Showing posts with label Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2015

Steve Smith was outstanding against India helping the side with a series win

Steve Smith taking over the mantle as the Skipper of the Aussie team has shown tremendous form with the bat scoring at brisk pace and often taking the game away from the opposition in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy series 2014-15.

Smith has grown into a run machine on this tour scoring 769 runs in 4 matches with a staggering average of 140 plus runs an innings, that is simply outstanding as a batsmen. Australia with the exception of Watson and Warner doesn't have that experience in their batting line up, their middle order is constantly under scrutiny with Michael Clarke having to skip series and then the unfortunate and tragic death of Phil Hughes made Australian middle order wanting for a compact batsmen. Mitchell Marsh too had to sit out of the eleven with injury.

Joe Burns was called in to the side, the batsmen is still catching up with the grind of an international tour, and was aggressive with the bat in the Aussie second innings of Fourth Test at SCG scoring a brisk 66. Haddin too was not among the runs as he was in the Ashes last season often rescuing Australia with late stands with the middle order. Smith had to click to keep the Indian challenge at bay and he did with ease, IPL experience could've provided him with the perfect foil in preparing agains the Indian pace bowlers.

The stance of shuffling across the stumps to negate the line of the bowler often unsettled the inexperienced Indian bowling attack who often were clueless than want of technique or effort, they were lacking in strategy and planning. Indian bowlers need to prepare mentally on an Aussie tour more than anything else.

Australia playing at home are always formidable and will never let the opposition bowling attack settle down, no matter what and often change the course of the match briskly and then they have a trump card in Mitchel Johnson who has the ability to take quick wickets and also is a very good with finishing the tail off. Given the limited resources, Smith has proved to be a good bet under the circumstances in which he led the team. 

It augurs well for Australian cricket with Smith performing so well. Of course he may have to give back the mantle to Skipper Clarke if he makes return to the team in the future.Crowds were simply missing Clarke, the team looked dull with out him in the dressing room. Especially the performance he had with the team last Ashes series is worth remembering for a long time to come.


eValleyz.Blog

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Resurgent India held back by Nathan Lyon brilliance in the first test at Adelaide 2014

Australia beat India in the first test at Adelaide taking the lead 1-0 in the 4 match series. It was mixed bag of luck for the inexperienced new look Indian team under the debutant captain Virat Kohli.

Captain led by example through out the match scoring valuable centuries in both the innings. But eventually the worn out fifth day pitch was very well exploited by Nathan Lyon.

The Indian batsmen showed the intent to hang on despite some decisions that went against the team in the absence of DRS. Nathan Lyon was using his high arm action smartly beating the batsmen in the air and with huge turners. Lyon didn't have much success in the last series against Pakistan played in UAE, but his ability with the ball was never in doubt. Lyon managed to extract good support from the Adelaide pitch bagging a whopping 12 wickets and the man of the match award for a splendid performance.

Michael Clarke led by example in the match scoring hundred and leading the team after the tragic circumstances of losing a team mate. It was the sombre moment for the entire team to be so quick on to the field and giving out its best despite the resurgence shown by young Indian talent which holds a lot of promise.

Series is still wide open and the Indian contingent should be happy with the overall performance of the team.

With Ravi Shastri in the Indian Dressing room the side need not worry about team combination for the remainder of the series. All the team needs to do is take it session by session and play accordingly as the situation demands.

Looking back in to the match when Australia had lot of wicket in hands in the second innings the batsmen were given indications to score quick runs in order to give the side enough time and overs to bowl out India. Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith scored quickly to give Aussie side the advantage of a challenging total to defend in the second innings.

Murali Vijay lived tentaviley at the crease, was stranded on 99 as Lyon pulled one back trapping him in front of the wicket. It was a crucial wicket for the hosts as they struggled to break the 137 run partnership for the 3rd wicket.

Though Mitchell Johnson bowled beautifully beating the batsmen on several occasions but went without luck. So it was Lyon all the way who provided the breakthroughs and.finished off the tail enders to wrap up the match for Australia.

 Indian team looks promising to say the least with such good pace bowlers in the side, who should stick to a tight line and length and hopefully it should bring out a winning result at Brisbane.

Valleyz.Blog