FIRST TEST: MAHARASHTRA CRICKET ASSOCIATION STADIUM
So, for the practice match India laid down a road. For the Test match it's a minefield on a tectonic fault line. At least the Indians don't doctor pitches.
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I agree with Carrot re: MMarsh and the #6 postion. I would've plumped with Agar, similar batting average but a spin bowler on the Sahara-dry deck or god-forbid Maxwell who's batting average is a full 10 runs more.
Solid test-class batting by Renshaw, that is until he got the runs...
Morning all...... looks like a missed an interesting couple of sessions whilst I was in Nodland. Cannot believe they went with Marsh at 6. How could they be that stupid? I'd love to see him get a ton and take loads of wickets, but you just know it's likely to be a meaningless 20-odd and two or three wickets at best. And on a surface like this - why WOULDN'T you go for Maxwell, given that he can actually bat and offers a spin option?
We've heard about Renshaw trying to channel Hayden for this series, and the temptation is to roll your eyes and say "yeah, yeah", but there might be something to it, actually. There's a bit of the block, block, block, BIFF, block, block, block about him, and when he has a go he really tees off.
So, Wade needs to let through 8 byes or fewer to break even on the first innings. Disappointing decision you'd have to say, though - lots of reasons not to give it.
Strange as it may seem, 200 odd is not dreadful. I mean, India has flagrantly rigged the pitch from its normal Pune pitch. Hope their cheating backfires.
Starc has a better batting record than MMarsh. Can we stick him in at 6?
We'd have ripped your arm off to be still there at stumps if you'd have offered it to us 45 minutes ago. Twenty or thirty runs tomorrow and you never know. That said, I'm not sure a scoreline like that is going to test India at home that much, no matter what the conditions. This has a bit of the look of a plucky West Indian or English 300 or so against us 15 years or so ago. Everyone says "well done! They've given themselves something to bowl at", and then we'd come out and smash 500 at 4 an over.
Still, it's been interesting cricket, and we're not quite looking 4-0 down just yet.
Interestingly the commentator are talking about 250 as a good score. For us. Lets see how Virat boys go. Oh and their fast bowlr took 4 wickets. Good Mitch will get a Michelle now he has the half century.
32.2 throws it away! And Rahul crumples up, clutching his left shoulder, this looks bad. Awful shot from a batsman who has looked so classy until this very moment. Comes charging out at Australia's weakest bowler...
Ronnie Fisher btw is a reference to Ronald Fisher who "was an English statistician and biologist who used mathematics to combine Mendelian genetics and natural selection."
I would like to see some statistical benchmarks put in place for selections to remove the Warney Boys Club style we have seen for so long that keeps getting the Marsh's selected and the likes of Doolan etc (The Doolans of this world).
I would also like to see for every 3 appeals turned down 1 run added to the batting team's extras. That would easily add another 33 1/3 to our total as well as give one some peace of mind watching the game.
We're far from over the line yet, but it's just beautiful how this is panning out. I hope there's a LOT of blood-letting over the conditions, and so there should be. No-one here would say that we've deserved any sort of success in the sub-continent recently, but it's been an absolute disgrace how pitches have been very cynically prepared to negate any sort of strength we have. Seeing it backfire for once is a wonderful thing. Let's see how the Injuns go playing catch-up in the next Test or so.
If Marsh gets runs here, I'll actually be disappointed. It's the last thing we need. We'll want more, but I think this game is over once we pass 300 or so, and we don't really need any runs from him. If he makes any sort of claim on future selection, it'll come back to bite us later on.
Well, the (presumably Indian) guy that is running my feed on crictime.com has given up, and bizarrely, is now showing a replay of a Zimbabwe versus India ODI from at least fifteen years ago from the looks of it. And Mark Butcher was just saying something about the pitch, and questioning the wisdom of putting up this sandpit when they've played so well lately on fair pitches.
The Indians sucked themselves in when they opted to fix the pitch. That reduces the game to the toss. Once we won it and batted India were in for a fight. Just like Shrees in 2011 first Test.
55 runs (78 balls) 4.23 rpo - MA Starc: 53 runs (96.36%) JR Hazlewood: 1 run (1.82%) extras: 1 run (1.82%)
Starc scored 98.15% of partnership runs that came via the bat.
I wonder how many 50+ run partnerships have a player scoring an equal or higher ratio of runs. Not suggesting this has never happened before, but I reckon it's pretty rare air. Probably even rarer[?] in a partnership with 2 non-recognised batsmen [Starc @8 and Hazlewood @11].
