India Vs Victoria, Tour game, Melbourne, 20-22 Dec 2007

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Ram]

It's the bowlers who needed practice. I keep reading how the Indian bats are in such good form but 700 runs in an innings isn't worth a cracker if your bowlers can't take 20 wickets. MSD (or whoever made the decision) really missed the boat by electing to bat first.

Oh really ? This is a world's first to me actually, that someone is saying that a visiting captain should have infact BOWLED first after he won the toss in the first only side game of a new tour. Alas, its long since i realized that you sometimes post only to contradict what is the the popular opinion or even worse, to criticize the moves taken by the Indian team. Just in case you have forgotten the basics of cricket, let me take the pains to remind you. Touring sides gives utmost priority to their batsman getting acclimatized to the new conditions. Its just common sense since it is the batsman who take longer to get used to the pace and bounce, or in some cases, the lack of it , in alien conditions. To come now and say Dhoni made an error in batting first smacks of cricketing ignorance or maybe, just blunt bias. And to prove my point, here is our very own world beating Australian team, in the Ashes tour of 2005, who decided to keep batting, despite having a wonderful chance to win the game. "Tour match, Northampton, day two of two (close): Australia 374-6 dec & 226-2; Northamptonshire 169-9 Match drawn" And this is what the article says, "Opting for further batting practice, Australia sent Katich, with just 49 runs in the last two Ashes Tests, out to open with Brad Hodge." ---------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/australia/4171062.stm

[Chandan]

Dhoni couldn't face even a ball, and he will have to play all the 4 matches. None of the pacers, all are new apart from Zaheer, could bowl a single ball. Now they will have to adjust to different length without having bowled a ball in the tour, at MCG. The scene is looking quite gloomy and once again fans+media will only curse the players if they fare badly, conveniently forgetting that it is the BCCI which is responsible for that.

[The Outsider]

I am actually glad this facking farce got washed out. Hopefully we won't go in with a makeshift opener and a makeshift no.3 at the MCG.

[Dhondy]

Oh really ? This is a world's first to me actually' date=' that someone is saying that a visiting captain should have infact [b']BOWLED first after he won the toss in the first only side game of a new tour. Alas, its long since i realized that you sometimes post only to contradict what is the the popular opinion or even worse, to criticize the moves taken by the Indian team. Just in case you have forgotten the basics of cricket, let me take the pains to remind you. Touring sides gives utmost priority to their batsman getting acclimatized to the new conditions. Its just common sense since it is the batsman who take longer to get used to the pace and bounce, or in some cases, the lack of it , in alien conditions. To come now and say Dhoni made an error in batting first smacks of cricketing ignorance or maybe, just blunt bias. And to prove my point, here is our very own world beating Australian team, in the Ashes tour of 2005, who decided to keep batting, despite having a wonderful chance to win the game. "Tour match, Northampton, day two of two (close): Australia 374-6 dec & 226-2; Northamptonshire 169-9 Match drawn" And this is what the article says, "Opting for further batting practice, Australia sent Katich, with just 49 runs in the last two Ashes Tests, out to open with Brad Hodge." ---------------- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/australia/4171062.stm

Fantastic riposte, Sriram. If that doesn't show up his opportunism, nothing will.

[The Outsider]

Excellent post, Sriram. I can't remember any instance where a touring side chose to field first after winning the toss in a side game. All captains are idiots and should go to Donny for further guidance.

[Ram]

Not just on this occasion, Donny has been seen criticizing the Indian team's stand almost inexplicably sometimes. Like when he said we got the timing of our declaration the first innings of the second test against Pak at Kolkata wrong, when India had amassed its runs at close to 4 runs an over and had declared well before the end of day 2.

[coffee_rules]

donny is a ...

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Donny]

Pack/gang mentality to the fore - again. Maybe if you weren't so intent on petty attempts at putting me down, mm, you could actually debate the points I made. They were not only valid in the context of Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Ganguly all having previous experience in Australian conditions and the bowlers, none - but simply that it was an obvious choice to bowl first in those conditions. As far as I know, none of the 4 pacemen named had bowled a single ball in a first class match in Australia and here was a situation ripe for them. At least one of them, probably two, will play in the first Test Apart from mm's petulant and patronising personal attack on me - including something Australia did in a 2 day match towards the end of their '05 tour of England which had absolutely no bearing or similarity with the match in point - the backing up of same with, "Fantastic riposte, Sriram." and, "Excellent post, Sriram." from members who should know better is extremely disappointing. Accolades for youthful bad behaviour will not improve mm's character at all. In fact, the opposite is more likely to result.

