2009 Ashes Squad

[mighty_west]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Why does he have to bat at 6? He would play more for his bowling more than his batting. Besides they give batsman more chances than 6 test innings, he managed a 50.

Tell that to Bradley Hodge!

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

He doesn't necessarily have to play at 6 but if he can't hold down that spot with the bat then he has to replace a pace bowler because he won't be replacing Hauritz.
I think he would be a waste of a batsman to come in at number 8.

He was good enough to bat no.8 when we won 3 out 4 tests. The match we lost he made runs.
He wouldn't be replacing Hauritz cos they selectors have stuffed it up completely. McDonald wasn't given the same chances. Hauritz has had 4 games before McDonald had 1and Hauritz given a free passage by the non use of North as a bowler.

If Hauritz couldn't bowl us to victory on a spinning deck, I doubt he will bowl us to victory elsewhere.

[mighty_west]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

If Hauritz couldn't bowl us to victory on a spinning deck, I doubt he will bowl us to victory elsewhere.

He wouldn't, he isn't exactly a matchwinner, however he is currently our leading wicket taker over the past 2 tests, unfortunatly Australia doesn't have any match winning spinners going around, and i have never been match of a fan of Hauritz, however he deserves some credit for doing "OK" thus far.

I'm not sure about McDonald, i would like to see him come in for this next test, but i'm just not sold, he hasn't had the same opportunies as others, but then, the games he did play, he hardly fired a shot, to me, seems like a plodder, both with bat & ball.

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

What I don't understand is the selectors' reluctance to ever make a hard call.. if the last two years have taught Australian cricket anything is that you pick players on form, not reputation, and changes have been good for the team.

When we lost the Ashes in 2005 the biggest mistakes were keeping Jason Gillespie and Damien Martyn on too long despite their non-performances all tour.

Yet, here we are again, with the selectors' heads collectively stuck in the sand and seemingly determined to see the series slip away through sheer stubborness (that serves no purpose except to supposedly show 'faith' in certain players -- well, rewarding performance with selection shows faith in the system and in Australian cricket as a whole, not just one or two individuals. What are the selectors saying, that if one or two guys don't stand up there's no one in all of Australia to replace them? What's the point of picking a 'squad' then?)

And no one is really talking about this guy now with the spotlight on Johnson and Hughes, but how many non-performances does Mike Hussey get? We're essentially going in to every innings with 5 batsmen, as M. Hussey has not fired a shot in 18 months.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

And no one is really talking about this guy now with the spotlight on Johnson and Hughes, but how many non-performances does Mike Hussey get? We're essentially going in to every innings with 5 batsmen, as M. Hussey has not fired a shot in 18 months.

Made a huge mistake not taking cover for Huss given his poor form. To me we took too many all rounders...McDonald, North, Watson. On top of that we took a very inexperienced opening batsman in Hughes. For us to win the Ashes it all had to go right....it hasn´t.

Would have taken Jaques on tour as cover for Hughes.
Would have taken another experienced batsman, Hodge, Symonds someone with good temperament and with the runs over the Summer (sorry not close enoug to suggest someone else).
Would not have taken McDonald....tough break for the guy because he is a trier, but for mine he is simply not good enough with either bat or ball, though he is an honest trier.

I also think that Clarke should be playing, most probably at the expense of Siddle. Not because Siddle has played bad,but because what we dont seem to be able to do is stem the flow of runs, something Clarke will do.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

I named this squad before the series in SA.

I can't believe you would select Jaques. he hasn't played in a year and wasn't really that good when he was there. For Jaques to be selected, IMO, he has 4 shield games left and would have to make 500 runs.

I'm rushing back McGain, though. I know I'm contradicting myself but we have serious quality alternatives for opening bats, the spinning cupboard is bare.

Lee is left out, he's finished. I've selected 4 quicks and McDonald.

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.



Katich
Rogers
Hughes

Ponting
M. Hussey
Clarke
Klinger

McDonald

Haddin
Paine

McGain
Krejza

Johnson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

I stuffed up by naming two spinners instead of another middle order bat. I was happy to bat Haddin at 6 and play McDonald at 7.

I would have dropped Hughes, Johnson and Hussey for this test.

