A possible Ashes squad

[lemmon]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Rogers and Hughes has done nothing Jaques hasn't. Jaques has a few test match hundreds to back himself up however. You make it sound like he was dropped when he got injured.

I think he probably was, if he hadnt been injured I still doubt he would've retained his spot. Katich had a record breaking shield season and was close to our best batsmen against the Windies. He would've got the nod going to India over Jaques.

[hujsh]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

I think he probably was, if he hadnt been injured I still doubt he would've retained his spot. Katich had a record breaking shield season and was close to our best batsmen against the Windies. He would've got the nod going to India over Jaques.

It was seen as a batoff in the Aus A and practice matches so it wasn't certain and it is hard to be dropped in most cases so who knows how it would have played out

[mjp]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Is anyone else looking forward to the naming of the squad just to see what exactly the selectors do this time? It is like the old leadership joke - 'His men follow him, but mostly out of curiousity'. I really have no idea what they are going to do...

[dog town]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Rogers and Hughes has done nothing Jaques hasn't. Jaques has a few test match hundreds to back himself up however. You make it sound like he was dropped when he got injured.

I have a number of question marks over Jaques particularly as a test opener.

For one thing I dont think it was ever his spot to take at the top of the order. Rogers had vastly better numbers over a longer time. He got ill at the wrong time but still should have had first crack.

To Jaques credit he made a reasonable go of it and I am a big believer in performances being rewarded. Having said that you do have to go with your gut at times and mine says Jaques is a dangerous man to have opening at test level. IMO he gets out too cheaply too often. He seems to make a big score or nothing and you cant afford that as an opener. I think he plays a bit of russian roulette with his late cutting and thats not what I want from an opener. The next two tours will be as challenging as it gets for an opener. You have the green tops of SA and then the movement through the air in England and we really dont want our middle order being exposed early.

Jaques is a great talent and I dont deny that but I have always said I think he is a middle order player that has been cast as an opener. I may be wrong but I just think Hughes and Rogers are better options.

[hujsh]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

I have a number of question marks over Jaques particularly as a test opener.

For one thing I dont think it was ever his spot to take at the top of the order. Rogers had vastly better numbers over a longer time. He got ill at the wrong time but still should have had first crack.

To Jaques credit he made a reasonable go of it and I am a big believer in performances being rewarded. Having said that you do have to go with your gut at times and mine says Jaques is a dangerous man to have opening at test level. IMO he gets out too cheaply too often. He seems to make a big score or nothing and you cant afford that as an opener. I think he plays a bit of russian roulette with his late cutting and thats not what I want from an opener. The next two tours will be as challenging as it gets for an opener. You have the green tops of SA and then the movement through the air in England and we really dont want our middle order being exposed early.

Jaques is a great talent and I dont deny that but I have always said I think he is a middle order player that has been cast as an opener. I may be wrong but I just think Hughes and Rogers are better options.

While what you say is true there may be some merit in having Jaques for his ability to hurt teams quickly to help replace Hayden.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Rogers and Hughes has done nothing Jaques hasn't. Jaques has a few test match hundreds to back himself up however. You make it sound like he was dropped when he got injured.

Except make an absolute poltice of runs this season.

Surely we've learnt from the Symonds disaster that previous seasons efforts come a poor second to current form.

[hujsh]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Except make an absolute poltice of runs this season.

Surely we've learnt from the Symonds disaster that previous seasons efforts come a poor second to current form.

Symonds is a basket case. Jaques has the nickname 'The Pro'

He will have shield matches to show his form before hand and probably won't be picked without some indication of form unlike Symonds

[LostDoggy]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

NO love for Macdonald anyone?

[LostDoggy]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

[QUOTE=dog town;69358] The next two tours will be as challenging as it gets for an opener. You have the green tops of SA and then the movement through the air in England and we really dont want our middle order being exposed early.
QUOTE]

The wickets are low and slow in South Africa compared with Australian conditions.

They don't get anything like the bounce we have here.

I agree that he plays the cross-bat shot outside off too much but wait till you see Hughes. That's where he scores most of his runs

[azabob]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

NO love for Macdonald anyone?

Surely he has to go? Why wasn't he playing in the ODI?

[dog town]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

[QUOTE=EJ Smith;69384]

The next two tours will be as challenging as it gets for an opener. You have the green tops of SA and then the movement through the air in England and we really dont want our middle order being exposed early.
QUOTE]

The wickets are low and slow in South Africa compared with Australian conditions.

They don't get anything like the bounce we have here.

I agree that he plays the cross-bat shot outside off too much but wait till you see Hughes. That's where he scores most of his runs

Obviously didnt watch our last 3 tours of South Africa? Green top does not indicate pace and bounce but rather sideways movement. At least 2 of the 3 tests played there most tours have had massive amounts of sideways movement and thats why they are so petrified of Stuey Clark. He can bang the ball in and extract that movement. I remember the last time the ball was doing some amazing things off the pitch. Cant promise it this time but I can guarantee that has been the case in the past. You still get good batting wickets at stages but the pitches are generally pretty fresh early.

Hughes loves to cut but IMO does it with more control which is encouraging for one so young. A more prodigious talent IMO as wel.

[hujsh]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

I thought the ball was supposed to move quicker in the air in SA because of the thin atmosphere or something (Heard it in 06 so i can't really remember what they were on about).

Maybe it was for one ground in particular

[lemmon]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

I thought the ball was supposed to move quicker in the air in SA because of the thin atmosphere or something (Heard it in 06 so i can't really remember what they were on about).

Maybe it was for one ground in particular

Ive heard something similiar. I heard that South Africa is at a fairly high altitude meaning their is less air pressure and resistance. This helps bowlers to bowl faster and means more sixes are hit. I dont know if its true, just something I heard.

[Sedat]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

I thought the ball was supposed to move quicker in the air in SA because of the thin atmosphere or something (Heard it in 06 so i can't really remember what they were on about).

Maybe it was for one ground in particular

Wanderes in Johannesburg, which is around 1,800 metres above sea level

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: A possible Ashes squad

Ronchi is nothing more than a slogger who (very occassionally) hits a few. Don't rate him at all and I only think we is being talked up because fans think he's exciting when he slogs. He can stay in the T20 or ODI sides, just never give him a test cap.

I notice the WA selectors are fed up with Ronchi's hit and miss (more miss than hit) performances and have dumped him for the game v Tassie