Second Test, Pakistan v Australia (Abu Dhabi) – Day 2: Recent commentary from Lou (and the emails keep coming)

Email 1:

This looks like it could be more of the same and it all seemed to emanate from Clarke who obviously was not happy with the side he got from Marsh and Lehmann. Mmmmm, more rumblings in the camp?

Let’s see who bats number three if Pakistan decide not to bat for five days.

When I learned to play and then I watched the likes of Gilmour, Davidson and Dymock it was taboo for a left hander to bowl round the wicket to a right hander. Your big advantage was you were going across the batsman’s line of sight and you bent the odd one back as the potential wicket ball. Ok, Johnson doesn’t really swing the ball but why did he bowl round the wicket on the very first morning of a test match? Were they defending from the get go?

And then there was the out and out lack of ethics by putting a fielder in the batsman’s line of sight behind the bowler’s hand. That smacked of desperation and even the great AB agrees with me. Now there was a leader of men who played it hard but fair.

And finally poor old Smithy was given a gob full from the skipper just because he had a quick chat with the batsman at the bowling end.

I wonder if I can get a fruit basket to Clarkey before the fifth day just to cheer him up.

 

Email 2:

Clarke needs to get a hundred on Saturday night. Where does he bat?

 

Email 3:

On Australian wicket-keeping. Unprintable.

 

 

Comments

  1. G’day Lou,
    This is a tricky one.
    If a captain doesn’t try anything, and instead lets the game wander along, he is criticised (A Cook). If he makes some unorthodox attempts with field placements and bowling changes to force something to happen, he is also criticised (M Clarke).
    Far happier with a proactive approach.

  2. Despite any limitations in Michael Clarkes captaincy there are no real options to take the reins. George Bailey can lead us in ODI’s and T20’s but is not a test batsmen. Who else is there? Brad Haddin, no not really, Shane Watson, not even guaranteed a recall to the Australian team, Dave Warner and Steve Smith are possibilities, both being regular members of the team, and relatively young, but there are no standouts for the Captains role.

    Michael Clarke is our current captain, and for the foreseeable future, so let’s hope he can regain form with both bat and as our leader.

    Glen!

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