Bevan

[Briedis]

I really believe it is time to give Bevo another crack at test level. He came under a lot of criticism for not being able to play the short ball - but neither could Steve Waugh - and he is now captain. Bevans average on the last tour to the WIndies was around 55. How can that be if he can't play the short ball. I reckon it's a myth.

Bevan is a great player who has all the shots. He also has one of the best tempraments in world cricket. He never loses his cool.

Also, I think Gilly is really struggling at the moment with the gloves. He is batting porrly as well, but his keeping has been ordinary for over a year now. I really miss Heals behind the sticks because he took almost everything (esp. from Warney). Gilly is not even close to Healy's class. But he can bat better - albeit inconsistently.

I can't believe Gilly is VC. If I was a selector I would be thinking about getting a full-time keeper for tests, but it's hard to drop the VC.....

 

[Santos L Helper]

Sorry, but Bevan should never play another international game in whites. It is no myth that he can't play the short ball. I would like a breakdown on the amount of times he's been out looking stupid (and scared) against a short pitched ball.
I agree that Steve Waugh was useless against the short delivery too, but he didn't get out to them, hence the difference.
As for Gilchrist, I would have thought that the world cup would be an indication that English conditions don't suit his batting (ala D. Walters), but he'll be ok at no.7.

 

[Darky]

He averages 29 with the bat, 24 with the ball. That justifies a spot as an all-rounder.

"Chinaman" bowlers specialise against left-handers and the Poms have a couple of decent lefties in their ranks (Knight, Trescothick, Thorpe). If you bat Bevan at 7 and bowl him specifically to the lefties, his 20-30 run "failures" will still be valuable.

In the field he is almost unmatched.

Let's not forget that he also plays a lot of county cricket, and knows some of these pie-chickers inside out. Is there seriously anyone in the English attack capable of exposing Bevan's short-ball deficiencies? They're all bloody medium-pacers!

 

[Briedis]

Exactly right Darky. He can do so many things on a cricket field....he's a natural. Only Gough is really capable of troubling him with anything short. What ever happened to horses for courses? He has blitzed county cricket season after season....

I can remember S. Waugh getting out to the hook shot so often early in his career that he no longer plays the shot. Bevan's hardly been given a go in tests...look at someone like Hayden. I really doubted that he could play at test level as he had had so many opportunities but never returned anything....until India! What a series for him!

And I'm still not convinced that Bevo is all that succeptable to the short ball.....if everyone is going on his reaction to deliveries from Ambrose and Walsh, then I think you can forgive him for being a bit nervous - they were two sensational bowlers.....

 

[jod23]

I agree Bevan should be given another go. If he fails then thats it but im sure with how deep we go batting wise that if he plays crap then who cares, we can cover it.

Gilchrist however should not be dropped, we dont have a better keeper than him and his batting can be awesome, a little inconsistent but awesome. Did you see him embarrass Waqar Younis !!!! It was amazing, one of the best bowlers going around today and Gilli just smacks him everywhere!

But that loss to the Pakis will maybe get it through to the aussies that resting players is stupid. McGrath and Ponting should have played.

 

[Indian in the Cupboard]

I'd like to see Bevan get another go, but Martyn has to have first crack when someone gets dropped.

I do reckon its a myth that he can't play the short ball. I mean he averaged something like 90 in his first test series in pakistan against wasim and waqar - the best opening bowler partnership in world cricket at the time. Also, he kicks arse in shield cricket and tell me shield bowlers are incapable of bowling quality short pitched stuff. He got droppped from the test side because he was in s*** form at the time - fair enough too.

But I have to disagree that his fielding skills are unmatched. I mean he can't throw to save his life - his shoulder is completely screwed! He does cover ground bloody fast though.

 

[Santos L Helper]

Will never agree. I still think Bevan is an arrogant, useless in test cricket, sh!t!!
By some of your logic, Darren Lehmann should be getting a game too. He's last years most prolific Aussie at county level and he'll flay anything short. I'd rather see 'boof' get a game than our precious little Bevan.

 

[Briedis]

Indian in the Cupboard - I agree that his fielding is not the best in the team, although he is very handy.....

I just think that his style of batting in one-day cricket really would translate to the test arena very well. He doesn't hit that many fours, he just guides the ball into the spaces and picks up whatever is on offer. I think he has developed his style so much since he last got a run at test level that he would really excel.

