The Reverse Sweep

David Warner doesn't do things by halves

One possible reaction to David Warner's maiden one day international ton at the Gabba yesterday was to say "about time" given that he had only passed fifty three times in his previous 18 ODI matches and prior to his 157 ball knock had been a major disappointment in the CB Series.

However, rather than focussing on the negative (for once) we couldn't help thinking that just like his previous two hundreds for Australia, Warner had once again not settled for a boring mundane three figure score.

Warner's first hundred came in his second Test at Hobart, where he became only the sixth Australian to carry his bat since the World War II with an innings marked by responsible strokeplay and impressive resilience. Virtues that many - including us - had hitherto considered were not part of Warner's armoury.

Then there was Perth and the 3rd Test against India, where Warner smashed the joint fourth fastest Test hundred in history and the quickest by an opener in a knock that saw the birth and probable death of Vinay Kumar's Test career.

And now Warner has the highest ODI score at the Gabba and the sixth highest ever by an Australian. Not bad.

That David Warner - he certainly doesn't do things by halves.

Where next?

David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

Virat Kohli's very very special innings

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

4th Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

Ed Cowan - 5: Got a start in both innings but was unable to go on and fell to spin each time. Took the catch that saw Tendulkar leave the crease for probably the last time in a Test in Australia.

David Warner - 4: There was no repeat of his explosive heroics at Perth as the early introduction of spin troubled him and bogged him down.

Shaun Marsh - 1: More Quicksand than Marsh. Just 17 runs in the series at a hideous average of 2.83 - even Chris Martin (the cricketer or the Coldplay frontman) would be embarrassed with that.

Ricky Ponting - 10: If his hundred at Sydney was redemptive, the double ton here saw Ponting almost back to his brilliant and dismissive best. Many thought he was finished after Cape Town, but 705 runs at 70.5 since then suggests the contrary.

Michael Clarke - 10: A dream end to a dream series for the captain with a double hundred to set alongside his triple hundred at Sydney adding up to 626 runs at 125 for the series where his side have completely steamrollered and whitewashed a feeble opposition.

Mike Hussey - 5: Looked in good touch before being brilliantly run out by Gambhir in the 1st innings and was the victim of a borderline leg before to Sharma second time around.

Brad Haddin - 6: Got some cheap runs off a bruised and battered attack but it can only be a matter of time before iron gloves waves adieu to international cricket.

Peter Siddle - 9: Seems to have benefitted the most from the McDermott effect. Found life on a pitch where there was none, which makes his 1st innings five for all the more impressive. Ended up with 23 wickets at 19 in the series, but his strike rate of a wicket every 32 balls is even more impressive.

Ryan Harris - 8: The best tribute you can pay him is that Australia didn't really miss the bowler he replaced - James Pattinson. The more difficult task is how to keep him fit.

Ben Hilfenhaus - 8: Woefully impotent in last year's Ashes but as dangerous as a rabid dog in this series. Picked up another four wickets to take his series tally to 27 at an average of just 17.

Nathan Lyon - 7: The ultimate rags to riches story. A groundsman for the last Adelaide Test here he bagged an enviable list of victims including Laxman (twice), Sehwag and Tendulkar - all of whom were probably playing their last Test innings in Australia.

Where next?

4th Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Ricky Ponting proves the doubters (and gladly us) wrong

3rd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

2nd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

1st Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

3rd Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

Ed Cowan - 8: In years to come how many will remember his part in Warner's story? But the way he rotated the strike whilst scoring runs himself was crucial. Looks the perfect foil to Warner and will allow the selectors the luxury of playing Watson down the order when he returns from injury.

David Warner - 10: The joint-fourth fastest Test ton ever and the quickest ever by an opener. What more can you say? Has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water with two contrasting hundreds and an average of 64 after his first five Tests.

Shaun Marsh - 2: Another tentative dismissal and just 14 runs in the series will leave him looking anxiously over his shoulder for the return of Watson. Still looks undercooked after the back injury he suffered in Cape Town.

Ricky Ponting - 3: After two fifties in Melbourne and finally hitting his 40th Test ton in Sydney it was perhaps not a surprise to see him depart for a single figure score here - albeit to a terrific delivery by Yadav. Took three smart catches in the slips.

Michael Clarke - 5: His last dozen Test scores: 112, 151, 2, 11, 2, 139, 22, 0, 31, 1, 329* and 18 here show that the Australian skipper makes the opposition pay if they don't get him early. Will be concerned about being part of another batting collapse but that will pale into insignificance compared to sealing the series already. 

