Yeah, was a fun Boxing Day: leftovers, beer and BMac GOATing it up.

This test will be over by tea tomorrow at the latest.

Follow on enforced, 300 odd runs to the good.

Interesting comment. The best bowling attacks in his time as a player have come from Australia, SA and England. He averages 25, 26 and 36 against these sides respectively.

GOAT he is not, just a flat track bully imo. An excellent example of how ordinary players from even more ordinary test playing nations get elevated above their status.

Something that doesn't get talked about enough is the edge that Australia has on every other test nation in coaching their bowlers to be solid batsman. It's one of the reasons why they are currently the second best (or best) test team in spite of having a relatively ordinary batting line up. Event he a real bunny like Nathan Lyon is capable of spending some time at the crease

Top order has been pretty woeful for a number of years now - it's been the middle and lower order providing the stability which in itself is pretty lolworthy for a top ranked test side.

Really don't know how Watson holds down #3 slot - I'm not convinced his bowling is enough. Would've been nice if Khawaja had been shown a little more faith by the selectors and given a chance to cement his position.

Almost all of the tests played against these teams in the past he was wicket keeping so your argument is invalid

26 to 36 is fine as a wickie especially with his strike rate

Also lol sample size

He has now come into his own as a batsmen only

Give us a more few tests THESE days against these arrogant behemoth nations and I think you will find we compete HARD and these guys will perform

Lets compare the recent series NZ and Aus each played in the UAE shall we

We cleaned Indias clock earlier this year at home too so dont think what your guys are doing now is anything special

Hey bro, most of your world class players have retired now and your team is ordinary, do you realise that?

Lolstralians

There is nothing here to rebut the assertion (backed by stats) that MacCullum struggles against good bowling.

Your suggestion that by taking off the clubs he will somehow miraculously average 20 more runs per innings against top sides is so laughable its worth repeating. Btw MacCallum's test strike rate of 60 doesn't exactly distinguishing him from the average joe.

Just be grateful that he can be considered a champion of NZ test cricket (as opposed to a champion of international test cricket).

edit: also 25-35 is not what you'd call a world class keeper batsman. Also wicket keepers playing in crap teams shouldn't benefit from the wicketkeeping as an excuse for a poor average giving they are still getting a lot of opportunity. It only really applies to guys like Gilchrist who missed out because the batting line up was so strong he never batted before 7. I also don't buy into the argument that wk's have a particularly tough job that significantly lowers their batting averages.

This is just defensive nonsense.

There are no great sides in test cricket atm although I think it's indisputable that Australia is the second strongest test team and could even be argued they are the strongest given they recently beat SA over there. Either way there is daylight b/w Aus/SA and the rest who are all terrible.

Wow you couldnt be more wrong with almost all your comments lol

Amazing

Once again India has Aus on the ropes and lets them back in. Aus should never have got over 500. Smith was awesome though, Ryan too. Would've been so good to see him get 100.

Be very suprised if this test doesn't end in a draw. Great batting wicket, doesn't seem like there's much there for the bowlers.

Rahane and Kohli tearing up Aus bowling..

Kohli confirmed a legit boss and another lock as a new GOAT

Get a big, big hundred already though jeez

this is what $1 million can buy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQUqjFQH-jg

Can we remove Dhoni from captaincy already? Sigh.

Haddin a guy who's had a woeful year was batting on 0, and we had 1 slip. Once he crossed 5 there were 0. Leg slip with a leg stump line is the worst thing ever.

This series has come down to the two tails. Ours is woeful, and Aussies is more productive than their top order, which barring 2 guys sucks.

An excellent summary of Shane Watson's very average career right here

Ten years. Four centuries. Seventy wickets. Less than 50% of Tests played. The man whose place he took back in 2004-05, Lehmann, is now the coach. The then chairman of selectors, Hohns, is back on the panel alongside Lehmann. They know Watson is no longer "an exciting young talent". They know that Mitchell Marsh is. So is James Faulkner.


http://www.espncricinfo.com/australi...ry/813183.html

A bit confused with Dhoni's tactics this morning. He should be going on the attack with 2 slips and a gully to get the final 3 wickets but he seems as though he is sitting back and waiting for a declaration. He needs the win to keep the series alive, Australia doesn't.

As for Watson, he has been kept around based on what I call brilliant "one-off" performances in the hope that he can replicate it for an upcoming game. But what the selectors should be doing is looking at that career over an extended period and what they would see is, as you have correctly AllBlackDan found, is a mediocre career.

In many ways, his bowling is keeping him in the team when it should be based on his batting given his position in the batting line-up and any good performance he gives with the ball should just be seen as an extra benefit that he brings the team, not a necessary quality.

And then when you think about the fielding attributes that a player these days has to bring to the team and you come to the conclusion that someone much quicker and more agile (and better catching ) in the field could be of greater use to Australia than him.

On a sidenote, Watson used to play for my local first grade club Redlands when he represented Queensland and they named a junior competition after him. These days there are now people who are shaking their heads as to how that ever happened.

Well it has only been two batsmen - Johnson and Harris. It isn't like it is our whole tail that is wagging.

lolIndia is on

Warner putting on a fielding display.

Watson is still getting games because there is just no talent available to replace him. Marsh is injured and Faulkner is not up to test cricket imo. There's also very little batting talent around atm so they may as well play a bloke who can at least bowl a bit.

What about Henriques?

He is a batting all-rounder and not a makeshift bowling all-rounder that Watson has become.

Aussies missing some pretty easy chances.

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Not sure about Pattinson's new action as I think it could be just as bad for his back but he is certainly bowling as fast if not faster!

Breaking news that Dhoni has retired from test cricket with immediate effect! He will continue on in the international limited forms of the game.

Congratulations on his great test career. He will be remembered for his swash-buckling innings.

I can't help but feel though that the rampant spreading of the 20/20 game has contributed to this decision.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/co...ry/814975.html

Crazy news huh.

Also Ashton Agar recalled into Aus side for Sydney. I like that move as not only should it be handy having a second spinner, he's also not terrible with the bat.

Would also be a great opportunity to give Watson a (perma imo) rest and give someone else a shot at 3. Harris looked shattered by the end of today too, bring Mitch Starc or Pat Cummins back in