Test XI Selection Thread

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Can you believe it. Hildich is in the paper today claiming that the selectors did a good job and that it was the players fault.
So he takes no responsibility won't step down and will continue to make a mess of the squad. I suppose neilsen feels the same.
This now goes to the ACB, do they have the spine to do something about Hildich or are they also spineless. No wonder the team is in decline.
 
What about this article? This from the skipper on a day when the Aussies had to dig in and try and bat as much time as they could - 'play your natural game'. I'm starting to suspect that they might be all on hallucinatory drugs of some sort.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/495903.html

"Look at me, swinging a stick at the NICE BIG RED BALL as it bounces, bounces, bounces around on the green, green, green, grass, not it's the blue sea, water, seaweed, aahhhhh, seaweed."
 
nairbe said:
Can you believe it. Hildich is in the paper today claiming that the selectors did a good job and that it was the players fault.
So he takes no responsibility won't step down and will continue to make a mess of the squad. I suppose neilsen feels the same.
This now goes to the ACB, do they have the spine to do something about Hildich or are they also spineless. No wonder the team is in decline.
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Beeswax said:
What about this article? This from the skipper on a day when the Aussies had to dig in and try and bat as much time as they could - 'play your natural game'. I'm starting to suspect that they might be all on hallucinatory drugs of some sort.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/495903.html

"Look at me, swinging a stick at the NICE BIG RED BALL as it bounces, bounces, bounces around on the green, green, green, grass, not it's the blue sea, water, seaweed, aahhhhh, seaweed."
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Think Sutherland might actually sack Nielsen and Hilditch as they are both complete muppets. They're both deluded if they think they did a good job, same with Ponting who I believe was reported as saying "we were close". Get a clue guys, we lost three games by an innings and were nowhere near England except for probably one and a half games.

The best thing for Australian cricket is to start again and begin to get some guys into the side who know how to coach and know what it's like playing at the top level. Nielsen is rubbish and Hilditch is a joke as a selector, neither played for Australia either and struggled at first-class level. CA needs an overhaul and it needs to happen soon.
 
Hilditch did play for Australia, he was known as the 'happy hooker' which tells you all you need to know about his level of discipline.

He opened with another headcase called Graeme Wood who is President of the WACA and overseeing the ongoing mediocrity of the Warriors.
 
Jimmy Olson said:
Seriously!!!
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I tell a lie. There are Tests being played against Bangladesh and Zimbawe then head off to Sri Lanka.Perfect opportunity to give a few of the up and comers a go and see how they perform. Having said that when David Hussey & White can earn over US1 million for 2 months work you can see why they probably don't care whether they play Test cricket or not.Good luck to them, but not sure where cricket will end up. See Haddin had a great match last night. Missed two stumpings,fumbled a couple of throw ins which resulted in over throws, missed a few leg side wides which a decent keeper would take, and hardly bothered the scorer.
 
Clocker, he is the cancer where many of our issues begin, we were beaten so comprehensively he didn't get a chance to drop the Ashes but he would have. Stands too deep costing us catches, misses easy catches, can't even catch returns (or backs off them), has to dive for everything (that he can reach) legside as he has no footwork, generally sloppy which sets our whole defensive (fielding) tone, selfish player, laughs when he is screwing up, did seem to have sorted out his batting early in the series and looked to at least be batting responsibly but I thought he just gave it away from Melbourne onwards, he's just not a crunch or team player and we can't start reforming until he's gone. I always thought he looked okay for NSW until he came into test team where he has been our worst gloveman since Greg Dyer. The commentators give him a free ride although Healy did get on him a bit in the last 2 tests, however it looks like maybe even the dimbo selectors are onto him, removing him from the T20 team. Did you read Crash Craddocks summary in Sunday paper?
 
