Changes for Perth

[frankrizzo]

If north goes then clarke needs to as well, his form has been worse then North's in the last year.

Clake when fit was in decent form, issue is he's clearly hampered by his back.

A somebody who has a pretty bad lower back issue there is no way it's healed from the gabba.

backs just don't magically get better in a few days it takes up to 6 weeks to see significant improvement.

he should have been declared unfit for the gabba and made to prove his fitness in the lower levels.

 

[nicko99]

I just hope we dont hear after the Ashes "Oh I was playing injured" excuse from Michael Clarke or the media if he has a poor series. We always find out a day or so after a AFL grand final that so and so played with this etc etc. If your going to declare yourself fit, no excuses!

 

[frankrizzo]

Yep would agree with that, if the team/clarke is going to deny he's injured he has to take the criticism for his form.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I just hope we dont hear after the Ashes "Oh I was playing injured" excuse from Michael Clarke or the media if he has a poor series. We always find out a day or so after a AFL grand final that so and so played with this etc etc. If your going to declare yourself fit, no excuses!

I keep expecting to hear that exact thing about Clarke.

Like we did with Haddin in the World 20/20, Sending a player up the order who later said he could hardly hold a bat during the tournament, ffs?

That went down well.

I don't think they realise that all they do is wind up the fans and make themselves sound very dumb with that sort of bs.

 

[Super Hans]

The only certainties for the next test should be

Ponting
Watson
Hussey
Harris
Haddin

As far as I'm concerned the rest are playing for a spot in the next two days. The only things I wanna see in Perth is Hughes playing opening or at number 6, Siddle dropped for Copeland and Watson at number 3 while Ponting moves down the order.

 

[Tyberious Funk]

I reckon we might play four quicks.... allows the selectors to drop Doherty on the "horses-for-courses" grounds, rather than admit they screwed up picking him in the first place. Allows them to keep North in the side, since according to the selectors he's the best spinner in the country

Maybe bring in Smith or Khawaja depending on any injuries.

Whatever the case, there won't be more than 1-2 changes (unless there are injuries). The selectors are just too conservative (and too pig-headed to admit mistakes).

 

[Cleavy]

Why not...

Clarke, just no, he has got to go!

hey hey! ho ho!

sorry, that was rather catchy!

 

[JMc#5]

OUT:
M Clarke
North
Doherty
Bollinger
Siddle

IN:
White
Khwaja
Hauritz
Johnson
Brett Dorey

Not sure if you're taking the piss, but judging by the other (legitimate) inclusions i'd say no...

If we have to play Dorey we are in worse trouble than i thought... wow



Doherty = gone

Really wanna see Hughes or Khawaja in the team... future batting guns for us...

 

[gbatman]

1. Watson
2. Katich
3. Hughes
4. Ponting
5. Hussey
6. Smith
7. Hauritz
8. Haddin
9. Harris
10. Hilfenhaus
11. Bollinger

In Contention:
Marsh
Khawaja
Blizzard
Robinson
Quiney
Copeland

 

[mattymac]

well it looks like we might get out of jail here thanks to the weather. either that or england will declare and then get a couple of dank humid sessions in, hoop it all over the place and run through us. they defo deserve the win.

hopefully we do get out of jail though and then hopefully we make the most of the reprieve and make some serious changes

hopefully we make like the poms and get on to our curators about churning out some result pitches aswell. we need results.

we don't have any quality spinners so i'm not averse at this point to going for someone who can bat a bit atleast. doherty can do neither and is obviously out of his depth. sok or smith please. both have a good attitude aswell. i don't care if smith isn't a gun spinner, fact is we don't have one so we might aswell have someone who is a solid bat atleast and a gun in the field and will jag the odd wicket. poms hate leg spin.

we need to post runs to insulate our mediocre bowling attack. clarke seems well and truly out of sorts. i hope they put the team first and rest him. in with khawaja.

