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3rd Test: West Indies v Australia at Roseau Apr 23-27, 2012

TheParraboy

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Yet another series done and dusted that Clarke wont be losing, still remains undefeated as test captain in series played

Hopefully better weather and better deck for this 3rd and final test
 

Timbo

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Heard them saying the deck could be a turner. May be two spinners again.
 

Horrie Is God

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Holding doesn't rate Davey & Ed..

He was banging on about this in the commentary as well..

While they both haven't set the world on fire over there,the pitches have been dead set disgraceful..

I do think Cowan needs a big score pretty soon though..

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/holding-fires-opening-salvo-20120420-1xcf9.html

Holding fires opening salvo..

April 21, 2012
art-353-Michael-Holding-200x0.jpg
Not good enough ... Michael Holding is critical of Australia's Test openers' batting ability. Photo: Getty Images

Former West Indies great Michael Holding does not believe Australia can win the Ashes in England next year with David Warner and Ed Cowan at the top of the order.

The ex-bowler turned commentator has not been impressed by what he has seen of Australia's openers this series and fears they will be easy pickings for England's ''dynamic six''.

Cowan and Warner, after strong campaigns against India at home, are yet to excel on the sluggish Caribbean wickets, though they have not disgraced themselves either, twice registering opening stands of 50 or more.

Individually, they have reached double figures in each of their four innings, but neither man has registered a half-century against a Windies attack Holding rates as inferior to England's.

England's Test success under Andy Flower has been built pace bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Steve Finn. They also have top-line spinner Graeme Swann.

''I don't think the Australian openers are that hot, I think they have a lot of work to do, a lot of learning to do,'' Holding said. ''I do not think these two will be good enough to do a good job in England for the Ashes.''
 

Horrie Is God

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http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/australia-coach-mickey-arthur-content-with-his-openers-ed-cowan-and-david-warner-depite-lack-of-runs/story-fn2mcu3x-1226335136345

Ricky Ponting's Test spot is once again under pressure after struggling for runs in the Caribbean..

From Ed Jackson in the Port of Spain AAP April 21, 2012 6:03PM

150926-ponting.jpg

Struggling ... Ricky Ponting's Test career once again under in doubt. Source: Andres Leighton / AP

Ricky Ponting could be playing the last game of his great career for Australia if he fails in the third Test against the West Indies next week.

Ponting, 37, goes into the Test in the mountainous island of Dominica with critics re-surfacing back in Australia despite his golden run against India a mere three months ago.

The former Test captain brought back his glory days against the hapless tourists, scoring 544 runs in four matches at an average of 108.80 and capping it off with 221 in the final Test in Adelaide.

But since that double-hundred, Ponting came crashing back to earth when a string of single-digit scores ended the three-time World Cup winner's one-day career in February.

And Ponting then failed to keep his Test revival going in the Caribbean, posting scores of four, 14 and seven in his first three knocks before top-scoring with 41 in Australia's second innings of the rain-marred second Test in Trinidad.

That score might not be enough, though, with the third Windies Test to be Australia's last until South Africa visit next summer, giving hopefuls such as Peter Forrest, George Bailey and Usman Khawaja a chance to put pressure on selectors with a bountiful start to the next Sheffield Shield campaign.

As far as coach Mickey Arthur is concerned, however, there's no issue with Ponting and if it wasn't for the batsman's advanced years his place in the team wouldn't even be being discussed.

Arthur says using Ponting's one-day dumping to suggest his Test career is under pressure just doesn't make sense.

"We got to a point ... where we needed to build on our one-day team," Arthur told reporters.

"We needed to put some players in pressure situations because whether we like it or not one-day squads tend to build towards a cycle for World Cups.

"We've got a World Cup at home in 2015 and we want to go into that World Cup with a settled, stable unit and not a squad where our reserve players haven't played a lot of cricket."

Arthur said Ponting was in good form but he just hadn't had the rub of the green so far in the Caribbean.

"He had a run out which wasn't his fault. He got a ball which scuttled along the deck (in Barbados) and he got a pretty good delivery in the first innings here (Trinidad)," the South African said.

"I'm not perturbed by him at all."

Meanwhile, Arthur has also shown his support for openers Ed Cowan and David Warner depite neither registering 50 in the Test series.

"I'm encouraged that they're getting off to starts," he said.

"Yes, I would love them to go on and get big scores for us but I'm confident they will do that in the future."
 

TheParraboy

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They wont sack Punter

I wouldnt be suprised if a back door deal was done regarding him stepping down from ODIs but continuing on in test cricket till the 2013 ashes

Coiuple of quacks in this test wont change a thing

Having said that, if he doesnt perform at home vs SA and SL then he could well be on the outer
 
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Twizzle

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150,753
The whole batting looks sus for mine.

The openers
No 3
Punter

The whole top 4 are a problem and yet we are still winning.
 

Horrie Is God

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8,073
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/quick-fix-roach-sends-clarkes-men-back-to-the-drawing-board-20120421-1xdp2.html

Quick fix: Roach sends Clarke's men back to the drawing board..

