Changes for the 3rd Test

[Belnakor]

any suggestions for changes for the next test?

Out: Watson, Smith
In: Warner, ????

Out of ideas. Bowling attack is fine, Agar obviously struggling a bit but overall our attack has been passable.

 

[Run n Spread]

Out Watson Rogers Pattinson (inj)
In Warner/ Cowan (or fly the next best opener across (Cosgrove?????) Bird

What will happen:

Watson - won't drop due to his bowling
Rogers - In the gun
Khawaja- Will get a go due to his 50
Hughes - Don't want to drop him permanetly - Will stick with him (May have been rushed back too soon. Best thing for him would have been to spend 4 years at shield level making runs, fixing his game and coming back a complete player. Instead he is dropped and straight back in when there is a vacancy.)
Clarke- Stays
Smith- Given they may want to fix the batting and keep Watson he may go.

Side will probably be:
Cowan
Warner
Khawaja
Hughes
Clarke
Watson (allrounder)
Haddin and bowlers

Not bad with the squad they have but I reckon it may well be high noon for Watson. I see them going back to Warner and Cowan opening which may not be a bad move given the options available.

Smith I'd give another go.

Rogers -I like and was desperately unlucky not to be given more tests early in his career. A good selection and player, but was picked as a horses for courses for England given his experiences, can't fault his effort but it hasn't really worked and don't think and at nearly 36 he is the long term future or will suddenly get better.

Side I'd go

Warner
Cowan
Khawaja
Hughes
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Bird
Siddle
Harris(if fit)/if not Starc
Agar

 

[The Passenger]

Rogers I would give one more test because you can see he can soak up the deliveries and he has a bit of campaigner in him. we need that in our top order. has also been not out in two of his innings. but he still has an average below 20 so you can't keep going like that for too long.

it's impossible to know what to do with the top order. i said before the series we would be 3 for less 50 5 times during this series, and we are 3 from the first 2 tests.

the interesting one is agar. he has talent as a bowler, but the concerns were he wasn't ready for test cricket just yet. as a bowler he is struggling. he looks good as a batsmen topped off with his 98, and considering he was run out by haddin in the first dig and an incredible drs overturning in the second, you can't really be too harsh on him with the bat. we've been crying for the selectors to pick and stick with a spinner, but that theory gets really tested when the guy has 2/248 from his first 2 tests. the talent is there, and i much prefer left arm off spinners to right arm off spinners, but he needs wickets in the next test. he'll play this test.

i don't think anyone can fix this team at the selection table. the only people that can fix it are the guys in the touring squad who get selected, going out there and batting with application. our bowling is good, but still slightly inconsistent. if smith gets select he will need to bowl more overs. he looked good.

**** this series off, maybe try a few things (more overs for smith?, could you bat haddin 6 and agar 7 and play lyon. our batting is ****ed anyway?) and build towards the home series where we should (in theory) put up more a fight.

 

[Slax]

Changes

In: Bird, Warner, Wade
Out: Pattinson, Rogers, Khawaja,

Pattinson - really struggled for line in this test and with a lot of cricket to come will rest him for the 3rd test and give Bird a go.
Rogers - just doesn't look up to it. Warner has done his pennance and despite failing in the Zimbabwe match he at least has a future to look forward to where Rogers doesn't.
Khawaja - still has questions over his mental toughness. Replaced as a batsman by Haddin (who had a shocker) with Wade taking the gloves.

In the gun:
Agar - doesn't appear to be troubling the batsmen much and despite his batting he is there to take wickets on spinning decks.
Hughes - still can't handle spin bowling.

Saved by their bowling
Watson & Smith - Watson's been a much better bowler than batsman so far, whilst Smith has had one good innings.

 

[The Passenger]

i didn't even touch on watson... seems the blame is being portioned to rogers for that DRS but it doesn't change much imo. he's making it harder and harder to keep the faith in him. yeah yeah he top scored in the first innings but top scoring with 30 doesn't absolve you from **** all.

 

[The_Reaper]

Wouldn't drop Khawaja.

100 balls is the new century for Australia

 

[The Passenger]

Slax whilst i don't agree with your changes (i'm still not even sure myself), the fact you've got 3 blokes out, 2 in the gun and 2 batsmen saved by their bowling just shows where people are at with this team.