Mike Hussey - 3: When Mr Cricket finally retires he may reflect that becoming Vinay Kumar's first (and probably last) Test victim was his lowest and most embarrassing moment.

Brad Haddin - 1: Comprehensively failed to walk the walk with a three ball duck, which means he only averages 19 with the bat since the start of 2011. With his shoddy work behind the stumps, the end days of Haddin's Test career appear to be nigh.

Peter Siddle - 8: Seems to chip in with three wickets every innings and did do on both occasions here as well as once again contributing useful runs. Has the best strike rate in the series of 33.5 and seems to have finally found his role in the side and in this menacing bowling attack.

Ryan Harris - 8: Bowled much better than his solitary wicket in each innings suggest with others getting the reward for the burly bowler's accuracy and miserly 67 runs scored from his 34 overs. Splayed Dravid's stumps with a beauty in the second innings. 

Mitchell Starc - 7: Another Australian left-arm quick called Mitchell who seems to like bowling at Perth and like his namesake produced some unplayable deliveries such as those that took out Gambhir and Tendulkar second time around. Looked a completely different proposition from the erratic bowler who played his first two Tests late last year against New Zealand. 

Ben Hilfenhaus - 9: Another dominant display from a bowler utterly transformed from the impotent figure of last year's Ashes. Then he took 7 wickets at 59 in the series, now he has 23 wickets at 16 and a strike rate of 35. Phenomenal.

Where next?

3rd Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

2nd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

1st Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

India: Tigers at home; pussies away

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Annus Orior Oriri Ortus: The breakthrough Test XI of 2011

Well, we’ve already picked our best and worst Test XIs of 2011 at The Reverse Sweep and with (for once) perfect timing our final XI of 2011, which was published yesterday on All Out Cricket features those who made their bows in Test cricket and made an instant impression.

Why perfect timing, you may ask? Well, it may have escaped your attention that David Warner yesterday made the joint fourth fastest Test hundred in history and the quickest by an opener. Clearly though his inclusion in our XI is the biggest milestone he has yet achieved in his short Test career.

To see who else joins him in our XI having appeared for the first time on the Test stage and enjoyed an annus orior oriri ortus (the closest we could find in Latin to 'breakthrough' if you were interested) please head over to All Out Cricket to read our Breakthrough Acts XI of 2011.

Where next?

Annus mirabilis: The best Test XI of 2011

Annus horribilis: The Worst Test XI of 2011

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

Four of the seven quickest hundreds in Test history have come at the WACA (or should it now be renamed the Whacker?) – three of these have been scored by opening batsmen and indeed are the three quickest hundreds ever scored by openers in Test history.

We were too young to have seen the first of the three scored by Roy Fredericks against a fearsome Australian attack including Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, but would recommend reading this wonderful recollection by The Guardian’s Andy Bull of a remarkably courageous innings from the batsman they called Kid Cement.

Fredericks reached his hundred in 71 balls, a feat bettered by one ball by Chris Gayle (see number six) in 2009 (in the days before he became a full-time T20 mercenary) in an innings that Nathan Hauritz in particular still probably hasn’t recovered from the spanking administered to him.

So onto today. India must have been feeling pretty dispirited having been blasted out for just 161 in a series that they are already 2-0 down in. But nothing could have prepared them for the slaughter that David Warner had in store for them.

Whilst all the Indian bowlers are probably organising one-way tickets (are there any other?) to Switzerland for an appointment with Dignitas after a shocking performance, nothing should be taken away from Warner’s gun-slinging performance.

He didn’t give a chance, carted all of the four-man Indian pace attack around the park, smashed Vinay Kumar’s fourth ball in Test cricket back over his head for six and reached his hundred in the most appropriate fashion by hitting another monstrous six off the same unfortunate debutant, whose retirement from Test cricket probably cannot come soon enough.

As a result Warner beat Gayle’s mark by one ball to join Shivnarine Chanderpaul (who must have left his pet crab at home on that particular day) as the joint fourth fastest century maker in Test history.

In his first five Tests Warner has now become only the sixth batsmen ever to carry his bat in the fourth innings of a Test as well as scoring the quickest hundred ever by an opener in Test history, which makes our initial assessment that Warner wouldn’t cut the mustard in the long form of the game look pretty foolish.

But not as foolish as an Indian side who have now let Australia rack up 771/1 since reducing them to 37/3 in Sydney with partnerships of 288, 334* and now 149*. Duncan Fletcher who has lost his last 11 overseas Tests as coach of England and now India is staring down the barrel once again.

