The three unforgiveable sins of Test cricket
I've always considered there were two unforgiveable sins in Test cricket. By unforgiveable, I mean they're potentially catastrophic for your team but completely avoidable. The first is getting run out in a Test match.
Sure, you can understand a run out in the hustle and bustle of one day cricket and Twenty20. But in a 5 day match, where every wicket is only to be conceded upon pain of death, to needlessly throw it away with a run out is inexcusable. It's bad when the batsman is run out to poor judgement (I'm looking at you, Ricky and Matt). It's worse when you're run out due to stupidity like the Pakistani batsman who jumped to dodge the incoming ball. But the absolute worst case is to be run out without straining every sinew in your body to make the crease. Case in point, Damien Martyn in the 2005 Ashes, casually jogging down the pitch. I still haven't forgiven him (and probably never will) for this lapse.
The other unforgiveable sin is taking a wicket off a no-ball. Nothing causes consternation and gnashing of teeth among cricket fans like the euphoria of a crucial wicket falling only to notice the umpire with one arm raised horizontally. Every run scored afterwards is a dagger to the heart. I have painful memories of Brett Lee bowling Michael Vaughan off a no-ball only to see him score a century and turn the 2005 Ashes series around. It shouldn't be so!
Now I've added a new unforgiveable sin to the list. And that is the strategy of bowling part-timers to catch up to the required over rate. Somehow, captains are getting through their overs slower and slower to the point where 90 overs seems a practical impossibility. In domestic cricket, state teams comfortably get through 96 overs in a day. But in Test cricket, Ricky Ponting spends an eternity between overs or even between deliveries agonising over field positions, consulting with deputies, coaching his bowlers, chatting with umpires. The most perfectly honed field configuration is for nought when you have a dibbly dobbly part-timer like Mike Hussey helping the batsmen get their eye in and boost their batting average. And it's completely avoidable - all it takes is the effort and discipline to move through overs quickly.
Australia got hammered in the 4th Test. For several glorious moments on Day 5, there was a brief flicker of hope that they might chase down 380 runs. But in reality, the run chase was like the finale in Gallipoli where Archy sprints across the battlefield. Just when you think he might make it, he's gunned down by Turkish machine guns. Similarly, just as I started to harbour hopes Matt Hayden and Mike Hussey might get us within striking distance, Harbhajan and Mishra snuffed it out dismissing both batsmen within a few overs of each other.
But the real damage was done on Day 4 when Australia had India under pressure with wickets falling and our bowlers making inroads into the tail. He opted to release the pressure by bowling Michael Hussey, enabling Dhoni and Harbhajan to bat Australia out of the game. All because Australia lacked the discipline to maintain a timely over rate. That cost Australia as much as poor shot selection and wayward line and length.
Australia committed two unforgiveable sins during the 4th Test, arguably big contributors to our defeat. At a time when we're desperate for wicket taking bowlers, we need all the help we can get. Playing with the heavy weight of slow over rates and panicky run-outs around our necks is the last thing we need.
| Posted by JC on Tue 11 Nov |  15 comments |
True the over rates are important. But the over rates can never preside over the reason you play a game - to win it. For sometime, it was plain mockery of Test cricket. And not to mention the giving away of the golden chance to retain the Trophy.
Posted by Zapper on 2008-11-11 22:50:20
But one thing is for certain, they have fallen down and are amongst the pack now. Although they are clear favourites against New Zealand, the thinking needs sorting out. The selection of Cameron White just as a batsman who bowls part time, was simply absurd.
Watching Michael Hussey scamper in with his innocuous military medium when the Indians were on the mat, was as bizarre as the explanation given for it - "The Spirit of Cricket"?! At the cost of winning? This is the one point which emphasizes the obvious - This is not the Australia of old..
Posted by Ajesh Nag on 2008-11-11 23:18:29
Well played India. This Indian team always plays with more "Intent" when they play against the Aussies. Maybe its all the history that these two teams share in recent years. If India plays with this "Intent" against all other oponents, they can become team of the decade, like Australia ruled late 90's through early millenium and West Indies the 80's.
I had mentioned this start of this series and my predictions were close(including that of Delhi Draw),Cricket Australia has to take some hard decision and put some of the players in the current team including Ponting under close review
Posted by unsuidojo on 2008-11-12 01:31:16
Martyn was a shocker.
The worst I've ever seen was Boon in a Test against India in Adelaide in 1992. He bunted the ball to square leg and virtually walked up the pitch for an easy single, but the Indian keeper ran around, grabbed the ball, and threw down the stumps at the bowler's end. You should have seen the look on Boonie's face.
Australia were two for about 300 at the time, and before you knew it they were five for about 300.
Fortunately we won the Test (but not by much), which can't be said about f****** Martyn at f****** Edgbaston, but it was a salient example of batsmen being stupid.
