Test XI Selection Thread

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Jimmy,
I don't call him the pea heart for no reason, BUT without doubt he was seriously quick and irrespective I would have loved watching him bowl on that pitch. I recall a one day series against the Poms when he was bowling 160 consistently, and the Pommy batsmen were changing their shorts at a great rate of knots.Alas there are similies between Tait and the Tin man in the wizard of Oz.....if he only had a heart.....
 
Australian Test XI 2013/2014

1 - Shaun Marsh
2 - Nic Maddinson
3 - Usman Khawaja
4 - Michael Clarke (c)
5 - Callum Ferguson
6 - Shane Watson
7 - Matthew Wade (wk)
8 - Steve O'Keefe
9 - Peter Siddle
10 - Patrick Cummings
11 - James Pattinson / Mitchell Starc

12 - Mitch Marsh / Trent Copeland / Callum Ferguson / Phil Hughes / Peter George / Chris Lynn
 
Starc will be an up and coming player soon I reckon. Left armer, bowls pretty sharp and has reasonable control. Plus he's young and will only get better. Add to that he is dominating domestic cricket at the moment so I think a debut in the test format isn't too far away.
 
What's the bet that Haddin's innings gives the selectors enough of an excuse to keep him the side at least until Paine is ready?
 
So it looks like Ponting will hold his place in the side. I feel he is trying to make it to the 2013 Ashes to prove a point but I don't think he realises there's nothing for him to prove anymore. I reckon he'll play out the summer but won't make it till the end of 2012. The same could be said for Haddin and Johnson as well.

Personally, the selection for this series will be interesting with a raft of injuries affecting the side. Watson can't bowl at the moment so will he play as a bat only? I have a feeling they'll bring in an all-rounder to replace him just because.
 
Greg Chappell has changed his tune.When he was coaching India he tried to get rid of all the older players.Now he wants to retain Ponting. Let him play his final Test in Hobart and be done with it.
 
Greg Chappell is talking for the sake of it now. Just wants to stay in the press, I can't think of any reason why he would be backing Punter considering he retired around the same age and his seeming disrespect for old players.
 
I think with the injuries to both Watson and Shaun Marsh it makes sense for Ponting to stay until they are fit again.

When both return from injury, it should come down to Ponting, Khawaja and Marsh all trying for 2 spots in the batting order. I wouldn't play Watson this test for two reasons, first injury management and secondly I'm not convinced he commands a spot as a pure batsman.

Now it appears Johnson is unfit, and I assume Harris is going to be unfit as well.

So for next Thurs vs. the Kiwis, I'd look at this line up:

Warner
Hughes
Khawaja (in my opinion he should be a certainty from now on)
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Wade (deserves it, but I reckon Haddin will stay on considering the injuries)
Siddle
Cummins
Copeland / Cutting
Lyon

That's a very young line-up, but it looks good to me. Lacks an all-rounder with Watson out but I'm not sure what can be done about that.

In reality, I'd be happy if we stuck with this set up, bringing Marsh back in when Ponting is dropped/retires (which should be after India at the latest), and having Warner and Hughes fight it out over the next few tests, with one of them making way for a fit Watson to return against India. Harris, if fit, would return in place of Copeland / Cutting.
 
Cummins, Watson, Marsh, Johnson and Harris all out of the first test with injury. Makes picking a side very difficult now.

The guys in Australia are basically playing for a place in the first test at the moment.
 
i don't think there have been that many changes in a Test side since the World Series Cricket split. It is certainly going to be an interesting first test match.
 
Copeland must be feeling stitched up. To add insult to injury, the NSW fielders couldn't catch a cold off his bowling today at the SCG.

Should be a very interesting series I hope the Kiwis don't lose their marbles at the idea that they might be in with a real chance. I could see them playing really stupidly and aggressively purely on those grounds.
 
Beeswax said:
Copeland must be feeling stitched up. To add insult to injury, the NSW fielders couldn't catch a cold off his bowling today at the SCG.

Should be a very interesting series I hope the Kiwis don't lose their marbles at the idea that they might be in with a real chance. I could see them playing really stupidly and aggressively purely on those grounds.
Click to expand...

I hope not
 
So the really sad news has come that Johnson will never play, OOP's sorry that his injury will keep him out for the season. I think for him that will be curtains as there seems to be to many young bowlers with talent waiting for there chance. Interesting bringing Warner in, he always has that inpatient feel to his batting but i have never seen him bat at shield level only in one day and T20 so i may well be corrected. A very young attack and on wonders if Siddle is the way to go as he lacks penetration and will drop much weight on the shoulders of the other two.

Agree the Kiwi's have a real sniff this time should be lot's of fun. India could be somewhat more scary.
 
They are going to have too start the pre match handing of the new caps at 8.30am. It is going to take a while. Bottom line is that NZ has three bats. Get them out and the Aussies will roll through them.The curator has promised a lively pitch so that should make it interesting.
 
See who wins the toss, if it is an old style lively Gabba pitch it will be hell for the first session then hard work till lunch on day two. After that great batting to the end. good luck to all the young players.
 
Amazing to think that if Lyon gets shunted to play a four-pronged pace attack, that will be all three debutants from the Sri Lankan series out of the team already.
 
[quote="nairbe, post: 416790, member: Interesting bringing Warner in, he always has that inpatient feel to his batting but i have never seen him bat at shield level only in one day and T20 sKo i may well be corrected. A very young attack and on wonders if Siddle is the way to go as he lacks penetration and will drop much weight on the shoulders of the other two.

India could be somewhat more scary.[/quote]
Yeah my worry again is that if NZ dont provide real opposition our weaknesses will once more be glossed over.

Warner is a populist selection. Having him in the Australian team sells a lot more posters, Weet Bix and Milo than a far better credentialed Ed Cowan. Even Katich would be the best opener in the country still but I suppose they can't go backwards. Really, is an inexperienced tyro who can smite the ball over cow corner what we need? After all, we were rolled for 47 a couple of weeks ago.

Diddle keeps on turning up and offering to carry that load when no one else does. That's why he's there.
 
Do you think that Kerry O'Keefe practices that appalling laugh over the winter just to annoy the crap out of the listeners? (ABC radio 774). It just gets worse and worse every summer.it cannot possibly be a legitimate laugh, Watch Warners 2nd innings if he gets a hit. He will tee off big time as it could be his last Test innings for quite a while.
 
CLOCKER said:
Do you think that Kerry O'Keefe practices that appalling laugh over the winter just to annoy the crap out of the listeners? (ABC radio 774). It just gets worse and worse every summer.it cannot possibly be a legitimate laugh, Watch Warners 2nd innings if he gets a hit. He will tee off big time as it could be his last Test innings for quite a while.
Click to expand...

Nah, won't he be in the second test? I haven't heard anything about Watson's fitness and Marsh was meant to be ready for Border/Gavaskar, not before.
 
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