Test XI Selection Thread

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nairbe said:
Cameron White is a horrid bowler and in the test arena will be soon found out as a batsman and will look no different to smith and hughs. For now leave the team and swap Beer for Siddle in Melbourne.

...Clarke, i have said for a couple of years now is shaping up as our next Kim Hughs. He clearly isn't captain material and his form is now a liability to the team. It is 10 innings now and if all was firing then we could carry him but we have no room for passangers at this time.
...Maybe older players need to move on out of shield cricket and give younger players a go earlier instead of holding out and holding up the development for the youth. Right now leadership and and a clear plan seem to be missing, it is not simple after the period we have just had of complete dominance, but they need to bite the bullet and establish a young team.
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I agree with you Nairbe that a bullet needs to be bitten, in fact I've been saying that for the past couple of years since these gaping holes have become so apparent to all except the selectors. Because they've left it so late, the hard calls have become even harder, and the road to recovery will be longer and more painful. I have no problem whatsoever with the fact that we do have to rebuild.

I'm with you entirely on Clarke also. Ponting is going through the worst patch of his time in charge, and where is his deputy? Going through yet another of his own and showing stuff-all to anyone. At least he won't have to request an early rendition of "Under the Southern Cross I Stand" after this Ashes campaign so he can nick off and attend to his other distractions!

Some of your comments last week I do have issue with, however. For all that is said about how shocking White's bowling is, and how Smith is the wunderkind leggie above all other prospects, "Bear's" average is clearly superior to Smith's. And to take it even further, batsmen around the land were hitting them better when he was bowling frequently than they are these past couple of years.

You still saying Beer should've been in this Test?!?;)
 
The
nairbe said:
I don't fully agree Beeswax. I think we do have a young bowling attack that is going to get there given time. Johnson though is not a long term prospect, as you say far to unreliable. Why we seem to have got to this point again is a question for the youth development team. Maybe older players need to move on out of shield cricket and give younger players a go earlier instead of holding out and holding up the development for the youth.
Right now leadership and and a clear plan seem to be missing, it is not simple after the period we have just had of complete dominance, but they need to bite the bullet and establish a young team.
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The attack we have at present isn't young. Bolly and Johnson are 29, Hilf is 28, Harris (who has broken down again) is 31. Only Siddle is really what can be considered as developing. And that's just because he has played so few first class matches when he was brought into the side.

Which is another peeve, why could they bring him in with little to show in first class cricket but not give Copeland a shot who has had phenomenal success and sounds like he knows where the top of off stump is in pretty much every match he has played at Shield level?
 
wow, never thought this was going to happen to australian cricket, losing ashes on home soil, wowee.

I still have faith in ponting as a batsmen, i honestly think he should a) move down the order, b) relinquish captaincy(when someone worthy stakes a claim) and c) be a mentor. Considering sydney will be a dead rubber? do you think there will be any selection shocks? Ryan Harris looks set to miss... and hilfy quite frankly should not be playing... he just cant take wickets. James Pattinson is one that could be given a gig. Nathan Hauritz deserves to come in ahead of beer... stupid decision not to have him from day 1 of the series.. handy bat and bowl hell hes better than smith at batting for gods sake.

Smith will stay for sydney and so will hughes... give them experience, clearly players for the future, however if it were 1-1 going to sydney i would drop both.

God knows how cam white is not in the team at the moment... hell he made a century against them in the aus a team... which is effectively there current attack. imo ponting si threatened by whites leadership skills, which is quite poor form from rick.

All the siddle critics... have been proven wrong, he is our best pace bowler, enough said.

The selectors should drop clarke, and bring in ferguson or khawaja... but they wont, and that is what is wrong with aus cricket.

I love what hussey has done for us this series, i dont really see him paying much longer however. But we arent all doom and gloom, we have many promising young state cricketers to come.

Dont expect changes for sydney asides a spinner in for hilfy/harris if hes out.

