Bang Test tour of Oz, Aug 13-26

[Durhamfootman]

Aus 8 down for 150, but that might be enough, tbh.

[bigfluffylemon]

Bangladesh fighting back.

Is the pitch that much of a dog? It didn't seem to be doing that much when I saw some of the game earlier.

[GarlicJam]

I have not watched much of it, Fluffy - too busy watching a great Carlton win...

Looking at the highlights, it seems that it has been a great day for swing bowling with Starc being Starc, and Shoriful Islam also having a day out.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Green having another good day out with the bat. But the Great Barrier Reef Arena seems to be bowler friendly!

Disappointing return for Renshaw.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Two wickets in an over, three times in a day.

[sussexpob]

This match being played on a trampoline?

[alfie]

There was certainly assistance for the bowlers but I wouldn't have said from watching it that 18 wickets in a day were to be expected ! Some excellent swing bowling from both left armers was the main factor in both team's collapsing : seemed the ball was doing plenty in the air all day. One ball even moved quite sharply well after passing the bat and completely fooled the keeper who had moved to leg only to be passed on his inside for 4 byes...

Good for Bangladesh not just surrendering after being skittled. But that 101 lead for Australia already looks plenty , assuming this doesn't turn into a complete road overnight.

Probably a little early to be calling time on Australia's status as a top ranked Test team after Darwin But top order batting problems are definitely not going away in a hurry.

[andy]

Marnus is surely done now? Hate to say it as I like watching him but it's time I think to move on from him

[sussexpob]

The precision in technique required to get a brand new ball with no rough side swinging as late as Mitchell Starc got that ball going today, is something to behold. A new ball will only do that if you can put an incredible amount of backspin on it through your release, and that is a skill few elite bowlers even have. It also requires some help from atmospheric conditions, but you need the talent to exploit that. Some of the commentators weren't happy with the shots Bangladesh played, but I am not sure what they have can do. Once the first ball off the innings boomeranged back at the last minute from an initial leg stump to offstump line, batsman can't react that quickly.

When a bowler has the ability to bowl that level of quality in conditions that help, you then get a secondary, more dangerous phenomena where the required precision to get the ball to move like that is so high, it can't be maintained everyball, which then creates a natural variation which a batsman cannot pick. The batsman can't sense if the ball release is a few mm's either side, and the ball will swing from the hand initially in the same way. But the end result is a stump or two difference, only becoming apparent way past the point a human can sense and react to it. The net result is batsman look stupid or appear to make bad decisions, but this would happen to anyone. You are basically having to guess what to commit to.

High quality bowling.

[sussexpob]

Reminds me of watching someone like Axar Patel playing on turning decks in India. When he gets everything right, the ball will spin at right angles, but the majority of his wickets come after batsman see one rag a meter sideways, and then after that begin to play for big turn. The next ball won't quite come out the hand the same, doesn't grip, and the batsman plays well outside the line of the turn and gets out. The variation is unintended and natural, so you can't pick it in the air or from the hand, only when it thunders off the pitch or doesn't.