Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Kohli gone!!! Tim paine is gonna love that!!

Two quick wickets for Nathan Lyon. Match turning input.

Longer tail than usual without Ashwin and Jajeda. Really it's these two and the disappointing Pant.

Cant see how India win from here.

sussexpob wrote:Cant see how India win from here.

And thats before Rahane hit to point....

sussexpob wrote:

sussexpob wrote:Cant see how India win from here.

And thats before Rahane hit to point....

Last decent batsman gone with the score under 100. We're into miracle territory for India now.

GarlicJam wrote:I have no problem with Kholi's behaviour yesterday (except maybe he should have taken his "out' with more grace, but that is minor). He is using what is at his disposal to gain advantage

I think if that was me in Virat's shoes being given out for that, Id have rearranged much of the dressing room with my bat when I got back. Steve Smith moaned about these soft signals in the post-Ashes ODIs last year, and I totally agree with him. How can a decision which cant be proved to be out be made on an umpire guessing? As was suggested at the time of the Smith one, the umpire almost certainly always gives it out, as he is surrounded by fielders and a bowler celebrating, and the fielder is always going to claim it. Seems to allow a lot of wickets to be given when evidence is limited to give it out. Surely, if there is uncertainty, that should go to the batter?

Handscomb hardly celebrated, and Cummins didnt seem 100% convinced. He rather sheepishly shoved his finger up, but considering it was a massive wicket and change to the game, Id have expected if he thought he had got his hands under it, to have lost his marbles in celebration? I think the fielder knows he hasnt caught that, and I think the TV pictures follow that. The side view shows his fingers further back, the front seems to show the ball hit ground; the side view proving that the fingers really werent under the ball.

Either way, I have no problem with captains having a chat with each other. Not much of a story here really. If you take it into context of Australia setting themselves a high bar for their behaviour, in a committed effort to change the team culture, then maybe you could say Paine's contribution is not exactly in line with that.... but then again, who believed all that bullsh*t anyway? As if Australia were ever going to change the culture. Its the modern game, people play to win. Lets not pretend otherwise.

Personally think its good to see two captains adding to the theater. And as Paine remarked, there was no bad language involved. Let them get on with it, and if someone actually does something wrong, then make a deal of it.

sussexpob wrote:Its the modern game, people play to win. Lets not pretend otherwise.
.

Don't agree with that. Not all national sides behave similarly. NZ for example have a unique team standard of conduct. England are worse and I can think of a couple of sides who are far worse than England in terms of gamesmanship.

been some handbags, I understand

I thought everything was going to be all new and shiny these days?

GarlicJam wrote:

Arthur Crabtree wrote:I see the Jekyll and Hyde wrangle within the soul of the Indian captain has been roused from its troubled slumber. Or V.irate vs. King Kohli.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... rit-bumrah

It was quite the non-article in the end. Media needing a story, but not managing to quite manufacture one.

I have no problem with Kholi's behaviour yesterday (except maybe he should have taken his "out' with more grace, but that is minor). He is using what is at his disposal to gain advantage - be it a collection of good hostile pace bowlers, a seemingly endless supply of enthusiasm and energy, a strong away crowd on his side, or a willing group of team-mates ready to stir up the Aus batsmen at any opportunity.

Go for it.


However, over the past decade, I have read (more than several times) of behaviour very similar to India's close-in fielders' being roundly criticised by media of all flavours. Terms like 'baying jackals', 'wolf pack', howling hyenas" were common currency.

Even a lot of Indian fans dislike his behavior. He shows his maturity level with this over aggression by bad mouthing opponents. He uses abusive words. There is no need of it. Yes, i do see that it is difficult for him or anyone to give back the opponents enough or equal to what they are giving but now he is over doing all the nonsense which others have been doing. I do not watch cricket to watch such rubbish behavior. The broadcast advertisements have been horrible to say the least. They are highlighting the actual fights in local matches in advertisement of this series. It's a new low how not to sell a cricket series or a sporting event. If they want to target the audience which are young then thats fine because their minds are easily modified with such fake unwanted aggression. Sledging has gone to far and some of the players are making it worse. Now broadcasters are using those actions to sell this series to viewers in India. This culture is encouraged by the theory that sledgin is fine until the cricketers break the line. In heat of moment there is no time to think where the line is or even to realize there is line at all which shouldn't be crossed.

andy wrote:India need 287 to win! Dont see them getting that on this wicket...

