Australia's Test Side Is Officially A Basket Case

[gbatman]

The Australian Test Time Needs A Good Audit. The finger pointing is all in the wrong direction. We keep picking losing test sides. We have lost the past two series comfortably and we struggled to get over Pakistan in Australia. We have slipped to 5 in test rankings.

Is it crisis time in Australian cricket? Yes, it absolutely is. We are a very weak side and the finger is not being pointed in the right direction.

SR Watson
He's our best player. He is the only bowler we have who consistently bowls in the right areas and bowls with excellent skill and variation. He's a good consistent batsman and is making plenty of runs. Pass.

SM Katich
He's not a superstar but he constantly makes runs. Pass.

RT Ponting
He's not the player he was but he's still making good runs. His captaincy is not great but it
s not as bad as people are saying. Pass

MJ Clarke
He not a consistent batsman, he hasn't been making runs when we need him to, he's unreliable and he has been very poor of late. Fail.

MEK Hussey
He was finished over a season a go. He's getting a game because the selectors are complete rubbish. Fail

MJ North
Only makes runs once a series at best and only makes runs when he's on the verge of being dropped. He's one of the most unreliable batsmen in international cricket. Fail.

TD Paine†
A shining light. He's batted ok. His keeping is excellent. Haddin can't keep and he never makes runs when he has to. This guy is leaps and bounds ahead of haddin and is a far superior player. Watch the Selectors bring Haddin back straight away. Pass.

MG Johnson
He has the ability to bowl well and take wickets but he can't hit the same spot twice. He leaks too many runs. He doesn't move the ball well enough. He is on thin ice. Minor Pass.

NM Hauritz
He has been bowling well but this past Indian test he has bowled all over the place. His accuracy has been shocking. We know he has the ability to bowl accuratly so he deserves another 2 tests to get it right. If he doesn't he'll have to go. Minor Pass.

BW Hilfenhaus
He lacks smarts and consistancy. This guy only bowls what he's told to bowl and he does it every ball appart from the odd bouncer. When he's swinging it that's all he bowls. When he's bowling cross seamers that's all he bowls. No straight balls or slower balls. His accuracy has not been up to scratch and he can do better. He's very talented and he will do well back home. Pass.

D Bollinger
Was erratic in England but was decent in India. Will be good in Australia if fit. Pass


The Rest:

PR George
FC Bowling Avg 28.42
Got some ability but not accurate enough. Has enought potential but is not up to it yet.

S Smith
FC Bat AVG: 47.33
FC Boling Avg 48
Is a better bowler than his stats show. He's a handy batsman. He has youth on his side.

R Harris
He's one of the most talented pacemen we have but he's always injured. He a definate when he's fit but that seems to never happen.

P Hughes
FC Batting Avg 55.87
He's far too good to leav out. He's not an opener, not at international level. He could be a very good middle order batsmen in the Australian test team.

C Ferguson
Batting Avg 35.08
Not an impressive batting average but he's far better than that. He'll need to get over his injure and prove himself at first class level.

S O'Keefe
FC Bat Avg 52.71
FC Bowling Avg 25.18
Has a supurb batting and bowling average. I'd take him over North in a heartbeat.
Took 7 wickets against SA in his last match.

C McKay
He's one of the few guys who can bowl accuratly. He should have been next in line to play in india with his height and seam.

A McDonald
FC Batting Avg 38.55
FC Bowling Avg 29
made 126 and took 2 wickets in his last match for Vic.

Khawaja
FC Batting Avg 53.90
Hit 214 in his last match for NSW.


We keep selecting the same side and we keep losing. If we don't have the clean out we need soon England will regain the Ashes and we will have officially slipped to the status as a basket case. If we aren't that already.

If we are to retain the Ashes we must do the following:

1. Select a new fresh selection panel. Hilditch and his men have never been any good. They have been made to look good by the super star players like Hayden, Langer, Ponting, McGrath and Warne. Now they are gone they are getting exposed for the hacks they truely are. We need a new, fresh panel.

2. Coaching. Why are our bowlers bowling with no variation, no smarts and no accuracy. Heads must roll over this, it's been going on for too long and it's time for a change. Bring on DK Lillie or G McGrath as bowling coach.

3. Clean out the passengers. This means making hard decisions and weading out the guys who wont win you hard matches. The favorites. This doesn't mean weading out the scape goats.

