Hobart has scared the Aussie curators

[Marshland]

I'm taking nothing away from Pup and Hussey - good innings from both of those two.

But when you have n00bs like Cowan and Warner marauding the famed Saffa pace attack like they have been doing, you just have to look at some other extraneous factors.

Such as the pitches. I know I've already had a few rants about the Gabba over the past fortnight, but this current Adelaide wicket is an expressway even by the oval's usual standards. One can only hope that it breaks up a couple of days from now, but the damage has already been done. Presumably the Saffas will also put up a 400+ total by which time the life in the game would have all but disappeared. What a shame.

I believe this has been the trend since the Blackcaps victory at Bellerive in 2011. Nothing to do with New Zealand defeating Australia I hope, it's probably to do with matches getting over too quickly.

As a result, the India tour saw three of the four wickets not conducive to anything but wood on leather. Not their fault the Indians were rubbish - the SCG was at its worst, and Adelaide followed the norm. The WACA was made to look lethal until Warner started ripping it apart - tells us more about the pitch again, than about Warner.

For all the whining about this series being only a 3-test series, look at it now. It's probably a 2-test series all over again. And if Adelaide continues to play like it has through tomorrow and the day after - a 1-test series. Go figure.

 

[SL_Fan]

Yeah I'm not liking this either. Gabba was way better than this road though. Nothing much at all in it for the quicks today except for the odd one here or there. Very disappointing.

 

[Marshland]

Yeah I'm not liking this either. Gabba was way better than this road though. Nothing much at all in it for the quicks today except for the odd one here or there. Very disappointing.

You get the "odd one here or there" even on that Jayawardene pitch. This is just terrible for the series.

 

[Gilly]

Do they have a national public holiday in NZ to mark that historic win that has shaken the foundations of Australian cricket.

 

[mmkextreme_1]

Still no excuse to have a team 3/55 and be 482/5 on the first day! I sense a SA collaspe

 

[Marshland]

Do they have a national public holiday in NZ to mark that historic win that has shaken the foundations of Australian cricket.

I can't believe you can defend the argument mate. The fact that NZ were playing that game is just incidental to my point.

 

[Gunther]

Hahah, it is as if NZ cricket did not exist before! Marshy, do not think that Clarky still remembers that "Hobart" test lol

 

[SL_Fan]

You get the "odd one here or there" even on that Jayawardene pitch. This is just terrible for the series.

Honestly I didn't think that Gabba wicket was too bad. A lot of playing and misiing and close calls went on there. Steyn, Morkel and VP bowled without much luck I thought. Aus bowlers bowled quite poory in their first innings as well mostly. All that combined plus the 2nd day being washed out took the life out of the game early and made the wicket look far worse than it actually was imho.

 

[Marshland]

Hahah, it is as if NZ cricket did not exist before! Marshy, do not think that Clarky still remembers that "Hobart" test lol

Aside from the South African 47 all out loss, that was the only other one in his full-time reign. I'd say he does for sure.

 

[trogger]

Was a fairly typical gabba pitch and this is just a typical Adelaide where its a 3 day belter but will get more difficult days 4/5.

 

[Moh@n]

Well this is not as bad as it looks.

Back in 2003, we won a test at this very venue after both teams scored 500 plus in their first innings. IIRC, Australia's score after Day 1 was 400/5.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64060.html

 

[trogger]

Yep Adelaide gives both teams a crack at batting on a belter and then after lunch on day 4 things can and do happen.

Lets remember few years after that match england belted a quickfire 550+ and still lost by 6 wickets.

 

[Poison]

Do they have a national public holiday in NZ to mark that historic win that has shaken the foundations of Australian cricket.

) ) POTW

But serious I agree with the sentiment ... Australian pitches are getting ridiculously flat. Even Sydney (spin) and Perth (quickies) are beginning to flatten out really badly.

 

[frenchcut]

I'm absolutely delighted that a pathetic overrated bowler like tahir was ripped open, chopped to pieces and mashed to a pulp like never before. Maybe he will stop doing his lap of honour every time he gets one number eleven out per test like he's won an olympic gold, and maybe commentators will refrain from encouraging him with their tiresome, intensely annoying "oh-he-wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve-what-a-character-fantastic-for-the-game" rubbish. That is, if he ever gets to play a test again. Which he shouldn't. Ever.

