Mouth watering prospect in melbourne!

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[manoj_admlab]

Pitch key to Aussie attack By Roger Vaughan December 20, 2007 THE state of the MCG pitch looms as the crucial factor in how Australia structure their bowling attack for the Boxing Day Test against India. The home side are weighing up whether to play spinner Brad Hogg or go with a four-man pace attack. Captain Ricky Ponting said he would wait until he inspects the pitch before deciding on his bowling strategy. "Probably wicket conditions, that will be the biggest thing," he said."If we get down there and it looks like it doesn't have much grass and it's going to be pretty dead, that's when the actual selection is going to be really tough."You've got to look at which way you're going to have most impact with the ball - is it going to be through some express pace with Lee, Johnson and Tait with the ball maybe reverse swinging late in the game? "Or is it going to be day four and day five, to have that specialist spinner there?" Ponting is yet to play in Melbourne this season and will also speak to team-mates about how the Boxing Day strip compares to previous MCG wickets used in the last few weeks. Having outplayed New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, Australia will now have two comfortable days off before starting their preparations for the Test series against India. "Looking at Boxing Day, they've had a really good hit-out in this series, it's good for me to spend some time in the middle, (Shaun) Tait has got some good overs under his belt, Brett (Lee) has looked good again, (Andrew) Symonds today. "It's all worked out pretty well for us." He was also happy with Hogg's form today as the spinner pushes to play in his first Test in more than four years. Hogg's six overs cost him 49 as Scott Styrus and Mark Gillespie put up some late resistance, but he also snared two wickets in his opening over and took three for the game. "You want your spinner to come on and be able to have an impact for you," Ponting said. "Hoggy is bowling beautifully and if you ask him, he'll tell you that - he feels like he's on the top of his game."

[manoj_admlab]

Watch out for Tendulkar - Warne Cricinfo staff December 20, 2007 Shane Warne has backed Sachin Tendulkar to score heavily against Australia on what will be his last tour of the country. Although in the twilight of his career, Tendulkar is still rated by Warne as a force to reckon with. Labelling Tendulkar as the best batsman he has played against, Warne said: There is no doubt he will play one or two special innings in this Test series. Absolutely no doubt, he will play a couple of unbelievable breathtaking innings. I don't believe just because he is getting old, he is finished. Given the conditions, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide are going to be pretty flat, I expect Sachin to get lot of runs. He also reminded the Australians to be wary of an experienced Indian batting line-up and that, on a flat surface like Melbourne, the tourists are sure to pile up a huge total. Two of the Tests are in Sydney and Adelaide. Melbourne has been very, very benign and flat. If you don't take wickets with the new ball, you are in for a long day in the field." However, Warne pointed out that it will take an all-round effort from India to beat the Australians at home, with a special effort required from the spinning duo to contain and dismiss the hosts. "I think it will be down to Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh [to take 20 wickets in the match]. Sydney and Adelaide are spinning tracks. They will go in with two spinners and the wickets will help their batting. Also, it will help their quicks, especially Zaheer Khan, with reverse swing in Sydney and Adelaide." The first of the four Tests starts in Melbourne on Boxing Day. © Cricinfo

[Donny]

Absolute rubbish from Wayne Shorn. This man is pure split personality syndrome - brilliant cricketer on the field, idiot off it.

[King Tendulkar]

You have changed your tune. You always defended him especially with his vitriol/jeolusy against murali. Now he backs athe indians you hammer him! Maybe you have the split personality syndrome?

[MundaPakistani]

MP' date=' you going to follow this series Ball-By-Ball ? :tounge_smile:[/quote'] Nope- but will try to watch/follow as much as i can.

[Donny]

You have changed your tune. You always defended him especially with his vitriol/jeolusy against murali. Now he backs athe indians you hammer him!

I don't think so. I've always thought him to be an idiot off the field and near genius on it.

