Sharma living up to his average in OZ. One wicket per 60 runs.

A well deserved century to Neilsen. Did not always look as composed as Hardie. 

Oh so you meant the about the bowlers then?

When his teams lose in limited overs, particularly in the IPL, he so often tears strips off his bowlers (he does it as a group, not individually) - I find his interviews often the highlight, just to hear him pull his bowlers to shreds, especially when unfairly so. Sometimes he is simply ridiculous about it. Often Virat typically gets off to a slow start, then speed up and make a century or a 90 odd, and give his team say 180+ to defend. Then when the opposition chase it down - it all the bowler's fault - and I would be watching and thinking - hold on Virat - at one point you were  say 47(43) - perhaps this was simply a 200+ run pitch... 

However in England this year in the tests, he praised his bowlers and rightfully blamed his batsmen. So he's let me down with this meme in international cricket of late. But he's typically good for it at the IPL.

I loved his drop the mic back to Joe Root... that was some of the best banter I have ever seen on a cricket field. 

I loved his drop the mic back to Joe Root... that was some of the best banter I have ever seen on a cricket field.  
Give me all the details.

CA now has 100+ over the Indian score. Yet still no declaration. Kohli must be seething more every minute.
You did not give me your opinion on the declaration issue post.

Okay - With Roy, Bairstow, Hales, Buttler and what not - Joe Root got dropped from the England t20i team for the final t20i game.
Then came the odi series. England lose the first match. Come match 2.. Root gets a ton. All even heading into the decider... and Root gets a ton.

Root to celebrate after he hits the winning runs - holds his bat out in front of him and drops it on the pitch "the mic drop". Out of character for him, but he had just been dropped from the t20 team...

Anyway - then comes the test match. In the very first innings, Root is on 80 and takes off for a second run, it is pounced on by Kohli in the outfield who throws a direct hit run out. Kohli then mimes himself dropping a mic with his hand. Even Root found it funny...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziWYWdWfhF0

I understand the Territorian Luke Robins can also handle a bat. I would call bowling his strongest suit going on his FL record for the Redbacks.

Declaration issue:

I think this is possibly the wake up call that Kohli needed. He clearly wanted to bowl Ashwin, and now he should hopefully realise he does not need a front-line spinner. Vihari and 4 quicks is good enough. He has also learned that Yadav is going to struggle.

Whether Vijay gets a hit or not - it doesn't really matter. He's been to Aussie before, there are net sessions...

Gotcha.

CAX1 500.. that is rubbing it in.

This has gone too long. Game is in limbo at present. I wanna see our young quicks testing themselves against one of the best batting lineups in Test cricket.

 Lunch and hopefully a declaration. That was a three hr session.

Notice India A is in NZ. With Shield about to break would have been a good time to invite the Indians over to play our A boys. But no BBL takes precedence over a strong A side. There is some movement in our A program with a squad touring the Old Dart the same time as our Ashes squad next year. So that will be an interesting battle against the English Lions. CA has to expect the Lions to reciprocate soon.

Lol. It is not through the Lions lack of trying...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/18521/scorecard/1128359/queensland-xi-vs-england-lions-eng-lions-in-aus-2017-18

Interestingly from this Lions team of last summer - Jennings, Foakes and Leech were all massive in England's win in SL just recently.

Would be great to give the youngsters a crack, but from a Test Series perspective I'd like to see the Indians in the field for as long as possible... Give em half hour to bat at in the last session at best... 

Not port sportsmanship, gamesmanship at its finest... Keep em in the field as long as possible..

This SCG deck is now lifeless. Even the knuckledragger Summers failing to get the ball rearing.

Why hasnt Hardie bowled in the second innings Whiteman?

Love it :-)

There was an article in the Murdoch press where a former Test player, Kerry O'Keefe?, was very excited about some young batting prodigy in his teenage years.

He thought he was the best young player we've had since Ricky Ponting.

He thought  he had great technique and should be selected in the Aussie team as soon as possible.

Didn't read it - but Keery O'Keefe is really keen on Jason Sangha - so it was probably about him...

Yes it was Jason Sangha. He has one or two technical issues to sort thru before he wears a Baggy Green imho. But there is no doubt he is a Test player in waiting.

The fast bowling attacks of Australia and India will be pleased to hear the lush green grass that has covered the Adelaide Oval pitch for the past three day-night Tests is set to return for Thursday's Test opener. Adelaide Oval curator Damien Hough said he sees no reason to change the thick grass coverage that was employed to protect the pink Kookaburra ball in the venue's captivating twilight Tests for the highly-anticipated clash between fierce rivals Australia and India.  Comments:

Well this will be no road.. perhaps even for the first three days.
I just heard star seamer Josh Hazlewood let out a woopee. " finally grass on an Aussie pitch" he adds.

So here's hoping Timmy wins the toss and asks us to bowl first. Virat will no doubt do the same. 

This could have been planned to stop Kohli who in the past has feasted on dry, bare Adelaide Oval decks.

In two matches in Adelaide, Kohli has scored three centuries @98.50. 

The SA pitch from the ODI at Adelaide this year.



 the test pitch

The ODI one looks grassier to me.

I think Adelaide will end up being quite roady. Indian bowlers will need to be wise not to leave Lyon footmarks to bowl at from all their bowling around the wicket that they like to do.

I expect the Indian will bowl around the wicket a lot as we have four lefties in the top six if they do not pick Handscomb.

Ugh - this is what led to Moeen destroying them in England.

The day/night test throws a spanner in the works, no one has really ever looked comfortable batting on it outside of maybe 1 session a day.

It is not a day/night test this time, though. It is a day test... No pink ball :P

Good to know, i quite liked the Adelaide day nighter though, much better than the recent boring Adelaide tests.

Indeed. 

There is one salient point that seems to have been overlooked in all the pre Indian series hooha. Why are we not playing a Brisbane test? Is this another case of  CA brownnosing  the BCCI. If so then all of its weak as water members should be sacked . First they acquiesced to the BBCI over dropping the Adelaide  pinkie day/niter  and now the Test on the only surface on which Indian batsmen most struggle has been canned. This organisation is supposed to to have at heart the Australian cricketer and the Australian cricket supporter .. not its own self interests. It is an embarrassment. Why is the ACA not jumping up and down about this. Or am I being naive?
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I  wanna give credit where due. In previous post I castigated CA. Here I will praise it.  I and every other Oz cricket tragic should be pleased with our red ball preparation for this India series. Unlike in previous seasons CA actually put our Test boys front and centre. Most have played both Futures League and Shield cricket in the lead up to the First test on Thursday. 
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