Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test (Official Ins: Watson, Hauritz, Hilfenhaus, Out: Krejza)

[Bombers_Forever]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Hayden won't get dropped. He will lose his place after this series but they won't drop him, particularly since he did get an unlucky call.

The changes need to happen in the bowling but changes will be minimal (e.g. Watson for Siddle.......thats it)

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

As bad a run as Hayden and Ponting are having (and batsmen throwing away thier wickets), the problem is not in the batting - it is the bowling.

 

[LordLucifer]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Well then, now it's time to make the hard calls :

Hayden - drop him now
Katich - plays the next Test but should be dropped if he fails
Ponting - can't drop the captain but needs a huge kick up the @rse
Hussey - get him to see a sports psych
Clarke - get another tattoo on the other arm, "I must concentrate harder"
Symonds - drop him and bring in a genuine all-rounder
Haddin - forget his batting, he's the designated gloveman and he spilt several simple takes behind the wicket, time to find someone else
Lee - give him a kick up the @rse too
Johnson - spend a whole week in the nets to improve his line & consistency
Kreja - persist with him
Siddle - try someone else, he isn't up to it

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Symonds has made enough runs to justify his spot as a batsman alone.

Would you suggest we drop Clarke to accommodate Watson?

Of course not.

Well, why should we drop Symonds, who has the second-best Test average in the world over the past two years?

The thing with Symonds is that despite making runs he never makes big runs. He finds ways to screw up good starts and commit suicide and until he stops doing that then he can not be selected as a batsmen. And allrounder making starts and not continuing with them will be tolerated. A pure batsmen doing so will not be tolerated

However our bowling attack is weak. Johnson is the only bowler who is currently test class (Lee may return to form but I have my doubts)

A batsmen who is good enough to bowl as an extra seamer (like Kallis does for South Africa) is necessary to bolster our weak attack.

That is Watson. The only player that Watson could replace is Symonds.
Unfair to Symonds? yes it is, but we need a stock bowler who doesnt get smashed around.

The other way to include Watson would be to drop Hayden and then move Hussey to open and move Clarke and Symonds up the order and bat Watson at 6

 

[red+black]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

As bad a run as Hayden and Ponting are having (and batsmen throwing away thier wickets), the problem is not in the batting - it is the bowling.

But Hayden does have to go after Sydney. If not, does he play until he's 40? 45? 65? He's had a good run, it's time to move him on.

 

[Fat Tony]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I heard he fell into a weird cosmic abyss, like Ozzie Smith in that episode of The Simpsons where Mr Burns buys a bunch of Major League baseball stars for the plant softball team.

Maybe Siddle and Co would have taken more wickets if he stopped listening to Pointings game plan based on the good old Mr burns "not once not twice but thwice" routine

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I wish we had a "nothing bowler" who had 250 Test wickets and averaged 55 with the bat.

Perhaps I should rephrase
By 'nothing special' I mean that he is a good competent bowler.

Its not as if Kallis is a world class quick but he does the job expected of him as 4th seamer.

Watson can do the same

 

[red+black]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

The thing with Symonds is that despite making runs he never makes big runs. He finds ways to screw up good starts and commit suicide and until he stops doing that then he can not be selected as a batsmen. And allrounder making starts and not continuing with them will be tolerated. A pure batsmen doing so will not be tolerated

However our bowling attack is weak. Johnson is the only bowler who is currently test class (Lee may return to form but I have my doubts)

I say the same thing about Lee. Lee has never taken a bag, and if he hasn't by now, he probably never will, but his place is safe. But I've always questioned his lack of intelligent bowling. Someone with his experience should have a few more tricks up his sleeve.

 

[red+black]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Perhaps I should rephrase
By 'nothing special' I mean that he is a good competent bowler.

Its not as if Kallis is a world class quick but he does the job expected of him as 4th seamer.

Watson can do the same

I agree.

 

[CrazyQ]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Are there any tickets available?

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Well then, now it's time to make the hard calls :

Hayden - drop him now
Katich - plays the next Test but should be dropped if he fails
Ponting - can't drop the captain but needs a huge kick up the @rse
Hussey - get him to see a sports psych
Clarke - get another tattoo on the other arm, "I must concentrate harder"
Symonds - drop him and bring in a genuine all-rounder
Haddin - forget his batting, he's the designated gloveman and he spilt several simple takes behind the wicket, time to find someone else
Lee - give him a kick up the @rse too
Johnson - spend a whole week in the nets to improve his line & consistency
Kreja - persist with him
Siddle - try someone else, he isn't up to it

So within 2 tests we'll have dropped five players, kicked another two in the arse, sent a guy with an average of 60 to a shrink and given a guy who just took 11 of 14 wickets a week in the nets (as if he doesn't do ay net practice normally).

Absolute genius that.

I'd love to know who you're bringing in for Haddin too.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

But Hayden does have to go after Sydney. If not, does he play until he's 40? 45? 65? He's had a good run, it's time to move him on.

Agree - this is his last series and he knows it. If he hasn't been told already, he might ge the punt.

Yes he had a bad run in the one dayers and came back but this is a different kettle of fish.

 

[Martyn_30_]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I dont see why you would play Krejza unless hes in the side as a batsmen. He got smacked in India and only got wickets because of the amount of spin in the pitch, he gets smacked in first class cricket in Aus and has now made the seemless transition to getting smacked at test level in Australia.

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

What I want is a massive cleanup and to drop half the team (not an overeaction but to prevent another season where 3-4 players retire)

That won't happen however

So for Boxing Day I would drop krezja, siddle and hayden and tell Lee to get his act together and tell the batsmen to play test cricket.

