Your XI for the Gabba

[jimmy_clement#8]

Watson
Katich

Those two need to stay there. Unless Hughes comes into the NSW side and does something drastic he can't be considered just yet. So leave as is.

Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Hussey

Ponting and Clarke needn't change, although the latter needs to pull his finger out, especially Lara isn't an excuse anymore. One innings can't save North, his century despite how good an innings it was was made useless by the 2nd innings dig. So you look at his form and he needs to go, especially when Usman is not only the next man in, but is in great form at the crease.

Khawaja keeps it up before the 1st test and its a no brainer for me. Put him to 5, drop Hussey down the order another spot, free him up a little.

Paine

This won't happen, but I just find Paine more impressive as a keeper and as a batsman currently, even with Haddin's credits in the bank.

Smith
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Like others have said, Smith is no worse with the ball at the moment, he'll leak a few more perhaps, but has more wicket taking deliveries in him. This is a risk, granted, but I'm disenchanted with Hauritz, his only real strength is to keep the runs down, and hasn't been good at that for a while now. Be aggressive and pick Smith.

The fast bowling trio is the only thing I think is a constant like the openers, think its a good battery at the moment, with Watson providing the fourth quick option.

So I'd be looking at Khawaja and Smith in for North and Hauritz. And when you look at it like that the fielding improves already, sure North's a good slipper, but Watson at first, Ponting back at second with Clarke at third's more than fine, Smith can operate the in cover point region adequately.

 

[SouthSwans]

1. Shane WATSON
2. Simon KATICH
3. Phil HUGHES
4. Cameron WHITE / Usman KHAWAJA
5. Michael CLARKE
6. Ricky PONTING / Usman KHAWAJA (if Ricky has too much pride to drop down the order)
7. Tim PAINE / Brad HADDIN
8. Steve SMITH / Steve O'KEEFE / Nathan HAURITZ
9. Peter SIDDLE / Ryan HARRIS / John HASTINGS / Ben CUTTING / Mitchell JOHNSON
10. Ben HILFENHAUS
11. Doug BOLLINGER

But of course we're going to see;
Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Paine
Johnson
Hauritz
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

 

[jk20]

If Harris is fit I would have him in before the other bowlers. Was in good form before injury and I think he adds a bit of an x-factor to the team, plus he is also handy with the bat.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Who out of the quicks will you drop? Bollinger, Hilfenhaus and Johnson are certainties. I am certianly someone that believes 3 quicks plus Watson is enough. You will need a spinner in Australia.

 

[Dr Awkward]

I have not read one side on here which is worse than our current side.

For what it's worth here is mine:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hughes
Clarke
Khawaja
Paine
Johnson
Hilfy
Harris/McKay
Bollinger

That is a quality team. The batting line up is inexperienced and might wobble but at least there is quality at the top and we have no other options, we have left it to late to properly prepare.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Lol..McKay..he is WORSE than George (and that is not a compliment), might as well put White in to make it even worse

 

[andy_99]

1. Shane WATSON
2. Simon KATICH
3. Ricky PONTING
4. Michael CLARKE
5. Usman KHAWAJA
6. Steve SMITH
7. Tim PAINE
8. Steve O'KEEFE
9. Ryan HARRIS
10. Ben HILFENHAUS
11. Doug BOLLINGER

or

1. Shane WATSON
2. Phil HUGHES
3. Ricky PONTING
4. Simon KATICH
5. Michael CLARKE
6. Usman KHAWAJA
7. Tim PAINE
8. Steve SMITH
9. Ryan HARRIS
10. Ben HILFENHAUS
11. Doug BOLLINGER

 

[jimmy_clement#8]

Hughes made no runs for Hampshire over the winter, so unless he blitzes it for NSW when he gets back he is no chance to come into the order anywhere.

The only guy putting his hand up is Khawaja, he's been on tour before, he's been noted as the next middle order batsman to come in, and it's just a case of whether North can be excused for his poor form with that hundred he made in the 1st innings.

I suggest he can't, but the selectors will give him to at least Adelaide, maybe Perth you'd think now.

 

[The Governor]

1. Shane WATSON
2. Simon KATICH
3. Ricky PONTING
4. Michael CLARKE
5. Usman KHAWAJA
6. Steve SMITH
7. Tim PAINE
8. Steve O'KEEFE
9. Ryan HARRIS
10. Ben HILFENHAUS
11. Doug BOLLINGER

or

1. Shane WATSON
2. Phil HUGHES
3. Ricky PONTING
4. Simon KATICH
5. Michael CLARKE
6. Usman KHAWAJA
7. Tim PAINE
8. Steve SMITH
9. Ryan HARRIS
10. Ben HILFENHAUS
11. Doug BOLLINGER

KATICH!! He is pass his use by date and there is a need to terminate his test career for a younger player!! Will he be around in 2013? No.

Here is my TEST XI

Usman Khawja
Shane Watson
Ricky
Aaron Finch
Michael Clarke
Stephen Smith
Tim Paine
Mitchell Johnson
Peter Siddle
Jason Krezja
Doug Bollinger

Youth is the answer and if the selectors continue with Katich, North, Hussey, Hauritz and Haddin, we will lose the Ashes in January 2011!!