My next side would be as follows, and this was determined by the simple audit I did above.

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

That is the best current cricket side in Australia. At 6 it's hard to decide which all rounder to have. I believe McDonald to be a more mature batsman. Not sure if he still has the short ball weakness any more. Smith would be decent to have thought because he offers something differnet as a bowler to the rest of the side. McDonald does have a better bowling record and might be suited better in Australian conditions. O'Keefe is the best performing spinner at the moment. He also greatly strengthens our batting as he is a genuine all rounder. He's a middle order batsman batting in the lower order.
Johnson and Bollinger are on notice as far as I am concerned. I'd be happy to replace him with Harris or Siddle if fit.

Summary:
Our weakness is our middle order and our spinners. Guys like Clarke, Hussey, Hauritz and North are holding us back. It's quite simple. Drop them, we have supurb batting talent in the country, we don't have to play them, they are failing, so we shouldn't play them.
I don't understand why these players get a game. The selection panel is clearly not working.

 

[gbatman]

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.

 

[ShinyMetalRobots]

Yep, agreed...very dissapointing to watch how things are unfolding but given the pigheaded nature of the selectors things wont change until its far too late.

 

[Ljp86]

I think your analysis on the current situation is pretty good but describing Australia as a basketbase is fairly harsh. Australia have been blessed for the last 15 or so years with a plethora of talent. Guys like McGrath, Gilchrist, Warne and Ponting are once in a generation players (perhaps even once in a century players) and there are a number of other players who have contributed greatly to the side throughout that time.

The dominance of Australia in those years is only rivaled by the West Indies of the 1970's/80's and the Australian "Invinicbles" in the late 1940's. Other than that no other sides have had a real period of dominance and Australia has simply come back to the pack since most of the great players from that era have retired.

The guys that have replaced the other players are never going to be world beaters. Hauritz isn't going to rip through a batting line-up, neither will Johnson, Hilfenhaus and co. Katich and Watson won't destroy a bowling attack, nor will North, Paine etc.

I agree with most of what you have said though gbatman except for a few things.

MJ Clarke
He not a consistent batsman, he hasn't been making runs when we need him to, he's unreliable and he has been very poor of late. Fail.

Clarke has averaged 47.21 for the last 12 months so he is far from our worst performer. He has the potential to be one of our better bats but seems to get himself a lot rather than genuinely being dismissed. I think he is easily one of the best bats in the country but just needs to knuckle down a bit more. There are a few other guys who should get the chop before Clarke.

NM Hauritz
He has been bowling well but this past Indian test he has bowled all over the place. His accuracy has been shocking. We know he has the ability to bowl accuratly so he deserves another 2 tests to get it right. If he doesn't he'll have to go. Minor Pass.

Bowls absolute slop. Not sure how he gets a game, probably because he's the only real option we have. Krejza has almost no form and Smith isn't really a genuine test bowling option. If he gets dropped who do we bring in though? No-one stands out at this point in time.

S Smith
FC Bat AVG: 47.33
FC Boling Avg 48
Is a better bowler than his stats show. He's a handy batsman. He has youth on his side.

Don't rate his bowling that much personally. Might be an okay one-day bowler but he won't be much more than that. His batting is his major strength and I think his goal to be a genuine all-rounder is probably something he won't achieve.

R Harris
He's one of the most talented pacemen we have but he's always injured. He a definate when he's fit but that seems to never happen.

Good one-day bowler, not that good four-day bowler. I'd much rather see guys like Siddle back in the side than see Harris get a game, he's better at the shorter forms of the game.

C McKay
He's one of the few guys who can bowl accuratly. He should have been next in line to play in india with his height and seam.

Struggled in the test he played in at Perth. Like Harris he's really only a one-day option. Seems to get carted a lot when I see him play as well so that doesn't bode well.

A McDonald
FC Batting Avg 38.55
FC Bowling Avg 29
made 126 and took 2 wickets in his last match for Vic.

Absolute rubbish, shouldn't go near the test side ever again.

Other than those guys I reckon your analysis is pretty much spot on.

 

[Boris]

I agree with Ljp on Clarke, I've never really liked him but he's been consistent enough and one of the better bats.

