Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

[lemmon]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Again I ask the question, who isnt Ponting selecting on merit.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Again I ask the question, who isnt Ponting selecting on merit.

McDonald is one.
Lee shouldn't have been touring at all, given he took wickets last night, we can only hope he takes that to a real game.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Again I ask the question, who isnt Ponting selecting on merit.

You are right to ask the question but understand that Ponting is not the sole selector. Some of the criticism he gets here is fair dinkum crap.

A better question might be, "Why would the Australian captain choose to select someone if not worthy of his place?"

Do people really expect Ponting to abuse the most important position in Australian sport by playing a so called mate if not up to it?

Fair dinkum!!!!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

A better question might be, "Why would the Australian captain choose to select someone if not worthy of his place?"

Do people really expect Ponting to abuse the most important position in Australian sport by playing a so called mate if not up to it?

Fair dinkum!!!!

If you look at who is worthy of a place or not then Lee wouldn't be touring.
No one is doubting that Ponting is abusing his position but there are doubts of the team selections.
No one has answer why McDonald hasn't even had a bowl in one of these lead up matches? Also why Hauritz is there when better creditialed spinners left at home?

[hujsh]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Also why Hauritz is there when better creditialed spinners left at home?

I don't think we really have any spinners worth a spot.

Maybe Krezja but that would be based more on what he can potentially do than his performances.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

If you look at who is worthy of a place or not then Lee wouldn't be touring.
No one is doubting that Ponting is abusing his position but there are doubts of the team selections.
No one has answer why McDonald hasn't even had a bowl in one of these lead up matches? Also why Hauritz is there when better creditialed spinners left at home?

My comment addressed the criticism of Ponting

I agree there are doubts about Selection, particularly Hauritz who has got there on the strength of limited overs performances which as Sockeye continues to allude to, has no relevance to Test matches and as to why Mc Donald as not picked when he is on tour is also baffling (althought I don't think he will be much chop in England where batsmen dine out on dibbly dobblers like him).

[lemmon]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

McDonald is one.
Lee shouldn't have been touring at all, given he took wickets last night, we can only hope he takes that to a real game.

McDonald is a very similiar bowler to Clark, line and length, straight up and down though Clark does it at a slightly sharper pace. You cant take them both into the team and I'd take the one who is averaging 23 in test cricket. Hauritz is being played because the English media have widely reported that Cardiff is going to be a dust bowl. England are contemplating playing both Swann and Panesar so I can understand why he is playing. After last nights performance, Lee was the only bowler to threaten the batsmen so he has justified his spot in the side. There is no one currently in that team who is only their because they are 'mates with Ponting.'

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

McDonald is a very similiar bowler to Clark, line and length, straight up and down though Clark does it at a slightly sharper pace. You cant take them both into the team and I'd take the one who is averaging 23 in test cricket. Hauritz is being played because the English media have widely reported that Cardiff is going to be a dust bowl. England are contemplating playing both Swann and Panesar so I can understand why he is playing. After last nights performance, Lee was the only bowler to threaten the batsmen so he has justified his spot in the side. There is no one currently in that team who is only their because they are 'mates with Ponting.'

My critisism is not of Ponting but of the selectors.

I don't put it down to mateship, although Ponting is very vocal in support of his mates in the press. Reputation is much more important to them than form.

Lee should have been dropped after the first test against the Saffies. He had one decent match against the sheep-shaggers but otherwise had been poo for a year.

Hayden averaged something like 23 in his last 2 years as a test player (this is from memory but it would be close).

Symonds being recalled was just about the most ridiculous selection decision every made, right up there with Scott Muller. Mentally all over the place and couldn't make a run in the shield.

I'll let them get away with Hussey, just.



As EJ Smith mentioned, I get pissed off to the bone when someone makes some runs playing hit-and-giggle by tapping half-volleys to a cover sweeper and this is used as justification to give him a test cap.

[mighty_west]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Having watched a bit of Lee's bowling from last night, to me, he looks as dangerous as he ever has been, i think it was a no brainer taking Lee on tour as long as he was fit, but he not only looked fit, but quite sharp, getting a very nice reverse swing happening, not only that but was bowling a good line, if he can continue with this type of form, the he's is going to be a very big handful for the Poms.

Clark looked as though he was just going through the motions at times, but the more he bowled, the better he looked, i would give him the new ball with Siddle, to me, Clark is far more effective with that new nut, Lee showed that he was bowling very well with the older ball, and can try too hard with the new ball, and lose control.

Hauritz, well, i'd be sharing the spin duties between Pup, Katich & North, if you are going to bring in a spinner, you bring one of quality or just toil with the 3 players mentioned, i don't rate Hauritz any higher than those 3 as a spinning option, so, whats the point?

[ledge]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

My worry is last night they bowled to 2 county opening batsman not up to test cricket and they put on over 100.
To me Clarke didnt look much at all and Lee you would expect him to take wickets against a second string side.
Johnson looked like he was just going through the motions of a warm up game.

Siddle is the key i think, tighten up one end and see what happens at the other end.

[hujsh]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

My worry is last night they bowled to 2 county opening batsman not up to test cricket and they put on over 100.
To me Clarke didnt look much at all and Lee you would expect him to take wickets against a second string side.
Johnson looked like he was just going through the motions of a warm up game.

Siddle is the key i think, tighten up one end and see what happens at the other end.

It was doubtful he'd perform in his first warm up game but he'll be much better for the workout. He seems to be like McGrath as he bowls better the more often he bowls.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

McDonald is a very similiar bowler to Clark, line and length, straight up and down though Clark does it at a slightly sharper pace. You cant take them both into the team and I'd take the one who is averaging 23 in test cricket. Hauritz is being played because the English media have widely reported that Cardiff is going to be a dust bowl. England are contemplating playing both Swann and Panesar so I can understand why he is playing. After last nights performance, Lee was the only bowler to threaten the batsmen so he has justified his spot in the side. There is no one currently in that team who is only their because they are 'mates with Ponting.'

Clark hasn't played for 12 months and neither he nor McDonald will be picked so they were never in line for the same spot.

Cardiff may be a dust bowl but the local english spinners have averaged over 40 there this season.

Lee was picked in the squad cos he is mates with 'someone'.

[hujsh]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

Clark hasn't played for 12 months and neither he nor McDonald will be picked so they were never in line for the same spot.

So do you think Hauritz, Hilfenhaus or Watson will get picked?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

So do you think Hauritz, Hilfenhaus or Watson will get picked?

Haury I'd say. Clark is next in line. Both with no form yet. McDonald can't be completing for the same spot as he hasn't even been considered and he should have played at least 1 of the 2 lead matches.

[GVGjr]

Re: Second tour match (three day)- Aus v England Lions

But when you are comparing him to a pie-chucker like Hauritz and a recovering Clark I still think he would offer something.

I'm not really comparing him to Hauritz. If we were considering playing McDonald instead of Hauritz then why not go into the game with 4 front line quicks? Surely we don't need McDonald to bat at 8 when we have Johnson in the side?

To me if McDonald is to play then it needs to be as the 5th bowler batting him at 6 or 7.

Clark has to be able to do a better job at tying up and end and potentially getting a few wickets than McDonald would.