Aust vs Windies 3rd test
 

Can anyone explain why ponting is so reluctant to bowl Macgill ? Does anyone think it is due to a loyalty to Warne ?

It's not just Ponting though, is it? It's the selectors as well. It doesn't matter how many wickets MacGill gets, if they decide they only want one spinner, Warne is ALWAYS first choice. In the 11 test matches where they've both played together, MacGill has taken 60 wickets to Warne's 48 and at a much better average. Warne is undeniably a far better batsman and fielder than MacGill, but as far as bowling ability goes, I don't think Warne should automatically be first choice.

I was always asking myself why McGill was so often overlooked until I read a snippet in the paper about the post-match celebrations in the dressing room......it turns out that McGill will celebrate with a nice cool glass of....WINE!
Surely the rest of the team can't trust him!

I AM SO GLAD that Lara has come good as I predicted but I am ****ED OFF that it is one test too late to influence my bank balance. Oh well, I'm going to enjoy this test anyway. Cheers to all.
PS you can trust me...I'll drink anything!

I notice that the aussies are still very short to win this test IAS has them at 1.38 which IMO is a bit short.


Think they will probably still win but it is hard to win batting 2nd when opponents make 400 odd batting first.

I can't believe the odds!!! A team in the West Indies' position would normally be nothing like the price they are at the moment. I assume the bookies just aren't willing to risk it given what's happened earlier in the series and I suppose they don't believe that the West Indies can bowl Australia out twice.

I love it. I was really hoping that Lara brought something this series and that the windies stood up (I want em to win actually). Sad that the windies aren't the threat they used to be.

Well, you probably didn't have to sit through all those tests in the 80s when they absolutely thrashed us. I don't think it's sad!

"Well, you probably didn't have to sit through all those tests in the 80s when they absolutely thrashed us"

No, wasn't really aware of sports other than league before I was 8. And we were in the 90s by that stage ;)

But that's one thing I love about the rugby, it's so competitve. No team will ever be so good that someone else can't beat them. We're in a slump right now and even SA and ABs couldn't beat us easily. And when we're at our best, it'll still always be a match vs the ABs. Ah rugby is great.

Looks like the cricket is going to be a "anything you can do, we can do better". Shame.

Just a "slump"??? They're an embarassment!!! Jones and Gregan should have been given the boot two years ago. Why are they still there?

Hope you took the terrific odds about the Welsh. The 13.5 start was incredible!!!

What odds were the West Indies before this game began???

"Hope you took the terrific odds about the Welsh. The 13.5 start was incredible!!!"

13.5 is pretty ridiculous.

"Just a "slump"??? They're an embarassment!!! Jones and Gregan should have been given the boot two years ago. Why are they still there?"

No, just the forwards. Despite having a terrible tight 5 and really poor gameplans, we've actually been getting decent results. Gregan is fine, people should get off his back. He does alot more than people give him credit for. Not sure if we can even blame Jones. We should just be blaming some of the forwards for their terrible line outs and scrummaging. Embaressing?? Try disgusting...

aussies are still 1.43 to win... too short still IMO !!!!

no matter how bad windies attack is.. wouldnt want to chase 275+ last day anywhere... not at 1.43 anyway

Well, I have to say that today it's been quite ridiculous.

Warne's bowled very well this morning picking up 5 wickets. But it would have been pretty disappointing if he couldn't manage to get 5 wickets seeing as he's bowled unchanged for the whole session on a spinning pitch while the other spinner in the team didn't even get one over. :rolleyes:

ridiculous on two fronts.... bowling warne unchanged and not bowling macgill .... and how about the umpiring this series ? it only seemed like yesterday that everyone was complaining about what a rough deal australia got in ashes.... well what about this series ? talk about kicking a team when they are down !! windies have been smashed by umpires ... the australians intimidate the umpires
and complain when they dont get it all their own way . IMO that is a bit disappointing

I don't think you can blame the Australians. If the umpires aren't competent enough to make each decision on it's merits, then it's not the Australians' fault. I didn't like the way Lee ran down the pitch celebrating before the umpire even put his finger up. That's not right, but it's still up to the umpire to not get influenced by the players.

Still no MacGill. I can't believe it.

I dont BLAME the aussies, just dont like it either ! Am looking forward to the proteas coming out, might be a better test.


a bit of a false sense of security after being outplayed in england ..... and still having major problems in middle order

Did you bet on this game, dp?

Yeah sure did... layed aussies $500 @ 1.26 and backed them $500 @1.45

so its not sour grapes sportz!! i have a tidy profit !!! love backing cricket. will try to lay aussies if they are short price in NZ ... the black caps always are competitive against us and without mcgrath and warne in attack aussies could be vulnerable

Well, I don't really know much about this 'laying' stuff and I certainly don't outlay as much as you!!!

You probably know by now my normal caper is to back the opposition pre match if I think they have any chance at all of an upset and then back the Aussies later on when they hopefully get out in the betting (as they usually do at some stage). I was so disappointed with the West Indies 1st test performance, that I just couldn't bring myself to back them at any price in the 2nd test. I just backed the Australians. But I did notice signs in that 2nd test (thanks mainly to Bravo) that they would be more competitive here.

I didn't back the Windies before the start of play as I was busy with other stuff, but I did get on them at $9 later on. Then I backed Australia when they suffered that collapse on Sunday afternoon. So I've got $20 on West Indies @ $9.00 and $100 on Australia @ $1.65

The umpiring's been very disappointing. You can't tell me that if there were two Australian umpires out there, they would have made all those mistakes in Australia's favour.

I didnt actually outlay any of my $$$ . " laying " involves being the bookie ... so i gave someone $500 @ 1.26 then later on used their $$$ to back aussies at a better price so no risk at all i just stood to get .19 of $500 = $95

I'm afraid I still don't really understand. Sorry. :o

Never mind. Well done anyway.