2007/2008 Summer of Cricket Discussion

$50,000 bet on Australia win

Article from: The herald sun

A CONFIDENT punter last night splurged $50,000 on Australia to prevail in tonight's blockbuster Twenty20 international against India, as Ricky Ponting's team declared it was serious about winning.

TAB Sportsbet was taken by surprise when the cricket fan also handed over $67,000 to win $57,500 in six individual bets for batsmen to fail at the MCG.

To collect, he needs Ricky Ponting to make less than 35, Adam Gilchrist less than 32 and Andrew Symonds less than 31.

Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar (less than 33), Virender Sehwag (less than 29) and Gautam Gambhir (less than 29) also need to have poor nights. If Australia wins, the punter will also collect an extra $22,500.

"We are a little surprised with the amount this punter has splurged. We haven't come across this before in Twenty20," Sportsbet's Gary Davies said last night.

Bookmakers - legal and illegal - worldwide are preparing to handle more than $500 million in bets tonight.

Ponting is in doubt after admitting yesterday he had been forced to spend time lying on his back since the Adelaide Test in a bid to be fit for a match officials hope will attract more than 85,000 spectators.

The Australian captain aggravated his lower back problems while stroking a century in Adelaide.

Ponting yesterday had extensive treatment from team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris and conceded he was no certainty to play.

"I injured my back last week in Adelaide obviously, so I pretty much have been flat on my back the last couple of days just to try and give myself the best chance to recover," Ponting said.

If Ponting does pull out, Michael Clarke is expected to take charge.

India was last night considering naming Tendulkar, despite him not being part of its recent winning World Championship squad and the team that defeated Australia in Mumbai in October.

Tendulkar was in such superb touch during the Test series that selectors feel he could play a key role tonight.

The tourists have won both Twenty20 matches in which the two nations have clashed - during the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship and in Mumbai in October.

But Ponting insists his team will take the format seriously.

"Probably four or five months ago it wasn't as serious as it was now," Ponting said.

"After the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, we all recognised the popularity of the game. We have all started to take a little bit more notice of it."

Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni said his team intended to use the clash as a warm-up for the one-day tri-series, beginning in Brisbane on Sunday.

Dhoni was also unsure whether Harbhajan Singh would play, despite being cleared after his racial abuse charge.

Meanwhile, paceman Stuart Clark has been recalled to the Australian one-day squad, replacing fellow quick Shaun Tait for the tri-series against India and Sri Lanka.

Tait has taken an indefinite break from the game, after suffering from physical and mental stress.
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February 01, 2008

AUSTRALIA are bracing for more fireworks after India fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth vowed to maintain his aggressive attitude in the Twenty20 international at the MCG.

As the fallout from the Harbhajan Singh race row continues, a powderkeg of emotion could again erupt if the fiery Sreesanth again gets close and personal with Ricky Ponting's men at the MCG.

“We never backed down. Why should we? We have players who can give it back with interest †– Shanthakumaran Sreesanth How to win friends and influence people, by India's fast bowler Sreesanth's verbal stoushes with Australia's Andrew Symonds contributed to the ill-tempered series on the subcontinent last October, and India have already warned him to temper his aggression in wake of the Sydney Test fallout.

"I love the spotlight," Sreesanth said.

"The Aussies should be worried I am coming.

"Sreesanth's way is to be aggressive. Sreesanth will always remain Sreesanth."

Sreesanth has declared that India will not shy away from any confrontation with Symonds, who was criticised this week by Justice John Hansen for his role in the ugly spat with Harbhajan which threatened to terminate India's tour.

"We never backed down," Sreesanth said.

"Why should we?" We have players who can give it back with interest. What's the worst that can happen? Six sixes? I can always come back next over.

"All I need is just one ball to get (the batsman) out."

Sreesanth missed the Test series with a shoulder injury but is now fit.
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Damn, tonights game is going to be explosive! Cant Wait. remembering INDIA are the world 20/20 Champions

Twenty20 'hit and giggle no more'
By Sam Lienert
January 31, 2008

HAVING been knocked out of the World Twenty20 by India and on the losing end of their only other 20-over clash, Ricky Ponting says Australia have a score to settle.

Cricket's shortest form is the only version in which Australia are not the world's best, and one which, until recently, Ponting admitted they had not taken overly seriously.