The problem lies mostly in that nobody has done enough to get dropped. Hussey was on the brink but started scoring again. We'll see how he goes in what could be his last summer. North scores just when he should be dropped. Johnson has a bad game for every good game. Hauritz gets a five-for one game but nothing the next. There just isn't enough to warrant a dropping, even if there are potentially better players underneath them. Experience I believe is the one thing that has held Australia together for the past 50 years, and is something you can't pick up in a couple of games. I'd rather a 50 Test veteran averaging 35 for a few series than a 21 year old who averages 55 against domestic sides.

Saying that, though, if Hauritz doesn't look too good over the summer I'd be tempted to take a spinner who has only played a couple of domestic games and thrust him into a Test debut, as long as they have looked promising of course. See if learning the hard way makes them twice as good as what we thought they could be.

I think Australia should be given another year first, a couple of down years isn't too bad considering the past 15 years they've had. Makes the climb back up the rankings more fun as well

 

[crookers]

Probably agree Boris but have no faith in the selection panel which includes the touring M Hughes clown and money maker that have decided that this is the best side. That he is allowed to conduct his joke tours at the same time as being a selector is ridiculous IMO.

Regardless I would be forgiving of the Indian tour and suggest the following team for the ashes-

S katich(captain) S watson R Ponting(bat all day and nothing else) M Clarke(will prove himself) David Hussey Marcus North(only because of his back up bowling option) B haddin(could justify a position anywher in the top six) S Smith(huge talent that must be thrown in and given the chance) M Johnson(Cutting???????????) Bollinger Hilfenhaus S Okeefe(12th)

 

[Beeswax]

I agree with Ljp on Clarke, I've never really liked him but he's been consistent enough and one of the better bats.

The problem lies mostly in that nobody has done enough to get dropped. Hussey was on the brink but started scoring again. We'll see how he goes in what could be his last summer. North scores just when he should be dropped. Johnson has a bad game for every good game. Hauritz gets a five-for one game but nothing the next. There just isn't enough to warrant a dropping, even if there are potentially better players underneath them. Experience I believe is the one thing that has held Australia together for the past 50 years, and is something you can't pick up in a couple of games. I'd rather a 50 Test veteran averaging 35 for a few series than a 21 year old who averages 55 against domestic sides.

1) When did he start scoring again? And I can't take seriously the world's dodgiest not outer at the SCG.

2) He's averaged 36 or less for a couple of years. What are we, the West Indies?

 

[crookers]

Hi Beeswax Shows you what a cruel game this can be. One minute being compared to DGB and the next struggling to survive. It is the ultimate test. Could you enlarge on the not outer at the SCG for me????

 

[Beeswax]

Hi Beeswax Shows you what a cruel game this can be. One minute being compared to DGB and the next struggling to survive. It is the ultimate test. Could you enlarge on the not outer at the SCG for me????

The Akmal gifted ton. It's the only way he's going to get scores, is if he is dropped a fair bit. Seriously, he just doesn't look up to long format anymore. I don't see how they selectors think they can afford him and North sitting in the middle order.

 

[gbatman]

Lip86 - Good point but I'm talking about the current side and the willingness not to let go of the past. It would be fair enough if there weren't guys at state level tearing it up but there are. i think there are better players who could take us into another dynasty at state level. Old guys plug holes, young guys creat dynasties.

Clarke averages 47, gee I feel it would be lower but stats don't lie. He just seems one of those guys who doesn't make em when we really need them. Agreed he'd be unlucky to get dropped but I still feel he could do better. Maybe. He is not a guy I would rely on. We built a dynasty on consistancy, not guys like this who are hit or miss.

As I said Hauritz out, O'Keefe in.

McKay did struggle at Perth but every one else did. Perth is one of the flattest wickets in the world and that's why there has been so many draws played there. The wickets glory days seem over.

Boris - I think that attitude is the same as our selectors have. You're easily won over by a one off score made once every 8 or 10 innings played like many of our guys make. Those one out scores should not count.

The cricket team needs to be turned over. Fact of the matter is we are the fith ranked test side and could drop further. Fact is there is no excuse, that's where we are at. It makes no sence to see young guys at state level with excellent records being over looked for guys who are hit or miss players who miss far more often than they hit in this losing side. Any one who does not perform in this ashes series should be cut. We will lose the series if England don't have injuries. The big turn over I have suggested should be made on the last test. I'd rather see us losing with a young developing team than a team of old has beens.

 

[T-PainE]

Going to put forward a somewhat different line-up, tell me what you think.

