Our next test Opener - come on down Phil Jacques

[Dry Rot]

Good 167 today. Rogers made 9 and 17.

Another Blue for the Test team!

[The Coon Dog]

Good 167 today. Rogers made 9 and 17.

Another Blue for the Test team!

Heard crash Craddock on the radio this morning saying a big smokey to represent Australia this season is a bowler called Bollinger. Where's he from?

[Dry Rot]

Excellent news - he got a hat trick today I believe.

Another NSW player in contention. :)

BTW - thanks again for the avatar.

[GVGjr]

Jacques has the position locked in now. Lets hope his lack of footwork doesn't get exposed during the test matches.

[The Coon Dog]

Excellent news - he got a hat trick today I believe.

Another NSW player in contention. :)

BTW - thanks again for the avatar.

You're welcome. Looks good. I was looking through some membership cards earlier & that pic was on one of them.

I remember the late David Hookes saying that when you got your NSW cap, they gave you a brown paper bag with a baggy green in it!

[Twodogs]

I disagree with GVRjr on Jacques having the position locked in and agree that his lack of footwork is a problem. Hayden is a player with cement feet, a brilliant eye and the strength and physical staure to intimidate fielding sides-Jacques is virtualy the same player. Langer was a gutsy player who didnt flinch, had immense concentration and stamina, used his feet and could adapt between attack and defense-in other words he was the textbook opener.

Jacques is the classic fat track bully, just like Hayden in his first test stint and Matthew Elliot and those blokes just dont prosper at the top level.

I'd like to see Michael Hussey open the batting and his brother David come into the team batting in the middle order.

[Twodogs]

Having said that Jacques 94 for Australia at Telstradome in the 2005-6 season in the ODI was the best innings I've seen in person in international cricket since Marlon Samuels 70 odd at the 'G in a test match about 8 years ago.

[Chops]

Heard crash Craddock on the radio this morning saying a big smokey to represent Australia this season is a bowler called Bollinger. Where's he from?

Bollinger! He has been around for years and done nothing. This is laughable.
No smokey he has a royal blue cap and therefore a baggy green already.

[GVGjr]

I disagree with GVRjr on Jacques having the position locked in and agree that his lack of footwork is a problem. Hayden is a player with cement feet, a brilliant eye and the strength and physical staure to intimidate fielding sides-Jacques is virtualy the same player. Langer was a gutsy player who didnt flinch, had immense concentration and stamina, used his feet and could adapt between attack and defense-in other words he was the textbook opener.

Jacques is the classic fat track bully, just like Hayden in his first test stint and Matthew Elliot and those blokes just dont prosper at the top level.

I'd like to see Michael Hussey open the batting and his brother David come into the team batting in the middle order.

I wouldn't be moving Hussey from the middle order just yet. I like having a settled middle order. I think we need to go in with Hayden and a newbie and at the moment Jacques is in front.
I like the idea of David Hussey though. I guess it could down to a race between him, Hodge and Voges for a middle order spot.

[Twodogs]

Doug(?) Bollinger is quality. There must be few ahead of him but it wouldnt suprise me to see him get a chance this year. Very good change of pace and an international bowler needs that.

[Dry Rot]

Bollinger! He has been around for years and done nothing. This is laughable.
No smokey he has a royal blue cap and therefore a baggy green already.

With Hayden and Gillie on the way out we could make this selection business a lot easier.

Just get Ponting to move to Sydney to captain the Blues, and then issue each player with a double sided cap - blue on one side, green on the other.

Problem solved and we'd save on the cost of selectors.

[Chops]

Doug(?) Bollinger is quality. There must be few ahead of him but it wouldnt suprise me to see him get a chance this year. Very good change of pace and an international bowler needs that.

I have no idea if he is good or not. Know he is no spring chick. Is he more qualified than people from other states?
What gets me upset is, how he can be the first to be looked at? There are plenty of equally or better qualified players around Australia and they don't get the opportunities.

How can you have Lee, Stuart, Bracken, MaGill and now Bollinger all there abouts for test spots? They played they as highly as the selectors thought of them then NSW should be cleaning up in the Pura Cup and bowling out all side for 50 every time.

[Twodogs]

I wouldn't be moving Hussey from the middle order just yet. I like having a settled middle order. I think we need to go in with Hayden and a newbie and at the moment Jacques is in front.
I like the idea of David Hussey though. I guess it could down to a race between him, Hodge and Voges for a middle order spot.



I cant see Hodge hanging around for long enough to settle into the middle order(I hope his mum doesnt post here!). The experience and dependability of Gilchrist at 7 usually means we can overcome any middle order collapses, although his batting in ODIs recently has suffered and I'm a little concerned about him.


As it stands;

Hayden
???????
Ponting
M Hussey
Clarke
Symonds/Hodge
Gilchrist

As it stands possies 1,3,4,5 and 7 pick themselves and probably will do for the next 8-12 months, theyre not an immediate concern. I dont think that Symonds or Hodge are as secure as any of the others and to be truthful I dont think that either of them are up to it.

