My two cents...: Day 4

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Day 4 - Lunch

Is the Prick not setting a 8-1 field as a mark of protest or because he has no confidence in his bowlers?

39 comments:

Gaurav Sethi said...: he never has a reason.; 2:21 AM, November 09, 2008
Soulberry said...: If he's a gentleman, he should hand over the BG trophy and take the first flight to 'roosilla. But we know he isn't and like some punishment.

He's been given Vijay by Bowden, Dravid was picked up by Watson and Sehwag threw himself away for a cute 100-getting boundary flick off his waist...Haddin caught the edge. He shoulda murdered that one too...; 2:32 AM, November 09, 2008
Leela said...: I wonder what these guys are having for lunch... they get back and then loose wickets ... immidiately.; 2:34 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: lol NC :); 2:57 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: our mental mistakes SB.. only we are to blame for that

Cheers,; 2:57 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Leela,

A case of "Sir, can I have some more? "

Cheers,; 2:58 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: Homer,

What do you think of Ponting's decision to bowl part timers (so he isn't suspended for slow over rates), instead of going for the kill and bowling his strike bowlers?

This is the most disgraceful captaincy i have ever witnessed from an Australian (possibly any) captain.

Regards,

Nick.; 4:31 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Nick,

Like Allan Border, I dont know what to say.

Is Ricky Ponting playing the the first Test against New Zealand more important than Australia retaining the B-G Trophy?

Its just so wrong on so many different levels.

Cheers,; 4:39 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: Yes,i was just mentioning to my mate here in Australia, "this is the most sanguine i have ever heard Borders commentary".; 4:48 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: You know whats the worst part about this strategy Nick - it cost Australia in Perth.

So, what is Tim Nielson's role with the team?

Cheers,; 5:02 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: I must add this captaincy we are witnessing by Ponting at the moment is an utter disgrace.

Coming form Australia i can assure you that there has been a mini uproar here about Dhoni's captaincy yesterday.

But the question has to be asked: What is worse? Playing defensivley so you can win a series or not bothering about winning at all?

As you said before Homer, all we are trying to do is save Ponting from missing the first test against New Zealand. Why is that? Will we miss the tactical genius of Ponting so much that we will be unable to beat the kiwis?

May i please remind the Australian test side- we are trying to square a series against the nation that is our number one challenger for world champions!

Disgraceful.; 5:05 AM, November 09, 2008
Trideep said...: Finally Ricky has been warned for slow over rates... Finlly!!!; 5:06 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Nick,

From a parochial stand point, I am quite enjoying Australia doing its best to hand the B-G Trophy to India..

But big picture, I fear for the future of the Trophy - these last two series between the two countries have totally dimmed the aura that had been built up since the Trophy came into inception in 1996.

There was intensity, competition and most of all, there was respect before 2007.

It has all been flushed down the toilet because of acrimony, name calling,basic lack of decency and disrespect.

I am afraid very few people will tune in in 2012 for the next edition of the series.

Cheers,; 5:24 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Karma Trideep.. Think Perth and see the parallels!

Cheers,; 5:25 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: RE HOMER:

Don' tell me Obahma has infected you too!; 5:36 AM, November 09, 2008
Jonathan said...: Ponting is a terrible captain and always has been.

Mind you, the disgrace of ABC radio covering a rugby league world cup group match instead of the Test is almost as bad.; 5:36 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Nick,

For starters, a lot of the personalities who contributed to making the series what it is today wont be there in 2012 (Oz has already seen some of their greats go. India will see the same in the next couple of years).

And I think there is a lot of bitterness between the two teams and the two people which also contributes in dimming the aura.

And when people start putting themselves above winning the series, when the match becomes about them and not the team cause, that is the last nail in the coffin.

Cheers,; 5:42 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: lol Jonathan... :); 5:42 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: THE main culprit in the "dimming the aura", of the revered Border-Gavaskar trophy has been the ufortunate scheduling occurence that every second series is held in India.

Come to India! Land of 1.4 billion people, no cricket crowds and dead cricket pitches!; 6:19 AM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: Nick,

No tests in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkatta - places where people actually pay money to watch cricket :)

Instead, Mohali and Nagpur, places with the stadium 30 Km from the city, are hosting..

India is a place where we watch the game in the stadium if the game extends to beyond a day..

And Indian wickets have been like this for eons... Unless we make bunsen burners .. And we all know what Ricky Ponting thinks about them :)

Cheers,; 6:23 AM, November 09, 2008
Prabu said...: Of all the brain farts I've seen on the cricket fields in ~30 yrs of cricket watching, the one that happened in the collective brains of the OZ think tank is the loudest! And somehow it was sweet smelling for India!; 8:57 AM, November 09, 2008
Anonymous said...: He did set 7-2 field. In these conditions, Australian bowlers are too indisciplined for 8-1.

I was suprised at the furore over Ponting's decisions after tea.

