2nd Test: India v Australia at Bangalore Oct 9-13, 2010

[TheParraboy]

Bring on the ashes, ........errr i mean one dayers ........vs india..... then SL first :?

 

[undertaker]

Agree with everything you say, he has taken us from number 1 in the world to number 4. And we are plummeting fast. What gets me is we lost the Ashes last year and not a word from anyone :? Sutherland comes out straight away and tell us what a great job he is doing, and a Nuffy like Neilsen gets a contract extention. Is there any accountability at all in Australian cricket????

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

And that is the part that I too also have to laugh at as well. To think of how much crap Steve Waugh got from the media before the SCG test in the 2002/03 Ashes series (even though he was batting a lot better than Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey were, when they both went like 15-16 tests without scoring a century, yet the media barely said much about those players until the last test of those Ashes series where they finally made a century) makes the whole thing an utter joke. And yes, I know that like Haydos and Hussey, Mark Taylor also went through a 13 test streak without scoring a century, but the Australian side were winning their matches largely due to his captaincy. Infact, his captaincy alone was the only reason why the selectors didn't want to drop him, as they believed there was no one else who would've been capable of producing what he was able to.

You know, I know you hear a lot of bitching and whining from people during the NRL Season about bad decisions their club's administration has made regarding players etc. With the Australian cricket team during Ponting's reign, I think not just Ponting himself as the captain, but Cricket Australia's administration has made so many blunders (e.g. the ones you mentioned) that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Since days 1 and 2 of the SCG test this summer have sold out, I was thinking of spending $100+ to go to the match. But, when I think long and hard about everything I've mentioned, as well as everything ppl have mentioned on this cricket thread, not to mention the very big change in the attitudes of the players in the Australian side now, I may have to think twice about buying that ticket. You guys are more than entitled to disagree with my opinion and I don't have a problem with that, but not just the performances of the players, but the decline in attitude from the Australian team not only doesn't bode well with me, but with a lot of other passionate cricket fans that I know (infact, there was an article in the Sun-Herald earlier this year regarding this).

 

[Pete Cash]

I think there is a rather uncomfortable level of acceptance from the Australian media of the mediocrity that is being dished out. As if that is the best we can do. There are some HUGELY talented prospects in Australian cricket. Yes, players like McGrath and Warne are once in a life time kind of deals but someone like Khawaja is a massive talent and i will literally eat my computer if North is more worthwhile.

That is the problem. The acceptance of mediocrity. We aren't as good as we were but we could be always be better.

 

[CrazyEel]

The only proven "world class" player in the Australian side is Ponting himself. I think it is harsh to throw it all on Ponting's door step. What is the fundamental issue is the lack of improvement in certain areas. The inability to play swing bowling is a gigantic and rather worrying problem.

I put a lot of it down to the lost characteristics of Australian wickets. They all just play like sh*t now so as soon as they have to bat on a wicket more challenging they cannot handle it.

The Australian middle order is outright disgraceful. North and Hussey need to be dropped. Hauritz cannot bowl out a side he needs to go too. I would rather lose test matches while playing some young talented guys then lose tests playing no hopers like North.

We couldn't win in India at the best of times. It is the continual sh*thouse batting against anyone who can make the ball wobble in the air that is issue number 1.

I think your contradicting yourself there. North, Hussey and Hauritz are in the team because Ponting wants them there, he has been very vocal in wanting to keep all of them so he must wear the responsibility.

Regardles of that it is his childish field placings and pathetic handling of his bowlers that has cost us at least 7 tests I can easily recall (including 2 which led to 2 ashes losses). He is a terrible captain and was lucky to have Warnie do it for him in the early years otherwise his record would be worse, as if it isn't bad enough already.

 

[hineyrulz]

I think there is a rather uncomfortable level of acceptance from the Australian media of the mediocrity that is being dished out. As if that is the best we can do. There are some HUGELY talented prospects in Australian cricket. Yes, players like McGrath and Warne are once in a life time kind of deals but someone like Khawaja is a massive talent and i will literally eat my computer if North is more worthwhile.

That is the problem. The acceptance of mediocrity. We aren't as good as we were but we could be always be better.

Great post, as i speak Mr Mediocre Huaritz getting murdered by Sachin.

 

[undertaker]

Regarding what I think of Andrew Hilditch as the main selector, I think my thoughts are pretty much summed up by what Richie Benaud thinks of him as a player in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdD-BRdA9rM

 

[hineyrulz]

I think your contradicting yourself there. North, Hussey and Hauritz are in the team because Ponting wants them there, he has been very vocal in wanting to keep all of them so he must wear the responsibility.

Regardles of that it is his childish field placings and pathetic handling of his bowlers that has cost us at least 7 tests I can easily recall (including 2 which led to 2 ashes losses). He is a terrible captain and was lucky to have Warnie do it for him in the early years otherwise his record would be worse, as if it isn't bad enough already.

