Wrap - Paine Staking

1. Skipper. Tim Paine really staked his claim as the longer term skipper with an innings when it mattered in our first innings v India, something he has been a little poor around since his arrival to be frank. He stamped his arrival when it mattered this time in the first Test of the summer. The batting of Travis Head is under the microscope. He under delivers frequently. Not sure Wade is a long term solution, but he fights hard which we all admire. Everything about Cameron Green looks good - especially his humility.

Joe Burns was shocking to be honest. In the first innings awful and then the same early on in the second innings. The only one off the middle was one off his shoulder. He was squaring up terribly to the short of a length ball. Lunging to the fullish ball too. As soon as he started playing shots (something Langer did well in his career when under pressure to be fair), he transformed. Nice to see his aggression against the short rubbish from India. 

Warner in for Burns I suspect. Wade will be nervous as that will be it for him if dropped.

2. Indian Batsmen. The Indian batting effort in the second innings was curious. All out for 36 is a complete embarrassment. Very few if any Indian players put the boot in however in the media. They are very reluctant to bag their own players. They will never get into the lucrative inner circle if they criticise. Instead there is the hollow compliment to the Australians. So many batsmen got edges it was amazing. The bowling length really troubled them. Hazlewood getting 5/8 is so much like U/10s it is scary! Not to mention the pink ball which was seaming around like a tennis ball with tape on it!

No Kohli will make for an interesting tour from here on. He is a gun.

3. COVID. Where is Peter V'landys when you need him? As the COVID-19 pandemic hype grows, the Sydney to Hobart yachting race has been canned, talk of the SCG New Year's Test being canned... All the while, the MCG Test continues without a whisper. I bet there is no one at Cricket Australia talking to V'landys. They need an overhaul. The A-League is also floundering without too much of a plan. 

4. Golf. Young Charlie ('The Cub') Woods is looking like his old man Tiger and playing like him too! A great swing for an eleven year old.

5. Boxing. Paul Gallen was fortunate and probably should have been knocked over. Lucky to get the decision. On the other hand Tsyzu looks to be capable of some serious international inroads. 

6. Raelene Castle. She keeps landing the big gigs. SportNZ CEO now. She must have some talent.

7. NRL. No outrageous scandals this week, but maybe because it is Christmas!

8. EPL. Liverpool are warming up now with a 7-0 victory. Arsenal have been terrible with Everton dusting them. Liverpool well poised, but a few teams are huddling up close to them. Very interesting this year.