KFC SERIES: PERTH

No 'Gropers in the side; the net's up; Hussey got a golden.

Comments

[Tony]

But SOS is 101 not.

[Hangover Black]

Anyone catch Nielsen's defence of Clarke's selection on the wireless? "His role is to provide leadership". It might also be to knock one off the square occasionally too.

Jeez, it feels good to get my first Pup gripe away for the summer.

[Tony]

Clarke unfurled a couple of Waugh-like slog-sweeps in the Indian F50, which says to me he is feeling the heat and has developed shots to go after the bowling. What's the bet he is more aggressive tonight.

[Tony]

Clarke to open.

[Tony]

"I love these little Sri Lankans." ~~ Big Tony Grieg.

[Tony]

"The slow bouncer has become very vogue in this cricket." ~~ Big Tom Moody. (It is Tom Moody, isn't it?)

[Tony]

Did Clarke try to baulk the fieldsman in that run out attempt?

[Tony]

Warner wants to be the next Gilchrist. He won't be.

[Tony]

Clarke skips down the track to Chuckles and dobs him into the crowd ("bleechers" if you are a c**t). Clarke has definitely worked out new shots. Sorry, worked on his batting architecture.

[Tony]

Nine's new toy: Virtual Tonk-o-graphic.

[Tony]

Clarke out. Caught by Fernando who completely fluked it when the ball fell in his mitt as he misjudged a sky ball.

[Tony]

Watson out to a limp flap to long off.

[Tony]

This game is dusted and done. No way Australia will cobble together enough runs to challenge these Shree batsmen.

[Tony]

David Hussey's out now. 4/31. Time for District 9 on Foxtel. Wait! Klutzy will save the day.

[Tony]

Haddin dropped. Tough chance down leg off Randiv, who really does get some zip on his offies (without bending his arm).

[Russ]

I suspect the exaggerated straight-ness of his arm is surprising the batsmen. That and he's getting loads of bounce.

[Tony]

Any chance the smart thing to do in T20 is to bowl if you win the toss.

[Tony]

White out. Slashing and edging short, wide filth to Kumar. ASGW. Absolute Shit Gets Wickets.

[Russ]

The smart thing to do is take a bunch of wickets. Just like every other form of the game. You'd think we'd never played on a bouncy pitch before. Some of these shots have been shocking.

[Tony]

At least Clarke is having a good time. Yuk it up, laughing boy.

[Tony]

Russ, astonishing the inept way we have attacked the bouncing ball. Have we ever played in Perth? I thought we had.

[Tony]

"You sense these two batsmen have started to turn it around." ~~ Tubby.

[Tony]

Mind you. Would love to see Smith play a gem.

[Tony]

"Haddin made a fabulous innings against South Africa... until he got out slogging." ~~ The Sumptuous One.

[Russ]

It's a measure of the amount of meaningless cricket played these days that most matches I hope for certain players to do well, and certain to do badly, in the hope that the team will shape itself before "the series that we won't name today".

[Tony]

Tony Grieg should stop drooling over Fernando's catch. "Unbelievable". Yes, like accidentally winning a trifecta when you filled in the wrong boxes.

[Tony]

I'm calling it right now: get Smith in the Test side. (Go hard; go early.)

[Tony]

Smith out. Played a great reverse, then tossed his wicket away skipping down the pitch to Randiv. You stupid boy.

[Tony]

Haddin out. Tonking the ball almost straight to deep square leg. You stupid... well, that goes without saying.

[Russ]

Almost defendable, this total, with some good bowling, astute captaincy and batting as inept as demonstrated in Australia's innings.

[Tony]

133 off 20. Enough? Don't make me laugh, me.

[Russ]

Absolute puss from McKay to start. Lucky it didn't go for four. Followed by straighter puss and some of the laziest wafts you'll ever see.

[Tony]

Gash from Nannes.

[Tony]

Prediction: Shrees canter home in the 16th over.

[Tony]

Prediction: Shrees canter home in the 15th over.

