Bellerive, the belle of the 6 stitch ball

Ah, Bellerive, how i loved it when i was there last January. How i longed to go to a Test there, and how i hope we (my family)can live there in the not to distant future.

With the 2nd Test starting today all of those thoughts are once again in the forefront of my mind, but so is the cricket!

We (DTW) all seem to be agreeing that Pup is showing considerable cricket acumen and nouse, and this bodes well against the serious test that is India... Pup himself must feel a sense of place and personal importance within that coming series given his critical roll in the last session of the last series. So will he use that as leverage to get under the skins of the Indians? I hope so. With the success of the last Test, i am buoyed by the selectors choice of not changing the line up and allowing those players injured extra time to iron out their niggles.

But that has to wait another 17 days; now is NZ and what of it?
How much can we take from the last Test win? Was it an issue that big D and the Brown-sound stopped the rot and built an innings in the first and for a while our bowlers looked unable to break it? What about if NZ didn't blow soo many chances (i know it goes both ways with dropped catches- i bet Clarke has refused to look at THAT replay!), could the tale of the tape been radically different and the Australias more seriously tested or found wanting? And what about Siddle? He bowled so well for little reward; i won't say "without luck" because i don't feel he was threatening to take wickets, but his pressure from an end was very good. But will that be viewed as enough from him? It clearly is at the moment, but in the future?

great signs that our bowling stocks are building and i tips me hat to Lefty who predicted ALL of the new bowlers a good while ago. Seeing the Dandenong opening bowlers work so well together brought a lump to this parochial Vics throat! As did seeing a greenskeeper show so much faith in his ability to bowl on the spot and to a plan- faith from above does wonders for self belief!

The batting? Well, we all have our thoughts on each key position and i think they don't need me adding to them much more than: Ponting will stay for the summer while he keeps getting scores- regardless of whether they are 3 figured. Hughes: your technique is flawed, give thanks to the location of your residence! If Warner is the run machine, Hughes would do well to realise that he doesn't need to hang his bat out for anything! While the scoreboard rolls over he just needs to stay there; having Warner as a smasher should facilitate Hughes in just this...perhaps he is too stupid to see this opportunity he has.

While the scopes are focussed on targets, Haddin is still doing enough to side step a direct hit and the critics here and across this wide brown land sans NSW will just have

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Once again the talk is of a 'green top' and the critical choice at the toss, Sth East Aus is hot at the moment but thunderstorms are coming through all weekend- i'd certainly want to bowl first in those conditions, and Clarke has said he is definitely considering it.

Much is made of fortress Gabba and the Gabbatoir, but little has been said that Aus are yet to lose a Test at Hobart- Battlement Bellerive... nah, it is just the best venue in the world for beach cricket; and i long for the day i walk out at Lunch i walk out the gets at the southern end across the foreshore for a swim in the Derwent...BLISS!