Aust. v India - 2nd Test, Adelaide

[Kristin5]

Starts Friday.

If the weather holds up (not like the disgraceful weather for the Brissy test), it should be another big win for the Aussies.

The Indians must have done a rain dance before the Brissy test, methinks!

[Donny]

Australia name unchanged squad for Adelaide Test

Wisden Cricinfo staff

Australia have announced an unchanged 12-man squad for the second Test against India, to be played at Adelaide, starting on December 12. The Australian national selectors announced their squad shortly after the drawn Test at Brisbane.

Brad Williams, who was released from the squad to play for Western Australia in a Pura Cup match against Tasmania, retains his place.

Thus, there was no place in the squad for Brett Lee, who recently announced that he had fully recovered from injury. Lee made this announcement after bowling 10 overs for New South Wales against Victoria in an ING Cup match. Lee had suffered an abdominal tear and also had to undergo clean-up surgery on his ankle.

Squad 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Simon Katich, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Adam Bichel, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Stuart MacGill, 12 Brad Williams.

[Donny]

Adam Bichel ? I know Andy had a shocker at the Gabba but to bring his young brother in is a bit of an over reaction.

Actually, Andy B may well lose his spot to Brad Williams. It's also possible they'll go with Williams instead of Bracken. Depends on the weather a bit.

Bracken is best with the new ball and a bit of cloud cover. His recently developed in swinger to the right handers has proven to be deadly. Ask Virenda Sehwag.

[Donny]

Williams makes early exit
December 10, 2003 - Fox Sports

TEST quick Brad Williams will leave Western Australia's Pura Cup match with Tasmania early today to join the national team for Friday's second Test at Adelaide Oval.

Williams will exit the four-day match at the tea break on the final day at the WACA Ground to ensure he is available for Australia's final training session tomorrow morning.

Williams is making the early departure because there were no evening flights between Perth and Adelaide.

He was released from 12th man duties in the first Test in Brisbane last week to play in the Pura Cup match so he could have some valuable match practice.

Under Pura Cup rules, a state side is allowed to replace a player called up for national duties with a "like" player.

Williams will be replaced by Queensland 2nd XI fast bowler Ben Edmondson, who only arrived in Perth last Friday.

The 24-year-old was unable to gain a contract with the Bulls this summer and decided to take his chances in the west.

Edmondson picked up figures of 3-41 in grade cricket for South Perth last weekend before his surprise selection.

WA will resume at 1-231 in their second innings, a lead of 288, and will be looking to set up a large fourth innings run chase for the Tigers today.

[JLC]

If India bat first and make a big total it will be hard for the Aussies to win

Im tipping a draw

jlc

[Donny]

Another JLC classic !!

[couragous cloke]

nicely said JLC lol

[zoia]

well if haydo does go on to make another ton which i rekon he will aussies will win by a innings easy

[Donny]

Time for a run-fest?

Wisden Cricinfo staff


A run-fest is on the cards in the second Test between Australia and India, which starts on Friday at the Adelaide Oval. According to Les Burdett, the curator, the pitch for the Test is one of the best he has prepared in his 35-Test career.

"I've seen some pretty good pitches out there, and this one I'd rate right with the top of them," said Burdett. "It's got a very consistent grass cover, it has rolled out exceptionally flat, there are no waves in it, it's very consistent down the middle. I think the pitch won't be responsible for a batsman's dismissal and I think it's going to have good consistent carry, which is what batsmen and bowlers want."

The Adelaide Oval has the reputation for being the best batting pitch in Australia, but 11 of the last 12 Tests there have ended in a definite result - Australia have won seven of the last eight, the exception being a draw against South Africa in 1997-98.

Meanwhile, there was a likelihood of the weather intervening in this match as well. The forecast predicts showers on Friday, but the skies are expected to clear up over the weekend.

[JLC]

I guess everyone else is tipping the Aussies ??

Indias strength is their batting and Adelaide is known as being a batter friendly pitch so there is no reason why India cant make a big score and bat Australia out of the game.

I dont see what is classical about that.

jlc

[Donny]

India explore double-spin option

Sambit Bal in Adelaide

It is amazing how one good performance can transform attitudes and breed belief. While it is not lost on them that they will be faced with even greater resolve from their formidable opponents at the Adelaide Oval, there is a quiet confidence about Sourav Ganguly's Indians. Having savoured Brisbane, they are not getting carried away by the moment, but "competing with the Australians" is no longer a mere platitude to be mouthed at press conferences. The Indians now believe that they can indeed compete. It is a sign of that belief that the team management is now contemplating playing two spinners in the second Test.

The plans may still change if the weather gets heavy on Friday, but there are strong indications that the Indian strategy is veering around towards bringing Anil Kumble into the playing XI and retaining Harbhajan Singh despite his tepid performance at Brisbane. The man most likely to miss out would be Ashish Nehra, who was flat if inexpensive in the first Test.

It is a plan fraught with grave risks. For the gamble to pay off, India will need to win the toss and bat first on what is considered to be the best batting pitch in Australia. It sported a tinge of green on Wednesday, but below it is a true surface, baked dry by the sun. It isn't expected to break up, but if the weather holds good, it will dry further and the spinners could come into play on the last day if India bat well enough to take the match the distance. Ganguly admitted: "We need to score at least 400, preferably more, to give ourselves a chance of winning here."

