[quote=“Manuel Zelaya, post: 870337, member: 377”]That is one truly bizarre statement.
The WACA has a fearsome reputation as being the fastest wicket for any test venue in world cricket. Its also the test ground that has produced the highest percentage of results anywhere in the world. 33 of the 40 tests played there since it gained test venue status in the early 1970’s have produced a winner with just 7 draws. If anything that ratio has accelerated in recent years. Of the last 20 tests there, just 2 have been drawn.[/quote]
And it will suit johnson and Australias batsmen more than an underperforming england batting lineup and misfiring anderson.
Whos ‘we’? Point out where i said i predicted a draw?
Before you twist my words further, i predicted a draw in Adelaide and an Australian win in perth, but that england will play for a draw there as the conditions wont suit them. You ran off to google for statistics about the waca which im well aware of, but im giving my opinion on how the games will go, you’re regurgitating statistics to try to look smart.
There’s basic rules of thumb which apply at various cricket venues around the world. You don’t go to the WACA looking for a draw and you err on the side of caution in declaring in Adelaide and don’t declare early. As I’ve already pointed out, there’s a recent Ashes precedent of England declaring on 551/6 in 2006 and going onto lose the test, scoring just 129 runs in the 2nd innings. Two years previously during Steve Waugh’s last series as Australia captain, Australia batted first and posted 556 in Adelaide. Australia were all out for 196 second innings and India won that test by 4 wickets.
If thats the case why declare at all? All the commentators seem to be of tbe opinion that this pitch wont break up as easily, so the chances of a sub 200 second innings seem remote. Based on this new pitch should teams not be more aggressive?
Whatever about declaring in your second innings, I don’t believe in declaring in your first innings full stop. Just bat it out, at least until you get to 600. Its a rare enough instance that a team won’t be bowled out by the time they get to 600 in any case. There’ll still be 3+ days left when you’re finished batting. England haven’t posted a score over 400 in their last 17 test innings and have been generally posting scores 250-350 territory. Needing 370 now to avoid the follow on, there’s every chance Australia will have the chance to enforce the follow on. If Clarke had declared on 500, chances are England would have got to 300.
If there is some movement or the pitch gives a bit then would it not make sense not to enforce the follow on. Make England survive a day and a half at the end chasing maybe a nearly unachievable 450 or whatever. Presumably Australia will get them out tonight, swing away then for a quick fire 250 or so and let the bowlers at it. However if the pitch holds that might not work and there won’t be enough time to bowl them out. Hence my opinion that Australia should have pushed it on day one. I understand entirely why they have played it as they did. Smart cricket and the match is safe you’d imagine. But another loss now and these stress affected poems might fold and the series be over by Christmas.
I see this @maroonandwhite[/USER] moron is still bluffing away, talking unadulterated shite, on a sport he clearly doesn’t understand. I haven’t read such waffle on a cricket thread since @[USER=236]Fitzy stopped posting on TFK.
You werent long jogging when a bit of real cricket talk started. Yet again I’ve found you out as a bluffer. Stick to the soccer pretending your a provo when you grew up in a garrison town, you havent a clue about hurling nfl and this noble pastime.
England are under the cosh, but they could well bat well today. I’ve just been looking at some scorecards from Adelaide over the past decade. Australia posted
You don’t push a test match on Day 1. Australia all but lost the Adelaide test three years ago inside 10 minutes when they tried to force things from the very start and lost three wickets in the first three overs.
A cautionary lesson unfolding in Dunedin at the moment for those advocating aggressive early first innings declarations. The University Oval in Dunedin would bear a lot of similarities to the Adelaide Oval. New Zealand tottering on 44/4 chasing a victory target of 111, Shane Shillingoford, the West Indies spinner after taking all 4 wickets. New Zealand declared in their first innings on 609/9. They’ll probably have just enough runs in hand to stumble over the line, but I’m sure they are glad at the moment they didn’t declare on 500 or even 550.
It looked like a great declaration after the first innings, they couldn’t have predicted that from bravo. Leads back to my thesis that enforcing the follow on is a poor idea. Nz could have easily had a 650 run lead and let the windies bat on this now clearly crumbling pitch.
England have been absolutely battered by Australia, all out for 172. Mitch took 7. Root and Petersen started the rot by giving their wickets away. Only Carberry (60) and Bell 72 no have shown any fight. Aussies were 4-2 in reply but are now 51-2. Suppose they will bat to get the lead back up to 550 and have the bones of two days to bowl England out. They could have followed on because England are shot but probably want to give Mitch a break.
Johnson just blew them away. Its lamentable though with the exception of Bell and Carberry none of the rest of the English team have the first clue how to deal with a bit of express pace.
Real drama over in Dunedin as well. Rain comes to West Indies at it ends a draw with New Zealand on 79/4 just 32 short of their target.
You’re talking utter sh*te now. Have you ever been to Dunedin? It never stops raining there. Its the rainiest test venue in the world and by some distance holds the Number 1 position for most full days wiped out in test matches to rain. Its a minor miracle that 14 of the 15 sessions in this test were completed without any rain. When you have a 396 run first innings lead in Dunedin and the chance to enforce the the follow on, its an absolute no brainer, you take it. The next time it starts raining its likely to be non-stop for about two weeks.