Reaction from the Aussie presss

[umpire]

Mr. Peter, Dhoni was 2+ in over rates so he could have afforded to slow the over rate. Check the rules please Mr Peter

[fineleg]

pls. post more Aus media stuff and Pwnting interviews/snippets. This is frikkin' hilarious reading this thread :D Post more!

[flamy]

Aussie media: "grumble grumble grumble about the picthes" Another clever quote from an Indian at PP: "the only demons these pitches had are the CASPER kind" kthxbai

[DomainK]

Roebuck has gone crazy if he thinks that Dhoni slowed down to draw the game.

[punjabi_khota]

This just in: Ponting decides to step down as captain. j/k

[h4te]

This just in: Ponting decides to step down as captain. j/k

F U wanted that to be real :finger:

[punjabi_khota]

F U wanted that to be real :finger:

Dude, he is proving to be a crappy captain...which is good news for us. By his own admission, he was 5/10. So let it be..so that we can climb the rankings..:two_thumbs_up:

[Desi Cartman]

Australians lose trophy and plot

A DAY after losing the plot in Nagpur, Australia has lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and some of its lustre as the ruler of the Test world. Mahendra Dhoni led India to a decisive and historic 2-0 series win, leaving Ricky Ponting's sick and sorry side to contemplate Australia's first series defeat since the 2005 Ashes, and the biggest in the two decades since the West Indies thumped Allan Border's Australians 3-1 in 1988-89. :haha: It was a lamentable end for Ponting, who as captain was responsible for the slow over rate that on Sunday cost Australia a chance to push for a win, and yesterday was run out for eight in his team's frantic pursuit of the improbable victory target of 382. The tourists had to win the fourth Test to square the series and retain the coveted trophy, but on a wearing wicket against a inspired spin attack the chase was beyond them, and they succumbed for 209 to hand the Indians a 172-run win, sealed with a Harbhajan Singh doosra. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in Melbourne yesterday he would seek an explanation from Ponting over his use of part-time bowlers in the fourth Test. As India's triumphant players were showered in champagne last night, Ponting defended his decision to bowl part-timers in an effort to pull back a nine-over deficit after tea on the fourth day. "I'm disappointed with some of the criticism, particularly from former Australian captains and Cricket Australia board members," he said, after strident criticism from CA director Border, whose name adorns the silverware, in his role as a television commentator. "As captain of the Australian cricket team I feel I have a responsibility to play the game in the right spirit. I have an obligation to bowl 90 overs in a day's play and the way we were heading, if the quicks had continued we would have been maybe 12 overs down. "Everyone has an opinion on the way I captain the team or the way the team plays but the thing I am most disappointed about is this inference out there that I put myself totally ahead of the team. Anybody who knows me or the way I play my cricket or how I operate around the Australian team would hopefully not say that is the case. "It (a slow over rate) absolutely can hurt you. We have to look at every possible way to make sure we don't get to an unacceptable level again, and nine overs is totally unacceptable. There is a lesson in it for every one of us." In the same central Indian town where Australia conquered its final frontier four years ago, the harsh reality of life without three of the champions who orchestrated that triumph — Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist — hit home for an Australian team that is entering an uncertain and rugged era. "We have just been totally outplayed with the exception of the first Test," Ponting said. "I gave us a rough chance of (chasing the target) if we played perfect cricket, but we were far from perfect." Australia was shut out of the series from the time its bowlers were unable to break a defiant lower-order partnership between Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan in Bangalore, where India salvaged a draw. The wheels fell off in Mohali, where the Australians were thrashed by 320 runs, and despite a better performance in Delhi it was only the astounding debut of Jason Krejza, named man of the match for his 12 wickets, that kept their hopes alive in Nagpur. There were 369 runs to get on the fifth day and Matthew Hayden found his rhythm and showed he still could rattle India, causing some panic by attacking the spinners. Harbhajan got him in the end, and from there the result was inevitable. When there was one wicket needed for India to reclaim the trophy after seven years in Australian hands, Dhoni handed captaincy duties to the retiring Sourav Ganguly. It was the perfect ending for India's most successful captain, and he was chaired from the field by V. V. S. Laxman and Harbhajan after the off-spinner dismissed Mitchell Johnson to seal victory.