But the success of last year's World Cup and the concept's immense and unwavering popularity - as evidenced by a crowd forecast of 85,000 for Friday night's MCG clash - has sharpened Australia's focus.

"After the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa when we all recognised the popularity of the game then I think we all have started to take a little bit more notice of it,'' Ponting said.

"And with that I think everyone's had a bit more chance to play some more Twenty20 cricket ... this game, the way I feel about it anyway, it's really grown on me.''

For a side not used to losing, India's mastery of Australia in their only two previous Twenty20 meetings has upped the motivation level.

"India had the upper hand over everybody in the World Cup,'' Ponting said.

"They played some excellent cricket through there and were deserved winners obviously of the Twenty20 world championship.

"They knocked us off in the semi-finals and they beat us in Mumbai before we came back here ... so for us maybe there are some scores to settle.

"Maybe we do want to get out there and keep a really close eye on us and our Twenty20 cricket.

"We are going to be playing more of it and there's definitely room for improvement for Australia.''

Ponting is also mindful of the possibility for the match to set the tone for the upcoming limited-overs tri-series, which also involves Sri Lanka.

He recalled his side's Twenty20 thrashing by England at the start of their unsuccessful 2005 tour, which in hindsight he believes gave the hosts vital self-confidence before they wrested the Ashes from Australia.

"We turned up for a bit of a warm-up, hit-out sort of thing,'' he said.

"England turned up really primed and trying to set a bit of an example on how they were going to play their cricket through the summer, so that caught us off-guard a little bit.

"I guarantee tomorrow that that won't be the case, we won't be caught off-guard at all, we'll be going out there absolutely flat-out.''

Ponting arrived in Melbourne with some fitness doubts, after lower back pain which plagued him during the Adelaide Test continued to trouble him in the days since.

"I've been pretty much flat on my back for the last couple of days trying to give myself the best chance to recover,'' he said.

But, after expressing doubts over whether he would be able to train, he stretched and jogged on Thursday under the eye of team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris before batting in the nets.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said while the visitors would be taking the match seriously, they also viewed it as a chance for those not in the Test squad to become accustomed to Australian conditions.

Nine of the 18-member squad have come just for the limited-overs matches.

Agence France-Presse
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Females are playing a curtain raiser at the G now which is awesome for womens cricket I might add.

Australia are playing England

AUS 2/46 (6.0 overs)
 
RICKY Ponting's ongoing back injury and the frenetic nature of Twenty20 cricket have ruled the Australia captain out of the international against India at the MCG.

Ponting was troubled by pain and stiffness in the lower back during the last Test against India in Adelaide.

Michael Clarke will captain the side in Ponting's absence, with Brad Hodge slotting into the batting lineup at No.3.
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Damn, Ponting is a big loss
 
i dont know he isnt a fan of 20 20 and its not his style i think symonds or gilchrist would be a bigger loss in this form of the game anyway
 
Bedsey_is_the_best said:
Yeah its a buggar that they are out, but it will still be great I think
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You think? :?

90,000 people with India and Australia hating each other at the moment?

Dont think, Believe it!
 
well having a big crowd doesn't mean the game will be entertaining. i'm not really interested in that personally, nor the hate factor I just want to see a good close game
 
Well surely a huge crowd of that size and the atmosphere they would bring would have some sort of effect on a game.
 
Bedsey_is_the_best said:
well having a big crowd doesn't mean the game will be entertaining. i'm not really interested in that personally, nor the hate factor I just want to see a good close game
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:lol: :lol: :lol:

The game isnt very big hitting and India all out, BUTTTT

The crowd has saved it. Are you even watching it? *(Waits for No)*
 
Bedsey_is_the_best said:
of course i'm f*** watching it bot that what I do or do not watch is any of your business
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I dont want it to be my buisness, I have no time to be wanting to know what you are doing let alone care.

Ease the **** up.
 
Untitled23 said:
Bedsy. Ease the f*** up.
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yeh bedsy,reading this makes me think you started this argument by once again, pointless posts.
 
no ok I am sick of getting rude or smart arse comments in reply to my posts its really starting to annoy me. I have a right to an opinion and I never try and force those on others and so I think I have a right to express what I think as everyone else does
 
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