north surely has to go. he brings a nervousness and negativity to the team and never performs in the big moments. in with fergs or bring in hughes instead of fergs and drop watson down to 6 so we can get a few more overs out of him.

we need these kids in the team to lift it with their attitude and lift it in the field. our fielding has cost us dearly and there is a clear chasm between our fielding and the poms', who have ruthlessly taken their opportunities in the field

i think its safe to say siddle has shown his first innings at the gabba was a flash in the pan. same as north. is clearly out of his depth. out with him and hilfenhaus back in for perth to pillage the poms with the freo doctor

watson
katich
ponting
khawaja
hussey
ferguson
haddin
o'keefe/smith
harris
bollinger
hilfenhaus

ponting's captaincy is really worrying me. you can see he's determined as not to lose this, but he's lost it a bit and its affecting his captaincy. he's far too reactionary for my liking, moving the field around and letting the poms dictate terms before any plans (if we have plans) can come off. he looks jittery and seems to be trying to do too much too quickly. needs to chilax a bit and back himself. hilf, harris and bollinger should give him the tools he needs for the waca and if we take our opportunities in the field we can steal it against the tide and go 1-0 up despite being completely outplayed so far

 

[gbatman]

These players must be considered for selection

Marsh - When he's fit he scores runs.
Khawaja - Great early form but needs to keep making runs.
Blizzard - averages nearly 60 in FC cricket and is making plenty of runs this year.
Robinson - Is opening for WA and making some handy scores.
Quiney - Made more scores over 50 this year than any one.
Copeland - Bowling well.
Smith - A better all round option than North.
O'Keefe - Seems to be able to bat and bowl quite well.

 

[CarlosSETANTA]

4 quicks seems a must, not only for conditions, lack of decent spinner but also keeping the bowlers decent for the rest of the series.

Hilf for Doherty seems reasonable to me.

If Katich isn't fit, I sense another North chance, and Hughes gets a game. Just can't see them making 3 changes after 2 in the previous.

Get a settled line up together. When was the last time the same XI played 2 consecutive tests?

I sense another left-field selection on it's way though.

 

[robboaustralia]

1 P.Hughes
2 S.Watson
3 R.Ponting
4 S.Katich
5 M.Hussey
6 S.Smith
7 B.Haddin
8 D.Christian
9 M.Johnson
10 R.Harris
11 D.Bollinger

Hughes and Watson for quick dominating start. Katich at 4 to stabilise middle order from collapse. Increased batting depth to number 10 with injection of youth (Hughes and Smith). Great bowling options: Bollinger, Harris and Johnson with back up from Watson and Christian with spin from Smith when required. More youthful in the field.

Out:

M.Clarke (I feel he is carrying an injury and is horribly out of form with the bat and even in the field)

M.North (Bowling handy but not in batting form that we require and not the most convincing fieldsman)

X.Doherty (Out of his depth, lacks experience and leaks runs)

P.Siddle (Hatrick a highlight but needs a rest after being smashed 2 tests in a row)

In:

P.Hughes (In great current form. Deserves his chance after being shafted by CA. Hasnt done much wrong. Can give us a flying start with Watson if he doesnt go early)

D.Christian (This guy is currently on fire. Handy bowler with varied pace although can leak runs, Can destroy sides with his big hitting aka Symonds & Gilchrist)

S.Smith (Love this guys attitude, very handy bat but may also leak runs with the ball, top class youthful x-factor fielder)

M.Johnson (Handy on bouncy WACA wicket, Will be pissed after being dropped and will give everything)

 

[Millington Magic]

Get Shaun Marsh in. Clarke looks super unfit, so a spell on the sidelines looks good for him.

Watson
Katich (Hughes if Kat doesn't pull up)
Superman
Marsh
Hussey
Cat Woman
Haddin
O'keefe
Harris
John Howard
Some spud

 

[Hellgood]

1. Copeland for Bollinger (Bollinger has been awful in Adelaide, absolutley smashed)
2. Hauritz for Doherty (Don't think Doherty is up to test cricket)
3. Hilfenhaus for Siddle (Siddle very ordinary since his hattrick)
4. Shaun Marsh for Katich (if he isn't fit)

Clarke will play regardless of how fit he is. Selectors may have finally run out of patience with North. Can't see them making too many changes though as we have come to expect. What a rabble we are.