My team for next test series:

1. S.Watson(VC)
2. P.Hughes
3. U.Khawaja
4. M. Hussey
5. R.Ponting(C)
6. C.White
7. B.Haddin
8. N.Hauritz
9. M.Johnson
10. P.Siddle
11. R.Harris
----------------
12. S.Smith
13. C.Ferguson
14. J.Pattinson/M.Starc
Hussey will retire soon, and ferguson will be a certainty to replace him... i wouldnt be against steven smith playing, but thats only if we go for youth, and he needs to bat at 7 or 8.
I really think we need to bleed a young fresh quicky in the team... pattinson could be the man, young fast, swings it definately one for the future and considering harris is breaking down unfortunately he may have to go.
Clarke needs to go back and earn a spot in the team for the blue baggers.
 
Once the Test series is over, we will get into the Big bash,one dayers and then the World Cup. The next Test match is not scheduled to be played until August 2011.Everyone will forget and the selectors will persevere with the current list.
There is a huge opportunity to try something different in the Next Test; alas I suspect not much will change as the selectors actually believe this team is doing ok.
Paine (Yes play him as a batsman)
Marsh
Hussey
Khawaja
Ponting
Watson
Haddin
Hauritz(only player who is in form.Has to be played)
Johnson
Siddle
Pattinson

Clarke,Hughes Smith back to Shield cricket.Rhino tragically looks like he has played his last match for Australia.
 
Beeswax,
Fair enough, i was thinking more international experience than age but at the age they are it's a bit late. I remember McDermott emerged in the eighties when things were bad as a 19 year old, this is the bold move we need again in our bowling attack. They will do it hard for a couple of years but at least when they mature as bowlers they won't be retirement age.

Sidvic,
Sorry but Ponting is history, he has lost the spark for captaincy and has no form, he should announce his retirement for Sydney and it might just lift us enough to salvage a drawn series for him.
The team is ok just think watson needs to go down the order and White would be a big risk. He is probably our best captain prospect as a tactician but his batting is not really there for test cricket and the team already carries a couple of those. Hughs needs to show he is learning lessons not just powering on regardless.
 
Clarke has to go, he has been carried by the selectors and captain for too long.
There is only so much flex you can get for being a corporate suck and he has had more than his fair share.
Get rid of Clarke and put Khawaja in.
Hughes is not ready either, he is a confidence player only and has no way of digging in when required, Cam White should get his spot.
Pointing should open with Watson and stop trying to lead the team with this rediculous, stressful attitude he has developed and let the boys have a crack.
 
CLOCKER said:
Once the Test series is over, we will get into the Big bash,one dayers and then the World Cup. The next Test match is not scheduled to be played until August 2011.Everyone will forget and the selectors will persevere with the current list.
There is a huge opportunity to try something different in the Next Test; alas I suspect not much will change as the selectors actually believe this team is doing ok.
Paine (Yes play him as a batsman)
Marsh
Hussey
Khawaja
Ponting
Watson
Haddin
Hauritz(only player who is in form.Has to be played)
Johnson
Siddle
Pattinson

Clarke,Hughes Smith back to Shield cricket.Rhino tragically looks like he has played his last match for Australia.
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I'd take this a step further Clocker, like what you are thinking though. Always been a Clarke fan but he's just been giving it up in this series. He should be able to come back though.

Horses for courses policy for Sydney.
Hughes, horrible technique but at least has talent, no one else knocking on the door
Marsh, not a huge fan but at least is a real opening batsman with a technique
Khawaja, looks good
Hussey, last test
Ponting (if out, then Ferguson or Bailey), must relinquish captaincy and no.3 position
Watson, probably next skipper now despite being a tool
Paine or Wade or Hartley or Ronchi (Haddin is the worst keeper we've ever had and makes everyone else worse, always too deep which costs us catches, can't catch returns, sloppy, thinks mistakes are funny, it's all about Brad)
Johnson - happy to give him the kyber for Pattinson or Swan though as Mitch can only play if conditions are perfect for him and he seems to lack ticker, he must be a captains nightmare
Hauritz, would rather play a left arm orthodox but none good enough
Krejza, the only Australian spinner who is not a "roller"
Siddle, must become no.1 guy, has heart, do not allow him to play any more one day cricket.

