4th Ashes Test: Australia v England, Chester-le-Street, August 9-13.

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Apr 1, 2008
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The Ashes are gone, but our chance to draw the series certainly isn't. We finally put together a decent first innings which allowed us to be on top for the entire test match, only the rain destroying any chance we had of taking victory.

Harris is a chance to miss, Bird could replace him.

With a bit of luck, and decent weather, we can jag this test and go on level the series at 2-2.
 
Mar 9, 2007
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Looks like Warner will be opening again, so in three tests so far we've replaced Cowan (ave 31) with Rogers (ave 25) and lost the Ashes in the process. Aren't we lucky Watson has offered to "bat anywhere" now his campaign to open has failed. How about for Australia A pal?
I cant wait to see what team his mate Uncle Fester serves up. Compulsive viewing.
 

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jhong

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Apr 18, 2011
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Three tests so far , nearly pulled a victory out of our rear end in the first , outplayed in the second , and in control of the third till rain stuffed us up . Think these two teams are a lot closer than 2-0 would suggest . And our mob are being accused of infighting ,personality clash's etc . If we can get our selections right , i think the ashes series(in aus) could be a lot closer than the Poms might like to admit.
 
Aug 28, 2011
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Looks like Warner will be opening again, so in three tests so far we've replaced Cowan (ave 31) with Rogers (ave 25) and lost the Ashes in the process. Aren't we lucky Watson has offered to "bat anywhere" now his campaign to open has failed. How about for Australia A pal?
I cant wait to see what team his mate Uncle Fester serves up. Compulsive viewing.

The bold is irrelevant. Agree with the rest though.

No change to the batting order and Watson on his last chance IMO.

Bird should be the only bowler in consideration if Harris can't play.

If Harris can't play, or does play and can't get through then I think we should forget about him.
 
Jul 10, 2012
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Aug 28, 2011
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Seems bullshit to have to rest Harris again. It isn't like he bowled himself senseless like Peter Siddle last summer. Shuffling Harris in and out of the side is just rotation policy by stealth.

We can afford to lose Siddle...if we lose Harris we are well and truely stuffed in the home series!
 
Apr 1, 2008
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We can more than we can lose Harris, that is all I am saying. Harris is so critical to our attack.

Harris can only play one test and then he needs a week off. He is no chance of playing the Boxing Day-New Years Day double.
 

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Jan 6, 2004
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We can afford to lose Siddle...if we lose Harris we are well and truely stuffed in the home series!

harris seems to get injured randomly not necessarily during matches or after long spells, i just don't see how resting him right now has any impact on his chances of being fit for the aussie summer which is months away.

He's long odds to be fit for the whole home summer no matter how we use him in this series, lets just get what we can out of him while he is fit.
 
harris seems to get injured randomly not necessarily during matches or after long spells, i just don't see how resting him right now has any impact on his chances of being fit for the aussie summer which is months away.

He's long odds to be fit for the whole home summer no matter how we use him in this series, lets just get what we can out of him while he is fit.

I'd rather get 'the most out of him' as you put it, when the Ashes are on the line. Does it really matter whether we lose 2-2 or 4-0, it is still a loss/retain for England. Get him back to Australia, freshen him up so he is ready to go in the 1st test.
 
Harris can only play one test and then he needs a week off. He is no chance of playing the Boxing Day-New Years Day double.

Maybe not, but then you will hopefully have Pattinson/Cummins/NCN/Hazelwood
 
Jan 6, 2004
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I'd rather get 'the most out of him' as you put it, when the Ashes are on the line. Does it really matter whether we lose 2-2 or 4-0, it is still a loss/retain for England. Get him back to Australia, freshen him up so he is ready to go in the 1st test.

Not sure you actually understood what i was writing about, obviously in a perfect world we want harris fit for the home series but how does resting him now nearly 4 months out make any real difference to his chances?

What do we do send him home now and not bowl him for the next 4 months? If he had stress fractures or something similar i could understand resting him.

I also don't buy that these are true dead rubbers, we need to believe we can beat the top teams again, we played the top 3 ranked teams 10 times since november and we haven't won a single test.

We need something to carry forward to the home summer.
 
Not sure you actually understood what i was writing about, obviously in a perfect world we want harris fit for the home series but how does resting him now nearly 4 months out make any real difference to his chances?

What do we do send him home now and not bowl him for the next 4 months? If he had stress fractures or something similar i could understand resting him.

I would play him in the 5th test. A rest for this test would do him the world of good, we need to manage him. We need to get 8 out of 10 tests out of him. Now if we assume he won't play the SCG test (play him Boxing Day), then he needs this one off. The ones back home are too important
 
Jan 6, 2004
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You can't seriously think resting him now though helps his chances of being fit for the ashes next summer?

Harris is just as likely to break down in training or in a shield match or even some pointless 20/20.

This random rotation/resting of players even when not injured has been shown to be a crock, the players still go down injured anyway.
 
You can't seriously think resting him now though helps his chances of being fit for the ashes next summer?

Harris is just as likely to break down in training or in a shield match or even some pointless 20/20.

This random rotation/resting of players even when not injured has been shown to be a crock, the players still go down injured anyway.

Normally I agree, Harris is slightly difference seeing as he is critical to getting top order wickets. I would give him a test off, and play him practically every test from now on. Physically he looked tired in the 2nd innings anyway.
 
I think they need to plan for the home summer assuming harris won't play a large role, with his history the reality is no matter how he is managed in the next 4 months the odds are against him being fit.

Well then Cummins plays every test and I am not sure I want that yet. We need a guy that takes top order wickets.
 

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