Only 25 - 30% have Fox though.

Is that all?

Usman was lucky with that skied sweep.

Usman is one shining light though.

To his credit he has improved in Asia.

Don’t want to give it the kiss of death, but the Usman/Head partnership looks promising.

Usman is playing the best I’ve ever seen him play against quality spin.

I’d like Grazorblade, or others who play cricket, look at where he has improved.

Shaun.

Correct. Mitch was sent back to domestic cricket to sort out his game. That is the unofficial story as I understand it. Officially he lost his place thru injury.  He was out of Test cricket for 12 months or so. When he returned he looked a completely different batsman. Gone was the stiff stance,  the hard hands, the sloppy play outside his off stump, the loose defence. No doubt this Test will set him back mentally. It should end his brothers stop/start career.

Usman dropped after snicking the left Arm finger spinner behind!

Usman looks a laid back cricketer but take a look at his face and he looks far from that. I like Uz..he has good concentration but some of his shots give you a heart attack.

Head starting to look like a Test cricketer. Keep it up son. Make em fight for every wicket.

Usman scores his second 50 of the match!

Agree with Baggers, Head is looking like a test batsman.

He has delivered today.

We are about 3 -140.

They've made close to a half century partnership.

Plus he doesn't disgrace himself on the pitch, like Warner.

Very well done. Faced a lot of spin too and they all maintain he is a poor player of spin. I have seen him take spinners apart at home.

Yes.

He has improved in Asia.

Shaun at age 35 still has Shield average under 40 - which is abominable for an Aussie Test cricketer. He isn't going to improve at his stage of his career.

If Mitch can get back to his bowling form before he was injured, it would be good.

Which is good to see.

Mitch also needs to add about 10% to his average. Some people can not believe a bloke who averages 32 FC is playing Test cricket. I was one of them. Mitch is a CA project player like Shane Watson that is why he was earmarked to play Test cricket. Also that he had successfully captained the 2010 U19s to a world cup title. He is another that has shown so much promise, has been given so many chances and now has to deliver in spades.

I am signing off fellars. catch you tomorrow.

How true. A real gentleman is Uz. He studied aviation at Uni with my son.

good to see the marsh brothers justifying their selection for a change

sigh we bat for one more session in the first innings and we probably draw

at least make it competitive

Ye i take back what i said about Mitch Marsh being pretty good recently, he isn't anywhere near the standard.

We really needed another wicket in hand for that to happen tbh, we have a dreadful middle and lower order. Shaun Marsh was probably the only one who could bat the time to save this match and he had a shit test.

How many years have we been saying that Australian cricket is rubbish when we play away from home..specially in the Sub Continent. The problem has to lie here at home.. the pitches  on which we play our red ball domestic cricket. There is no challenge in these decks.. nothing to help us improve our poor spin play in the sub continent and nothing that resembles anything we will find in England. For those two places are Oz cricket's greatest nemesis. Every four years we go to both places with high hopes and leave broken, despondent and embarrassed.
 Our First Class cricketers need a challenge, time in the middle to build an inngs. What are they getting.. batting friendly belters usually. So when it comes to batting against the moving ball they are all at sea. This was made crystal clear last season when seasoned professionals did not have a clue against the swinging English Duke ball. Talented exponents of swing such as promising leftie Nick Winter had a field day.. taking 25 wickets in three matches. He finished his season with 34 in just five matches @20.  What a sad indictment this is of Australian cricket. when blokes who have been professional cricketers for a decade can still not play the moving ball.. let alone the turning one.  There needs to be pressure put on CA to extend the use of the Duke ball for the entire Shield season. Those that best perform against it should be on the plane to England.

Can Uz, Head and the rest  get us within striking distance of this target. My heart says yes but head says we may only last until tea.

i dont care about striking distance

just be competitive!

 Yep. I will settle for restoring some pride.