The Boxing Day Test 2005

[bitingmidge]

Well it's humid and overcast on the Sunny Coast, a bit warm on my bike ride this morning (warming up for the test), and I thought I've got half an hour to go to rig the boat and stick it on the river bank ready to go for a sail in the lunch break.

Then I remembered the other reason I camp in front of the tele on boxing day.


Oh well, I'll go for a sail tomorrow!

Cheers,

P

[Gumby]

Fine, slightly cloudy and the forecast is for fine days ahead. Warming up too. It's absolutely perfect at the moment, but then again, it's Melbourne so it's to be expected.

We got the whole telecast now, every ball. Thanks to the new agreement.

My son has left for the 'G' with a few mates.

There's a 30 minute delay for some reason, looks like dampness on the pitch or something. I've just turned it on.

I've got a few of my old sailing mates coming around for our traditional Boxing day BBQ catch-up (been doing it for 20+ years) and we watch the start ofthe Sydney-Hobart too.

Let's hope new boy Phil makes a big score.

[bitingmidge]

We got the whole telecast now, every ball.

We should, but we've just got a big blue screen and a note that says "no signal". Seems the transmitter's taken a tumble.
:eek: :eek: :eek:

Just when that big sook Hayden is about to snick another hundred too.

P

[Grunt]

Off to the cricket tomorrow. Too many people on Boxing Day.

I need to find some insecticide to kill that fricken midge floating around my screen.

[bitingmidge]

Can't believe that useless third-highest-test-run-getter-for-2005-but-should-be-dropped Matt Hayden can you??

65 off 176 balls, that's nearly 20 overs he's wasted that might be needed to bowl at the Saffers on the last day.

Prickle!!


P

[Gumby]

Well, now the selectors will maybe listen to us in here.

Symonds, Golden Duck, and now Gilly is out

[bitingmidge]

Well, now the selectors will maybe listen to us in here.

Symonds, Golden Duck, and now Gilly is out

Well of course, but if they had, Australia would have been 182 runs down wihout Mat and Ricky....

Bloody idiotic captaincy I reckon. I went to have a well earned rest at 2/172 and came back ten minutes later and we were seven fa!!!

Fancy agreeing to play South Africa on Boxing Day.

P

[craigb]

Symonds, Golden Duck

That's got to spell the end of Sideshow Bob.

[fxst]

That's got to spell the end of Sideshow Bob.

Nah hes a good mate of the captain dontchaknow so hes safe. And all the hype about Jaques ....gone for 2 ......
I reckon we make gumby the head of selectors ....at least he's malable
Pete (all typos stictly included)

[bitingmidge]

I hope the Fat Victorian gets a few wickets.

Or was Joe the cameraman right about this one too??

P
:eek: :eek:

[craigb]

Nah hes a good mate of the captain dontchaknow so hes safe.

I don't think that will save him this time, especially if we need to win in Sydney.

Don't be too hard on Jaques, it was a pretty good ball that got him.

[bitingmidge]

Don't be too hard on Jaques, it was a pretty good ball that got him.

Couldn't you say that about a few others too though??? Sideshow Bob??

P

[Daddles]

I wouldn't be too hard on Jacques - opener, damp pitch playing a bit funny, early overs, fresh bowlers, new ball. You expect openers to get tagged early on ... as long as they don't make a habit of it. It being his first test wouldn't have helped. But I'm wondering what Langer was thinking at the time.

Hayden. Played a good opener's knock - took the shine off the ball and the dampness out of the pitch, then went on to score a total. Sure, he was slow early on but that is part of the lot of an opener. He certainly lifted the scoring rate later in the day. Bloody good ball that got him out though I suspect he'd be disappointed in not spotting the movement and avoiding the trap.

Ponting. Good knock though he'd be wondering why he got himself out. He deserves his place as first drop batsmen. The decision to bat? I'd have thought it was dodgy but the SA captain said they were going to bat if they won the toss - perhaps they're scared about the pitch lasting.

As for our midfield. Bring back Clark. Please.
Get rid of gollywog - it is still one of cricket's mysteries to me that he is held in such high esteem. Sorry, his mate's love him but I've seen him lose us too many matches.
Lee's pretensions to being an allrounder can be consigned to his cricket bag. Sorry Brett, stick to bowling fast.
Warney should be ashamed of himself for his dismissal as he CAN bat, but I guess he was too busy stressing out the umps and the opposition. Bet he's licking his lips looking at that pitch.

What'd you think of the new umpire? Can we shoot Bowden and have this little bloke do all Billy's matches? Please?

As for the Seth Efricans. I'd like to say they played very well, but to be honest, they only played honest cricket. Nothing special. I guess that means we are no longer the special side we were ... which is strange looking at the names in the line up.

And seeing the idiot ground keeper overwatered the pitch and held up play for half an hour, and seeing it's daylight saving with a blue sky, why wasn't play extended half an hour? Sure, it went over time but that's only because the bowlers couldn't get their overs in quickly enough.

Richard

[Gumby]

why wasn't play extended half an hour?
Richard

One reason only - TV. :mad: Why they want to start at 10.30 anyway is a mystery. It's daylight savings time so it's effectively 9.30 anyway. No wonder it needed more time.

[craigb]

Can we shoot Bowden and have this little bloke do all Billy's matches? Please?

That works for me!

I agree that it was a good knock from Ponting but he should have been out on 17.

Yes, Sideshow Bob got a good ball but he also hung his bat out.

I just don't know what it is he's supposed to bring to the Test side? :confused:

Keep him for the hit and giggle.