Australia draws first blood

[Guest dada_rocks]

unka khud ka team geriatric ward hai... I

[Anakin]

Bah, this time OZ bowlers will get the treatment they deserve and more. Don't believe this mental bs about age and whatever.

[Donny]

Another inflamitory, nonsensical headline. All Neilson is pointing out is the Aussies may be a bit fresher for their Test series with India because India comes straight from a series with Pakistan. No big deal. That can work both ways. If India does well against Pakistan, they will be battle hardened and have momentum. The India/Pak. series finishes on Dec. 12 and India plays Victoria in a Test warm up on Dec. 20 before the first Test on Dec. 26.

[Anakin]

Whatever it is, there is no McWarne this time around.

[yoda]

they will rape us.

[Donny]

Whatever it is' date=' there is no McWarne this time around.[/quote'] So, what about it ? This is not news. Anakin.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Patel == clarke Zaheer== Lee R P/Shree== Tait Kumble== Mcgill Can u figure out which team has stronger bowling arsenals, on paper we seem to be better

[Ram]

Patel == clarke Zaheer== Lee R P/Shree== Tait Kumble== Kumble Can u figure out which team has stronger bowling arsenals, on paper we seem to be better

That comparison doesnt match even in one aspect.

[THX_1138]

Lee ' date=' Clark , Tait and Mcgill.[/quote'] my grandmum fancies her chances against that attack but to be honest it will be more like lee, clark, mcgill and johnson rather than lee and tait simultaneously. but really, i will have my heart in my mouth when noobs like gambhir, kartik and jaffer go up against extreme pace of tait and lee. heck even this johnson fart is well above 85mph.

[THX_1138]

they will rape us.

way to go on optimism. they said the same thing the last time around.

[Donny]

they ?

[King Tendulkar]

Their attack looks average without mcwarne. Tait, Macgill and Lee. Do not have control they offer plenty of four balls unlike when Mcwarne were there!

[Anakin]

So' date=' what about it ? This is not news. Anakin.[/quote'] And who said it was? Ashes without that combo didn't go all that well did it? It won't this time too :two_thumbs_up:

[ludhianvi]

I think it will depend on which grounds our matches are played. IIRC, last time around, we didnt get a match at Perth ( I think that's the ground with lots of bounce?). If our first test is on that ground, then we will be 1 down

[The Outsider]

Perth is hosting the the third test, but it's not the Perth of old. It's actually quite a patta these days.

[Donny]

Dec 26 - 30, 2007 1st. Test MCG Melbourne Jan 2 - 6, 2008 2nd. Test SCG Sydney Jan 16 - 20, 2008 3rd. Test WACA Perth Jan 24 - 28, 2008 4th. Test Adelaide Oval

[Ram]

Looking at Donny's eleven , have to admit Aussie batting looks as strong as ever. But will Australia be able to replace the combination of Langer-Martyn-Warne-Mcgrath at the same time ? Its hard to replace one champion player ? But how about 4 ? Some may think Martyn may not deserve a place in that group. He may have lost it a bit towards the end , but he is a class player. He played a HUGE role in Australia's victory over India in 2004.

[The Outsider]

^ Yeah their batting is still very strong. That's been a part of their strategy of phenomenal success at home. Prepare flatbeds for their awesome batting line up, rack up huge scores at a super quick rate, and then let Warne and McGrath loose on the opposition. There is a chance of it backfiring now that McGrath and Warne are gone, though the Indian batting is only a shadow of what it was in '03-'04.

[Donny]

Just not true, shwet. Australian wickets have been the same for years. Each venue has it's own personality. The one that does seem to have changed is the WACA. It is no longer the fast bowler's dream strip it used to be. Why would a curator prepare a road because the home team has a strong batting lineup? He has no idea of who will win the toss. When I first realised some countries actually did prepare wickets either ordered by their country's captain or board, I was amazed. I still am. Aussie curators would be highly insulted if anyone tried to even suggest they prepare a wicket other than the way they'd always done it and that is to try to make the best possible Test wicket.

[shailesh]

Perth is hosting the the third test' date=' but it's not the Perth of old. It's actually quite a patta these days.[/quote'] it is the most boring wicket now a days and spinners are doing well recently (hard to imagine from 80s/90s!). MCG should be the one to watch for pace and bounce.