Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

[Boris]

Re: changes to consider...

The batting line up isn't the problem.

The kinks in the team will iron themselves out over time. A new team put together is likely to have collapses. Take the Windies and Pakistan for example. Prone to some very big collapses, but give them a year and they too will be a bit more predictable.

 

[breeno]

Re: changes to consider...

I'd drop him for the dead rubber, see what a Hughes, Smith, Khawaja or Klinger has to offer. If they fail, leave North in. He should be under scrutiny though, he is full of soft dismissals.

 

[Boris]

Re: changes to consider...

Yes North should be close to the hammer.

I don't like the idea of dropping for dead rubbers though. He needs every last opportunity to prove his worth and a winning team needs to stick together, even if they are carrying an out of form batsman.

 

[breeno]

Re: changes to consider...

Yes North should be close to the hammer.

I don't like the idea of dropping for dead rubbers though. He needs every last opportunity to prove his worth and a winning team needs to stick together, even if they are carrying an out of form batsman.

Yeah it can work both ways, to give a guy one of his last opportunities or expose a young guy, it's up to the selectors really.

 

[Boris]

Re: changes to consider...

Yeah it can work both ways, to give a guy one of his last opportunities or expose a young guy, it's up to the selectors really.

Yes, I see the logic.

What would you yourself do in this situation?

 

[breeno]

Re: changes to consider...

Yes, I see the logic.

What would you yourself do in this situation?

Havn't been a major fan of North, but we has doing enough up until this summer, being a home summer especially it won't go in his favour. Most here would know I'm a big fan of playing youth, so I'd slot Hughes in at 6 for the next match and have Katich and Watson opening. It may be unfair dropping North so quickly since Hussey was allowed so much time, but Hussey for a few years was one of the best batsmen to grace a cricket pitch. I'd also be looking at dropping Siddle, but since no major replacements are there with Hilfy injured.

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Hughes
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bollinger

What would you do?

 

[Boris]

Re: changes to consider...

Presuming Katich is fit I would have the same team as the first Test.

I really want to get Siddle back playing domestic cricket. I'm not going to say 'drop' him but just call it putting him back to play at a lower level. For mine he has never looked up to it, and simply cannot play at home from what I have seen.

Since it is a dead rubber I would like to see an older bowler come to the side just to see if it makes a difference to the youngsters. Who are four young bowlers supposed to turn to when things aren't going their way? As Siddle said, Lee and Clark were the two best bowlers he has played with because they 'are a fountain of knowledge and experience for me to drink from'. I can't understand it really.

 

[Buddy23#]

Re: changes to consider...

The South African tour and the Ashes? Don't get people's obsession with changing the team every 5 seconds..

Let's apply the same logic you use for Mcgain, he had a shit match, let's banish him forever.

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Re: changes to consider...

I'd drop him for the dead rubber, see what a Hughes, Smith, Khawaja or Klinger has to offer. If they fail, leave North in. He should be under scrutiny though, he is full of soft dismissals.

That makes no sense, if your going to drop a guy then you can hardly give the new guy coming in one game to make a score otherwise the old guy comes back.

There is no way the selectors are going to drop a guy and bring in a rookie for the last test of the summer.

Last year was different, Lee was injured and had to be replace while Symonds' knee was stuffed and he didn't want to be there anyway. McDonald and Bollinger came in with the former going on to do a sterling role in SA while the latter was always going to be a good Australian bowler in time. That time has come.

North is out of form, and will need a score soon, but at this stage he should be picked for the last test. If he fails, then you can examine the situation again before the tour to NZ.

I don't think there should be a change at all, only if Katich is fit then he comes in for Hughes.

Changing the team every 2 seconds is silly, because all players will go through poor form, and you can't drop every player during it because you end up going in circles.

 

[breeno]

Re: changes to consider...

That makes no sense, if your going to drop a guy then you can hardly give the new guy coming in one game to make a score otherwise the old guy comes back.

There is no way the selectors are going to drop a guy and bring in a rookie for the last test of the summer.

Last year was different, Lee was injured and had to be replace while Symonds' knee was stuffed and he didn't want to be there anyway. McDonald and Bollinger came in with the former going on to do a sterling role in SA while the latter was always going to be a good Australian bowler in time. That time has come.

North is out of form, and will need a score soon, but at this stage he should be picked for the last test. If he fails, then you can examine the situation again before the tour to NZ.

I don't think there should be a change at all, only if Katich is fit then he comes in for Hughes.

Changing the team every 2 seconds is silly, because all players will go through poor form, and you can't drop every player during it because you end up going in circles.

Obviously it's my opinion, but my eye is for youth. If that guy can prove he's good enough at the top level, he replaces North in my mind. If he can't capitalise on a dead rubber you have the decision to leave him in or drop North, once again, in my mind. I know the selectors won't do what I say, that's why I'm not a selector, but I'm not one for traditional "leave the team as it is" arguments, or else we wouldn't be having this discussion.

 

[eddiesmith]

Re: changes to consider...

The South African tour and the Ashes? Don't get people's obsession with changing the team every 5 seconds..

