.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Sight Screen

Saturday, October 08, 2005

The Grand Finale - Open thread

Ahh well...before some of you kill me....I was kidding with the title ;-)

The matches have been one-sided and boring, as is often the case with Aus matches. And I hardly stand a chance of catching the start (esp considering that I'm still awake writing this)...heck even the later part is doubtful!

The only small point of interest for me is the opening position in Aus team, since Katich is going to miss out. Reports say that James Hopes can be called up...although I wonder if Hodge might be considered in the middle order with Clarke moving up. Umm...that's actually my wish....not any chances of that happening I guess.

Anyways....open thread...

posted by worma at 6:56 PM

130 Comments:

  • one observation on the not-so-super series:

    much has already been said on how 12 superstars do not a super team make, but what's been missed, IMHO, is that Australia were not exactly on the decline in the shorter version of the game anyway. So to the World Champions, this bunch of talent has been as much fodder as the multi-star hotch-potch U.S. Olympic Basketball team was. At least in this case no egos have come to the fore as they did with the NBA, I mean, the U.S. team. So far.

    By Blogger dna, at 20:30  

  • Well my thoughts on the the think tank, series and selection of the team of World XI:

    THINK TANK
    a. We have three batsman - Kallis, Dravid and Lara who have strike rate in the 70s (Lara is in the high 70s). If these players bat together at any time, the strike rate of the team is going to come down to 50% (you can do the multiplication!). How any captain can ask them to bat together? - He does not know basic statistics! The team director and the coach could have done the homework!

    b. Remember these players do not like to lose their wickets and they have perfected the art of staying at the wicket - even if another set batsman gets run out - Kallis was pathetic in calling. Contrast his calls with Gayle's who was constantly applauded by Kumar Sangakara for his clear and vociferous decision of YES or NO - watch the replay and see for yourself!

    c. The team needed to bat Flintoff or Pietersen to bat up the order - but they were kept for the death! Pietersen could be exmpted because of his injury.

    d. How can a captain think of Power Play when the Aussies have not a lost a wicket and Gilchrist is going great guns? No one even giving him any thoughts from off the field! What is happening here - the game was given to the Australians by the captain in both the matches!

    e. Terrible use of resources - when Shoib is being hit around - Gayle was not brought in to bowl - even though he has proven to be a great bowler at the death - only used for his batting - which he demonstrated well enough to be in the playing 11 straight off!

    SERIES
    a. The teams needed to get together a little earlier and should have played atleast 3 matches before going for the ODIs.

    b. One has to remember that the team is made of brilliant individuals and they have to play together for a while to get to know each other better on the playing field. They have not been playing together in the past!

    c. The Series should be played annually.

    SELECTION
    a. The top players in the world in the past 12 months get automatically selected - 4 batsman and 4 bowlers, 2 wicket keepers, 2 all-rounders.

    b. The captain is selected on the basis of having the best result for his team in the past 12 months. If the captain is not in the above 12 players - he becomes the 13th player. If the captain is part of the above 12 players, then the next player is automatically chosen in that category.

    c. No selection team is required who do not know who are the best players in the world. Imagine not including Inzamam in the ODIs - he is 2nd highest scorer in ODI in this year after Pietersen and 4 Australians. He is one of the three batsman in the world who has more than 10,000 runs - Jayasuriya was not taken in the side who also 10,000 runs to his credit and is a very active player. Sachin was taken even though his record of late is dismal too. The main reason Inzamam was not taken because then he would need to be made captain if he was in the side - so they ignored him altogether!

    d. On what basis was Sehwag taken in ODI is a mystery - his record right from the time of the World Cup is nothing to speak of in context of the players in the entire world!

    By Blogger Bhupinder Chawla, at 20:41  

  • I reckon Sehwag was in the side because of two reasons.
    a) To ensure crazed Indian audiences watched the series, which in turn would ensure advertisers took interest.
    b) After all these years, Sunil Gavaskar is still a fuckwit. And a crap selector.

