WORST SLIP

First Test

33.1	Lee to Chanderpaul, no run, Dropped! by Katich at first slip. Lee can't believe it and holds his head. Chanders gets a reprieve. How costly that is going to be. It was full, outside off, straightening a touch and Chanderpaul stabs it off the outside edge low to Katich who clangs it.

Third Test

48.3	Johnson to Taylor, no run, and that's Dropped! Great bowling from Johnson, follows the bouncer with one angled across Taylor, who edges a straightforward chance to Katich at first slip. Not the first one he's put down in that spot this series.
50.4	Johnson to Benn, no run, Dropped! Katich again! Benn edges a simple chance to Katich at first slip and he just can't hold onto them. Really simple stuff, the Australians are missing Hayden in that spot.
2.1	Lee to Marshall, no run, Dropped! And guess who? Simon Katich has moved into third slip for Lee, Marshall gets a thick edge to some outswing and it slams into Katich's hands and back out again. Simple chance, and that's his third easy drop in the cordon this match.

Comments

[SaggyGreen]

Yes

[2BarRiff]

Possibly one of the finest efforts since Alan Border had a brain-snap and stuck Chris Matthews in the slips.

[Vindicate]

Nice, another thing I get to bag Katich for - admittedly he's making a few runs at the moment tho so I'll bide my time.

[Bruce]

BRING BACK BOBBY!!

[Tony T]

Good work by the Kat, who's having a renaissance of Chanderpaul proportions. There must be something in this crab style. Still, an old coach of mine used to say: if you are balanced and your head is still, it doesn't matter how ugly you look. Mind you, he WAS talking about hurdling.

Hungry got a ton and then got out. Has he ever notched a milestone score and then NOT got out in the next ten runs? He gets a lot of 50-60, 100-110 or 150-160. What gives?

Hussey, slumping?

So, when does stupid Ponting set the stupid "challenging target"?

[Bruce]

Unless there is rain tomorrow or strongly forecast for day 5, I don't think Punter will have the opportunity for the GASAEB. They just bat till sometime near tea which will probably coincide with the end of the innings anyway.

Will the Shiv remain unsheathed for the remainder of the series or will someone finally 'stick him' back in the pavillion.

[Tor Hershman]

Visit moi's blog for the Glory Grog video.

[pat]

Katich gone for 157. Picked him like a boogey Tone.

[pat]

Whoops, got Hungry confused with Kat.

The Windies should be regretting not going for the win in the 2nd Test. Not a great deal of difference to my mind in losing 2 blot and 3 blot, so it was a squandered opportunity for them against a rag tag Oz outfit.

[Tony T]

What a stupid declaration! Five sessions for 475? Get stuffed! We don't have to win, THEY do. Talk about GASAEB. Couple that with our chronic ability to hold catches that matter - we've already dropped Marshall TWICE! What's the bet we drop Chanders, too - and this is shaping up like the fourth Test in 2003.

Upcoming series against India, South Africa and England are going to be ugly.

Reminder to Ponting: Katich dropped Chopra a sitter in Sydney at third slip in 2003. Please hide him somewhere else other than slips.

[Tony T]

I wish the commentators wouldn't compare fielding in one-dayers to fielding in Tests; they are a whole different kettle of clichés.

And on the declaration. I don't care that you need to give yourself more time to get them out because the pitch is a good. It's because the pitch is good that you bat them out of the game. Challenging target? Bloody gift, more like.

[Mark]

Q - 'Why do they call him 'Kat'? Because of his agility?'

A - 'No - because he buries his shit in the back garden'

[pat]

Given the Windies didn't go for a win in the 2nd Test when they needed the win to level the series it is remarkable that it is up to Oz to set a target to win in the 3rd when they don't have to win. Anyway, that seems to be the demand of Oz cricket, if we're up we must declare, if we're down we're hopeless and on our way out.

Windies need 240 with 7 wickets in hand. 90 overs to bowl, weather going well, that's a required RR of 2.7. Pretty easy task on what appears to be a good pitch for batting. Clarke and Haddin exemplified that with their clobering of the Windies attack.

Current Windies RR 3.98 (3.7 off the last 10).

Chanders to stay solid all day, and Bravo to smash a quick 100. Windies to win a gifted Test and draw a series they don't deserve.

[Vindicate]

After that piss-poor fielding effort last night I'd go so far as to say we don't deserve it either.

[RT]

4 dropped catches (2 by that serial prick Katich to add to his ledger), 2 runout chances missed (maybe 3), Bravo caught behind and not given out, Bravo plumb LB with Lee only giving a mild appeal so the ump didn't even consider it, all in 3 or so hrs of cricket. Test cricket is great but it can be very very annoying. Great catch by Jaques it has to be said.

