Came here to post exactly that.
Damned if they do; Damned if they don't
- Thread starter The Fonz
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Came here to post exactly that.
There are plenty of people putting hands up for selection other than spinners.
Any of Khawaja, Smith, Hughes or Ferguson should be in the team instead of North (who has an ordinary first class record and should never have selected) and Hussey who should have been dropped during the last ashes series.
There are plenty of pace options too.
Any of Khawaja, Smith, Hughes or Ferguson should be in the team instead of North (who has an ordinary first class record and should never have selected) and Hussey who should have been dropped during the last ashes series.
There are plenty of pace options too.
- Aug 7, 2008
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yes, but the problem is not just with the middle order.
its also with the spin and the pace (to a lesser extent).
The question is - which do you look at first?
are huss and north both replaced? if so, that means theyre unlikely to replace hauritz or johnson as well.
Shouldn't matter.
Replace non-performers with those demanding selection.
If it means we have 4 changes, who cares, the 4 who were dropped don't deserve to be there.
Replace non-performers with those demanding selection.
If it means we have 4 changes, who cares, the 4 who were dropped don't deserve to be there.
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i'd suggest its very doubtful such a thing would happen barring exceptional circumstances. Realistically, maybe one or two but not four.
it's simple there are players who should and who shouldn't be in. Harris, Hilfenhaus and Bollinger must play. Ponting, Clarke, Katich and Watson must play.
The rest is speculation.
Hussey, Haddin, North, Hauritz and Johnson are in the firing line and can be replaced. McDonald, Khawaja, O'Keefe and Pain have all done enough to warrant selection.
IMO all players appart from Johnson and maybe North deserve the first test to prove themselves. Johnson will get selected because he's a selectors favorite and CA have put everything into making him the publicity/marketing tool. Rest assured he will appear in just about every cricket ad, cricket related ad and promo. It would look bad to have him dropped so they won't do it.
The rest is speculation.
Hussey, Haddin, North, Hauritz and Johnson are in the firing line and can be replaced. McDonald, Khawaja, O'Keefe and Pain have all done enough to warrant selection.
IMO all players appart from Johnson and maybe North deserve the first test to prove themselves. Johnson will get selected because he's a selectors favorite and CA have put everything into making him the publicity/marketing tool. Rest assured he will appear in just about every cricket ad, cricket related ad and promo. It would look bad to have him dropped so they won't do it.
I agree. Cricket is not a game that relies on coherent team work. There is no problem replacing four players.
I'd start with North and Hussey both of whom should have been dropped some time ago (about two years ago in Hussey's case). Personally, I think replacing Hauritz is neither here nor there because no spinner is demanding selection. As for Johnston - whilst he has many flaws he still takes wickets so should stay.
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when was the last time 4 players were replaced though (barring injury/calamity) in ANY test team?
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Pakistan - every second test match
doesn't Pakistan cricket come under the all encompassing banner of "calamity"?
Of course you are right, I reckon the Pom's in '89 did something like this seemed to play a million blokes in the six tests.
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a quick wiki also shows australia made one change only due to form.
i think you may be right in suggesting it was the poms in 89. they certainly made a lot of changes although i can't find the exact stats of who was in/out in amongst the tests
courtjester
Cancelled
I'm going to keep banging on about this, but changes MUST be made before the Ashes to stop this mediocrity that has become acceptable in Australian Test Cricket.
The team should be:
1. Simon Katich (deserves his spot)
2. Shane Watson (our best performer)
3. Ricky Ponting (must perform and make big scores this summer or it's over)
4. Michael Clarke (been ok, but must make big innings at #4)
5. Usman Khawaja (needs to become our middle order rock, which neither Hussey or North have been lately)
6. Brad Haddin (his explosive batting is needed at 6)
7. Andrew McDonald (deserves to be our all-rounder, will dry up runs and take 2-3 wickets, and his batting has been top notch this year)
8. Steve O'Keefe (with no spinner bashing the door down, take a punt on youth, can also bat very well)
9. Mitchell Johnson (must take a lot of wickets to keep his spot)
10. Ryan Harris (aggression and accuracy vital)
11. Ben Hilfenhaus (our best quick)
Anyone who underperforms needs to be put on notice, whether it's the captain or the new guy.
Khawaja should be in the team now.
McDonald deserves a whole series to be our line and length bowler and handy bat (we dont lose anything replacing North with him)
O'Keefe is young, great stats, great attitude. Nothing to lose in selecting him. Could play for 10+ years as a spinning all-rounder.
Tell me this team isn't more exciting that the boring geriatric farts we currently have in the test team. I also think it's a better, more balanced team.