Where next?

India: Tigers at home; pussies away

It's surreal: Kieron Pollard fires a first ODI hundred; David Warner cracks a maiden Test ton

The David Warner Experiment

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

2nd Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

David Warner - 3: Fell in the first over of the Australian innings to a delivery outside his off-stump that he could have left, but produced a stunning catch to snare Sehwag when India batted a second time. 

Ed Cowan - 3: Beaten for pace by Zaheer to get caught in front to leave his side in trouble at 37/3. Will get at least one more opportunity before Shane Watson returns. Picked up three catches at short-leg.

Shaun Marsh - 1: Another duck - this one of the golden variety - to leave Marsh with just three runs from three innings in the series. Suckered by Zaheer at one he didn't need to play at.

Ricky Ponting - 9: Finally after 720 days and 34 innings, Ponting finally hit his 40th Test hundred and it was a good one too with a theatrical climax and a desperate dive for the precious final run before the smiling hero emerged with bat aloft and shirt dirtied. 

Michael Clarke - 10: It won't get any better than this for Pup. A triple hundred, the highest Test score at the SCG on the occasion of its 1ooth Test, the wicket of Tendulkar, a crushing innings victory for his side and Kyly looking radiant to complete Clarke's journey from zero to hero after the boos of 12 months ago.

Mike Hussey - 9: It must have been a long time since Hussey walked to the crease with 325 runs already on the board and he duly cashed in. Opened up with four commanding boundaries and went on to a chanceless hundred.  

Brad Haddin - 2: At another time his dreadful drop to reprieve Gambhir just before stumps on day 3 could have cost his side dearly. As unreliable behind the stumps in this Test as he has been in front of them over the past year. This may prove to be his last Test series. 

Peter Siddle - 8: Picked up five victims in the match and passed 100 Test wickets. Clearly enjoys his enforcer role and now has 28 wickets at 27 since coming back into the side.

James Pattinson - 8: Bowled wonderfully well on day one to take out four of India's top five and set up the Test for his side. His loss to a foot injury for the series is a big blow, but with 25 wickets at 18 from his first four Tests this hugely promising bowler will be back.  

Ben Hilfenhaus - 9: We were told that we would see a different bowler from the one that floundered so badly in the Ashes and a second successive five-for was proof of that. The ball to remove Laxman's off-stump was particularly memorable.

Nathan Lyon - 5: Provided decent enough control when called upon and picked up Sharma to register his first wicket of the match and second of the series. Will be looking forward to the Adelaide Test and a pitch that aids spin.

Where next?

2nd Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

The best Test XI of 2011

The redemption of Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting hundreds just a sideshow for Channel 9

India's batting line-up and Goebbels's big lie

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

1st Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Cricket memories of 2011: Australia are bowled out for 47

It was one of the most memorable and error strewn days of Test cricket ever, but there had been no sign of the carnage to follow prior to lunch when Australia’s 1st innings had ended on 284 and South Africa in reply had moved sedately to 49/1.

Then the cricketing equivalent of the Somme ensued as 19 wickets fell in an avalanche of skilful bowling and woeful batting between lunch and the first hour after tea

First, South Africa capsized to 96 all out with Shane Watson taking five wickets and Ryan Harris four to hand Australia what looked like a decisive lead of 188. But this proved to be the mere hors d’oeuvre.

Australia quickly lost three wickets to be 13 for three by tea and then lost a frantic 6 for 8 on resumption to be a scarcely believable 21 for nine, still five runs short of the lowest Test score ever and 15 short of their own nadir.

Complete embarrassment was averted by the last wicket pair of Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon as they took the score to 47, but the shock it gave Australia and the fillip it provided to South Africa meant that the hosts had no trouble in negotiating a target of 236.

2011 was a case of two steps forward, one step back for Australia. The year started badly with an innings defeat at Sydney handing England a 3-1 Ashes win and continued with a quarter-final exit at the World Cup.

This saw the handing of the baton to a new captain in Michael Clarke, whose adventurous style bodes well. They became the first side to win a Test series in Sri Lanka for four years and but for the aforementioned collapse in Cape Town and a similar if less dramatic one in Hobart could conceivably have beaten South Africa and New Zealand 2-0.

A new core of potential stars has been identified in David Warner, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon and perhaps best of all the 18 year old fast bowler Pat Cummins whilst the likes of Phil Hughes have been discarded.

The 47 all out may be seen in years to come as a turning point or it could just be one dip in the game of snakes and ladders that Australia currently seem embroiled in.

