Game On!
Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell bowled really well in Australia's first innings without just rewards. That happens in Cricket. Their bowling was inspired stuff without luck.
More inspired stuff from Chanderpaul, being basically KO'd by Brett Lee, then rising like Lazurus to score a first innings saving 118. More inspired stuff! In fact there are many young inexperienced player in the West Indies side that have just become a whole lot more experienced. Chanderpaul's knock today with be something they can draw on throughout their careers - not just in this match.
So the WIndies stayed in the game with a deficit of only 119.
Enter Edwards and Powell once more. A nasty little session for openers, late in the day with fading light, quickly turned into a nasty little session for the middle order. Australia at 4 for 17 (and there's been two boundaries in that) and the West Indies well and truly in the box seat.
Edward and Powell didn't just bowl fast with movement, they bowled to obvious plans. They picked up Ponting at slip - a way he has been dismissed many times early in his innings. Jacques caught behind, by a beauty, Kattich caught on the crease for the easiest LBW decision a Test umpire will ever get and Hussey bowled - which seems to happen quite a bit, unusual for a batsman of his obvious class.
So the WIndies in the box seat. Everyone will be asking, "so who's turn is it to get them out of this one?" Well guess what, the usual suspects aren't there! There is no Gilchrist to come out and knock up 100 in 60 balls, no McGrath to cut a swathe through a top order, and no Warne to toss the ball to on Day 5 and sit back while the wickets crumble.
Interesting times! I sense the rest of the cricket world salivating at the prospect of a West Indies win here and without a new hero for Australia, it is well an truly on the cards.
West Indies versus Australia - First Test - Day 2 & 3
West Indies versus Australia - First Test - Day 1
I was going to call it, Strong but not dominant, Australia's performance on Day 1 of this Test, but looking at that scorecard, I think maybe my view was tainted by the coverage I saw of the late overs. The West Indies certainly didn't seem dejected, but with a score of 4 for 301, maybe that is only a matter of time.
Dwayne Bravo was certainly up - putting pressure on the batsman, doing quite a bit with the ball, and eventually earning his reward with Punter's wicket to a blinder of a catch by debutante Brenton Parchment - a great dive, with the reaction time of a slips catch. So to produce something like that, late in the day to a batsman on 150+ is something! But you wonder...Mitchell Johnson has been sent in, he'll most likely come out swinging, Hodge is known for going on with it, should he scrape passed the ton, and there is still Roy, Haddin and even Lee to come. So it could quite possibly be a 500+ total.
The time difference from Melbourne to the Caribbean makes it awkward to watch a great deal of Cricket, but with the Cats taking on Collingwood tonight, a few quiet bourbons could easily see me slide straight on into some Test cricket, as I celebrate yet another smashing of the Pies at the hands of my Catters. Bring it on!
Correction - Brenton Parchment is playing his second Test.
West Indies arrive for their tour of the Caribbean...
When you hear the stories of all the big names in the West Indies camp arriving after the official training camp has finished, it automatically conjures up images of disunity and low team morale which does not auger well for a decent contest on this tour.
Should we hear the same of the Australian side, we'd assume they will all get it together when it counts and that if Ricky Ponting arrived late, it wouldn't have an impact. he's professional and will hit his straps...and so on.
So why is this?
Is it that the West Indies are not as professional, and therefore not well prepared, and therefore lose, or is it that the West Indies have been losing, so they aren't as well prepared and therefore not as professional, or are they not as well prepared, therefore they lose and....well you get the picture?
Anyway, interest that it seems the Australian squad has been "on the ground" in the Caribbean, longer than the West Indies squad.
NZ v England
In only 2 days, Lords will host the first test between England and New Zealand. The return bout after England's tour of NZ earlier this year. Promises to be a good show too. I enjoy watching these to sides go at it.
Traditionally the Kiwis have struggled against the POMS. Statsguru will tell you, only 8 wins from 91 matches - appalling really. NZ recently choked somewhat in their hometown Test series against England, squandering their first Test win to go down 2 - 1 in the three Test series.
I think England will be too strong for the Kiwi's (unfortunately) on home soil but how I'd love to see Dan Vettori pick up about 30 wickets in their 3 Test series and lead the Kiwi's home!
For far more informed insights on this series, keep an eye on Mike On Cricket and The Corridor for views from both sides.
Australia set sail.
The pre-tour camp is over, those that "ran away with the Circus" for a time, are back, no doubt fighting hard to get their feet back on the ground, the ship has set sail for the Caribbean, there is Test Cricket on the foreseeable horizon again, and all is well with the world.
Just 8 more sleeps until the First Test between Australia and the West Indies at Kingston. Every time we meet the WIndies, we Aussies secretly (and sometimes not so secretly) hope for a great contest from a much improved West Indies line up. They often seem to find a way to self destruct.
Last time Australia met the West Indies was in Aus. just after the infamous 2005 Ashes tour. Australia were the wounded bull. Brian Lara was on his "farewell tour". West Indies contract disputes were still only tenuously resolved. In what was perhaps a sign of controversy to come, with absolutely no help from umpires, the WIndies capitulated to three massive losses - their best effort, a seven wicket loss in Melbourne.
Since that time Australia have won an astounding 16 Test Matches, drawn 2 and lost 1. The loss and one of those draws coming in each of their most recent Tests. Incredible really, when after Ashes '05, we were supposed to see their downfall.
Meanwhile the West Indies have clearly struggled. They have, surprisingly played the same number of Tests in that period, (19) winning just 2. (One against Sth Africa and one against Sri Lanka.) They lost 11 and drew 6.
Australia were a more formidable opponent in those days though, the WIndies were on the whole, young and inexperienced, Warne and Co. were scarred from their Ashes loss and had a point to prove. Wrong place at the wrong time for West Indies.
So what may change this time around? We Aussies lament again..."No Warne, No McGrath, No Langer, No Gilchrist" - surely that is a massive consideration - suely this time we'll see them fall back to the pack somewhat. Still, it hasn't seemed to have made a huge difference thus far. Ponting it must be said is out of form for the first time, well, since last time he met the WIndies (ominous?). Haddin is new. MacGill is...no Warne! I think a lot will depend on early sessions in each match. Even the depleted Australian side will not be dominated for 5 days of a Test. Probably not even more than 2 days. But can the likes of Bravo or Chanderpaul, Sarwan or maybe even Jerome Taylor do enough to eek out a win, I doubt it.
I can't see the West Indies troubling Australia enough to take out the series, however we will surely see a closer contest, than 2005.
Bring it on...