Boxing Day Squad Announced

[Drummond]

Not looking so good now.

 

[aussierulesrules]

True, but to be fair three of those balls were perfectly good, Maddinson just played fantastic shots to get them away for 4's (especially the second one, which was pretty much a perfect yorker).

 

[amer]

For what it's worth, the back trouble he bowled with during the most recent Ashes series nearly ended Hilfenhaus' career. Bowled with a lot of pain. He is fine talent who has continually been let down by his body, a la Watto and Marsh, and that series is no indication of what the guy can do.

I like this selection, he's stayed on the park this season and is a guy who could come good. With Cummins injured and Hazlewood needing to get more work into the body at domestic level, it's not a bad move.

 

[Phone]

It doesn't matter what form of the game it is, the simple fact is he's bowling tremendously and with good pace (up to 145kmh) and also getting it to seam. He's bowled a bunch of absolute jaffas in the past two games. Cummins pretty much got picked on his T20 and one day matches and Lyon hadn't done much more than play Big Bash, from memory. It's all we have to pick them on for the next few weeks so Big Bash form will have to do.

No we've got Hilf's FC form to go by. Form that has seen him take his wickets at over 30 in his 6 FC games. Where his two best bowling performances have seen 50% of those wickets or more be tailenders (A and B) and where he's shown no signs of sorting out his 'can't bowl to right handers problem'. (He's dismissed around the same number of right handed batsmen as left handed in the top 7 batting positions. India's batting order features one left hander) And we're picking him at a ground where he's been nothing but horrible every single time he's played there. I would have much more faith in any of Hazlewood, McKay, Bollinger, Hogan, Harris. And that's including the doubts over the fitness of them.

 

[Jimthegreat]

True, but to be fair three of those balls were perfectly good, Maddinson just played fantastic shots to get them away for 4's (especially the second one, which was pretty much a perfect yorker).

Make that 33 off his last 3 overs.

You like Johnson back too so we can have our all time favourite bowling line up back that cost Test match after Test match? Good reason why we went bad with that group. I can think of the Ashes in 2009, and last year when England score 1/517, 5/629, 513 and 644 in 4 of the Test matches. Could do without those guys thanks.

Not to mention ordinary, overrated FC form this year.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'll take hilfy over starc any day of any week for the rest of my life.

 

[Selective Retention]

At the end of the day I prefer they use Hilf, who is capable of bowling a shitload of overs, ahead of Starc and go in with 6 specialist (heh) bats than take in Dan bloody Christian because Starc is too erratic to trust.

Ok, it has been covered a couple pages back.

 

[Phone]

yeah that's the fight I'm having in my head, Christian or Hilf. It's a pretty brutal battle it must be said.

 

[dr nick]

Congratulations to the two former bluebaggers, unfortunately they were around when the NSW squad was an incredibly tough nut to crack. Made the most of the greener selection pastures of South Australia and Tasmania.

 

[eddiesmith]

The hardest part is though its Christian v Marsh with the bat, you would always take Marsh otherwise someone is batting way out of position or the entire lineup is out of position

 

[eddiesmith]

And at the moment that's what we need.

So the lets say 150 runs he costs the team when he drops Sachin on 0 is worth it because he is 25?

 

[The Passenger]

one thing i will say is if Hilf gets a shot he'll be very happy to know that Mitch Johnson isn't up the other end destroying the ball for him.

in saying that, it doesn't explain Hilf's uselessness with the new ball last season.

and further, i'd still have picked faulkner or Hazlewood before hilf. and a few others to be honest, some injured - coulter-nile, butterworth, george...

 

[lionbear]

So the lets say 150 runs he costs the team when he drops Sachin on 0 is worth it because he is 25?

Sadly to develop a good side you have to take these risks, Steve Waugh 20 years ago would have been dumped under your theory.

 

[eddiesmith]

Sadly to develop a good side you have to take these risks, Steve Waugh 20 years ago would have been dumped under your theory.

Ricky Ponting and many others were dropped when young, didnt hurt them

The other thing the selectors have to look at, Usman needs to work on his game a bit more, who knows if going back to the SCG in March will help that because any batsman can make 100s then, but it needs work and he has plenty of time. If they drop Huss and Punter thats it, thats career over, thats the end of them and no one wants to end their career after losing to NZ

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Equal leading wicket taker with 32 wickets at 21.66 this season.

Q: Who is the bowler?

(I don't think he's injured, but if he is, I blame Hobart!)

 

[The Passenger]

having a good season but if michael hogan came out to bowl in the boxing day test i'd feel pretty uncomfortable about our bowling stocks.

get coulter-nile back on the ground and send him. gun bowler.

