Anyone following the AUS-IND match?

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Beny

Aus beat Sri-lanka on doctord pitches facing the like of Murali and Vass. Alot of preperation has gone into this series from the Aussie side. Clarke and Katich are excelent players of spin which is why Im not raving about clarke yet... he's still got a bit to prove.

I feel really sorry for WPUJC Vaas. SL always prepare home pitches that will spin from day one, and will be absolute crap for visiting seamers so they can squeeze every last drop of advantage from Murali. And there is poor old Chaminda in the background stamping in day, after day, after day bowling on these appallingly unhelpful pitches and giving it everything he has dispite the fact that he has to bowl really bloody well just to get in a reasonably cheap new ball spell. You can just see the pre-match meetings with the groundstaff:-

Kandy groundsman; "What sort of pitch do you want, boss"

SLCB Chairman; "The sort of awful, slow, low abraisive, crappy dustbowl spinner that would make any seamer cry"

WPUJC Vaas: "Eeeeerrrrrr, 'scuse me......"

Chair; "Yeah a real raging turner"

Vaas; "'scuse me...."

Chair; "Who are you and what do you want?"

Vaas; "I'm WPUJC Vaas, one of the leading seam bowlers in the world. I play for Sri Lanka - remember?"

Chair; "Oh yes, your that chappie who comes in to bat at 8 and holds the ball while Murali warms up. Well? What do you want?"

Vaas; "Well, I'd quite like to bowl on a home pitch where I might stand a chance of taking a 5-fer. At least once in my life! Please!"

Groudsman; "Security!"

[Milo]

His performaces away from home have been utterly abysmal. So I think he'd rather play at home than anywhere else.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Milo

His performaces away from home have been utterly abysmal. So I think he'd rather play at home than anywhere else.

Possibly. I still think its a bit of a raw deal for him though. Imagine if Botham had be born in Colombo? He'd probably have taken up hockey or something out of pure frustration.......

[Goatman]

Actually, I'm going to recant that having just had a peep at his career. His best figures are for tests in PAK, NZ and ZIM and his away average, though not quite as good as his excellent home record (average 26ish) is a very repectable 32. Given that most of the time he has been opening alongside some rank no-hoper and thus has no ability whatever to build any kind of pressure, and that most players average slightly more at home thats a long way from abyssmal. Thats pretty respectable!

[Goatman]

Anyway, IND not competing at all here. Very poor. Can the schoolboys Patel and Pathan drag it into some kind of respectability?

[Milo]

Zimbabwe? Since when is that relevant Goaty. He has grown up in SL, he has tailored his bowling to suit those surfaces (which often help swing/seam bowling in the rainy season). His away record (averge 32) is very disproportionate to his actual performances. In England he struggled to bowl a dot ball, in SA he has been pathetic and when I saw him bowl in West Indies he was ineffective. His record in Australia (should suit pace bowlers) was awful until he came upon the pitch this year in their winter that any bowler could have taken wickets.

Look a bit closer Goaty, and you will see that the groundsmen at SL have done him all the favours they need to.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Milo

Look a bit closer Goaty, and you will see that the groundsmen at SL have done him all the favours they need to.

Well, I think you're being very unkind to poor old Chaminda! He's a very decent man, and a good craftsman to boot. Admittedly, he is at his best in ODI's rather than tests but I for one still rate him.

Its true that if you grow up in an area, you will learn to bowl accordingly. Thats why bowlers have better home than away records. Unless their called Giles of course....

Anyway, this could get into a very long debate that isn't about IND or AUS, so shall we accept that we differ on this one?

[Milo]

Originally Posted by Goatman

Anyway, this could get into a very long debate that isn't about IND or AUS, so shall we accept that we differ on this one?

Yep agreed.

[Goatman]

AUS 474a/o

IND 150/6

IND in deep trouble? Can the lower order save the follow on? Did GD McGrath take his 3 wickets by pure fluke? (no...)

Can IND save this test!

[Pete]

Great catch by Harbhajan to dismiss Gilchrist, just saw a couple of mins of highlights on Sky Sports News. Sky should have bought the rights to show this, or even just a highlights package.