    Anyway, I'm glad the World team conveniently excluded Collingwood, Inzy and gang - Australia's winning, and that's all that matters. Oi, oi, OI!

    By Blogger X, at 22:34  

  • cricktip:

    For some reason sportingstreams is working today...

    Anyone able to get video on sportingstreams??

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:12  

  • ctip,
    did you send a mail to the mentioned email ID for the link? Or arent you able to login at all?

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:21  

  • toney:

    can you watch it on sportingstreams??

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:25  

  • ctip, go to chat window and ask them about this. Else, find a moderator who is online and mail him abt it,, they are v prompt abt such things
    I had a problem with login and they rectified it promptly. Has the match started yet? I am just getting on

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:26  

  • toney:

    I went to the chat window. There is a lot of cursing going on there. Moderator has left the chat...

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:27  

  • ctip, not yet
    funny thing is,, cricinfo doesnt show the game ot have started either

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:32  

  • yacrik, not a gr8 idea to post the link :) Anyhow, thats not working

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:33  

  • sorry, I see the scoreboard at cricnof, sorry

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:33  

  • it's working for me now

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 00:34  

  • working for me too, roublen

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:35  

  • ctip, did you get the lin yet? Tell us if u didnt, there are enough ss users to educate you :)

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:35  

  • yacrik:

    THANKS !!!! Your link is working, I am watching live on sportingstreams...

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:37  

  • wait a sec, ctip, I;'ll try to find some mod's email

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:37  

  • cricktip:

    did you try yacrik's URL?? It is working for me...

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:41  

  • ctip, I tried to chat with a mod, he says you have to wait
    try yacrik's link, with your username and email id

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:44  

  • the best place to bowl Gilchrist is full, right? It's not like Gilchrist's driving is bad, but it doesn't seem to be as good as his cuttinf and pulling.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 00:44  

  • ctip, replace the username with your name and the password (ending with .com)with your email ID (without @), play this in winamp

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:48  

  • www.winamp.com, just a player
    download the free version. Once installed, do File->Play IRL (or Cntrl L) and then past the link there

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:51  

  • Aleem Dar gives a shocker. Ntini's delivery, RP plays across the line, plumb in front. Dar refused to even give it to the 3rd umpire, is he sending a message?

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:54  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 00:54  

  • cricktip, they say that they first have to add you manually to their database, and that can take 24 hours/1 business day. When I joined for the 2nd zimbabwe test, I couldn't see a days play. I don't know if that applies to you. no harm in trying to get a hold of an aministrator and seeing what's up.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 00:55  

  • yacrik, RP is v lucky to be in, and gilli is gone, should have been 58/3 which would have been crucial

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:57  

  • tight, it's inexplicable why he didn't send it to the 3rd umpire, unless he was napping and didn't want to be bothered.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 00:57  

  • toney, what message? "I am incompetent"?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 00:59  

  • yacrik, I think he needs some time to install winamp, guess he'll get back after that

    By Blogger Toney, at 00:59  

  • roublen, the message that he doesnt believe in the new referring stuff. What else could it be (other than incompetent :)?

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:00  

  • yeah, but abhay, this series has also shown that this great Australian team is GILCHRIST, PONTING, MCGRATH & Lee + 7 other blokes.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 01:06  

  • ctip, there's a small dustbin just below each of your posts. Click on the relevant button, it'll ask for a confirmation, follow instructions

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:06  

  • dustbin/trashcan :)

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:07  

  • yacrik, RP or Martyn? RP got a life from Dar

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:07  

  • and not out. It seems they consider HEye not refined enough. Sad bcos it is far from the truth

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:08  

  • isnt that the right decision?

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:10  

  • RP is living a charmed life

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:11  

  • wish they showed the challengers :( It is being webcast by willow, I would have loved to see some of those guys

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:11  

  • yacrik, I thought they used some peer to peer tech which meant that the more users, the better. Not sure though

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:13  

  • he is in the test XI, will hurt his ego if not included :)
    I wonder whether Haq will be part of the eleven. Most of the rest are in Aus now, so they have chances of adapting better

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:22  

  • yeah you do have to install winamp:

    http://www.winamp.com/player/free.php

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 01:29  

  • looks like Freddie was hit by a ball. Wonder how he'll interpret that now, he was hit by a canon balll in Melbourne?