[Desi Cartman]

Skipper takes his eye off the trophy

"LOOK at the eye of the fish. For us, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is the eye of the fish." As Ricky Ponting's focus drifted to his team's slow over rate, which may have cost Australia more than a fine or a suspension but a chance to save the series, India's new captain Mahendra Dhoni drew on Hindu mythology to explain his team's singular pursuit of the ultimate prize. Speaking in Hindi on the penultimate night of the Test, Dhoni used the epic battle in the Mahabharata to show that nothing but the trophy mattered as he denied his own aggressive instincts and instructed his bowlers to do the same when he employed negative tactics to constrict Australia on the pivotal third day of the deciding Test. In the legend, the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, tells the hero, Arjuna, to forget all else and aim his archer's arrow not at the dangling fish target but at its eye. "There is a famous saying in Hindi that I will tell later, but it is about winning the game. There have been strategies which have been not liked by the opposition captains and all those things but the one thing you want to do is to go out there and look to win games. What strategies there are it doesn't really matter," said Dhoni. Dhoni is a dashing modern hero whose muscular batting and bold leadership in the shorter forms of the game have made him a mega-star in India, and who carried on with bat and gloves despite injuring himself on the first day of the match. He said his responsibility as captain extended only as far as delivering the trophy to India, even if that meant a day of sleep-inducing cricket that produced 166 runs. Dhoni also remarked that Australia's batsmen had fallen conveniently under the spell he cast with only one man roaming the on side and the bowlers probing a line well outside off stump. "They could have done something different. I think there was not a real effort from them," Dhoni said. "We may have been bowling a bit wide but we still got a few edges and they scored most of their runs behind the wicket so it was good for us. Once there was pressure we could put more pressure with the spinners coming on and bowling in the rough." It was good for India, too, when to the bewilderment of Allan Border, Ian Chappell and others, Ponting brought on his second-string bowlers after tea on day four to avoid a fine or suspension for the team's sluggish over rate, which has been a problem throughout the series. "That was a time when we really took on the spinners and we were quite happy to get a few runs on the board," said Dhoni, whose 108-run stand with Harbhajan Singh stretched the lead. "If you don't have the over rate in mind then at 4.30 when the guys are really tired and you're supposed to bowl too many overs your opponent can really capitalise on that." It was hard to imagine Dhoni (who also presided over a slack over rate in the fourth Test) sweating on a fine or a Test against NZ or any of these things if the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was on the line. He is too busy creating his own legend.

[flamy]

^^ Excellent article that.

[King Tendulkar]

They are after his blood! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article5127218.ece What about Donny? You sticking by him or do you want him out like 65% of aussies in a poll with The Daily Telegraph in Sydney?

[cochise]

Ponting not happy with Roebuck: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/11/1226318654371.html

HAVING already taken aim at two former Australian captains, Ricky Ponting arrived back in Sydney last night with another target in his sights, describing as "ridiculous" a column by The Age's Peter Roebuck calling for him to be sacked. Ponting, riled by his treatment during last summer's feisty home series against India, has fired back at Roebuck in his Captain's Diary 2008, which is published tomorrow, saying Roebuck "was scathing in his criticism" and "so far over the top it was ridiculous". Ponting, who on Monday in Nagpur said he was "disappointed" at the criticism of his captaincy by, among others, Ian Chappell and Allan Border, also shows in the book a disillusionment with the game's powers. "I hope I never have to go through another year like it before my career is through," Ponting writes of the 2007-08 season, although that wish seems to be evaporating after his leadership has again been questioned following the 2-0 series loss in India

[cochise]

The "Chucker": http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/cricket/chucker/2008/11/11/1226318648299.html

COOKING WITH HAYDOS (Recipes from Australia's gourmet cricketer that didn't quite make the book) This week's dish: Fried Captain's Brains Ingredients: Olive oil, onion, parsley, a captain's brain, 10 measures of slow over rates, one cup of threats. Method: Soak your captain's brain in the slow over rates and bring to the boil. Add the threats of suspension, which will instantly bring everything off the boil and make things dull and tasteless. Soak for a couple of hours, remove and call nasty names (try "selfish" for starters), then watch your captain's brain return to boiling point as if by magic. Brush in oil and fry with onions. Serve with chopped parsley. Culinary hint: Wash down with two bottles of anything from New Zealand, which should be so easy to knock over you'll feel like your old self in no time.

