Changes for the 3rd Ashes Test

[Dan Cooper]

Forget about odds for Australia winning the Ashes. Matthew Campbell said on SEN this morning Sportsbet are this morning paying out on all bets made up until yesterday for Australia to win the series.

 

[eth-dog]

They didn't win for about 17 years at Lords against the Aussies, that's changed.

I'm glad that the members of the team have sounded so focused and grounded. Each match is a new start.

I reckon Johnson is probably knackered and not just physically. He hasn't bowled within himself once in these matches.

Try 71 years

 

[Slax]

They didn't win for about 17 years at Lords against the Aussies, that's changed.

I'm glad that the members of the team have sounded so focused and grounded. Each match is a new start.

I reckon Johnson is probably knackered and not just physically. He hasn't bowled within himself once in these matches.

Johnson did look a little bit flatter in the 2nd innings in Adelaide, but willing to bet is chomping at the bit to fire at the WACA. He's in career best form knows it and knows the English don't want to face him. Bowl well here and they get a full week off before Boxing Day, which as was described by Brett Lee at a sportsman night (in Sydney), there are two venues above all others that you never had a problem firing up for, Lord's because of the history & MCG on Boxing Day because of the crowd. If playing in front of 80,000 people can't get the adernalin pumping and break through any pain barrier you need to find a new job.

 

[Slax]

Try 71 years

Actually was 75 years (1934-2009), but think it was 17 tests we were unbeaten on that ground.

 

[Slax]

Just been exchanging emails with a mate who is close enough to the Australian Team to know what is going on and he says that the whole Lyon being dropped debate is laughable, this test will be played in an oven, forecast for days 1-4 is for 38C each day. Firstly you need a spinner because you can't bowl quicks in that weather for more than 4 over spells, secondly and more importantly why would we play 5 quicks? Watson has bowled very little this series, he was managed in Brisbane whilst recovering from injury and wasn't really need in Adelaide and is ready to bowl much more in Perth, bringing in Faulkner is stupidity.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

WWOS are reporting that Harris may miss this test. In that case, who comes in? I understand it will be out of Bollinger, Coulter-Nile and Faulkner. Bollinger is the most like-for-like selection, but I love what Faulkner has produced in short form cricket. Having said that, we can hopefully go in unchanged!

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

Coulter-Nile if Harris doesn't play please.

 

[dumb]

heart wants faulkner for watson, but head says no change (unless harris injured)

 

[Phone]

WWOS are reporting that Harris may miss this test. In that case, who comes in? I understand it will be out of Bollinger, Coulter-Nile and Faulkner. Bollinger is the most like-for-like selection, but I love what Faulkner has produced in short form cricket. Having said that, we can hopefully go in unchanged!

well who do you think the best bowler is

 

[Bucking Beads]

heart wants faulkner for watson, but head says no change (unless harris injured)

I don't understand how this change could work. Faulkner isn't up to batting at 3.

 

[dumb]

I don't understand how this change could work. Faulkner isn't up to batting at 3.

who said he bats at 3? faulkner to open, warner at 3.

 

[Bucking Beads]

who said he bats at 3? faulkner to open, warner at 3.

at least you've got your username spot on.

 

[Caesar]

I wish everyone would stop this Faulkner shit. He's not a top six batsman.

 

[Ducky Tie]

If Harris can't play, it's a straight swap for either Bollinher or NCN. I'd be going with NCN.

 

[damochandler]

if harris plays and we win. he won't play again in this series. his knee won't last the 5 tests

 

[dumb]

at least you've got your username spot on.

lol. i could live with bailey for faulkner as well. i'm thinking more along the lines of an extra bowler for a non-performing batsmen, just for perth.

 

[dumb]

I wish everyone would stop this Faulkner shit. He's not a top six batsman.

don't know about others, but other than my sarcastic faulkner to open, i made no mention of where he would bat. we've moved batting keepers to 6 before and you'd still have to have him below johnson. i didn't make it clear that i'd pick an extra bowler/bowling all-rounder, but i think i deserve a little more credit instead of simply assuming i am stupid enough to want to bat faulkner at 3, or indeed the top 6.

 

[frankrizzo]

We need less batting and more bowling on a bowler friendly pitch?

For all the talk about hastings lets remember we restricted SA to 225 in their first dig and it was our feeble batting that cost us the WACA test vs south africa.

Not much any bowling attack can do when your team gets rolled in it's first innings.

 

[bkozican]

Cannot wait. This is my weekend planned. Johnson will be licking his lips at this wicket. All I can say is good luck for the poms. If the Aussie's win and wrap up the series......The boxing day test will be crazy

 

[Zach Package]

Dougie in if Harris can't get up. 2 left armers to attack and 2 right armers to steady, who can also attack given the opportunity.

 

[Caesar]

don't know about others, but other than my sarcastic faulkner to open, i made no mention of where he would bat. we've moved batting keepers to 6 before and you'd still have to have him below johnson. i didn't make it clear that i'd pick an extra bowler/bowling all-rounder, but i think i deserve a little more credit instead of simply assuming i am stupid enough to want to bat faulkner at 3, or indeed the top 6.

The point is that any way you slice it, to include Faulkner in the team means you need to drop a top 6 batsman.

That is a terrible idea since the fragility of our batting is pretty much the only reason we lose matches these days. Weakening it makes no sense.

 

[damochandler]

if his knee is sore in the morning. don't risk him

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

My way of squeezing Faulkner in is as a #8 batsman, as a swap for Harris should he miss out. I agree that weakening the top 6 to include him is not the way of going about things, he is not a part of the team that we NEED, but if he is in the top 3 fast bowlers- then his batting is a bonus in my opinion.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

We need less batting and more bowling on a bowler friendly pitch?

For all the talk about hastings lets remember we restricted SA to 225 in their first dig and it was our feeble batting that cost us the WACA test vs south africa.

Not much any bowling attack can do when your team gets rolled in it's first innings.

The WACA isn't a bowler friendly pitch. It just has pace and bounce which offers something for both batsmen and bowlers.

It isn't a greentop bellreive where you roll teams for under 100.

Big scores get made at the WACA and generally at a good clip.

 

[frankrizzo]

Not a greentop but it's also not a pitch where you drop a batsmen just to give extra bowling options either, when i said it was bowler friendly it was in that context, it's not the sort of back breaking pitch where you bat your keeper at 6 to squeeze in another quick.

Lets remember we were at one point 6/45 last year on what will be a similar pitch, we need all the batting we can get for this test and 3 quicks a spinner and watson is more than enough bowling.