You only get arguments because you leave yourself open to them. Quote where I claimed Warner is the greatest of all time? I said Warner is the best batsmen in the world on form at the moment in my opinion.

You must be joking if you reckon Warner hasn't worked on his game and attitude over the last few years - the proof is in the pudding since the nightclub basement incident in London a few years ago. He has done 6 weeks of serious sprinting training before the current series incidentally which shows his commitment to do better. As the experts said in commentary it has helped him bat longer periods.

You didn't come back on the 46/47 average in England being 'failure' or not good enough for you.

Report card - 'must do better' (for you).

You didn't ask me to and to be honest, I assumed you were arguing with yourself again.

I really have nothing to contest here and maintain what I originally said. "Until he does what he's doing now in England or the sub continent", he has work to do

Look at that .... yawn .... its nearly bed time.

So ...... I wouldn't go asking for Warners greatness and refer to the last Ashes. His average was 4th. Here I was thinking you were suggesting he was No. 1.

And on that note his 253 aint looking something special now with Ross Taylor closing in on that score.

As you've been told, your knowledge of cricket, especially conditions, is letting you down again.

Like yourself, Warner still has a lot of work to do to fulfill greatness.

Australia 559/9d & 8/0 (2.0 ov)

New Zealand 624

Looks like a draw on the horizon.

Indeed

and looks like another day washed-out in Bangalore

For some reason you want to denigrate Warner's improvement and achievements - I'd guess it's because a few years ago you thought he wasn't an opener so you don't like seeing him doing well (strange, even for a Pom who has adopted the Aussies). To say he's just the best Aussie opener and he hasn't proved himself in places where he actually has adds to the feeling. Your latest is to say well, Ross Taylor made more so it wasn't so good after all. Prior to that it was his appearance! He hasn't had a chance to prove how his current form would go in the sub continent or SA because we haven't played there in the last few years.

Only because the Aussies are all too scared of those nasty radicals to play over there. England & the saffas must be made of stronger stuff........

No I'd just like to put it in perspective. He's not the worlds best batsmen.

24 on a batsmens paradise ....... ouch.

I had a feeling after his 3 big scores in a row that you'd wait for a failure and say nah, nah, nah, nah na na nah. You've changed your tune a bit from he's the best Australian opener to he's not the world's best batsmen. Well AB took over from Smith by 1 point last week because he scored marginally more runs in their respective first tests and Root, Amla, Matthews, Williamson and Warner are not far behind; Ross Taylor is 200 points behind.

For the sake of repeating myself I think Warner is the best batsman in the world on current form. Bradman was a failure incidentally, a duck in his last knock. (I bet you'll contort that joke to say Warner is not in the Bradman class!)

Mitchell Johnson retires.

When he walked out to bat the Kiwis formed a guard of honour. A nice touch considering they also congratulated Warner on his impressive knock yet not one of the Aussies shook Taylors hand when he also had a good knock.
I understand that Smith & cricket Australia want the team to appear to be a rough tough side but good manners & good sportsmanship cost nothing. Snubbing Taylor on his record breaking innings is plain wrong.
My own feeling is that it does not endear the Australian side to the rest of the world when stuff like that is televised world wide. I might just be old fashioned but hell they still stop for tea and cucumber sandwiches so why the bad manners?

You're spot on, Grumps. In my observation, the Australian cricket team is not at all popular overseas. Mostly for their sledging, of course, which is just plain low-class. Bad manners tend to stick in the mind, don 't they? Why they deliberately make themselves objectionable, I can't fathom. Brad Haddin (just for instance) will be remembered for his bad sportsmanship long after his courageous batting is forgotten.

What's happening in India as it's gone very quiet in the thread since tea on day one a couple of tests ago?

Last I heard SA had gone ice skating on a slippery sliding slope somewhere in India

Is there cricket on?