 

[Briedis]

Santos, I'd love to see Lehman in the team, he has got some lovely shots. Not sure if his temperment is there - but there's only one way to find out!! PUT HIM IN!

Being a South Australian, I guess you want to see Blewett back in the squad.....he needs to have an amazing shield season to get there. He's a great player, but what has gone wrong in his last few test series? He's still in with a good chance for a spot.

I think when the Waughs retire it will be interesting to see who gets picked in their place. Probably Blewett and Katich are most likely at the moment.

I reckon Slater needs a good Ashes tour as well or he might have some fingers pointed in his direction.

 

[Dipper]

Well if the Aussies pick Bevan I'll be cracking open the bubbly cos I remember on the last Ashes trip to England how Devon Malcolm sorted himout with the short one-it's not the ball that's there to be hooked that gets him (you should be able to duck that) it's the one that goes straight in at the heart/throat area, Bevan craps himself & fends it to gully in a pretty ugly manner.
Gough is quick enough to expose this weakness & Cad**** although a bit slower is quick enough along with the extra bounce he gets to sort him out as well-plus if Craig White is fit he's capable of bowling it at about 93mph (only 4mph slower than Lee/Shaoib).

Plus I can't see his Chinanmen causing too many problems (I know he once bowled out the Windies with a 7/8 for) but really over here he's not gonna do much on our pitches.

As for scoring heavily in county cricket that means bugger all-as no-one scored more heavily or more quickly in cc in the last 10 years than Graeme Hick & we all know that at Test level he's not up to it whereas Trescothick only averages about 35 in cc but has taken to Test cricket straight away.
I reckon Lehman would have to be a better bet but it looks like his chance has gone now.
Also I can't beleive that anyone would consider dropping Gilchrist, I mean surely he'd be worth his place as a batsman alone?I agree with what you say SLH that English pitches probably aren't suited to his batting in that he likes to really hit the ball hard from the crease whereas in England you often have to push it around & move your feet a lot but the strange thing is this season is that from what I've seen most of the pitches seem a lot more bouncy & pacy than normal, I've got no idea why this is but it's definitely not going to be to our advantage, what we need is for the groundsmen to leave a bit of grass on them & have the ball moving about off the seam with a bit of inconsistent bounce.

 

[Santos L Helper]

Dipper, you'll go along way in life if you continue to agree with me.

Forget about Blewett, he's finished mentally!!

 

[Indian in the Cupboard]

If Bevan is vulnerable to the short ball directed at the throat, heart, etc. I am amazed that bowlers do not bowl at him in this area in one day cricket. I mean sure, there is the chance that a few no-balls will be called, but if he is really that vulnerable I thought it would be a risk worth taking.

The aussie bowlers (Lee, McGrath, sometimes even Warne) often put in a bouncer or two during their spell just to keep the batsmen honest and it seems to be quite a successfull tactic.

 

[Dipper]

If anyone saw Brett Lee get Alistair Brown out yesterday, it was exactly the type of dismissal that I reckon Bevan is open to.The ball was a quick one short but not too short, Brown wet himself & just lifted his bat up while backing away & the ball flew to gully.I've seen Bevan do exactly the same.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by DIPPER
If anyone saw Brett Lee get Alistair Brown out yesterday, it was exactly the type of dismissal that I reckon Bevan is open to.The ball was a quick one short but not too short, Brown wet himself & just lifted his bat up while backing away & the ball flew to gully.I've seen Bevan do exactly the same.

Yeah but Brown is a ******* and could make Mark Waugh look like a decent bowler!

 

[Briedis]

I'm pretty sure that the Windies bowled a bit of short stuff to Bevo and he coped fine. What I am saying is that maybe he HAD a problem with short stuff but I think he may have worked on it
and sorted it out and deserves another crack at test level at least.

 

[Santos L Helper]

Jeez Briedis, Bevan's not a relative is he?

Anyway, the evidence of Bevans inability to handle the rising delivery was all to evident on the balcony at Lords. He still has a problem.

 

[smithy]

Originally posted by Santos L Helper
Will never agree. I still think Bevan is an arrogant, useless in test cricket, sh!t!!
By some of your logic, Darren Lehmann should be getting a game too. He's last years most prolific Aussie at county level and he'll flay anything short. I'd rather see 'boof' get a game than our precious little Bevan.

Couldn't agree more.