[manoj_admlab]

Gilchrist says Indians will be ready By Melissa Woods December 21, 2007 - FoxSports AUSTRALIAN vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has warned that India won't be underdone despite having most of their sole hit-out before the first cricket Test washed out. he has warned Australia's fast bowlers not to assume bowling short will bring about the downfall of one of the world's best batting line-ups. Heavy rain in Melbourne the past two days means India's batsmen have faced a total of 48 overs against Victoria at the Junction Oval, and more showers are forecast. But Gilchrist said India's 1-0 series win in the recent three home Tests against Pakistan, that all went into a fifth day and were played over a concentrated three-week block, would ensure Anil Kumble's side was match-hardened. They're coming out the back of a lot of Test cricket, a very hard-fought series against Pakistan, Gilchrist said. They should be match fit and raring to go. Australia swept aside Sri Lanka 2-0 in Tests in Brisbane and Hobart last month before crushing New Zealand to take the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series, however Gilchrist said his own side was primed for another tough battle. We had a couple, albeit would have looked like easy victories in the Test against Sri Lanka, but they were quite hard-fought, particularly the Hobart one was a very hard slog to get that result on that wicket. I think we're well-positioned to be ready for a tough contest. Gilchrist rated the Border-Gavaskar Trophy one of the most exciting battles in world cricket, following some epic battles between the sides in recent years, notably India's 2-1 win in 2001 and the drawn series here in 2003-04. Australia has not lost a home Test since India won in Adelaide in December 2003. The last 10 or 11 years against them have been very hard fought and reasonably even outcomes, you'd have to say that that's one of the tougher series, Gilchrist said. Last time they were out here they really stood up well against us and gave us a real challenge which not many teams have done in Australian conditions. Gilchrist said Australia had not worked out the details of their attack plan against India, but said it would be dangerous trying to pepper the tourists with short deliveries. Teams can tend to get too carried way with that (the short ball) and you've got to have the firepower, which I think we do, to intimidate batting line-ups, he said. But whether that's the right method we'll have to wait and see, and see what the conditions are. Gilchrist also gave a vote of confidence to spinner Brad Hogg, and backed his inclusion over a fourth fast bowler, but said fans should not expect Hogg to seamlessly follow in the footsteps of Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill. I have absolute all faith in Hoggy if he gets called into the actual XI, he said. I'm not making a call that he’s going to take seven wickets on the last day for us to win it, and I don't think anyone should put that expectation on him, he said. He's just going to form a part of that line-up and I think he's got a very important role to do.

[Chandan]

We've different plans for different Indian bowler: Hussey Melbourne (PTI) In a veiled warning to Anil Kumble and his teammates, Australia's middle order bulwark Michael Hussey said every home batsman will be armed with separate strategy for each Indian bowler when they walk out to bat in the forthcoming Test series. Hussey said the hosts had not left any stone unturned in their preparation and they would come hard at the Indians. "We have done quite a bit of preparation: video footage and all. We have also faced them before. Different guys will have their own plans on how to handle different bowlers," said Hussey, a tower of strength in the middle order with his Bradmanesque average. As for the pitch, Hussey conceded it was more in favour of batsmen these days at the MCG. Hogg would do well against India, feels Warne Melbourne (PTI): Throwing his weight behind Brad Hogg, spin legend Shane Warne said the chinaman bowler has done well against India in the one dayers and there is no reason why he can't do it against them in the forthcoming Testseries as well. Warne admitted supple wrists and nimble footwork of the Indian batsmen make them the best player of spin bowling butstill believes Hogg would make his mark in the Test series. "India plays the spinners extremely well, but Australian pitches are different. There is a lot of extra bounce and he (Hogg) can still have an impact. It's not low, slow, big-turning wickets. It's fast, bounce and not much turn,"Warne was quoted as saying by the 'Herald Sun'. Harbhajan Singh has already dared Australia to fieldHogg, warning the spinner might cop quite a battering against his batting colleagues.

[manoj_admlab]

Green pitch to decide line-up Rod Nicholson December 23, 2007 12:00am THE rain that has stalled preparation of the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the Boxing Day Test has added to the uncertainty about the make-up of Australia's Test team. Curator Tony Ware confirmed the pitch had been under covers for 36 hours because of torrential rain, but he was unsure if that would provide the clinching argument for Australia to use four fast bowlers in the opening Test against India. Australia must decide between four quick bowlers - Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait - or using only three and left-arm spinner Brad Hogg. Because the pitch has been under covers for so long, the theory is that the grass will have a green tinge, Ware said. Obviously if it sits under covers for two days it will green up. But with heavy rolling and a sunny day it can quickly lose that greenness. This far out (from Wednesday's start) it is just speculation. I can say that there is not as much grass on it as in previous Test matches. That takes away a bit of flexibility. We usually thin out the grass leading into the match, but it is always better to have more grass than less at this stage of preparation. However, the pitch has been under covers all of Friday and most of Saturday so we are hoping for solid rolling on Sunday. Spin a bit later in the match is normal, and that's what I think you'll get. We think it should provide a good contest between bat and ball and I am not concerned at this stage. Ware said the pitch might be of little help to Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who would look at it the day before the match. It seems everyone is keen to play four quick bowlers, but our pitches tend to take spin later in the match, he said. Australia may think India is underdone and may be keen to have a dip at them first up. That is another factor besides the actual state of the pitch. However, we always try to prepare a pitch so that when a captain wins the toss, he thinks for a moment, and then decides to bat. MCC chief executive Stephen Gough said he expected about 70,000 fans to roll up on Boxing Day for the opening of the Australia-India Test series. He also believes there is a chance to emulate the 180,000 spectators who attended the last Test between these two countries at the MCG in 2003-04. That was Steve Waugh's final Test in Melbourne and 29,000 people turned up to see him bat on the last day, Gough said. This time, it is the opportunity to see the maestro Sachin Tendulkar bat in an MCG Test for the final time - another golden opportunity for cricket lovers to savour the moment.