April 22, 2012

PORT OF SPAIN: Michael Clarke has challenged his batsmen to find a way to blunt West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach.

The Windies quick took 10 wickets in the drawn second Test in Trinidad, the first time a Caribbean bowler has achieved the feat at Test level since Corey Collymore in 2005.

It takes the 23-year-old's haul so far in three Test series to 15 wickets and Clarke says Roach is clearly the bowler Australia need to improve against in the third and final Test in Dominica next week.

''He's a very good bowler. For 23 … he's a wonderful talent,'' Clarke said. ''He can swing the ball both ways, natural and reverse. He bowls at quite good pace. We have to come up with a better plan to combat him because he's had a lot of success so far on the tour, that's for sure.

''When someone bowls at that sort of pace, especially reverse swinging it both ways it's always going to be difficult. But somehow we've got to find a way to score runs against him or not allow him to get us out.''

Roach may well be without his fellow Barbadian and fast bowling ally Fidel Edwards in Dominica after Windies officials revealed he was struggling with a back injury. If Edwards is ruled out it will open the door for Ravi Rampaul to make his first start of the series.

''So far we've been using the same combination and it's worked for us,'' Windies skipper Darren Sammy said. ''Fidel has a slight pain in his back so we'll monitor that. If not then Ravi comes in and I know Ravi will do the job for us.''

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/praise-for-besieged-punter-20120421-1xdp1.html

Praise for besieged Punter..

April 22, 2012

art-353-ricky-ponting-200x0.jpg

Still plugging away .... Ricky Ponting. Photo: AFP

PORT OF SPAIN: As Ricky Ponting prepares for what his critics believe should be the final Test of his career, coach and selector Mickey Arthur cannot understand why there is such conjecture over the former captain's international future.

Ponting still has the support of his successor Michael Clarke entering the third and final Test against West Indies, which starts on Monday in Dominica. The Tasmanian is yet to pass 50 in any of his four innings this series but Arthur declared if the veteran was not 37 ''we certainly wouldn't be having this debate''.

Three Tests ago, Ponting made an authoritative 221 to cap a dominant campaign against India, though scores of four, 14, seven and 41 have again fuelled doubts among sceptics who want him to be pensioned off.

But there have been mitigating circumstances in each of those innings - most recently in Port of Spain when he perished chasing quick runs. ''I've been very happy with the way Ricky's gone. He had a run out which wasn't his fault. He got a run out which scuttled along the deck and he got a pretty good delivery in the first innings here,'' Arthur said. ''I'm not perturbed by him at all. I think Ricky's looked better and better. I thought Ricky looked really good [in the second innings], I thought his movements were crisper, I thought he played really well, I'm really encouraged by what I've seen.''

Arthur said no comparisons should be drawn between the current scenario and Ponting's dumping from the ODI side in February after a horror run. The need to prepare for the 2015 World Cup counted against Ponting, who will be 40 by then. Encouragingly for Ponting's Test prospects, Clarke said he still saw Australia's highest Test run-scorer as a ''big part of this team''.

''People expect him to make 50 or 100 every time he walks out to bat and that's not the game,'' Clarke said. ''He's playing some really good cricket. I don't need to make excuses for Ricky, I've seen him bat for a long time.''

Arthur said Australia were ''making some really good strides'' towards next year's Ashes series in Britain but acknowledged they had some way to go before they could call themselves the world's No.1 side. ''I see a lot of progress throughout our summer and I'm confident we've got a team capable of beating anybody in the world,'' Arthur said. ''Are we the best in the world at the moment? Probably not. I think we've got to become a lot more consistent in all our disciplines, but we're definitely on the right track.''

Windies paceman Fidel Edwards is in doubt for the third Test due to back soreness, which could pave the way for Ravi Rampaul to win a recall. Windies coach Ottis Gibson has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee after pleading guilty to making inappropriate public comment for his criticism of the Decision Review System.
 

Red Bear

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You know you're struggling for bowlers when you call up Ravi Rampoul for Fidel Edwards.
Taken 31 wickets @ 25 in his last eight tests. I dont really rate him either but he's going better than he was his first five or so tests.

Hasnt bowled much lately though after he got Dengue fever
 

African Monkey

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Taken 31 wickets @ 25 in his last eight tests. I dont really rate him either but he's going better than he was his first five or so tests.

Hasnt bowled much lately though after he got Dengue fever

Yup agreed. Didn't rate him when he first came into international cricket but he has steadily improved.
 
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Yup agreed. Didn't rate him when he first came into international cricket but he has steadily improved.

Ravi was a gun cricketer as the youth level but floundered when he entered the West Indies team. Over the past season he has finally lived up to his potential. His weight has always been a concern, but recently he has been adhering to a lot better training regime. Hopefully he recovers fully from the bout of dengue fever for the England tour in May.
 