Clarkey gave the Indans an out saying they had played 10 tests this season, and were tired. Ravi then pointed out so had we.We have used huge amounts of luck, from winning the toss onwards. We have to put this one in the bank.
Mitch got 8 more than his average. Not sure why big cricket names consistently expect people to somehow perform better than their career stats indicate.
Probably even rarer[?] in a partnership with 2 non-recognised batsmen [Starc @8 and Hazlewood @11].
Change that to: "Probably even rarer[?] in a partnership with 2 lower order batsmen [Starc @8 and Hazlewood @11].
Just checked out Starc on 'Statsguru' - I hadn't realised how handy he was with the bat. He's averaged 25 or thereabouts for his entire Test career. ie. He wasn't a rabbit who eventually got his act together after 30-40 Tests, like a lot of Aussie fast bowlers have done in recent memory.
52 innings, 12 not outs, 1010 runs @25.25, including 9× 50s and a top score of 99. True bowling all-rounder status.
Has anyone heard comments by Warnie on O'Keefe's flukey 6-35? By my reckoning, at least 4 were created by Nafan Lyon, and the other 2 were just hopeless batting by the Indians.
22.3
O'Keefe to Rahane, OUT, uh oh. Yet another soft dismissal for Rahane. Tosses this up outside off, draws Rahane forward. He plays too early and the ball stops in the surface a fraction of a second, because it takes a bit of the pitch with it. Rahane chips a catch to cover. That fraction accounts for Rahane, the difference between a boundary and a wicket
Heh, what did Starc win? I thought he got MoM and was mind blown. SoK speaks every well, is very humble, great ambassador for Australia, not to mention best bowling figures by an Ozzie ever in India!
Well that was all rather splendid. It doesn't feel real though!
Shane Warne can go and get SOKed.
I'm not sure that the wicket was so outside of our range of play. It had bounce after all, and that's something the Aussies can work with. If they turn up a slowish, low wicket that will be interesting. Though I suspect that SOK won't do too badly on that pitch.
Also they'll be nervous of him now due to his accuracy.
That's probably a decent shout about the pitch Lou, although there's no doubting that it was definitely manipulated with our batting, and their spinners in mind, and that's why I'm taking such pleasure in this result. It's so completely symbolic of the BCCI's arrogance, and it proved to be their downfall. They didn't create this minefield because they thought they needed to - their winning run at home since 2012 wasn't built on pitches like these, quite the opposite in fact. They did it because they wanted to humiliate us. It was all a big "fuck you, Skippy" exercise, something that only a bunch of dickheads who think that they're bigger than the game would even consider, let alone attempt. And didn't it backfire SPECTACULARLY. We could burgle the series on the back of this result, and they'll only have themselves to blame.
Batting, which means it may last three days.
First target is 47. Then comes 60.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 03:14 PM
Cow Corner bowled around his legs by an off spinner who overstepped by a full foot. And it went for four. Bloody hell.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 04:00 PM
Bizarre Mo/D'oh/Faux ball.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 04:25 PM
I agree with Carrot re: MMarsh and the #6 postion. I would've plumped with Agar, similar batting average but a spin bowler on the Sahara-dry deck or god-forbid Maxwell who's batting average is a full 10 runs more.
Solid test-class batting by Renshaw, that is until he got the runs...
Posted by: Soups | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 05:36 PM
Good point, Soups. Missed Carrot's comment.
Maybe it was buried in amongst the MM hate. ;)
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 06:08 PM
1/110. Still on for 10/160.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 06:14 PM
I'll do all the funny stuff, m0nty.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 06:16 PM
Your mum will!
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 06:20 PM
Oy!
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 06:44 PM
4/152 after two quick wickets, yep it's still on for 10/160 or thereabouts.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 07:37 PM
Morning all...... looks like a missed an interesting couple of sessions whilst I was in Nodland. Cannot believe they went with Marsh at 6. How could they be that stupid? I'd love to see him get a ton and take loads of wickets, but you just know it's likely to be a meaningless 20-odd and two or three wickets at best. And on a surface like this - why WOULDN'T you go for Maxwell, given that he can actually bat and offers a spin option?
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:01 PM
AND....... there we are. Well played, Mitch!!
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:14 PM
Farken selectors.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:22 PM
We've heard about Renshaw trying to channel Hayden for this series, and the temptation is to roll your eyes and say "yeah, yeah", but there might be something to it, actually. There's a bit of the block, block, block, BIFF, block, block, block about him, and when he has a go he really tees off.
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:36 PM
So, Wade needs to let through 8 byes or fewer to break even on the first innings. Disappointing decision you'd have to say, though - lots of reasons not to give it.
