Gabba Test danced to a different rhythm
Roar Pro
By Geoff Lawson, 24 Nov 2008 Geoff Lawson is a Roar Pro
The first Test went pretty to much to the script with the ‘Gabba surface suiting the Kiwi bowling much better than their batting, and the Australians having enough class and experience to get the ‘W’ .
Ryder, Taylor, and Flynn looked to have a future at the top level, but no Black Cap could muster a decent score in either innings that would make the difference that was provided for the home team by Michael Clarke’s fortunate but gutsy first innings score and Simon Katich’s match winning second innings dig.
On a pitch giving the bowlers some assistance throughout, nothing extravagant, just enough to the prevent batsmen from feeling comfortable at the crease, the game danced to a different rhythm than that of the Indian series.
The hard slog faced by Lee, Johnson and Watson on grassless strips against Sehwag, Ghambir, Ganguly et al was a distant memory as the ball sailed through shoulder high to Brad Haddin and the slip cordon.
How a bowler could then be awarded the man of the match in such a low scoring match says more about the ignorance of the media men who select the recipient rather than the intrinsic value of the award. The difference between winning and losing went down to batsmen who had technique and temperament to build rather than bludgeon substantive scores.
There were precious few who did that from either team. The bowlers relied on persistence and let the pitch do the work for them rather than bend their backs to extract life and use their heads to work out a way past straight bats.
The superior performance of the match was clearly that of Simon Katich with his modified Chanderpaul / Willey pre-shot waddle and the ability to choose between deliveries which posed questions and should be left well alone or defended, and those that should be thumped through the covers for four or slid behind point for a couple.
That calibre of concentration and skill is what makes Test batsmen, not limited over sloggers or baseball batters at the 20/20 plate.
Mitchell Johnson toiled honestly, as he did in India, but he did not bowl above the average on that pitch. He did however bowl at some below average batsmen. His toolbox is limited but his plan is simple and when right handed batsmen continue to chase outside off stump the catchers behind the wicket will continue to be employed.
Any bowler who gets Chris Martin out should only be awarded a quarter of a wicket in any case. Most household pets could average 2.3 an innings.
He makes Bruce Reid look like Don Bradman. Mitchell Johnson had a chance at a Test hatrick with Martin in his crosshairs and couldn’t bowl any of 5 balls straight at the stumps. On that basis alone he should have been disqualified from the man of the match award.
Katich looked very much the Test player while fellow opener M. Hayden looked well past his best. At 37 Hayden is on the downward slide. It remains now for the selectors to move him on now rather than wait for the South Africans to get at him and a new bat found for the Ashes.
Chris Rogers made yet another Shield hundred on Saturday and should be put at the top of the order with Katich as soon as possible. The selection errors made before and during the India series will only be exacerbated if action is not taken quickly.
Shane Watson looked injured during the game, neither bowling or chasing in the field with vigour, and looking very stiff when batting but it is hard to see how Andrew Symonds form is any better than it had been during the Shield season. Symonds is retained for the 2nd Test and Watson dismissed, while Peter Siddle is back in the 12.
Jason Krezja will play in Adelaide and Siddle will carry the drinks (injuries permitting), so what has Watson done to deserve this treatment? Maybe he suggested to Ricky that he should have had a bowl after tea on day four in Nagpur.
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Spiro Zavos said | November 24th 2008 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Geoff is right about the man of the match award. It had to go to Simon Katich. His undefeated century in the second inning was one of the rare occasions an opener has batted through an innings for Australia. How many bowlers have taken 5-wicket hauls for Australia? This was a Test that Australia won because two players, Katich and Michael Clarke, were able to score big totals. Bowlers on both sides were able to take wickets.
My feeling is that that the plethora of short-innings matches has smashed the ability of batsmen to concentrate unreletingly for hours and hours and work their way, sometimes without scoring runs, out of difficult patches.
With the NZers, for instance, it was noticeable that they started to make mistakes after an hour or so at the crease, if they lasted that long, and could not seem to get their concentration back when they began to falter.
Whaler said | November 24th 2008 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Henry, Sprio,
There is talk in some of the press this morning that Stuart Clark will be left out of the second Test team in favour of Peter Siddle, what do you make of this gibberish ? Surely Clark deserves to stay in the team ? Also Henry, how far away is ben Hilfenhaus away from the Aussie team, didn’t he take 60 first class wickets a couple of years back ?
Tex said | November 24th 2008 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Agreed Henry – Katich the clear man of the match. I nearly fell over when they gave it to Johnson, yes he bowled well, but I fancy the 2nd change for a pub side could have picked up a few wickets v that pathetic excuse for a batting line up. Without Johnson, someone else would have taken the wickets, without Katich, the match would have been uncomfortably close. And, as Spiro points out, how can you carry your bat and STILL not be awarded m.o.m??
Another thing, Ponting talking about “horses for courses” selection policy. Sure there’s always been the defacto “2nd spinner argument” for Sydney [and sometimes Melbourne], but other than that? Give me a break – you make the team on merit and stay in the team on merit – no good ever came of chopping and changing. Whats next? Dropping Clarke for the Melbourne test b/c he only averages 25 at the MCG*? Ridiculous
*Ficticious example
challa said | November 25th 2008 @ 12:49am | Report comment
Shouldnt the players themselves choose the man of the match?
Brett McKay said | November 25th 2008 @ 8:21am | Report comment
This is a slight change of tact, but is anyone else puzzled at Ponting and Australia being fined for slow over rates in Brisbane, DESPITE bowling New Zealand out??
I’m sure that slow over rates become irrelevant if the bowling team can take ten wickets.
And in fact I’m sure this is why India weren’t fined after the fourth test in Nagpur – it was widely reported that they were in the order of 10-12 overs behind, but becuase they bowled Australia out, this didn’t matter.
What’s more puzzling is that I’m sure Chris Broad was the match ref in the India-Australia series too. Curious….
challa said | November 25th 2008 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Brett – agreed! Sort of pointless isnt it!? CB has an interesting track record re OZ.
onside said | November 25th 2008 @ 9:53pm | Report comment
The standard of New Zealand cricket is comparable to Sheffield Shield sides that have test players available.
And even then they would struggle to win.
challa said | November 25th 2008 @ 11:56pm | Report comment
Im always up for a bit of kiwi bashing …. but lately it seems rather hollow!