Moving forward, goodbye Ponting, Hussey, Haddin, Harris, Hilf, Johnson. Would not mind seeing Katich return and as skipper for a year to toughen some of the youngsters up and avoid another generation of the hair gel, ink arms brigade.

Hello to Smith (like him, just that he's not good enough as either a bat or a bowler yet - 2 years away), Maddinson (2y), Swan (soon), Hogan (soon), Ferguson (now), Copeland (ASAP), Pattinson, Lynn, Faulkner.

Of course, none of this will happen with our esteemed selection team on the job. Where is Trevor Hohns when you need him?
 
jimbo said:
Agree Jimmy, our selectors suck, especially capt Greg, he is such a vege, under arm bowling homo!
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Yep Jimbo, meanwhile you've got Ian trying to justify the selection decisions on the the telly. The mates network is alive and well although I did hear Healy bag out Haddin a couple of times in this test which is refreshing after the free pass he continually gets for his blunders.
 
nairbe,

i understand your concerns over ponting... but i still believe he can offer us something going forward maybe not as captain but as a player down the order for another season or two. I want to replace him as captain but see no other cricketer worthy of the title at the moment. Clarke is hopeless and has never stood up when needed, hussey is too old, katich is too old, watson is too much of an idiot only player i think could captain australia is cameron white, and he needs to be given a chance to prove himself as a test batsmen... you say its a risk but is it any more of a risk than playing steven smith in the most important ashes test in god knows how long... or to persist with marcus north for so long. White deserves a chance as number 6 and i have no doubt would perform better than smith or north in that position. If white cements a spot in the team, he could be our next captain.

As for Watson moving to number 5 or 6 in the middle order, i thought that to, before the series began but i realised hell he is the only batsmen in our top 4 who can make runs consistently and always gives us a good platform. I would be happy to drop him down to 5 or 6 but not till i'm sure there are 2 openers who i have confidence in to get us of to a good start.
 
Sidvic,
Just don't see it with Ponting. When it's over it's over. I have been a huge fan of his all the way but it is starting to feel as if he doesn't see it slipping away and is going to end up making a fool of himself. Maybe in a few years he will make a great contribution again in another capacity.
I hear you on cameron white, but i feel that the no6 needs to be held down with a solid and more experienced bat to hold the tail together. Maybe white at 5 but in the end who to captain? For now Katich could fill the spot while a young captain is groomed. The top order could have Katich and Hughs opening with Khawaja at 3. Blizzard at 4 then white and watson. Sound ok but so many possible combinations, the question is what will the selectors do?

There is a lot of downers on Haddin, well yes Paine is a better keeper and equal batsman but hadds has been one of our better performers over the Ashs. I don't see the selectors moving him on while there are so many other changes required.

Am beginning to see the general point with bowlers. The need to bring a couple of young bowlers in with Siddle and stick with it. Same with a spinner, choose one and do the long haul not chop and change. Probably pride is stoping them recalling Hauritz.
 
yeah i wouldnt be against your team, only change i would make would be out blizzard in ferguson, watson can easily play the role your talking about, thats pending on whether ponting calls it a day or not. Not sure if katich will make it back to the team though, there isn't a test in a long time and he is quite old, selectors could decide to go for youth.

James pattinson from the vic's, starc and hazlewood from nsw are our future quickies and should be blooded in the near future, along side siddle. Rhino is finished with the injury, hilf doesn't get wickets, and johnson god knows what will happen to him.
 
Sidvic said:
nairbe,

i understand your concerns over ponting... but i still believe he can offer us something going forward maybe not as captain but as a player down the order for another season or two. I want to replace him as captain but see no other cricketer worthy of the title at the moment. Clarke is hopeless and has never stood up when needed, hussey is too old, katich is too old, watson is too much of an idiot only player i think could captain australia is cameron white, and he needs to be given a chance to prove himself as a test batsmen... you say its a risk but is it any more of a risk than playing steven smith in the most important ashes test in god knows how long... or to persist with marcus north for so long. White deserves a chance as number 6 and i have no doubt would perform better than smith or north in that position. If white cements a spot in the team, he could be our next captain.