Where next?

Michael Clarke, Lara Bingle and Australia's 47 all out

Australia - The Great Entertainers

The David Warner Experiment

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

1st Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

David Warner - 5: Caught hooking after a breezy Sehwag-esque 1st innings 37 and played on to a very loose shot early in the Australian 2nd innings. Partnership with Cowan looks a promising contrast of styles. Great catch to seal the win.

Ed Cowan - 7: Looked instantly at home on Test debut and was undaunted by the 70,000 crowd and bowler friendly conditions to produce a retro-style Test innings from an opener that would have had Geoff Boycott licking his lips. The main feature of his 68 was his sound judgement and when and when not to leave - something that deserted him second time around.

Shaun Marsh - 2: Looked rustier than the rustiest nail on the rustiest old wreck at the bottom of the ocean, which was hardly surprising given he was more undercooked after his recent back injury than a raw piece of meat. The obduracy he displayed in his Test career previous to this will be needed for the rest of the series.

Ricky Ponting - 8: Crucial fifties in both innings on a tricky pitch when Australia had been teetering on the brink of further collapses showed that still has the appetite. But his long famine without a hundred now streches to a biblical 33 innings. His once formidable conversion percentage too now completely eludes him with only two of his last 20 fifties having been converted into tons. Will the famine end in Sydney? 

Michael Clarke - 5: Outfoxed by Zaheer on Boxing Day and beaten by a beauty from Ishant second time around. Captaincy continues to be enterprising, skilful and bold, which was epitomised when opting to bat after winning the toss in swinging and seaming conditions similar to those that Australia had been shot out for 98 on Boxing Day last year.

Michael Hussey - 7: As at Brisbane in the 1st Ashes Test last year, Hussey rose from his death bed just when the last rites were being read. His 2nd innings 89 probably saved his Test career and perhaps his side from emulating the dreaded 47 all out of just a few weeks ago. The rumour that Hussey is actually a particularly resilient cockroach in a cunning disguise is still so far unproven - see also Michael Hussey is not dead.

Brad Haddin - 4: For once showed some responsibility during his partnership with Siddle on the first evening before reverting to type the next morning and then being dismissed to the latest in a long line of woeful dismissals in the 2nd innings. Jarrod Kimber says that he'd prefer Tim Paine instead of Haddin even though he doesn't have any hands and he may well be right.

Peter Siddle - 8: A good Test for the Victorian with six wickets and Tendulkar's scalp in both innings including a pearler in the first that helped inspire Australia's fightback with the ball. Another useful cameo with the bat - his 1st innings 41 was the seventh time in his last 17 Test innings that he has hit a score of 20 or more. They'll be calling him an all-rounder next.

James Pattinson - 9: A second man of match award in only his third Test - as many as Jason Gillespie managed in his entire career - and it was richly deserved too. He sustained hostility, pace and a testing length throughout and combined six wickets with 55 unconquered runs - with his second innings 37 being a career best that ultimately put the game out of India's reach.

Ben Hilfenhaus - 9: The shadow of the bowler that featured in last year's Ashes series was well and truly gone as the big Tasmanian took his first Test five-for and seven wickets in all with a wonderful display of accurate fast-medium bowling. Like Pattinson, also added useful runs in both innings too.

Nathan Lyon - 6: Not a great wicket for a spinner and he only bowled 22.5 overs in the match. But he was tidy enough against the best players of spin in world cricket and even had the honour of taking the final wicket to fall.

Where next?

1st Test: India marks out of 10

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

Michael Hussey is not dead

Ed Cowan makes Geoffrey Boycott happy (probably)

Australia v India - Who will win?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Ed Cowan makes Geoffrey Boycott happy (probably)

When we championed the selection of Ed Cowan for the Boxing Day Test we suggested that his call-up was a victory for the underdog promoted after years of hard yakka.

Cowan is also what Geoffrey Boycott would doubtless call a proper Test match opener - someone who is prepared to dig in, take the shine off the new ball and stick around for as long as possible.

It doesn't get much bigger for an Australian cricketer than a Boxing Day Test match at the MCG in front of 70,000 odd people.

Cowan faced this challenge down with real grit and did so in seam and swing-friendly conditions after Michael Clarke had made his latest adventurous move as captain by opting to bat after winning the toss.

Cowan did it the old fashioned way by barely scoring a run before lunch and waited patiently for the inevitable loose spell that Umesh Yadav (who like Steve Finn in last year's Ashes series bowled some superlative deliveries whilst being more expensive than Prada) obligingly delivered at the start of the second session.