CLOCKER said:
I tell a lie. There are Tests being played against Bangladesh and Zimbawe then head off to Sri Lanka.Perfect opportunity to give a few of the up and comers a go and see how they perform. Having said that when David Hussey & White can earn over US1 million for 2 months work you can see why they probably don't care whether they play Test cricket or not.Good luck to them, but not sure where cricket will end up. See Haddin had a great match last night. Missed two stumpings,fumbled a couple of throw ins which resulted in over throws, missed a few leg side wides which a decent keeper would take, and hardly bothered the scorer.
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And still has the nerve to whinge about getting dropped from the T20 team. Pretty funny isn't it?
 
Jimmy Olson said:
did seem to have sorted out his batting early in the series and looked to at least be batting responsibly but I thought he just gave it away from Melbourne onwards, he's just not a crunch or team player.
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Did you watch much of his ton, I thought he got away with absolute murder in terms of how many balls he swung at and missed.
It looked like a Phil Hughes path to glory. He is an 'eye' player, despite having what should be a workable technique if he applied himself more. Even if we had a decent spin bowler, he'd get screwed over by Haddin's inability to keep to slow bowlers.

He hasn't even been that much use in the t20. He stated after the World Championship that he was quite incapacitated during it because of injuries. Plank!

I would really appreciate it if CA would stop just letting players declare themselves fit when they aren't.
 
We seem to be singing from the same song sheet. The change we all want to see needs to start at the management end and them good decisions might be made at the selectors table and by a competent coach.
It would seem that Tim Paine is becoming preferred all round. He performed well in the PM's XI has been given a good price in the IPL and rewarded with the VC of the T20 team. How long before this extends right across the different forms.
I find the decisions of Ponting, Clarke and Johnson not to play in the IPL so as to concentrate on test cricket interesting as none of them has much of a future in the game. I still think the selectors need to find someone else to captain after Ricky and the up coming series against Bangladesh ans Zimbabwe would be the perfect way to do this. Clarke simply showed nothing in Sydney other than a further decline in the playing resolve. The fielding was poor, the batting dismal and the bowling lacked direction. The team could not lift even a little to show they had appreciation for the captain to be. He simply doesn't have the support and would cost us dearly needed time in rebuilding. Never mind who else, i remember a certain captain was put in charge of the now no2 SA side with little to no experience, Graeme Smith has proven a good move. We have choices there are some good young talents out there to choose from and the long term future could be set.
 
Jimmy Olson said:
Clocker, he is the cancer where many of our issues begin, we were beaten so comprehensively he didn't get a chance to drop the Ashes but he would have. Stands too deep costing us catches, misses easy catches, can't even catch returns (or backs off them), has to dive for everything (that he can reach) legside as he has no footwork, generally sloppy which sets our whole defensive (fielding) tone, selfish player, laughs when he is screwing up, did seem to have sorted out his batting early in the series and looked to at least be batting responsibly but I thought he just gave it away from Melbourne onwards, he's just not a crunch or team player and we can't start reforming until he's gone. I always thought he looked okay for NSW until he came into test team where he has been our worst gloveman since Greg Dyer. The commentators give him a free ride although Healy did get on him a bit in the last 2 tests, however it looks like maybe even the dimbo selectors are onto him, removing him from the T20 team. Did you read Crash Craddocks summary in Sunday paper?
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Kapow! Can't really fault your brutally honest summary. Paine is a quality bat and a much better keeper in my view, but I also appreciate that Wade is exceptional and would be a bloke I would like to have in my corner if it got ugly. He would die before he would give up, but he is a Vic and therein lies the problem. I know that people will say that the Vics had a selector on the panel, but fast bowlers do not count and Merv really let the Vics down by cowtowing to Hilditch. I was watching Steyn and Co against India and let me tell you they would roll the Aussies out for a Spiders score ie about 41. The Indians surprised me as I did not believe they had the backbone, but they did very well and the Boks were lucky to draw the series in the end.Jacques Kallis is a bloody run machine, unfortunately he only plays for himself. When he does retire then they will have problems as their batting is brittle.
 
that fool hildich is at it again. He's in the paper today stating that he carries no responsibility over the tests and there is some confusing messages over Haddin's place in the team. What is this guy on. Please ACB, sack this fool and the joke of a coach. Beg Border to coach and find someone with some resolve for the selection panel.
 
