5th Test selections

[ledge]

Re: 5th Test selections

Young Pattinson??

[lemmon]

Re: 5th Test selections

Young Pattinson??

Not sure we can continue to ignore young Copeland, has 60 shield wickets in 11 games at 19 apiece, an unbelievable record. Pattinson will be a star but his body is struggling to cope at the minute, I'd rather he built his strength and matured before tossing him in.

[lemmon]

Re: 5th Test selections

A record that include a dodgy series or two against Pakistan. If we are going insist on second best, we will never improve. It's time to rebuild.
At the very least Beer deserves a go.

Second best??? His current shield season figures are far and away better then any other spinner being selected, he bowled well against the poms over there and is one of the more successful offies we've had in our test history. Its time to accept we dont have a world beater, Shane Warnes dont grow on trees, and instead use what we do have rather then throwing the ball to every guy debuting in the shield bowling at less then 90 k's.

[Twodogs]

Re: 5th Test selections

Number 6 batsman who can bowl a bit, also captains Australia A, whats wrong with Cameron White??

I agree. We have a dead rubber but we can use it to start planning for the future. Ponting no longer deserves a spot on performance and should be dropped-he has used up all of his chances and then some. Clarke is obviously in trouble with his back injury and should be rested if he isnt dropped.

If it were up to me White would come in as captain. If some of the other players dont like it then they can use the out door too. Apart from anything else it's time that the boys club that has highjacked the Australian team is broken up. No more comfort zomes and no more automatic selection for underperforming players*.

I'll sit down a bit later and name the team I think should be selected.



*Will not happen but it should if we are halfway serious about putting a competitive team on the field anytime soon.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: 5th Test selections

A record that include a dodgy series or two against Pakistan. If we are going insist on second best, we will never improve. It's time to rebuild.
At the very least Beer deserves a go.

I am not a big fan of settling for 2nd best but it sure beats 4th and 5th best.

[GVGjr]

Re: 5th Test selections

Young Pattinson??

He's being shielded from too much cricket so he isn't test cricket ready.

Like Lem I'd pick Copeland

[Rocco Jones]

Re: 5th Test selections

Out: Ponting (inj), Smith, Harris (inj), Hilfenhaus

In: Khawaja, White, Copeland, Hauritz

[Remi Moses]

Re: 5th Test selections

Although I think Hauritz is okay without being great,he's the best of a poor bunch.
Agree with Rocco's selections I think White deserves a shot at 6 as he is a better bat than Smith. Too early for Pattinson and they may go with the rug.Calls for White to be capt. are totally silly he needs to cement a spot in the team

[hujsh]

Re: 5th Test selections

Forgot about White. The only problem i would have is that his form is poor at shield level so far. An average of 28 isn't what we need to bring in when we're so prone to collapses.

[ledge]

Re: 5th Test selections

28 its twice as good as the captains and better than the vice captains ,m should be automatic selection!

[hujsh]

Re: 5th Test selections

28 its twice as good as the captains and better than the vice captains ,m should be automatic selection!

haha it's true based on both them and the selection of Hughes that form's not been a factor but that should probably change now.

[GVGjr]

Re: 5th Test selections

I think it's going to be hard for the selectors to make many changes to the side unless Clarke and or Ponting declare themselves injured or Katich says he's available to play.

What is confirmed is that Harris will go because of his injury. Beer is probably the favourite to take his spot but Haurtiz is in the mix.

I suspect Hughes to make way only if Katich is available and whilst they will probably stick with Hilfenhaus they should be looking a someone like Copeland

Any chance that Ponting will miss the game through injury then retire from the game?
I don't think we have a better option to replace him at the moment. We have put too many eggs in the Michael Clarke basket as the only replacement and I don't think he is up to it.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 5th Test selections

Forgot about White. The only problem i would have is that his form is poor at shield level so far. An average of 28 isn't what we need to bring in when we're so prone to collapses.

And conveniently leaves out the 100 he scored against the poms for aus A.

he also missed the first couple of shield games because he was busy flailing the Indians all over the place in pointless ODI's.


Watson
Marsh
Ponting
Khawaja
Hussey
White (c)
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Siddle
Beer/Hauritz


It seems to me we only have two problems with the team - they can't bat or bowl.

Improve the batting:
Marsh and Khawaja are straight replacements for Hughes and Clarke.
White means Smith (clearly not a no. 6) can bat 7 or even 8.

Why did we need 4 right arm fast-mediums?

Johnson and Siddle open, Watson bowls 1st change and Smith earns his keep bowling spin. I've never seen Beer so I have no idea if he's any good or not; either him or Hauritz, I don't care.

If Smith can't hold his spot as a spinner he can't stay in the team because he can't hold his spot as a batsman.

If Johnson continues to leak runs his spot will be taken by preferably Bollinger (best pace bowler in the country when he gets fit IMO) or Copeland/George/Cameron/whoever finishes the Shield season well.

[GVGjr]

Re: 5th Test selections

The Hun is indicating that Smith will move to the number 8 batting spot and be the primary spinner which in my opinion is the worst thing we can do for the side and for Smith.

Smith is a batting all-rounder and in real terms he is the 3rd best spinner in NSW now suddenly the selectors believe he could be the sole spin bowler for Australian side.

We have struggled to bowl the English side out with four strike bowlers being supported by Watson and and then Watson and Smith and yet now in a game we must win we think we can do it with 3 strike bowlers and Smith and Watson. Despite the NSW pitch having a reputation of taking spin I think this is a very flawed logic.

If Smith's batting isn't up to the demands of International cricket why is there faith that his bowling will stand up when it counts? It may very well but there is nothing to suggest it will work.

When Cameron White was given the spin bowling duties in India we batted him at number 8 and guess what, his batting was woeful and his bowling lacked any penetration. If you play any decent batsman at the number 8 spot they will eventually start batting like a number 8 and I can see this being a set back for Smith

The best spin bowler in the country is Haurtiz then I think Krejza, Beer (on reputation), O'Keefe, Doherty, Holland and Smith would be somewhere further down the order.

If this selection goes ahead as the paper is indicating it's a selection based on potential rather than anything of substance.

[Topdog]

Re: 5th Test selections

If that happens I will be putting half of my gambling account on England to win the last test.