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Corey Collymore, now theres a blast from the past

Corey Colleymore was a genuine speedster before he suffered multiple stress fractures to his back. He was also a crafty bowler and called upon that guile more as his pace decreased. Honestly, his modest average (`32) belies his talent.
 

Hallatia

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Australia seek winning finish to Test season
The Preview by Brydon Coverdale
April 22, 2012

Match facts
April 23-27, Windsor Park
Start time 1000 (1400 GMT)

Big Picture
Australia have retained the Frank Worrell Trophy but a drizzly draw is far from enough to satisfy Michael Clarke. He wants his first West Indies tour as captain to end in victory, and the Australians have that chance over the next five days in Dominica. The second-least populous nation that makes up the West Indies cricket team (after St Kitts and Nevis), Dominica is an unfamiliar venue for the Australia players, none of whom have played at Windsor Park before.

Not that it's that familiar to some of the West Indians either: the veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul has played only one first-class game there. West Indies do have a Dominican player in their side, the spinner Shane Shillingford, and he should play a key role having been preferred to Devendra Bishoo, who has been released from the squad.

West Indies might have lost the chance to regain the trophy but they can take encouragement from the Test in Trinidad, where they looked like making a real go of their chase of 215 on the final day until the weather intervened. They also dominated the first three days of the series in Barbados, so while Australia will enter the match as favourites, a 1-1 series draw is far from out of the question.

Form guide
(Most recent first)
West Indies DLDLL
Australia DWWWW
In the spotlight
Darren Sammy has made contributions throughout the Test series - in fact, throughout Australia's entire tour - but this would be the perfect time for him to play a match-winning role. In Barbados, he removed Australia's openers and made a handy 41 himself in the first innings and in Trinidad he showed a willingness to promote himself up the order when the situation demanded it. If he can combine a fast-paced innings of substance with a few wickets, he will be one step closer to ending his first Frank Worrell Trophy series as captain on a high.

Australia's Test-only players have a six-month break after this match and as one of the few in that category, Ed Cowan would feel much better over the winter if he was coming off a big Test innings. Cowan has now walked out to bat ten times for Australia and has two half-centuries to show for it, but no hundreds. His contributions in this series - 14, 34, 28 and 20 - have not been failures but nor have they cemented his place in the side. The same could be said of his partner David Warner on this trip, but Warner already has two Test centuries to his name. At some stage, Cowan will need to take that next step as well.

Team news
Fidel Edwards finished the Trinidad Test with what the captain Sammy described as "a slight niggle" and he could be replaced by Ravi Rampaul. Bishoo has been released from the squad, so there is no chance of West Indies picking two spinners. The Guyana batsman Assad Fudadin has joined the squad but is unlikely to find a place in the starting line-up.

West Indies (possible) : 1 Adrian Barath, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Kieran Powell, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Narsingh Deonarine, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Shane Shillingford, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Ravi Rampaul.

Injuries have forced Peter Siddle and James Pattinson to head home, which will mean a return for Ryan Harris after he was rested following his Man-of-the-Match performance in the first Test in Barbados. Michael Beer bowled well in Trinidad but is expected only to hold his position if the Windsor Park pitch looks especially spin-friendly. It appears more likely that the left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc will come in for his fourth Test.

Australia (possible): 1 Ed Cowan, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Ricky Ponting, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Ryan Harris, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Nathan Lyon.

Pitch and conditions
Windsor Park is still in its international infancy. In its first Test, between West Indies and India last year, only a third of the wickets fell to spin. In the two four-day matches played at the venue during the domestic competition that has just finished, no team managed 300 in an innings. The forecast suggests there could be showers throughout the Test.

Stats and trivia
Shivnarine Chanderpaul needs 82 runs to reach 10,000 in Tests
Should West Indies win, it will be the first time since 1999 a Test series between the two sides has not been won by Australia
Kemar Roach's ten-wicket haul in Trinidad was the first time a West Indies bowler had achieved the feat in a Test since Corey Collymore claimed 11 against Pakistan in Jamaica in 2005
Quotes
"I'm pretty sure all the boys will want to make this Test a good one for themselves personally and for the team because we've had a really good summer, we want to finish on a high before we get stuck into one-day cricket and the Twenty20 World Cup"
Michael Clarke
Sauce
 

TheParraboy

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Should West Indies win, it will be the first time since 1999 a Test series between the two sides has not been won by Australia

That 99 series was 2-2

Warne was dropped after the 3rd test (4 test series) after averaging 134 with the ball.

Lara mayhem , 3 centuries and averaged 91 in that series. Next best average for the WI was 28.14 by sherwin campbell
 
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That 99 series was 2-2

Warne was dropped after the 3rd test (4 test series) after averaging 134 with the ball.

Lara mayhem , 3 centuries and averaged 91 in that series. Next best average for the WI was 28.14 by sherwin campbell

One of the greatest series ever. The Windies victory at Bridgetown ranks as one of my favourites. Courtney Walsh's batting at the end, particularly his celebrations after surviving each ball, was amazing.
 

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