Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

[GVGjr]

Likely line ups
Australia
Chris Rogers - David Warner
Alex Doolan - Michael Clarke (capt)
Steve Smith - Mitchell Marsh
Brad Haddin (wk)
Mitchell Johnson - Peter Siddle
Steve O'Keefe - Nathan Lyon

Pakistan
Ahmed Shehzad - Mohammad Hafeez
Azhar Ali - Younis Khan
Misbah-ul-Haq (capt) - Asad Shafiq
Sarfraz Ahmed (wk)
Zulfiqar Babar - Mohammad Talha
Yasir Shah - Rahat Ali

I guess the need to play 2 spinners has given the selectors the chance to play Mitchell Marsh as the number 6 so he can provide that extra bowler. Steve O'Keefe gets his first test and he will probably need to do a containing job and hopefully snare a wicket or two. Pakistan's batting looks quite good.

Does Marsh have the batting technique to bat for a long period on a turning track?

[Bornadog]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Well Marsh will get his chance to show us if he is capable at test level.

Should be an interesting series.

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Not that it matters but does anyone know how the cap numbers are allocated when there is two debutant's?

[Greystache]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Not that it matters but does anyone know how the cap numbers are allocated when there is two debutant's?

Originally it was batting order, but it changed a little while back to surname alphabetical order.

Michael Slater has a tattoo and a personalised number plate that are wrong

[Axe Man]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Not that it matters but does anyone know how the cap numbers are allocated when there is two debutant's?

Geoff Marsh presented Baggy Green 438 to his son Mitchell. Dean Jones presented Baggy Green 439 to Steve O'Keefe.

So that is both batting and alphabetical order.

[Axe Man]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Pakistan won the toss and will bat.

Teams:

Australia Team
DA Warner
CJL Rogers
AJ Doolan
MJ Clarke*
SPD Smith
MR Marsh
BJ Haddin†
MG Johnson
PM Siddle
SNJ O'Keefe
NM Lyon

Pakistan Team
Ahmed Shehzad
Mohammad Hafeez
Azhar Ali
Younis Khan
Misbah-ul-Haq*
Asad Shafiq
Sarfraz Ahmed†
Zulfiqar Babar
Yasir Shah
Rahat Ali
Imran Khan

Pakistan a little desperate bringing Imran Khan out of retirement!

[Twodogs]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Is there audio of the game available anywhere?

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

That LBW was as plumb as you would ever see. Silly challenge by Pakistan.

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Is there audio of the game available anywhere?

I'm checking Cricket Australia without luck

Another wicket

[Greystache]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

That LBW was as plumb as you would ever see. Silly challenge by Pakistan.

Looks like Mitch hasn't lost any of his form which is great news.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Pakistan 2/35 from 19 overs with Johnston and Siddle the wicket takers

[GVGjr]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Johnson has bowled many poor deliveries amongst a few good ones

[lemmon]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Nice to see Sidds with his pace up. He's displayed his best wicket taking form when leading the attack in the past and being bowled in shorter, more attacking spells rather than as the containing third seamer we've seen over the last 18 months as he's been relegated to backup for Johnson/Ryno. These two tests are a nice little chance for him to steam in

[boydogs]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Johnson has bowled many poor deliveries amongst a few good ones

Well they're not taking advantage, 1/14 after 11 overs

[lemmon]

Re: Australia vs Pakistan Test Series

Strange thought but today was the biggest advertisement for what Shane Watson brings to the side in a long time -and that's not bashing Marsh who handled his first day with aplomb. Marsh is a talented boy but his bowling is at the same level Watson's was in 2006, gun barrel straight at about 135 clicks, a nice change option to have but not much wicket taking craft on these flat surfaces. For all of his faults Watson's bowling has become the most mature part of his cricket, injuries have slowed him by 5 or 10 k's but he cuts the ball, he swings it both ways, he mixes up his line and length and genuinely thinks batsman out...it's a strange outcome for a guy who isn't a thinking cricketer but with ball in hand he has matured into the archetypal 'old pro' and a wonderful fourth seamer in all conditions.

At about the 50 or 60 over mark tonight the ball was genuinely reversing, both Siddle and Marsh had it hooping around but couldn't strike at a time when a breakthrough may have sparked collapse. It really was a critical juncture in the game but Khan and Misbah handled it so comfortably it turned into a non-event. On the subcontinent you need wickets in those important little periods when ball has a chance to gain some advantage over bat and you need them in bunches or else batsman just never get out. I would have loved to see Watson in those conditions because he is in my mind the best reverse swing bowler in the country