Australian Team Changes For 2nd Test?

[southernswannies]

Watson for Quiney, as expected. Is it a stretch though to say Khawaja might get a call up for Quiney if Watson's not fit? 49 average in 9 or so Shield matches surely wont go astray? I see Hughes coming in later on as well, Boxing Day he'll be there..

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-south-africa-2012/content/current/story/591241.html

Quiney might get another go.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Why is everyone suggesting Starc? He's been bloody woeful. Sure his T20 form looks good, but Test matches aren't T20. You don't get a lot of wickets from guys going the slog. Look at his FC form recently. It's been bog ordinary picking up 3 wickets against QLD, two of them being 10 and 11 for QLD in the first innings. This match of the 5 Vic wickets he's got just one and been reasonably expensive. He is no better than bringing back Johnson. Lets give some guys with proven FC form and consistency first, not the old based on potential bullshit that gets us into trouble. For some comparison. Starc has 74 wickets in 48 innings of First Class cricket. Jackson Bird who is only 3 years older (but doesn't wear a baggy blue) has 79 in 29.

Also, I lol @ suggestions on the internet that Johnson could come back in. He's taken just 8 wickets in 2 and a half FC games, being completely outshone by the other WA bowlers. Would be a major step backwards and guarantee that Australia will not win the next test match.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Always good reading the comments from 'fans' both on cricinfo and FB, such as this pearler from Gilly4ever...

The biggest mistake that the selectors could make is to play the same 11. Rob Quiney *MUST* go, and they *MUST* play an all rounder in his place. If Shane Watson is fit, he should play. Nathan Lyon *CANNOT* play and Mitchell Starc *MUST* play. Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle *SHOULD NOT* play either. The bowling attack should be: James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson/Doug Bollinger, Clint McKay/James Faulkner with either Watson or one of Christian/McDonald/Marsh/Maxwell to replace Quiney. If they go in with the same 11, they are bound to lose.

facepalm.jpg

 

[Black Diamond]

Starc for Hilfenhaus.
Khawaja for Quiney.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Can't see Starc coming in if he doesn't take any wickets in this Shield match.

 

[Tulip]

I want Watson in for Warner, will be Watson in for Quiney. Bobby blew his chance.

 

[Tulip]

Watson for Quiney, as expected. Is it a stretch though to say Khawaja might get a call up for Quiney if Watson's not fit? 49 average in 9 or so Shield matches surely wont go astray? I see Hughes coming in later on as well, Boxing Day he'll be there..

Yep. Because Khawaja had a far greater chance than Quiney and blew it. RQ has had one innings; who knows what he's capable of.

 

[Tulip]

Always good reading the comments from 'fans' both on cricinfo and FB, such as this pearler from Gilly4ever...



facepalm.jpg

Bring in Bollinger and Johnson; herald the future of Australian cricket.

/2006

 

[madman]

I think Watson will be ready for the next test. Don't understand why it's an easy choice to replace him with Quiney? I love Ricky but he's not going to have another good innings at the moment (words could be eaten), I can only imagine Quiney having a better innings than him next test.

 

[fairdinkum]

No need to panic with selection, Australia won the final three days of the Gabba Test.

I agree with your sentiment but not your justification.

If Australia 'won' the final three days of the First Test, we only did so because South Africa took their feet off the gas as soon as the game looked likely to draw. In fact, they seemed pretty happy to call it a match as soon as Cowan and Clarke had seen off the new ball. They'd lost their only realistic spinning option on a cement block of a pitch and then lost a day due to rain as well. Don't blame them for pulling up stumps early.

The only things that will save our batting order from a belting in Adelaide will be a road of a pitch and Michael Clarke's ability to play-and-miss altogether rather than snick.

Luckily for us, even if their bowlers do molest our batsmen and win in Adelaide, they are so mentally fragile as a cricketing nation that even if we select Mitchy Johnson for the Perth Test, we ought to be odds-on to draw the series.

Can't wait to watch the next two matches from the comfort of my couch

Also while I'm here, a bit off-topic, I was at the match yesterday and noticed something I thought troubling and am going to share it here:

As the Australians had declared at the drinks break, they were in the field waiting to get to position. Clarke gave his final captain's address, the players patted each other on the back etc, then broke off to get to position...

...and then Ponting called them all back, amatuer-hour style, got them all in close and said something else. The players then all broke off again to go back to where they had been going before the Ponting intervention.

Dunno about you guys but I thought it was shithouse from Punter. The captain had just given his final speech, the final words the players are meant to hear before trotting out to position to implement the plans. It wasn't just any captain's speech, either - Clarke had just saved the side by putting together a tremendous innings which was only brought to an end in the interest of giving the team a chance to win, about ten minutes earlier. Ponting had scored a duck, by stark contrast.

For those reasons alone I thought it was crap by Punter. But, having played under a few terrible captains/leadership groups/cliques whatever, I could empathise with and read the body language of some of the players out there. Ponting hadn't helped hype them up. He was trying to stay relevant.

Ponting is a true champion of the game and deserves legend status but his time at the top has passed him.

 

[Gray Day]

Interesting about Ponting there. I doubt Clarke would be too impressed by that.

It's strange having a former captain in the Aussie side though, not the way Australian cricket normally does things.

