the paper thin battle

This is what I came up with when looking at each team's on paper form.

Batting

Both teams come in with reputations up the yin yang.

Neither team comes in with a kick ass in form batting line up.

India’s batting looks less in form, so you have to give this catergory to Australia.

Australia 6

India 5

Bowling

Both attacks look a little shaky.

India has Bhaji who is a weapon in India.

Australia has Lee and Clark who have been weapons everywhere.

We know Bhaji will take wickets here, we don’t know about the other two.

The rest of both attacks looks out of form and limp.

The rest of India’s attack looks more suited than Australia’s, so they have to get the points.

Australia 4

India 6

Fielding

Here is the first truly noticeable gap, Australia have a great fielding line up.

If White plays they will have their first steady slip combination since Warne left.

The out fielding is an even bigger gap, India will really lose a lot of runs in the field.

Fielding doesn’t mean as any other catergory, unless it’s real tight, so I’ll only give half points.

Australia 5

India 2

Captaincy

Neither captain is particualry gifted strategically.

Ponting is good at believing in his players, and is crap when he loses his temper.

Anil is good at bringing the team together, but lets the game drift way too often.

5 all draw here.

Conditions

Home conditions obviously favour the Indians.

Although these pitches aren’t going to be dust bowls either.

They will test the patience of Australia, and test the nerve of the bowlers, but if there is any movement off the seam Stuart Clark becomes a huge handful.

Regardless of that they are India’s conditions, and they would be more suited to them.

Australia 5

India 8

Total

Australia 25, amazingly low for a team that hasn't lost a series since 2000 & 5, but when the slipper fits.

India 26, they just scrape in on paper, which is amazing for a team which such ordinary form, but they are at home, and compared to Australai they are dealing with clear blue oceans.

It should be a close series by deafult looking at all this.www.cricketwithballs.com... Aussie Haiku straight to your box