Lehman was his safety blanket early doors, remember his plea to take him on the 2005 Ashes tour??? Then he had Gilly,Warne and Hayden to fall back on. Since they have left he has looked absolutely clueless. Norths main job in the team is reading the pitch, Ponting can't even do that

My main gripe with him is his treatment of some of the younger players, Hughes,Kreizja,Smith and Tait. He has openly stated he prefer's older and more settled players as it takes the pressure of him having to worry about them. What sort of message does that send to the young Aussie cricketers???Score as many as you like and we may pick you in 5 years???? :crazy: And now he wants to go on to 2013 FFS!!! :x

 

[Pete Cash]

I think your contradicting yourself there. North, Hussey and Hauritz are in the team because Ponting wants them there, he has been very vocal in wanting to keep all of them so he must wear the responsibility.

Regardles of that it is his childish field placings and pathetic handling of his bowlers that has cost us at least 7 tests I can easily recall (including 2 which led to 2 ashes losses). He is a terrible captain and was lucky to have Warnie do it for him in the early years otherwise his record would be worse, as if it isn't bad enough already.

I don't believe the captain SHOULD be in charge of selections. Take out all human emotion from it and be f**king ruthless. What has happened to cricket Australia. We used to cut the throat of anyone who wasn't up to scratch.

For all of Pontings weaknesses (he goes to pieces under pressure, he refuses to attack, etc) who would you put in as captain. I think Clarke ok but is batting like crap at the moment. Katich is probably the most likely choice IMO but he would be well down the pecking order.

We can't expect to win as much as we once did because Warne and McGrath are two of the greatest bowlers of all time. What we need to do is put together the BEST cricket side we can. Wasn't Marcus North selected because he could throw down a few spinners, thats f**king crap. Put in a decent spinner.

 

[Mr Angry]

To be fair this is the probably the best ever Indian team.

That said punter is not a good captain, and IMO we have a better team, it just does not get chosen.

 

[Pete Cash]

And as I said we don't win in India at the best of times. It is how poor we play in England against a swinging ball that is the most huge gigantic problem. Also the acceptance of mediocrity.

 

[hineyrulz]

Regarding what I think of Andrew Hilditch as the main selector, I think my thoughts are pretty much summed up by what Richie Benaud thinks of him as a player in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdD-BRdA9rM

And this Numpty is our head selector

 

[undertaker]

I think there is a rather uncomfortable level of acceptance from the Australian media of the mediocrity that is being dished out. As if that is the best we can do. There are some HUGELY talented prospects in Australian cricket. Yes, players like McGrath and Warne are once in a life time kind of deals but someone like Khawaja is a massive talent and i will literally eat my computer if North is more worthwhile.

That is the problem. The acceptance of mediocrity. We aren't as good as we were but we could be always be better.

And Pete Cash, that sentence in bold is pretty much the crux of why I feel the way that I do in the posts I have written. Simple fact: this ISN'T the best we can do. And this is a combination of two factors: 1) Carrying underperforming players in the side that would've NEVER stayed in the side this long during the Waugh or Border eras and 2) Not picking the players who SHOULD be in the side in their place. And these two factors fall back on the selectors/administration and Ricky Ponting (who technically is one of the selectors. Don't be fooled into believe that he doesn't have much of a say in the formation of the side). I'd be interested to see a list of players who aren't on Ponting's "Xmas card list" (metaphorically speaking). I'm pretty sure Phil Hughes and Jason Krejza are two of them.

However, like Tim 'Teflon' Sheens (a.k.a Mr "Less than 50% winning rate since I left Canberra", which you Wests Tigers supporters are all too familiar with), I'm just absolutely baffled as to how this side and captaincy has managed to dodge all criticism and more importantly, accountabiility for their performances both on and, to an extent, off the field.

 

[Pete Cash]

My point is that there should be a separation between the players and the selectors. There is a time when the captain is needed (on touring parties) but outside of that he is a player.

What if the captain needed to be dropped ? Plus it is human nature to favour ones mates. That is why an active player should not be selecting.

I am all for putting part of the blame on Ponting but he should not even have that power in the first place. I would also be for Katich being captain but outside of Katich I would have Ponting over just about all the rest.

The point is that Warne should have been captain in the first place but we can't change time.

 

[hineyrulz]

And Pete Cash, that sentence in bold is pretty much the crux of why I feel the way that I do in the posts I have written. Simple fact: this ISN'T the best we can do. And this is a combination of two factors: 1) Carrying underperforming players in the side that would've NEVER stayed in the side this long during the Waugh or Border eras and 2) Not picking the players who SHOULD be in the side in their place. And these two factors fall back on the selectors/administration and Ricky Ponting (who technically is one of the selectors. Don't be fooled into believe that he doesn't have much of a say in the formation of the side). I'd be interested to see a list of players who aren't on Ponting's "Xmas card list" (metaphorically speaking). I'm pretty sure Phil Hughes is one of them.