What do you expect he is a bloody lawyer.There is always someone there to pay for their stuff ups.I hope he is a better lawyer than he is a selector. The AFL has that fool Anderson and the NRL has Gallop.This is exactly what professional sports need, more lawyers to stuff up the respective games.
 
Is this surprising? What a pity Hiditch didn't join them and then they could have spent the night telling each other how good they are.

A second witness has emerged claiming he saw Australian cricketers Michael Clarke and Phil Hughes drinking at a Melbourne bar well into the night on the eve of their humiliating Ashes series defeat at the MCG.
A photo has emerged of the cricketers posing with fans at The World Restaurant and Bar in Southbank, reportedly taken just 12 hours before the Australian team took to the field on the fourth and final day of the Boxing Day Test.
The thrashing led to England retaining the Ashes on Australian soil for the first time in 24 years.
A witness, Paul, told radio 3AW today that he left the bar about 11.30pm. Australia's vice-captain Clarke and rookie Hughes were still "well and truly going at that stage", he said.
"I asked [Hughes] why he was out on the town and he basically told me the game was over, he had done his job and it was time to get on it," Paul claimed.
"He didn't [have to bat the following day] but he was still there representing the country and the attitude, he basically told me that he was there to take the cash, that's why he was there."
It follows allegations by Melbourne-based Englishwoman Emily Goodyear in a British newspaper that the pair drank vodka with her and criticised their "boring" teammates for not going out drinking with them.
"They said, 'It doesn't matter that we're out – we've lost the match anyway,'" the 25-year-old told The Sunday People.
"And Philip added, 'I'm not batting and I don't think there's any chance we're going to win.'"
She said she flirted with the cricketers for 45 minutes before leaving at midnight, when the pair were still at the bar.
Melbourne Age 19/01/2011
 
Another fine days work from Hadds behind the stumps, 3 missed stumpings etc. but again gets defence from his media mates that it's all because he got left out of the T20 team. Enough!! Leaving him out was the first decent thing Hildick has done. Oh, except for the fantastic processes and pathways and other BS he has put in place with the help of Tim's laptop. Still, as long as they think they are doing a great job!

Clocker, I really hope that's not true about Hughes "cashola" but really, they should be allowed to let off steam a bit. Strange that Clarke (who always claims to not seek the limelight) is always sighted at very popular places. Speaking of Clarke, mail is that he was dumped from T20 captaincy 8 months ago and that White was told then of his impending takeover then. If so, this would be another good example of how our selectors work their magic!! Come on Pup, step up, we need you at your best.

Nairbe, Tubby for chairman of selectors and he can pick the rest of his selection team. All coaching staff should go as all players have gone backwards and there have been no technical improvements as you can see by the deficiencies in our new players, although good to see Cooley land a job at the so called Academy of Excellence after all his quality work with the national team (every bowler we have has gone backwards). We need a coach (not a spin doctor) who is going to tell the players what is expected of them and motivate them as it is not going to come from any of our captaincy prospect elects.
 
No problems with letting off steam Jimmy, but not during a game when you are there to do your job.I am pretty sure they can have a meal,a few beers and swim at their plush hotel.If the lads are 'toey' and believe going on the prowl during a Test is the answer then I shudder to think what they get upto overseas. How the rest of the team would have felt about their nocturnal activites has not been revealed however it is another nail in the coffin for Clarke and probably Hughes. Their behaviour sums up how the Australians are playing; as individuals. Ironically wasn't it Clarke who had a go at Symonds for his behaviour and in the end that he was off the tour in England because he would sneak off for a beer and a little skirt during the course of the evening? My my have the chickens come home to roost.
 