 

[shah_1]

Australia bowlers were better than Saffers, which they showed in last innings of Gabba test . It wasn't no ball of James Pattinson's to amla then might have seen the result because of awesomeness of Australia bowlers in SA 2nd innings. Even in first innings they bowled very economically as compared to South African.

IF you can't take wickets on dead flat track, then one thing is possible that is being economical, which SA have been below par. They can not stop leaking runs at quick rate

There is no excuse going for at run-rate of 5.6, even it is dead flat that just a result of rubbish bowling

 

[Safar55]

without phillander and now injured kallis, SA attack will suffer badly. especially when your spinner is going for over 7 runs an over.

they better clean australia out quickly tomorrow and then hope all their batter bat long, because no way SA are going to score as quick as Australia did. Amazing 480 odd from 87 overs!

 

[W63L35]

I'm absolutely delighted that a pathetic overrated bowler like tahir was ripped open, chopped to pieces and mashed to a pulp like never before. Maybe he will stop doing his lap of honour every time he gets one number eleven out per test like he's won an olympic gold, and maybe commentators will refrain from encouraging him with their tiresome, intensely annoying "oh-he-wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve-what-a-character-fantastic-for-the-game" rubbish. That is, if he ever gets to play a test again. Which he shouldn't. Ever.

Not that Tahir is another Warne or Mushtaq or Qadir.... but even if you take out Tahir's 159 runs from 21 overs, Australia STILL scored 323 runs from 66 overs....with an average of 4.89..... and at that average Australia still would have scored 440 runs in 90 overs......even with out tahir.

 

[kungfu90]

flat pitch but it was bad bowling too.
Philander was lucky to escape , might have got some hint before the match.

 

[Executioner]

SAffers losing this test. The opponents are 480ish for 5 on the first day and probably will score around 650 an hour before tea. With their best batsman injured and the pressure of an innings defeat things look pretty tough for South Africa.

 

[frenchcut]

Not that Tahir is another Warne or Mushtaq or Qadir.... but even if you take out Tahir's 159 runs from 21 overs, Australia STILL scored 323 runs from 66 overs....with an average of 4.89..... and at that average Australia still would have scored 440 runs in 90 overs......even with out tahir.

I'm not for one second saying the rest of the south african attack didn't get pasted. But they have been very good over the past few years. I just happen to dislike tahir. Dale steyn is entitled to an odd bad game. Tahir has been carried by the rest of the attack for two years and hasn't done anything to warrant a place in a team as good as south africa's. Even on a day that the entire attack got taken apart, tahir was singled out and hammered the most mercilessly.

 

[cricketworm]

Tahir destroyed the momentum for SA, if there was any! But then again, Pitch was no where near spin friendly. It turns around 4th day.

 

[cricketworm]

Amla will score another 200 here and ABDV will score rapid 150!

Only Australia can win this test though.

 

[Wasim_Waqar]

Dig up the Adelaide pitch and when relaid, stick loads of grass on top. Way too flat.

Not been impressed by the Aus pitches so far. Normally I love the Aus tests. Looking forward to seeing what Perth has.

 

[BlackThunder]

Horrendous pitch and we have commies criticizing subcontinent pitches. Not only was the pitch one sided but also the ground dimension are a joke for a international match.

 

[IgnitedMind]

If this was in subcontinent, more so if it was in india....everybody would have been screaming by now ....how pitches in india are ruining test cricket....

 

[wrongun]

I saw quite a few balls move off the pitch.

South Africa have just bowled entirely without heart or brains- Steyn is out of sorts, Morkel doesn't have the mongrel in him and picking Kleiveldt for the tour was a huge mistake. Tsotsobe would have done better.

Wait till Oz get a bowl & rattle SA out for 300 twice, then we'll see about the pitch.

 

[Kwremb]

It has to be said that if Sehwag had racked up a 200 in India on a similar pitch it would have received a different outlook.