Even then he had only just registered his half-century by tea. No wonder Simon Katich has already given Cowan his seal of approval.

It was only last year that Australia were beaten in their own backyard by an England side boasting a similarly obdurate opening batsman. Alastair Cook's runs set up a series win and Cowan's selection suggests that Australia's selectors have belatedly decided to follow suit in voting for solidity at the top of the order.

It's all very well having a Virender Sehwag or David Warner, but you don't need a whole team of them. There is room for a Cook or Cowan in Test cricket. I can hear Boycott voicing his agreement at Cowan's 68 off 177 balls. He'd also probably agree that he didn't get a thin edge either.

Where next?

Australia v India - Who will win?

Cricket memories of 2011: England retain the Ashes in Australia

Ed Cowan's selection for the Boxing Day Test is a victory for intellect and common sense

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

It's surreal: Kieron Pollard fires a first ODI hundred; David Warner cracks a maiden Test ton

Having an opinion is pretty much a prerequisite to writing a cricket blog that is interesting enough for people to enjoy and as our two readers will no doubt testify that means there are times when we get it a bit wrong at The Reverse Sweep.

In the last few days, two familiar targets of our ire have done rather well. Firstly, Kieron Pollard, whom we have previously opined to be the most overrated cricketer in the world scored his maiden ODI hundred (at the 51st attempt) against India in Chennai (in a dead rubber, it should be noted).

Since conjuring up an improbable win (and consequently a lucrative IPL contract) against New South Wales in the inaugural Champions League, Pollard was become a very rich man indeed through essentially whoring himself around the World’s T20 leagues whilst consistently disappointing for the West Indies (for whom he still hasn’t played a single Test).

Many feel that Pollard epitomises everything that is wrong with cricket in 2011 - Michael Holding certainly isn’t keen having famously suggested that “Kieron Pollard, in my opinion is not a cricketer”.

But it seems that Pollard may have more about him than either we or Holding had hitherto imagined. We’d already noted that throughout the India-West Indies ODI series, Pollard appeared to be trying to play himself in before trying to hit the ball onto the next continent.

We were reliably informed that Sunday was the first occasion since March 2009 that Pollard faced more than 100 balls in a single innings. That should provide him with a sobering thought and together with the memory of his maiden hundred provide the basis for his approach at the crease in future.

However, Pollard would be advised to remember that one swallow does not make a summer, and an ODI average with the bat of 23 and a T20I one of 12 clearly requires drastic improvement.

The notion of one swallow applies as much to David Warner as it does Pollard.

Warner’s brave, glorious and unbowed maiden Test ton in Hobart may have proved to be agonisingly futile in the final reckoning, but it did suggest that we were premature and ok we’ll admit it irrefutably wrong in rubbishing Warner’s Test credentials.

Indeed, Warner’s reinvention of himself for the longer form of the game is to his credit. The very suggestion of him carrying his bat in a Test match would have provoked much laughter not that long ago, but Warner did it in his second Test, in a run chase on a devilishly tricky surface.

Whilst he would do well to remember that his opening partner in Hobart also made a stunning impact in his second Test match, unlike the hapless Phillip Hughes, Warner doesn’t seem to lack self-belief nor possess a fatally flawed technique.

Moreover, he also seems to have heeded the advice of Virender Sehwag who as The Old Batsman reminded us last week told Warner that if he played his natural game “you'll be a better Test cricketer than you are a Twenty20 player”.

We shall see about that, but Warner has certainly made an immensely impressive start.

Where next?

2nd Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10

Virender Sehwag scores 219 in a ODI to spark interest from Boris Johnson

Cricket Zeroes: The Twenty 20 harlot

The farcical Champions League and its band of cricket mercenaries

Cricket Heroes: Michael Holding

Top 20 cricket blogs: The Old Batsman

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

2nd Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10

David Warner  - 9: One swallow may not make a summer but Warner’s valiant, unbowed if ultimately futile maiden Test hundred suggested that those (including us – see The David Warner experiment) who said he would be found out at the top level were premature in their assessment.

Phillip Hughes – 2: Four innings, four failures and four c Guptill b Martin’s on the scorecard. Cut a sad and disconsolate figure as he departed in full knowledge that the axe is about to fall. Averages just 24 since returning against England at the WACA one year ago.

Usman Khawaja – 4: Got starts in both innings but was unable to go on; being found out outside off stump on both occasions. It seems the new generation of Australian batsmen are just as susceptible in swinging and seaming conditions as the old.