 

[Hazey1977]

Just curious to get people's opinions on George Bailey from Tassie? I havent really kept up the SS whilst living over here in the UK.

I played at the same club as George when he was a young kid coming through. Great temprement and talented back then.

Would he be an option for Oz in the next few years?

 

[Goldencats]

I'd love to see this team, but it's so unrealistic it's not funny

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Hussey
Marsh
Haddin
Smith
O'Keefe
Harris
Hilfenhaus
Copeland

 

[eagles06]

1. Katich (If not fit - Hughes)
2. Watson
3. Ponting
4. Clarke (If not fit - Marsh)
5. M. Hussey
6. Khawaja
7. Haddin
8. Swan
9. Harris
10. Hauritz
11. Bollinger

In: Khawaja, Swan, Hauritz
Out: North (unless he saves australia in the next 2 days), Siddle, Doherty

 

[Subaru Impreza]

Not sure if you're taking the piss, but judging by the other (legitimate) inclusions i'd say no...

If we have to play Dorey we are in worse trouble than i thought... wow



Doherty = gone

Really wanna see Hughes or Khawaja in the team... future batting guns for us...

I actually think Dorey is a decent bowler especially on the WACA wicket. Has a career bowling average of 25.86 which isnt too shabby.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

We're probably stuffed no matter what side we field for the 3rd test, but IMO, we may as well try a couple of new things and hope like hell they pay off.

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
S.Smith
Haddin
North
Johnson
Harris
Copeland

* Yes, bring back MJ. He'll probably be spanked again, but we gotta hope for a miracle and see him return to 08/09 form.
Thoughts???

I've been reading how Troy Cooley is working with Johnson to get his arm high again.

This all seems rather fraught. Johnson isn't psychologically strong: making him feel that it's all up to him and the position of his arm seems like the worst road to go down. Send him back to state cricket if they think he shouldn't be playing.

If they pick him again, he'll probably be sideways slinging it worse than ever, regardless what he's doing in the nets.

I hope our batsmen show some steel under pressure tomorrow.

 

[Higs]

Watson - good player but needs to start converting
Katich - meh, can accumulate
Ponting - stop ****ing up our fields arseh*le
Clarke - they won't drop him
Hussey - found form, good on him. If only his mates joined him
Smith - better batsmen than North, better bowler than North. Better than North.
Haddin - been very good
Harris - looks threatening
Siddle/Johnson/Hilf - pull from a hat
Bollinger - is good, usually
McGrath - slip him in for just one test, no-one will notice

 

[Donnie Darko]

Hughes at Perth?
I thought he had a big technical problem with short pitched stuff?
Perth must be the wrong place for him to come in.

 

[dumb]

don't subscribe to the 'ponting at 6' idea, but if it meant hussey went #3, i'd be convinced. either 2nd innings adelaide or perth. he's the man in form, put him in the pivotal spot. would require ponting to choke down his pride though..
i like the idea of having found someone to put there who is in form, rather than doing it primarily to hide ponting away down the order.
he could quite feasibly open given katich's injury, too. would mean we look for a middle order bat to come in for perth rather than an opener.

if we're going to shuffle the bowling again, can we at least pick someone who is in form? lots of calls for copeland but you reckon it falls on deaf selector ears? not totally convinced johnson should come back in just yet.

 

[Bucking Beads]

IMO if we are going to make changes we need to bring in guys who are at the right age to play 5+ years for Australia. No point bringing in old men IMO. I'd be looking at Copeland, Marsh, Blizzard, Khawaja, Smith, Hughes, George, Hauritz and Cameron.

 

[legend166]

Did I see someone suggest Wes Robinson?

Seriously?

Are you trying to bore us all to death?