[manoj_admlab]

Aggression key to beating Australia - Laxman Jon Pierik December 24, 2007 12:00am AUSTRALIA'S batting nemesis V. V. S. Laxman yesterday vowed India would adopt an "aggressive" mindset this summer and not be trampled on. Laxman, the hero of the stunning comeback win in Kolkata in 2001, was the man the Aussies struggled to contain during that unforgettable series and again on local shores in 2003-04. His sublime 281 in Kolkata bankrolled 503 runs at 83.83 in a 2-1 series win, while four years ago he stroked 494 at 82.33 with two tons in a drawn campaign, prompting the Australians to admit they did not know how to stop him. Laxman knows the tourists will have to hit the Australians hard early on Boxing Day if they are to unnerve a team that needs just two wins to tie its own record for most consecutive Test victories. "The most important thing is that you have to play aggressive cricket as well. Whenever we have played aggressive cricket against them, we have done well," Laxman said. "You have to play up to your potential, because the moment you give them a slight inch, they will walk all over you. It's important that you just come out and play your natural game of cricket, like we do." There was plenty of lip between the two nations in the recent one-day series in India, but Laxman says this is not always the best way to show strength of character. Not necessarily. It depends on individuals, he said. "Every individual is different. It's just how you play your cricket, especially in your mindset. If you have a lot of self-belief, I think you will do well in Australia." The tourists have recalled the success they had in Australia four years ago when they tasted a rare victory in Adelaide. "The intensity the Australians play with will help us to raise our level and play at their level," Laxman said. "That's what we realised in 2003-04." Laxman, 33, has pledged to play "match-winning" knocks this summer in a bid to help wrest back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which was lost at home in 2004 when he made just 123 runs at 17.57. The enigmatic strokemaker, who has arrived in good form, is expected to assume the key No. 3 spot now Rahul Dravid has been promoted to an opening slot. This will be the ultimate test of character for the one-time medical student who has generally struggled against the short ball in a stop-start 86-Test career that has yielded an average of 44.10, with three of his 11 centuries coming in Australia. Laxman knows there will be plenty of bumpers coming his way, but says he is ready for the challenge. "When you come to places, say like Australia or South Africa, you expect that - hard, bouncy wickets, good pace," Laxman said. "We expect that. We are ready to counter any type of attack."

[Laaloo]

US east coast is ideal for watching the matches in Australia. They'll start 6:30 in the evening and finish at 1:30 AM. Perfect.

:yay::yay::yay::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up: thxx yea the first two tests start at 6:30 but the last ones i think starts at 10:30

[The Outsider]

:yay::yay::yay::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up: thxx yea the first two tests start at 6:30 but the last ones i think starts at 10:30

Only Perth, I guess. Adelaide is again towards the eastern side, so probably an hour or so later.

[msb1991]

Munaf is the 17th member of the side and presently a stand-by.

Munaf's bowling, in particular the length, is highly suited to Australian pitches. Considering the pace that he was bowling in the first two Tests, from 125-142kph, I'd imagine he would have made the squad were he not injured in the third.

