Lolol... So when the cricketers don't, or do do it and win they are technically wrong, but when you get it wrong we'll never know... Terribly technically convenient. 

Don't worry bigt we are only weeks away from wall to wall footy debate... I'd take api in a heartbeat if we could afford him...

Wrong - 0-1 

Wrong again 0-2...
Sadly punters is gone so I cant go back to last summer, not that I could be fekked actually going back that far anyway to prove what we already know...

(With thumbs tucked into slacks, and a southern drawl) I'm no fancy big city lawyer, but I rest my case your honour...

Jon Voigt was good in the Rainmaker and so was the guy against Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinnie...

On thing we don't know is how the game would have gone has Australia won the toss in both Melbourne and Sydney.

India are clearly the better side and deserve the series win, but winning both those tosses was a big advantage.

I'm totally unimpressed with most of the batting by our top 7 again in Sydney,  the pitch was a road, 300 is a mediocre score, I'm not sure those tosses would have helped us, we don't seem to have the talent and discipline to post a good score. 

But young guys like Harris, head and Labbo are getting valuable experience and working out what they need to work on,

It was also pleasing to see Hanno with a different technique and some improvement.

The batting of the bottom 4 has generally been excellent, if the top 7 can do their job, we will have a good team.

India enforcing the follow on this innings was the only option likely to get a result, and with rain around bowler getting tired was likely to be a problem. As well there isn't sufficient time for Australia to win.  Different matter entirely to enforcing the follow on late on day 3 on a hot sunny day with tired bowlers, on a flat pitch and no prospect of rain in the match. So not surprisingly the state of the pitch, the freshness of the bowlers and the weather forecast are the key considerations, and a key consideration is how much time is left in the game. No captain wants to be beaten after enforcing the follow on, so they will be conservative 

Harris looks good. I don't care about this perceived problem with the short ball because what hasn't been pointed out is he gets his bat out of the way - except for once off his gloves but it went nowhere. He gets hit on the head I say that's good that his hands are out of there, can't get caught off your helmet.

Labrowhatever I'll wait until we see more.

I'd have a major problem with Head's technique on drives where he swats at them, looks terrible. But Kohli does the same thing, so you know, if he can Kohli them and get away with it then I'll live with it.

Handscome at least has given himself a chance now. Still like to see that back foot closer to the crease but at least it's now closer to the crease than it is to the stumps. Maybe it''ll bring him forward so he can start belting them half volleys that deserve belting rather than giving bad balls LBW chances.

Where is your head Zef?
It's a team sport. The purpose is to win not fall victim to spur of moment stupidity. Leave that for Nick Kyrgios.

Yes, many will want redemption but they would want it with the best possible chance not the worst.

It's like throwing a cutout pass 5m from a try line and having Addo-Carr intercept it. You dont redeem yourself by wishing it intercepted by Chambers instead, you redeem yourself by not throwing the cut-out pass at all. There is s big difference.

My point here is that the teams that have been forced to follow-on, DO NOT want to do it. They might BS to the media but that is all bravado. Inside themselves they are schitting bricks.

No.
When the FO is enforced and the team loses, I am wrong. (3 cases in history I believe)
When it isn't enforced, I'm neither right or wrong. But there isn't enough evidence or post mortem review on what would have been the better option to take. 
So if you then ignore the stats and just analyze the game based on its rules, there is only 1 conclusion for the most effective play. 
And that is where I am right.

I'm wrong in that I didnt think they would bother.
But I praise Kohli for his killer instinct. He is now my favourite cricket captain.

It's the right play at the best of times, it's even less riskier in this game.

Dman, I made that comment late on day 1 or early day 2. Its an evolving game and I was only wrong as much as an NRL expert making predictions on this years Premiers.

No one expected the Aussies to collapse for 150 on day 3. Any decent batting and it would have been a draw. 

But they key aspect of that Test is unnoticed by you and that is that Kohli could have made them bat again and won in 4 days, instead they had to finish us off on the first session on day 5

Bwahahaha... Its OK mate. I've been wrong before... 
Wrong wrong wrong...
Anyway congrats to India in the best technically lost series in their history as a cricketing nation...

Good post HD, I agree with most of it, even the possible reason why FO wasnt enforced in Melb.

My only debate on the tired bowlers argument is that at the start of day 3, India would have planned for the Aussies batting about 100-120 overs in their first innings....they then got out prematurely in only 66overs.

Given it was around half the overs they expected to bowl that day, it wouldnt be inconceivable to think they could get Australia out in another 70 odd overs and be done with it. Indians ended up bowling out the aussies in 89 overs.

In fact the more I think about it, if a bowling team with a big innings score gets the opposition out cheaply in few overs, its probably more reason to enforce the FO.

You have to remember that you font get tired when you have only 4 wickets to win a Test. You grow another leg.