 

[Marshland]

Horrendous pitch and we have commies criticizing subcontinent pitches. Not only was the pitch one sided but also the ground dimension are a joke for a international match.

My views on sub-continental tracks are clear. Sri Lanka are the only ones who disguise graveyards as pitches, and this is glossed over by the weaker against spin sides (England, New Zealand) touring out there.

Here is my ranking, top to bottom in terms of quality:

South Africa
England
New Zealand
Australia
India
West Indies
Sri Lanka

Put it this way. Three years ago, I'd have put the Ausies up at #2. They have slid down rapidly.

 

[trogger]

Still think people are over reacting, without a full day lost to rain a result would have been possible at the gabba and yesterday was a typical first day Adelaide the same way it's been for decades.

 

[Marshland]

Still think people are over reacting, without a full day lost to rain a result would have been possible at the gabba and yesterday was a typical first day Adelaide the same way it's been for decades.

Sure thing, let's wait it out until the end of this game. But if and when South Africa have a good innings as well, it proves the point.

 

[OZGOD]

You may be jumping the gun a bit Marshy. Certainly when you look at it the pitches have looked like roads and have been conducive to batting, but if you think about it there was a result in all four Tests against India last year, whether or not they were hopeless the fact is that a team was able to force a result. The first Test against SA would most likely have produced a result as well if we hadn't lost a day to rain. You can't always say "the pitch was a road and one team just played crap that's why there was a result" - if you think about it the players who have been making big runs consistently are the ones who have been in good touch.

A good wicket is one that provides opportunities to batsmen who are in good form and who are willing to play their shots, yet still offer enough to the bowlers to be able to get these batsmen out if they work hard. Adelaide has always been like this, it will get better to bat on the next day or two then it will start to deteriorate.

 

[trogger]

Not even 4 sessions done and there is 550 on the board and an innings complete, both teams will feel they can win this game if they bowl well from here.

 

[Bilal7]

My views on sub-continental tracks are clear. Sri Lanka are the only ones who disguise graveyards as pitches, and this is glossed over by the weaker against spin sides (England, New Zealand) touring out there.

Here is my ranking, top to bottom in terms of quality:

South Africa
England
New Zealand
Australia
India
West Indies
Sri Lanka

Put it this way. Three years ago, I'd have put the Ausies up at #2. They have slid down rapidly.

UAE should be above New Zealand. They have pitches that have something in them for batsmen, pacers and spinners. Not to mention that they are also pretty scenic.

 

[Gilly]

My views on sub-continental tracks are clear. Sri Lanka are the only ones who disguise graveyards as pitches, and this is glossed over by the weaker against spin sides (England, New Zealand) touring out there.

Here is my ranking, top to bottom in terms of quality:

South Africa
England
New Zealand
Australia
India
West Indies
Sri Lanka

Put it this way. Three years ago, I'd have put the Ausies up at #2. They have slid down rapidly.

In the last 2 years 50% of test matches played in NZ have been drawn matches.

 

[Kwremb]

In the last 2 years 50% of test matches played in NZ have been drawn matches.

True, NZ has some of the flattest pitches around nowadays.

 

[Marshland]

In the last 2 years 50% of test matches played in NZ have been drawn matches.

Thanks to the weather, not necessarily the pitches.

 

[Random Aussie]

Thanks to the weather, not necessarily the pitches.

And the Gabba test was drawn why? The weather.

Your argument isnt winning.....

 

[Gilly]

Thanks to the weather, not necessarily the pitches.

No I checked the scorecards, the weather has not been the problem.one day was lost in the drawn matches.

The drawn match with Pakistan had the full amount of overs bowled.

 

[Savak]

Steyn has performed on the most flatest of pitches so by his standards he shouldnt really be complaining about the pitch as he has consistently taken the pitch out of the equation in the past.

 

[Bilal7]

No I checked the scorecards, the weather has not been the problem.one day was lost in the drawn matches.

The drawn match with Pakistan had the full amount of overs bowled.

You can thanks Misbah ul haq for that. To be fair, we were on the backfoot and desperately needed to win the series.

