THE Boxing Day Test match

[Willow]

Matt Hayden is off to a good start... got a small wager on him to the highest run-getter of the series and its all looking good.
Lets hope the fickle Melbourne weather doesn't let the poms off the hook.

Aust. 0/55
1st day, 1st innings, 1st session.

 

[ozbash]

hmmmm, yes i suppose its ok.
dont you get sick of exhibition cricket though?
i mean, an actual game would be good, wouldnt it.?
ponting got himself out, so the poms cant even claim that one.

 

[Willow]

Ozbash:
Two things that should be remembered:
Firstly, this is still the Test match that people come from all over the world to see. Traditionally, the Boxing Day Test is the premier event on the Cricket calendar.
...and secondly, it even better now that the poms are getting clobbered.

Matt Hayden got a century and Langer is still going on 119 n.o.
Aust 2/260

 

[ozbash]

yes, and damned fine viewing it is too willow.
i am flicking between the MCG and Eden Park and i must say the differences are huge.
we have the aussies cruising and the poms fuming on one channel and the indians playing and the kiwis praying on the other.

spose thats what summer is all about......

 

[Willow]

Its great mate... sitting by the water show and ocassionally coming in to watch a few overs and call Tony Grieg a dickhead.
Aust 3/328.

Steve Waugh out there now.... he's already pushing a half ton... nine fours. Brilliant.

Justin Langer is cruising at 130 something... taking bets now that he'll carry the bat.

 

[Willow]

Asnap shot of the match...


Steve Waugh, 52 n.o.
10 boundaries
49 balls
62 minutes.

 

[Willow]

Stumps day one. Aust 3/356... the biggest first day total this year.
Steve Waugh 62 n.o. and Justin Langer a handy 142 n.o.

Not taking anything away from Australia but the poms have got a shocking set of bowlers... the MCG has become the killing fields of English cricket.

 

[ozbash]

356-3.
maybe the brits should be allowed to use one of those bowling machines........

 

[Cronulla_Mania]

Craig White is a handy allrounder, id say better than any allrounder we have at the moment (depending on how you define allrounder)

Well ch9 just showed footage of Caddick giving the crowd the finger. Richie Benaud, in good form, said that bowlers regularly use that signal to notify the keeper that there is only one ball left in the over Piss off Navjot, Richie is the king of comedy!

Moffo

 

[Willow]

Yep, Caddick definitely put up the finger to the crowd.
Last year players were being charged with contrary conduct for doing less.

Langer just got his double ton.
Aust 4/465

 

[El Duque]

The Poms had a fit when McGrath did it in England.

 

[maclean]

willow.

Are you sure this is cricket? The rest of the world is not playing the same game that we are right now. The only matches worth looking at right now would be Australia V The rest of the world, or Australia V Australia A. When the world catches up I think we are going to be in trouble. Before too much longer we'll have a team without both Waugh's, Shane Warne and Glen Mcgrath, and if the world has it's house in shape by then we are in for some tough times. At the minute it's like us playing League or Aussie rules, the US playing base ball or basket ball or the German's rowing or the swiss making clocks. When everyone else is pretty ordinary, that doesn't automaticlly make us great......Does it?

 

[El Duque]

Was interesting to see that not even some of the South Afrcan comentators thought they were as close to Australia as the ICC Test ratings have it.

It's a joke that S.A. will go to #1 should they defeat Pakistan.

 

[Willow]

mclean:
Its a combination I think. Australia is very good and the poms are very bad...to be fair they have injuries as well.

Nevertheless, its hard to say now. Australia have been dominant for a number of years now and perhaps we've just become used to them winning... and for the team, that brings confidence which is very hard to beat.

Btw, welcome to the forum.

 

[Willow]

Congratulations to opener Justin Langer... he's had his fair share of critics - no doubt they'll be taking a deep breath.
A magnificent innings of 250 in front of a massive MCG crowd.

Audt 5/545... Adam Gilchrist coming to the crease.

 

[ozbash]

why did they declare ?
the english bowlers were just getting fired up...

i expect big things from my mate nassar(the nostril) hussien. nothing less than 251 n.o....

 

[Willow]

Gilchrist bowled trying to belt one down Punt Rd.
Steve Waugh has called them in.
Australia declared at 6/551

Martin Love 62 n.o. on debut.

There'sa bit wear in the pitch but I would liked to see Waugh keep the fieldsman out there a little longer. But it's near impossible to make a wrong decision with 3 and a half days of cricket to go.

The pommie bowling figures look like a train wreck.

 

[Willow]

Yep Ozbash... the bowlers are really pissed off that they weren't more time out there.

 

[ozbash]

NOT OUT !!
daryll hare has got good eyes.
did gillespie say he caught that ? tsk tsk.

 

[El Duque]

Hussain was out.

Hair should not even be umpiring after his book fiasco. He is a disgrace.