3rd Test squad

[Lidge]

Changes to Australian side for the 3rd Test

Ivor Biggun

December 16, 2003



In response to the Australian's poor start to the current Test series against India, the selectors have taken an unprecedented step by announcing an interim squad of 13 players before the 2nd match of the series is even completed.

While resisting the tempation to rush back Australian Test team stalwarts in McGrath & Lee, the selectors have reacted savagely by axing 3 players from the current squad currently in action at the Adelaide Oval.

Out of the side goes Stuart MacGill, Brad Williams and Damien Martyn. Jason Gillespie will be given a break from all cricket next week to assist him with his recovery from a minor injury inflicted today which forced him from the field.

Into the Australian squad of 13 sees the arrival of Matthew Inness, Mick Lewis, Cameron White and Brad Hodge. If all 4 players make the final XI on Boxing Day, this will be the largest contingent of Victorian players in a national team for 35 years.

Squad 1 Stephen Waugh (capt), 2 Ricky Ponting (vc), 3 Matthew Hayden 4 Justin Langer, 5 Simon Katich, 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Brad Hodge, 8 Andy Bichel, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Matthew Inness, 11 Cameron White, 12 Mick Lewis, 13 Nathan Bracken

Announcement of the revised Australia A team scheduled to play in Hobart next week against the tourists is expected tomorrow morning.

© Wisden Crickinfo Ltd

 

[Lennyfan]

huh? This must be a joke, even for us vic supporters!

 

[DaveW]

I was delighted to read Inness' name... then I read Lewis' name and it dawned on me.

 

[Mr X]

Did you have to change your sheets after you dreamed this up??

Good reporting there Ivor!!

Fooled Lennyfan

 

[Lidge]

Can only be best described as a slow afternoon in the office. Will have to have a word with Ivor.

Lenny..come on...did you really think the selectors would pick 4 Victorians in the one team?

 

[ViperV10]

Fooled me too! Doh!

My eyes light up when I read that Inness would be in the team, and when I saw that Martyn would be dropped.

Would be a good team I think, except replace Lewis with Wright and you would have a much stronger team.

[NB] Cricinfo is spelt without a k. That might have added a bit of realism.

 

[Lidge]

thought I'd best throw in a K just in case CricInfo had any ambulance chasing lawyers out there and a give away clue that this was BS

 

[pazza]

Love your work Lidge

 

[Lennyfan]

Of course of course.....

 

[pazza]

That would look good as a contribution to www.thebladder.com.au

 

[Cooldude]

Originally posted by Lidge
Changes to Australian side for the 3rd Test

Ivor Biggun

December 16, 2003



In response to the Australian's poor start to the current Test series against India, the selectors have taken an unprecedented step by announcing an interim squad of 13 players before the 2nd match of the series is even completed.

While resisting the tempation to rush back Australian Test team stalwarts in McGrath & Lee, the selectors have reacted savagely by axing 3 players from the current squad currently in action at the Adelaide Oval.

Out of the side goes Stuart MacGill, Brad Williams and Damien Martyn. Jason Gillespie will be given a break from all cricket next week to assist him with his recovery from a minor injury inflicted today which forced him from the field.

Into the Australian squad of 13 sees the arrival of Matthew Inness, Mick Lewis, Cameron White and Brad Hodge. If all 4 players make the final XI on Boxing Day, this will be the largest contingent of Victorian players in a national team for 35 years.

Squad 1 Stephen Waugh (capt), 2 Ricky Ponting (vc), 3 Matthew Hayden 4 Justin Langer, 5 Simon Katich, 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Brad Hodge, 8 Andy Bichel, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Matthew Inness, 11 Cameron White, 12 Mick Lewis, 13 Nathan Bracken

Announcement of the revised Australia A team scheduled to play in Hobart next week against the tourists is expected tomorrow morning.

© Wisden Crickinfo Ltd

You're living in a dream

If this ever happens, Hookes would then start complaining how all his key players are taken away from him, when a month ago he was unhappy that Victorians are never selected.