I'm of the opinion that I'd love us to win again but if we don't will not be too fazed as it should finally highlight that Kenya are a better catching team than us at the moment.

Will Shiv get dismissed again in his career?

[Tony T]

Yeah, part of me wants to see the Windies chase down the target so that Ponting - like Lloyd against India in 1976 - recognises the folly of generous declarations and NGASAEB after he cops a bucketing from the press and on the blogs for a decision almost as stupid as his one at Edgbaston. The rest of me just groans through gritted teeth: "What a stupid f**ken declaration!".

(I'm assuming there is no threatening weather.)

[RT]

Bridgtown weather:

Tonight High: 86°F Partly Cloudy
Low: 78°F

Tomorrow High: 86°F Partly Cloudy
Low: 79°F

Current temp 81°F

Ain't the internet grand. But the declaration dodgy. Chattergoon (another gem of a Carribean name) has an ankle injury and looks like he won't bat. We should do it on the easy side of a 100 run win, as their tail is very soft but with Shiv and Dwayne you never know.

And Ponting's field placings are annoyingly defensive.

[Mark]

Lloyds declaration in 1976 was to give his spinners 'one last chance' to prove they could win games for him and actually justify their existence. They failed lamentably, and for the next fifteen years or so, the Windies opted for raw pace and hardly ever let another spinner near the ball.

[Professor Rosseforp]

The problem with the catching is that every time the team yells "Katch it!" he thinks they're saying, "Katich" and looks up.

[Vindicate]

Anyone else catch the presentation ceremony?
I really figured the West Indian crowds were above sour grapes - appears not and I couldn't quite work out why they were booing Ponting - perhaps the same reason as everyone else does, for being successful.

[pat]

Crookinfo: "More boos for Ponting, and a dreadful reception for the umpires too. They look a bit sheepish and confused.

Boos ring out for Ponting! Poor old chap."

Nothing breeds contempt quite like success.

You've gotta hand it to Punter and the team. With all the recent retirements, then to lose DoS to injury and Magilla retires mid tour, to still keep on winning is an impressive thing.

There's something more in these declarations, there's confidence. Something the Windies lacked in the 2nd Test which they now pay the price for. Confidence is intimidating. Just ask the Indians.

The Windian commentators noted the other night that Oz is the only team not to indulge in "the touching of gloves" and were perplexed by it. The answer is that such things actually betray a weak will and fragility of mind. Give me a back slap after getting a wicket any day.

Well done Punter.

[nick]

Hi all! The boos at the presentation ceremony were coming from a small group of pissed Australians. The Barbadians/Bajans are the friendliest people in the Caribbean, and showed far more sportsmanship than some members of the Australian crowd (and the Australian team).

Ponting's captaincy on the last day was a bit average, except for the bit where he put Jaques in close to get the catch off Bravo. For the rest of the time he just followed the ball with his field. We would have had a wicket on the first ball of the day with three slips in...

Katich put us all to sleep with his batting and woke us up with his fielding. He may have his uses later in the year when the Indians and South Africans flog us. Mike Young needs to be replaced.

[Tony T]

Australians misbehaving overseas is not unAustralian.

[pat]

It seems no one really knows what to make of the 2-0 drubbing of the Windies. The consensus, rapidly gathering momentum, appears to be that ...surprise, surprise, ...Oz is on the slide: Australia lose power to demolish.

And here's the points tally to back it up from Brydon Coverdale. And very interesting mathematics he has going for him. If you tally it up the Windies top 13 of their squad of 16 scored 76 whilst the Oz squad of 13 scored 80.5.

It's worth considering, what would you expect a series outcome to be if you had two squads separated by 4.5 points on a man to man tally? 2-0, and unlucky not to go 3-0?

Maybe Coverdale's right, maybe one man was the difference in this series. Personally, I don't think things are as dire for Oz as they seemed.

[Adsy]

