Watching England bowl on a wearing Adelaide pitch, it was apparent that while batting might not be treacherous, there is plenty for the batsmen to think about.
The ball turns from certain spots, tempting gaps are left and when even Paul Collingwood can prove dangerous, you know you’ve got to have your wits about you. Where can you score? Where can you score safely?
Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey generally got their thinking right, but Marcus North is in first thing in the morning and it might be more difficult for him.
We wrote about how Australia are becoming depressed over at The Wisden Cricketer. We don’t mean clinically; we mean there’s an increasing tendency to dwell on the negative. The negatives get out of proportion and it skews their overall view of things, leading to poor decisions.
Marcus North has reason to dwell on the negatives because there’s been talk of dropping him for as long as anyone can remember.
North will be thinking ‘I can score here’ and ‘I could get out here’ when he surveys the field, but then he’ll also think about what it might mean should he get out. That’s counterproductive. When he’s thinking that, he’s not weighing up the field and the bowling.
The only way Marcus North can affect whether he gets dropped or not is by concentrating on the matter in hand, but that’s easier said than done.
Incidentally, anyone who isn’t starting their day by catching up with the previous night’s through-the-night thread needs to take a long, hard look at themselves.
December 6, 2010 at 9:26 am
Marcus North will have precisely one ball to consider his career as Pietersen goes on to complete his hat-trick, and the match is all over by lunchtime. There will be a parade of baby badgers.
Tight But Loose has seen the vision.
I’m just filling in the unlikely details.
December 6, 2010 at 10:51 am
i think the big question is how long can matt prior continue with that ridiculous beard.
he looks like he’s stuck his face in a barrel full of badgers.
December 6, 2010 at 11:36 am
australia played a hobbling Katich over any other opener. It shows there is no one the selectors think is better than the ones in the playing XI. North has nothing to fear. HE can go out and fail with absolutely nothing to fear
December 6, 2010 at 11:37 am
This is fast becoming one of the most badger-heavy threads in existence. Tea and cake for everyone!
I have seen the vision – and England will wrap this test up in the first innings, if only so I can actually sleep in my bed rather than fall asleep on the couch and wake up smelling faintly of apple vodka.
It will be good to watch the battle of the part time spinners – although as JF rightly points out, it won’t last for very long with KP’s huge spinning hands.
December 6, 2010 at 11:55 am
Do his hands spin? No wonder he gets so much turn.
December 6, 2010 at 12:12 pm
He has spinning hands and judo chopping action
December 6, 2010 at 12:13 pm
TBL – they will wrap up the match in the first innings?
That would be extraordinary.
“You built a time machine…out of a DeLorean?
December 6, 2010 at 12:29 pm
“May you live in interesting times”
Ok, not so interesting that we win in the first innings, but let’s say just interesting enough for us to win in the first session tonight.
Apologies I am plainly sobering up and this is affecting me
December 6, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Most of the team are stuck in the ‘denial’ phase, although a few of them look like they are hitting ‘anger’.
Look for the ‘bargaining’ to begin towards the end of the Perth test. I think it will take until day 4 of the Melbourne test to hit ‘depression’. By then the selectors will hopefully have ‘acceptance’ of the fact that most of the team need to be put to the sword. Starting with punter.
Katich when he’s fit to bat would be a good captain otherwise we could probably do worse than promote one of the more competent shield captains. Only then can the team halt the decline and start winning again.
December 6, 2010 at 1:07 pm
King cricket, can I please remind you of your posts over the last few years concerning the strength and depth of Australian cricket. Would you care to reappraise your claims?
December 6, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Nope. They’re creating an environment where good players can’t perform – that’s our point.
Also, North was not the best number six batsman available to Australia when he was brought into the side. He was picked cause he bowls a bit of spin. That he’s got a few hundreds and a fair-to-decent Test record confirms our belief that there is depth to Australia’s batting pool.
December 6, 2010 at 2:57 pm
The way his career has gone so far, he will score a hundred tomorrow
December 6, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Marcus North’s last 10 innings
0, 20, 16, 0, 0, 10, 128, 3, 1, 26.
Average 20.40.
Just so as we know.
December 6, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Oh, he also averages 19 in the 3rd or 4th innings. So there’s that.
December 6, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Everything you wanted to know about prospects of play today but were afraid to ask – return to these links regularly if you dare:
http://www.meteorology.com.au/radar/sa/radar/064/adelaide
http://uk.weather.com/weather/hourByHour-Adelaide-ASXX0001
December 6, 2010 at 10:04 pm
It’s 8am there and it’s 20 degrees already.
Only a few little green showers on the radar – perhaps it’s linked into Bert’s orange snow from last night.
It’s minus 8 here.
Duvet, leccy blanket AND PJs tonight.
December 6, 2010 at 10:51 pm
-8? Try -18 with no heating on for size, softie.