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:44 PM
I think we're probably only a wicket or so behind the game at this stage. We'd really like to get to stumps without losing any more wickets, though.
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:51 PM
The mozz, the mozz.....
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 08:55 PM
Yeah we are highly unlikely to make it until stumps.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 09:01 PM
Strange as it may seem, 200 odd is not dreadful. I mean, India has flagrantly rigged the pitch from its normal Pune pitch. Hope their cheating backfires.
Probably won't, but.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 09:06 PM
250 starting to get somewhere. Excellent tonking by Koo.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 09:45 PM
Hmm well that is about as good as can be hoped given the team we picked and the state of the pitch. Pity we are carrying multiple useless deadweights.
Posted by: m0nty | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 10:05 PM
Starc has a better batting record than MMarsh. Can we stick him in at 6?
We'd have ripped your arm off to be still there at stumps if you'd have offered it to us 45 minutes ago. Twenty or thirty runs tomorrow and you never know. That said, I'm not sure a scoreline like that is going to test India at home that much, no matter what the conditions. This has a bit of the look of a plucky West Indian or English 300 or so against us 15 years or so ago. Everyone says "well done! They've given themselves something to bowl at", and then we'd come out and smash 500 at 4 an over.
Still, it's been interesting cricket, and we're not quite looking 4-0 down just yet.
Posted by: Carrot | Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 10:16 PM
Interestingly the commentator are talking about 250 as a good score. For us. Lets see how Virat boys go. Oh and their fast bowlr took 4 wickets. Good Mitch will get a Michelle now he has the half century.
Posted by: Philsgone | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:29 AM
I rate Mitch Marsh's bowling. He's just got to pinch a few poles.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:09 AM
The Indian batsmen go big in India. Poo, Moo and Rahoo love batting at home. And of course, E-Kohli is a dead set gun.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:11 AM
Koo carted early, SOK milked with ease. Bad signs.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 03:36 PM
Koo strikes back. Swaft by Kohli though.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 04:42 PM
2 down 3 to go. And to get Kohli for a duck will do me, its already a successful tour. Ordinary shot though
Posted by: Philsgone | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 05:15 PM
SGW for SOK.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:11 PM
Three in the over for Pinko, not sure he deserved that but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:15 PM
Bloody hell! Four wickets in eight balls since lunch!
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:18 PM
SGW five-fer for Pinko.
Perhaps I'm being a bit unfair but he is obviously the worst spinner in this match, who has the best luck.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:38 PM
Australia rip through India on a dustpit? Black is white. Up is down. Dogs and cats, living together.
Posted by: Fanackapan | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:40 PM
Black is White.
Slavery is Freedom
Coal can be clean.
Never stop dreaming.
Posted by: via collins | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 06:46 PM
That is the luckiest six-fer in 24 balls you will ever see.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 07:19 PM
Ho ho ho 6 for 35, 3 in one over!
Too bad SoK can't turn the ball, imagine what he'd do if he could!
Posted by: Ronnie Fisher | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 07:38 PM
32.2 throws it away! And Rahul crumples up, clutching his left shoulder, this looks bad. Awful shot from a batsman who has looked so classy until this very moment. Comes charging out at Australia's weakest bowler...
6 for fucking 35 lulzlulzlulz
Posted by: Ronnie Fisher | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 07:41 PM
SoK's 6 for 35 puts him in top ten best ozzie bowling figures in India. Warney doesn't even make the list!
Posted by: Ronnie Fisher | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 07:47 PM
9/205 at one stage. You weren't that far off calling it, m0nty. I feel much shame for paying your comment short shrift. To paraphrase Hanlon's razor:
"Never attribute to humour that which can be adequately explained by incompetence."
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:05 PM
Smith dropped on 29.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:10 PM
Is that two or three drops this innings? Those Indians, they never miss those.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:12 PM
Two idiotic appeals. That was always a mile over. Over or two before massive appeal for snick where bat was a mile from the ball.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:24 PM
Kettleborough proven wrong by DRS, now I've seen everything.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:25 PM
Thank God for DRS where ya can't hysterically bluff the umpire into giving wickets.
Wonder how many wickets Warney would have deducted if he ever played under DRS.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:26 PM
Ronnie Fisher btw is a reference to Ronald Fisher who "was an English statistician and biologist who used mathematics to combine Mendelian genetics and natural selection."
I would like to see some statistical benchmarks put in place for selections to remove the Warney Boys Club style we have seen for so long that keeps getting the Marsh's selected and the likes of Doolan etc (The Doolans of this world).
I would also like to see for every 3 appeals turned down 1 run added to the batting team's extras. That would easily add another 33 1/3 to our total as well as give one some peace of mind watching the game.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:35 PM
Zounds Patard! That's a mike drop comment.