Yeah I dont get the obsession either, he averages 37, that is superb for a test batsman these days, you couldnt ask for much more

 

[Kram81]

Re: changes to consider...

Let's apply the same logic you use for Mcgain, he had a shit match, let's banish him forever.

There is a difference between having a poor or average match (after being successful at this level) and putting in arguably the most embarrassing performance in the history of a player to ever wear a baggy green

 

[gbatman]

Re: changes to consider...

ok why Hughes? Hughes has gone back to domestic cricket and done ************ all since being dropped while Klinger and even Smith far out class him with the bat this season. Klinger was just about the best domestic batsman last season too yet he is never discussed when it comes to international consideration

Simple question, what is wrong with Klinger?

My team:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Smith/Klinger
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Siddle
Bollinger

What a terrific bowling attack that is if it is Smith who is chosen...

 

[Sockit151]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I would love to see Katich go to 3 and Ponting replace North at 6.. The selectors seem sintent on given Hughes a real crack it, although i still have huge ?? over his techical abilities at test level.. North should be banished IMO.
And i would prefer to see Rogers open rather then Hughes, but that's necer going to happen.

 

[Boris]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Ponting stays at 3. That is all I have to say on the matter.

 

[ants14]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I would love to see Katich go to 3 and Ponting replace North at 6.. The selectors seem sintent on given Hughes a real crack it, although i still have huge ?? over his techical abilities at test level.. North should be banished IMO.
And i would prefer to see Rogers open rather then Hughes, but that's necer going to happen.

So your side would read

Watson, Hughes, Katich, Hussey, Clarke, Ponting, Haddin, Johnson, Hauritz, Siddle, Bollinger?

Seems fine to me, I for one would like to see Ponting move down the order, at least change things up a bit and see if it changes the dynamic of our batting performances.

The thing I would like to see within the next year would be Ponting giving up the captaincy but continuing to play. Clarke could step into those shoes, but at least your not losing a great batsman and a great captain at the same time, like they have in the past.

 

[Sober Symonds]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I would love to see Katich go to 3 and Ponting replace North at 6.. The selectors seem sintent on given Hughes a real crack it, although i still have huge ?? over his techical abilities at test level.. North should be banished IMO.
And i would prefer to see Rogers open rather then Hughes, but that's necer going to happen.

I'm with you there.

Although No.3 is for one of your best bats, it should be also be a steadying position for when an early wicket is lost. Ponting is currently vulnerable early, and that is a danger, as inevitably the current opening duo will not always blunt the new ball. Punter is not hanging round for long enough, as you would want your No.3 to do. His old habit of going too hard at the fuller ball has crept in.

Maybe all the bats could go down a spot if they bring in an in-form opener. You rightly ask, does that have to be Hughes. Is he really that good? Back in the team, he makes a duck first up - including a life! His 2nd dig was uninspiring. Given his apparent susceptability to the rising ball, perhaps his state should put him down the order for a tilt at No.5 or 6 in time to come (after all, they do have 4 openers!).

Hughes had a blinding summer 12 months ago, no doubt about it. He was also stiff to be dumped whilst still having a dip. Since then though, what has he done? Pretty much nothing, whilst the likes of Klinger, Rogers, even Cowan & Marsh are going so well at the head of their respective line-ups. So, if it has to be an opener ...?

 

[Caesar]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

Although No.3 is for one of your best bats, it should be also be a steadying position for when an early wicket is lost.

There is also potentially an argument to be made that Ponting is no longer 'one of our best bats'. His average over the last 3 years is 41 with 5 tons, which doesn't really compare favourably to (m)any of our specialist batsmen at present.

Food for thought.

 

[Boris]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I don't like Ponting moving in the order or giving up his captaincy, just yet.

Number 3 is a big role, and has been in the Australian line up more so, for the entire length of Test cricket. It is the hardest spot to bat in. Therefore I would like the next batsman in line for that position be moved there when the ship is steadied. I would think that would be after or even during the Ashes,

EDIT: Posted early accidentally, oops

At the moment things are a little wayward, things are settling after the mix and match selections that have been happening and instead of 5 different places up for offer at once, there is 1 or 2, the usual. Starting to look like a normal team. When things look like everything is settled, then you can go playing around with stuff like that.

Giving up the captaincy early may cause more problems then it will solve. They have to cope with having some greats retire, then they finally just get settled when all of a sudden the mayhem starts again. Keep the team about the same, get everyone playing together as a co-ordinated unit then muck around with the settings.

 

[LIONS then DAYLIGHT]

Re: Australian Test XI - Selection Thread

I think we should all wait until Ponting regains full fitness before judging his form.

I mean there is no doubt he is restricted in his shot making at the moment, your top arm is the guiding arm and as the physio said, the tendons were mashed and smashed when he got hit by that ball.

He is still our most feared and destructive batsmen, if Ponting gets a score then we fire as a batting team.

Ponting was dynamite a month of 2 ago in the ODI format.

He is still our most feared and comfortably our best batsmen, if we are serious about trying to win the Ashes back then he has to bat at 3.