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:39  

  • this reminds me of one of the double 100s RP got against India (or maybe both), lots of chances, result-200 in the end

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:39  

  • *L* dnights

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:40  

  • Clue: the guy was shot at in Delhi

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:46  

  • looks like a lot of guys are joining into ss as we watch the match!! Wonder how many are from here :)

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:49  

  • dnights, I paid for the last Pak tour to India too :( wish I heard abt ss then

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:58  

  • yeah, I think they show all cricket shown in England

    By Blogger Toney, at 01:59  

  • How abt the superman shade of blue with the red markings where reqd??

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:01  

  • Akhtar always finds something to do. Sign autographs, visit pubs and night clubs, get into fights with Inzi, get injured and then, if there's nothing else, plays cricket

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:02  

  • I liked the 92 uniforms myself. Though purple probably would not be good in the sun.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 02:06  

  • rp out, deserves to be, though he had started playing well

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:06  

  • dnights, I would rather not imagine that

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:07  

  • me too lost the feed

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:07  

  • yacrik, what abt Martyn? Symonds out

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:15  

  • what was it abt? LBW or rout?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:16  

  • was it out? Or cannot be determined from camera?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:18  

  • once again shows KS is a good keeper, prob as good as Gilli

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:19  

  • sportingstreams feed is back live

    By Blogger Unknown, at 02:19  

  • thanks yac

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:20  

  • Daar nods and checks with 3rd. Low confidence?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:21  

  • hit in line, should be out. Spinners doing their job. Wonder if Pollock and other SAfricans understand that there's more to bowling than hurling it fast. First lbw out given by 3rd umpire.

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:22  

  • shows once again why spinners are imot against any team outside the subcontinent. Good spinners i.e.

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:24  

  • its funny that the on-field umpire cant ask the 3rd umpire simply, "Is it out?"
    Rather he can ask if the ball hit in line, if there was an inside edge etc. Whats the difference?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:26  

  • So is Fredie out for the test? That'll mean a less balanced WXI

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:30  

  • Hey, what do you think of this: instead of day-night cricket, which is unfair to the team batting second, how about 2-day cricket, with both innings of 50-60 overs played in the evening?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 02:35  

  • but that would mean dedicating two days for the same match. Would you want to give up a Saturday and a Sunday evening to watch the game, esp at stadium?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:36  

  • dnights, I heard Greig say that the 3rd umpire can point out something which the field umpire might have missed. So it covers for the situation you mentioned

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:37  

  • toney, it would be for weekday evenings. saturday and sunday matches should be played during the day and in the sun, of course. And I don't really understand why they're playing this sunday match under a dome.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 02:38  

  • 2 day affair is not good with respect to spectators, the interest dies off. it might be perhaps give equal opportunities to both sides, but then what would cricket do without the viewers?

    By Blogger Ruchi's, at 02:39  

  • r, if I understand correctly, it is still cold in Melbournce and also the rainy season, so wanted to keep it safe. SA and Pakistan have played at this stadium previously. Indi was invited but declined, imagine making the trip for 3 ODIs, the Aussies will never oblige India, I am sure.

    As for the 2-day ODIs, it beats the purpose of ONE day intls, right?

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:40  

  • well, the main idea would be to allow people to attend matches in the evening, without skipping work.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 02:41  

  • since when does work play a role?:) Cricket comes first

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:42  

  • yes, but with India Shining and all;)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 02:43  

  • *L abt India shining

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:44  

  • zacked, cant share the username and password, they have a good system to disable that, unlike willow

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:47  

  • sign up at sportingstreams or willow. SS is the cheaper option. It might take a day to take effect

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:50  

  • fobs....

