bowler

Interesting series coming up, a potential powder keg waiting to go off. Aussie looking as weak as they have been in many a year (didnt we say that last series?) with a spinning line up that make you hanker for the likes of Beau Casson and Peter Taylor!

India batting line will rely on the old coffin dodgers, and they really are creaking now. Tendles is struggling with his elbow (again), Gangles and Dravid hasnt bought a run for a while now. One thing you need to do to beat Aussie is to keep yourself in the game for the first innings.

Symonds has been left behind, a very convenient solution to a potentially tricky situation, but will be missed - but when the rod calls......

Onto betting, and we have interesting early doors pricing up. India are partial favourites for the whole series, whereas Aussie are result favourite for the 1st Test (ignoring draw) at Bangalore. Are we assuming that if Aussie win the 1st Test we will see 3 wickets a la Kanpur v Saffers?

Anyhow, decent money up on the Daq, hopefully we can get 2% off there rather than 22.5% at the unfair - anyone else have any thoughts?

Thu 9 - Mon 13
09:30 local, 04:00 GMT 1st Test - India v Australia
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Fri 17 - Tue 21
09:30 local, 04:00 GMT 2nd Test - India v Australia
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Wed 29 - Sun 2
09:30 local, 04:00 GMT 3rd Test - India v Australia
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

November 2008
Thu 6 - Mon 10
09:30 local, 04:00 GMT 4th Test - India v Australia
Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur

__________________
What a surprise
They march off to war
Nothing to give
And nothing to score
It seems so dear
The final demand
Waterloo teeth from the ghost of a man

TwoTonTed

Much is gonna depend on the pitch, he said stating the obvious, but some reports suggest that it will be very different to the strip used vs Pak. If it plays well for a day or so we could get some very low draw prices. Despite the age factor on India, I can see it being difficult for Aus to bowl them out, particularly if India win the toss and bat.

riccardo

Hello Ted

Looking like a classic back-to-lay test to me...

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James A

I struggle to believe the groundsman's comments that it will be a bouncy strip. If it turns out to be like that he will be looking for a new job. So can we conclude that it will play similar to how it has recently? If so:

There have been 2 draws in the last 10 with some big first innings totals in the last 3 tests but before that things were a bit more inconsistent with England getting 330 odd and India and NZ both being bowled out for 150ish. In between India managed 400+.

I know very little about climate around Bangalore but is it conicidence that the last 2 draws were both in December? From what I have seen on the BF forum that looks like your area of expertise Ted?

In the England game only half the overs were able to be bowled because of the weather but there were 2 completed innings so a result could well have been on the cards. The other draw was not rain affected though.

senseman

It's half a day into 2nd test. Oz will be a lot harder after the 1st test, all cobwebs ironed out. I would be very surprised if they don't at some point turn india over well and truly, despite now lacking warney et all. Bowler is right that india have ben living on borrowed time..without groundsman help oz would stuff them without hope

senseman

india's fragility can best be remembered by recollecting how appalling they were recently in sri......their performance was appalling

chemist

All test groundsmen are liars. Indians doubly so.

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bowler

Compared to other strips in India - this is bouncy

__________________
What a surprise
They march off to war
Nothing to give
And nothing to score
It seems so dear
The final demand
Waterloo teeth from the ghost of a man