I think it’s the best strategy on this pitch if you play sensible shots. Its clear the pitch is volatile enough that there will be a delivery, sooner or later, with the batter’s name on it. Might as well make some runs while they’re at it. Blocking it out didn’t help India on day one.
I really hope Travis Head brings Konstas under his wing. Head is pretty successful at turning the screws in a match, but he can do so in a more sensible fashion. Head also does it in big games, so its hard not to argue its a temperament thing. It will likely take a few years, but that tutelage could prove invaluable for a youngster still learning the ropes at international level.
Pretty much. Konstas got out trying to hit to cow corner and it looked a bit uncertain at three down, but Head and Webster in particular really brought it home in the end. Siraj ended the game in the sheds, as well, after getting tonked for over six an over.
The ability of this group to go from ‘sack the board’ to holding every bilateral trophy and the WTC and ODI WC is pretty amazing. I’m not sure how to explain it, maybe it’s a historically great bowling group able to bail a streaky batting group?
Unbelievable debut from Webster. So calm and in control in a very tense situation. Must be up there with the goat debuts.
On Konstas… if there was someone else, I would say give him another couple of years in Shield. It will not be sustainable for him to play like this and I think it’s asking an awful lot of a 19yo to be able to change gears with the weight of expectation that will now come on him. But I don’t think there is anyone else so…
Compare Australia’s dominant team of the early 2000s to this bowling attack. The combined fast bowling average for McGrath, Gillespie and Brett Lee are higher than Cummins, Starc and Hazelwood. Only Warne’s average of 25 or so brings the combined averages of both attacks together. Make no mistake, this current bowling attack is a truly great one.
Today felt like such a let down for the whole series. Felt like India gave up soon as they knew Bumrah wasn’t playing today. Their batting had no intent and bowling was wayward. Real shame Smith couldnt get that one more run- wouldnt have been one of those iconic “where were you when” moments in Australian cricket.
They know as well as anyone else that Bumrah is their only quality bowler outside of sub-continent conditions. And what on earth was with even picking Washington Sundar? He batted at eight and bowled only one over the entire Test, which was the last one. They surely needed to use him a bit more, or Jadeja, to rotate the three remaining quicks out.
I’ve always thought Hazelwood was the pick of the three of them and the closest to McGrath. And just watching them bowl I think that holds. But Cummins has this incredible ability to take wickets. He bowls plenty of jaffas but also gets wickets from balls that don’t look special, they just somehow draw false shots.
India’s selections the whole series were immensely reactionary for each test. They bought in Padikkul and Jurel based off the A games, they both got dropped and never seen again. They’d bought over Sarfaraz Khan and Easwaran as backup batters and never gave them a shout- Easwaran’s played over 100 FC games and seems like that sturdy tough to get out type player they could have done with at 3.
Bowling wise they simple couldnt get a consistent support to Bumrah and again chopped and changed constantly. Deep got dropped to start despite being in good form before the series then came back in, Krishna had a bit of talk about him in the A games but never got seen till the fifth test. Rana played two and disapepared and Siraj lacked consistency. They seemed to have some hope Mohammed Shami would make a quick return from injury, do well domestically and come into the team but that never happened.
Then there was the spinner swapping early on between Sundar, Ashwin and Jadeja. Jadeja spent a decent period where he was good enough to play as a bat alone but thats a fair few years ago but none were good enough here.
They seemed to not be able to decide if any change was to improve the batting or the bowling and final order of Reddy/Jadeja/Sundar felt like trying to cover all bases.
