Ashes 2010

[raven19]

Khuwaja must come into the side next, whether its to open or bat 4 or 6.

5 for at stumps, pretty much in the bad now this test. 1-1 going to the MCG...

 

[BEC26]

I really think that the impact of 20/20 is starting to bite - at the expense of the Sheffield shield comp.

Not so long ago, there was a miriad of players ready, and with form, to take over any position in the Australian side.

It was reported in the papers and tv. We knew who they were.

Pressure was on for players in the Aus team, cos if you didn't perform, there were 2 or more ready to jump into the breach.

Sadly, this is no longer the case.

Invest in shield cricket, support the academy for some players, and sometimes choose a bolter - look how long it took Steve Waugh/Allan barder to become established

PS anyone see Greg Chapells's non endoresment of Micael larke as a replacement captain on the telly tonight?? onder how MC is feeling after that . . . .

 

[raven19]

Its a fair point for sure, people are going for the quick fix in most things in life, and don't have the time to watch a test match for 5 days. Too much money in the slap n tickle T20 for my liking.

But I am a traditionalist, and would prefer to watch a test match between two lowly ranked sides than a T20 final (which seem to come around every 2 or 3 months!).

1-1, bring on Boxing Day and a very important day for Aussie Cricket.

 

[DKS]

Yes I agree with BEC and Raven.
The shorter games are having a bad efect on test cricket There are many players and many times in the past where a slow steady start has born fruit.
Big scores ie; Greg Chapel nearly an hour to get off the mark to then score something like 200+. Bob Simpson went for a long time without a ton then scored three doubles in a row etc etc. On that note Hasn't the feilding slipped since Bob Simpson gave up coaching? I think so, we haven't hit the stumps in ages and there seems to be a heap more dropped catches these days.
Maybe I just have a selective memory but the quality of test cricket has dipped since 20/20 IMO.
Daz

 

[warra48]

NO !

Told you so! :beerbang:

Not that I care too much. After all, I'm a clogwog originally, so I'm only a paper aussie. :chug:

 

[raven19]

What little pride is left in the Aussies is required to square the series.

Beer (great name that!) will get a gig in Sydney on a spinning track, not that he deserves a baggy green!

Time to rebuild the side, and ditch some selectors! Starting with Dilditch.

 

[Hatchy]

My 2c.

Drop Clarke. With the exception of his 80 in Adelaide when was the last time he scored runs? Even in that knock getting out on the last ball of the day was unforgivable. Get him back to NSW to find some form.

Ponting down to 5. He's almost a 3rd opener at the moment. We need him in the team because it's already an inexperienced team so we can't afford to lose him yet but can't afford to be carrying him either. Khuwaja to bat at 3. Ponting to miss Sydney depending on what his finger is like. There's no point him making it worse in a dead rubber with a world cup coming up.

If Shane Watson is a test opener then I'm the pope. 15 50s & 2 100s isn't good enough & he doesn't bowl enough to justify a spot as an all rounder, we've had enough no rounders recently & he'll become another one if they leave him opening.

I'd stick with Hughes & Smith for the next few tests. The reason we were so good for so long is that blokes knew their spot was safe for a few matches & weren't under unnecessary pressure. I'm not convinced that either will be a long term test player but the chopping & changing has to stop.

I'd play Beer for the next 10-15 tests. He may not have done anything to deserve a spot but Warney hadn't done anything to deserve getting picked when they picked him. I've got a book of cricket stats where Warney had a test bowling average of 96.5 (4/386 with a best of 3/11, take out the 3/11 & it's 1/375). We will probably never have another Warney but need a spinner to take some of the workload off the quicks (especially if Watson is being a sook not wanting to bowl).

Johnson really isn't the man to lead an attack but we're a bit short on options there. Harris looks like he's going to be cut down by injuries so we probably can't rely on him, Hilfenhaus can't buy a wicket at the moment. I've been impressed with what I've seen of Siddle, I wouldn't have picked him for the 1st test but he's taken a few & you want at least 1 quick with a bit of mongrel. Is Stuart Clark still playing? What happened to him? He was the leading wicket taker when we rolled them 5 - 0.

I'm not sure about firing selectors. It just doesn't seem like there's the quality of players in shield cricket that there was 5 years ago. At the moment they're choosing between vb & carlton draught, there's no Coopers at the bar at the moment (crap analogy but it's a beer site). Tim Nielson would have to be a bit nervous though wouldn't he?

My team for Sydney would be:

Hughes
Katich (if fit, probably Marsh if not)
Khuwaja
Hussey
Ponting
Haddin
Watson
Johnson
Beer
Siddle
Hilfenhaus

I know my team has 3 changes & a rejig of the batting order after I've just said not to change the team & I accidentally dropped Smith after saying he should play.

I need a beer, it's all too hard following a cricket team that doesn't win every game. I'm not used to this.

 

[Josh]

Who knows where we go from here. But since his recall, Watson averages 50.4 opening the batting (last 6 matches avg 56.6). If my two openers averaged 50 and almost every test we were 1/100, I'd be happy. Watson burst onto the scene as a number 3. He has the technique and should remain opening.

 

[Hatchy]

That's a good point. He may bowl more if he was batting lower but an opening batsman who averages over 50 is pretty handy.