 

[Hellgood]

Not sure what to do with Agar. Had a poor test with the ball, but is there any point in dropping him? Where does that leave us for the remainder of the next 8 tests if we do? Maybe we just have to stick with him. If we do decide to drop him I'd rather us bring in another paceman (Faulkner or Bird) and take the gamble with Smith as the best that Lyon might bring is pretty much irrelevant.

I'd like to see Watson dropped, but it's kind of hard to see happening as he is playing an important role with the ball and as bad as he is going is still making more runs than other teammates. Hughes also a chance to be dropped, Smith is lucky that he bowled well, Khawaja fought reasonably well in the second innings but I am not overly convinced. Who could come in? Warner and Cowan - jesus it's a sad state of affairs. I'd rather see Voges and Katich drafted in from county cricket.

Haddin should not be in the side. There have been plenty of jokes over the years about picking specialist captains, but a specialist vice captain? ****. His keeping is not good enough, nor is his batting. Wade's not much chop, but if we are going to lose like we are we need to make sure we are learning something from our hidings. If we aren't any chance of winning whats the ****ing point of Haddin clogging up the position for the next ten tests? What happens after the home Ashes are over? Wade comes back in and gets more tests against the Paki's and Sri Lankan's and we are exactly where we bloody were at the end of last summer with Wade having no experience in the hottest cauldron of test cricket.

Australian cricket is so bloody depressing right now. What a cluster****.

 

[Kram]

Clarke, Siddle, Harris and draw the rest of the names out of a hat.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I would be very tempted to go unchanged. There is nothing to suggest any of the others will do any better. Its all very well to say that those in the team need to perform, but it should also be that those who come into the team need to have performed. Warner has done bugger all since Christmas in any form of the game, particularly first class but could squeeze in if he scores big against South Africa A.

Watson I don't think I had in the squad, much less the eleven, before the tour. But he did top score in the first innings, albeit that 30 is not a career saving score. Its hard to drop him when almost everyone else did worse.
Pattinson has had two mathces where significant periods have been poor, maybe Bird could come in for him. Then again, he has been the best performer over a decent period of time and could snap out of a bad spell at any time.

I might be tempted to bring Lyon back in for Agar, but its hardly the fault of a spinner who needs runs to play with (as both options do) that the batting crumbles.

The idea of giving Hughes the gloves in Hove and seeing if he is any worse than Haddin or Wade is desparation but has some (little) merit - if only as a sign to both Haddin and Wade that neither deserve a gig. Just put out an SOS for Chris Hartley, he can play the Sussex game and should be over any jetlag, etc, by the third Test.

I just think the batsmen don't know what is required of them. I'm not sure if there are various benchmarks, like footy coaches talking about tackle counts and the like, in place but maybe Boof needs to lay down certain quantifiable things. At least that way the batsmen will have a starting point to recognise failure. Or, perhaps they are in place an dmessing with batsmen's heads already; something has to change squad-wide. Chnaging one or two players won't fix much, if anything.

Note: I didn't see the post-lunch portion of the innings.

 

[tigs2010]

I don't even know what to do. The issue is obviously with the batting with no one valuing their wickets. The back-up being suggested is Warner. Warner! FFS the bloke values his next beer over his wicket.

At some point they need to change nearly all the batting line-up. It's infested with loser mentality. Clarke to stay and I believe Khawaja has the ability to be a good player but he appears very introverted and batting in a shit team doesn't help. Rogers to me looks like he can play but is drowning under the pressure. The rest can **** off.

Give Doolan a chance. Even give Cosgrove a crack.

Then bring in a keeper who can keep. I know we like to have one who can bat but more often than not our 2 keepers fail with the bat anyway so at least bring in a good keeper.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Give Doolan a chance. Even give Cosgrove a crack.

Potential Boof status: hiding all the pies

 

[tigs2010]

Potential Boof status: hiding all the pies

At least we could do an England and send him to the change rooms every 5 minutes so he doesn't have to field.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Reverse the batting order.

 

[Kram]

It's like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic.

**** it, at this stage being stuck with this squad I'd probably just go with the same side, let them go down with the ship.

 

[Slax]

Slax whilst i don't agree with your changes (i'm still not even sure myself), the fact you've got 3 blokes out, 2 in the gun and 2 batsmen saved by their bowling just shows where people are at with this team.

And most of them are batsmen. As a national side and in domestic cricket we need to look to young talent and promote them early. I also think that the whole 50 over domestic competition should be scrapped, no-one cares about 50 over cricket, be that domestic or international. If we did that we could start the season later and improve the quality of wickets we play on, its almost impossible to get decent wickets in Melbourne or Hobart before mid-November so the later start would help and then we could also look at pushing the test dates back a bit too with the removal of the useless 50 over games.