As for Watson moving to number 5 or 6 in the middle order, i thought that to, before the series began but i realised hell he is the only batsmen in our top 4 who can make runs consistently and always gives us a good platform. I would be happy to drop him down to 5 or 6 but not till i'm sure there are 2 openers who i have confidence in to get us of to a good start.
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Why should a new captain have to be skipper with Punter in the side? Punter is not Tendulkar, his ego is pretty well all-encompassing, I'm not sure I could see him being in the side if not as skipper. And he's 36, his decline has been slow but sure for the past few years, this isn't a recent thing.

A new skipper doesn't need the pressure of having Punter in the side at 5 or 6. It's not reasonable to expect someone, even Clarke, who I don't much care for to do that.
 
maybe you should read what i said, there is no current player in our side that is worthy to captain australia, its as blunt as that, clarke has never stood up when needed, there is a clear lack of cricketing minds in the team.

Now as i said i think Cameron White is one who is an exceptional leader and cal ferguson is rumored to be one aswell, give both these lads a chance in the team under ponting for another year or so till ricky retires and see if white or ferguson can nail a spot and show leadership and become our next test captain or any other player for that matter.

Ponting hasn't always been all-encompassing, he used to have warne, hayden and gilchrist(who all could have captained) feeding him information and ideas thats why we destroyed teams and won near impossible matches. Now ponting has no one to assist him and is feeling the pressure.

Ponting is arguably our greatest ever batsman, don't doubt him, he has had a shocking year, has been unlucky, but we shouldn't cut his career of the chain yet.
 
There is one reason why i do not want Ponting to not be selected, it would mean Clarke would be named captain! I don't want a golden child with a silver spoon sticking out of his mouth who can not perform and has not performed for a VERY long time to be named captain. If only Hussey was younger or North scored a decent amount of runs or Paine if he had the experience in international test cricket, we would have a much more suitable captain. I wouldn’t have a problem having Hussey as captain temporarily until a suitable captain is revealed. When Paine is up to scratch from his recovery, I would have Haddin as a Batter only and have Paine as the keeper. Haddin is a decent batter but absolute pus when it comes to keeping, especially if anything is on the leg side.
My selection for the next test and the next test series would be
Watson S.
Marsh S.
Khawaja
Hussey M. c
Hussey D.
McDonald or Ferguson
Haddin B. vc
Johnson
Beere
Siddle
Bollinger
 
You make a bit of sense, Dale. As bad as Ponting is going, Clarke has been every bit as woeful. For longer. This is about the 4th slump in 5 years for this try-hard, and it is simply and utterly wrong that Punter should have to give way for someone who has got away with doing so much less. As understudy, he should be showing all the signs, making all the right moves in order to show his credentials. Well I've seen nothing, and even his most ardent supporters would have to concede he has been more of a liability to this side than Ponting, Hussey or anyone else over the period during which we have been waning.

I can't bear to contemplate going into the last Test with that prat as our skipper, and I am certain I speak for many others.
 
Well time will tell. The coming test will show whether Clarke has any back bone at all. I remember when Ponting went to no3 and his batting lifted, then when he became captain he went to the top of his game. Clarke failed when given the job at no4 and has done nothing to turn around our problems in T20 cricket that will surely be the critical cash flow form of the game in the next decade. I hate to repeat myself but here goes Kim Hughs mark two.
The selectors have done it again, a great opportunity to have tossed Clarke appoint a temp captain and done something with the team and they bring back Bolly. Some of the young bowlers must be wondering what they have done wrong when an out of form out of condition bowler that the pom's broke in adelaide is selected before them. Oh that's right he's NSW.
I will gladly eat humble pie if Clarke proves to be a winner but at this point i can't see how we will defeat even the Kiwi's next summer never mind what Srilanka and India will do to us. I will concede that the job is made all that bit harder for him when the selectors are directionless and blind.
 
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