First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

[Greystache]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I heard Warne saying there was only four players on form that should be selected in the next test. Clarke, Henriques, Pattinson and I think he said Warner. I'd add Wade to it but I think Watson heads back home now and I wonder what changes they should make? Doherty for Starc and maybe Khawaja for Watson?

He's done a good job Henriques, despite the doubts on him. Half century in both innings and respectable bowling figures in difficult conditions. One of the few positives from this match.

[lemmon]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Jackson Bird has returned home with back soreness to get scans, may return if they show all clear

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

He's done a good job Henriques, despite the doubts on him. Half century in both innings and respectable bowling figures in difficult conditions. One of the few positives from this match.

Clarkes batting, Pattinsons bowling and Henriques batting is about it. Lyon and Warner did OK.

Wade looked awkward behind the stumps but it is a dodgy track and not much chop in front of them.

[jeemak]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I appreciate that many runs were scored on this particular wicket over the first two innings, and I understand that Australia places some bias on to the wickets it presents towards oppositions teams.

However, first and foremost the deterioration of a wicket can be extremely quick, and the Indians have crafted an extremely fine art of producing wickets that severely favour their strengths in the second two innings of each match. What I've seen from this wicket is so heavily biased towards the strengths of the hosts it's not funny.

Australian wickets are difficult because of their variable bounce, to a point, but nothing like the horeshit that was served up in this test. Sure, they have a bias towards pace bowling, but they also provide enough for the spinners who are skillful at their craft while still allowing the bats to score runs once they have established themselves.

Personally, I think some realistic thought needs to be placed on how wickets are prepared for test matches. Australia has had numerous opportunities to present ridiculously biased pitches against its touring opponents, but for the most part it has resisted the opportunity to do so.

What we saw today was absolute crap IMO (which admittedly, doesn't count for much).

[lemmon]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I definitely understand your viewpoint Jeemak and the argument you make is a good one but I still don't mind the pitch. Australia has always been hard and bouncy, England has always swung, South Africa has always seamed, India has always turned, Pakistan has always been flat and New Zealand has always been slow and sticky; I like that variation in world cricket, I like that different nations produce different kinds of players and that to win on tour you have to adapt and beat a side that has grown up in those conditions.

Admittedly this pitch looks extreme but it has produced a double hundred, Pattinson has steamed in and been rewarded and of course the spin of Ashwin has dominated. We didn't get enough in the first dig, we missed chances and we bowled poorly to Kohli and Dhoni, I'm not blaming the pitch for this result.

[jeemak]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

That's more than fair. I suppose where I get frustrated is by the level of deterioration that is always a fixture in the last couple of days in Indian test matches.

Their wickets are set fairly enough to suit their line ups at the start of play, though they seem to really make a farce of those conditions moreso than any of the countries you mentioned as the game goes on. There's no reason for this, other than pure bias.

Every country you mentioned has its own characteristics, but none of them are as pronounced as the pitch we saw today.

What's the bet the next pitch is toned down somewhat after the negative press received as a result of this outcome? They're one up, that's all that matters.

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Just on the pitch, I think it's a shocking wicket that was clearly designed to favor one side.
In Australia we get variable pitches which I think is a better balance.

Good to see Henriques putting value on his wicket and not just giving it away.
I'm not sure yet if he will be a player that puts together 10 tests in his career but he bowls tightly and has good concentration at the batting crease.
The question might be if he can hold down the number 6 batting spot.

[Topdog]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I heard Warne saying there was only four players on form that should be selected in the next test. Clarke, Henriques, Pattinson and I think he said Warner. I'd add Wade to it but I think Watson heads back home now and I wonder what changes they should make? Doherty for Starc and maybe Khawaja for Watson?

Why is Watson heading home?

[Bornadog]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Why is Watson heading home?

Isn't his wife having a baby?

[ledge]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I don't like the wicket being used as an excuse, yes all countries doctor them
To a certain extent but a lot depends on the Toss.
My other opinion is if we know it's going to
Be doctored to suit their bowlers why do we insist on taking pace man and not more spinners, at least pick a side close to Indias side.

I remember last time we toured India and Ponting took all pace bowlers and said we will
Blast them out, apart from that being arrogant India would have been rolling around on floor laughing, when will the selectors learn to beat India you need spin and medium pace, I cringe everytime I see the squad picked with few spinners.

[Bornadog]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I don't like the wicket being used as an excuse, yes all countries doctor them
To a certain extent but a lot depends on the Toss.
My other opinion is if we know it's going to
Be doctored to suit their bowlers why do we insist on taking pace man and not more spinners, at least pick a side close to Indias side.

I remember last time we toured India and Ponting took all pace bowlers and said we will
Blast them out, apart from that being arrogant India would have been rolling around on floor laughing, when will the selectors learn to beat India you need spin and medium pace, I cringe everytime I see the squad picked with few spinners.

The trouble is we don't have any world class spinners.

[Greystache]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Clarkes batting, Pattinsons bowling and Henriques batting is about it. Lyon and Warner did OK.

Wade looked awkward behind the stumps but it is a dodgy track and not much chop in front of them.

Agree with you on Pattinson and Henriques who have been outstanding, and Clarke who's been more of the same, but I can't share your optimism on Lyon's performance. 3 for 200odd at 4.5 runs per over is a pretty poor return in any scenario, let alone on a wicket doctored for spin bowling advantage. I accept the Indian batsmen are good players of spin, but Lyon showed that he really has very few strings to his bow. Not only did he struggle for wickets when other spinners excelled, he wasn't even able to toe up an end for Clarke. On a less spin friendly wicket it could have been very very ugly.

I'd been happy to support Lyon to this point and think he can still pay a role on seam friendly pitches, but this match (and a few others recently) have shown to me that he's just a filler while we continue to search for long term spin option.

[lemmon]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Agree Grey, he's still the best option available. We burned Hauritz after India as well

[lemmon]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

Anyone keen to put up any changes?

If Watson's out I'd bring in Khawaja to bat 4, Starc would be my other out, need to have a think about whether Johnson, Doherty or even Maxwell replaces him

[Twodogs]

Re: First Test- India V Australia, Chennai

I'd been happy to support Lyon to this point and think he can still pay a role on seam friendly pitches, but this match (and a few others recently) have shown to me that he's just a filler while we continue to search for long term spin option.

I'd still like to se him bowl in a partnership with another spinner though. I thnk part of the problem is (apart from having no world class spinners) that we've burned many spinners by bringing them in and expecting them to perform while the guy bowling at the other end is leaking runs.


Pretty much all the great spinners have bowled in partnerships from the days of Grimmett and O'Reilly in the 1920s and 30s. Even Turner in the 1880s had Ferris at the othr end.