Test XI Selection Thread

Top Contributors
nairbe said:
Been thinking, if change is here how about this for WI team.

Cowan
Warner
Forrest
Clarke
Hussey
Watson
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Hilfy
Lyon
Click to expand...

Do you realize that in the test series we just finished, against India, Ricky Ponting averaged 108 runs per innings? He's not going away from the test team yet, and nor should he.

Easy selection for the WIs in my eyes:

Warner
Cowan
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus/Harris
Lyon

Harris/Hilfenhaus
Starc
Forrest/Khawaja
Nevill

Not sure about a back up spinner, but they could do worse than give Doherty another go, if Lyon got injured.
 
^^Doherty?? Decent one day bowler but should never ever come within a million miles of the Test team again.

Agree with the rest of the team though apart from maybe pushing Watson further down the order.
 
courtjester said:
Do you realize that in the test series we just finished, against India, Ricky Ponting averaged 108 runs per innings? He's not going away from the test team yet, and nor should he.

Easy selection for the WIs in my eyes:

Warner
Cowan
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus/Harris
Lyon

Harris/Hilfenhaus
Starc
Forrest/Khawaja
Nevill

Not sure about a back up spinner, but they could do worse than give Doherty another go, if Lyon got injured.
Click to expand...

Didn't put any back up in there, but yes i know how well Ponting went and i enjoyed it. But will he be there for the next Ashes tour, i say no. He has not batted three for a while and Watson is even less a NO:3 than he is opener. It appeared that Forrest just may have the technique but time will tell. As for Harris, sorry far too many top line young speedsters, pitty we don't have the same problem with the bat. Time to go Langer
 
My team:

Warner
Cowan
Clarke
Forrest/Khawaja
Hussey (last chance for him even though I like him)
Watson
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Starc/Harris
Lyon

My backup spinner would be Nathan Hauritz, I don't why he has fallen off everyone's team? I know he has been injured for a while but he's fit again I think
 
futureblackcap said:
My team:

Warner
Cowan
Clarke
Forrest/Khawaja
Hussey (last chance for him even though I like him)
Watson
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Starc/Harris
Lyon

My backup spinner would be Nathan Hauritz, I don't why he has fallen off everyone's team? I know he has been injured for a while but he's fit again I think
Click to expand...

I see your list but their is one very big problem, Clarke can not bat higher than 5. He has tried and failed. I agree that no3 should be filled by either Clarke or Hussey as the senior batsmen but neither is up to it. This is the weakness in the team and why Langer needs to move on.
 
nairbe said:
I see your list but their is one very big problem, Clarke can not bat higher than 5. He has tried and failed. I agree that no3 should be filled by either Clarke or Hussey as the senior batsmen but neither is up to it. This is the weakness in the team and why Langer needs to move on.
Click to expand...

That makes it a little difficult seeing as you should have your best batsmen at three
 
Kram, on the money with both of your last 2 comments - Doherty is the Simon Davis of spin bowlers, short form of tyhe game only, number 3 does not have to be your best player although it is good if he is. Horses for courses, especially if you have an opener who is likely to get out early 6 out of every 8 knocks in test cricket.
 
Jimmy Olson said:
Kram, on the money with both of your last 2 comments - Doherty is the Simon Davis of spin bowlers, short form of tyhe game only, number 3 does not have to be your best player although it is good if he is. Horses for courses, especially if you have an opener who is likely to get out early 6 out of every 8 knocks in test cricket.
Click to expand...

Agreed normally you premier batsman is at 3 and it is difficult when you openers are not doing their job and protecting the top order from the new ball. We just don't have a 3 at the moment and no one looks good for it as they don 't have the support required from the openers. There has been much talk about Warner, but he needs to find the temperament of an opener rather than a 5 or 6.
 
Test squad announced for the Caribbean, Forrest in and Beer also rewarded after a good season for WA.

Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Michael Beer, Ed Cowan, Peter Forrest, Brad Haddin (wk), Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner.
 
So, it would seem that Haddin might be finished at international level now. Lack of reasons for his departure is interesting, and there is a degree of speculation he has fallen out with someone. Time will tell. In any case, one of Haddin, Ponting and Hussey had to go sooner or later, and Haddin would've been my choice at the moment. I can't imagine both Ponting and Hussey will still be there for the next Ashes, but I'm not sure who's next cab off the rank in terms of batsmen. So if they both keep averaging at least 40+, there's no reason to change much until someone in the Shield does something serious.

First test team should be:

Cowan
Warner
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Wade
Pattinson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Lyon
 
Yes Haddin does seem to have signalled that he is done. With the way Wade has played and kept wicket he really is a shoe in. He is young and will be there for a long time to come.

It is all numbers for Ponting and Huss, if either of them faulter for a moment they will be gone.
 
Haddin is not to return to the WI for family reasons. Well now we get a good look at Wade and how he will go with a Test Match.
 
Kram81 said:
I just don't wear the Bushranger glasses.

You must be really disappointed with the form of Michael Hussey in recent times? ;)
Click to expand...
No, of course you wouldn't.

Hussey's form has been very good. Credit to him. No hiding from the fact that he was given more chances than some other "champions" have been given in times past though. He was dreadful for a year or two and it cost us dearly. I would have liked to see him bat up the order at some stage whilst we have struggled up there. Considering he came into the Test team after prolonged success as an opener in First-Class cricket.
 
Sober Symonds said:
No, of course you wouldn't.

Hussey's form has been very good. Credit to him. No hiding from the fact that he was given more chances than some other "champions" have been given in times past though. He was dreadful for a year or two and it cost us dearly. I would have liked to see him bat up the order at some stage whilst we have struggled up there. Considering he came into the Test team after prolonged success as an opener in First-Class cricket.
Click to expand...

If Huss enters that 'where the **** is my off-stump' zone again, I want him out of there straight away. It was far, far too painful to observe last time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top