Posted by Tony T on 2008-11-12 06:44:40
and afterwards the partnership between dhoni and harbajan singh of 100 runs..now aussie media come out saying that ricky should have continued with his main bowling attack and that things would have been different!!! the same tail enders took their main bowling attack in mohali to cleaners...
i dont think the difference is much even if the main bowlers bowled..some one or the other down below would have built a prtnership which was so evident right through the series.
i dont think ponting could have done anything right in the last minute just before tea.because india was already leading by 229 runs at the loss of 6 wickets..even a lead of 300 runs would put them on pressure on the last day and india could have easily used a negative tactic right from the first ball on 5th day to draw the match..
i just think that the australian media is too harsh on ricky ,he tried his level best to win the test match..just a few months back he was hailed as the worlds best batsman ahead of tendulkar and the most aggressive captain,,dono how can a captains strategy turn defensive and foolish in just a series or two...!!!
though iam an indian and an indian fan,iam a sensible cricket fan.i think ponting is a lovely player and a great captain...the only reality now is that he not the best captain ,but there are other teams like india and south africa arising where they should belong to..and thats good for cricket also,this is has been a monopoly game where one team has won the world cup 3 times consecutively ..so i understand that australian fans have hardly seen a loosing captain in the past decade or so..dont worry mate ,join our club.
Posted by purush on 2008-11-12 11:33:43
Posted by Mosey on 2008-11-12 13:25:31
He is one of the greatest bastmen to grace the game and will probably end up with one of the best captaincy records. But he is afterall human, and humans make mistakes. Why can't he just admit it he made a mistake not continuing with at least Shane Watson partnering Krezja after the tea break.
I thought he copped a bit too much after the sydney test last year, but now I am starting to see Peter Roebuck's point.
Grow up Ricky, take some responsibility - your the captain for christ sake.
If he continues on this road, he will be scorched for sure - if not by cricket australia, than definetly by the Australian Media.
Posted by moody89 on 2008-11-12 13:33:17
And to be honest this had not been the worst side to visit India. McGrath and Warnie at their peak were not much effective in India ( Read my comments in Pre Series Blog) anyways. they always took Kasper out of closet when visiting India didn't they..So about part-time bowling and things like that is just a brain-child of Oz Press , given the above stats , Australia always took "part-time" attack to India Tour.
The difference in this victory was as I mentioned before Indian Side played "with Intent". They had been in these kind of winning situation before , but squandered the advantage. the new look Indian side closes that loop , is giving the "killer punch" . Hope they continue with that attitude consistently. Its indeed attitude of Australia in the 90's and early millenium, never to to give opposition a chance to get off the hook.
Coming months are very crucial for Australia, and CA has to dig deep into the pockets to come up with good plan to Hold on to the top spot, else the competition is catching up fast. Rather should I say , more than Competition catching up, its the Australian Side that slipping fast
Posted by Unsuidojo on 2008-11-12 14:46:48
Agree that the coming months are crucial. NZ and South Africa will be smelling blood in the water so the upcoming Test series may not have that feeling of inevitability that past series have had. Very much looking forward to them!
Posted by JC on 2008-11-12 15:18:20
Posted by postpraveen on 2008-11-12 16:48:37
The bottom line is Australia were out-bowled and out-batted by India. But with our team much weaker than it's been in the past, all the more reason we need to remove other handicaps like unnecessarily slow over rates to give ourselves every possible advantage. Otherwise it's like playing with one hand behind your back.
Posted by JC on 2008-11-12 17:37:51
I think Moses has picked on my them in his blog today. Australia never won in India,even in peak days of 90's. 2004 Their victory is more attributed to Gilcrishts Captaincy, I always feel Gilly didn't get his due as a captain and fair shot at Australian Captaincy. I think Gilly as captain is something I have written in my previous comments on your various posts.
All Clear !???
Posted by Unsuidojo on 2008-11-14 15:29:10
it was indias worst performance in 2004..i would still say that,,had the same australian team which toured in 2004 played this series...they would have still lost..
analysing the indian team previously:
they lacked killer bowlers.good fielders,running between the wickets,a good keeper batsman(very important)..
apart from that their batting was still good in 2004..
but now ..they are good in all the above departments...which is why i maintain that this indian team in much better than any indian team i have ever seen till now..even better than the one in 83,no doubt..
Posted by purush on 2008-11-14 17:43:26
Nothing to take away from Dhoni and his aggressive,innovative brand of leadership. but then it all boil downs to results. The day he fails with that approach, the detracters are ready to bring him down, and these very virtues will be flayed as vices all over the media
Posted by Unsuidojo on 2008-11-14 23:38:02
good wicket keepers who are match winners in indian cricket is just countable after syed kirmani ..
below are the guys who looked good,aggressive down under..
1.saba karim
2.parthiv patel
3.dinesh karthik-- this guys is still a class , too good to be out..
4.dhoni.- the most consistent guy after dravid in indian cricket,
inbetween there was one guy from delhi,,forgot his name,he looked good too..
parthiv n dinesh are not in team just because of dhoni..those guys are still good agreed ..but there was such a long time gap before these guys arrived in the scene,till then we had keepers performing well at home and none down under including the great "Nyan mongia"
Posted by purush on 2008-11-16 11:16:57
Post New Comment
You need to be logged in to post a comment. If you're new, register here. Existing users, login via the right margin.