 

[wagstaff]

Originally posted by ViperV10


My eyes light up when I read that Inness would be in the team, and when I saw that Martyn would be dropped.

I don't think it's as crazy as it sounds - Martyn hasn't scored a century for over 18 months and has averaged under 35 in his last 14 Tests.

He's gotten the habit recently of playing too many lazy one-day shots (something he used to do in the 1st phase of his career) when he looked set for a big score - his half-hearted cut shot in the 1st innings of this Test was a classic example.

I wouldn't say his spot is in immediate danger, but he'd want to play a decisive innings before this series is over.

 

[The Passenger]

Love your work Lidge.

I would've believed you for sure had you not mentioined Mick Lewis

 

[Cooldude]

Originally posted by wagstaff
I don't think it's as crazy as it sounds - Martyn hasn't scored a century for over 18 months and has averaged under 35 in his last 14 Tests.

He's gotten the habit recently of playing too many lazy one-day shots (something he used to do in the 1st phase of his career) when he looked set for a big score - his half-hearted cut shot in the 1st innings of this Test was a classic example.

I wouldn't say his spot is in immediate danger, but he'd want to play a decisive innings before this series is over.

And the way he's dropping catches ain't helping either. At least Martin Love is great at slips, and Love is certainly 10 times more reliable a batsman than Martyn will ever be.

 

[larrikin]

Originally posted by Cooldude
And the way he's dropping catches ain't helping either. At least Martin Love is great at slips, and Love is certainly 10 times more reliable a batsman than Martyn will ever be.

Yes, Martin Love must be a 10 times more reliable batsmen than a bloke who averages over 47 after 40 odd test matches.

 

[Cooldude]

Originally posted by larrikin
Yes, Martin Love must be a 10 times more reliable batsmen than a bloke who averages over 47 after 40 odd test matches.

If I'm correct, Martyn's been averaging around 30 ever since he scored that 133 in the Bull Ring almost two years ago, hasn't score a hundred since then. He's been consistently dropping catches for the past year, never mind the broken finger, even before that he was dropping them.

His finger should be right for him to at least take some dolly catches, but can't blame the finger, it's probably a mental thing, you'd hope he gets it right, but you gotta get sick of him dropping dollies.

 

[Crooked Rain]

Originally posted by DaveW
I was delighted to read Inness' name... then I read Lewis' name and it dawned on me.

I was surprised not to see Shaun Graf's name there as well

cr.

 

[larrikin]

Originally posted by Cooldude
If I'm correct, Martyn's been averaging around 30 ever since he scored that 133 in the Bull Ring almost two years ago, hasn't score a hundred since then. He's been consistently dropping catches for the past year, never mind the broken finger, even before that he was dropping them.

His finger should be right for him to at least take some dolly catches, but can't blame the finger, it's probably a mental thing, you'd hope he gets it right, but you gotta get sick of him dropping dollies.

Am I missing something?

When did Martyn drop a sitter? He missed some slips catches in the last 18 months, sure, but none of those are easy, and even Ponting dropped one he should've caught in this match.

 

[ZimZum]

Originally posted by Lidge
Can only be best described as a slow afternoon in the office. Will have to have a word with Ivor.

Lenny..come on...did you really think the selectors would pick 4 Victorians in the one team?

Only if they were good enough. Four fairly average players you picked there.

 

[Cooldude]

Originally posted by larrikin
Am I missing something?

When did Martyn drop a sitter? He missed some slips catches in the last 18 months, sure, but none of those are easy, and even Ponting dropped one he should've caught in this match.

Well I'd have to go a fair way back to the Zimbabwe second test, a gentle pull shot mis-hit, going so slowly to his hands on chest height that even someone like me could've caught that, but somehow he dropped it, dropped one or two in the first test as well.

None of those easy, but should've been taken, Ponting droipped one this match, but he hasn't been consistently dropping them like Martyn's been, and at least Ponting's making mountains of runs.