1 - Hughes Never deserved to be dropped.
2 - Watson Arguably our most important player. Has become a force with both bat and ball
3 - Katich Now, Kat has the temperament to hold the entire innings together at 3, why not utilise that?
4 - Ponting With the pressure (somewhat) now off because he's not at 3, maybe he can get back to that killer 60+ average form
5 - Clarke Won't ever be dropped, I think he was a better fit at 5
6 - Khawaja Simply cannot be ignored anymore.... can he?
7 - Paine Has not put a foot wrong since coming in, the selectors will go with Haddin, though
8 - Johnson Still our most lethal bowler on his day. The trouble is finding that day
9 - Hilfenhaus The best genuine swing bowler in the country. A much needed player
10 - Bollinger I'm not his biggest fan, but our attack seems to look a better one when he plays
11 - O'Keefe/George Depending entirely on pitch and conditions, we've got the spinner there and a 4th paceman if needed. I liked the look of George in India. If he can find another 5 or so km's we have yet another fast bowling prospect.

Thoughts?

 

[Ljp86]

I would think a fit Peter Siddle would be a chance for that number 11 spot in front of George. O'Keefe would probably bat at nine as well if he were to play and you'd probably need a spinner at each venue in the country with the WACA being an exception.

Other than that, I think it's pretty good side.

 

[crookers]

I would think a fit Peter Siddle would be a chance for that number 11 spot in front of George. O'Keefe would probably bat at nine as well if he were to play and you'd probably need a spinner at each venue in the country with the WACA being an exception.

Other than that, I think it's pretty good side.

If you pick Okeefe and that would not be a mistake he would have to bat in front of Paine and Johnston from my observations but not in front of Haddin who I feel certain will be selected. I think when you are struggling as a team selecting a side with batting depth as I suggested is a safer play. Our batting is our weakest point IMO.

 

[Ljp86]

If you pick Okeefe and that would not be a mistake he would have to bat in front of Paine and Johnston from my observations but not in front of Haddin who I feel certain will be selected. I think when you are struggling as a team selecting a side with batting depth as I suggested is a safer play. Our batting is our weakest point IMO.

Not sure if you could bat him that high at this point in time. He seems to be a good bat but putting him in at seven is a bit of a risk. You could probably start him at eight in front of Johnson but no higher in my opinion, not until he's spent some time in the side and can be a handy contributer down the order.

 

[crookers]

Not sure if you could bat him that high at this point in time. He seems to be a good bat but putting him in at seven is a bit of a risk. You could probably start him at eight in front of Johnson but no higher in my opinion, not until he's spent some time in the side and can be a handy contributer down the order.

Being realistic I think the side will be almost unchanged with the exception of the spin bowler. I think this may be Smith supported by North Clarke and Katich. If it happened to be O'keefe he is capable of batting in front of Paine but not in front of Haddin. Having said that i think/know Paine is a very good bat. I just want our selectors to load the side with batting in the absence of a proven test spinner. I suggest this will be the side- Katich Watson Ponting(c) Clarke Hussey(m) North Haddin Smith Johnson Bollinger Hilfenhaus O'keefe Time will tell wether I have any idea!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gbatman]

Going to put forward a somewhat different line-up, tell me what you think.

1 - Hughes Never deserved to be dropped.
2 - Watson Arguably our most important player. Has become a force with both bat and ball
3 - Katich Now, Kat has the temperament to hold the entire innings together at 3, why not utilise that?
4 - Ponting With the pressure (somewhat) now off because he's not at 3, maybe he can get back to that killer 60+ average form
5 - Clarke Won't ever be dropped, I think he was a better fit at 5
6 - Khawaja Simply cannot be ignored anymore.... can he?
7 - Paine Has not put a foot wrong since coming in, the selectors will go with Haddin, though
8 - Johnson Still our most lethal bowler on his day. The trouble is finding that day
9 - Hilfenhaus The best genuine swing bowler in the country. A much needed player
10 - Bollinger I'm not his biggest fan, but our attack seems to look a better one when he plays
11 - O'Keefe/George Depending entirely on pitch and conditions, we've got the spinner there and a 4th paceman if needed. I liked the look of George in India. If he can find another 5 or so km's we have yet another fast bowling prospect.

Thoughts?

Very nice, could work well. I like O'Keefe as a genuine all rounder.

I would think a fit Peter Siddle would be a chance for that number 11 spot in front of George. O'Keefe would probably bat at nine as well if he were to play and you'd probably need a spinner at each venue in the country with the WACA being an exception.