[manoj_admlab]

Charity begins at home: Clark Alex Brown December 24, 2007 STUART CLARK fears Australia may have forfeited a degree of home ground advantage by allowing India to begin their Test tour in Melbourne, and has urged administrators to schedule future series-openers in Brisbane or Perth. Clark said Australia's pacemen would enter the Boxing Day Test with "little expectation" of assistance from the Melbourne wicket, which curator Tony Ware believes will favour spin as the match progresses. To maximise Australia's advantage, Clark believes Test series-openers should be played on bouncier wickets, such as the Gabba or the WACA Ground, the likes of which are virtually non-existent in most corners of the cricketing globe. "That way, we could really ram home our advantage," Clark said. "The conditions in Brisbane and Perth are so different to what you find in the subcontinent, and it would obviously be ideal from our perspective to play the first Test of series in places like that. "Of course, that's easier said than done with the crammed schedules these days and the [iCC's] Future Tours Program to comply with. But from the team's perspective, it would be great if we were able to start series against the Indias and the Sri Lankas of world cricket at grounds like Brisbane and Perth and get the full advantage of our unique pitch conditions." Though much has been made of the Indians' limited preparation in Australia, the tourists have played non-stop cricket since the Twenty20 World Championship in September, and almost exclusively on flat wickets. Indeed, the Indians are only a fortnight removed from closing out a home Test series victory over Pakistan; a result achieved on a succession of low, slow surfaces. Of the nine Tests India have played in 2007, eight have been contested on the lower bouncing wickets of Bangladesh, England and India, while the other was played at Newlands - among the slowest pitches in South Africa. "The Indians don't get a lot of exposure to our bouncier surfaces, and you'd probably say Melbourne isn't one of those," Clark said. "I'm not going into the match with any expectations for a fast bowler-friendly wicket, but we'll just roll up on the day and see what we're presented with. "We'll be playing the third Test in Perth, and it will be interesting to see how that goes. We're all well aware that scheduling these days isn't a simple matter, but I suppose you'd just like to get that real home ground advantage if it was possible." Clark believes the challenge of bowling to an Indian top order likely to include Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly will be the greatest he has faced. The right-armer, whose 11-Test career to date has involved contests against South Africa, Bangladesh, England and Sri Lanka, feels India will be more aggressive against the Australian bowling. "There has been a fair bit of talk from them about being aggressive, and that's fine by us," Clark said. "We are more than capable of fighting fire with fire. It's going to be a great challenge for everyone, because they have some truly great players in their line-up, and in Sachin one of the all-time greats. "We've been doing our homework on them. There's been quite a lot of video analysis and today we had our first big discussion on the plans we have for them, and different ideas. We can't wait to get out there." With Clark and Brett Lee the mainstays of the pace attack - and Brad Hogg almost certain to play as a specialist spinner - the final bowling slot is likely to be a shoot-out between Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait.

[jacky007]

Few teams can claim to have a 4-4 record (Typo, should read 4-0) against Australia over the last seven years but India's have shown they can mix it with the best, Sourav Ganguly has said. "We are the only team in the world that's done well against Australia home and away over the last five to six years. We all know they are a good side but we also have the side to beat them," he said two days before the first Test in Melbourne, his 100th, starting on Boxing Day. "We've won in every country over the last six to seven years and most of the boys in the team have the experience of winning abroad. They know what it takes - putting up runs and taking wickets. I think even the Australians realise - and I'm friends with a few of them - that it's India that are the only one to have competed with them in the last six years. From that point of view, it makes the series interesting." Ganguly led India in their drawn series in 2003-04, a memorable series which he kickstarted with a sublime century in Brisbane. "Last time, we came as underdogs and did well. We probably have a better bowling attack this time [compared to last] and with [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni at No. 7 have a strong batting line-up too. It's about performing out in the middle. What we did in 2003 won't make a difference." India will go into the series under-cooked, with their only practice match being severely affected by rain, but Ganguly said they all knew what to expect. "International cricket is the same everywhere - fast bowlers hurry you up and get extra bounce," he said when asked about the pacy conditions he might encounter. "I heard the wicket has slowed down in Melbourne but there will still be carry for the seamers. Sydney and Adelaide will spin and Perth will bounce more. Most of these players have been around for 12 to 13 years and have fantastic records. So they'll expect bounce and pace. We have to learn to adapt." "It's not the first time that they'll be facing someone bowling at 90mph. We just played Shoaib [Akhtar], who's probably the fastest bowler in the world. It will help us in this series. [brett] Lee's doing well, he's bowled well. But I think we'll do well against him." Did he think there were any weaknesses in this Australian side, one that's racked up 14 Test wins in a row? "They'll obviously miss [Glenn] McGrath and [shane] Warne," he said after a thoughtful pause, "because you're looking at 1200 wickets between them. But I'm sure people like [Mitchell] Johnson, [stuart] Clark, [brad] Hogg are looking forward to Test cricket. They have the ability and I'm sure they'll be good as well." On his last visit, Ganguly was picked out as one of the weak links in the strong batting line-up with the Australians promising "chin music". This time, though, with him being in such fine nick, no such talk has surfaced. "Even after I got a hundred in Brisbane someone said they was talking about 'chin music'," said Ganguly with a smile. "It's a part and parcel of sport." Ganguly wasn't the least surprised that one of his fiercest rivals on the field, Steve Waugh, had backed him in a newspaper column recently. "Whatever happened in the past was in an effort to win matches," said Ganguly playing down the rivalry. "I've said before that he's one of my role models. He led a tough side, and made them compete hard. He lifted Australian cricket and what it is today is partly because of him." © Cricinfo

