Changes for the Second Test @ The Adelaide Oval

[King Elvis]

OUT: North, Johnson

IN: Smith, Harris

On their last chance: Hilfenhaus

Smith for North - strengthens out batting and our bowling.

Doug or Harris for Johnson.

 

[dan warna]

Lot of love for McKay but he is very good at cornering batsman with restrictive bowling he's not a smash em over bowler.

He'd be a good no.3 or no.4 paceman, however we don't have a smash'em over bowler atm

 

[Marklar_33]

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke (White if Clarke inj.)
Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Doherty
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Adds to our bowling, gets rid of the cancer that is Marcus North, and Johnson needs to find someone who can teach him how to bowl...not just to sling thunderbolts down the pitch

Hilfy stays...McKay and Harris are not of Hilfy's calibre...no need for change for changes sake

 

[Hellgood]

Harris in for Johnson must be done.

Harris is in form, Johnson is terribly out of it (or just terrible). The obvious choice, Harris had the golden touch last summer (and in NZ), has experience at Adelaide Oval and as a bonus can bat a little.

I suppose Doherty stays but has been pretty ineffective, either him or Hauritz, going to get a similar result.

If Clarke isn't fit, don't f*cking play him! Painful for everyone watching the horror show that was his innings. If he isn't fit toss a coin between Khawaja and Ferguson.

Not sure what to do with North. Had many chances, but I can't see him being dropped.

 

[Selective Retention]

RE dropping Johnson - who would be the last high profile player to get the axe mid series?

 

[The Passenger]

i'd have either Bolly or Harris in for Johnson. Wait to see how Bolly performs tomorrow before we make a decision. It should take something big from Johnson tomorrow to save his skin, but i don't think he'll be dropped for the second test regardless.

As for McKay i just don't see him being a test bowler. He's a good solid bowler and i think could be a very good ODI bowler because he bowls a pretty tight line. but he's pretty pedestrian in pace and quality batsmen shouldn't have too much trouble handling him when they don't have run rate pressure to worry about.

I don't mind Doherty and i don't think his FC average of 48 is a true reflection of him as a bowler, but it's hard to see him winning us too many tests. He has zero variety in his bowling which is what hurts him more than anything. Spins the ball more than Hauritz however that is really no trouble.

Moving to the batting the two trouble spots ar Clarke's fitness and North's shitness...

Clarke and the med team should be hauled over the coals for him playing. Clearly unfit and shouldn't have played and it's going to be really hard to see him being fit for adelaide. you'd have to think there is no point in him being on the field tomorrow. We can put a 12th man in and either we don't get them out so we don't bat, or if we bat, he's probably going to be of little help to the team.

New blood should've been bought in for North some time ago... It'll be so frustrating if he comes out and cracks a ton in the second test and then follows it up with three more shit tests which is a massive chance of happening.

Unfortunately all the middle order options have question marks - Smith (recent form, technique and readyness for test cricket), Khawaja and Ferguson (recent form) and White (technique).... probably White should be first in line out of those lads just because of his solid record for Victoria over the past 3 or 4 seasons...

If Dave Hussey hadn't been completely ignored for so long he'd be a great option (and he still is to be honest) but as it stands there is no chance the selectors will pick him.

So as it stands now

change 1
In; bollinger or harris
out; johnson (needs a big day tomorrow to save himself... and not just taking 3/80 over the course of the day as the match drags along to a draw... but a 4 or a 5 wicket haul that gives our batsmen some shot at pulling off a run chase)

change 2
in; white
out; clarke (if unfit) or north (if clarke fit)

possible change 3 if clarke is ruled
in; khawaja or ferguson
out; north (possibly dropped regardless however two new faces going straight into the middle order could be some concern....)

 

[Simmonds2Hislop]

What's going on with Brett Lee? Is he fit? Has he still got it?

Similar question, what happened to Stuart Clark?

He was bowling really well then just seemed to disappear. Was it injury? Age? Form?