 

[Master Leo]

My views on sub-continental tracks are clear. Sri Lanka are the only ones who disguise graveyards as pitches, and this is glossed over by the weaker against spin sides (England, New Zealand) touring out there.

Here is my ranking, top to bottom in terms of quality:

South Africa
England
New Zealand
Australia
India
West Indies
Sri Lanka

Put it this way. Three years ago, I'd have put the Ausies up at #2. They have slid down rapidly.

What are you talking mate??SSC is the only graveyard in SL.Apart from that all the others are great test match wickets.Unlike India where you either get a dust bowl or a highway,all SL pitches assist both pacers and spinners a lot.In the last few test series' R Harris,Junaid Khan,Jimmy Anderson,Lyon,Ajmal & Swann took 5fers and enjoyed the conditions.

 

[Fire Bird]

What are you talking mate??SSC is the only graveyard in SL.Apart from that all the others are great test match wickets.Unlike India where you either get a dust bowl or a highway,all SL pitches assist both pacers and spinners a lot .In the last few test series' R Harris,Junaid Khan,Jimmy Anderson,Lyon,Ajmal & Swann took 5fers and enjoyed the conditions.

Our "dustbowls" produce results. SL is the home of test match roads. Get real.

 

[R0H1T]

Our "dustbowls" produce results. SL is the home of test match roads. Get real.

Yup 952/6 says hi

 

[Fire Bird]

Yup 952/6 says hi

Yeah isnt it fun watching Jayawardene notch 370 AND Sangakkarra score 290 against the poor saffers with nobody watching in the stands. Meanwhile some of the saffer players maybe admitted to the local hospital for heat exhaustion. Surely thats a great advert for test cricket.

 

[cricketworm]

Pitch is actually turning well now, let's see what Tahir does against Aus. 2nd inning. He better gets turn. We need collapse from either team to get a result here. Still long way to go though.

 

[Master Leo]

952 happened 15 years ago in '97.I'm talking about recent matches.If the pitch where Sanga and Mahela put up the record partnership was a graveyard,how come we won the match by an Inning??

 

[Green Leopard]

The current game is no where near a foregone conclusion with respect to a result.

And considering Clark's positive declarations/intents, he will push for a result.

 

[Fire Bird]

952 happened 15 years ago in '97.I'm talking about recent matches.If the pitch where Sanga and Mahela put up the record partnership was a graveyard,how come we won the match by an Inning??

Lot of the Indian "dustbowls" produce results too. Im just pointing out the irony of a SL fan talking about Indian dustbowls.

 

[Fire Bird]

Adelaide may be a road but it produces results most of the times because it crumbles on day4 making life difficult for batsman.

 

[W63L35]

Our "dustbowls" produce results. SL is the home of test match roads. Get real.

Since 1/1/2005 (@ 8 or so years), India and SL have identical result %!

[B]Host Country	Mat  Result  Result %[/B]
in Australia	42	36	86%
in South Africa	35	30	86%
in England	52	37	71%
[B]in India	38	24	63%
in Sri Lanka	32	20	63%[/B]
in New Zealand	28	17	61%
in West Indies	33	19	58%
in U.A.E.	8	4	50%
in Pakistan	13	6	46%

Then the tie breaker is the bowling stats... in each country. Notice the S/R (number of balls taken by bowlers to take a wicket) in each country. S/R in SL is same as Aus... India is way below.

 

[Lethalweapon]

Since 1/1/2005 (@ 8 or so years), India and SL have identical result %!



Then the tie breaker is the bowling stats... in each country. Notice the S/R (number of balls taken by bowlers to take a wicket) in each country. S/R in SL is same as Aus... India is way below.

Lol. VISITING BOWLERS are also included there. Indian batting strength (not something I'm proud of) + visiting bowlers not doing much except Steyn. has contributed to that 'stat' as well.

 

[frenchcut]

Since 1/1/2005 (@ 8 or so years), India and SL have identical result %!



Then the tie breaker is the bowling stats... in each country. Notice the S/R (number of balls taken by bowlers to take a wicket) in each country. S/R in SL is same as Aus... India is way below.

