Awesome Azam saves Test for Pakistan as Aussies ponder how they failed to take 10 wickets in 170 overs

That’s a major problem possibly as worrying & correcting this issue may push countries to intervene in the war in Ukraine. The talks of a resolution between Ukraine & Russia will need to be settled with a 3rd party otherwise the escalation will not end, it will spiral & everyone will suffer.

Agree. Fertiliser costs/supply are going to being hugely affected. In Aus we are "fortunate" that grain disruptions will aid our exports re price, even if "out of season" - but one can stockpile grain. But it's at best a medium term financial gain that will likely be under cut by global economic instability and growth-certainty longer term. It is going to be a huge disruptor to global food stability and that in itself will cause big shifts in tensions re geo-political relationships, which again leads to market uncertainty and therefore economic and security instability.

Fertiliser disruptions are going to take a huge hit as exports from Ukraine & Russia supply lots of countries. Local productions are basically non existent; crop production going to take a huge hit, cost of living will sky rocket

In the Soviet era, the Secretary General still served under the eye and intervention of the Soviet Politburo. Hence why Gorbachev had to step very carefully in his reform agenda in late 80s USSR. Putin is now an absolute authoritarian autocracy. The control position he has created is much more aligned to the singular despot situation that existed in 1930s Germany, than it is to either the Soviet Empire or even Xi's China. There are no *checks and balances* against his decision making (even in communist USSR and current day China, these existed/exist). And if he has "gone off the rails", there's no background structure to reign him in. Probably Kim in N Korea is the most closely aligned example - but Kim is more of a regional nuisance and interrupter re his power, as opposed to Putin who controls the world's largest N arsenal (even bigger than that of the U.S) - and China can and will control him. Putin's so angry re "disrespect from The West" over the last 15 years and he sees Russian individuals as cannon fodder for the greater "good" of Russia's position in the world - and that makes him, at 70yo, highly highly dangerous. I hope I am wrong, but even if things don't go N in the near term, this tension and threat is going to linger just "moments way" for the next decade or two, minimum.

Yea my Mum thought the same in the early 80’s ‘ The Russians will drop the bomb’ but they didn’t. Today my gut tells me Putin could press the button where others before him were reluctant. Scary thought, Jeff!

I feel like he is back in my childhood of the late 70s/80s when nuclear armaggedon seemed highly likely. I remember after school adds on the TV even during kids shows, being dominated by calls for "peace and understanding" to avoid N war. Let alone the movies like "Threads" and "The Day After". I just grew up with it as *almost* a given that the world would destroy itself.

Perhaps we have. Perhaps the immediacy of the situation elevated what I consider to be the decision making errors in my mind. I still think we had decisions and periods where we let the match drift (e.g. day 2 session 3 where we batted so slow) which I think, in a Test match, shouldn't happen if the focus is on making every moment count. In a Test match, IMO, I don't think the foot should be taken off the peddle at all; don't give in to the assumption of what the outcome is likely to be - either an assumption such as last session day 2 that it will peter out to a draw, or last session day 3 (after decimating Pakistan), that the match has become a fait accompli re bowling Pakistan out again cheaply.

It’s not knives out for me Mark. Just genuinely frustrated re the 2nd Teat at what I saw at the time as a decision that really wasn’t needed - it can be argued that a bowler rest was required after 2 sessions, but whilst it can be presented as a reason in support, I think it’s one that doesn’t stand up that well re necessity. I can’t remember my exact words in day 3, but it was along the lines of…whilst the odds of Aus winning remain very much in Aus’ favour, we’ve reduced those odds unnecessarily by giving up the bowling/wicket taking momentum and then also by batting again, where you have to make a 2nd innings declaration on a “guess” basis re the other side batting last - which can tend to have you err on the conservative side of time at the crease Wheras if you bat last (and assuming that comes about because the opposition has just made 500, then likely the pitch isn’t that bad to bat last on), you have better control over determining the outcome (ie easier to throw the bat chasing runs with wickets in hand on a decent batting pitch, than trying to take rhe opp’s wickets). Now, whilst I understand the comments re you can’t say an alternative approach *would* have seen a different outcome, I would also say it comes down to margins and keeping the odds in your favour to the greatest extent possible - because you never know in cricket. And I felt in this Test the call was made on the basis that it “just would” happen re bowling Pakistan out even if they were given a break between innings. And that reduced the odds we had, because it was assumed things would go our away having Pak bat last. PS. I was also frustrated at the end of day 2 with Aus’ very slow batting in the third session. At the time I felt it was a wasted session where the game was just drifting, wheras Aus had the opp to keep pressing its advantage. I’m not against Cummins, but I felt there were to strategic approaches that were negative and reduced our odds.

She's a very pretty woman. There's a lot to like in that film. The car that takes em back in time is a Peugeot. Woody chose that car to thumb his nose at America.

Rowdy, Marion Cotillard in Midnight in Paris wow what a brunette :stoked:

G'day Jeff, following the last two tests on the roar have been a chore . Normally a site with some witty and knowledgeable posters but alas mostly constant snipping at Cummins captaincy. Bowling changes . Batting rates . Field settings. The follow on . J L would have...It was incessant. Not saying he isn't above criticism but it was almost like posters were death riding an Australian cricket team . I get that you would have enforced the follow on and worse case scenario is Pakistan bat like they have for 3 innings this series and the Australian bowlers would have bowled close to 250 consecutive overs over 3 days in the field 30'+ temp for the same outcome with another short turnaround between tests . Would have thought that this is valid reasoning . That and Pakistan have basically said that they have prepared lifeless pitches. We haven't lost and we are still a chance to win an away series on the sub continent, this is a good thing and can't see why the knives are out .

Shame his first name isn’t Ronald :silly:

Looking back over this thread, this is a response to two other posters who were asserting that it wouldn’t have happened with Langer in charge. Your original post said “ most monumental leadership stuff up I can recall for a long time from Australia.” I pointed out that we’ve had a bunch like this in the past few years.

I agree, l have a 8 year old son he tells me ‘Dad we need to dig a deeper bunker in the back yard’ the truth is our kids will inherit a more dangerous volatile world we call home.

He barely bowled. He was not given the chance. 21 overs spread over three new balls is a lot of "chances". And why you're not counting the overs he bowled on Day 4 is a mystery. Or maybe the team brains trust recalled all the chances Starc had over the last couple of summers to wrap up a Test in I4 but also went wicketless?

Yes, l realise this, as they have become part of the BRIC countries as well. But you'd think common sense would prevail, I mean who'd align themselves with s country so short on compassion as Russia. India should look at what side it's bread is buttered.

Oh. Yeah. Sadly, fence-sitting is fast becoming a non-option. I think we are now less than 12 weeks away from the biggest global conflict since the 1940s, but also one which will eclipse that. I wish I wasn't such a geo-pol nerd to follow this stuff as a FT hobby, but I am and I see no, almost no - @95% - way out of this escalation. I see chemi_cal / biol_goical attacks happening within the next 6 weeks and an even chance of N happening within 6-12 weeks thereafter. And that is something I NEVER thought I would hear myself say, in all my followings of world geo-politics. And you know, it makes make so angry with a 7yo son - he deserves better than growing up in all this. --- Probably will be seen as too much for a sports website and there will be h8t comments from it, but I think sports will soon be an irrelevant consideration in the world. It's just so F wrong.

That India like sitting on fences

:laughing: Only after a series of Black Sambuca shots. Licorice-flavour is this only way to achieving harmony, simply because it's oh-so-yummy.

Let’s go to the pub & sack him :stoked: