Dusted myself off this morning after a thirsty day at the Adelaide oval yesterday.
My observations
- Awesome venue for day/night tests (do yourself a favour if you haven’t been before..)
- India Rallied well and no doubt on top (not exactly a revelation I know ..)..
- Bowling yesterday seemed very tight. As Australia did on day 1. The only real pie offered was slapped by Green to Kholi..
India....
Horrible Tail... they all too often just “give up” rather than trying to nudge out an extra 15-20 runs.. all crucial when you’ve got a low total..
Australia
- paid for inexperienced / bad form opening partnership. Both battled hard early to defend.. which was admirable... but in doing that there was no one able to release the pressure valve and get scoring ... both dismissals seemed inevitable, especially Burns who looked rushed at times - especially the bouncer off Bumrah..at 2/20 odd we once again looked for Lab n Smith to save us... . Surely these two cant front up again in the series?? Only a huge 2nd innings partnership could give justification to it.
- Labuschagne, great innings but could have (should have) been out twice early....
- Smith, typical smith slow start to get used to the conditions and at the usual point where he starts to accelerate he was out. It was the “oh shit” moment of the innings. We were in deep trouble now that one of our saviours was gone cheaply. Can be forgiven for a cheap score here n there coz we know he’ll make up for it.
- Head, my mate who follows SA cricket closely said to me straight away when Head was walking out “I don’t like Travis Head facing spin”. And it proved bang on. Unsure about his long term future in the team.
- Green. Along with Paine, he was the most at ease of all the Australian batsman.. I was in the gents when a roar went up and came back to see him walk off.. undone by a pie... But like Rob Quineys 9, his was once of the best 11’s I’ve seen - and debut performance.
Paine. Outstanding and never looked in trouble. Hopefully shut up a lot of idiot journos looking for headlines about “he needs runs”.. he needs victories more than runs for mine. And with his innings Australia are at least a chance for him to get both.
Cunmins. Should be lower down the order. Looks like a batsman but rarely delivers. I’d have Starc n Lyon above him in the order. But as for his bowling - out of sight. I’ve rarely been as glued to the middle from a fast bowler, not since Johnson in 2013/14 have I focused on every ball. He’s an absolute superstar with the ball.
Starc. The most pissed off I was yesterday was his run out.., just when I thought I’d get to see my favourite shot in world cricket - the “Starc heave” - on one knee booming a spinner over cow corner for 6.. I felt robbed.
Lyon. Can effing bat. He just doesn’t know it. If he applied himself he could regularly get 20-30 runs I reckon.
Hazlewood. He can bat too, or at least hold up an end. And should have just tried to stick around with Paine to nudge out another 20-30 or so. We’d be right back in the contest had he done so.
But..
With a choice of at least 6 full strength beers in the Riverbank stand bar, along with wine and canned spirits... you can sit in the stand with your beverage or out on the huge landing overlooking the city skyline with huge screens watching the action..
Adelaide oval has everything a cricket lover wants. The SCG will always hold a place in my heart but Adelaide is the winner by default by letting everyone enjoy a full strength drink of their choosing...
