Should Mitchell Johnson bat at seven?

[CrazyQ]

As I said, we have the best depth in the world so capatalise on it.

Someone like McKenzie would not get within a whisker of our side.

McDonald would not get close to ours too.

 

[Mario the Lothario]

Also what exactly does an extra bowler bring? More wickets?

Yes. That is the idea anyway.

As I said, we have the best depth in the world so capatalise on it.

You are beginning to think like an Englishman. Tests matches need to be won, not drawn.

Katich, Ponting, Clarke and Haddin are all in top form. Replace Hayden and promote Clark and Haddin one spot, then place Hussey on notice. Putting a batting allrounder at seven is unnecessary and wouldn't add anything to help us WIN test matches.

Someone like McKenzie would not get within a whisker of our side.

Agreed, he's a hack.

 

[Mario the Lothario]

Well, well, well.

Mitchell Johnson from No.11 to No.8 and rising

Ben Dorries, January 05, 2009 12:00am

THE matchwinning Test allrounder that Australia has been craving may be right under its nose: Mitchell Johnson.


After watching Johnson crack his highest first-class score[/URL] yesterday, it was hard to believe that just over two years ago he was batting at No. 11 for Queensland. After Johnson returned from Australia's successful Champions Trophy campaign in India in 2006, he was furious when he went to Perth for a four-day game and was listed to bat at No. 11.

The young up-and-comer had an angry exchange with then Bulls coach Terry Oliver in the WACA Ground nets, insisting he had spent countless hours practising his batting and deserved better. But Queensland could find no way to promote him in a strong lower order, which included former Test bowler Andy Bichel, wicketkeeper Chris Hartley and leg-spinner Daniel Doran.

To his credit, Johnson didn't drop his head and vowed to prove Queensland wrong.

Johnson was never regarded as an allrounder, but he must be close to it after his stunning 64 yesterday. In his past 12 Test innings, Johnson has been dismissed for single-figure scores on four occasions. The tailender has the defensive technique to stand up to the world's best bowlers, and can turn defence into attack when the time is right.

Johnson's bowling is improving every Test as his confidence soars and there seems no reason his batting won't follow suit. When Johnson was dismissed yesterday, he had built his Test batting average to 25.82, an impressive effort in just his 18th Test. Brett Lee wants to be regarded as an allrounder with an average of 20.15 in 76 Tests. With designated allrounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson injured, anything Johnson can contribute with the bat is worth double. Sharing a 142-run stand with Michael Clarke yesterday showed he could be Australia's saviour with the bat, as well as with the ball.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24872778-2882,00.html

 

[Virgil]

Is this thread about demoting Haddin to eight?

I don't like that idea,

Or is it about promoting Haddin to six and picking five bowlers?

but I do like this one .

 

[red+black]

7 is not heaven
8 is great
9 would be asinine

i'm bored.

 

[dogs105]

Interesting article.
If his runs really are worth double, he should be opening. I think the South Africans wouldn't be happy with the rule change though.

 

[Bodicifer]

No...he is a bowler who can bat, not an all rounder, yet...you don't want to put too much pressure on him as a bat as his bowling should come first. He is a great striker of the ball but still a little susceptible when the ball is seaming around, which gets him on the hop a bit. The SCG wicket is a belter which allows him to play strokes. He is a great timer of the ball but he should stay where he is for the time being. A super asset at 8 or 9.

 

[alfy!]

No, Mitchell should not. Number 8 is fine.

 

[the_interloper]

No, Mitchell should not. Number 8 is fine.

I agree, leave him where he is, he provides handy runs at 8. If they move him up he’ll start thinking he’s a batsman and concentrate on it more, and his bowling will no doubt suffer. We definitely need his bowling on top of its game at the moment, given the state of our attack.

 

[Belnakor]

Didn't we play Bichel at 7 during a tour of the West Indies years back?

 

[Thommo 42]

Yes we did, and he scored 70 at a run a ball in his first go there. We also bad a firing top order and Adam Gilchrist at #6 back then too!

Andy Bichel has also got 9 first class tons to his name as opposed to Johnson's highest first class score of 64.

 

[Xtreme]

If he keeps improving, he might open the batting one day

 

[HBF]

I think he is a genuine all rounder.

Not yet, but I think he certainly gives us some options and flexibility with the way we can structure our first 11. He has been the only one that has really come on this season, although Siddle has shown he could definitely have a real future at International level.

 

[DaRick]

No.

Although he is certainly capable of playing a wide range of shots, he still lacks the volume of runs and the average necessary to get the #7 spot. I do like the way he systematically stands and belts the ball to the fence, however.

In terms of batting skill, he is probably closer to a Wasim Akram than a Richard Hadlee, as well - capable of blasting the ball, but not really much more than a top-rate lower-order batsman.

 

[Mario the Lothario]

N although Siddle has shown he could definitely have a real future at International level.

Yep, Siddle has shown that he is up to test standard. I was fairly happy with McDonalds effort also. He bowled very tight.

 

[CrazyQ]

Yep, Siddle has shown that he is up to test standard. I was fairly happy with McDonalds effort also. He bowled very tight.

I like McDonald and feel he'd play well in ODI with his bowling, but if the pitch wasnt a minefield, he wouldnt have bowled that well. I suspect he is only in the side to clog up one end. Only. It has to be, he will never be threatning.

 

[BABYBOMBERS2007]

Why not drop Hayden and let Mitchell Johnson open ? At worst Mitch would score more runs anyway.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[getthefooty]

A good tail ender, but nothing more. Still far more prone to go out early than top order batsman if he cops a good one.

 

[CrazyQ]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

I'm thinking you werent thinking at all.

 

[Kram]

I think he is a genuine all rounder.

I think you should stop "thinking".

 

[The Casey Cat]

No 8/9 is fine for him at this stage.

 

[BABYBOMBERS2007]

I'm thinking you werent thinking at all.

He'd be better than Hayden.

 

[wce4premiership]

I think he should.

But he's not a genuine all rounder yet.

 

[crows dude]

I think he should stay at 8 even if Lee comes back. What it does allow us to do though is play a genuine batsman at 6 and not a Mcdonald or Watson Type.
I think something like this might be good
Katich can bowl
Jacques
Ponting Can bowl but never does
Clarke can bowl
M Hussey can bowl
D Hussey Can bowl
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Hauritz or Kreja
Siddle, Bollinger or Hilfenhaus

 

[vasili]

If He played for Bangladesh, He would open the batting lol