Australia vs Pakistan

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Haven't we done that a few times over the last few years?

Can someone please remind me of why Watson is so hated around here?

Of course we have chef, but you asked 'does it matter' when it comes to a player being a knob? Of course it 'matters' but that isn't to say we shouldn't recruit a player who is one.

Is having a jerk in your side exactly the same as having a good bloke? Is it exactly the same to you? If not, then it matters.

I dislike Watson because he reeks of a certain character imo. The super insecure/defensive bloke who just can't deal with having success. Watson acts like such a little whiney bitch and seems pre-occupied with celebrating his opponent's failure. But that is just my call, I get a repulsive vibe off Watson like very few other players.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

By the way we need to get the structure of test cricket fixed prompto. Tests between the top 3 and the 2nd tier are not good for the game but perhaps that's for another thread.

[mighty_west]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

I dislike Watson because he reeks of a certain character imo. The super insecure/defensive bloke who just can't deal with having success. Watson acts like such a little whiney bitch and seems pre-occupied with celebrating his opponent's failure. But that is just my call, I get a repulsive vibe off Watson like very few other players.

Even a few years back, and his awful run with injury, you could see back then that he had this sooky thing about him, the tell tale signs were there when he was trying to cement a spot. [yes, no one can blame him for being extremely frustrated with injury].

Obviously all players are different, like a few posts back, Warney was mentioned, but i think it was different with him, he was more a larrikin who misbehaved, he was never that insecure sookie type that perhaps doesn't come across too well, especially after having such a strong dominant side both as a team but mentally for such a long time, kind of makes things look worse for Watson.

BUT, that all said, playing wise, he is most definatly right at the top of his game, both with bat & ball, and lets hope he can continue staying injury free, we can see the value of a Watson when in this rare form, he has been a delight to watch with his game, taking it to a new level.

[mighty_west]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Brad Haddin is another that i'm not a massive fan of, his keeping has improved which it need to since coming into the side, and his technique as a batsman is as sound as anyones, but, he can get too carried away with his appealing, kind of reminds me of the way the Paki's used to appeal for just about anything [which they got in trouble for on many occasions], and it's just not a good look.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Even a few years back, and his awful run with injury, you could see back then that he had this sooky thing about him, the tell tale signs were there when he was trying to cement a spot. [yes, no one can blame him for being extremely frustrated with injury].

I mentioned this story in another thread-

I remember going to watch him play for Tassie against the Vics early on in his career. Elliott was belting him all around the park and then when Elliott was in his 90s he was caught deep on the boundary to Watson's bowling. Watson proceeded to celebrate my basically just screaming right in Elliott's face. He had inexperience as a reason that day.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Umar Akmal is vital, he was great in his debut series vs NZ and they really need him to reproduce that form tomorrow.

Not a bad start young man.

[mighty_west]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

This Umar Akmal is looking very promising for the Paki's, i watched that game when he made his debut v the Kiwi's, and put on a massive partnership with his brother Kamran, he made a ton, but his brother i think went out in the 80's unfortunatly, would have been just a brilliant moment had they both reached double figures, was a great achievement in any case.

[mighty_west]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Rocco, i think we just combined to put a mozz on the young man...BU BOW!!!!!

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

I dislike Watson because he reeks of a certain character imo. The super insecure/defensive bloke who just can't deal with having success. Watson acts like such a little whiney bitch and seems pre-occupied with celebrating his opponent's failure. But that is just my call, I get a repulsive vibe off Watson like very few other players.

I certainly don't see it that way. He's overcome a number of injuries that might have curtailed others. He also might have whined a bit more than he should have but I think this is more due to being ultra competitive than anything else.

I'd prefer that he went about things with a bit more maturity but I don't think he is as bad as some people think.
Clarke irritates me much more.

[mighty_west]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

I certainly don't see it that way. He's overcome a number of injuries that might have curtailed others. He also might have whined a bit more than he should have but I think this is more due to being ultra competitive than anything else.

I'd prefer that he went about things with a bit more maturity but I don't think he is as bad as some people think.
Clarke irritates me much more.

In what way?

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

In what way?

Arrogant, contrived interviews, the way he rids the helmet when he is close to a century so that he can put on the cap and get his picture taken kissing it then putting the helmet back on etc etc.

He's a terrific talent but I tend to tune off whenever the camera and microphone are in front of him. He says nothing interesting and it just annoys me watching him.

I could go on

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Rocco, i think we just combined to put a mozz on the young man...BU BOW!!!!!

Yep.

[dog town]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Would love to talk to who ever has been in Peter Siddles ear. After his end to last summer then the tour to South Africa where he completely dominated them I thought we had found a guy who was going to lead the attack with Johnson for a long time. He was brave, unrelenting and amazingly accurate and economical. He was mixing this consistent approach with the occasional burst of aggression at the appropriate time and against the right batsmen.

Then came England and while he still took a heap of wickets his economy rate lifted dramatically and he seemed to lose a bit of patience. This has now continued into the current series. It seems someone has told him to stop bowling accurate, patient line and length bowling and start trying to get a wicket every ball. Siddles strength was an ability to build pressure and maintain pace over long spells. He would bowl long fast spells barely leaving the top of off stump. Last summer and in South Africa he would go for 2-3 runs an over if that but now he has is often going and 4 and over.

I want to know who is giving him this advice. Australia desperately needs him back doing what he does best. He started this series equal with Mitch Johnson for the most wickets for the year world wide which highlights his importance. The scary part is I have not heard anyone ackowledge this change of approach from him. He has always had a decent bouncer but not when he bowls it 3 times and over. It could possibly be traced back to the latter part of the SA series where he had good success against Duminy and the South African tail with the short ball.

Not every bowler has to bowl lightning pace, hooping outswingers or hit blokes in the head I just think we may have the wrong people giving him advice. We just need him to get back to basics or we may lose one of our best prospects.

[hujsh]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Interesting stat about the declaration.

"Ponting closed Australia's effort at 5 for 454, which was the smallest total he had ever declared on in the first innings of a Test and the lowest for any Australian team in nearly 30 years, excluding rain-affected matches."

[boydogs]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan

Interesting stat about the declaration.

"Ponting closed Australia's effort at 5 for 454, which was the smallest total he had ever declared on in the first innings of a Test and the lowest for any Australian team in nearly 30 years, excluding rain-affected matches."

Good point. Not like we had run out of batsmen either. 9/454 you could understand, but at 5/454 including the night watchman you would think we would just tell the rest of them to take up the attack and try and score at a run a ball to get up towards 550.

The weather forecast for the rest of the test looks good as well

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/vic/melbourne