The team should be:
1. Simon Katich (deserves his spot)
2. Shane Watson (our best performer)
3. Ricky Ponting (must perform and make big scores this summer or it's over)
4. Michael Clarke (been ok, but must make big innings at #4)
5. Usman Khawaja (needs to become our middle order rock, which neither Hussey or North have been lately)
6. Brad Haddin (his explosive batting is needed at 6)
7. Andrew McDonald (deserves to be our all-rounder, will dry up runs and take 2-3 wickets, and his batting has been top notch this year)
8. Steve O'Keefe (with no spinner bashing the door down, take a punt on youth, can also bat very well)
9. Mitchell Johnson (must take a lot of wickets to keep his spot)
10. Ryan Harris (aggression and accuracy vital)
11. Ben Hilfenhaus (our best quick)
Anyone who underperforms needs to be put on notice, whether it's the captain or the new guy.
Khawaja should be in the team now.
McDonald deserves a whole series to be our line and length bowler and handy bat (we dont lose anything replacing North with him)
O'Keefe is young, great stats, great attitude. Nothing to lose in selecting him. Could play for 10+ years as a spinning all-rounder.
Tell me this team isn't more exciting that the boring geriatric farts we currently have in the test team. I also think it's a better, more balanced team.
You are right that it doesn't happen and it shouldn't happen because selectors should be good enough to replace players as needed instead of letting a whole collection of underperforming players gather in the same team.
They played 29 in 6 tests I reckon they made four changes for the 4th test.
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100%
from wiki:
"Once again, England opted to reshuffle their line-up, with batsmen Tavare and Barnett both dropped for Robinson and the returning Robin Smith. The bowlers didn't avoid the selectors axe either, with Dilley and Jarvis replaced by Cook and Foster"
I like it.
Harsh on Dougy, but give him the chance to get more fitness and come in if the others fail.
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Bollinger needs a game. 50 wickets at 23.
Waston
Katich
Ponting
Clark
Khawarja
MacDonald
Paine
Doherty
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus
Harris
Waston
Katich
Ponting
Clark
Khawarja
MacDonald
Paine
Doherty
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus
Harris
100%
from wiki:
"Once again, England opted to reshuffle their line-up, with batsmen Tavare and Barnett both dropped for Robinson and the returning Robin Smith. The bowlers didn't avoid the selectors axe either, with Dilley and Jarvis replaced by Cook and Foster"
Glory Days - I hardly missed a ball for the series, I was in Year 11 at school and watched every test. Following this series I purchased a Gunn&Moore Maestro and wielded G&M bats exclusively for the next 20 years - can you guess who my favourite player was.
It was a truly magnificent series to watch - we went there as "the worst team ever to leave australian shores" and returned totally dominant. Alderman had them fooled that he bowled outswingers all the time and kept on doing them with the straight one. Gooch was looking for the couch at one stage. That series probably ruined more English players than any other.
Steve Waugh's first test century was seminal to watch. The backfoot cover drive was hit with such precision and power rarely seen. I recall Kim Barnett fielding on the brick fence at deep cover point. Waugh kept on raining balls at him some he probably only had to move 10-15 feet to cut off but they went so quick he never got near them.
No. O'Keefe should not get a game on the principal of youth. That's so flawed, Hauritz has a good record in Australia and deserves first crack. There is no doubt about that at this stage, and Doherty isn't going near the team for the first test with his FC record. (Not for now anyway)
Clarke must move to 5, why keep playing a bloke who average 25 in 4th spot when Khawaja is garunteed to exceed that output, we persist with Clarke and scrutinise him when he fails to make runs. The reality is, he rarely does at 4. 5 may be his spot. Either way, I like Khawaja's selection.
McDonald I don't mind, has been in great form which means alot considering the hacks we have in our middle order. Think Hussey could benefit from a move to 6, because let's face it, restructuring the team like this is filled with risk, unnecesary risk the selectors don't need to take. People act like the side is so broken it needs to be re-moulded when this is not the case. All it will take is a few tweaks IMO.
courtjester
Cancelled
Haddin? explosive batting?
his test strike rate is about 59.7, that's hardly explosive, and his average is 38.6, that also is hardly explosive...
It's roughly the same as Ponting and Symonds was 64. This is test cricket mate, not 20/20. Just for some perspective, Tim Paine's SR is low 40s.
its not explosive...
courtjester
Cancelled
So, you don't think Haddin is an explosive batsman when he needs to be?
Haddin gets out when he needs to bat sensibly.
Gilchrist was explosive with a test strike rate of 82 or something like that, even given he was finished with the bat for the last 2 years of his career.
Haddin is an average keeper with an adequate ability with the bat.
whatever runs he has got, has been offset but his dropped catches.
would rather paine or wade as soon as possible.
the whole explosive myth is because we are looking for the next gilchrist, who was a once in a generation freak, there hasn't been, batting keeper for Aus who could hold his place in the test side for both his superb A class keeping or batting.
People denigrate Gilly's keeping, but he was top notch behind the stumps save for the last season maybe, and he was good enough to hold his test spot in the side for his batting alone, again save for the last 2 seasons.
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