You are being cynical again and twisting words. 
I never said they would lose (technically or otherwise). All I said was they had a better chance to win. 

Good on them though. They came here with a purpose and even losing their best spinner they still managed to do what other Indian teams couldn't (or didnt allow themselves to do). 

It's good to see the Rugby League punctuates the cricket from time to time, though I am so glad you all don't rave about the tennis as well. Come on footy season.

Give it a week... I've got Serena and roger double at 30-1... ;)

I like zefs idea of making our youngsters play more overseas... Perhaps we could send our curators to pitch school in SA while were at it...

I can only think if the pitch is getting worse then make any runs you need now, and give the bowlers a brief break.

I'm not sure what has gone wrong with the pitches.

A good test pitch makes a good game, you would expect curators to be improving with modern science and equipment.

The pitches seem to be getting worse, hire one of those dudes with indoor hydroponics experience, they know how to grow grass.

Might also help our batsmen chill before the start of their innings, and WI teams will be begging to tour here. 

I'll come out if retirement too... ;)

Dale steyn has played 90 test and only batted 113 times... I'm not sure his this compares to others but says plenty id reckon...

Says his captain declared before Dale got a bat, and that says plenty.

 I was thinking it was because devilliers enforce the follow on at every opportunity...;)

So Annelise Braakenseik has been found dead in her home and death is not treated as suspicious...…

What on earth is going on with people with these days? How are people not able to cope with life anymore?

I just don't get it.

We all feel pressures of life, I just cant believe people can get to the level that they can take their own life...…

Its crazy stuff.. Maybe literally... And is an increasing phenomenon... Has impacted me several times and I will never be able to explain it other than way too many drugs and drinks at that very moment in the industry I'm talking about (which she was in)...

Anti depressants have also (in my opinion) increased the likelihood of suicide for sufferers of clinical depression... I fear the volume of crap doctors prescribe to kids these days will increase that likelihood again..  Serotonin substitutes prescribed and regularly taken are the devil IMO... Very different than having a pinger or two on the odd occassion...

Social media and general media should not be discounted as the rates rise either.. The more 'connected' we allegedly are has actually increased isolation, and a disconnect from reality...

A good friend of mines daughter had 3 kids in their year (10) do it in '18...

I think men in their teens to 20s and 40s are still the majority of 'victims' in aus..

I'm always here to talk to anyone that ever feels that way, probably don't have the answers, but I'm here if calling one of the hotlines doesn't seem like an option.

Great interview with Lenny Pascoe that's been rotating on Fox during the rain.

Reminded me he and Thommo went to the same school, in the same class - Puncbowl Boys High. How'd you liked to have come up against The Punchbowl Boys team at the time?

I didn't know about his reasons for retirement which he talked about. For those that don't remember Lenny, he was famous for his bouncer, both in quality and in quantity. And there were no "per over" restrictions back in the day so for Lenny six bouncers an over were never enough, I imagine he was p.ssed off when they reduced eight ball overs to six (which happened in his day), as then it meant ONLY six bouncers per over.

Anyway, he described a bouncer to an Indian (can't remember his name) and as Lenny put it he put everything into it, and it hit the batsman near the temple. Lenny's describing it over the video how he went down like he was shot (and it sounded like it too - "craaaaaaaack!") and Lenny was thinking "Oh no". The visual you can see Lenny flinch and then he's stunned. He's got the look of someone who thinks he's just killed a bloke.

And that's why he retired, wasn't form or anything, he just didn't think he could do it anymore.

Zef, I haven't had the TV on all day, but I saw that Len Pascoe interview yesterday.
It was great, he was one of my fav players from those days. He used to scare me the way he bowled so fast, but in a good way because he was on our side.
And the footage of one hitting a bloke without a helmet...no wonder he flinched.
Only 14 tests, seemed like so many more than that, so memorable though...

Just noticed Facebook have put back the "Not Now" option in that please sign in nag screen.
So it went from bad to worse back to bad again but it could be worse...

In a statement released late this afternoon, Mr Bolton said; “I have taken very seriously the allegation made against me last year and have been determined to strenuously argue in court that I never at any time acted indecently towards the female involved.”

So you plead guilty to common assault?? ...Cos that somehow better or more appropriate for something you admit you were to pissed to remember the details of???..

Sorry buddy but it would appear what is decent or not to you is very different than what it is to me...

I have easily been as drunk as you may have been, but never considered placing my hand on a ladies thigh, arm, or anything for that matter...

What you gonna do NRL?...

 I'm sure the blokes been in a dark place since his partner found out but that's his problem.

NRL and cowboys can provide as much support as they deem fit, but a guilty plea should mean a substantial ban... Substantial... Like 2 years... He can still play footy if he likes for a suburban club and get a real job if that helps with his rehabilitation an spaying the bills...

Women in league round is obviously nothing more than lip service if you don't act Todd...

Was on an away trip trip as well, so the club should also be held to account...