:cantstop:

[cochise]

"Ponting still ruthless": http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/cricket/im-still-a-ruthless-captain-says-ponting/2008/11/12/1226318664271.html

"I still feel the decisions I made weren't negative at all," Ponting said on arriving home at Sydney Airport last night. "I am very comfortable with the decisions that I made. I will continue to be a ruthless captain and a ruthless player."

Also not happy with the spectacle of 8-1 fields:

Ponting had criticisms of his own, namely Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni's tactic to stack eight fieldsmen on the off side on day three to restrict the Australians' scoring rate. "It wouldn't have been a great spectacle. With the way Test cricket is at the moment we all have to be careful and make it as attractive as we can," he said.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, counselling has improved Symond's state of mind:

Ponting revealed he had also spoken to all-rounder Andrew Symonds, who returns to the national scene in Friday's All-Star Twenty20 clash after having counselling, and said he was in a good frame of mind.

[cochise]

The players performance ratings - Aussie perspective: http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/cricket/cricket-ranks-how-players-performed-in-india/2008/11/11/1226318648415.html

AUSTRALIAN PLAYER RATINGS MATTHEW HAYDEN - 6 Took a long while to get going and was tormented in the first couple of Tests by Zaheer Khan. Though he did not reach the heights of previous India tours his final, pugnacious innings of 77 showed he could still make the opposition panic. Gets extra marks for impeccable slips catching. SIMON KATICH - 8 Consistent and effective. Picked up his tempo as the tour progressed and got the 100 he craved in Nagpur, in spite of India's negative tactics. Established himself as incumbent opener and reminded the selectors of the usefulness of his left-arm spinners. RICKY PONTING - 6.5 Started with a wonderful century to break his Indian drought, but very little went right afterwards, except for a fighting 87 in Delhi. His struggles against Sharma's swing and Harbhajan's spin symbolised the on-field power shift between the countries. Did not have the resources to push for victory and wound up in trouble with over rates. MICHAEL HUSSEY - 8.5 An excellent century in Bangalore and was "Mr Consistency" from then on to become Australia's leading runscorer. Used his quick feet and deft placement to advantage, but fell to some wonderful deliveries from Sehwag and Harbhajan. MICHAEL CLARKE - 6 Not the tour the young vice-captain hoped for, although he helped save the Delhi Test with a crucial, if charmed, century, and was suffering from a gastric illness in Nagpur. Bowled plenty of overs without really threatening the batsmen. SHANE WATSON - 7.5 A breakthrough tour, and not just because he stayed fit. Looked dangerous with bat and ball, produced a fighting 78 in a losing cause in Mohali, summoned reverse swing and claimed four wickets in Nagpur. Deserves to begin the summer as preferred all-rounder. BRAD HADDIN - 5.5 A tough tour for any visiting wicketkeeper, least of all one who follows Adam Gilchrist and appears to be carrying a finger injury. His toughness is not in doubt, but his batting deteriorated as the series progressed. CAMERON WHITE - 5.5 Was as surprised as anyone about his call-up, and honest about the limitations of his leg-spin. However, he did what was asked of him, picked up Tendulkar's wicket twice and asserted his batting credentials in the final two Tests. BRETT LEE - 4 Underdone, and it showed quickly on the unforgiving Indian pitches. His sliding style did not suit the low wickets and he was unable to muster enough movement through the air to create breakthroughs. To be fair, he improved after a mid-series fitness crusade and was struck down by a gastric illness in Nagpur. JASON KREJZA - 7.5 His 12-358 tells the story of his weird and wonderful debut. A controversial choice for the tour ahead of Beau Casson, but the fact he became Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in a solitary Test suggests he should have played earlier. Showed resilience to hold his nerve when the Indians went after him. Still a big job to establish himself as No. 1 spinner at home, but he should have first crack. MITCHELL JOHNSON - 7 Australia's leading wicket-taker and stood up when the other quicks were struggling. His wickets didn't come cheaply and he hardly swung the ball, but regularly dismissed India's champions, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. STUART CLARK - 4 A disappointing tour for the dependable seamer, whose pace was down due to an elbow injury in the first Test, missed the second, was economical but not dangerous in the third, and dropped for the decider. PETER SIDDLE - 5 Looked at home as a Test paceman from the first ball of his Mohali debut, which struck Gambhir on the helmet. Inexperience showed at times, but swung the new ball at good pace and should come into calculations again soon. INDIAN PLAYER RATINGS VIRENDER SEHWAG - 8 Played with breathtaking gusto and provided India with many memorable starts, but averaged 43 without converting a century. Showed the cricket smarts that are sometimes obscured by his cavalier batting with five wickets in Delhi, becoming the first man to own two triple centuries and a five-wicket haul. GAUTAM GAMBHIR - 9 Exceeded the Australians' expectations to become leading runscorer, but tarnished his series by elbowing Shane Watson in the ribs on the way to a double century in Delhi and was banned for the last Test. If there were extra marks for sledging, he'd get a perfect 10. RAHUL DRAVID - 4 A great player in decline, he reached 50 only once in the series and was a shadow of the batsman who triumphed over Australia in 2001 and 2003-04. His slips catching also was not what it once was. SACHIN TENDULKAR - 8.5 Broke Brian Lara's world record for Test runs and played with more freedom after the milestone. Was dropped twice on his way to a century in Nagpur but showed his genius with a brilliant knock in Delhi and trailed only Gambhir in runs scored. V. V. S. LAXMAN - 8 A beautiful double hundred in Delhi continued the elegant batsman's remarkable record against Australia SOURAV GANGULY - 7.5 A golden duck in his last innings did not detract from the fairytale finish. The pressure seemed to dissipate the moment he announced that this would be his last series. Made consistent contributions and tormented Australia one last time with a hundred in Mohali. MAHENDRA DHONI - 8 Lived up to his hype with powerful batting and maintained his 100% winning record as captain. Also showed he was prepared to deny his attacking instincts to deliver the trophy, controversially setting defensive fields and instructing his pacemen to bowl wide of off-stump when India only needed a draw to win the series. His legend will grow. HARBHAJAN SINGH - 8 The best-performed spinner in the series, despite missing a Test with injury. Kept causing problems for his old rivals Hayden and Ponting. Was important with the bat, too, and his partnerships with Zaheer in the first Test and Dhoni in the last turned momentum in India's favour at crucial moments. ZAHEER KHAN - 7 Was full of bravado and had a wonderful first two Tests, reminiscent of England left-armer Simon Jones in 2005 with his destructive reverse swing. Copped a fine for sending off Hayden in Mohali and faded in the second half of the series. AMIT MISHRA - 7 Sneaked under the guard of the Australians with seven wickets on debut in Mohali, where he filled in for Kumble, underlining the formidable depth in Indian spin bowling. The tourists were more alert to his variations from then on, but he remained a threat. ISHANT SHARMA - 9.5 Was described in India Today magazine as a giraffe with a bad haircut, and may also be the best fast bowler in the world. Worried Ponting by bringing the ball back into the right-hander and created awkward bounce with his height. Deservedly named man of the series, an outstanding achievement in a country where spin is king. ANIL KUMBLE - 4 The ageing and injured Kumble was far from the great bowler he used to be, but gets points for taking three wickets under the influence of a local anaesthetic. Made a dignified retirement announcement in Delhi and having instilled his toughness in the Indian team as captain he deserved to share in the glory. MURALI VIJAY - 5.5 A surprise choice to replace Gambhir in Nagpur, but looked a fine batsman in both innings and used his quick reflexes to run out Hayden and Hussey.