Ricky Ponting – 3: Not a happy homecoming to the scene of his last Test hundred - now 31 innings ago - and the mode of dismissal in both innings suggested that as the Rolling Stones once sang the best batsman Australia has produced since Bradman is ‘Out of Time’.

Michael Clarke – 5: As at Johannesburg, the skipper followed up a century in the first of a two Test series with two low scores – including a misjudged shouldering of arms that was reminiscent of his dismissal to Simon Jones at Old Trafford in 2005. Continues to impress with his attacking captaincy and skilful handling of a young, inexperienced attack.

Mike Hussey – 3: Two more failures, which means that since his starring role in Sri Lanka, Mr Cricket has only totalled 83 runs in seven innings. Did take his now customary wicket with the ball.

Brad Haddin – 2: Smart piece of quick-thinking to stump Ryder, but reckless, irresponsible and to be frank brainless dismissals in both innings could yet prove to be his Test epitaph.

Peter Siddle – 7: Enjoyed leading the attack and impressed with three wickets in each innings. Once again added vital runs when his team were in trouble in the first innings, but couldn’t repeat the trick second time around.

James Pattinson – 9: This Test cricket lark - easy isn’t it? Pattinson would be forgiven for thinking so after adding eight wickets here to six on debut in Brisbane. India’s batsmen are likely to prove a much tougher proposition, but with the parallel emergence of Cummins, Australia have found a pair of likely lads to spearhead its bowling attack for years to come.

Mitchell Starc – 2: Was flattered with two fortuitous wickets in the 1st innings and his poor performance may have had some Australians pining for Mitchell Johnson. He really was that bad.

Nathan Lyon – 7: Continues to impress both in terms of his talent and temperament. Nearly succeeded in carrying his side over the line in partnership with Warner and his disappointment was palpable as he sunk to his knees in despair when dismissed with just seven more runs required.

Where next?

2nd Test: Australia vs New Zealand - New Zealand marks out of 10

James Pattinson and Big Brother

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - New Zealand marks out of 10

Cricket zeroes: Channel 9's Commentary Team

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10

David Warner - 3: First foray to the crease in Tests wasn't a success and one wonders whether asking the T20 specialist to step up to this level is like expecting a good sevens player to make an instant impression in the 15 man code.

Phil Hughes - 3: The second member of Australia's most unlikely opening partnership since the days of Packer was caught in the gully off Martin in both innings. Ed Cowan must be scratching his head as to how Hughes and Warner get selected ahead of him.

Usman Khawaja - 6: Looked comfortable at the highest level once again before Ponting called him for a sharp single from the first ball after Tea. More caffeine required next time Usman.

Ricky Ponting - 7: We asked a few weeks ago if Ponting had lost his punch, but like any great former champion, if you put a sub-standard journeyman (like the Black Caps attack) in front of them they are still able to demonstrate their class. Still without a ton in 29 Test innings though and Ponting will rue the chance he let slip here.

Michael Clarke - 9: Captaincy certainly seems to sit well with Pup. He handled his inexperienced bowling attack well and with imagination and struck his third hundred in six Tests as skipper to demonstrate how he is thriving on the added responsibility. The cowed figure of the last Ashes series is now completely transformed.

Mike Hussey - 5: Almost 12 months to the day since Hussey saved his career on this ground. But he couldn't repeat the trick this time scratching around for 15 before being outfoxed by Vettori. It was small revenge for the bowler after Hussey's direct hit had left him four short of a hundred.

Brad Haddin - 7: With many observers questioning his place in the side, Haddin couldn't have asked for a better early Christmas present than this New Zealand attack and he responded with a typically brusque 80.

Peter Siddle - 6: Led the attack well on a pitch he enjoys, but part of him must be concerned that the strong performance of the young guns may put his place at risk when the likes of Harris and Cummins return. Not a number eight on this showing.

James Pattinson - 9: Recovered from a chastening first over in Test cricket to decimate the Kiwis 2nd innings and show that the future of the Australian bowling attack is not just about Pat Cummins. It would seem that just like Labour party did in choosing Ed over David, England picked the wrong brother.

Mitchell Starc - 6: Was expensive and a bit wayward - well what do you expect from a left arm bowler called Mitchell? But did enough on debut to suggest there could be more to come. Useful runs too. 

