Australian Team Changes For 2nd Test?

[The Finger]

Please God No

Mitch is the sort of bowler that worries South Africa. Amla and Kallis like getting into a rythem and Johnson doesnt allow out.

 

[The 747]

Mitch is finished. F I N I S H E D

 

[The Finger]

Mitch is finished. F I N I S H E D

Not by a long way.

 

[TheTigerEffect]

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?

Personally, I am a big fan of Stevie O'Keefe. Really likes the way he plays and is an all-rounder which only stengthens our batting.

At some stage this Test season, if Lyon doesn't perform as well as we would like, would love O'Keefe to at least get a chance. Another one of my favourites is James Faulkner. I hope he also gets a look in. Even if he gets an opportunity in the one-day series. Really like these two players.

 

[bird_man]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/c...s-a-batsman-only/story-e6frfg8o-1226516812382

It looks very unlikely Watson will play if he can't bowl. Which is fair enough, at an averag of 37 and just 2 hudreds. Even if Watson comes back I'd like to see Clarke move up to 3. It's ridiculous he doesn't bat there now.

Our bowlers should be unchanged. I think they done a fine job on a great batting wicket. Starc isn't up to it yet. Any spinner averaging about 27 in test cricket is doing a pretty good job in my opinion, all other candidates are a long way off.

 

[The_Reaper]

Mitch is finished. F I N I S H E D

But he took 10 wickets in 2 games for Wanneroo!

 

[Gray Day]

Starc hasn't impressed at all in the Shield game for NSW. Just one wicket and that was a ball chopped onto the stumps.

Starc is over-rated, FC bowling average in the 30s... only in contention for the test team because he is a left-armer. Of course, being from NSW helps

 

[The 747]

Starc in for Perth, not for Adelaide

 

[Team DJ]

Starc hasn't impressed at all in the Shield game for NSW. Just one wicket and that was a ball chopped onto the stumps.

Starc is over-rated, FC bowling average in the 30s... only in contention for the test team because he is a left-armer. Of course, being from NSW helps

Agreed with the left armer part.

I never have nor will believe that NSW bias.

Every one of the NSW players that have been picked have deserved their spot. Yes there are players from other states that have been unlucky, but the New South Welshman, have been deserving.

 

[The 747]

Agreed with the left armer part.

I never have nor will believe that NSW bias.

Every one of the NSW players that have been picked have deserved their spot. Yes there are players from other states that have been unlucky, but the New South Welshman, have been deserving.

That is a load of rubbish as far as I am concerned, and there are a lot of examples where they havent. But since this is the Australian cricket board where you arent allowed to discuss Australian selections with reference to state bias I better shut up. All are equal in the eyes of CA, just some are more equal than others.

 

[Slax]

Only change will be if Watson passes the fitness test. My pick In Watson Out Quiney

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Mitch is the sort of bowler that worries South Africa. Amla and Kallis like getting into a rythem and Johnson doesnt allow out.

He worries Australia a lot more.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Can't believe Johnson is even being looked at. Was outbowled by Jason Behrendorff last game.

 

[Team DJ]

That is a load of rubbish as far as I am concerned, and there are a lot of examples where they havent. But since this is the Australian cricket board where you arent allowed to discuss Australian selections with reference to state bias I better shut up. All are equal in the eyes of CA, just some are more equal than others.

Please name a few?

 

[Bucking Beads]

I don't get why Watson will only be picked as an allrounder. If his bowling was that essential to the team you would think they would have replaced him with an allrounder to begin with.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Watson I dont think is good enough to play solely as a batsman. Doesnt go on with his scores often enough. Have a look at his record, 35 matches for only two centuries (last one being 2010). Hes a more than handy allrounder but should only be playing if he can bowl. The changes I would make would be Quiney for Watson (assuming he can bowl) and Khawaja for Ponting but that isn't going to happen. No changes unless Watson is 100%

 

[Bucking Beads]

Watson I dont think is good enough to play solely as a batsman. Doesnt go on with his scores often enough. Have a look at his record, 35 matches for only two centuries (last one being 2010). Hes a more than handy allrounder but should only be playing if he can bowl. The changes I would make would be Quiney for Watson (assuming he can bowl) and Khawaja for Ponting but that isn't going to happen. No changes unless Watson is 100%

He opened the batting for Australia but his batting isn't good enough to be selected as a batsmen. I don't understand how that logic works at all. Regardless I don't see how Watson is fully fit if he can't bowl. It is a calf strain he got not an injury that would affect his bowling and not his batting.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Watson's batting is more than good enough to get him in the team by itself, especially given the lack of quality alternatives. Gets him in there ahead of Quiney's batting, certainly.

It's the fitness that worries me.

 

[HugeJohnson]

He opened the batting for Australia but his batting isn't good enough to be selected as a batsmen. I don't understand how that logic works at all. Regardless I don't see how Watson is fully fit if he can't bowl. It is a calf strain he got not an injury that would affect his bowling and not his batting.

5, 41, 0, 56, 52, 39, 0, 88, 4, 3, 21, 8, 36, 0, 22
Avg. 25
His last 15 scores across 8 tests. Handy, yes; good enough for a specialist batsman? I don't think so, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Bucking Beads]

5, 41, 0, 56, 52, 39, 0, 88, 4, 3, 21, 8, 36, 0, 22
Avg. 25
His last 15 scores across 8 tests. Handy, yes; good enough for a specialist batsman? I don't think so, but that's just my opinion.

Showing someones run of bad form doesn't prove your point. We could look over every batsmen in our test side and compile a list of consecutive innings where they haven't been up to scratch.

 

[demon21]

I think Watson is good enough to play just as a batsman his batting record probarly dosent say that just yet but i think giving a chance to play as a batsman he would do ok.

It dosent make any sense to me how we could come out and say he isnt good enough to play as a batsman but when his fit he opens the batting or bat at 3.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Showing someones run of bad form doesn't prove your point. We could look over every batsmen in our test side and compile a list of consecutive innings where they haven't been up to scratch.

All I'm saying is I don't see a place for him as a specialist batsman. We have better options and players in better form. Sure if he can bowl, he's one of my first picked, I'd just rather we waited till Perth.

 

[HugeJohnson]

It dosent make any sense to me how we could come out and say he isnt good enough to play as a batsman but when his fit he opens the batting or bat at 3.

That doesnt mean its his best position though. Ideally he would be batting down the order but we seem intent on keeping him near the top for some reason.

 

[demon21]

That doesnt mean its his best position though. Ideally he would be batting down the order but we seem intent on keeping him near the top for some reason.

Thats the point tho Aus selectors and all think Watson is best suited to open or bat at 3, Then in the next sentence they are saying he isnt good enough to play as a batsman.

So in fact we hav someone who is batting in the top 3 for Aus who the selectors dont think is good enough to play as a batsman at test level it dosent make sense to me at all.

 

[frankrizzo]

can't believe johnson actually got a mention on cricinfo as being in the mix, the bloke averaged nearly 50 per wicket in his last 10 tests(and that included his 9 for at perth).

In the other 9 tests he took 18 wickets@66, 2 wickets a game at 66! the only mention of this bloke should be when we are thanking god that we never have to watch him bowl in tests again.