    By Blogger Ruchi's, at 02:55  

  • sure, zacked

    By Blogger Toney, at 02:57  

  • agree with that dnights. Wouldnt blame a SAn for the mistake though/.
    Ashwin, not much trun but these 2 spinners are bowling well

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:00  

  • 290 looks possible at the rate these 2are going. Hussey is probably among the better ODI players now. Pollock probably has too many riches in his bag, Gayle, Ntini, Afridi not bowled

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:18  

  • havent seen Lara play in a while, hope he clicks. Maybe, Gayle and Sehwag set it rolling, Lara and Sangakkara finish the task :)

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:21  

  • for that, McG has to go home early

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:22  

  • Hussey plays a beauty. Hope he is fit into the tests somehow

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:23  

  • yacrik, I think Polly doesnt know abt spinners a lot. Was that a replay?

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:23  

  • I thought that was a close call

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:25  

  • replays show not

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:25  

  • pity KS is not in the test XI, esp when Murali is playing

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:29  

  • nights, no problem for me

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:29  

  • So, like all Aussie investments, Watson seems to be paying rich dividends too

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:31  

  • same here, ash. I would rather get Inzi to bowl a couple of overs

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:31  

  • yac, Martyn has been otherwise consistent. I was surprised he was dropped and Hayden was retained for the tests

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:34  

  • what a shot

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:34  

  • thats a no ball LOL

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:36  

  • I disagree with Holding. He said part of the foot was behind the line before it slid over, I didnt see anything

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:37  

  • Afridi broke somethning? Poms should be happy now

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:40  

  • yac, that figure might have changed if RP was given out

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:40  

  • with AF and SA injured and prolly out, do these guys have a chance?

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:42  

  • hit the roof!!!

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:44  

  • that could have gone out of the stadium

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:44  

  • dead ball is unfair if there's no re-ball

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:45  

  • shows that the players dont pay as much attn to the rules as us. Seems like Gayle and Hussey didnt know the rules, hit the roof and it is dead

    By Blogger Toney, at 03:46  

  • Seems the Punjab Assoc has done a lot to promote this tourney

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:37  

  • I think Inzi, with his record in Aus should sit out

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:38  

  • If VS nicked that, I would have rated him the best batsman in the world

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:39  

  • cricktip, congrats :) At least, you get to watch the more significant matches... I read in their chat session that they updated the newcomers list tonight, so you must have got in then

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:41  

  • KS in the mood, sad that Boucher is in. Havent heard him doing anything of note recently

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:44  

  • ctip, all the more reason to make him sit out. He will go crazy

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:50  

  • exactly my thoughts, though he could have been more sedate today.

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:51  

  • the yorker or slower ball would have been nice after that

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:52  

  • 3-0 wouldnt do a lot of good for such tourneys, right?

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:56  

  • cricktip, he tried

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:56  

  • twice

    By Blogger Toney, at 04:57  

  • what was Lara upto there?

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:04  

  • ct,
    VS has to turn turn the corner somewhere

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:06  

  • Lare super super flop

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:07  

  • now I get the idea of Super series

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:07  

  • shot, flat 6

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:16  

  • Will VS charge down again? I think he should, after the bouncer

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:17  

  • wasnt that 2nd bouncer a no ball?

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:18  

  • tc, looks like its just me and you. Want to switch off the lights?

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:19  

  • Am I seeing things? I thought Bracken had more pace than this, Gilli standing upto him?

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:31  

  • The wides prove this aint a gr8 idea

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:31  

  • dnights, standing up to him is not the greatest idea

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:32  

  • Zoysa was sharp at one time

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:36  

  • If they are cleaned up early, I can get some sleep

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:39  

  • Yeah, Vaas should have been in

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:43  

  • I stopped believing n fairy tales :)

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:45  

  • I think KS's wkt was most crucial. A VS-KS partnership would have been good. He was the man in form

    By Blogger Toney, at 05:46  

  • Sad, VS promised more for a chagne

    By Blogger Toney, at 06:00  

  • same thing here, c u guys some toher time

    By Blogger Toney, at 06:12  

Post a Comment

<< Home