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

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Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey/Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Lee
Hauritz
Johnson
Hilfenhaus

12: symonds/hussey

i've had enough of the love for symonds/hussey. they are totally out of form right now 1 or the other must be dropped. my call is hussey.

if we are going to lose, we might as well lose giving some experience to youngsters. "rebuild" is well and truly in order. never bring back clark and co, who fed off warne/mcgrath. we need genuine strikers, which lee is not and never will be.

we have "found" johnson as a good support stiker, sort of like ntini is to sa. we need to find our "steyn"/"sharma", type genuine strikers, the candidates are tait/hilfenhaus/siddle. i think siddle/bollinger look to be decent 3rd pacemen and need 2 more years to develop, they look good for the kasprowicz mould.
 

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Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey/Symonds
Watson
Haddin
Lee
Hauritz
Johnson
Hilfenhaus

12: symonds/hussey

i've had enough of the love for symonds/hussey. they are totally out of form right now 1 or the other must be dropped. my call is hussey.

Thats a bit harsh isnt it? Surely Hussey still deserves his place in the side?
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Thats a bit harsh isnt it? Surely Hussey still deserves his place in the side?

he's lost it to be very fair. he has reached a cricketers "menopause" stage where he will keep playing badly, before he score a century after a long while to save his skin. we could afford hayden that because langer was scoring double hundreds at the other end.

symonds gives the team a positive vibe, as stupid as he may be, but atleast he fields well. i want phillip hughes in the side because he reminds me of mark taylor and plays consistently. i would also like to see katich move to the middle order to give it some solidity.

siddle is a good prospect but he isnt ready yet. but we have good pace options for the future.

what is worriying though is that most of our fc spinners, cullen, bailey, hauritz, krejza and co have averages above 40 which is a very BAD sign. what compounds this even more is that all of the above in question are not 20, but 24, which means they are BAD bowlers. if any of this group were atleast "ashly giles" good, we could pick them, but are not even that good.

wither we accept we have no good spin options or find a greg matthews real quick. bryce mcgain will do a job in england for us, but unless we get another gift like warne we will lose the ashes unless LEE & JOHNSON explode at the SAME time. england will bore us to death and harmison might actually bowl well for a change.

our batting is not the problem, our pace bowling is not the problem.

WARNE is the problem. he was a drug we got used to. now we in the withdrawal stage.
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I would like to see both Hilf and Bollinger get a run in the near future, i would like to see both these guys go to England because the conditions over there would suit their bowling very nicely

My bias for boxing day coming out now, pick Hilf for Boxing day, he has been in good form, he can swing the ball and is accurate and can bowl long spells, and is over his injury problems from last year ..... give the guy a go

Drop Siddle or Lee or both and bring in 2 new guys if need be , our pace attack is not working and doesnt look like working
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

It is frustrating period for aussie cricket because I think we have loads of talent but not utilising as best we can and our other problem is the character of the players.

My team would be:
Katich - has become a shining light with the bat
Hayden- last chance and only because 6 hundreds in his his last 7 boxing day matches
Ponting-need him to find form and be the great player he is
Clarke- put him back to 4 suits his more aggressive style and may release a little of the pressure on Hussey at the moment.
Hussey M - more suited to 5,
Hussey D- is equally a good match winner, a better bat and big game player, Symmonds made runs but should have not thrown his wicket the way he did in both innings. You dont win test matches playing that way. Hussey can also bowl ok offies
Haddin
Watson- I think we need to have a long batting line up on what will likely be a bowler friendly wicket. he can hold up and end and his bowling has improved.
Lee- needs to improve
Johnson
Hilfenhaus

Bollinger 12th man

Australia's problem is we have lost the confidence of Mcgrath and warne, Clark is a good relaxed character as was Gilchrist and langer was a tough professional.

The current side needs a different personality balance and Ponting needs to grow as a leader as his weaknesses were covered by the personal he had around him that perhaps could give young players confidence to perform at their best.

We also need a plan. Having a bowler like Krezja who leaks to many runs just releases the pressure far to much. The best way of taking wickets is tying up the batsmen. we are better going with a bowler like watson who can create pressure and bowl to a field and on what is likely be a difficult wicket to bowl on could be the difference with his batting. happy equally going with Bollinger or even Siddle again or maybe nannes.

This current australian team is giving me sleepless nights
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

My squad for Boxing Day Test:

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
M.Hussey
Watson
Haddin
Lee
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Hauritz

Bollinger 12th
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Respect for you Thommo, seem to know what you're talking about.
For all his "knowledge" he's still got nowhere to put Watson in that lineup, aside from dumping and possibly ending the career of Symonds.