It was only a couple of generations of cricket ago that Doug was putting a smoke out on the pickets as he walked out but those days are gone if you want to be a winner. This little outing shows me that Clarke is not a leader and has no qualities the team requires. A young bloke like Hugh's who is having issues with his technique does not require a night out with "Mr Show bizz" whether the game is lost or not. Sounds like the QLD team of the 80's.
Tubby might be the go, not sure as his media commitments would probably keep him out, but no question Border for coach, they need captain grumpy now.
 
Jimmy Olson said:
Another fine days work from Hadds behind the stumps, 3 missed stumpings etc. but again gets defence from his media mates that it's all because he got left out of the T20 team. Enough!! Leaving him out was the first decent thing Hildick has done. Oh, except for the fantastic processes and pathways and other BS he has put in place with the help of Tim's laptop. Still, as long as they think they are doing a great job!

Clocker, I really hope that's not true about Hughes "cashola" but really, they should be allowed to let off steam a bit. Strange that Clarke (who always claims to not seek the limelight) is always sighted at very popular places. Speaking of Clarke, mail is that he was dumped from T20 captaincy 8 months ago and that White was told then of his impending takeover then. If so, this would be another good example of how our selectors work their magic!! Come on Pup, step up, we need you at your best.
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I've been suspicious of that b/s about Clarke giving up t20 for the sake of his test and odi career. As soon as I heard that, I thought it was just more spin to save his face. I saw no reason why he would give up playing t20 unless he was given a really big shove.

About those missed stumpings, Haddin can't keep to slow bowlers. If he had to keep to a spin bowler who gave it a real tweak, his bye rate would be through the roof, the ball would either go through his legs or right past him. The ball goes through his legs often enough as it is.

He missed an absolute dolly off one of the NSW spin bowlers in the t20 and gave Chris Gayle a life which he made full use of.

Even if the batsmen fell flat down on his face 20 feet down the pitch, he'd still be unsighted and the ball would bounce off his gloves.
 
Beeswax said:
I've been suspicious of that b/s about Clarke giving up t20 for the sake of his test and odi career. As soon as I heard that, I thought it was just more spin to save his face. I saw no reason why he would give up playing t20 unless he was given a really big shove.

About those missed stumpings, Haddin can't keep to slow bowlers. If he had to keep to a spin bowler who gave it a real tweak, his bye rate would be through the roof, the ball would either go through his legs or right past him. The ball goes through his legs often enough as it is.

He missed an absolute dolly off one of the NSW spin bowlers in the t20 and gave Chris Gayle a life which he made full use of.

Even if the batsmen fell flat down on his face 20 feet down the pitch, he'd still be unsighted and the ball would bounce off his gloves.
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All statements correct Beeser. I think you will find that the educated cricket public are onto Haddin. The Clarke "move along son" rumour make sense to me and if you think about time lines etc. it really stacks up.
 
Jimmy Olson said:
All statements correct Beeser. I think you will find that the educated cricket public are onto Haddin. The Clarke "move along son" rumour make sense to me and if you think about time lines etc. it really stacks up.
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I see they have included Tim Paine in the world cup squad, maybe the selectors are starting to see the light and are looking for a nice way to move Haddin along, like quietly replacing him on the subcontinent. One can only hope that the Clarke situation is a move to find another long term captain that isn't him. He just keeps showing he lacks leadership.
 
nairbe said:
I see they have included Tim Paine in the world cup squad, maybe the selectors are starting to see the light and are looking for a nice way to move Haddin along, like quietly replacing him on the subcontinent. One can only hope that the Clarke situation is a move to find another long term captain that isn't him. He just keeps showing he lacks leadership.
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You could be right Nairbe. I thought Haddin must have just been a great bloke because the commentators never criticise him but from what I have heard that is not true either, he is in it for Brad.
Ponting you can defend a bit (something of a leader just a poor tactician most of the time which he could get away with if great coach behind scenes) as he never captained all the way up the tree but Clarke was a national junior captain, why is he so short of the necessary ingredients? Is it just that he is a glowing example of Gen Y, look good, have fancy hair and a flash car but not prepared to dig in if it's hard? I still think he is a wonderful talent, just maybe not cut out for such a job.
 
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