Less than a month out , who's our XI for Brisbane

[pluga_4]

Not too long to go now.

Who's going to play the first test in Brisbane?

I have 8 players inked in (pending fitness)

Rogers
x
Watson
Clarke
Smith
x
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
x
Lyon

For me these questions need to be answered:

Who's going to partner Siddle & Harris?
Johnson and Hilfenhaus probably the frontrunners ahead of the likes of Faulkner.
Are any others in the mix seeing Bird, Starc, Pattinson, Cummins are injured?

Two batting spots up for grabs:
Frontrunners would be Warner, Hughes and possibly Bailey and Khawaja.

Are any others in the mix ?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The selectors will err if they don't include Warner.

My XI

Warner
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Hughes
Smith
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
?
Lyon

 

[james brayshaw]

Rogers
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Bailey
Smith
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
Johnson
Lyon

Warner will probably be selected ahead of him but i would really like Hughes in the team.

 

[Black Diamond]

How could you not select Rogers? Although to be honest I wouldn't put it past the selectors to leave him out.

Rogers
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey
Haddin
Harris*
Siddle*
Lyon*
Bird*

*Assuming there is no change in the injury status of our bowlers between now and the first test.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Chris Rogers
David Warner
Shane Watson
Michael Clarke (c)
Steve Smith
George Bailey
Brad Haddin (+)
Mitchell Johnson
Peter Siddle
Ryan Harris
Nathan Lyon
12th - Nathan Coulter-Nile

 

[Kram]

Long way out and most of us seem to have about the same team atm..

Rogers
Warner
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey
Haddin
Johnson/Faulkner
Siddle
Harris
Lyon

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Consider bold in ink, italics in pencil, smaller font just a gap filler, and others in very light 6H pencil.

Warner (must do something in the the opening two games)
Rogers
Watson (must do something in the the opening two games)
Clarke
Smith
Hughes
Hartley
Harris
Siddle
Lyon
Bird (if fit, see below, otherwise I don't know - Hilf, Cutting, Hastings, Hazelwood, Sayers, Faulkner? I'd be tempted to go with Cutting for now but its all about Shield games)

Expected lineup:
Warner
Rogers
Watson
Bailey
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Lyon

 

[Run n Spread]

Isn't Bird injured and unavailable for at least the first 2 tests?

I'd go:
Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Bailey
Haddin
Faulkner
Harris
Siddle
Lyon/Hazlewood/Coulter-Nile

As for Mitch Johnson; A walk up start for the WACA but no where else.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Isn't Bird injured and unavailable for at least the first 2 tests?

I was thinking he would be back for the Shield opener, but on reflection that is Butterworth. You could be right, Bird will be out for longer.

 

[The Speaker]

Rogers
Warner/Hughes
Watson
Bailey
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Fit and in form fast bowler
Harris
Siddle
Lyon

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Watson (must do something in the the opening two games)

Bird (if fit, see below, otherwise I don't know - Hilf, Cutting, Hastings, Hazelwood, Sayers, Faulkner? I'd be tempted to go with Cutting for now but its all about Shield games)

Watson will play all 5 tests regardless of how he starts the series, and rightfully so.

Not a fan of NCN, I take it? Hastings and co ahead of him?

 

[The Speaker]

Watson will play all 5 tests regardless of how he starts the series, and rightfully so.

Rightfully because...?

 

[Kram]

Hastings should never get near the Test side again, neither good enough with bat or ball.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Rightfully because...?

Please, he's easily in our top few batsmen. Not to mention the value his bowling brings.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Watson will play all 5 tests regardless of how he starts the series, and rightfully so.

Not a fan of NCN, I take it? Hastings and co ahead of him?

Don't read anything into the absence of Coulter-Nile, he is another on the list of possibiities if the early part of the Shield warrants. There's a few others as well.

Watson will play all five regardles, but I'm sick of the pattern of six or eight matches of failure before one good innings. He has to fail far less and be useful with the bat more often. His bowling is a bonus, but not a reason to have him in the side if the batting doesn't hold up. As far a I'm cncerned if someone is doing anything in the Shield and Watson fails twice, its time for him to go and learn some consistency.

 

[Black Diamond]

Watson should rightfully start the series. He has no right to play all five tests if his form doesn't warrant.

 

[The Speaker]

Please, he's easily in our top few batsmen. Not to mention the value his bowling brings.

Talent-wise, certainly.

Results wise? His massive century (thanks to things going his way early as well) came after a string of performances that weren't good enough, which is the story of his Test career.

His bowling has become economical, but he seems to have lost the ability to take wickets.

He should not be guaranteed a spot for the whole series.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

We're not going to agree on Watson, so I won't bother arguing further. But I'd take a Watson in poor form ahead of a Shield-smashing *shudder* Khawaja any day of the week.

 

[The_Reaper]

We're not going to agree on Watson, so I won't bother arguing further. But I'd take a Watson in poor form ahead of a Shield-smashing *shudder* Khawaja any day of the week.

What if McDonald was in good form?

Or the new slim Cosgrove.

 

[The Speaker]

We're not going to agree on Watson, so I won't bother arguing further. But I'd take a Watson in poor form ahead of a Shield-smashing *shudder* Khawaja any day of the week.

Who said anything about Khawaja?

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Who said anything about Khawaja?

Just an example. I can't think of anybody else in domestic cricket who would be up for his spot that I'd like to come in if his form dips. And yes, that includes Hughes.

I think this debate is pointless anyway because I'm backing Watson in for a big series.

 

[The Speaker]

I think this debate is pointless anyway because I'm backing Watson in for a big series.

surprise

 

[Carbine Chaos]

surprise

Time will tell.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

OPs team with Warner, Bailey and the best quick from the shield games.

If there are no quicks jumping out, Id be happy with Faulkner.

Seems im in the majority with that team too.

MJ in for Lyon at the WACA.

The fact so many are in agreement bodes well for this series, even if its only on a footy forum.

 

[Kram]

I know he's bloody frustrating but if we want to win the Ashes imo we just have to back Watson in at home. The only realistic replacement is Hughes, now is not the time to be experimenting too much and trying new players apart from Bailey in the middle order. Cowan is the other guy but I highly doubt he would do any better than Watson.