Adi if/when Saha is fit, does he get his place back? For me he should...Yes Pant is a good batsman, but Saha has done a good job for India and is easily best gloveman in India...Pant concedes far too many byes...

Saha is still recovering from shoulder surgery and it has been almost 6 months since he is away form cricket. He has not even started playing Ranji matches so he clearly has to prove his match fitness. Let us see if he plays any of few remaining Ranji trophy matches. England Lions are touring India in January next year, so that could be time where he can prove match fitness in 4 day games. If not that , there are LOI domestic tournaments in February and March. So he is not going to make squad imo in near times.

As a keeper Saha is much more finished than Rishabh. Issue is that Saha is about 32 something so think tank will look for younger option over long term. Having said that same think tank had preferred Saha initially in 2018 in SA where he caught this injury. So there is a chance that we will see him back while Rishabh who was part of A squad works and fine tunes his keeping skills or remains with Team India as backup.

Over a long term option , i would prefer Rishabh considering the age factor even though he has dropped catches in this series. Both can be used alternatively depending on opposition. With India playing loads of home series in 2019 it's possible to rotate as backup players too will be strong at home. I agree at this point Rishabh drops more catches and won't be surprised if he concedes more byes than Saha. But the age is on his side and with Saha the wicket keeper as option the development can be planned well.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:NZ for example have a unique team standard of conduct

New Zealand dont play in any marquee series, so I dont think its comparable. Incidents like the Paine v Kohli one resonate and stay in the mind much more. Compare how much news coverage and debate this gets, to the reporting of Ross Taylor being a plank in the recent series with Pakistan. He spent a whole Hafeez over at the non strikers end mimicking bowling with a bent arm, to signal he believed Hafeez was throwing. Thats not only gamesmanship, but making potentially hugely damaging accusations for a players career, while a game is going on. It was hardly reported. In fact, quite a lot of Kiwi's current team have been disciplined for their on field behaviour. Munro was banned for a three strikes on swearing at umpires. Wagner and Latham have recently been in hot water for the same. I think it was Tim Southee who last year threw a ball at Shakib-al-Hasan in a mood, and injured him when it struck his ankle. By memory, the ball went nowhere near the stumps, and it appeared it was meant.

Even in days gone by, I seem to remember Scott Styris and Mitch Johnson having a scrap. When New Zealand knocked out SA in the 2011 World Cup, Dan Vettori and several of his players let themselves down by losing their cool, I think a handful were cited and banned or fined. And while Brendan McCullum seems to have retained this tag as the fair play king of cricket, wasnt it him who ran out Murali all those years back? An incident he has acknowledged since was a poor decision, and for which he apologised. McCullum also failed a drugs test in the IPL recently, didnt he? Williamson bowled in county cricket after being banned for chucking in internationals. Its not exactly all rosey for the Kiwi's. Think even Fleming got busted on drugs as a youngster, didnt he?

Chris Cairns banned for life.... fair few NZ ex-captains with blemished integrity records.

Hardik Pandya and Mayank have been added to squad.

Prithvi will fly back to India. Setback but sensible not to aggravate the injury with a long home season coming in 2019. Long term option so have to handled carefully.

Hardik proved his fitness in Ranji match between baroda and Mumbai. After bowling 18 over spell and picking 5, he scored 73 in middle order and was last man out. Immediately he bowled a spell as opening bowler with good enough pace and few bouncers. There was nothing to suggest he was having a fitness issue and he claimed 7 wickets in 2 innings (5+2).


Mayank deserved this chance and had to wait a long inspite of two excellent domestic seasons and a good LIST A tours as well in 2018. Now hopefully he will carry his form at international level as well. He has a issue with full apced bowling on stumps but lets see if he manages to score enough at international level too before he gets out to his weakness. The openers have been pathetic as can be seen from following tours to SA, England and Australia. They have scored like tail enders.

Openers averages on 3 recent tours:


The averages of 7.5, 6.5, 12,12.25 might look as i have posted averages wrongly of some specialist bowler but that's not a mistake.


Highest partnerships in 2019 by openers in away tours:

Rahul & Vijay - 63
Rahul & Shikhar - 60
Vijay & Shikhar - 50
Rahul & Shikhar - 37

The umpire had the best response.

Gafferty : play the game. You guys are supposed to be the captains.