Changes for Perth

[LukeParkerno1]

O'Keefe is the better bowler too. I just don't understand how he can perform at state level with a bowling average of 24, be picked and perform against England in the A game, and then be totally ignored in favour of someone who has a bowling average of 40 odd.

I know he hasn't been getting much of a run with NSW, but other than Warne, he's probably the best we've got. And if they weren't going to revert to Hauritz, it should've certainly been SOK.

NSW have killed SOK's chances. Lets be honest here, as good as Henriques has been, what was the point in him playing? He aint going to be picked in the test side. NSW could have easily played Smith, O'Keefe and Hauritz in the same side.

Personally I am on the Cameron Boyce bandwagon though

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

why pick the side so far out, was Fergs innings today worthless as they must of already picked the side.

When will the selectors be accountable for their actions? So much flak is thrown on the players and probably rightly so but surely there has to be an overhaul of the selectors who have allowed this situation.

I hope we continue to get our arses handed to us this series, hopefully then we can have a clean out of our whole system, too much back slaping and resting on our laurels I think.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Never heard of Michael Neser, but he has 4 for 29 against WA at the moment and has test hope Shaun Marsh out.

Expect Neser to play in the 4th test.

He's not from NSW and We've already played a GABBA test.

 

[amer]

It's good that the selectors didn't panic !!

Hauritz performed well for a while at test level and shows he belongs there. He has a form slump, is sent back to Shield cricket to find form. Bowls well and takes wickets, scores a century in the next game and is overlooked for another spinner that has not proved himself at first class level for any length of time.

At his best, Johnson is still Australia's best bowler but he should not be resting at the moment. He should be playing for WA and getting some rythm back.

I have watched with envy over the years, Australia doing so much right while England blundered their way through season after season with seemingly no long term plan. Now Australia is imploding with ridiculous knee jerk reactions to problems and strange decisions like resting a bowler 2 matches in a row when he is struggling for form.

I don't know why you're posting like you know how good/bad Michael Beer is. He is not a kneejerk selection, get that through the old Pentium 3.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Expect the HS to run with "Cold Beer" if he doesn't go well.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Expect the HS to run with "Cold Beer" if he doesn't go well.

And if he does go well.. "Victoria Bitter"

 

[PowerForGood]

Staggered - dumbfounded - amazed...

Just when you thought it couldn't, Australian Cricket sinks to a new low.

Just how does someone with 5 first class matches, a best bowling of 3/39 (with numbers 10 and 11 two of the three), make the Australian team?

Are we really that bad? Really? Maybe he's just a really good fieldsman, and we've picked a specialist 12th man who doesn't have to travel to the WACA? Hell, Aaron O'Brien has taken 10 wickets at 41 this year....

Or Phil Hughes, averaging some ridiculously low number, horribly out of form, couldn't make the football-team sized squad at the start of the Ashes, and somehow is our 3rd best opener?

And yet form players like David Hussey, Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja can't get Marcus North's spot.
Form bowlers like George, Copeland or Cameron can't get a paceman's spot?

WTF?

 

[Phone]

O'Keefe is the better bowler too. I just don't understand how he can perform at state level with a bowling average of 24, be picked and perform against England in the A game, and then be totally ignored in favour of someone who has a bowling average of 40 odd.

I know he hasn't been getting much of a run with NSW, but other than Warne, he's probably the best we've got. And if they weren't going to revert to Hauritz, it should've certainly been SOK.

MJ hasn't been playing lately either.....

 

[Cleavy]

Expect the HS to run with "Cold Beer" if he doesn't go well.

and "warm beer" or "beer run" if he does?

 

[krusden]

So you weaken another position..lets not forget Hussey has barely opened for 4 years! He is the only one in form, lets not stuff him around. Marsh is seen as a no4, and I agree. But at the moment we have Clarke/Hussey in those positions. As I said I would have Marsh at 6 though instead of Smith.

i think huss will retire after this series along with kat so bringing in marsh at 4 and opening with huss against the english means that post series we will have a vancant position at the top of the order that hughes can fill.

if huss went and kat not, then watto can drop down the order for hughes > series.

it's just, if hughes fails against the poms again the poor bugger is stuffed.

 

[matty p]

Surely with this squad we'll be playing the 4 quicks plus Smith.

The Beer selection is possibly the worst move the selectors have ever made. 16 wickets at 40 in 5 matches with a batting average of 3.50. How can he possibly be ahead of O'Keefe who has 37 wickets at 25 in 10 matches with a much better economy rate and strike rate than Beer, not to mention a batting average of 51.33? Absolutely mind-boggling selection.

