2009 Ashes 1st Test Australian Team Predictions

[The430king]

Originally Posted by bundybullz08

I think in the test arena,you have to try keep the sme team for as long as possible...
My 1st XI would be...

1.P.Jacques(if fit)/,otherwise C.Rogers
2.S.Katich
3.R.Ponting(c)
4.M.Hussey
5.M.Clarke(vc)
6.D.Hussey
7.B.Haddin
8.M.Johnson
9.B.Lee
10.P.Siddle
11.S.Clark

The rest...
12.D.Bollinger
13.B.Hodge
14.N.Hauritz
15.A.Crosthwaite
16.P.Hughes

Thoughts?

No all rounder. Considering the Aussie clown selectors have a fascination with all rounders, one will definitely go. I think dave Hussey should be in the side, but these bloody all rounders.

[Jolldo87]

Originally Posted by bundybullz08

I think in the test arena,you have to try keep the sme team for as long as possible...
My 1st XI would be...

1.P.Jacques(if fit)/,otherwise C.Rogers
2.S.Katich
3.R.Ponting(c)
4.M.Hussey
5.M.Clarke(vc)
6.D.Hussey
7.B.Haddin
8.M.Johnson
9.B.Lee
10.P.Siddle
11.S.Clark

The rest...
12.D.Bollinger
13.B.Hodge
14.N.Hauritz
15.A.Crosthwaite
16.P.Hughes

Thoughts?

That's a fairly good effort.

Hilfenhaus will probably go as backup as well.

Same as McDonald.

I doubt we'll see Hodge on any future Australian tours, the selectors just don't seem to rate him.

There's no chance Crosthwaite will go, he can't even crack a Shield game for Victoria.

Also Watson will go if he's it.

Also McGain should be the spinner. He's the best spinner in Australia by a long way.

[grapedo]

Australia:
1. P. Jaques
2. S. Katich
3. R. Ponting (c)
4. M. Hussey
5. M. Clarke
6. D. Hussey
7. B. Haddin
8. M. Johnson
9. B. Lee
10. S. Clark
11. B. Mcgain

England:
1. A. Strauss (c)
2. A. Cook
3. I. Bell
4. K. Pietersen
5. P. Collingwood
6. A. Flintoff
7. T. Ambrose
8. S. Broard
9. R. Sidebottom
10. M. Hoggard
11. M. Panesar

[grapedo]

Originally Posted by Jolldo87

Also McGain should be the spinner. He's the best spinner in Australia by a long way.

Well here is a list of the Australian domestic spin bowlers and their records.
Nathan Hauritz (os) - 44 matches - 82 wickets @ 48.07
Jason Krejza (os) - 26 matches - 56 wickets @ 48.50
Bryce Mcgain (ls) - 19 matches - 57 wickets @ 33.82
Xavier Doherty (sla) 29 matches - 61 wickets @ 56.73
Aaron Heal (sla) - 15 matches - 29 wickets @ 45.58
Dan Cullen (os) - 45 matches - 129 wickets @ 43.17
Daniel Doran (ls) - 26 matches - 36 wickets @ 54.94

So these specialist bowlers are not impressive statiscally. And this would mean a very meek future for Australian spin bowling as Mcgain is 37. Also looks as if they have been worrying about Hauritz and Krejza when the whole time Cullen was better than both.

[Ljp86]

Originally Posted by grapedo

Well here is a list of the Australian domestic spin bowlers and their records.
Nathan Hauritz (os) - 44 matches - 82 wickets @ 48.07
Jason Krejza (os) - 26 matches - 56 wickets @ 48.50
Bryce Mcgain (ls) - 19 matches - 57 wickets @ 33.82
Xavier Doherty (sla) 29 matches - 61 wickets @ 56.73
Aaron Heal (sla) - 15 matches - 29 wickets @ 45.58
Dan Cullen (os) - 45 matches - 129 wickets @ 43.17
Daniel Doran (ls) - 26 matches - 36 wickets @ 54.94

So these specialist bowlers are not impressive statiscally. And this would mean a very meek future for Australian spin bowling as Mcgain is 37. Also looks as if they have been worrying about Hauritz and Krejza when the whole time Cullen was better than both.

On those stats you'd take McGain without question but at 37 it's more of a risk than an investment. Bryce would only be good for at most two years leaving Australia to search once again for a decent spinner once he retires or should he not show the form he has for Victoria.

Cullen has gone completely backwards over the last two seasons. Since 2007/08 he's averaged 54.81 at first-class level, only Daniel Doran's career average is higher. Cullen's nowhere near selection for Australia, not even in the one-day arena. This season's performance has been even worse than last year which shows how poorly Cullen has faired.

It will either be McGain, Hauritz or Krejza to go on the tour to England. After that, I'd go for Aaron Heal but the rest are ordinary four-day bowlers. Doherty has potential but doesn't get much of a go in the Sheffield Shield due to Krejza being the preferred spinning option. Beau Casson is missing from that list and might be a chance if he can start taking wickets for NSW. The selectors dropped him like a sack of spuds after the tour of the West Indies after having a decent return for a debutant.

Australia need to decide within the next year or so who they want to develop as the the country's spinning options. Including the tour of the Windies, Australia have used four spinners (Casson, Cameron White, Krejza and Hauritz). None of those guys were given a lot of time to perform. Casson faired alright but was perhaps unfairly axed. White proved in India he is nowhere near a decent spinning option, Krejza impressed early but fell away in Perth but was only given two tests and Hauritz has performed okay with being spectacular (once again only two tests played). There's probably been a little too much chopping and changing, as I said four spinners used since the Windies tour is a lot and is typical of the Windies use of spin options for the past few years (there's been many).

The selectors will need to make their intentions clear of who they think is the right choice, only giving these guys a few tests to perform isn't enough in my opinion, they need at least a couple of series to show what they have before being dumped.

[eddiesmith]

Heal cant even get a game for his state, yet some morons want Moody as England coach

Anyway the side they will pick
Jaques, Katich, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Symonds, Haddin, Lee, Clark, Johnson, Hauritz
Hughes, Casson, Bollinger, Henriques

The side that might actually challenge England
Rogers, Katich, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, McDonald, Haddin, Johnson, Bollinger, Siddle, McGain
Krezja, Tait, North, Hughes

[Ljp86]

The side Eddie wants,

Rogers, Jewell, Blizzard, Hodge, D Hussey, Crosthwaite, Wade, McDonald, Nannes, Harwood, McKay, Siddle, Wright, McGain, Holland

[eddiesmith]

Would do better than the side the selectors will pick

[bundybullz08]

I think all this all rounder talk is stupid.
Mitch Johnson has showed himself to be more than capable with the bat and we all know he's a superstar with the ball.
The selectore should choose 6 batsmen.4 bowlers and the wicketkeeper. Joshnson could fill in the all rounder position coming at no.8.

[postmanpav]

AUS XI
S Katich
P Hughes
R Ponting
M Hussey
M Clarke
M Klinger
B Haddin
M Johnson
N Hauritz
P Siddle
S Clark

Klinger been brilliant off late and deserves some sort of reward for what he has produce.

I've left out Lee simply because I think he has lost it.

Hauritz is probably a selection that i'll cop a bit for but I think he has shown enough. With a bit more confidence at international level he could be a good test bowler.

ENG XI
A Strauss
A Cook
I Bell
K Pietersen
P Collingwood
A Flintoff
M Prior
S Broad
J Anderson
R Sidebottom
M Panesar