I totally agree steve. I read your post blindfolded and it made no sense what-so-ever.

Perhaps we should blindfold the Aussie batsmen, cos many look like they're trying to commit career suicide...

What is our plan to take wickets today Langer and Paine?... Looks like were just hoping for a mistake... Time to get real aggressive, around the wicket, short leg, leg gully, fine leg, forward square leg and bounce bounce bounce...
Bowling 4 days in a row in melb has destroyed them... Great decision by virat to not encore the follow on... Still asking myself why marsh didn't bowl any overs in the second innings...

I'm also still trying to figure out how anyone who supposedly knows anything about cricket thought Labs would be good for up to 20 overs this test; villi is a better bowler...

#hohns&comustgo...

Ummm... I don't think that was out... I'll take it though...

For all the criticism of our batsman, valid criticism. It must be said that apart from Lyons and some cameo's by Cummins, our bowling has been surprisingly sub-standard this series. I still believe it's the best bowling attack in cricket at present but this series they've been about no 5, totally out-bowled by India.

Especially Starc who's put in the worst four tests of his career all in a row.

I'd say it's form but I reckon tactics are as much to blame, put them together and it's been a dogs breakfast.

You think the ball tampering has played a small part? Is not putting the same work in the ball due to increased scrutintu resulting in zero reverse swing for us this series....
Our quicks also seen to struggle cutting the ball with the fi gets when there's no swing...

Most of 'em don't mate.

True re Starc...he is a bowler who should bowl full and let subtle movements do the rest....haven't seen much of that at all except perhaps when he is bowling to the dregs

They don't make sense to the likes of villi cos they make sense...

Bowling full is where its at for starc... But he needs to ensure the batsmen isnt comfortable just moving forward every ball by using variation beyond what the ball does.. He didn't bowl a bouncer in his first two spells, and no slower ball until he was 1/100 plus...
A shame both he and hazo are struggling for rhythm at the same time... Cummo has been unlucky for mine, and we can't expect the goat to win every game...

wow finally that innings is over.
Marki, you might get your follow on this time...

Is this the same Starc you were telling us is lethal with reverse swing not long ago?
It would have to be form then, coz if it were strategy issues, then we are really fekked.

I must admit, the Aussies drive me up the wall with the amount of short pitched deliveries..  it's like they think they score supercoach points every time they either hit the batsmen or have them ducking..... bowl at the stumps you spastics!!!

Marki...you have been warned...that is not a suitable term of derision...please edit and substitute a word such as halfwit...thank you

There was nowhere near enough short pitched stuff against them at the right times used the right way.. How much have you actually watched???...
And I echo Steve's sentiments re the use of that word; deplorable at best... 

The pitch is a road that might offer something for the spinners later on.
Our bowlers haven't bowled well and we probably should have picked another specalist spinner.
But given the pitch and India winning the toss the score they posted is no big surprise.
We have been out of form or tired rather thssn poor, still a good bowling group, just not our dsy(s)

So...
Let's not get into selections, and the batting, we can do that before the SL tests.... All credit to Indias batsmen too...
The bowlers haven't hunted as a unit, and at best Hazo and starcs form has been ordinary... And now they are cooked after four days in the field in melb...
Paine's captaincy has left me puzzled at several stages of the match and series...
Why didnt maesh bowl  single over in sexond innings in melb...
How in the hell do we give punt a gift hundred by bowling labs at him from about 85 on???... We gifted him not only his 100, but his 150 with that moment in time...
What is this one over and off crap???...
Spells are too short in general 2 and 3 oves is not enough...
The fields have been too defensive as a whole...
There doesn't seem to be  any plansl to get anyone out, we seem to be relying on luck or the wicket or the ball swinging with no 'work' being done on it...
Has failed to instruct his bowlers to bowl a certain way as there is no plan...
Obviously has zero sway at the selection table...
Why wasn't Cummins given new 2nd ball in front of starc again...
Why did labs bowl 20 overs before head had a bowl?...
What is with the halfway in/out mid off gir lyon???...
Hasn't half performed with the bat...
Paine needs to to stop the sh1t talk if he wants to remain captain... 3rd over of the day " one more boys, 6 out, all out for 350"... 
Tactical nous aside he can't/isn't able to inspire his team through actions; Smith should be reinstated as captain the minute he walks in the door, every other captain guilty of being involved ball tampering has... Fvck what the snowflakes will undoubtedly scream, they scream about everything...

Without being too cynical, we did get to see labs get what will be his only test 50...

As I watch Paine's pressed and reread that post... I think Paine knows he is a stand in, or is treating it as such... Also I guess I'm really calling out the coach as much as the captain ...

I didn't watch any today. I expected maybe 450-500, but over 600 is a slaughter. India used the 2 good consistent batting days (weather-wise), now there's 3 inconsistent days messed up with rain intermissions & whatever the heck that does to the pitch & the lack of confidence in the Aust top 6. Call it off. India deserve the win...
 