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

And if he does go well.. "Victoria Bitter"

Good work.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

I cannot believe Beer has been picked. Hauritz takes 10 wickets and scores a ton in two Shield games yet a guy who couldn't get a game for Victoria for three years, plays five Shield matches with mediocre performances, get picked. What planet are we living on?

Don't even start me on how out of form Hughes and how Smith is not a no.6.

 

[Phone]

Surely with this squad we'll be playing the 4 quicks plus Smith.

If 3 seamers + Watson isn't working 4 seamers + Watson won't....Beer's playing.

 

[Damon_3388]

Steve Smith's bowling so far this Shield season - 18 wickets, 26.72 average, 40.44 strike rate, 3.96 economy rate. Let him be the main spinner!

 

[Plugger35]

and "warm beer" or "beer run" if he does?

"Beer loses his head" when he abuses the batsmen or plays a rash shot when batting.

 

[The 747]

Re: Putting all our eggs in the Smith basket?

And how the heck is Siddle's 0/120 off 30 overs, economy rate of 4.03 the freaking pick of our bowlers???!!

Seeing as you keep posting it, I will answer you. They said Harris and Siddle were the pick of our bowlers, meaning simply that Dougeh and Doherty were worse than Siddle. Do you understand this?

 

[Bradesmaen]

I used to think that the Baggy Green was something to be cherished, only the elite get it. But this will be number 19 in 30 months and 7 of them will have been given to "Spinners". Staggering, we're starting to become like England. Theyve been playing slightly longer but have 200 more players than us.

 

[matty p]

If 3 seamers + Watson isn't working 4 seamers + Watson won't....Beer's playing.

I agree that it won't work, but it's still better than playing Beer. I just can't fathom that selection.

 

[PowerForGood]

Hughes is not a terrible selection. Who else could have got the gig? Marsh is not an option because he doesn't open. Hussey's not an option because he doesn't open. He's also towards the end of his career now, not the time to be promoting him to opener.

What a pity that the best alternate choice also happens to have hit poor form, after making 1200 runs at 70 and 800 runs at 63 the last two seasons....

 

[LukeParkerno1]

i think huss will retire after this series along with kat so bringing in marsh at 4 and opening with huss against the english means that post series we will have a vancant position at the top of the order that hughes can fill.

if huss went and kat not, then watto can drop down the order for hughes > series.

it's just, if hughes fails against the poms again the poor bugger is stuffed.

That line of thinking is where I have the issue. Why not get someone to learn to face the best bowlers around. If Hussey is going to retire, we have a zillion middle order batsmen to come in. We don't have that many openers, lets back the one guy who averages 54 in test cricket. Sure he aint in form, but neither are any other openers. Hughes won't be stuffed if he fails.

 

[Ron]

Re: Putting all our eggs in the Smith basket?

Seeing as you keep posting it, I will answer you. They said Harris and Siddle were the pick of our bowlers, meaning simply that Dougeh and Doherty were worse than Siddle. Do you understand this?

i think Dougy was better than Siddle, he at least got a wicket, and should have had 2 early on if Huss didn't drop that sitter. But he wasn't that much better, both were fairly ordinary.

 

[wotdoiput]

Surely a cleanout of the coaches and selectors is needed after The Ashes.

 

[Drummond]

Re: Putting all our eggs in the Smith basket?

Seeing as you keep posting it, I will answer you. They said Harris and Siddle were the pick of our bowlers, meaning simply that Dougeh and Doherty were worse than Siddle. Do you understand this?

Ummm how about if they speak the truth. "Harris and Watson were the pick of our bowlers. Siddle would want to respond in Perth after a disappointing match".

Facts.

 

[legend166]

I cannot believe Beer has been picked. Hauritz takes 10 wickets and scores a ton in two Shield games yet a guy who couldn't get a game for Victoria for three years, plays five Shield matches with mediocre performances, get picked. What planet are we living on?

Don't even start me on how out of form Hughes and how Smith is not a no.6.

No, please go on. Explain how Smith is not a number 6.

He's clearly a very talented batsman. Scoring four centuries in a season with an average of 77 should tell you that.


Disregarding that argument though, if our options are Smith at 6 and Beer as the specialist spinner, or Smith as the spinner and Beer not playing, give me the latter every day of the week. Then that opens up an extra spot for Khawaja/Ferguson/Marsh. That would lengthen the batting and we'd lose nothing in the bowling department.

I wouldn't usually play Smith as the specialist spinner, but if the other option is Beer, it makes sense.