Changes (if any) for Melbourne

[eddiesmith]

Copeland might have got just the one tailend wicket but he bowled 18 overs for the game for just 35 runs. I suggest he bowled very well without reward. Best we get all the facts. In his previous 10 games he has 59 wickets at an average of 18.8, strike rate of 44, economy rate of 2.5. I'm thinking his form is pretty good.

Let's look at Siddle now. One wicket for about 250 since the hat-trick and that luckily fell off Prior's body. Good reason why he bowled a lot less overs. 20 Tests, 67 wickets, average 32.68, strike rate of 63.5 could be why.

15 tests, 50 wickets, average 34.04, strike rate of 66.56

Yet gets 31 overs for the game

Hmm, maybe you should try another argument

 

[The 747]

I wouldn't bother Eddie, he just hates Siddle for some reason.

Any excuse to bash Siddle will do for JTG. If Siddle is doing well he bashes MJ, if MJ does well he bashes Siddle. On his happy days he can bag them both.

 

[Phone]

I wouldn't bother Eddie, he just hates Siddle for some reason.

I think it's got something to do with the consistently below test standard performances

 

[Jascave]

I'd probably stick with the 12 that won in Perth, and make no changes to the starting XI either. However, it'll be interesting to see what England would come up with now. The decision by the Australian selectors to rotate the bowlers might be starting to pay dividends. England, on the other hand, doesn't have that luxury, and really misses Stuart Broad. Also, another thing is that England doesn't have a geniune all-rounder ie Andrew Flintoff.

 

[eddiesmith]

I think it's got something to do with the consistently below test standard performances

Yet no one cares about Hilfenhaus who is the worst off all current Australian test bowlers

No, its just hate

Interesting to see that despite playing 1 less test, Hilfy has only bowled 1 less over for the entire series, we can see that Ricky loves his state team mate with Xavier Doherty the next best for overs bowled

 

[Hellgood]

Yet no one cares about Hilfenhaus who is the worst off all current Australian test bowlers

No, its just hate

Interesting to see that despite playing 1 less test, Hilfy has only bowled 1 less over for the entire series, we can see that Ricky loves his state team mate with Xavier Doherty the next best for overs bowled

Hilfenhaus bowled superbly in Perth. Beat the bat countless times, deserved many more wickets than he got.

 

[eddiesmith]

Hilfenhaus bowled superbly in Perth. Beat the bat countless times, deserved many more wickets than he got.

Funny argument that one, I remember when Siddle was defended by some for bowling like that and everyone got shot down and just bring out his record

Obviously Hilfenhaus beats the bat alot and deserves so many more wickets given his record....

 

[happy_eagle]

Hilfenhaus moves the ball, and looks threatening
Siddle just runs in and delivers, and if that dosnt work, he bowls short

 

[Badesumofu]

If you can't see that Hilfenhaus bowled far, far better than Siddle in Perth, then you are basically blind, or it was your first time watching Cricket. Or maybe just Victorian coloured glasses. As for being Tasmanian team-mates, I'd wager that Ponting and Hilfenhaus have played many more first class matches together for Australia than they have for Tasmania. Both Ponting and Johnson gave Hilfenhaus credit for his contribution to Mitch's wickets in the first innings, and rightly so.

Siddle has bowled 2 good spells this series. You don't know what you will get with him. With Johnson and Harris in form as strike bowlers, Siddle's value is marginal. He seems to have some talent, but I think he really needs some more time playing Shield Cricket to work on consistency. He has heart, but it takes more than that to be a Test-standard bowler.

 

[mattymac]

piddle bowls poo

 

[Goldencats]

Siddle on how Eng might attack Ponting - "well they will prob bowl bouncers at him but I don't know if that's the best option to bowl to Ricky Ponting so I don't know how they are going to attack him too much"

Is Sids on crack when he says that? Hasn't he seen the struggles Punter has endured with the short ball over the last year or so?

 

[Lamp]

In fairness he's hardly going to say that it's a fantastic idea which Ponting will be unable to cope with.

 

[Tyberious Funk]

I just can't figure out why people defend Siddle.

He doesn't move the ball off the pitch. He doesn't swing the ball. He doesn't get awkward bounce. He isn't blisteringly fast. The only consistent defence I've seen for Siddle is that Hilfenhaus is worse... which quite frankly is a non sequitur.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

I remember Greg Chappell saying before the series started that "Peter Siddle had a big role to play in the Ashes." I remember thinking as what, drinks waiter?

Siddle's best asset is that he doesn't give up and runs in hard all day. But given the option of playing him, Hilfenhaus, Copeland, Starc (when fit) and Hazelwood (when fit) I would choose the latter three first.

At this point in time, I would be playing Copeland and Hauritz in Melbourne instead of Hilfenhaus and Siddle. Hilfenhaus may swing the ball but he is very predictable. There is little variation to his bowling.

 

[Jimthegreat]

15 tests, 50 wickets, average 34.04, strike rate of 66.56

Yet gets 31 overs for the game

Hmm, maybe you should try another argument

The difference is Hilfenhaus applies pressure to the bats with accurate bowling, as we saw in the last Test where he virtually set up Johnson and Harris with alot pressure.You were watching the cricket weren't you? Try another argument if you were as most of your's have nothing of substance. Besides, I'd still prefer Copeland to both of them.

You're mate has been shown time and again to bowl rubbish. You're obviously a relative of Peter Siddle.

 

[The 747]

Just wondering how many of the posters calling for Copeland THE MAGNIFICENT have actually seen him bowl and can say he is definetly the real deal who will succeed at Test level?

Cos I remember it was an outrage Siddle was picked ahead of Bollinger, Bollinger was the saviour.......Bollinger suddenly forgotten (because he is not fit enough) in favour of Copeland THE MAGNIFICENT.

I suppose at some point Peter George will become the saviour, then James Falkner or whoever.

 

[eddiesmith]

If you can't see that Hilfenhaus bowled far, far better than Siddle in Perth, then you are basically blind, or it was your first time watching Cricket. Or maybe just Victorian coloured glasses. As for being Tasmanian team-mates, I'd wager that Ponting and Hilfenhaus have played many more first class matches together for Australia than they have for Tasmania. Both Ponting and Johnson gave Hilfenhaus credit for his contribution to Mitch's wickets in the first innings, and rightly so.

Siddle has bowled 2 good spells this series. You don't know what you will get with him. With Johnson and Harris in form as strike bowlers, Siddle's value is marginal. He seems to have some talent, but I think he really needs some more time playing Shield Cricket to work on consistency. He has heart, but it takes more than that to be a Test-standard bowler.

So when Hilfenhaus bowls well he is putting on pressure but still doesnt get wickets

When Siddle bowls well he takes a bag of wickets

When any bowler has a bad day they will get belted