Changes for 4th test

[Showbags]

In: Bird, Hughes
Out: Starc, Watson

This.

Starc is just not quite up to Test standard yet (though I actually thought he bowled alright this Test). The reason Siddle and Harris are so successful is they can bowl ball after ball in the same spot and build pressure. Starc just can't do that atm.

 

[willba_victory]

Why is everyone so keen on changing the team? We've had such an unsettled line-up since the beginning of the Aus summer.

You can't find out how someone is going to go off the back of an odd test match here or there - which is how Khawaja has been treated. And Rogers needs to play the whole series, wtf is the point in bringing him in otherwise? The seamers did ok, Harris and Sids more than ok, we don't have strike spin bowler but Lyon should be given more than one test at a time.

They should just stick with this team unless Rhino can't back up.

Personally, I'd rather Watson was dropped but that should have happened after Lords, no point in dropping him now. Just make him behave as a proper all-rounder and stick him in at 7.

because i like Phillip

 

[HBF]

So we open with Hughes.

Rogers and Warner to open.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Out: Starc, Watson
In: Bird, Hughes

1. Warner
2. Hughes
3. Rogers
4. Khawaja
5. Clarke
6. Smith
7. Haddin
8. Siddle
9. Harris
10. Bird
11. Lyon

 

[Rookie]

In: Bird
Out: Harris

Harris may as well be put on ice until the home series. I'd love Watson to be dropped, but can't see it happening until the final test.

 

[Pee Tear Griffin]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

 

[Milenko]

Ughhhh so much Hughes love on this thread

Hand me a bucket

Guy has been dropped THREE TIMES and all with good reason

 

[AM]

Wouldn't surprise me if Harris was given a rest for Bird.

Hell no. If he's fit play him.

Can't see why you'd change a team that was the best team over the five days unless it was due to injury or the wicket favoured adding a quick.

 

[Super Hans]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

He hasn't had 'his day' batting wise for two years. There's only so many 20's we can take.

Bowling is great, but he is not picked as just a bowler.

 

[frankrizzo]

Hell no. If he's fit play him.

Can't see why you'd change a team that was the best team over the five days unless it was due to injury or the wicket favoured adding a quick.

Yep lets get everything out of harris while he is fit, he's no kid who needs to be rested in case of long term issues cropping up and resting him from the next two tests won't improve his chances of being fit come the home summer.

We desperately need a win in england in these next two tests, in our last 11 ashes tests in england we have just the 1 victory and since the start of the last home summer we have played 10 tests against the top 3 teams and haven't won a single match, we badly need a test win against a half decent team.

It's no time for resting players or experimentation not with the return series so close, we have to pick our best team for the next 2 tests and play like the ashes are still on the line.

 

[The_Reaper]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

He's a cancer who isn't even any good.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

Needs to be batting at 7. He's not a jet in test cricket. Not even close.

 

[placebo]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

The bolded is just an absolutely terrible and awful justification.

 

[courtjester]

Durham will swing more than Manchester:

1. Warner
2. Rogers
3. Khawaja
4. Clarke
5. Smith
6. Haddin
7. Watson
8. Siddle
9. Harris
10. Lyon
11. Bird

This is exactly the team I'd pick.

- Makes sense to have LHs in the top order, RHs in the lower order against Eng's attack.

- Warner needs to open. Rogers is providing good stability.

- Watson to be told he either produces with bat and ball in the final 2 tests or is dropped from the test team for the home summer. Bat at 7 as a bowling allrounder. Haddin to 6. If Watson doesn't produce something in the final two tests, replace him with Henriques or McDonald. We need 5 bowlers, esp with Harris in the team.

- Harris to be very carefully managed. We need him badly for the home summer.

 

[HBF]

Ughhhh so much Hughes love on this thread

Hand me a bucket

Guy has been dropped THREE TIMES and all with good reason

I want to like this more than once!

 

[MisterMarcus]

Why are people so keen to drop Watson? He is, on his day, possibly the best or one of the best bowlers and batsmen in the world. He is due for a massive game; double hundred or maybe even a fivefer in swinging conditions. Man is a jet you watch he'll bounce back strong!
!

Great troll

 

[bluespooner]

Given Durham is a seamer's wicket is there any need to include Lyon? I thought Lyon was reasonable in Manchester but the reality is that he doesn't trouble any of the English batsmen. Lyon's best chance of a wicket is when blokes like Prior attempt to hit him out of the ground but don't have the ability of a Pietersen or Bell to be successful.

The bowlers should be those that give the English batsmen the most difficulty and in this series that has been Harris and Siddle. Add to the strength of the seamers by including Bird and Faulkner this would provide four bowlers that give no relief to the English batting and attack the stumps (a failing of Starc's).