Try to explain away Symonds' record, it's incredibly unlikely any of the other domestic batsmen going round would've averaged 60+ in the last 2 years. He used to be named as an all-rounder yes, but when he returned after the India tour, selectors made it abundantly clear he was being picked as a batsman this time round, with his bowling and fielding a bonus.
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

How about.............

Watson
Katich
Ponting
M.Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Haddin
Krezja
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Siddle
=================
Lee (12th)

As much as I hate Watson, I think there is a real need for a genuine fifth bowling option. So personally I'd have him in ahead of Symonds.

That would make space to give Chris Rogers a crack at the top of the order.

I also think Lee has to go, and frankly, I don't care who they bring in to replace him. I struggle to think of a more overrated cricketer in my time of watching the game.

Siddle would be on thin ice as well, but being his home deck i'd give him one more look for the moment.
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I can only see siddle been dropped for the BD test and either Bollinger or Hilfy to ome in for him. Some of the suggestions have been hilarious... dropping Hussey, including Klinger, the bloke has had a great half a season that is all and he is not an opener.

Clark would of made a big difference in Perth, if he can come back fit and firing for the tour of SA and we lose 2-0 nil then we are in trouble.

The batsmen need to have a good look at themselves we should of batted SA out of the game in out second innings, we had time on our side and should of made a lead of over 500. Clarke and Symonds both made runs but went out to poor shots in both innings.

And finally Brett Lee, pull your finger out and do something against a side that counts (yes i know he took 9 fa agaisnt NZ) but has been woeful agaisnt India and SA. Running in from Long off and bowling 138 kmh is a waste of time. either swing the ball at that pace or steam in and let it rip and bowl with some pace and purpose!
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

And finally Brett Lee, pull your finger out and do something against a side that counts (yes i know he took 9 fa agaisnt NZ) but has been woeful agaisnt India and SA. Running in from Long off and bowling 138 kmh is a waste of time. either swing the ball at that pace or steam in and let it rip and bowl with some pace and purpose!

It's interesting you should say this. He's never been a great mover or swinger of the ball at any pace, and he cannot sustain the same level of express pace he could even 2 years ago. Which means, in my estimation, that he is shot to bits, and not a moment too soon.
 

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Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

Realistically there is no reason to change the batting line up for the Boxing Day test. Hayden is the only batsmen under any genuine pressure, but he will not be dropped for Melbourne.

The issue is in the bowling line up which was highlighted in Perth as Ponting could really only call on Johnson and an unlucky Lee with any degree of certainty. Despite not being as formidable as we expect, Lee was still comfortably our 2nd best bowler and with just a little luck could have finished with 3-4 wickets in which case no-one would be dribbling about him.

Siddle failed to offer any penetration what so ever and should not survive for the next Test. As someone pointed out in an earlier post - the Australian test team should not be used purely as a develop ground for young players. Send Siddle back to state cricket for a year or two and I'm sure he'll blossom. There are two replacement options - Hilfenhaus or Bollinger - both in decent form and worthy of a call up.

Krejza - tough call here. Personally I rate him as a pretty average spinner. Sure, we've been blessed with Warne and have very high expectations of our spinners, but in terms of other current Test spinners he doesn't rate highly. Do we replace him? The media will have a field day if we dump Krejza for another spinner at this stage. The realistic option is Hauritz, and the smokie is Dan Cullen (who I still think will be our #1 spinner in the near future). For now I'd probably leave Krejza - Hauritz doesn't offer too much more in terms of wicket-taking so there's probably no point in changing for the sake of it.

The unlucky man will be Watson - where does he fit in? Symonds is playing as a batsmen and comfortably holding his spot (despite throwing his wicket away). Unless we drop Ponting/Hussey/Hayden/Clarke it's hard to see Watson making his way in to the side.
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

I think people underrate the shield competition.

There are plenty of world class players at shield level. In the past few years, they've bowled at blokes like Katich, Bevan, Hodge, Elliot, Blewett, Love etc etc. All of these players would have had long fruitful test careers if they weren't Australian.

We still have 3 players in the test side with better test averages than they do shield averages and blokes like Brendon Nash who couldn't get a game for the QLD 2nd XI last year are knocking out test half-centuries on debut...
True, but these players are dotted sporadically throughout 6 batting line ups. A bowler doesn't need to dismiss those guys to have good figures. For every Greg Blewett there are three Nathan Adcocks. A Shield game featuring any players from the Australian XI is a rarity.