 

[Meathead]

I've heard a few people saying that bringing Hilfenhaus back is a step backwards. I don't think that could be further from the truth.

Finally we seem to have a selection panel who is going to reward players on form. Cowan picked himself and Hilfenhaus has looked the most dangerous bowler at Shield level this season. He is bowling quicker and swinging it later.

I'd like to see Dan Christian in there ahead of Marsh, purely for the bowling side of it, but I wouldn't be disappointed either way.

Well done John!

 

[Carbine Chaos]

having a good season but if michael hogan came out to bowl in the boxing day test i'd feel pretty uncomfortable about our bowling stocks.

get coulter-nile back on the ground and send him. gun bowler.

Agree with the second part.

But let's be honest, Hilfenhaus is at most a stop-gap measure to cover for injuries. He won't be in the team long term. And as such, I think Hogan is more deserving of the 'short-term' spot.

Though I like Hilf and am very happy that Starc won't be in the team any more at least.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I'd like to see Dan Christian in there ahead of Marsh, purely for the bowling side of it, but I wouldn't be disappointed either way.

Is his bowling good enough for the next level though? Marsh is a better player with the bat (though Dan is having a great season) and I'm not convinced Christian's bowling is good enough to tip the scales in his favour.

Of course, it could all come down to Marsh's fitness.

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Assuming Marsh and Hilfenhaus win their respective selection battles, the team really isn't that bad. No real drastic improvements that I can think of with the amount of unavailable players.

 

[The Passenger]

But let's be honest, Hilfenhaus is at most a stop-gap measure to cover for injuries. He won't be in the team long term. And as such, I think Hogan is more deserving of the 'short-term' spot.

maybe. maybe.

hoges is a good ordinary state cricketer who's having a good season. i'd want him to still be performing at this level this time next year before i start elevating him above that... by which stage he'll be 31...

hilf is a good bowler. his had his chances at test cricket and not been good enough. he's fortunate to have got a second chance but i can at least see where they're going with his selection... even though i don't entirely agree with it.

i'd pick hilf well before hogan.

and i'd pick faulkner or hazlewood before hilf.

I'd like to see Dan Christian in there ahead of Marsh, purely for the bowling side of it, but I wouldn't be disappointed either way.

gotta get out of this all rounder mindset position. an all rounder is not a position that must be filled every test.

you pick your 6 best batsmen, your best keeper, your 3 quick bowlers, and your best spinner. if your spin stocks are an absolute disaster you pick 4 quicks.

if one of those 6 batsmen can bowl it's a bonus. you'd consider picking your number 7 or 8 batsmen in place of your number 6 batsmen if they can bowl but that's about it. but that's a 50/50 call.

marsh is clearly a better batsmen than christian.

you don't pick an all rounder cause you feel your bowling is weak. you've gotta pick your best 4 bowlers and you've gotta back them in cause that's their job.

and you never compromise on your four best bowlers. you might weaken your batting slightly if it brings a bowling option (though i'd still be reticent about it)... but i wouldn't even select my fifth best bowler in place of my fourth best bowler if my fifth best bowler provided a good number 8 batsmen because you should never skimp on your bowling. your bowlers win matches. if you can't take twenty wickets consistenly then you're not playing to win... there's a reason india aren't the best team in the world despite having an outrageous batting line up.

both bigfooty and our selectors seem to have got into this mindset that an all rounder, and a left arm quick bowler are mandatory positions in the XI that must be filled. they're not. they're bonuses. if one of your best 6 batsmen is a decent bowler, and one of your bowlers is a left armer, then that's a bonus.

now, if shaun marsh is unfit, is dan christian our next best batting option?? in terms of who is fit, and who has the quality, and who is scoring runs in the shield.... probably yes... but it doesn't fill me with confidence to be honest.

 

[themidlandmaster]

Christian at 6 as an all rounder?

Not too bad a team

I'd have dropped Haddin for Wade

 

[BluesMan]

Whos to say Christian won't get belted on the MCG pitch by the Indian top order? Not just Starc, but Christian as well could hit struggle town, and Christian isn't the better batter over Marsh, so it could be a double loss.

Hoping Marsh gets up, and Hilfy plays.

 

[CHIEF SMACKAHOE]

nothing has changed. hope we get absolutely belted.

 

[Quadzilla]

Bowling. What has happened to Trent Copeland? Went to Sth Africa - was a chance to play when Cummins debuted and now gets no mention and Hilfy is now 'next in line' ?

... or Peter George?