Do you play positively now knowing that its easier to get runs now than tomorrow (especially with a heavy roller) or do you bat conservatively and hope for rain?

Even a top team won't last 5.5 sessions batting conservatively when the bounce is getting more unpredictble

but for now its still a decent pitch

Ok now is Australian cricket's moment of truth. Is there sufficient combativeness in these blokes to force a draw...and save their careers. That is the way they have to approach this massive task. They have to say to themselves "I am batting for my career". 

Can’t see us getting anywhere near 388, or whatever the lead is, with their attack, and our batting line up on this pitch.

a funny thing is that mental toughness isn't about grittiness

its about enjoying yourself and ignoring the scoreboard. (We were always told that)

you are getting paid to play a great sport against great opposition. Every ball you survive or score off is another minute you get to be out there doing what you love the most

Its amazing how when you are enjoying yourself in tough conditions minutes at the crease can turn into hours

Steve waugh once had an interview about how a turning point was when he derived as much pleasure out of keeping out a thunderbolt with solid defense or leave as he did with a booming cover drive

At least dont surrender your wicket with a whimper. Show some mettle and make their bowlers task a hard one. Leave the match with respect.

Love DRS - makes more better decisions than bad ones - one like this that it cannot 100% prove goes to Umpires call & that's the way it should be.

Don't get me started on Paine, our inspirational keeper / captain.

there has been quite a lot of movement well wide of off or leg stump all match. Need to just leave anything out there and not get tempted

who do you think is our best keeper

I have no opinion on this so can be swayed any direction (including just choosing our best wk batsman)

Steve Waugh against Curly Ambrose Trinidad, 1995..  top score 63 batted 181 mins. I would call that mental tuffness and grittiness. Specially when he stood up to the giant Windie quick and had to pulled away by Richardson. Steve certainly was not enjoying himself that day.  

what an amazingly terrible shot by finch

Finch has failed the test. See ya mate.

that might have been the match actually where he talked about pleasure in keeping out ambrose

ludicrous he was ever selected in the test team

danger is it could rock his 1day/2020 confidence where he is a standout

Poor Finch!

Vic selectors were right, he isn’t an opener.

Australia is already 1-6.

he isn't a long form player

selecters again chased short term form and ignored career average

Best keeper batsman in Australia is Peirson averages 37 this year, 32 overall excellent behind the stumps plus is captain of the current shield holders QLD
Best keeper is Alex Carey but batting 29 average but that rose 3 points recently with 100* was only 27

Others Seb Gotch av 31 av 28 this year
Inglis av 32 overall av 28 this year

pitch and dropped catches aside it should be noted that indias best batting performance came when we had a weaker batting line up

psychologically its easier batting knowing the opposition has a weak batting line up

paradoxically an all rounder can sometimes make your bowling attack weaker for this reason

 Short term form and short format form. Finch should never again be seen in a Baggy Green.

doesn't really look like any standouts

wish I could trust the selectors to choose the best keeper. Perhaps Paine is it, perhaps it isn't

but they haven't chosen the best in other positions which inspires little confidence

Parochial Mike strikes again. We want the best keeper as the national gloveman. That is Carey.

You mean the test team? Or all formats?

I think he is very good in the shorter formats?

Ironically I think Paine should be  our test keeper & probably VC, we need some good long term test players to build a team around.
It's the captaincy that is affecting his keeping & is unfair on him - Having a keeper / captain is what I keep complaining about,
it's just too much for 1 person to do, especially if your in the field for 2 hot days.
What we do for the next year or so for a captain is a real problem, made by CA & in particular the selectors.
I've gone thru the list of contracted players & there is just not anyone there.
Look at that list, drop Finch there is no other opener contracted, drop both Marsh's, no batsman to replace Shaun.
Whilst on this I would really like to see Agar put in as the ar for SCG.

if only there wasn't pressure to select contracted players

That may be so Baggers, but Hartley was best keeper for a decade doesn't mean he gets selected. Selectors went with what they deemed best batsman keeper 2nd. Thus Haddin Wade Nevill. So if selectors true to form they will go best batsman keeper and that is Peirson. Unless there is something bias in the selection of Haddin and Nevill and it is just a one off occurrence.

surprised peter neville didn't get more chances

Jadeja loving the footmarks. Lyon looked impotent bowling into them.

. Khawaja taking on Jadeja. Good to see. Just dont get reckless. 

 Hartley was the best. I pushed for him too. It is not news that we have had biased selectors in the past. Hopefully that is no longer the case.

Tactically there is so much benefit to attacking a spinner if you can pull it off

If a spinner can keep it tight or get wickets they get a lot of wickets at the other end because the quicks can be fresh all day

if the spinner has to be taken off then the quicks have to use more gas and it makes everything easier

if you can take risks and score 4 rpo against a spinner around 4-5 overs in a row and it will often cause a change to your advantage. Thats why its worth risking shots against a spinner