Incidentally, here’s Radelaide this morning.
http://plixi.com/p/61402745
December 6, 2010 at 11:13 pm
broad out of the series.
the inevitable decline.
it begins.
December 6, 2010 at 11:56 pm
HUSSEY!!!!!
Gone!!
That’s apple vodka all round
December 7, 2010 at 12:19 am
Yep, calls for alcohol.
December 7, 2010 at 12:20 am
BOOM!!
Haddin….Gone!!
Well I’m still going to drink
December 7, 2010 at 12:21 am
Dawg – of all the people in the world would you allow Sean Bean to do a voice over for your product? I don’t get it myself
December 7, 2010 at 12:23 am
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!
King Pair for Harris!!
Anderson on a hatrick!!
Tight drinking like a student
December 7, 2010 at 12:27 am
This shit jut got real!!
NORTH!!!!!
Gone!!!
December 7, 2010 at 12:32 am
I wouldn’t trust a Liensk Cossack with anything.
Tight – I’m worried that in the 6 yard voyage to my fridge I may miss a wicket. Tell me when there is an opportune gap in the collapse coming up please.
December 7, 2010 at 12:33 am
Do it! Do it now!!
December 7, 2010 at 12:34 am
success.
December 7, 2010 at 12:35 am
Incredible. What a performance.
December 7, 2010 at 12:35 am
Nice work Dawg – this is hardcore!
December 7, 2010 at 12:38 am
Trebles all round!!
December 7, 2010 at 12:38 am
Even more incredibly I might get to sleep in my bed tonight – there’s a Winter weight duvet and a wife in there
December 7, 2010 at 12:39 am
Hello all. COME ON ENGLAND!
December 7, 2010 at 12:40 am
I’ve dug myself out from under the duvet to join in agian!
keep drinking Tight!
you foresaw it
December 7, 2010 at 12:42 am
Are we due badgers soon?
Ohh. Wicket. More drink called for.
December 7, 2010 at 12:43 am
It’s good to see Monty with the drinks. I’m really hoping he’s wearing flip-flops. Or indeed thongs as our Antipodean cousins would say
December 7, 2010 at 12:43 am
I wish all the action could happen in the first hour of play every day. It’s so considerate for those of us staying up.
December 7, 2010 at 12:44 am
Miriam , have you heard from Jrod in the last few hours?
December 7, 2010 at 12:48 am
pardon my short memory, but when was the last time england won by an innings against australia ?
December 7, 2010 at 12:55 am
Pavan, they’ve just brought that up on the obo at guardianland. 1993, when Curtly ripped the aussies asunder.
Big fan of badgers, CEL Ambrose
December 7, 2010 at 12:57 am
Ged’s Adelaide rain site is still looking favourable. But badness coming in from the west…
December 7, 2010 at 12:58 am
that was great
December 7, 2010 at 12:58 am
Shit!
Did you see that?
That’s the fifer Swanny
December 7, 2010 at 12:58 am
Wheeeeeee
badgers all round!!!!!
December 7, 2010 at 1:00 am
Badgers soaked in vodka – that’s my tipple of choice
December 7, 2010 at 1:01 am
Tight – oh visionary seer – you foresaw it.
Now go and wake up the wife and tell her the good news
December 7, 2010 at 1:02 am
The wife is Australian so she will be ecstatic
December 7, 2010 at 1:02 am
was asking about england beating australia by an innings. But the thought of ambrose ripping through australia brings smiles.
Also, to all the cricket loving, badger hating, vodka drinking, insomniacs, cheers on the victory đ
December 7, 2010 at 1:04 am
@String
was asking about england beating australia by an innings. But the thought of ambrose ripping through australia brings smiles.
Also, to all the cricket loving, badger hating, vodka drinking, insomniacs, cheers on the victory
P.S. I hope the video umpire doesn’t mind đ
December 7, 2010 at 1:05 am
Oh King, are you with your subjects tonight?
December 7, 2010 at 1:07 am
Daisy awake and seriously cheered up.
Ged also awake and wondering whether to finish this rather large glass of wine – think I shall.
Rain about 1 hour away from Adelaide methinks, but who cares now?
December 7, 2010 at 1:10 am
Bestial roars all round chaps and chapesses.
Night.
December 7, 2010 at 1:18 am
Couldn’t resist it
http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/
December 7, 2010 at 7:36 am
Commemorative victory Venn:
http://v4admin.sportnetwork.net/upload/66/66_0_1291707366.jpg
December 7, 2010 at 9:24 am
JF – I should not have clicked the oh so inviting badger link at work. That may have been a mistake…
Ged your Venn is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen
December 7, 2010 at 11:24 am
There’s something immensely pleasing about the phrase ‘Commemorative Victory Venn’ – and the Venn itself more than matches up to its promise.