The Ashes (England in Australia) 1994/95 Australia 3-1 (5)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (Australia in West Indies) 1994/95 Australia 2-1 (4)
Pakistan in Australia Test Series 1995/96 Australia 2-1 (3)
Sri Lanka in Australia Test Series 1995/96 Australia 3-0 (3)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) 1996/97 India 1-0 (1)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (West Indies in Australia) 1996/97 Australia 3-2 (5)
Australia in South Africa Test Series 1996/97 Australia 2-1 (3)
The Ashes (Australia in England) 1997 Australia 3-2 (6)
Trans-Tasman Trophy (New Zealand in Australia) 1997/98 Australia 2-0 (3)
South Africa in Australia Test Series 1997/98 Australia 1-0 (3)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) 1997/98 India 2-1 (3)
Australia in Pakistan Test Series 1998/99 Australia 1-0 (3)
The Ashes (England in Australia) 1998/99 Australia 3-1 (5)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (Australia in West Indies) 1998/99 drawn 2-2 (4)
Australia in Sri Lanka Test Series 1999 Sri Lanka 1-0 (3)
Southern Cross Trophy (Australia in Zimbabwe) 1999/00 Australia 1-0 (1)
Pakistan in Australia Test Series 1999/00 Australia 3-0 (3)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) 1999/00 Australia 3-0 (3)
Trans-Tasman Trophy (Australia in New Zealand) 1999/00 Australia 3-0 (3)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (West Indies in Australia) 2000/01 Australia 5-0 (5)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) 2000/01 India 2-1 (3)
The Ashes (Australia in England) 2001 Australia 4-1 (5)
Trans-Tasman Trophy (New Zealand in Australia) 2001/02 drawn 0-0 (3)
South Africa in Australia Test Series 2001/02 Australia 3-0 (3)
Australia in South Africa Test Series 2001/02 Australia 2-1 (3)
Australia v Pakistan Test Series (in Sri Lanka/United Arab Emirates) 2002/03 Australia 3-0 (3)
The Ashes (England in Australia) 2002/03 Australia 4-1 (5)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (Australia in West Indies) 2002/03 Australia 3-1 (4)
Bangladesh in Australia Test Series 2003 Australia 2-0 (2)
Southern Cross Trophy (Zimbabwe in Australia) 2003/04 Australia 2-0 (2)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) 2003/04 drawn 1-1 (4)
Australia in Sri Lanka Test Series 2003/04 Australia 3-0 (3)
Sri Lanka in Australia Test Series 2004 Australia 1-0 (2)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia in India) 2004/05 Australia 2-1 (4)
Trans-Tasman Trophy (New Zealand in Australia) 2004/05 Australia 2-0 (2)
Pakistan in Australia Test Series 2004/05 Australia 3-0 (3)
Trans-Tasman Trophy (Australia in New Zealand) 2004/05 Australia 2-0 (3)
The Ashes (Australia in England) 2005 England 2-1 (5)
ICC Super Series Test Match (ICC World XI in Australia) 2005/06 Australia 1-0 (1)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (West Indies in Australia) 2005/06 Australia 3-0 (3)
South Africa in Australia Test Series 2005/06 Australia 2-0 (3)
Australia in South Africa Test Series 2005/06 Australia 3-0 (3)
Australia in Bangladesh Test Series 2005/06 Australia 2-0 (2)
The Ashes (England in Australia) 2006/07 Australia 5-0 (5)
Warne-Muralitharan Trophy (Sri Lanka in Australia) 2007/08 Australia 2-0 (2)
Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) 2007/08 Australia 2-1 (4)
The Frank Worrell Trophy (Australia in West Indies) 2008 Australia 2-0 (3)

I've done all the research I could for one night, but I reckon I could find articles from after each of these series' losses saying Australia was gone. I can definately remember them after Ashes 2005, India in Aus 03/04 and NZ 01/02. Not saying it may happen on a more regular basis from now on, but god, theres quite a track record there to say it won't.

[Tony T]

Pat, Byron should change his name Cloverfield.

Ads, there's no doubt we are better placed to win lots of Test matches than heaps of the other countries. We are certainly much less likely to slump like the Windies. Still, a series of series against India, Sorth Efrica and England is no gimme. I would be staggered if we won all of them.

[Adsy]

I'd venture to say that the recent record of series' since our 05 Ashes loss is just as hard as this next lot...

We beat sides like the World XI, South Africa (home and away - they said we were gone), England (gone again) and India (absolutely gawn). They'll be right one day, but its all been said before. What you don't hear about is these journalists admitting they were wrong at any stage.

I'll go on record to say we will win two series (South Africa and England) and draw against India because we won't be able to bowl them out consistently.

[pat]

That's a big call Adsy. I like it.

[Homer]

Adsy,

The 2004 win in India was on the back of McGrath, Warne, Martyn and Gillespie.

Of the current lot touring the West Indies, not a single bowler ( Brett Lee included) has played a Test match in India.

In fact, of the current touring side ( excluding Hayden), only three (Ponting, Clarke and Katich) have played Test cricket in India.

The current India itinerary looks like this

1st Test v India at Bangalore - Oct 9-13, 2008 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)

2nd Test v India at Mohali - Oct 17-21, 2008 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)

3rd Test v India at Delhi - Oct 28-Nov 1, 2008 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)

4th Test v India at Nagpur - Nov 5-9, 2008 (09:30 local, 04:00 GMT)

Can Australia's bowlers sustain and can Australia catch?