[Tony]

"Sri Lankans have an appointment at the local curry house." ~~ Tony Grieg's hot tonight.

[Russ]

Stupid, pointless, rule, the free hit.

It is lovely to watch these two blast through the field on the rise. This is looking like a very short evening.

[Tony]

I really don't think Australia have a clue about T20. The Shrees bowled with smorgasbord variety - slow balls, slow bouncers, yorkers, low full tosses, the lot - but Australia figured the Shrees would bowl line & length and they may as well hit through the line like it was 2003. Then Australia bowl the one dimensional slop they expected the Shrees to bowl.

[Tony]

Sizzle gets Jaya.

[Tony]

Nannes gets Chandimal LB. Nannes might have been lucky, Chandi unlucky.

[Tony]

Yep. Hawk had it pitching outside leg.

[Tony]

The way the commentators are talking up Siddle's fitness, Siddle is a monty to break down.

[Russ]

You're still listening to the commentators?

More trash from Siddle. Wickets fell, but the runs keep coming.

[Hangover Black]

Couldn't post live as coverage was delayed on the teev.

As for Clarke's new architecture: 16 from 19. Not much point changing the architecture if your foundations are poor.

And how far outside leg did the Nannes lbw wicket pitch?

[Big Ramifications]

The 6 year old has just finished his 2nd week of Kanga Cricket, or whatever it's called nowadays. It went from "I don't wanna doooo it" to "it was AWESOME!" in one training session.

Watching the game last night and the VERY FIRST ball he sees Murali bowl... his head spins around, eyes wide open in amazement and confusion... "Dad! He threw it."

I absolutely kid you not. No prompting from me at all, in fact I wasn't really paying attention. Put that in your high speed camera and smoke it, Professor Bruce Elliot.

[Tony]

Delayed telecasting of cricket matches strikes me as a crime. TV stations must be forced to telecast sport live, even into the host city. Senator Conroy, you need to earn your place at the public trough; get off your shiny-bummed arse and etch a "use it or lose it" into legislation.

[Hangover Black]

Loved that it was shown in HD on GEM.

But that was also delayed.

With all the channels having access to other digital channels, play it live on one of those. If it's so important that their standard line-up of news then one or more of BH&G/H&A/ACA/60 Min is retained, then they can be followed by a delayed showing on their main channel.

It's not rocket surgery.

[Tony]

The only people who want delayed telecasts are the TV stations. Everyone else in the country wants the matches live. The current situation makes about as much sense at Travis Cloke and his "smoke and shadows behind the windows" interview and is about as democratic as North Korea in curfew.

[Lou]

Russ, I agree about the certain players situation, except that I know I'll feel that way about the Ashes as well as I've written them off as a loss already. When did we last win something? About four series or so ago?

Anyhow, I like it when we lose when Clarke captains the team. Craphound, shouldn't be allowed near 20/20.

[Tony]

Has Clarke copped any flack for opening and putting his T20 career ahead of the T20 team? Not heard anything, when ordinarilly any decision which can be portrayed as self-centred would attract a little heat.

[Lou]

Wherever he bats, he, Dandy Hilbitch and Dumbo Nielsen are putting Pup ahead of the team.

[Big Ramifications]

Has Clarke copped any flack for opening and putting his T20 career ahead of the T20 team? Not heard anything, when ordinarilly any decision which can be portrayed as self-centred would attract a little heat.

Remember when Steve Waugh was copping similar flak for his lack of ODI bowling? Well deserved criticism asking: "you started out as an all rounder and ODI cricket is heading towards a 9 all rounders per side set up and we've already got rid of Tubby Taylor so what's your excuse?"

And then colour me surprised! He started giving himself a few overs of bowling again.

Loved Steve Waugh to bits. Him and AB were true leaders, really helped Oz get back on track starting with the World Cup in 1987 and the Ashes a coupla years later. But his last two years trying to prolong his career [read: $$$] are a real blemish.