The series is coming.
Which is damned lucky, because we all need some cricket to talk about, I almost talked about phone companies in the carribean I was so bored.
I will take a detailed look at this series, probably.
Lets start with recent form.
Australia’s last three series:
Last 9 test 6-1-2
V West Indies away 2-0
Was a lacklusture series in general, although this West Indies team is getting better and better.
Australia did what they had to do to win.
They found out that they had 2 bowlers, but that those 2 bowlers are hot to trot.
Beau Casson was tried, but it was way too early, perhaps when he is 36.
V India home 2-1
Australia never really looked like losing the series, but they didn't really win convincingly either.
They found out they could still win a long series, with a rookie bowler and a one day spinner.
Perth was seen as a landmark for India, but in truth the pitch was way slower and lower than normal and India had the better swing bowlers.
Was a good series to see who worked and who didn’t.
V Sri Lanka home 2-0
Watching the first test match and a half it looked as if Australia weren’t going to miss Warne, McGrath, Martyn and Langer too much.
Then Kumar took over, and showed the world that while they still might be good, they do miss match winning bowlers.
Good series to blood rookies, Johnson looked ok and Jacques looked shit hot.
India’s last three tests
10-3-5-2
V Sri Lanka away 1-2
Ran into Mendis, but that is only a quarter of the tale.
Murali was another, between them they took 47 wickets in three tests, as Ganguly, Tendulkar, and Dravid scored one half century between them.
The other half was there bowlers, the one test they won was on the back of Bhaji taking 10 wickets, in the other two test he took 6 wickets.
His 16 wickets were double any of his team mates.
V South Africa home 1-1
Played out a draw in the first test, got onto a greenish track and shit themselves for the second, and fought back well in the third.
Take out Bhaji, and yet again no one took more than 6 wickets (sehwag), but the series continued to show they like to come from behind.
Paul Harris took more wickets than Kumble.
V Austalia away 1-2
Were not ready for Melbourne, had bad luck in Sydney, fought back in Perth, and played out a boring draw in Adelaide.
Wasn’t until Perth they got selection right, then got their selection right as Australia got theirs wrong, and a Perth pitch that suited their bowling.
Yuvraj and Dhoni didn’t look upto test cricket, Sharma and RP did.
India knew they couldn’t live without Sehwag, and knew Pathan was better in than out.
Summation.
They say winning form is good form, Australia have it, India don't.
The truth is more complicated, Australia may still be winning, but they haven't found the post superstar groove yet.
India may be losing (drawing) but perhaps if they won the first test in a series just once they would be better served.
On form you would have to go Australia, but not by a long way, after all, Mendis form cannot be trusted.www.cricketwithballs.com... Aussie Haiku straight to your box
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