[cite]Posted By: Friend Or Defoe[/cite]Not a bad day, fancy the Aussies to win this test though. Impressive bowling from the unknowns.
As this is Sophia Garden's debut Test there's no track record on how the wicket tends to play, or what a good score is, so we'll have to wait and see how Australia bat on it before we know if this is a good score. Allegedly the square does take spin and I think it will get a bit easier to bat on as the game progresses, so picking two front-line spinners looks wise at the moment. Other than that the ball is swinging, particularly for Siddle and that bodes well for Anderson. As for how Australia bowled - their main man is Mitchell Johnson, but he was too loose and didn't build enough pressure. Siddle and Hilfenhaus bowled ok and kept running in but are nothing special, of the three spinners, none impressed me and this could be Hauritz's only Test, especially if Clarke bowls well. Ponting I don't think rates him too highly - he had four fielders on the boundary at one point when he was bowling and his sole wicket was a gift. England threw too many of their wickets away, only Prior could really be said to have received an unplayable delivery, the others were to a greater or lesser extent culpable in their demise - most notably Pietersen. A bit more application and a big first innings score was there for the taking.
Well it all depends what Australia get in their first innings as to whether this is a good score. Can't help but think they won't be so generous in giving their wickets away!!!
Is it me or are the boundaries that much longer here than in the other test match venues? They are hitting big and not getting boundaries just 2s and 3s!
Comments
Appalling shot selection. Its the first day of a test match, 3 foot outside off stump, 'kin leave it alone all day long.
...I take full responsibility :-~
Still 8 overs left tonight.
Momentum changing in a Gilchrist kind of way
If we can get over 400 that would give us an excellent platform to exert some pressure.
400 would be good but problematic now with only 4 wickets left one of whom is Monty!
Might get 350...
Anderson not out 2 and extends his record of never having been dismissed for zero in Tests.
As this is Sophia Garden's debut Test there's no track record on how the wicket tends to play, or what a good score is, so we'll have to wait and see how Australia bat on it before we know if this is a good score. Allegedly the square does take spin and I think it will get a bit easier to bat on as the game progresses, so picking two front-line spinners looks wise at the moment. Other than that the ball is swinging, particularly for Siddle and that bodes well for Anderson. As for how Australia bowled - their main man is Mitchell Johnson, but he was too loose and didn't build enough pressure. Siddle and Hilfenhaus bowled ok and kept running in but are nothing special, of the three spinners, none impressed me and this could be Hauritz's only Test, especially if Clarke bowls well. Ponting I don't think rates him too highly - he had four fielders on the boundary at one point when he was bowling and his sole wicket was a gift. England threw too many of their wickets away, only Prior could really be said to have received an unplayable delivery, the others were to a greater or lesser extent culpable in their demise - most notably Pietersen. A bit more application and a big first innings score was there for the taking.
Plenty of time to skiltte them out.
At county level anyway.
If we get 400 that would be decent.
Is it me or are the boundaries that much longer here than in the other test match venues? They are hitting big and not getting boundaries just 2s and 3s!
384-8
from what i heard from yesterday, the general consensus was it was a 420-450 pitch for a solid start.