Hope you're well off the stage.
Posted by: via collins | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:36 PM
First over of pace 27 overs in, LOL.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:38 PM
Another dropped catch! We are using all our good luck up.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:45 PM
Substitute has dropped two. Obviously haven't learned from the English experience of inserting specialist fieldsmen.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:46 PM
Lead of 250.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:53 PM
We're far from over the line yet, but it's just beautiful how this is panning out. I hope there's a LOT of blood-letting over the conditions, and so there should be. No-one here would say that we've deserved any sort of success in the sub-continent recently, but it's been an absolute disgrace how pitches have been very cynically prepared to negate any sort of strength we have. Seeing it backfire for once is a wonderful thing. Let's see how the Injuns go playing catch-up in the next Test or so.
Posted by: Carrot | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 08:59 PM
Wowee, another drop!
Not sure about this reverse sweep.
(thanks via Collins - I'm here all night!)
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:02 PM
If I didn't know better, I'd think the two sides had swapped jumpers.
Posted by: m0nty | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:04 PM
Should've stuck with reverse sweep.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:11 PM
If Marsh gets runs here, I'll actually be disappointed. It's the last thing we need. We'll want more, but I think this game is over once we pass 300 or so, and we don't really need any runs from him. If he makes any sort of claim on future selection, it'll come back to bite us later on.
Posted by: Carrot | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:17 PM
These reviews are not even close.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:24 PM
This game is so up and about it's comical.
I agree with you Carrot, don't forget we've got Koo to come.
How the f#$%k is our Usman feeling right about now?
Posted by: via collins | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:24 PM
I dunno, Carrot, I reckon we need 400 run lead. Agree re. Mitch Marsh but I'd hate to death ride an Ozzie.
Stats says he'll get 20.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:25 PM
Well, the (presumably Indian) guy that is running my feed on crictime.com has given up, and bizarrely, is now showing a replay of a Zimbabwe versus India ODI from at least fifteen years ago from the looks of it. And Mark Butcher was just saying something about the pitch, and questioning the wisdom of putting up this sandpit when they've played so well lately on fair pitches.
Posted by: Carrot | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:28 PM
Uh oh, Ckarkey and Indian commentator saying Mitch should play natural game. Natural game = average of 23 in Tests, 29 in First Class.
What we require here is his unnatural game.
Posted by: Patard | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 09:38 PM
The Indians sucked themselves in when they opted to fix the pitch. That reduces the game to the toss. Once we won it and batted India were in for a fight. Just like Shrees in 2011 first Test.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 10:06 PM
Australia - 1st innings - 10th wicket partnership
55 runs (78 balls) 4.23 rpo - MA Starc: 53 runs (96.36%) JR Hazlewood: 1 run (1.82%) extras: 1 run (1.82%)
Starc scored 98.15% of partnership runs that came via the bat.
I wonder how many 50+ run partnerships have a player scoring an equal or higher ratio of runs. Not suggesting this has never happened before, but I reckon it's pretty rare air. Probably even rarer[?] in a partnership with 2 non-recognised batsmen [Starc @8 and Hazlewood @11].
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:47 PM
Clarkey gave the Indans an out saying they had played 10 tests this season, and were tired. Ravi then pointed out so had we.We have used huge amounts of luck, from winning the toss onwards. We have to put this one in the bank.
Posted by: Philsgone | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:06 AM
Smith dropped/missed again.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:18 PM
Mitch got 8 more than his average. Not sure why big cricket names consistently expect people to somehow perform better than their career stats indicate.
What's that definition of insanity again?
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:23 PM
Just checked out Starc on 'Statsguru' - I hadn't realised how handy he was with the bat. He's averaged 25 or thereabouts for his entire Test career. ie. He wasn't a rabbit who eventually got his act together after 30-40 Tests, like a lot of Aussie fast bowlers have done in recent memory.
52 innings, 12 not outs, 1010 runs @25.25, including 9× 50s and a top score of 99. True bowling all-rounder status.
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:46 PM
Agree re. Starc. Would have preferred Glenn Maxwell here to Mitch Marsh on same basis.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:51 PM
Lead of 350. At least it's going to create history if we lose.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:55 PM
..
Posted by: Big Ramifications | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 03:58 PM
I hear ya, Rammers!
Why did Wade walk?
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 04:12 PM
"Extraordinary...The guy who spins it the least is the most successful."
Jadeja "the rockstar".
Warney's still spewing.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 04:19 PM
Great knock by Smith (4 dropped catches notwithstanding) but disappointed he started batting like a rockstar and threw his wicket away.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 04:38 PM
If anyone can lose to a 400 chase, we can.