He should be critised for repeatedly letting Australia fall behind the over rate and not for what he did afterwards.; 11:20 PM, November 09, 2008
Homer said...: lol Prabu.. New age cricket!!!; 3:10 AM, November 10, 2008
Homer said...: rgb,

It had cost Australia a Test in Perth.. And time and time again, POnting was falling behind the over rate..If he and his team and his think tank and Greg Chappell cannot work out that 15 overs have to be bowled per hour, when he has a on field melt down with Lee and still does not learn,then there is a serious problem..

Also, his choices after Tea were questionable - Johnson, then Hussey(??), Clarke but no Katich? And for how long, especially after having India on the mat?

Cheers,; 3:15 AM, November 10, 2008
Anonymous said...: Homer,
I agree his captaincy in this series has been questionable.

I also agree slow over rate was partly responsible for Perth loss as well as defeat in this test.

But even though the major responbility for the over rate lies with the captain, it is also the responsibilty of the whole team.

The whole team should be critised and not just the captain.

As I have said before,Ponting should be castigated (should be banned as well) for the slow over rates.

But I am amazed when commentators, columnists and ex-cricketers say he should have bowled the quicker bowlers in the final session without caring for the over rate and copped a ban afterwards.

That tantamounts to encouraging Ponting to break the rules and spirit of the game in the pursuit of a win. This cannot be condoned.

Once he was behind the over rate, he had to use the part timers.

He should be critised for falling behind the over rate and not for the use of part timers. He could have used Katich though.; 1:33 PM, November 10, 2008
Anonymous said...: rgb,

The argument here is that with POnting so up shit creek without a paddle, it would have been in the interests of the team for him to cop a one test ban in the pursuit of victory.

Even with his hurry up, he and the team did get fined for over rates, so none of the purposes were served.

Cheers,; 10:52 PM, November 10, 2008
Anonymous said...: Throughout the series, Ponting had set a 7-2 field for Johnson, bowling wide outside off stump... what is the fuss I wonder?; 12:03 AM, November 11, 2008
Anonymous said...: Scorpi,

I agree- whats the fuss?

Cheers,; 12:48 AM, November 11, 2008
Anonymous said...: But that would have made mockery of the rules.

Then why was he critised for the Sydney test?; 9:59 PM, November 11, 2008
Anonymous said...: Fair point RGB.. But unlike Sydney, where he made a mockery of the rules and got away scot free, there was a clarity in the consequences he faced if he defaulted on the over rate at Nagpur.

Cheers,; 11:27 PM, November 11, 2008
Homer said...: one other point rgb - over rates never concerned Ponting all through the India Oz series in Australia. Nor were they a big concern in the first 3 tests. Time and time again, the Australian team was behind the over rates so, isnt it curious that Mr Ponting suddenly realized over rates and the "spirit of cricket" at the very exact moment his team was on the ascendancy and moving in for the kill?

Cheers,; 12:27 PM, November 12, 2008
Anonymous said...: I agree Ponting has not shown much concern about over rate, not just in this series, but in the past as well.Ponting is not a paragon of fair play either.

But the over rate was worst in Nagpur.May be the umpires had a word with him. May be he thought Krejza would wrap up the innings at one end quickly and part timers would improve the over rate at the same time.

Whatever may have been the reason, I think he did the right thing by trying to reduce the deficit of overs as much as possible.

I also find it hard to believe that he would put himself ahead of team's interest.He would not gained much putting himself first.

But my bigger objection is to the attitude of former cricketers.
Saying he should have broken the rules and then faced the punishment is shameful.

This incident also highlights the ineffectiveness of present rules to enforce the over rate.

Penalties should be imposed in terms of runs in the match itself rather than monetary punishment or bans.; 12:31 AM, November 13, 2008
Trideep said...: I agree with u RGB... The former cricketers saying that Ricky should have not bothered about the over rates for a win is ridiculous. It is totally against the 'spirit of the game'. And nobody should be allowed to go out of that.; 4:26 AM, November 13, 2008
Homer said...: rgb,

The trophy was on the line.. To suddenly discover the "spirit of cricket" when all the while flagrantly disregarding it stinks, to the high heavens.

My reaction was no different from the ex-cricketers - why this and why now?

Cheers,; 1:07 PM, November 13, 2008
Anonymous said...: I agree "spirit of cricket" is not the most convincing reason for his decision.

But there was a precedent. Perth.

Being surprised at the decision is fine. But to say he should have voilated the rules is a completely different matter.; 10:40 PM, November 13, 2008
Anonymous said...: Glad you agree with me Trideep.; 10:41 PM, November 13, 2008
Homer said...: rgb,

If Perth was the precedent, we would not have seen the Aussies bowl 85 overs in a day at Bangalore and Mohali ( with the over time).

Point taken about ex-cricketers advocating a violation of rules in pursuit of victory but given precedent ( of being slack with over rates inspite of Perth), would you expect anything different?

Cheers,; 1:51 AM, November 14, 2008
Anonymous said...: The Perth over rate was more similar to Nagpur than Bangalore or Mohali. May be that spurred him into action.

I did not expect him to use part time bowlers.But I am glad he did.; 7:48 PM, November 16, 2008
Homer said...: me too rgb :)

Cheers,; 12:13 AM, November 17, 2008

My two cents...

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Day 4 - Lunch

39 comments:

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