Nathan Lyon - 9: Hugely impressive again. Got flight, turn and bounce throughout and troubled all of the New Zealand batsmen. After having had more spin doctors than Tony Blair had in his 10 years as Prime Minister, Australia finally seemed to have found a suitable (if purely mortal) replacement for that bloke called Shane.

Where next?

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - New Zealand marks out of 10

The David Warner Experiment

Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

Ashes 2010/11: Australia series marks out of 10

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The David Warner Experiment

We first came across David Warner a few years ago when he smashed the England bowlers all over the park in a five over, six-a-side tournament in Hong Kong.

So we weren't that surprised to see him just a few months later handing out similar punishment to South Africa in his T20 debut for Australia when he scored 89 from just 43 balls.

Given his struggle in stepping up to the 50 over format - Warner has an average of 21 from 10 ODI at strike rate of just 78 - and the fact that he wasn't picked for the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales until recently, it seemed that Warner was the first T20 specialist to emerge on the international stage.

So we were surprised to see Warner's name in the Australian squad for the 1st Test with New Zealand at the Gabba. Picking Warner seemed a wild punt by Australia's selectors and suggested that they have a real paucity of opening batsmen - although Ed Cowan is one name that comes to mind - to replace the injured Shane Watson.

We said something to that effect on Twitter and were gently referred to Warner's first-class average of 60, albeit from only 11 games and with a top score of 211 made against the terrifying Zimbabwe A bowling attack.

Warner's dismissal today suggested that he may struggle to adapt to Test cricket. Tim Southee is hardly Dale Steyn or Chris Tremlett, but Warner could not cope with a well directed short delivery and tamely gloved the ball to Reece Young behind the stumps after seemingly being unable to drop his wrists.

It would be unfair to judge Warner on just one innings at the highest level, but we would hazard a guess that Warner's Test career will be a short, stuttering and rather brief affair - a bit like a game of Twenty 20 in fact.

Where next?

Who will be the Lovers & the Shaggers of the World T20?

2nd Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: South Africa v Australia - Australia marks out of 10

Mumbai's thrilling final ball draw shows the true value of Test cricket

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Who will be the Lovers & the Shaggers of the World T20?

Last week we introduced you to two categories of T20 batsmen - the Lovers and the Shaggers. 

The warm-up matches and the opening match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka has taught us that the pitches in Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia are slower than an arthritic tortoise who has had a particularly heavy night on the sauce. This means that the shaggers may not be as prevalent as they were in the IPL where Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan and Kieron Pollard in particular shagged themselves silly around India for six weeks.

I always had Tillakaratne Dilshan down as a shagger; and an unconventional one at that, but to see him struggle today to score only three off 19 balls suggests that he won't put as many notches on his belt as he did in England in last year's World T20.

So predicting the Lovers that will aim to provide pleasure all night, be chivalrous with their foreplay and then maintain a steady and patient momentum with the occasional shout out loud moment. Similarly, trying to fathom who will be the Shaggers that are too selfish for foreplay and start banging away from day one looks like it is going to be more difficult than we thought. But, to the hell with it and here goes.

The Lovers - Looking to give some lurve will be the following: Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene, Paul Collingwood, Michael Clarke (if anyone can manage to stay awake), Gautam Gambhir and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

The Shaggers - Warming up with Robin Uthappa's medicine ball will be: David Warner, Bangladesh (yep, the whole team are testosterone fuelled sex maniacs), Eoin Morgan, Murali Vijay, Shahid Afridi (who is probably a bit kinky), Albie Morkel, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Elton Chigumbura.  

  

Delhi Daredevils revival continues thanks to Karthik

Just as they had done on Monday against Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils recovered from the loss of three early wickets to post a decent total and then rolled over the Rajasthan Royals to ease to another IPL victory.

In the win over Kolkata, it was David Warner with support from Paul Collingwood who led the recovery. This time it was Dinesh Karthik's with support from captain Gautam Gambhir. Karthik's 69 off 38 balls was a well timed innings that exploded towards the end.

Things seem to turnaround quickly in the IPL. Last week, Bangalore looked the pick of the pops, but have now lost their last two games. Delhi and Rajasthan meanwhile had looked also-rans before sudden improvement has put them both in the mix for the top four.

Yusuf Pathan is Rajasthan's not-so secret weapon and he was held back until the Delhi spinners entered the fray when his side had already slipped 32/4. Pat Man was unable to eat all the bowling monsters this time though and when he departed for 24 off 14 balls, Rajasthan subsided to a 67 run defeat. Amit Mishra shone again as he took three wickets.