 

[saint_larry]

RE dropping Johnson - who would be the last high profile player to get the axe mid series?

Hauritz during last ashes?

As huge a dud North is, I would have him in adelaide, solely because of his bowling.
Last i checked, by a mile the flattest pitch in australia, probably the flattest in the southern hemisphere. Keep north in just to bowl, and keep it tight enough. Otherwise, the pace bowlers bodies will be shot to hell.
Smith on the adelaide deck would leak far too many runs, clarke cant bowl, katich cant bowl.

 

[Bomber Bears]

Well the main thing is he was never quite the same after his elbow injury unfortunately.

He also apparently had a big falling out with selectors (and with pretty good reason from Clarks point of view, they ****ed around with his and others Ashes prep in England last year).

 

[Bomber Bears]

I dont think Hauritz really counts, not that high profile. Cant really think of one, we werent really troubled for 8 series in a row, 05 they never found the testes to drop Hayden, Katich or Clarke, ditto 09 with Hussey/Johnson (although they sacraficed Hughes).

 

[CAS79]

out: North, Johnson

In: Smith, Bollinger.

Smiths batting even as a youngster is offering more than North and his bowling clearly does. I have no trouble with the message for Doherty to be put on notice even after one test to fix his length for test cricket.

Johnson's form is self explanatory.

 

[Selective Retention]

Hauritz during last ashes?

LOL not exactly the calibre of player I'm after with my question.

It's going to be a massive statement call if it happens.

The only recent one like that sticks out in my memory is Martyn but that was after the 05 ashes not mid series.

 

[frankrizzo]

Clark is a annoying one, he set up our only victory in the last ashes, he like all the quicks struggled at the oval and then bang they end his test career.

1 great game 1 average game and that's it he's done.

Hilditch clearly never rated clark, he was looking for any flimsy reason not to pick him and when he did finally get picked and perform it only took on average test to flick him again.

 

[Selective Retention]

There is Symonds I guess, but slightly different circumstances involved there.

 

[The Passenger]

part of the problem with the conservative approach we've taken to a team that's been in poor form is we've been backed into a corner where our potential replacements are all inexperienced so to bringing in multiple back ups into such a big series is a huge ask.

For about two years there have been big questions over the bowling and for about a year there has been big question marks over the batting, but we haven't really even attempted to address either of them.... If you look at all the potential guys you could bring into the team not in this test only two (Hauritz and Bolly) have made it to double figures in tests played and one of those is clearly questionable at test level.

So we either go with the team that's won one series against good quality in the past two years, or we bring in a load of inexperience and hope they swim....

 

[deeman12]

LOL not exactly the calibre of player I'm after with my question.

It's going to be a massive statement call if it happens.

The only recent one like that sticks out in my memory is Martyn but that was after the 05 ashes not mid series.

Jason Gillesepie was the last to be cut mid-series.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

The problem with dropping North - is he is looking like our country's best spinner. He bowled with good loop and control - and looked more threatening than Doherty.

We will need two guys who can spin the ball at Adelaide. Katich and Clarke won't be able to (due to injury) - so if we drop North - only Smith can replace him.

 

[Mindtraveller]

warne to assistant coach!

As for the team, Johnson out for Harris (Harris is taking wickets, Johnson has no control atm)

Clarke shouldn't be playing. His back is probably effecting him more than we see on TV. Anyone know how much time his actually spent off the field? Maybe bring in Smith for clarke and move haddin up the order? Otherwise unless you play for NSW you probably won't get picked. Im hoping White, he showed in the Australia A he can bat but i don't know how much he bowls now.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

OUT: Doherty, North

In: Harris, Khawaja

Reasons: Why should we play a full time spinner when they are all awful. Hauritz is the best, but is still poor, O'Keefe is not ready yet, and Smith is a batsman. Harris is the best quick outside the squad in the best form, he is a certainty, and Khawaja deserves an opportunity at 6.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

LOL not exactly the calibre of player I'm after with my question.

