1st Test Against Jarpies

[byso]

Another loss, Sack Ponting!

 

[Chip and Chase]

Just goes to show how innocuous our attack is without McGrath and Warne, we would have won comfortably with either of those in the side today.

Fluffy is right though, Clark and Symonds both threw away their wickets in the second dig through arrogance. We should have set them a 500 + chase had we showed some application. The South African bowlers did even less than ours with the ball, yet they managed to take 20 wickets for the match. Well done to the Saffies though, they batted well and did it easy in the end.

I think Australian cricket might be in for a bit of lean trot for a couple of seasons.

 

[Canteen Worker]

First time in 15 years the Aussies have lost the first test in a home series. In fact we have hardly lost a test that counted on home soil in that time.

Our attack worries me - ironic that Hauritz bowled with control and took a stack of wickets today as did Bollinger. Doug can bowl an inswinger, which is what limits Johnson from being a consistent threat whilst Lee is ordinary when the ball is not moving away in the air. Siddle is very ordinary and Kreja gives away too many runs for a bowler of his type, which lets the batsmen ease the pressure. Clark is sorely missed as he would have been very threatening on the Perth wicket. He jags the ball in and away off the track, something only Johnson does from time to time.

 

[Matabele]

Brett Lee exposed for the pretender he is.  When the other guys can't break through the top order he's not able to mop up the tail.

 

[Guest]

Brett Lee exposed for the pretender he is.  When the other guys can't break through the top order he's not able to mop up the tail.

Change his nickname from Bing Lee to sorbent Lee.  Good to clean up the tail.

 

[Fluffy]

what a hack warne must of been in your eyes then.

Lee bowled fairly well throughout the match, certainly much better than his figures showed. However he didnt have the luxury of bowling opposite McGrath hence the south africans played it cool and saw him off whilst using the other end to attack. Hence they played their shots and got out against Johnson a lot. A real turning of the table.

Piddle doesnt seem to have it yet

 

[Matabele]

See Lee off?  They treated him with disdain - on a pitch that is supposed to suit him!

 

[Fluffy]

Bowling     O M R W Econ
B Lee     27 4 73 1 2.70 (6nb, 1w)
MG Johnson  34.2    5 98 3 2.85 (1w)
PM Siddle      26 2 84 0 3.23
JJ Krejza     24 2 102 0 4.25
MJ Clarke      8 0 35 0 4.37

They smashed around the park for a whole 2.7 runs an over compared to the others who they could barely score off.

WARNING!! facts may ruin a good story.

 

[clontaago]

Our bowlers are pretty well all out of form. Johnson bowled well but he needs to do that more often. We need a decent spinner, they are all hacks.

Cant really blame the batsmen, that was a high enough total to defend. Having said that though the tail did contribute significantly in both innings.

My main concern was that I backed Smith as highest runscorer in the 2nd innings, I was praying that the debutant was going to get his 50 and stop AB from getting more runs than Smith. 2 runs in the end got me home and up $200.

 

[Fluffy]

looks like Hilfenhous will get the nod for friday which is a good thing. we need a geniune swing bowler in the ashes over there.

Seems Ponting is blaming Lee, interesting move considering Lee scored more Runs than Ponting, Hussey and Hayden.

Sure 400+ should have been defended but the pitch did not deteriorate as much as normal nor did the spinner do much on the 5th day.

Little has been said that the commentators on Radio, internet and TV were all saying its a beautiful batting pitch. It sounds and seems that if our batting had been half decent the match would have and should have been a draw.

My personal feel was the bowling was poor and the batting woeful, it was only the tail that gave us something to bowl at.

 

[Matabele]

Have a look at Lee's wagon wheel of runs scored off his bowling and note how they plundered him by driving him down the wicket.  You never see that happening to a legitimate top-line fast bowler.

 

[The Gronk]

We need a decent spinner, they are all hacks.

Don't worry Douggie, I just got a call from Andrew Hilditch and I have been asked to join the squad for the Boxing Day test.  My left arm chinamen will have the Saffers in two minds every ball.

Only problem is they might be in two minds between hitting it for four or six. 

 

[Matabele]

According to Fluffy that's how Warne got all his wickets, by bowling them through the gate while they worked out how they wanted to score.

 

[Fluffy]

nope, wrong yet again. I never said that, nor did i imply it.

You implied that any bowler that got their wickets in the lower order was a hack.

but hey, we all know facts arnt exactly your strong side.

 

[Matabele]

Fluffy, speaking of facts, can you tell me what 84 divided by 16 equals?