowled, Mark Waugh, Border and Blewett agreed.

If Ponting said, we won, it was a great match but maybe I misread the pitch, it would've been much more refreshing to listen to.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Anyone know what odds the Aussies were paying at 8 for not many ahead on day 3? Anyone get on it?

8/1 morning day 4.

[Adelaide Hawk]

AH, he wasn't proven to be correct.

Was he proven to be incorrect? The answer of course is NO, so pkease give it a rest.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I agree with you redandblack.
It's easy to tow the line after the fact and act like an expert.
I heard 3 ex Australian players through the media before play on day 1 say that it was a bowl 1st pitch.
Waqar Younis was on FOX saying they would've won the toss and bowled, Mark Waugh, Border and Blewett agreed.

If Ponting said, we won, it was a great match but maybe I misread the pitch, it would've been much more refreshing to listen to.

Aree you going to mention all the ex Test players who said Australia should bat first (e.g. successful Test captains Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell)? Look guys, I'm sorry Ponting spoilt your day by winning a Test for AUSTRALIA, but get over it will you?

[redandblack]

AH, that's a poor effort. Nowhere have I said anything other about the game than that it was a wonderful victory for Australia, which I rejoiced in, and a great test match. Negativity sits much more comfortably with you on here than others, I would think.

Ponting's decision is a legitimate point for debate. Those defending him are entitled to do so, those against his decision are also entitled to debate it.

Those defending him point out that his rationale was that he'd back us to score more in the first innings than Pakistan would in the second.

They didn't, so how is that a victory?

I rode every ball for us to win, so don't take the moral high ground. Smithy and I are entitled to our view, however unpalatable that is to you in your ivory tower.

[Adelaide Hawk]

AH, that's a poor effort. Nowhere have I said anything other about the game than that it was a wonderful victory for Australia, which I rejoiced in, and a great test match. Negativity sits much more comfortably with you on here than others, I would think.

Ponting's decision is a legitimate point for debate. Those defending him are entitled to do so, those against his decision are also entitled to debate it.

Those defending him point out that his rationale was that he'd back us to score more in the first innings than Pakistan would in the second.

They didn't, so how is that a victory?

I rode every ball for us to win, so don't take the moral high ground. Smithy and I are entitled to our view, however unpalatable that is to you in your ivory tower.

Look R&B, there's nothing to defend. The proof is in the pudding. Ponting won the toss, elected to bat and Australia win the match. It doesn't matter if you, or anyone else, thinks he got it wrong. He didn't.

What's this ivory tower crap? Now THAT is a pathetic effort. How in hell am I in an ivory tower? And how am I being negative? It is you who is continuing to harp on the negative aspects of Ponting's decision to bat. I haven't said one negative thing about it. Try thinking before you post in future.

[redandblack]

I'll ask you a genuine serious question then, AH.

If Ponting bats on a 'road' and loses, is his decision to bat wrong, according to your logic?

PS: I haven't debated this decision in anything other than cricket theory terms. There's no way it's a personal attack on Ponting, who has given Australia magnificent service (and still does).

[jackpot jim]

Give it up A. Hawk, you're miles behind in your debate with redandblack.
Ponting got it wrong and got out of jail by the courtesy of a massive choke by Pakistan and a Keeper that had a game from hell. If ever there was a game where a team lost it and NOT won it, this was it.

[smithy]

I agree with you redandblack.
It's easy to tow the line after the fact and act like an expert.
I heard 3 ex Australian players through the media before play on day 1 say that it was a bowl 1st pitch.
Waqar Younis was on FOX saying they would've won the toss and bowled, Mark Waugh, Border and Blewett agreed.

If Ponting said, we won, it was a great match but maybe I misread the pitch, it would've been much more refreshing to listen to.

Aree you going to mention all the ex Test players who said Australia should bat first (e.g. successful Test captains Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell)? Look guys, I'm sorry Ponting spoilt your day by winning a Test for AUSTRALIA, but get over it will you?

POnting didn't win this test for Australia, Pakistan lost it.
Ponting misread the pitch badly and it would've been nice if he came out and said so rather than treating it as if people were being unfair on him.
Where did I say my day was spoilt by Australia winning the match??? Please find the comment Hawk.

[am Bays]

One of the best NSW captains of recent memory - Geoff Lawson - said 99 times out of 100 you bat first in Sydney, however this was the 1 in 100 pitch you bowl first.

Having said that I don't think the toss was the reason for us winning it was Akmals poor keeping and the fact Pakistan was more inept in their 4th innings than we were in our 1st.

As I've said previously on here I don't rate Roebucks cricket journalism but he got it right in today's Age and SMH. Our win papers over some issues that we need to confront if we are going to improve as a test team, i.e. regain that urn this time next year.

Not that it is all doom and gloom but our batting group is not gelling as a unit genuinely only 1-2 decent partnerships an innings as opposed to 4-5, inconsistent bowling lengths, a lack of patience and lapses of concentration so when things are going awry in an innings people aren't putting their hands up to stop the rot.

Some people needs to start performing or they are going to change where they bat or even worse will go from the team.

[mal]

AM too offset your post Australia has won 4 tests this summer and lost none
Excuse me I will change my opening remark
AM too offset your post Australia has won 3 tests this summer and the other was gifted last week

[am Bays]

AM too offset your post Australia has won 4 tests this summer and lost none
Excuse me I will change my opening remark
AM too offset your post Australia has won 3 tests this summer and the other was gifted last week

Yes but who did we beat? the 6th and 8th ranked teams in test cricket, a bit ike South fans getting all excited two years ago when they were three zip after beating the Bays, Port and West, once they played the good teams....