I also see difficulties here with a lot of the team selections having Siddle coming in at 8, firstly he is a legitimate 10 or 11, with the only person I would bat Siddle ahead being Bird. With all the failures of the top order to have Siddle coming in so early just allows the English to run straight through the Australian team. Therefore, I have made one change to my earlier post and my side would be:

Rogers
Hughes
Warner
Clarke
Khawaja
Smith
Haddin
Faulkner
Harris
Siddle
Bird

I can't say I'm a massive rap for all these players i.e. Smith, Hughes, Haddin; but you can only select from the squad assembled by Inverarity.

 

[western royboy]

Given Durham is a seamer's wicket is there any need to include Lyon? I thought Lyon was reasonable in Manchester but the reality is that he doesn't trouble any of the English batsmen. Lyon's best chance of a wicket is when blokes like Prior attempt to hit him out of the ground but don't have the ability of a Pietersen or Bell to be successful.


I can't say I'm a massive rap for all these players i.e. Smith, Hughes, Haddin; but you can only select from the squad assembled by Inverarity.

Two points, Lyon bowled well in the 1st dig I thought, he would have come into his own on the last day, but alas we will never know.

In terms of the players selected, I can't see anyone outside the group, (maybe Alex Doolan) who is genuinely unlucky not to be there. The guys in the A squad have all had a chance and as we have seen Agar and Smith not only made there way into the squad but the team. You can only pick from what we have available and in terms of batting we are light on.

 

[Marklar_33]

Rogers
Warner
Khawaja
Clarke
Smith
Watson
Haddin
Faulkner
Siddle
Harris
Bird

No way we should be resting Harris. The series is not yet lost, just the Ashes

If the wicket proves to be seaming, Faulkner stays in but any turn and remove him for Lyon

 

[Milenko]

Left field thought here....but should Khawaja be opening?

Clearly plays his best cricket against the quicks, and once he's had a chance to settle he looks fairly solid

Rogers could babysit Joe Booooo-urns' spot at 3 for the time being

 

[BarneyBent]

Rest Rogers, Harris and Lyon. Bring in Hughes, Bird and Agar.

Warner
Watson
Hughes
Khawaja
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Agar
Starc
Siddle
Bird

Ashes are lost. Next two matches are a balance between maintaining momentum and building experience. If the Ashes were still up for grabs, I'd drop Watson and play Rogers, but now I want to back Watson in and hope he gets some confidence up. At his best he's truly destructive, but he needs to find that gear again. Rogers has the experience, IMO, to drop out of the side and then come back in and perform.

Warner, Khawaja, Hughes and Watson will essentially be having a bat-off for three of the top four spots, with Rogers to come in and play as either an opener or number 3, depending on how they go.

Lyon is our known-quantity spinner, Agar is our wildcard. Get a couple more games into him, then re-evaluate the Lyon vs Agar debate afterwards. This isn't about losing faith in Lyon, it's about the next two matches being more valuable for the selectors if it's Agar they're watching.

Similarly, Starc and Bird are having a bit of a bowl-off, while giving the injury-prone Harris a bit of a rest.

 

[courtjester]

Lyon bowled beautifully in the last test.

 

[Slax]

In Wade & Bird
Out Khawaja & Harris (rested)

Khawaja despite a shocking decisions just isn't up to test standard, Cowan has been much better than him in tour matches so far. Wade has at least shown that he can bat a bit at test level after keeping so maybe pick him purely as a batsman, it's also a better option than Hughes.

Also changed batting order. Warner needs to open, whether you move Watson or Rogers to 3 is a close call, I prefer Rogers opening.

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Wade
Haddin (wk)
Starc
Siddle
Lyon
Bird

 

[western royboy]

In Wade & Bird
Out Khawaja & Harris (rested)

Khawaja despite a shocking decisions just isn't up to test standard, Cowan has been much better than him in tour matches so far. Wade has at least shown that he can bat a bit at test level after keeping so maybe pick him purely as a batsman, it's also a better option than Hughes.

Also changed batting order. Warner needs to open, whether you move Watson or Rogers to 3 is a close call, I prefer Rogers opening.

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Smith
Wade
Haddin (wk)
Starc
Siddle
Lyon
Bird

I tend to agree with you on Khawaja, but he needs the next two Tests to get a definitive read whether he can or cannot cut it.

 

[BarneyBent]

Lyon bowled beautifully in the last test.

He bowled well, I agree, but nothing that suggests he's a lock for the next Ashes series. He bowled exactly how we expected him to bowl, and that's good. We know what we get with Lyon, while Agar is an unknown. Might as well try to learn as much about Agar as we can before our next chance to take the Ashes.

I also think Agar, with his height, will be more suited to Aussie pitches than Lyon is.