I wouldnt be suprised to see the selectors move Hussey to open and experiment with a couple of newer players in the middle order-D. Hussey, Voges, Cosgrove, Sean Marsh.

[Dry Rot]

How can you have Lee, Stuart, Bracken, MaGill and now Bollinger all there abouts for test spots? They played they as highly as the selectors thought of them then NSW should be cleaning up in the Pura Cup and bowling out all side for 50 every time.

Clark? (or does he have an "e" - I get confused)

[Twodogs]

I have no idea if he is good or not. Know he is no spring chick. Is he more qualified than people from other states?
What gets me upset is, how he can be the first to be looked at? There are plenty of equally or better qualified players around Australia and they don't get the opportunities.

How can you have Lee, Stuart, Bracken, MaGill and now Bollinger all there abouts for test spots? They played they as highly as the selectors thought of them then NSW should be cleaning up in the Pura Cup and bowling out all side for 50 every time.


It's not how well qualified or even how well performed you are. Selectors look at many things-temprement, the type of player they are in relation to the type of player they need, the type of pitch, the opposition but mainly whether they are ready to step up. Getting a heap of wickets in Shield cricket on Australian pitches doesnt automatically going to be a good bowler in India or even against India in Australia.

[dog town]

He will get it now after this match but my god Rogers is stiff. Rogers has really pantsed him in terms of pura cup runs over the last few years and is the highest scoring batsmen at that level over the past 6 years.

Jacques averaged only 47 last season compared to 70 from Rogers. Just poor timing for Rogers because he really deserved it. Jacques always looks technically flawed and has big surges in his form a little bit like Brad Hodge.

[Chops]

One thing for certain is that Hodge is useless at international level.

I think David Hussey should be giving a go with his brother moving up to opener. Mike was a relevelation when he started playing, I think his brother can do the same.
Jacques has had a chance already.

[mjp]

He will get it now after this match but my god Rogers is stiff. Rogers has really pantsed him in terms of pura cup runs over the last few years and is the highest scoring batsmen at that level over the past 6 years.

Jacques averaged only 47 last season compared to 70 from Rogers. Just poor timing for Rogers because he really deserved it. Jacques always looks technically flawed and has big surges in his form a little bit like Brad Hodge.

I agree. I cannot see Jacques surviving long term at test level - too much stand and deliver stuff. Rogers has been very good for a number of years, and was the outstanding batsman domestically last year...

Will be interesting to see what happens - when do they play next?

[Mantis]

Will be interesting to see what happens - when do they play next?

NSW v QLD - SCG - Oct 26-29
Vic v WA - MCG - Oct 26-29

[Sockeye Salmon]

Why do ODI results matter with regards to the test team? They are different games and require different attitudes.

Hodge is not well suited to the one day format and should only play at international level in the test side.

Jacques missed the ODI side, stayed at home doing what he does best and will probably find himself in the test side. Hodge lost his opportunity to do that by going to India and coming in with 6 overs left in about 4 of the 5 (?) games he played.

If it was Hodge who made 104 and 74no v SA rather than Hussey he would be a certain starter in the test side.

Michael Slater was another terrible ODI batsman but a good test player, even though he was aggressive. Slater waited for the bad one and then hit it for 4. In ODI he waited for the bad one then hit it to the sweeper. Different games, different teams.

[Chops]

Except Hodge isn't that good in tests either.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Except Hodge isn't that good in tests either.

A test average of 58 isn't too shabby.

[Mantis]

A test average of 58 isn't too shabby.

But that average is made up of only 409 runs and includes a double hundred.

[Sockeye Salmon]

But that average is made up of only 409 runs and includes a double hundred.

Seeing he's only played 5 tests if you take his best score out it's bound to make a difference, but why wouldn't you count it? It happened.

206 runs @ 34 for the rest.

Jacques only averages 32 in tests. Take out his best score and his average is just 15.

[Mantis]

Seeing he's only played 5 tests if you take his best score out it's bound to make a difference, but why wouldn't you count it? It happened.

206 runs @ 34 for the rest.

Jacques only averages 32 in tests. Take out his best score and his average is just 15.


I like Hodge don't get me wrong, but his technique struggles against consistent bowling around the off stump. The bowlers in Pura Cup and County cricket don't hit this spot consistently enough and Hodge flays them. Different story in Test cricket.

I admit Hodge deserves his chance, but realistically I can't see it happening.

[Chops]

Seeing he's only played 5 tests if you take his best score out it's bound to make a difference, but why wouldn't you count it? It happened.

206 runs @ 34 for the rest.

Jacques only averages 32 in tests. Take out his best score and his average is just 15.

Thats it I'll play neither. Rogers, Hussey or someone else.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Thats it I'll play neither. Rogers, Hussey or someone else.

Roger and D. Hussey's test average is even less!

[Chops]

Roger and D. Hussey's test average is even less!

:)
Even Glen McGarth and Jim Higgs is better.

[Billy Blogger]

I think Rogers is the better cricketer plus he is better in the field but Jacques has a habit of getting them when it counts which has put him in front.
It would be a brave selection not to pick him especially after two recent failures by Rogers.