 

[Belnakor]

Hughes - still can't handle spin bowling.

Hughes has huge potential but i mean really - can we keep playing a guy who is absolutely hopeless against spin bowling? He struggled in India and he struggles against Swan. Can't score, can't defend. Big supporter of his, but he just has to go. Even when he made runs in the 1st test it was against the quicks.

 

[carnthemlions]

Wouldn't drop Khawaja.

100 balls is the new century for Australia

Not that it's much to go on, but he was our best batsman in this test. Can't drop him after that.

Hughes has huge potential but i mean really - can we keep playing a guy who is absolutely hopeless against spin bowling? He struggled in India and he struggles against Swan. Can't score, can't defend. Big supporter of his, but he just has to go. Even when he made runs in the 1st test it was against the quicks.

He will never be a great player of spin, but he's definitely learned to cope with it- see his performance in the 1st test.
Anyway, what's the alternative?
.............
nope, got nothin.

 

[Belnakor]

Not that it's much to go on, but he was our best batsman in this test. Can't drop him after that.

Clarke was our best of a sorry lot, but yeah can't drop him.

 

[Slax]

Hughes has huge potential but i mean really - can we keep playing a guy who is absolutely hopeless against spin bowling? He struggled in India and he struggles against Swan. Can't score, can't defend. Big supporter of his, but he just has to go. Even when he made runs in the 1st test it was against the quicks.

Agree he's not great and will never have a test average over 45, but he's still better than the next option

 

[Bucking Beads]

Watson to bat 4 or 6 or he can get dropped IMO.

Warner
Rogers
Khawaja
Watson
Clarke
Hughes
Haddin (wish we could get rid of him)
Agar (pending fitness)
Harris
Siddle
Bird/Starc

 

[eddiesmith]

Tour match will be interesting, commentators last night suggesting that each of the batsman will want another hit, the bowlers probably a rest, but then there are a couple of guys in the squad who would like a hit as well

I would probably go
Rogers, Cowan, Khawaja, Watson (c), Hughes, Faulkner, Wade, Agar, Starc, Lyon, Bird

Clarke and Haddin to have a rest, Smith probably shown enough to get a pass as well to allow someone else a hit.

All the pace bowlers to have a break, don't want Harris breaking down and Siddle has bowled well. Patto could maybe do with the practice though

Put some real meaning on the tour match, any of those from outside the last XI can get a spot if they show good form, even those left out not guaranteed a spot but they know what they are getting from them

 

[bungwahl]

You just can't keep chopping and changing.

I have been watching cricket for 40 years. I remember the 80's well, if you think this is bad, then you don't know a thing about bad cricket sides. Try going 20 test matchs WITHOUT A WIN and going for 1.5 years without a test win. THis is nothing on those days.

I will sit here and tell anyone who'll listen that Hughes will score 10 000 runs for Australia. Smith and Kwajawa will play 100 tests each. They need to be given confidence of selection. All 3 have character in spades. Pick them no matter what and tell them as much. They will all blossom in time and im confident of that.

I'd be tempted to drop Watson all together and never pick him again on the basis that his presence is just too much of a disruption. Needless to say, it has almost reached that point. Alas, maybe this time next year Watson would have played his last game across all formats. However, Watson at least deserves to have control of his destiny. Give him until January.

Bowlers are looking good. This Ahmed lad looks ok and at the very least we know he'll give it his all and not be overwhelmed.

In life you need to keep plugging away, the break will come, and we need to understand that. Most of all, when the good times return, you should enjoy them instead of bemoaning how boring cricket is when Australia wins everything as was said a few years ago.

We'll be back. Roll on the 3rd test.

Everyone needs to read this. Twice.

 

[lionbear]

My XI in batting order:

1. Rogers
2. Hughes
3. Khawaja
4. Clarke
5. Watson
6. Haddin
7. Wade (W/K)
8. Agar
9. Siddle
10. Harris
11. Bird

Haddin to play as a specialist Bat, personally I would drop him, but they want him in so I would hand the gloves over to Wade (And be asking for the best keeper availableto be flown over, don't care if he even know what a bat is)

 

[Yidaki]

Warner needs to come back in. Sure he is out of form, but at least if things are going pear-shaped, he can go madd and punch each English player in the head, particularly Root.