Bogus analysis. It could mean india had a superior batting lineup which was harder to dismiss. Why do you have to use "stats" for everything.

 

[Lethalweapon]

952 happened 15 years ago in '97.I'm talking about recent matches.If the pitch where Sanga and Mahela put up the record partnership was a graveyard,how come we won the match by an Inning??

Check the SA XI there. Very weak and Inexperienced.Ashwell Prince was captaining them, says it all.

 

[Navdeep Srivastava]

Since 1/1/2005 (@ 8 or so years), India and SL have identical result %!



Then the tie breaker is the bowling stats... in each country. Notice the S/R (number of balls taken by bowlers to take a wicket) in each country. S/R in SL is same as Aus... India is way below.

Friend you are forgetting Muttiah Muralitharan, he used to get wickets everywhere ,can you give me the stats of matches played after Muralitharan retirement ,from second test match of India series to New Zealand first test match . One thing I can guranty the result % must have slipped down to 55% approx

 

[Space Cat]

In the last 2 years 50% of test matches played in NZ have been drawn matches.

NZ groundsmen have been trying to get bounce in the wickets but its resulted in most pitches become quite flat even at traditional seamers decks like The Basin Reserve. They were much greener this season than the previous 4 or 5 years though.

 

[James]

Hmm, tbf this Adelaide pitch is quite good for cricket as we have seen since yesterday. SA simply performed atrociously on the opening day - people should get used to this and admit it.

 

[Keith]

Hmm, tbf this Adelaide pitch is quite good for cricket as we have seen since yesterday. SA simply performed atrociously on the opening day - people should get used to this and admit it.

Combination.

Road.

Extremely poor bowling (not taking anything away from the batters, they batted superbly).

Excellent batting.

 

[Random Aussie]

Its those poor days or sessions here and there in a series that allow us to beat or draw, home and away, with a side that is superior to us on paper. The one thing about the Aussie teams is that we generally keep coming at the opposition regardless.

 

[trogger]

Threads about adelaide being a road after only one day of cricket should be banned, hell this match could be over on day 4 with either team winning.

 

[Kwremb]

Threads about adelaide being a road after only one day of cricket should be banned, hell this match could be over on day 4 with Aussies winning.

Fixed

 

[Marshland]

Threads about adelaide being a road after only one day of cricket should be banned, hell this match could be over on day 4 with either team winning.

Topic didn't really fixate on the eventual result - the pitch is still not assisting seam/spin bowlers as claimed.

Then again, we'll wait until tomorrow and check it out.

 

[SL_Fan]

Actually the wicket did plenty today for both the quicks and the spinners. After the first day when it was a flat out highway the wicket has all of a sudden come to life.

 

[Kwremb]

I guess Clarke won an important toss

 

[Marshland]

I guess Clarke won an important toss

Pretty much this. Win the toss, make big runs, and apply scoreboard pressure to win the game like the sub-continental matches of yore.

I'm not saying that Lyon would have bowled like a drain if Smith had batted first, but the Saffas would have still been able to get away.

 

[musaarthali]

Pretty much this. Win the toss, make big runs, and apply scoreboard pressure to win the game like the sub-continental matches of yore.

I'm not saying that Lyon would have bowled like a drain if Smith had batted first, but the Saffas would have still been able to get away.

but "Greatest bowling attack" leaking 485 runs in a day is laughbale

 

[trogger]

I guess Clarke won an important toss

Actually it's the exact opposite at Adelaide it's a track where you can overcome losing the toss, both teams get one shot at batting on a good surface and then it plays tricks later.

 

[Kwremb]

Actually it's the exact opposite at Adelaide it's a track where you can overcome losing the toss, both teams get one shot at batting on a good surface and then it plays tricks later.

No one would fancy batting last here, team batting first certainly has the edge.

 

[W63L35]

but "Greatest bowling attack" leaking 485 runs in a day is laughbale

#1 ranked team getting trashed 0-8 is also laughable!

 

[trogger]

No one would fancy batting last here, team batting first certainly has the edge.

But that applies to 98 out of every 100 tests, how many skippers actually win the toss and bowl first nowadays?