Test cricket in many countries can hardly attract more than family and friends to matches.  Everyone praises the format but no one turns up.  The last test I went to was the Gabba test on the last Indian tour.  I rejected the opportunity to be driven to the Ashes test at the Gabba with family.
It's taken me to my seventies to wake up but here are my reasons.  Sitting side on you have no idea what's happening.  Is the ball turning or swinging.?  Is the spinner landing in the for marks?  Is he getting bounce?  There are numerous examples of what you can't see.  Everyone is reliant on the big screen.

Test cricket pulls a load more people (live and on TV) than international rugby or league in this country...
Turning down a free day at the ashes is yourel prerogative but not something me or any of my mates would do...
My preferred choice of seating at the SCG has always been the Brewongle stand which is a backward square for right handers at that end...
I'll watch more hours of test cricket than all the other meaningless formats combined, T20, BBL, one dayers etc this summer...
The game went fine without the screen, but now its there use it (at least your not a millennial spending an entire concert looking at their phone while filming the action)...
Agree batsmen should be ready...
Maybe test cricket is just not your thing...
#purist...
#tragic...

I was telling you... did I need to? Could you not see it for yourself?

And before you ask - no I don't know where it's gone, or the yorker, or the pace.

Is it in his shoe? Sometimes when I lose things I find them in my shoe...

If he was a non-marsh batsmen he'd have been dropped twice this summer already...

Not saying I don't like it. Just questioning the value of being at the ground and offering an opinion about why crowds have dropped off in a lot of ciuntries.  I had been going to the cricket since I was taken to one of Bradman's last shield matches.  Not that I can remember  much other than being told "that's Don Bradman" and not knowing the significance of it.

Apologies SCD for the out if context reply... But your last statement is exactly why people go... A day at the cricket is as much about the atmosphere, stars and play and moments... Very cool you were at a game in which Bradman played...
Like I remember fondly seeing the likes of Botham, gavaskar double hundred, Greg Matthews hundred, ABs seven fa, and Brett Lee (I think second test ),  taking an esky full if beer to shield games...
Even with the footy if I go to the game I'll watch the replay when I get home cos you see different things...
With the crowd decline there's pkanty if factors, price, time, generational change, number if platforms on which the product is accessible, and importantly the gone teams form... I'd say cricket is suffering a similar fate as the majority if sports with exception of American sports and MMA...

A big reason why I went us to catch up with mates who I only see once a year at the cricket.
That is very common, especially with people like my mates who are ex-cricketers who sometimes go to all 5 days.
This time I mentioned to my mate that 2 old ladies sitting next to us might have been wives of ex-cricketers, why I say that is they were very knowledgeable and well prepared.
It is a different perspective at the game, this test was boring on day 1 which is when I attended. But st all live sports, it is different, you see different things and interact more with the rest of the crowd.

Apologies for not following political correctness.
Not sure how to edit post on phone (might need to do it on computer tomorrow) but substitute the word with halfwit or even change the half to fekk!

You are right Paine is learning the ropes as captain and has a bit to learn.
The team is a bit disjointed and unsettled, thst is why Warner can't come back IMO, he would shred any last vestige of team unity.
Great teams are built not selected.
Similar to Warner, Smith can't come back in as captain,  more for PR reasons.
From my perspective at the ground the bowlers came with a plan to pitch up the new ball at the start of the Indian innings. It did a bit for the first 3 overs and the Indian batsmen were all at sea for the first 3 overs.
Then it died, Pujara came in and batted sensibly.
It soon became apparent that there was nothing in the pitch for the seam bowlers, they tried Lyon and there was nothing in the pitch for him.
After a while they tried some short stuff and some funky fielding varations.That unsettled an India batsman for a while and we were slightly unlucky not to get him.
The bowlers got tired and the pitch became even more doscile, Paine was out of ideas, but nothing would have made much difference.
If we bat half decently the game is headed for a high scoring draw.
Apart from Perth and Melbourne 2nd innings, the pitches have heavily favored the batsmen. India have won some crucial tosses and got the better of conditions.
Our bowlers have little faith in our batsmen and a trying too much, or not trying enough.
I have seen this many times in sport, a few wins will turn it around.

For ashes  team selection, I would add Smith, Renshaw and Pattinson to the team

Drop Marsh and  Hanno, Renno or Patto play depending on our guess about pitch conditions.
If we are expecting seam or swing play Reno.
Give us a swinging ball and a seaming wicket, Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins will do the job.

I'm less confident about our batting.

SCD, I see where you are coming from.
Most sports these days are suffering from being better viewed on TV. 

I would say soccer and AFL are more immune to it simply because they are free flowing games with less emphasis on what is happening close up to the ball. 

It's even harder for Test match cricket as it's a slow game with no result in the first few days and no one really tries to murder the opposition. They just try to squeeze them to death. Hardly going to attract the next generation of fans....

I'd say us Gen X's are probably the last people that can appreciate what the game has to offer. By the time we die off in the next 40 odd years, Test cricket will go as well.