[Chandan]

Clarke warns India to stay quiet December 24, 2007 - 5:06PM Batsman Michael Clarke has warned India's cricketers that any aggression they employ during the first Test could backfire badly and play into Australia's hands. After pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait waged a mini selection battle at training on Monday, Clarke said any attempt to un-nerve Australia with trash talk from Boxing Day could inspire the world champions to greater things at the MCG. "I don't think verbal aggression will affect any player in the Australian team, we've all copped it before," he said. "You would have seen in the one-dayers in India how when they showed verbal aggression to the Australian players, they reacted pretty well. "(Our) guys love that, they sweat on that. "Andrew Symonds; somebody says something to him, that gees him up and makes him better and I think there's a lot of guys in the team like that, as Steve Waugh was when he played." Symonds was the primary focus of India's verbal aggression in October, but he had the last laugh when named man of the series in Australia's 4-2 win. Clarke also has fond memories of playing India, following his ton on debut in Bangalore in 2004, but felt no extra pressure to replicate that, only to live up to his own expectations. "The only pressure that will be put on me is from within and that's what makes me play better, when I set my goals high and try to achieve great things," he said. The greatest intensity shown at Australian training came through a spirited session when Tait and Johnson bowled flat out to captain Ricky Ponting, as selector Merv Hughes looked on. The two young pacemen will be vying for the one spot if, as expected, selectors stick with tradition and play one spinner. But the selectors will assess the conditions and pitch before deciding whether to play wrist spinner Brad Hogg and three quicks, or a four-pronged pace attack. The MCG wicket is expected to favour pace early on Boxing Day, but forecast hot weather afterwards should flatten the pitch over days two and three and then produce some turn towards over the last two days. Showers over the past four days meant ground staff only on Monday removed the covers, but forecast good weather on Christmas Day should dry out the wicket, which had a light covering of grass on Monday after sweating under the covers. Curator Tony Ware predicted the wicket would be quicker than those used in domestic matches this season - which have had their share of criticism - but could pose selectors' a dilemma as it could favour both pace and spin. "It will start to wear a little bit towards the end and a spinner is useful because you really can't take advantage of that unless you have a spinner," Ware said. "But if the boys see a little bit of grass on it, they might think the four quicks are a chance to do some damage to India in the first session." Despite the firepower Tait brings, Australia have not chosen an all-pace attack since 1992 and selectors will remember Hogg's Pura Cup performance at the MCG in October, when his 8-83 for the game delivered Western Australia victory over Victoria. Clarke said Hogg's consistency throughout his one-day career and his troublesome wrong'un made him a dangerous prospect, despite India's liking for spinners. "If he continues to bowl the way he's bowled since I've been playing one-day cricket, that will hold him in great stead whatever form of the game," he said. The Melbourne Cricket Club expects a first-day crowd of about 75,000, which would better the start of the 2005 Test against South Africa, although would not match last year's sell-out.

[manoj_admlab]

Sehwag, Karthik left out; Dravid to open Melbourne: India have decided to leave out opener Virennder Sehwag from the 12-member squad against Australia for the Boxing day Test match starting on Wednesday in Melbourne. All-rounder Irfan Pathan, Rajhasthan pacer Pankaj Singh and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik also failed to make the final cut. With Sehwag and Karthik on the sidelines, the onus of opening the batting will fall on Rahul Dravid, who will accompany regular opener Wasim Jaffer. It is going to be a toss up between rookie pacer Ishant Sharma and off spinner Harbhajan Singh for the final berth in the playing eleven. The final decision regarding the eleventh member will be taken in the morning of the Test match. The squad: Anil Kumble (captain), MS Dhoni (Wicketkeeper, Vice-Captain), Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh. http://www.cricketnext.com/news/sehwag-karthik--left-out-dravid-to-open/28519-13.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think Harbhajan is going to play.