The notion was that this particular Adelaide pitch has some extra advantage with the toss and yet historically it's one of the few grounds where teams can and do lose after posting very large first innings scores.(hell the aussies scored 480 in a day and could very well lose this match)

A lot of this is about intent more than the pitch as well, one way to force a result is show intent with the bat which australia did here and which SA didn't do in Brisbane.

Cod anybody really envision SA winning the toss the toss at Adelaide and aiming to score 400+ in a day? They would have batted slowly but surely and grinded the aussies out of the match.

 

[Kwremb]

But that applies to 98 out of every 100 tests, how many skippers actually win the toss and bowl first nowadays?

The notion was that this particular Adelaide pitch has some extra advantage with the toss and yet historically it's one of the few grounds where teams can and do lose after posting very large first innings scores.(hell the aussies scored 480 in a day and could very well lose this match)

A lot of this is about intent more than the pitch as well, one way to force a result is show intent with the bat which australia did here and which SA didn't do in Brisbane.

Cod anybody really envision SA winning the toss the toss at Adelaide and aiming to score 400+ in a day? They would have batted slowly but surely and grinded the aussies out of the match.

Lol Aussies can't lose this match, any target over 300 and Saffers would collapse in this turner. As for the rest of your post fact is this pitch is one where it deteriorates every passing day. You'd want to bat first and opposition to bat last. What transpires is irrelevant because it depends if the teams have spinners good enough to exploit the conditions.

 

[trogger]

fact is this pitch is one where it deteriorates every passing day.

I agree with this...which kinda makes this thread pointless

 

[Kwremb]

I agree with this...which kinda makes this thread pointless

I wasn't the one who started this thread

 

[jaguarjack]

Why don't Saffers select Johan Botha for tests? Is it selection thing or Botha himself doesn't want to play tests? If former, I think SA selectors are bigger jokers than their Indian counterparts. Surely he can't do worse than Imran Tahir.

 

[OZGOD]

So 13 wickets fell on this road of a pitch yesterday eh

 

[Marshland]

Threads about adelaide being a road after only one day of cricket should be banned, hell this match could be over on day 4 with either team winning.

Forgot to follow up on this, but what did I tell ya?

 

[Varun]

Here we go again. Roads ahoy!

Win the toss, bat first. Go at 4.75 runs an over and feel free to leave every ball on middle stump - these are drop-in concrete slabs where the ball will just sail over unlike harsher conditions elsewhere in the world. *cough* UAE, India, England.

 

[Bilal7]

These Australian pitches have been pure concrete for the last two years. I am fancying the chances of our batsmen there next year and it's the bowlers who should be worried.

 

[Aman]

Here we go again. Roads ahoy!

Win the toss, bat first. Go at 4.75 runs an over and feel free to leave every ball on middle stump - these are drop-in concrete slabs where the ball will just sail over unlike harsher conditions elsewhere in the world. *cough* UAE, India, England.

The bowling hasn't helped, the wicket may be flat but it's not 400 in a day good.

 

[Pantani]

I still maintain that the worst pitch I have seen all year in test cricket was the one at Cardiff during the Ashes. But that's a personal preference. For me the worst wickets are the low and slow ones which favour batting and don't have any turn, which is exactly what Cardiff was, at least in the first innings for both sides. It's more excusable to have a batsman friendly pitch if there is some pace and bounce available for the bowler to work with. Low, slow, non-spinning pitches just suck all the life out of an attack.

Today's scoreline is a little misleading. If Australia had bowled then it would be something like 4, maybe 5 for 350. It's definitely a batter's wicket but there's enough there to bowl at least four or five wicket taking balls in 90 overs.

NZ have been let down by their fast bowlers trundling, you can't exploit pace and bounce from the pitch if you don't have bowlers who can bowl at good pace.

 

[Convict]

Here we go again. Roads ahoy!

Win the toss, bat first. Go at 4.75 runs an over and feel free to leave every ball on middle stump - these are drop-in concrete slabs where the ball will just sail over unlike harsher conditions elsewhere in the world. *cough* UAE, India, England.

It's not a drop in