[wingsoffires]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Three very different ways to express remorse:
1. Steve Smith, accepting full responsibility even when a question offered an opportunity to shift blame to Warner, and breaking down in front of the cameras with his father by his side in a press meet at the airport on landing in Sydney - that was no act.
2. Cameron Bancroft, saying the same but looking like he is reading from a prepared statement.
3. David Warner, saying sorry via Twitter.

I should have said four ways, but I still don't see any sincerity in the Lehmann performance, just more hypocrisy. 100% Bollywood
melodrama.

PS: There also is a time to be silent and Tendulkar should have remained silent on this one, instead of hailing the ban to be in the spirit of cricket as he piously has. Irrespective of whether he was guilty or not, his name is associated with ball tampering and I don't recall any direct statement from him at that time.

Agree.

Also Still Very strongly believe Steve Smith has been handed too harsh a decision. He was given a Media trial before the actual decision. Specially people like Australian prime minister added fuel to the fire by giving exaggerated and irresponsible statements. Australians have forgotten about the awesome things Smith has done in the past 2-3 years. For one mistake, you do not give anyone a death sentence. Too many others including Sachin, Dravid, Inzamam, Du-Plesis, Atherton, Waqar, Akram have gotten away without even one hundreth of a punishment. Pakistanis have been doing this ball tampering for the last 40-50 years. James Sutherland and Cricket Australia just went too far and got under pressure from the media to come out with this kind of sentencing. Nobody cries like the way Smith did standing next to his father. Sutherland and company are big idiots and might have realised they dished out a much much harder sentence compared to the actual mistake.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by wingsoffires

Also Still Very strongly believe Steve Smith has been handed too harsh a decision. He was given a Media trial before the actual decision.

Of course he was; but that is just human nature at work once you understand that this was not about ball tampering. What you have seen is a repeat of the well known sacrificial lamb story, who is slaughtered for the mob to expiate its own collective guilt. An analogy of course; I am not saying that Smith was innocent of all sin or that he does not have a way back to the game.

Stripping him of captaincy for even two years and the public disgrace would have been punishment enough. Along with a change of coach and culture. Smith could then have had a chance to prove if his remorse was genuine a lot sooner than he will now get a chance to.

I remember having high hopes of Smith when he replaced the smooth talking but superficial Clarke, that he would change Australian cricket. And by all accounts, he did an excellent job with his IPL team last year, winning a lot of respect in a very different environment. Instead, Australian cricket changed him, and his sin if you could call it that, is that he was not strong enough to resist the pressures of being an Australian captain of a team in transition, sensing the mob breathing down his neck if he was to not deliver the victories they wanted. And sports fans everywhere in the world are not too far from the mobs wanting to see blood in the Roman circuses.

Which is why it is important to surround the captain by a good support system that does more than just endorse all he thinks is right. And why it is not a good idea for Indian cricket to have Shastri as the coach; the man still comes across as an immature sycophant and this has the same hazard potential that a completely different but equally inappropriate coach was to the Australian team. If Kohli had an older and wiser head on his shoulders, he would see this himself. Or if the venerable BCCI was not in thrall to its ingrained kowtowing to superstars syndrome, so would they and do something about it. Instead, all they have done is give Kohli a long rope.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Eddy

What do you guys think ? Can the Aussies win the last test match ? If any team can, it has to be Australia.

Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon would have a point to prove. One never knows how cornered people react; sometimes it brings out inner strengths that even they would not be aware of. One batting collapse for SA and the match could be Australia's.
The newly flown in batsmen would also have a point to prove; that they are good enough and only second choice as would be universally seen. That they are here only because some others were thrown out the door.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Winning will be seen to be expected, and losing the opposite. Not a nice place to be except for teams with the capabilities like Lloyd's WI or Waugh's Australians.

Yep everything to lose and (almost) nothing to gain. As a team, we have resurrected quite a few career graphs. With our bowling more sorted than before (with the exception of Shami for now), I only hope that our batsmen don't revive or give wind in the sails to the careers of Broad and Moeen.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I remember having high hopes of Smith when he replaced the smooth talking but superficial Clarke, that he would change Australian cricket. And by all accounts, he did an excellent job with his IPL team last year, winning a lot of respect in a very different environment. Instead, Australian cricket changed him,...

