Regarding Australia - Hughes should be dropped for the next Test and if so Watson and Clarke will move up one place. I'd bring in Khawaja at number five and play three seamers and Lyon and Doherty plus Wade.
What surprises me about Australia is that they didn't bother watching the India-England series. If they had they would have played two spinners from the start and remembered that the batsmen have to play straight and occupy the crease, if they do they'll score runs. After losing the first Test one of the changes they made was to bring in Doherty for Lyon. Lyon isn't the answer to who will replace Shane Warne but given some support he will do until they find either a good leggie or left arm spinner. Doherty is not a wicket taking bowler but he can do a job at tying down one end.
Agree with virtually all of the above, aside from the 'rest of their seam attack are pretty much pie-throwers' - i wouldnt call Starc and Cummins pie-chuckers - especially as they will be chucking pies in excess of 90mph!
Its great to 'talk cricket' with like-minded !
Fair point, Starc is a bit better than that - Cummins may be useful, though not much good if they can't get him on the paddock! Isn't he still out for months?
Tbf, was thinking more of the likes of the worthy-but-limited - eg Siddle, Hilfenhaus et al - even John Hastings played a Test against the Saffers. Almost had me reaching for the pads and trusty willow myself when I saw him rock up!
Siddle's a bit better than that. I think he's Australia's best bowler, in fact. But they have a lot of 8/10 pacemen and no 9s or 10s. SA have two 10s and England have a 9.5 in Anderson
Board and bresnan used to be better. So did onions. Injuries are the scourge of a fast bowler, i just hope Finn is over his. Add tremlett to the waste pile, and there goes England's strength in bowling depth
Swann is out and Panesar is in, Swann has a reoccurring Elbow injury, could well be a career ending injury.
They will manage Swann's injury over the next year, no point wearing it down in NZ where Monty will do a great job anyway - and where the seamers should knock the Kiwis over anyway.
We will need Swanny more in The Ashes home and away both for his batting, tail-end hitting and his catching at slip.
Tredwell is an underrated cricketer. Reckon he'd be in Australia's Test team (if you can't turn it much, may as well keep it tight and mix the flight up ingeniously) at present (barring a Fast Fawad)
I can't hear the name Danny Briggs without breaking out into trumpet music. Tredwell is a fine bowler but not a front line test spinner. I dont imagine this test series will come down to spin though
Tredwell is an underrated cricketer. Reckon he'd be in Australia's Test team (if you can't turn it much, may as well keep it tight and mix the flight up ingeniously) at present (barring a Fast Fawad)
At the moment I reckon James Dalrymple would get a game as the Aussies best spinner.
Sky just had the latest news from Dunedin............looked like Manchester in May !! (wet & meserable)
I reckon the 1st day will be a washout..........may go to bed & forget it for today which is bloody annoying as I've been looking forward to tonight for a few weeks since the one-dayers finished.
TBH Ormy, I reckon Barry Humphries should get a game ahead of Xavier Doherty
Doherty is a really good ODI bowler but in FCC is completely lost, he has no variations and reminds me of the old England leftie Richard Illingworth.
The Aussies are embarrassed beyond belief about what is going on in India but are resorting to their time-honored tactic in these situations: Ignore it and pretend its not happening!
In short, the Aussies kept their successful side together for so many years that the next generation of top batsmen/bowlers retired at the same time as the superstars - meaning that they had their A and B teams retire at the same time.
At the moment there are very, very few experienced players in Shield cricket with established records who the Aussies can pick, its amazing really.
They've changed the Laws especially for Finn! When was the last occasion that the Laws were changed because of a specific player?
The LBW law was changed due to Colin Cowdrey. The change to the law was that if impact was outside the line of off stump you could be given out if not playing a stroke, providing the ball was going on to hit the wicket of course! Cowdrey had become expert at padding up to anything that was outside off when he wanted.
Also the front foot no-ball law was changed due to the fast bolwers dragging so far that some were bowling off 15 yards! Some say it was Tyson who forced the change.
Read the other day that the Aussie cricket board are trying to lobby their government to get an Asian spinner fast tracked so he can get an Aussie passport and be eligible for the Ashes
Read the other day that the Aussie cricket board are trying to lobby their government to get an Asian spinner fast tracked so he can get an Aussie passport and be eligible for the Ashes
Got to love a bit of hypocrisy, would that be the same Australians who continually snipe at our SA born players?
Comments
What surprises me about Australia is that they didn't bother watching the India-England series. If they had they would have played two spinners from the start and remembered that the batsmen have to play straight and occupy the crease, if they do they'll score runs. After losing the first Test one of the changes they made was to bring in Doherty for Lyon. Lyon isn't the answer to who will replace Shane Warne but given some support he will do until they find either a good leggie or left arm spinner. Doherty is not a wicket taking bowler but he can do a job at tying down one end.
We will need Swanny more in The Ashes home and away both for his batting, tail-end hitting and his catching at slip.
swann has gone to america to have an operation on his elbow so tredwell has taken his place in this series.
Test match special talking about CMJ. RIP.
I reckon the 1st day will be a washout..........may go to bed & forget it for today which is bloody annoying as I've been looking forward to tonight for a few weeks since the one-dayers finished.
The Aussies are embarrassed beyond belief about what is going on in India but are resorting to their time-honored tactic in these situations: Ignore it and pretend its not happening!
In short, the Aussies kept their successful side together for so many years that the next generation of top batsmen/bowlers retired at the same time as the superstars - meaning that they had their A and B teams retire at the same time.
At the moment there are very, very few experienced players in Shield cricket with established records who the Aussies can pick, its amazing really.
Also the front foot no-ball law was changed due to the fast bolwers dragging so far that some were bowling off 15 yards! Some say it was Tyson who forced the change.