The only place - apart from a test match - where a young aspiring bowler will get exposed to a line up the quality of Smith, Amla, Kallis and de Villiers all in a row is in one dayers.

The one bowler lately who actually did get a run in one dayers first was Mitchell Johnson. He did well in India and took a few quality, top order Indian wickets which meant the selectors could select him with at least some level of confidence.
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

True, but these players are dotted sporadically throughout 6 batting line ups. A bowler doesn't need to dismiss those guys to have good figures. For every Greg Blewett there are three Nathan Adcocks. A Shield game featuring any players from the Australian XI is a rarity.

The only place - apart from a test match - where a young aspiring bowler will get exposed to a line up the quality of Smith, Amla, Kallis and de Villiers all in a row is in one dayers.

The one bowler lately who actually did get a run in one dayers first was Mitchell Johnson. He did well in India and took a few quality, top order Indian wickets which meant the selectors could select him with at least some level of confidence.

But surely our domestic competition is the best place in the world for bowlers to prove themselves.

Compare it to England where the batsman are spread over around fifteen teams and are of less quality than here. Or India where every one somehow ends up with an inflated average despite being bog average.

We've got to at least keep the faith in domestic performances because, for the most part, a few of our domestic teams are better than some of the international teams (at the lower end).

And bahaha at the calls for Hussey to be dropped. He's vastly overrated, but still one of the best batsmen in the world.
 
Watson or Siddle and Kreja or Symonds

I think Watson looks as dangerous with the ball as Siddle? Why don't Australia play Watson as the 3rd or 4th paceman instead of Siddle?

And I reckon Andrew Symonds is as good an off-spinner as Kreja.

Ponting has questioned Lee's place in the team last night. Surely not already.

The attack lacked some venom in Perth I reckon. Why carry two bowlers who looked sub standard at test level (Siddle and Kreja).

Playing these guys (Watson and Symonds) as real all-rounders allows one of Hilfenhaus or Bollinger to play as well AND it strengthens the batting.

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clark
Symonds
Haddin
Watson
Lee
Johnson
Hilfenhaus/ Bollinger

I see no point carrying a couple of bowlers who really don't look like they are going to make any impact. Can't work out why Siddle was picked ahead of other pace bowlers.

If i'm proven wrong in Melb...great!
 
Re: Watson or Siddle and Kreja or Symonds

So we completely failed to take wickets in the last innings despite making a sizeable total with the bat, and your solution is... drop a genuine bowler for an all-rounder? Makes sense...
 
Re: Watson or Siddle and Kreja or Symonds

We definitely need a specialist spinner for Melbourne IMO. Symonds hasn't bowled spin for a while. He's much better as a seamer, which he's had success with in Melbourne before. But I think Hauritz or someone else should come in ahead of Krejza.
 
Re: Watson or Siddle and Kreja or Symonds

So we completely failed to take wickets in the last innings despite making a sizeable total with the bat, and your solution is... drop a genuine bowler for an all-rounder? Makes sense...

I think you're over simplifying things a litte.

The fact is that Siddle and Krejza did not look like taking a wicket on the 5th day. OP has replaced Siddle with a genuine wicket taking swing bowling option in Hilfenhaus/Bollinger, as well as replacing Krejza with Watson.

The obvious point of contention is that this leaves no front line spinner - but is this really an issue? If we don't have a genuine wicket taking spinner then must we still play a spinner just for the sake of it? Or do we make up the difference with Symonds/Clarke? Krejza took 1-204 - I'm sure Symonds or Clarke could return those figures.

The talk about dropping Lee is unwarranted - he was easily our 2nd best bowler in this match and I can't see the selectors dropping 3 bowlers for the next game...
 
Re: Australian XII for the Boxing Day Test

There needs to be some changes if we want to win this series - Hayden has to go, Siddle should go back to shield for a bit and bring in Bollinger and Hughes.

Krejza is not a spinner, but the problem is who could replace him - Hauritz is average at best, had a good match on weekend but isn't of test quality.

I would make a phone call to SK Warne and see what his plans are for the 26 - 30 December, see if he wants to have a game...
 
Re: Why Hayden? Each Aus batsman avg - last 10 tests avg.

Obviously it's the age, if Ponting or Hussey were 37 they too would be coping it. But they aren't so you can't seriously expect calls to drop them after the form they have had before this slump.
 

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

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