Australia still have the upper hand to this point - the South African bowling late on Day 3 and all of Day 4, dealing with a good pitch and stubborn batsmen suggests to me their attack could be mentally weak. I'm especially interested as to how Philander recovers from a wicketless test, given the charmed start to his test career.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Watson for Quiney and Hilfenhaus for Starc (rotation)

Yeah, that's the way to go.

 

[The Passenger]

whilst watsons last 10 tests or so haven't been great, you'd still think as a batsmen he's a better option than quiney??

in saying that i'm still a fan of quiney as the next best option. in honesty, on form he probably is.

the obvious cavaet is would playing, even as a batsmen, have any chance of seeing watson aggrevate his injury?? maybe it would...

 

[AM]

I want Watson in for Warner, will be Watson in for Quiney. Bobby blew his chance.

One innings mate. Very tough call.

Anyway, if there's anything in the story in the link posted earlier that Watson will only play if he can bowl, Quiney may well get another chance.

 

[Parquet Court]

whilst watsons last 10 tests or so haven't been great, you'd still think as a batsmen he's a better option than quiney??

in saying that i'm still a fan of quiney as the next best option. in honesty, on form he probably is.

the obvious cavaet is would playing, even as a batsmen, have any chance of seeing watson aggrevate his injury?? maybe it would...

the calf injury is known as a old man injury...very late 20s to 30s is when they start popping up...hes more likely to aggravate it running between the wickets than trundling in to bowl, he looks like he is trying so hard just to get through his bowling run up, very ungraceful mover

 

[BluesMan]

1. Cowan 2. Hughes 3. Clarke 4. Khawaja 5. Watson (M.Hussey) 6. Warner 7. Wade 8. Siddle 9. Pattinson 10. Starc 11. Lyon (12th) Hilfenhaus
Whilst Hilf didnt bowl badly, and i am a fan of his, he didnt look dangerous either.

Wait, does this mean you think Hussey should go for Watson, and only play if Watsons not fit? By golly I hope this is not what you mean.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I'd like to see Starc get a game. Even as a proud Tasmanian I'd be happy to see Hilfy take a rest for him, but I cant understand what Siddle is doing to keep him from this discussion?

Aside from his state of birth..

Its all academic though as Pattoman is going to blow the cricket world away this summer

 

[DaRick]

I agree with your sentiment but not your justification.

If Australia 'won' the final three days of the First Test, we only did so because South Africa took their feet off the gas as soon as the game looked likely to draw. In fact, they seemed pretty happy to call it a match as soon as Cowan and Clarke had seen off the new ball. They'd lost their only realistic spinning option on a cement block of a pitch and then lost a day due to rain as well. Don't blame them for pulling up stumps early.

The only things that will save our batting order from a belting in Adelaide will be a road of a pitch and Michael Clarke's ability to play-and-miss altogether rather than snick.

Luckily for us, even if their bowlers do molest our batsmen and win in Adelaide, they are so mentally fragile as a cricketing nation that even if we select Mitchy Johnson for the Perth Test, we ought to be odds-on to draw the series.

If your assertion is true, that's pretty weak on their part - it could have cost them the game and indeed might have had Pattinson not strayed over the line by a couple of centimetres. They have also given us momentum.

I do think that Australia improved as the match went on - we certainly bowled better on the fifth day than anytime before while Clarke, Cowan, Hussey and even Wade mostly seemed untroubled by the pitch and SA's attack.

It is certainly possible that our batsmen could come a cropper in Adelaide - we definitely don't have the most reliable batting line-up in the world. However, I question Philander's ability to penetrate in unfavourable conditions, which Adelaide will almost certainly present. That leaves Steyn and Morkel, who is usually the weakest bowler of the three.

It could come down to the spinners. I would definitely take Lyon over Tahir, given that Lyon knows the ground very well and at least tosses it up. Tahir, on the other hand, bowls too flat, full and fast. This makes him a good ODI bowler but it doesn't get you that many Test wickets unless the batsmen do something idiotic - unfortunately, that is a possibility with our batsmen.

The differences between the captains may also play a part.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

What do you mean by this? Just because he wants to bowl, doesn't mean Clarke and co will let him.

You try saying no to Watson, it is easier said than done. He wants to be in the game constantly- just the way he is personally.

 

[The_Reaper]

Always good reading the comments from 'fans' both on cricinfo and FB, such as this pearler from Gilly4ever...



facepalm.jpg

Read the West mate?

Johnno has his mojo back

 

[The Finger]

Why does Steve okeefe not get a look in for the slow bowler gig. He averages below 30 with the ball and above 30 with the bat?

Okeefe is the one Id bring in. He's just looks a far more dangerous bowler than Lyon.

Also Mitch Johnson for Siddle. Siddle just doesnt look like ripping through a test batting order.

 

[iluvparis]

When was the last time MJ ripped through a batting order at any level?

 

[Team DJ]

Okeefe is the one Id bring in. He's just looks a far more dangerous bowler than Lyon.

Also Mitch Johnson for Siddle. Siddle just doesnt look like ripping through a test batting order.

Please God No

 

[Team DJ]

Wait, does this mean you think Hussey should go for Watson, and only play if Watsons not fit? By golly I hope this is not what you mean.

100% yes. It wont happen i know, but needs to happen. Everyone can have one good knock every now and then. Just ask Ponting.