Gayle-Ausies are beatable

[Dunny]

Last week he was forced to insist that he would not step down as skipper despite admitting the West Indies had been embarrassed in Brisbane, but this week Chris Gayle could afford to go on the attack.
The West Indies skipper used his column in Australia's News Ltd papers to claim that the Baggy Greens are "very beatable" ahead of the third Test in Perth, which gets underway on Wednesday.
Gayle was man of the match as the West Indies held the upper hand in Adelaide over the weekend, and though they can not win the series the tourists have renewed belief that they can still take something out of the three-Test affair.
"The Aussies still have a lot of quality players and they are still a strong unit, but I am sure they are very beatable," Gayle wrote.
"There is no doubt we really pushed them in Adelaide and had them under a lot of pressure for long periods of the second Test. It was a shame we couldn't quite finish them off, but they do have quite a long batting line-up.
"Having said that, Aussie sides I have played before have had much bigger and stronger batting line-ups. Their bowling attack is also not very experienced - Mitchell Johnson is a good bowler, but it might say something that he is easily their most seasoned quick."
Perth has traditionally had quick, bouncy wickets, and in Kemar Roach the West Indies have the fastest bowler in the series. Roach has consistently hit the 150kph mark, leading Ricky Ponting to admit that he's been impressed by the inexperienced fast bowler, and Gayle is expecting big things from his paceman next week.
"Kemar Roach will be a huge handful with his pace on the bouncy pitch," he continued. "I think we will see something extraordinary from him. Trust me, he has some serious wheels.
"I really don't like facing him in the nets - usually I have to tell him to slow things down so I can see the ball!
"Ricky Ponting is a top-class and experienced player, but Kemar really ruffled him and hustled him with sheer pace in Adelaide.
"Kemar won't back down against Ricky in Perth and will ask even more questions of the Aussie captain on a pitch I hear should be very quick and bouncy.

[Gamma]

i get a funny feeling seh the aussies will pull a "fast" one and leave the pitch a little soft to take off the pace especially given that the do not have lightning fast personnel ... lee and siddle not playing and johnson relies as much on swing as pace.

it would not be beyond them to slow the pitch in an effort to frustrate roach.

too much is being said about the pace and bounce of the pitch and ponting would love for windies to rely on that and then flip the script!

[Dunny]

i get a funny feeling seh the aussies will pull a "fast" one and leave the pitch a little soft to take off the pace especially given that the do not have lightning fast personnel ... lee and siddle not playing and johnson relies as much on swing as pace.

it would not be beyond them to slow the pitch in an effort to frustrate roach.

too much is being said about the pace and bounce of the pitch and ponting would love for windies to rely on that and then flip the script!

That is a likely scenario,it would be interesting if the Windies could've called on Edwards and Taylor to help out Roach.

[Karl]

i get a funny feeling seh the aussies will pull a "fast" one and leave the pitch a little soft to take off the pace especially given that the do not have lightning fast personnel ... lee and siddle not playing and johnson relies as much on swing as pace.

it would not be beyond them to slow the pitch in an effort to frustrate roach.

too much is being said about the pace and bounce of the pitch and ponting would love for windies to rely on that and then flip the script!

...yuh not suggesting the Aussie's would be so dasterdly as to have the match start on a damp wicket? ...or alternatively an over prepared one.

A damp wicket would suggest they know in advance they are going to win the toss...and an over-prepared and slow wicket would mean they would have settled for nothing less than a draw?

No sah, the Aussie's would not do either of the above...? ...they are good sports!

[Gamma]

ok. if it is damp it would favour swing if the bowled first...if they bat first it will neutralise roach.

is not like it has never happened before, that a pitch is prepared to favour the strengths of the home team.

[Peter R]

Well the Aussies are 339 /3 so they are looking for a high score; high point of the day though was Roach sending Ponting off hurt.

[Dunny]

Roach need some help,the other bowlers were disappointing to say the least.

[Willi]

Dem seleck Tonge?

[Karl]

I wonder batting wicket? Aussie's taking no chances and prepared a docile tract.

[Dunny]

Dem seleck Tonge?

Tonge is a big strong youth weh bowl some lolipop delivery,i'm thinking back in the days when we see a fast bowler that size him at least have some pace.