Certified Legendary Thread 4th Test Border Gavaskar Trophy December 26-30 1000hrs @ the MCG

[Stax on the mill]

Try and put on a quick extra 20 runs and make the Indians go through the fielding warmup and come out on the ground, whilst the Aussies get an extra 15-30 mins in the rooms with their feet up

I’d be very disappointed if the Aussies didn’t declare at their current total. 333 is a good lead, and we’ll need every over tomorrow to get them out. Yes, it opens up the possibility that India gets the runs, but so be it.

Australia are in the position of needing to win at least 1 more test. And we certainly can’t rely on getting 5 uninterrupted days play up in Sydney.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Yes I know that

I just would’ve preferred as bowling tonight and have them 2 down chasing 300 plus

Yes it’s nice Lyon and boland made 50 odd runs and it’s great to watch but in reality our top order was pathetic again and should be putting the score on the board .. that’s the issue for me

Smith, Head and Marsh should have rotten fruit thrown at them in Federation Square.

For varying reasons.

 

[Golumless]

Yep.
If we do pull off a win here I just hope it doesn’t mask over the obvious cracks in this side.

The cracks are going to be there regardless we win or not.

 

[catstorm]

Trying to buy tickets for day 5 and as usual ticketek having a massive fart as usual

 

[Mick F]

Ahh, I was close. Watkins was the worst bowler I have ever seen for Australia but won a test with that partnership

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The Shield match he was picked on, Victoria was chasing the outright win. It was thought Watkins was astute in bowling wide, so they had difficulty in reaching it and scoring. Turns out he just couldn’t get it on the stumps. Champion man though!

 

[Black Diamond]

Patterson or McSweeney in for Marsh.

The handful of overs he bowls can be made up be Head.

 

[Mofra]

Smith, Head and Marsh should have rotten fruit thrown at them in Federation Square.

For varying reasons.

Head has been fantastic for us for 2 years up to this test though.
Smith might have his touch back but he's near the end.
Marsh is just lucky that Green is injured.

 

[Cold Sober]

India can chase down 350 before tea.

 

[philreich]

Mark Howard interviewing Marnus at the end of the day - I nearly fell off my chair when it popped up on the screen that his innings of 70 included 77 scoring shots .

 

[Saint12]

Nah nothing worse than having to go out and field and then run off to prepare to bat.

Having all morning to prepare to bat is to their advantage.

Every extra run Boland and Lyon make will hurt.

Depends....nothing better than getting through it and being 15 no next morning

 

[Mofra]

The Shield match he was picked on, Victoria was chasing the outright win. They thought Watkins was astute in bowling wide, so they had difficulty in reaching it and scoring. Turns out he just couldn’t get it on the stumps. Champion man though!

Doug Walters tells the story of 'The Wok' better than anyone ever has.

 

[hawkman]

348 in a day was the target in the tied test

 

[dogs105]

Patterson or McSweeney in for Marsh.

The handful of overs he bowls can be made up be Head.

or McSweeney

 

[sherb]

Ahh, I was close. Watkins was the worst bowler I have ever seen for Australia but won a test with that partnership

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It was 8-101 when they came together, you were right they put on 83. Then both got out. Massie scored 42 and Watkins 36.

Pakistan's target was pushed up to around 150, Walker then took 6-15 and Lillee (with a completely stuffed back) took 3 to bowl Australia to a famous win. I remember Ross Edwards taking an amazing catch at cover to dismiss Sadiq (Massie's final Test wicket).

Watkins was a leggie from Newcastle, he had played only a handful of f-c matches when he was selected. You are right, he bowled half a dozen or so overs of rubbish, poor bloke's nerves obviously got to him.

Problem was, the team to the WI had already been selected prior to this match so Watkins went. Neither he or Massie played a Test on that 73 WI tour, and both faded into obscurity. So their famous partnership occurred in each of their last Tests.

They stupidly took Lillee to the WI too, back problems and all, he promptly went for gazillion in the first Test, unsurprisingly broke down mid-Test and didn't play Test cricket for 18 months as a result.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Love how you guys can predict exactly what will happen tomorrow.
Did you predict 4 for 11 and from 6-91 to be 330 ahead?
Lol anything can happen.

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It's not an out there prediction given India's lower order is their strength.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Cummins will get absolutely murdered in the papers if they hold on for a draw

Case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. If he declared and we lost by 2wickets they'll ask why he declared. That type of declaration is for a 5th Test where there no more Tests..

 

[Lunchtime]

Yes I know that

I just would’ve preferred as bowling tonight and have them 2 down chasing 300 plus

Yes it’s nice Lyon and boland made 50 odd runs and it’s great to watch but in reality our top order was pathetic again and should be putting the score on the board .. that’s the issue for me

A series win probably masks up some of the issues. A series loss might blow everything open and some changes are made going forward. Like India, Australia's batting collectively is brittle, we saw it again today.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Yep.
If we do pull off a win here I just hope it doesn’t mask over the obvious cracks in this side.

Oh but we can't change because bison is a good bloke

 

[sherb]

Yes I know that

I just would’ve preferred as bowling tonight and have them 2 down chasing 300 plus

Yes it’s nice Lyon and boland made 50 odd runs and it’s great to watch but in reality our top order was pathetic again and should be putting the score on the board .. that’s the issue for me

No argument from me there.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Head has been fantastic for us for 2 years up to this test though.
Smith might have his touch back but he's near the end.
Marsh is just lucky that Green is injured.

It doesn't matter that green is injured.

Marsh is barely park standard

 

[Lunchtime]

Head has been fantastic for us for 2 years up to this test though.
Smith might have his touch back but he's near the end.
Marsh is just lucky that Green is injured.

Whether Green is playing or not (currently not playing due to injury), Marsh should not be anywhere near the Test team. Is simply not good enough in Test cricket.

Simple as that. Thats the reality.

 

[Cleavy]

Mark Howard interviewing Marnus at the end of the day - I nearly fell off my chair when it popped up on the screen that his innings of 70 included 77 scoring shots .

Marnus can bend space and time?

 

[Cmarsh]

Just don’t lose the test. Make sure we can’t lose here, hope for the best with the ball but we can get them in Sydney.

Rain predicted for the Sydney test. May not have the opportunity.

 

[74561347]

Mitch Marsh’s batting is like a Windows update—slow, painful, and everyone wishes they could skip it

 

[Stax on the mill]

Come back out and bat tomorrow and really try to drive the screws in.
And Gaz deserves the chance to get to 50. Would have to be right up there, for most runs made without one.

Team success comes before individual milestones. We’ll need every over bowling tomorrow to get the Indians out. Delaying a declaration would imperil that.