Katich
Rogers
Ponting
Clarke
Klinger
McDonald
Paine
Krejza
Siddle
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

[GVGjr]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

I named this squad before the series in SA.




I stuffed up by naming two spinners instead of another middle order bat. I was happy to bat Haddin at 6 and play McDonald at 7.

I would have dropped Hughes, Johnson and Hussey for this test.

Katich
Rogers
Ponting
Clarke
Klinger
McDonald
Paine
Krejza
Siddle
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

Don't like it. McDonald at 6 wouldn't work. Is Paine much better than Haddin behind the stumps?

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Don't like it. McDonald at 6 wouldn't work.

Yes it would have been tough for McDonald to beat North's 12 runs yesterday or score centurys when everyone else does too.

If you want a batsman at 6, then North is not the answer either, they should pick the next best batsman(Klinger, Ferguson, Rogers,etc).

[GVGjr]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Yes it would have been tough for McDonald to beat North's 12 runs yesterday or score centurys when everyone else does too.

If you want a batsman at 6, then North is not the answer either, they should pick the next best batsman(Klinger, Ferguson, Rogers,etc).

North has made vastly more centuries and double centuries at SS level than McDonald and is a far better batsman so you would just be punting by batting McDonald at 6.

I don't mind Klinger or Watson for the number 6 spot.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Don't like it. McDonald at 6 wouldn't work. Is Paine much better than Haddin behind the stumps?

TBH, I don't even know. I've only seen keep about twice in one dayers and the ball never beats the bat.

I only put him in because he can bat a bit and I was only giving token notice of the 2nd keeper. If I was picking the side later in the season I would have gone with Matthew Wade. 3 centuries and only 20yo.

I'm more concerned with our bowling TBH. We're 1-0 down and if we can't take 20 wickets we can't win. McDonald is a better bowler than he's been getting credit for, his 4-20 in the last tour match has quickly been forgotten.

I'd be happy with a no 6 who makes 70 runs and takes 3 wickets for the match.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

TBH, I don't even know. I've only seen keep about twice in one dayers and the ball never beats the bat.

I only put him in because he can bat a bit and I was only giving token notice of the 2nd keeper. If I was picking the side later in the season I would have gone with Matthew Wade. 3 centuries and only 20yo.

I'm more concerned with our bowling TBH. We're 1-0 down and if we can't take 20 wickets we can't win. McDonald is a better bowler than he's been getting credit for, his 4-20 in the last tour match has quickly been forgotten.

I'd be happy with a no 6 who makes 70 runs and takes 3 wickets for the match.

I like Macca's bowling (as a 5th bowler) but don't rate his batting. Unless Haddin bats at 6, McDonald would struggle to get a spot.

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Why did we bring Lee over? Waste of a spot -- it's not as if he's been setting the world on fire, and who would have predicted that he would only break down again? Duh.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Why did we bring Lee over? Waste of a spot -- it's not as if he's been setting the world on fire, and who would have predicted that he would only break down again? Duh.

Bringing him over is one issue but why they haven't replaced him is a real surprise. Then again if Clark can't get a gig with Johnson bowling so poorly then do we really need a replacement for Lee?

[ledge]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Dirk Nannes anyone?

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2009 Ashes Squad

Bringing him over is one issue but why they haven't replaced him is a real surprise. Then again if Clark can't get a gig with Johnson bowling so poorly then do we really need a replacement for Lee?

Hi Gary, the question here is one of squad balance -- why bring Lee over at the expense of a real back-up batsman, leaving Watson, an all-rounder who has never had a Test career of any note and as likely to break down as not, to be the ONLY back-up batsman for an entire Ashes tour? This despite having two rookie Test batsmen (North and Hughes) and one with hasn't performed in a year and a half (Huss)?

Yet we have two back-ups (Clark and Lee) for our seemingly strongest part of the team with Siddle, Hilf and Johnson (and Watson) already in the squad..

This is evidence of an incredibly confused selection table.

It seems a very convoluted way to get old boys (Clark and Lee) in while somehow finding a way to keep Hodgey (and Rogers and Jacques) out of the squad.

Stupid, stupid, stupid...