Rogers,Krezja,Warner,Tait,MacGill etc etc.

But then we have his pets, Hussey,North,Haurie,Johnson,sh*ttle. And Hayden couldn't do a thing wrong. He retired and was struggling badly but Ponting still wanted him in the team........

 

[undertaker]

Anyways, aside from the 'ranting', here's a parody someone did of Richie Benaud (now that I mentioned his name not so long ago),

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYgERP2vE1E

 

[Iafeta]

Not in ODI's it's not, especially in Bangladesh with our current line up.

Bulldust. Losing to Bangladesh at any time is pathetic. To go 2-0 down to them is disgraceful. It can't be spun any other way. I'd rather lose 2-0 in a test series to India any day of the week.

 

[undertaker]

Rogers,Krezja,Warner,Tait,MacGill etc etc.

But then we have his pets, Hussey,North,Haurie,Johnson,sh*ttle. And Hayden couldn't do a thing wrong. He retired and was struggling badly but Ponting still wanted him in the team........

Yeah, what happened to Chris Rogers? I remember he played that one test match vs India in 2007/08 summer and I never heard of his name again after that. Similar to Andrew "Ronald" MacDonald (the ranga from Victoria). Again, like Rogers, he debuted in the South Africa home series (I remember he was in the newspaper and interviews a lot during that time), then went on the tour of South Africa and the last time I heard of him was that he was picked in the Ashes tour squad, but I never heard of him after that.

Yeah, Hayden was a great batsman but after he had his Achilles Heel injury in 2008 (at 36), he was never the same batsman. He lost nearly all of his footwork ability (which is important for a batsman) and stayed on well past his welcome (only so he could get to 100 test matches). When he didn't perform in the last test at the SCG, it was interesting to note that the applause from the crowd suggested that they knew that was the last time he'd play in a test match, but the way Hayden walked off the ground indicated otherwise, hoping that Punter would again bail him out for the South African tour after 3 mediocre series against India, NZ and SA). And yes, I remembered, even after the selectors 'nicely' showed him the writing on the wall by dropping him from the ODI series (which was another way of saying "your time's up) and he eventually gave in and retired, I remember Ponting being so desparate to call him to play in the Twenty20's.

 

[undertaker]

My point is that there should be a separation between the players and the selectors. There is a time when the captain is needed (on touring parties) but outside of that he is a player.

What if the captain needed to be dropped ? Plus it is human nature to favour ones mates. That is why an active player should not be selecting.

I am all for putting part of the blame on Ponting but he should not even have that power in the first place. I would also be for Katich being captain but outside of Katich I would have Ponting over just about all the rest.

The point is that Warne should have been captain in the first place but we can't change time.

Agreed. Not only would we have had the benefit of Warney playing on longer than he did had he been captain, but as a consequence of choosing the wrong captain, we are now reaping what we sowed. I think Warne in the capacity of some coaching/consultancy role for the Aussie team for this Ashes series could do the side good. But at the same time, something in my heart is saying that Ponting would be a bit reluctant to accept this, as although he may benefit from Warne's help (like he did in many series in the past), he may feel a strong sense of intimidation knowing that Warne has more of a tactical/cricket brain than Ponting does.

Even Gilchrist would've been a better option (he was the vice-captain during Steve Waugh's reign), but I think he didn't want it. However, although Ponting was the player who lifted up the trophy after the loss in the 4th test, it is Gilchrist (in his only test series as captain) who was credited as the captain who ended our 35 year drought in India in 2004 whilst Ponting was out injured.

 

[undertaker]

My point is that there should be a separation between the players and the selectors. There is a time when the captain is needed (on touring parties) but outside of that he is a player.

What if the captain needed to be dropped ? Plus it is human nature to favour ones mates. That is why an active player should not be selecting.

I am all for putting part of the blame on Ponting but he should not even have that power in the first place. I would also be for Katich being captain but outside of Katich I would have Ponting over just about all the rest.

The point is that Warne should have been captain in the first place but we can't change time.

And that's the part that concerns me. Ok, sure, Michael Clarke would bring a fresh new way of thinking into the side. But, I dunno. I just don't see those essential leadership qualities in Clarke that are crucial for the side to succeed and hence don't think he is the person to carry the side for the next few years. If Simon Katich was a bit younger, I would prefer him over Clarke.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Bulldust. Losing to Bangladesh at any time is pathetic. To go 2-0 down to them is disgraceful. It can't be spun any other way. I'd rather lose 2-0 in a test series to India any day of the week.

Sure if you're New Zealand losing 2-0 in India is no big deal, it's expected. But I think Australia would expect a lot better then that especially after the two first good innings they put on board. For us to lose to Bangladesh in an ODI is average, but lets face it we are a poor side whos ranked 6th in the world in ODI. The point I was trying to make was that if I was an Australian supporter I'd be more upset about losing 2-0 to India in tests then I am losing two ODI's to Bangladesh.