TOPIC:

Well the DRS decision with snicko showing a short spike has got into the heads of the curry munchers. Washington slow to leave the field then the normally mild mannered always smiling Bumrah straight away arguing with the umpire as soon as he comes out to bat and looks angry with the bat.

Probably keen to get the Kookaburra in his hand on this green deck.

DD wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Beau Webster bowls medium pace and off spin.
Not sure where you heard he bowled fast was DD?

Definitely read it BH. Don't know why they played Starc he's grimacing nearly every ball and bowling wide down leg side to the lefties or dragging them down short. Richo should have played in this test I'm sure you agree BH.

In The Worst yesterday in fact. 

 

Ah The Worst.....say no more.....I shouldnt be surprised how little they know about cricket and every other sport for that matter.
They havent had a proper cricket reporter since the days of Casellas & Townsend.

I missed the end of the Indian innings and Australia's few overs at the crease. Just watched Kayo Bite. What's with Bumrah immediately turning to Konstas and having words when he got Kuwhaja out in the last ball of the day? Was Sam being chirpy or just carryover from the Melbourne test?

If it's the latter that's pretty immature from Bumrah and I'm very surprised.

DD...they said "pace"...medium pace is still a version of pace mate....yeah it's not fast medium or express pace.....but still pace.....anyway Webster was tidy enough....gave the other 3 pace boys some recovery time.

Geez Uzzie is cooked....terrible shot.....he is lucky SL is next....got a good record v spin....but that will only mean he will get a finale send off v the Poms next summer....at 39/40 yrs of age.....

I must say I was somewhat surprised with the wicket produced by the curator over there.
With the Border-Gavaskar Series on the line you would have expected a flat road (the BCCI always doctor the pitches in India when the Series is up for grabs) but not here.
Probably expected 3-4 days of constant rain in the usual Sydney Test weather pattern?!

Probably not the best move for Konstas to "poke the bear" in the last over. A spot of gardening would have been a safer option if he wanted to waste time. Not that Uzzie can blame the youngster for his dismissal, playing from the crease to a half volley shows a crippling lack of confidence against Bumrah.

Otherwise was a disciplined performance by the bowlers on a very spicy pitch which seemed to get harder to play on as the day went by.

Will be interesting to see if it offers the same tomorrow. If it does then that 185 may not be such a bad score. Onus is now on the 3 senior batsmen in the Australian side to take control and make sure that at least one of Smith Labuschagne or Head get a big score to guide them to a first innings lead. The lower order batsmen can't be expected to survive long on this pitch so its up to the front liners. If Australia could somehow get up close to 300, this would put a great deal of pressure on Indias 2nd innings.

Freezin wrote:

DD...they said "pace"...medium pace is still a version of pace mate....yeah it's not fast medium or express pace.....but still pace.....anyway Webster was tidy enough....gave the other 3 pace boys some recovery time.9
 

Then say he bowls medium pace because pace in my mind is regularly in the 130's and the occasional 140's. Express regularly in the 140's occasional 150's. 

Yep looks like he can bowl longer spells and has got big dukes so looks as good as Marsh in the slips..

The inevitable top order failure....again.
Khawaja, Labuschagne & Head barely troubled the scorers....again.
Hopefully Webster can go on with it after lunch, he has already done more in 2 days than Marsh did in the previous 4 Tests!
Coach & selectors take note from the last 2 selections, pick in form players, do not continue on with out of form veterans, bring in new blood for Sri Lanka, drop Khawaja for good!

So pretty much evens after both first innings, great knock by Webster, looked in total control up until his dismissal, Lyon and Boland added a very valuable 15 to almost snatch the lead. Unless rain intervenes, there will be a result so both teams will have to play attacking cricket.

Totally mind numbing wicket prep by the NSW numpties, providing a wicket that gives India every chance of snatching the win rather than a the road that should have been prepared, WTF were they thinking.

Bumrah looks like he has a groin injury which will surely restrict him but their other quicks have stepped up in his absence.
Need to bowl super well, as we did in the first innings, keeping them under 200 is essential on this very bowler friendly wicket, then hope for a top order batting miracle to get the result. As I said the draw seems out of the equation unless weather intervenes, a wash out would be justified for Australia after weather robbed us of the win in Brisbane.

a bit disappointing from Australia - a few techniques exposed once again
Khawaja has to be dispatched his eye & reflexes are gone and he is another one holding back vital new blood
Webster has shown up several players big time with that 50
we'll have to get the likes of Hardie , Connolly , Ward , Morris & Davies into the pack
Lyon has to be pensioned off now as well
it's time