Yes, I think Melbourne and Sydney will both be a much closer contest than Perth, the slower wickets will suit India better.
A 2-2 all draw wouldn’t surprise me if rain doesn’t intervene as I can’t see a Test whereby both teams score a lot of runs.
And as it has been a low scoring series, with no team scoring more than 326 in any innings so far. Which is a reflection of Australia’s strong bowling and weakish batting.
Was listening in the car on the way back from the hospital hoping they’d keep going until I got home and could turn it on, just turned it on as they were shaking hands at the end. Glad for Paine as captain to have that first win.
I hope you are okay 
Yeah all good, just as everyone has long suspected I had a screw loose so I got one of those removed from my arm and a bit of nerve work done to resolve some pain and now I’m meant to rest up which is the hardest thing, trying not to overdo things. Thankfully Big Bash starts tonight so I can chill with that each evening and then trying to find new Netflix and Stan things for during the days. Also looks like I have to wear my sling until mid-January, longer than I thought. 
But thankfully no plaster this time round, last time I had that at Christmas (when the screw went in for a broken elbow) Mum put extra sticky tape on all my presents, thought she was hilarious.
At least you’re in Tassie-the best place to be holed up for the summer 
. Unlike me in Sydney with the A/C on the fritz 
.
Will there be any BBL games in Lonny this year? I noticed the WBBL at Burnie the other day- I wonder if the Queen of the Cradle Coast (Lambie) attended?
Yeah, it was certainly a lot of fun recovering after the surgery, was in the mid-high 20’s outside and very hot and stuffy inside, so glad to be in a cooler climate when I overheat so easily!
Yep, I think there might be two, hoping to make it to one. I was going to go check out the WBBL the other week but went to the ABC open day in Launnie instead. Definitely looking forward to BBL tonight though!
25-26C is a cool day for us in summer these days and out at Penrith, anything south of 30C is positively Antarctic. I hope to move to a cooler climate soon, but Tassie is off the menu at this stage due to mainland obligations.
Looking forward to tonight’s BBL game, though I tire of it after a while since it’s on night after night. T20 games can be very one dimensional, offering none of the nuances of the longer form.
I am really surprised hanscombe is being given another shot.
Gabba crowd tonight?
Maybe 23-26k by the end of the night.
They’re reporting that 35,000 tickets have been sold during Seven’s coverage.
Good weather, season opener, no reason not to at least get close to that.
Ricky Ponting also said that the Scorchers will be getting 50-60k to their games this season.
5:30 start perhaps? Not all that easy to get to The Gabba via PT on a Wednesday evening at the best of times let alone in the Christmas Rush. Perhaps the 3rd umpire was caught up waiting to cross the road at the bus station from what I’ve read about the Pattinson run out (and it’s definitely read, I don’t watch 20 over games)
As for the real cricket, all locked and loaded for Boxing Day at The G, although I’ll have to head off during the last session to make a flight that evening. This will be the xxth time I’ve attended at least a day of the Boxing Day test.
Attended:
92/93 D2 (Windies, Bay 13 errupted when Merv struck twice late in the day),
94/95 D3 (England, was in the car park form the first ball of the day, Gooch bunts it back to McDermott for a caught and bowled),
96/97 D2 (South Africa, Ponting got a ton batting at 6), 2000/2001 D1 (Windies, shadow of their former selves of course the visitors actually had us in some bother until S.Waugh and Gillespie responded stoutly),
2002/2003 D2 (England, Langer completed his 250, Steve Harmison continually lumbered across the fine leg rope seeing the ball fizz past him),
2003/2004 D3 (India, S.Waugh has his last MCG test innings interrupted by a short Ajit Agarkar ball hitting the point of his elbow, Ponting made a double, Stuart MacGill made a duck to the chant of WARNEY)
2008/2009 D2 (South Africa, M.Clarke laboured to 93*, Siddle took a number of early wickets, it seemed the home side were on too, then it fell apart from D3 onwards)
2010/2011 D1/2 (England, win toss and bat…and get rolled for 92. England passed us by stumps with chants such as “he’s got more runs than you!” and “That Mitchell Johnson, his bowling is S***E!”, Smith batted at 8 playing as a leg spin bowler)
2011/2012 D1 (India, Joe the cameraman crashes his segue, Sachin top edges a six to the deafening roars of the indian fans gathered in the Ponsford, left early and missed the bigger roar when home stater Siddle knocked him over late in the day)
2012/2013 D1 (Sri Lanka, Sangakkara gets injured batting, SL from memory end up having 9 fit to bat in the second dig)
2013/2014 D1/2/3 (England, world record crowds turn up first 2 days, yet all the action came Day 3 as England wilted in the hot Northerly winds. Haddin made a few to get us close in the first dig, then after getting to 0/60 they had a major implosion)
2014/2015 D1/2 (India, Hume Highway pitch, long drawn out bore draw that one)
2015/2016 D1 (Windies, rain delayed the start, I spilt 7-Eleven coffee on my jumper sleeve, Warner played a typically greedy shot to get out cheaply when 200 was in the offing)
2016/2017 D1/2 (Pakistan, Day 2 ruined by rain and they barely squeezed in enough overs to avoid paying refunds. Of course Pakistan did what Pakistan do best later that match and botch it from a winning position)
2017/2018 D1/2 (England, another Hume Highway pitch, saw some of Cook’s 3000000 or whatever he scored).
Gabba crowd last night: 26,932
Renegades beat scorchers for the first time in bbl history. The renegades started off slowly but with a stronger partnership with Sam Harper And Mo Nabi, the renegades put on a performance. The scorchers bowling was horrible - wasted opportunities
Cummins impressive today, Lyon as always also on point. Pitch getting better as the day progresses and naturally the test. Was again disappointingly flat again though, seen worst in this morning’s session.
Will be very sad when the MCG is stripped of the Boxing Day test. Another dud pitch by the looks.
Yet no wickets. Again it’s a very bay orintated wickets. No real interest which is disappointing.
Attendance at the Boxing Day test at the MCG today: 73,516
If Perth copped a bad wrap for the last test, surely Melbourne will have to as well. (But I did see a suggestion online that last years infraction didnt count towards the demerits)