Other than that, I think it's pretty good side.

Peter Siddle is probably in all teams when fit but he hasn't been fit for years.

 

[Beeswax]

Not sure if you could bat him that high at this point in time. He seems to be a good bat but putting him in at seven is a bit of a risk. You could probably start him at eight in front of Johnson but no higher in my opinion, not until he's spent some time in the side and can be a handy contributer down the order.

I like O'Keefe but I don't think you can judge anyone on how well they flog the Warriors attack. It's a bad example as I would expect Ben Laughlin to get a half century against them without breaking a sweat.

 

[Beeswax]

McKay did struggle at Perth but every one else did. Perth is one of the flattest wickets in the world and that's why there has been so many draws played there. The wickets glory days seem over.

Boris - I think that attitude is the same as our selectors have. You're easily won over by a one off score made once every 8 or 10 innings played like many of our guys make. Those one out scores should not count.
.

Johnson got 8 wickets there in that match. Bowled the biggest pile of shite since Lords, he was really poor even by his standards, but somehow kept taking wickets. Freak.

 

[allround_option]

Interesting thread. I tend to agree with much of what is being discussed so far. Our test team does not currently feature the best 11 cricketers in Australia, not by a margin.
The batting has been OK but falls apart at crucial stages, especially in the second innings.
I love Katich and he has made a lot of runs in his latest opportunity, but with his age a major factor, this should be his last summer if he can't maintain consistency.
Watson, despite my initial reservations earlier in his career, has blossomed into a great allrounder. His batting is world class and his ability to swing the ball is invaluable.
Punter.. Ordinary skipper. The only thing he has going for him is that he leads by example but these days he's not making the runs he used to.
Hussey- clearly yesterdays man. Thanks for your service but its time to go..
Clarke- needs a HUGE summer to silence the growing number of critics
North- love his style but needs to play like his spot in the side is uncertain.. We have Kawaja, Ferguson, Smith, White all ready to take his spot..
Paine- needs to be given a long stint in the side. Haddin is injury prone and unreliable with the bat. Paine has a huge upside to him. If he can keep his form he should play for another 10 years..
Johnson- mate, stop getting stupid tattoos, dying your hair and piercing your tongue etc and just focus on the job.. You've been serving up four n twenty pies for too long and theres too many excuses. Yout best is lethal, pleasr find it and harness it.
Hauritz- absolutely perplexed as to how this bloke still plays. Punter keeps backing him in and he constantly serves up rubbish. Hes got no repetoire so just throws down darts to contain batsmen. Simple not good enough for test cricket. Give me Krejza, Doherty, O'Keefe even Smith any day.
The rest of the bowlers are honest toilers bur we really lack ultra consistent bowlers with venom or an x factor.

In a lot of matches the attack looks impotent and we often go sessions without taking more than 1 wicket, if any.

This is as much to do with Punters unimaginative, predictable and pig headed captaincy where he just throws the ball to Mitch hoping he'll miraculously take a wicket. Sometimes its painful to watch.

Would not be surprised if we lose the ashes this summer, though I still think were a chance

 

[CLOCKER]

Not sure where you get the figures for Clarke. He is averaging 32 for his last 11 digs, and going back to the rigged series against Pakistan until now he is averaging 43.00. The problem with Clarke is simple; he plays for himself.He will fail for nine or ten digs then make a couple of scores and everyone rates him as a batsman and all is forgiven.His performance in India was nothing short of disgraceful.He chucked in the towl.I could have pulled a fat park cricketer who would have batted with more committment. He has had a lot of sunshine blown up his arse and just waited for the inevitable retirement of Ponting.With the massive development of T 20 cricket, Clarke has been found out big time.Australian cricket is in crisis. If we lose this series (which I am tipping we will) then Ponting will go down as one of the few skippers to lose three Ashes series. He should then immediately retire or be sacked, because he is now playing for the big contract. The second thing that should happen is to tap Hussey/Haddin on the shoulder and sack Hilditch as he has no idea.Lee should never play for Australia again and he should step aside and let a kid have a go.Give Katich the captaincy as he has a little bit of ticker.
We have some great kids coming through but we have lost the ability to make the hard call and tap players on the shoulder as they did with Taylor/Healey/Waugh.It will take us 4 years to rebuild this team and we need to start now.