And doesn't E-Kohli have some special record batting last?
Posted by: Tony Tea | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 04:48 PM
Has anyone heard comments by Warnie on O'Keefe's flukey 6-35? By my reckoning, at least 4 were created by Nafan Lyon, and the other 2 were just hopeless batting by the Indians.
Posted by: Professor Rosseforp | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 05:04 PM
Warney will be gutted if Oz win this and SoK has good figures in 2nd innings.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 05:21 PM
India just love playing shit shots to SoK!
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 06:15 PM
Shit ball of the year from SoK!!!
The most fucking useless spinner ever to tour!!! Woooohoooo.
Oh, Clarkey not sure whether SoK meant to bowl it. These guys are shameless.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 06:54 PM
Pinko is doing a bang up job of fooling the Indians into thinking he can spin it.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:03 PM
Shit ball after shit ball and SoK darts another wicket.
He's single handedly re-writing the coaching manual for spinners!
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:16 PM
Spare a thought for the other bowlers though, Indians included, who did all the hard work for SoK to just pick the low hanging fruit.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:18 PM
22.3
O'Keefe to Rahane, OUT, uh oh. Yet another soft dismissal for Rahane. Tosses this up outside off, draws Rahane forward. He plays too early and the ball stops in the surface a fraction of a second, because it takes a bit of the pitch with it. Rahane chips a catch to cover. That fraction accounts for Rahane, the difference between a boundary and a wicket
Yep. Being out is the difference.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:20 PM
Pinko is the Peter Dutton of cricket. #duttonmentum
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:22 PM
The luckiest 10 wickets in a Test match in all of history!
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:27 PM
"Pinko is the Peter Dutton of cricket"
Oh the slings and arrows of a cricketing blog - what a nightmarish concept MOnty.
Ooops - another wicket...
Posted by: via collins | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:30 PM
That would have been a 6 if it wasn't LBW
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:40 PM
Judging from that Crownbet ad, if they want to do a remake of the Get Smart movie, Punter would be a strong candidate to play Max.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:52 PM
Not much to say really, except, glorious, glorious, glorious.
Posted by: Carrot | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:57 PM
Need the RBB banner at the end of this Test with Warnie's face captioned "Put a SoK in it!"
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 07:57 PM
SoK is the Bobby Roode of Test Match Cricket!
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:01 PM
Pinko is turning Alvin Purple.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:08 PM
Ever since Warnie visited the Oz change rooms when they were 2 nil down vs Saffas things turned to the good.
Thanks Warnie.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:16 PM
We will never see a Test like this again. We shat it in.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:29 PM
We Renshawed it in.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:31 PM
SoK 12/70. The best Test bowling figures for an Ozzie in India in history. And it's all due to darts, arse and perversity.
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:33 PM
Starc man of the match? You're kidding. Did Warnie get a vote on that?
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:37 PM
Nup, it's Pinko. Koo got some other bauble.
Posted by: m0nty | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:46 PM
Heh, what did Starc win? I thought he got MoM and was mind blown. SoK speaks every well, is very humble, great ambassador for Australia, not to mention best bowling figures by an Ozzie ever in India!
The stats don't lie!
Posted by: Patard | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 08:49 PM
Well that was all rather splendid. It doesn't feel real though!
Shane Warne can go and get SOKed.
I'm not sure that the wicket was so outside of our range of play. It had bounce after all, and that's something the Aussies can work with. If they turn up a slowish, low wicket that will be interesting. Though I suspect that SOK won't do too badly on that pitch.
Also they'll be nervous of him now due to his accuracy.
Renshaw looks the real deal. Such composure.
Posted by: Lou | Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 10:03 PM
That's probably a decent shout about the pitch Lou, although there's no doubting that it was definitely manipulated with our batting, and their spinners in mind, and that's why I'm taking such pleasure in this result. It's so completely symbolic of the BCCI's arrogance, and it proved to be their downfall. They didn't create this minefield because they thought they needed to - their winning run at home since 2012 wasn't built on pitches like these, quite the opposite in fact. They did it because they wanted to humiliate us. It was all a big "fuck you, Skippy" exercise, something that only a bunch of dickheads who think that they're bigger than the game would even consider, let alone attempt. And didn't it backfire SPECTACULARLY. We could burgle the series on the back of this result, and they'll only have themselves to blame.
Posted by: Carrot | Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 04:26 AM
PS - 99 comments! I can't remember the last time we've needed multiple pages for a Test match thread. Well done, boys - and all quality stuff, too.
Posted by: Carrot | Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 04:29 AM