Another Test, another Australian batting collapse

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It was only just over a month ago when South Africa were given the most memorable of lessons by Australia. In being dismissed for 96, South Africa thought they’d set the standard when it came to batting collapses, only to see their opponents proudly stumble to a score of 47 all out in response.

Seemingly unaware of Australia’s predilection for buckling as easily as a child’s belt, India chanced their arm on the third day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, falling from 214-2 to 282 all out. “Less of that,” said the Aussies and promptly self-detonated, losing their first four wickets for 27 runs.

It was the kind of stirring stuff that brings a tear to the eye. David Warner’s ugly flail and inside edge onto his stumps seemed like it would be a high point until Shaun Marsh did the exact same thing. There’s a certain nobility in that; a suicidal conviction akin to dashing your own brains out on a tree even when there are quicker, less painful options available to you.

India won’t be doing that again. Don’t mess with the best when it comes to batting collapses.

10 comments

  1. I think it’s all a ploy to set a total so low that Tendulkar won’t get his 100th hundred.

    Anecdote of the day from my attendance at the G: Beachballs are strictly forbidden but people bring them anyway. Also, there is no concept of waiting till the end of the over before getting up.

    On a separate note, KC, this is pretty much the definition of a first-world problem but I can’t work out how to read the hover captions on the iPad.

    1. Bloody Apple products.

      Maybe you could view the page source and find the caption within the HTML. I’d hasten to add that it is most definitely NOT worth doing that today. Or any other day.

    2. I was having this very same problem, I’m glad that there are others sharing my pain.

    3. View the page source? HTML? What do you take me for? I think I’ll have to wait until I’m in front of a proper computer again and binge on months of hover captions in one go.

  2. Anyone else finding the Durban Test – if less intriguing than the MCG one – vastly more satisfying?

  3. The MCG test is set up to be a ripper.

    Or not.

    I’d like to see Huss get a ton, just to show Punter that being old isn’t stopping HIM.

  4. I watched the highlights from the MCG today, but had to turn the sound off after Tony Greig referred to Ishant Sharma as “the nightwatchy”.

  5. Seems India didn’t take your advice and did again – but this time with such speed and delicacy that that even we were surprised.

    “ANything you can do, we can do better” India said (parroting England), “since we are naturally superior to you in all ways”. Certainly Dravid gave it his best shot – that’s 3 times in 3 days the Wall has been clean-bowled.

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