[Fontaine]

Ponting had criticisms of his own, namely Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni's tactic to stack eight fieldsmen on the off side on day three to restrict the Australians' scoring rate. "It wouldn't have been a great spectacle. With the way Test cricket is at the moment we all have to be careful and make it as attractive as we can," he said. I'm glad Ponting said "we" instead of "him" because Australia employed a 7-2 field for large portions when Mitchell Johnson was bowling wide outside off stump when it was clear they couldn't get out the likes of Lax/Gambhir etc.

[King Tendulkar]

Jeff Thompson sticks the knife in:haha: Jeff Thomson, the forthright former Australia fast bowler, said: “I always thought he [Ponting] was an ordinary captain and this proves it.” OUCH

[Sachinism]

Hmm didn't Ponting say he wish his bowlers could bowl as disciplined as the Indian attack so he could set certain fields

[Dooks]

Will they sack Ponting after this debacle? They got rid of Waugh after losing (not qualifying for the finals of) the car@ppy ODI tournament. Somehow, Australian standards have fallen way short and they will not do anything to him. It will all be swept under the carpet as soon as they beat the Kiwi's 2nd eleven (as most good ones are part of ICL, injured or retired). I do wish they would kick him out as captain at least. I just hate the guy.

[DomainK]

I dont think they will replace the captain now. May be later.