For Krezja I would select Hauritz (yes our spinning stocks are non-existant, really need McGain to come back from injury)

For Siddle bring in either Hilfenhaus or Bollinger. Bollinger is in better form but we should blood Hilfenhaus before the Ashes as we will need him in England.

For Hayden bring in Rogers

I would imagine that Symonds medium paces will be used at the MCG and SCG so on that understanding I would keep him in the side ahead of Watson

 

[foxdog50]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I cant belive people thinkin bout dropping Siddle... What the hell do excpect from a 2nd gamer. What take 4 / 55... Give the guy time....More test he plays the better he will be... Siddle played better than Lee..

 

[Fat Tony]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

So within 2 tests we'll have dropped five players, kicked another two in the arse, sent a guy with an average of 60 to a shrink and given a guy who just took 11 of 14 wickets a week in the nets (as if he doesn't do ay net practice normally).

Absolute genius that.

I'd love to know who you're bringing in for Haddin too.

Look he as well as everyone else supporting Australia is angry at the result and he has made a few rash calls nevertheless i didn't like Haddin's keeping much either. There was an oppurtunity for a stumping/runout against A.B De Villiers when he was 60/70 and he missed the stumps from 2 meters out. I mean thats not even first class cricket standard let alone playing for Australia.

Having said that of course you would persist with him given he scored 94 but he needs to work on his keeping

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I say the same thing about Lee. Lee has never taken a bag, and if he hasn't by now, he probably never will, but his place is safe. But I've always questioned his lack of intelligent bowling. Someone with his experience should have a few more tricks up his sleeve.

I agree with Lee, Johnson looked more like a match winner in his test career than Lee has.
At no stage in his career did I think he was more than a third seamer it was unfortunate that Gillespies sudden demise (forget McGrath and Warne, the early and sudden demise of Gillespie is why we are in trouble now) meant that he is untouchable.

I want to drop him but until Clark gets fit and back in form we cant really afford to.

 

[LordLucifer]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

So within 2 tests we'll have dropped five players, kicked another two in the arse, sent a guy with an average of 60 to a shrink and given a guy who just took 11 of 14 wickets a week in the nets (as if he doesn't do ay net practice normally).

Absolute genius that.

I'd love to know who you're bringing in for Haddin too.

Even though Johnson took 11 wickets, he still bowls a lot of pies. He's very wayward with his line and length and needs to spend countless hours in the nets rectifying this problem. If can achieve that, he'll be able to take over the mantle as the number spearhead in the team.

I think far too many people are focussing on Haddin's batting when his primary role in the team is to keep wickets. He showed some very bad flaws in his glovework and cannot be relied upon to do it in the future.

The guy supposedly averaging 60 is showing some kinks in his armoury and needs to get his head right for the next Test. I reckon he's a terrific player and is normally very consistent but what he showed in this match was very poor. Help is needed to climb out of the hole.

As for dropping players, if they aren't up to it as a number of them have shown, then give someone else a try. It's not like we have to stick with the same players especially when we have been given a right royal smacking !!!

 

[Paddy_Mac]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

What the team should be
1. M.Klinger
2. S.Katich
3. R.Ponting
4. M.Hussey
5. M.Clarke
6. A.Symonds
7. S.Watson
8. B.Haddin
9. B.Lee
10. M.Johnson
11. D.Nannes

What the team will be
1. M.Hayden
2. S.Katich
3. R.Ponting
4. M.Hussey
5. M.Clarke
6. A.Symonds
7. B.Haddin
8. S.Watson
9. B.Lee
10. J.Krejza
11. M.Johnson

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Having said that of course you would persist with him given he scored 94 but he needs to work on his keeping

He and Katich are the form batsmen in the team at the moment.

Gilly wasn't the world's best keeper either.

And in any event there isn't a clear replacement in Shield ranks at the moment.

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I cant belive people thinkin bout dropping Siddle... What the hell do excpect from a 2nd gamer. What take 4 / 55... Give the guy time....More test he plays the better he will be... Siddle played better than Lee..

Half of us want to drop Lee but doubt it would happen.
We also expect Siddle to perhaps threaten to take wickets?

I havent seen much of him domestically but based on this test Siddle is too raw and inexperienced to play in the test team.

Give him a few more seasons with Victoria and hopefuly county cricket before selecting him again.

 

[foxdog50]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

This is my Test XI for Boxing Day:


Siddle bowled really well without any luck.



GOVERNOR

I agree with thats

 

[Paddy_Mac]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I cant belive people thinkin bout dropping Siddle... What the hell do excpect from a 2nd gamer. What take 4 / 55... Give the guy time....More test he plays the better he will be... Siddle played better than Lee..

Siddle just never looked like taking a wicket. I know it's early to say and pretty harsh to say but we have a series to win and we need to pick the best team.

 

[The_Reaper]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

What the team should be
1. M.Klinger
2. S.Katich
3. R.Ponting
4. M.Hussey
5. M.Clarke
6. A.Symonds
7. S.Watson
8. B.Haddin
9. B.Lee
10. M.Johnson
11. D.Nannes

What the team will be
1. M.Hayden
2. S.Katich
3. R.Ponting
4. M.Hussey
5. M.Clarke
6. A.Symonds
7. B.Haddin
8. S.Watson
9. B.Lee
10. J.Krejza
11. M.Johnson

You expect Watson to be third seamer?

Would you suggest to South Africa to play and extra bat and use Kallis as third seamer?

There is no chance Watson will come in for Siddle.

 

[LordLucifer]

Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Gilly wasn't the world's best keeper either.

And in any event there isn't a clear replacement in Shield ranks at the moment.

Gilly was streets ahead of Haddin with gloves and bat.

I don't care if there's no clear replacement in your opinion, give someone else a try, they can't do any worse can they ??