And, Ricky will be the 1st captain since Kim Hughes to have tears in his eyes!!

Hilditch, Boon, Cox and Merv are the biggest laughing stock in world cricket. They could not pick an AFL All Australian side with their eyes blind folded!!

Andrew Hilditch is Bobby SImpson's son in law and Hilditch threw away his test career by playing the hook shot all the time!!

He will go down as an Australian Chairman of Selectors who continually persisted with players who are pass their prime!!

THE GOVERNOR

 

[toptigers]

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Smith
Paine
McDonald
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

 

[djrossie16]

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Smith
Paine
McDonald
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

You could do worse People forget how effective Ronnie was.

 

[SouthSwans]

KATICH!! He is pass his use by date and there is a need to terminate his test career for a younger player!! Will he be around in 2013? No.

You're a twat. None of us agree with you, drop it.

 

[Chris25]

I think we'll see the usual team for the opening test unfortunately, but I would be working towards this being the squad by the time of our next test series....

Shane Watson
Phil Hughes
Ricky Ponting
Usman Khawaja
Michael Clarke
Callum Ferguson
Tim Paine
Steven Smith
Mitchell Johnson
Ryan Harris
Ben Hilfenhaus

George Bailey
Cameron White
Stephen O'Keefe
Peter George
Doug Bollinger

 

[Heisenberg_]

Watson
Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Paine
Smith
Johnson
Bollinger/Siddle
Hilfenhaus

However I am confident the morons in charge will go unchanged pretty much barring injury.

Lol..McKay..he is WORSE than George (and that is not a compliment), might as well put White in to make it even worse

A bit rich coming from the person that put down Cullen Bailey

 

[Corrosion]

There are going to be no changes to the side, which is laughable, but anyways......

My XI

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Ferguson
Khawaja
Paine
Smith
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Harris
Bollinger

 

[gbatman]

Simple, drop the unreliable, inconsistant players who don't make runs when the team needs them to. Bye bye Hussey, North, Clarke, Hauritz. We have the talent at domestic level, we don't need to play these failing guys who "can't be touched".

1. S Katich
2. S Watson
3. R Ponting
4. P. Hughes
5. U. Khawaja
6. A. McDonald/S. Smith
7. T. Pain
8. S. O'Keefe
9. M. Johnson
10. D. Bollinger
11. B. Hilfenhaus
12. R. Harris/P. Siddle

I believe we will go unchanged. North, Clarke, Hussey will do nothing. Haddin might come back in and drop catches and make runs only when the side is going well. Johnson will have matches where he is ok and where he gets slaughtered. Hauritz may do ok or he may get smashed but he wont tear them appart. Guarantee no changes to the test side until England maintain the Ashes. Book mark it.

 

[Axel.]

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Paine
Smith
Hauritz
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

 

[Axel.]

Watson
Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Paine
Smith
Johnson
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

Actually that's the best one so far.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Of course it is

 

[J Selwood14]

Hughes
Watson
Katich
Clarke
Ponting
Khawaja
Smith
Paine
Johnson
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

 

[Furn]

Face it guys this will be the XI for the Gabba

Watson
Katich
Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

 

[Spudregus_87]

Shane Watson
Simon Katich
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Cameron White
Usman Khawaja
Tim Paine+
Steve Smith
Mitchell Johnson
Ben Hilfenhaus
Ryan Harris

Get some youth in there for christ's sake!!

IN: White, Khawaja, Smith & Harris
OUT: Hussey, North, Hauritz & Doug

 

[LukeParkerno1]

How is White and Harris "getting youth into the team". Bollinger is just as good as Harris. White is ordinary. He will thankfully never be playing test cricket again.

 

[The Governor]

Shane Watson
Usman Khawaja
Ricky Ponting (CAPTAIN)
Aaron Finch
Michael Clarke (VC)
Stephen Smith
Tim Paine
Mitchell Johnson
Ben Hilfenhauss
Jason Krezja
Peter Siddle

If the selectors stick with Marcus North, Simon Katich and Michael Hussey, the four stooges can easily let the playing group dictate the terms of their test cricket careers!!

Australian cricket is a joke at the minute!! We always hear we are in a team in transitition and we have lost to England in 2009, India in 2008 and 2010 and nearly lost to Pakistan last summer!!

The four selectors have made the wrong choices by picking mature age batsmen to replace Hayden, Langer, Martyn, Gilly and Symonds.

I have already declared an England victory and Ricky will go down as the 2nd captain in Australian cricket history to have cried at his press conference!!

The Australian selectors and Cricket Australia are too scared to experience short term gain for long term sustained success by picking young players for test match honours!!

 

[Spudregus_87]

How is White and Harris "getting youth into the team". Bollinger is just as good as Harris. White is ordinary. He will thankfully never be playing test cricket again.

The 'youth' comment didn't neccesarily apply to each of the four players I felt should be selected. I'm just frustrated with this apparent reservation by CA to pick players under the age of 28.

You can't argue that bringing Khawaja (23), Smith (21) and even White at 27, wouldn't be injecting the test side with youth.