[Ram]

Wow ! Looks like the post has hit hard were it matters.

Pack/gang mentality to the fore - again.

If you make a wonderfully stupid claim that a visiting captain should have bowled first and one poster opposes and many oppose it, its not evidence of "pack/gang mentality" as you call it, but rather damning proof that the overwhelming majority think you are downright wrong. Dont confuse the two.

Maybe if you weren't so intent on petty attempts at putting me down, mm, you could actually debate the points I made.

Seems like you actually didnt read my post at all ,seeing that you have accuses me of " not debating". Again, a gentle remainder for you Donny, "Just in case you have forgotten the basics of cricket, let me take the pains to remind you. Touring sides gives utmost priority to their batsman getting acclimatized to the new conditions. Its just common sense since it is the batsman who take longer to get used to the pace and bounce, or in some cases, the lack of it , in alien conditions. To come now and say Dhoni made an error in batting first smacks of cricketing ignorance or maybe, just blunt bias."

hey were not only valid in the context of Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Ganguly all having previous experience in Australian conditions and the bowlers, none - but simply that it was an obvious choice to bowl first in those conditions.

And you conveniently forget the fact that the other part of the batting line-up, namely Yuvraj Singh, Wasim Jaffer, MS Dhoni have NEVER played in a test match on Australian soil at all. And here i give you, numerous examples of how the visiting team have always batted first in the first tour game http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/326457.html?CMP=OTC-RSS http://india-pakistan.cricket.deepthi.com/india-pakistan-dharamsala.html http://www.indianbytes.com/index.php?search=pakistan&tag=true http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/australia/4171062.stm I can give you a thousand more, but its beyond the point. Now, why dont you do your part and give me worthwhile examples of how the visiting captain has infact bowled first after winning the toss in the ONLY side game of a new tour ?

As far as I know, none of the 4 pacemen named had bowled a single ball in a first class match in Australia and here was a situation ripe for them. At least one of them, probably two, will play in the first Test

And who said they wouldnt have bowled at all , with India batting first ? But for the weather,they could have had a VERY decent spell.

Apart from mm's petulant and patronising personal attack on me

Personal attack ? What personal attack ? I just made observations on your cricketing acumen based on your post, and nothing else.

Accolades for youthful bad behaviour will not improve mm's character at all. In fact, the opposite is more likely to result.

I dont need others to tell what is good behavior, nor is "youthful bad behavior" condoned in this place. The fact of the matter is, your duplicity vis-a-vis criticizing the Indian team moves' is being exposed.

[Donny]

Your generalisations, repititions and exaggerations mean nothing to me, mm. Or your insults for that matter.

[Ram]

Your generalisations mean nothing to me' date=' mm. Or your insults for that matter.[/quote'] Whatever suits you Donny. And yes, the next time you criticize the Indian team without basis, be prepared for a reaction. BTW, i have seen that you have absolutely no attempt to debate in this matter, by showing us how visiting captains have bowled first after winning the toss in an only tour game.

[Donny]

Without basis ? It would be a first.

[Ram]

Without basis ? It would be a first.

Example one : Claiming how India declared too late in the first innings of the second test against Pakistan Example two : Criticizing Dhoni's decision to bat first against Victoria. Shall we start a poll asking all the posters whether those decisions were right or wrong ?

[Mr. Wicket]

Eh, I'd say there's a strong argument on both sides. Had India bowled first, there would have been an opportunity to give RP Singh some much needed match practice - which he'll sorely lack coming into the tests, and allow Ishant and Pankaj Singh to get some match experience in Australian conditions. With a pace attack so unsettled and uncertain, would have certainly been welcome - and a handy form indicator. Batting first, there was also the opportunity for the batsmen to get accustomed to the Junction Oval wicket which certainly wouldn't have been as placid as the ones in the last two tests against Pakistan, that too under moist conditions. Good warmup/practice for the batsmen. All a moot point in the end though, thanks to the rain. And now India go into the MCG completely underdone, lacking batting and bowling practice because of the weather and because Cretin in Chief Niranjan Shah is a thickheaded, arrogant, self-serving, moronic tool who has no place in cricket.