Talk has centred on Harbhajan's indifferent showing in the first Test, and Ganguly readily conceded that he was less than enamoured. But he is not ready to write off a bowler who he has turned to, by his own admission, every time he has needed a wicket over the years. "He's been my matchwinning bowler. I know, and he knows, he has to bowl better than he did at Brisbane. But this is a test of his mettle. I have faith in him."

Kumble's record in Australia is not inspiring, but he was at pains to point out yesterday that India must pick their four best bowlers in the XI, and he has a right to reckon he is one of them. The logic can be argued with, but not discarded outright. The Australians will come hard at the Indian bowlers at Adelaide, and if Kumble can stick to his line and length - no mean task against batsmen who back their intent to upset the rhythm of opposition bowlers with exceptional strokemaking abilities - he can expect to pick up a few wickets.

Of course, the plan could backfire horribly if India have to bowl first and find themselves a pace bowler short even before lunch on the first day, or worse, Ajit Agarkar, who came back from a horrible start to bowl well at Brisbane, decides to have an off session. Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar can send down their little seamers, but for them to share 20 overs in a day is an unrealistic demand.

But India's thoughts have now moved from mere protection of dignity to sneaking in an upset, and if they believe their best chance lies in spin, they must take it.

[Donny]

India flying in spinner
December 11, 2003 - Fox Sports

THE Indian cricket team was tonight flying in spin bowler Murali Kartik to join their squad ahead of tomorrow's second Test against Australia in Adelaide.

India's selectors were criticised for leaving Kartik out of their original touring squad, after he out-performed better credentialled spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble in the recent limited overs tri-series in India.

Both Kumble and Singh have struggled for form since arriving in Australia.
----------------------------------

Kartik joins Indian team in Australia

Wisden Cricinfo staff

December 11, 2003

A new twist has been added to the Indian Test campaign in Australia, with the team management summoning Murali Kartik, the 27-year-old left-arm spinner, to join the squad in Australia on the eve of the second Test which starts at the Adelaide Oval on December 12.

Sourav Ganguly confirmed the news, and said that "All three spinners will be be in contention for the Adelaide Test."

Kartik, who has been the most impressive spinner on the domestic circuit this season, left India late last night and is expected to arrive in Australia at around 10pm local time.

However, the addition of Kartik, who was considered unlucky to have missed out from the original tour party, further reinforces the belief that the Indian team management are considering spin as a serious option for the remaining Tests.

[Donny]

Williams to fire up attack
By Robert Craddock and Michael Place - Fox Sports


AGGRESSIVE fast bowler Brad Williams was rushed to Adelaide last night as Australia hatched a hostile game plan for tomorrow's second Test against India.


There is a substantial push for Williams to play at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow and yesterday he was hauled out of Western Australia's Pura Cup game against Tasmania in Perth after taking six wickets in the match to ensure he could catch a 5pm flight to Adelaide.

Williams has applied overwhelming pressure on seamer Andrew Bichel who had a poor game in the first Test in Brisbane, taking 1-130 in India's first innings.

Bichel yesterday did not attend a compulsory media open day for the players in Adelaide and Cricket Australia officials could not locate him for several hours after he left the team's morning training session.

The final decision on the 12th man will not be made until Australian captain Steve Waugh meets with selector Andrew Hilditch this morning but there is a growing feel Australia needs more grunt in its pace attack.

In the absence of Brett Lee, Williams's name is up in lights on a ground at which he has taken 24 first class wickets at 16.46.

"It is one of my favourite grounds to bowl on," Williams said yesterday. "I have tended to get reverse swing there."

Waugh is a long-time advocate of having fast bowlers who can rattle the opposition with short pitched bowling and he admitted yesterday Williams's aggression may have been missed in the first Test when he was 12th man.

"We picked the right bowlers for those conditions up there, we just didn't get to bowl when it was green and seaming around," Waugh said. "Brad gives us different things when he comes into the side – pace, bounce and a bit more aggression."

Australian selection chairman Trevor Hohns said Williams was taken out of the Pura Cup game to ensure he would have enough rest to be ready to play in the Test if he is selected but no decision had been made on whether he would play.

The Indian media were surprised Australia failed to put more heat on the batsmen with short pitched balls in the first Test but Waugh said the composition of the attack made this difficult.

"If you have a Brett Lee or possibly a Brad Williams you can possibly bowl a bit shorter. The attack we had probably wasn't suited to bowling a lot of short stuff," he said.

"We tried to create pressure but it didn't happen all the time at the Gabba. We had our moments in the Brisbane Test but we did not play as well as we would have liked and we hope to see improvements this Test."

Waugh admitted he was still amazed by continuous media referrals to his role in Damien Martyn's run out and fears for the future of the player who replaces him in the Test arena if he is subjected to similar scrutiny.

"It is still in the papers a week later. Are you going to blame fieldsmen who drop easy catches in future? Where does it stop? A mix-up, a run-out and seven days later we are still talking about it. I can't come to terms with it. It's not right," he said.

[Newelly]

JLC, India have a strong batting line-up but you miss the following points:

1. Australia have a a better batting line-up
2. India get travel sickness
3. India have probably the 6th ranked bowling line-up in the world behind (in no particular order Australia, NZ, RSA, Pakistan, Sri Lanka).
4. Australia tend to bounce back after being stung like they were in the first innings (well they did in the 2nd innings of that test).

Having said all that an Indian win is not completely unfathomable, but certainly not likely.

[London Dave]

I'd predict a run fest, LD would be good for 50 odd on the deck!