Most of us in Pune remember the young guy fielding and batting brilliantly for the Pune Warriors franchise in what was otherwise a terrible season for them. Even during his previous IPL season for the Rising Pune Supergiant (. using up my smilie limit), he worked very hard and seemed to be a gentle but effective person. Somehow, during the Ashes he seemed to mutate into Warneresque celebrations; which almost seemed like a design to intimidate the Poms by overcelebrating their acheivements.
Of course with the Australians, this has been an annoying habit over the years. Over celebrating every catch/ wicket/ runout/ century with their equally (if not more) irritating crowds and cheerleading commentators. Somehow the celebrations seemed to be always out of sync with the (lack of) importance of that event in terms of the match. In my opinion, even this type of behaviour has alienated the Aussie team from the rest of the cricketing world. As we have been saying and hearing for the last week at least, just look at the Black caps.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Which is why it is important to surround the captain by a good support system that does more than just endorse all he thinks is right. And why it is not a good idea for Indian cricket to have Shastri as the coach; the man still comes across as an immature sycophant and this has the same hazard potential that a completely different but equally inappropriate coach was to the Australian team.

Shastri seems almost like an Indian version of Lehmann. A person who keeps looking for trouble rather than focus on his work. Even when his peers praise him, they do so for sledging back at people; rarely at his other acheivements however small they may be. Standing up for yourself and your team also can be painted in different colours. For example when Ganguly did it, fans supported him. When Shastri does so, it is equally irritating for us fans. Dravid does not seem interested in the senior role, we better look for a John Wright/ Gary Kirsten type person to replace Shastri.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Most of us in Pune remember the young guy fielding and batting brilliantly for the Pune Warriors franchise in what was otherwise a terrible season for them.


we better look for a John Wright/ Gary Kirsten type person to replace Shastri.

I still remember the Smith catch on the boundary for Pune Warriors a few years ago. It was one of the moments in IPL, seeing him field on the boundary, when I started to understand that IPL is not just a circus, the players are giving their very best. I don't like T20, but that is a different issue.

As for Shastri, I respect him for what he achieved as a player. He knew his strengths, and played to them. And he was quite composed, mentally. But mentally he is like Benjamin Button; moved in the opposite direction to people who get wiser with age.

And as to a replacement - we had one. His name was Anil Kumble. No need for the Wrights and Kirstens. The price for that mistake is still to be paid.

[selfdrive]

Cook fails again. Looks like he will fail again a few times and then hit a double century. I hope it won't be against our team.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I still remember the Smith catch on the boundary for Pune Warriors a few years ago. It was one of the moments in IPL, seeing him field on the boundary,

Surprisingly that is the same catch I was thinking about when I typed the earlier post.

[selfdrive]

An interesting article with a few more links within:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...ny-steve-waugh

Some links within:
By Peter Roebuck in 2008:
https://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/...554571883.html

By Graeme Smith in 2002:
https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002...569795699.html

[Eddy]

I am not watching but from commentary it seems that Chad Sayers is bowling at Venkatesh Prasad speeds without any significant seam movement, ala Philander. Is that so ?

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I am not watching but from commentary it seems that Chad Sayers is bowling at Venkatesh Prasad speeds without any significant seam movement, ala Philander. Is that so ?

Saw 1 spell of Sayers, he's bowling mostly around 123-125km/hr mark. Philander certainly is marginally quicker than him! His bowling action reminds me of Peter Siddle.
Cummings is bowling really well, has been the standout bowler in this series, enjoy watching him steaming in.

[GTO]

Mod Note: I think we've discussed scandals & controversies enough. Let's get on with discussing current matches & the fun of cricket now. Thank you!

[PPS]

SA have a lead of 540+ but they're still not declaring because apparently Rabada has a stiff back & Morkel most likely will not bowl due to side strain. So that's just 2 specialist bowlers remaining!
I guess SA will have to settle for 2-1 series win.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by PPS

SA have a lead of 540+ but they're still not declaring because apparently Rabada has a stiff back & Morkel most likely will not bowl due to side strain. So that's just 2 specialist bowlers remaining!
I guess SA will have to settle for 2-1 series win.

and i just read that "Philander has a strapped groin"...so, it is expected that SA may bat till they are all out?

[Eddy]

And here I was wondering why SA is not declaring inspite of the big score and the rain / bad light threat. A slightly tame end to a fiery series this.

[selfdrive]

Maybe they did not need to; considering how Philander demolished them this morning.

In other news New Zealand hang on resolutely for a well deserved draw and a series win! Wagner to the rescue again, I am really impressed with his efforts. He is also very aware as a player; calling for a review when battling for a draw. That would have used up important minutes with umpires finally calling off play.
Colin de Grandhomme also seems to have evolved as a player, though he still has some way to go; what with his completely unnecessary method of dismissal today.

[Chetan_Rao]

A show of absolute grit from the NZ tail to eke out a draw, being 7 down after the first two deliveries of the day, and NOT for want of ENG bowlers/fielders trying!

[hemanth.anand]

Justin Langer appointed as the Australian men's team's coach. Everyone seems to be happy with the appointment. Micheal Vaughan also tweeted that he is worried about Ashes already with his appointment.