So my adopted side Delhi are now second behind the standout Mumbai Indians and with Virender Sehwag hopefully still to fire and Dirk Nannes to come back from injury, I am confident that they will now make the final four.

Perennial underachievers? Huh! Let's hope they don't do a Liverpool and flatter to deceive from here on.

Delhi Daredevils' secret weapon

As I've written previously, one of the reasons I decided to support Delhi Daredevils in the IPL was because my favourite England player Paul Collingwood was in their squad.

The fact that all he did last year was carry drinks (see picture), educate his team mates on the wonders (or otherwise) of Sunderland football club and pocket bundles of cash was by the by. I was confident that this year would be Colly's year.

And sure enough, hotfooting it off his flight from Dhaka, Collingwood was pitched into battle today against Kolktata Knight Riders. And he came in to a situation where he thrives as Delhi had slipped to 38/3, albeit off of only three overs.

Colly took to the battle in support of the rampaging David Warner and showed his team mates, the watching supporters and all of the IPL that he has more strings to his bow than nurdling and saving England from desperate situations.

53 off 45 balls isn't a rapid T20 innings, but it was an effective one as Warner blasted 107 off 69 balls at the other end.

I reckon Colly will be getting more gametime this season, and given that Sunderland lost 3-0 yesterday to Liverpool that will please him no end.

Delhi stun the favourites in Bangalore

Before the match I wasn't confident. My adopted IPL side Delhi Daredevils had lost three on the bounce after a decent start.

They were playing the Bangalore Royal Challengers (or should that be Royal Challengers Bangalore?) who had been the standout side in the IPL so far.

And they were playing in Bangalore where the hosts had not lost. To make matters worse, Delhi lost the toss and were asked to bat; both their victories to date had come when Delhi had chased.

But the real Delhi turned up yesterday. David Warner batted like a daredevil at the top of the order to give his team a good start before AB De Villiers consolidated in the middle and Kedar Jadhav exploded at the end.

183 was a good score, but Bangalore had chased down over 200 only a week before. But Dirk and Umesh Yadav kept it tight at the start, Jacques Kallis was finally proved to be mortal and then Amit Mishra showed his class. Even Andrew McDonald stepped in with two wickets.

So yesterday was a good day to be a Delhi Daredevils supporter and as I have compared before, the synergies with my beloved Liverpool FC are becoming incredible. Perennial underachievers, inconsistent but able to beat the best team in the league on their day.

It's going to be a bumpy ride for the next few weeks.

Australia hot favourites for World T20

It is only a year since defeats against Sri Lanka and West Indies saw Australia exit the World T20 tournament in England at the preliminary stage. This provoked much sniggering in an English media keen to paper over the host's calamitous defeat in the opening match against The Netherlands, and also salivating over the upcoming Ashes series.

Since this ignominious exit, Australia has taken an extremely attacking approach to T20 cricket, with extreme pace in the bowling stakes and big hitters galore on the batting front. A potent mixture of T20 specialists like David Warner, Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait has been combined with the core members of the successful ODI side like Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson.

After a fortitious victory over World T20 holders Pakistan, this strategy has come off to spectacular effect in the two T20s against an albeit weakened West Indies. In both matches the extreme pace of Tait, Nannes and Johnson plus the wicket taking ability of Ryan Harris has seen early wickets fall, thus preventing the West Indies from gaining any sort of momentum. This has been allied with some of the best fielding seen yet in the game's history with new boy Steven Smith particularly to the fore. With the bat, Warner and Watson have given Australia blistering starts and with big hitters like Haddin, Johnson and Cameron White to follow, Australia has been able to score at over nine runs an over in both matches. In the second match today the hitting of Warner and Watson was a sight to behold.

T20 is clearly a specialist game and Australia is perhaps ahead of the game in recognising this by picking specialist exponents in their side with the proviso that they have the technique and mindset for international cricket. A combination of spectacular fielding, express pace and batsmen that can hit sixes at will is one that is likely to lead to success in the Caribbean. Perhaps the only missing ingredient is the lack of a quality spin bowler who can add an extra dimension; much like Ajantha Mendis and Saeed Ajmal did last summer for Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.

There certainly won't be many people who back against Australia to win the one international limited overs trophy that is missing from their locker. Contrast this with England who had Joe Denly and Jonathan Trott opening in the two T20Is in Dubai; neither of whom seems able to hit over the top consistently. Trott scored a sedate 39 off of 51 balls in the second game whilst today Warner scored 67 off 29, and Watson 62 off 33 with 11 sixes between them - the difference is like night and day.