It's going to be a massive statement call if it happens.

The only recent one like that sticks out in my memory is Martyn but that was after the 05 ashes not mid series.

Philip Hughes in the last Ashes series is a pretty big name.

 

[eddiesmith]

OUT: Doherty, North

In: Harris, Khawaja

Reasons: Why should we play a full time spinner when they are all awful. Hauritz is the best, but is still poor, O'Keefe is not ready yet, and Smith is a batsman. Harris is the best quick outside the squad in the best form, he is a certainty, and Khawaja deserves an opportunity at 6.

Cool so no spin bowler to take up any overs when out in the field for 120+ overs, any chance you are really Andrew Hilditch or is too much of a dream to think it might happen?

 

[The Falcon Strike]

For mine - and this is purely for Adelaide

out doherty, MJ

in O'keefe and harris/bollinger

we don't have the talent to simply pick the same bowlers for every pitch.

O'keefe and North provide us with our best wrist and finger spinning options for Adelaide

We need a new ball bowler to accompany Hilfenhaus. Siddle can do the deck hitting after it has stopped swinging.

 

[Damon_3388]

Clark is a annoying one, he set up our only victory in the last ashes, he like all the quicks struggled at the oval and then bang they end his test career.

1 great game 1 average game and that's it he's done.

Hilditch clearly never rated clark, he was looking for any flimsy reason not to pick him and when he did finally get picked and perform it only took on average test to flick him again.

Disappointing thing is, his career test figures are better than any Australian pace bowler playing in the first test (even when taking first innings stats into account), and certainly compares favourably with what guys like Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris and Clint McKay have produced so far as well:

• Stuart Clark - 23.86 average, 94 wickets, 54.74 strike rate, 2.61 economy rate
• Ben Hilfenhaus - 31.65 average, 49 wickets, 60.20 strike rate, 3.03 economy rate
• Peter Siddle - 29.48 average, 66 wickets, 58.47 strike rate, 3.03 economy rate
• Mitchell Johnson - 29.46 average, 166 wickets, 53.98 strike rate, 3.27 economy rate
• Shane Watson - 28.24 average, 41 wickets, 54.07 strike rate, 3.13 economy rate
• Doug Bollinger - 23.79 average, 49 wickets, 45.45 strike rate, 3.14 economy rate
• Ryan Harris - 23.00 average, 9 wickets, 47.00 strike rate, 2.93 economy rate

Considering his great record in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, there could be a case made for Clark to still be representing Australia in all three forms of the game.

O'keefe and North provide us with our best wrist and finger spinning options for Adelaide

O'Keefe and North are both finger spinners.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

O'Keefe and North are both finger spinners.

Indeed - i was thinking spinning both ways - and got a little confused!

 

[eddiesmith]

Disappointing thing is, his career test figures are better than any Australian pace bowler playing in the first test (even when taking first innings stats into account), and certainly compares favourably with what guys like Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris and Clint McKay have produced so far as well:

• Stuart Clark - 23.86 average, 94 wickets, 54.74 strike rate, 2.61 economy rate
• Ben Hilfenhaus - 31.65 average, 49 wickets, 60.20 strike rate, 3.03 economy rate
• Peter Siddle - 29.48 average, 66 wickets, 58.47 strike rate, 3.03 economy rate
• Mitchell Johnson - 29.46 average, 166 wickets, 53.98 strike rate, 3.27 economy rate
• Shane Watson - 28.24 average, 41 wickets, 54.07 strike rate, 3.13 economy rate
• Doug Bollinger - 23.79 average, 49 wickets, 45.45 strike rate, 3.14 economy rate
• Ryan Harris - 23.00 average, 9 wickets, 47.00 strike rate, 2.93 economy rate

Considering his great record in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, there could be a case made for Clark to still be representing Australia in all three forms of the game.



O'Keefe and North are both finger spinners.

Averaged 34 the last 2 FC seasons, is old and finished