Test #5 - Changes

[Torz]

Look at some of the ages of the England squad:

Bell 31
Prior 31
Anderson 31
Trott 32
Pietersen 33
Swann 34

Onions 30
Tremlett 31

They're no spring chickens. Persist with some of these young guys and hopefully it'll pay off in time.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

We need to persist with Hughes and Smith. They have potential to be our Bell and Cook. Stop screwing around with them and let them develop. Reap the rewards later.

Feel like Australian cricket keep trying to paper over major cracks. There is no short term solution. Time to do the hard yards.

Hughes? You serious? Has the bloke learnt how to use his feet to the spinners within a week?

 

[The_Reaper]

Hughes? You serious? Has the bloke learnt how to use his feet to the spinners within a week?

Which would be why he said there were no short term solutions

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Which would be why he said there were no short term solutions

The solution of Phil Hughes is not a solution- I would rather pick Cowan or stick with Khawaja if that is the option!

 

[The_Reaper]

The solution of Phil Hughes is not a solution- I would rather pick Cowan or stick with Khawaja if that is the option!

Has Khawaja learnt to use his feet to the spinners in the last day?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Has Khawaja learnt to use his feet to the spinners in the last day?

He does it more than Hughes- not saying he is great against spin- but Hughes is dead set abysmal!

 

[The Passenger]

bombersno1 all you've said is who you would drop and not pick, are there any players you want to pick in this team?

 

[matty p]

In: Hughes, Faulkner
Out: Khawaja, Watson

 

[LukeParkerno1]

bombersno1 all you've said is who you would drop and not pick, are there any players you want to pick in this team?

For this test- No changes. Assess whether Harris is physically fit though. Ideally I would give Maddinson a go at number 3 but he isn't over there.

Now for the 1st test in Brisbane I would like to see:

Rogers
Warner
Doolan/Burns/Maddinson/Silk (whoever has the best start to the season)
Clarke
Smith
Watson
Haddin (with Hartley on standby)
Agar
Siddle
Cummins
Pattinson
12th: Starc/Bird

 

[The Speaker]

Warne in
Lyon out
That's all I could do

He just took seven wickets for the match.

 

[The Speaker]

Look at some of the ages of the England squad:

Bell 31
Prior 31
Anderson 31
Trott 32
Pietersen 33
Swann 34

Onions 30
Tremlett 31

They're no spring chickens. Persist with some of these young guys and hopefully it'll pay off in time.

Upside is that by the time of the next Ashes is England a couple of them might be gone...

 

[The_Reaper]

Upside is that by the time of the next Ashes is England a couple of them might be gone...

Next Ashes tour is in 2015.

I think they'll still be around.

 

[The Speaker]

Next Ashes tour is in 2015.

I think they'll still be around.

Swann and Pietersen have had issues with injury for a while now.

 

[Blue Dimension]

Hughes? You serious? Has the bloke learnt how to use his feet to the spinners within a week?

Had no problem v Swann when he scrapped an 80 in the first Test. You do realise Hughes was our highest run scorer on tour along with Rogers? Khawaja has averaged half of what Hughes has. Also note that Hughes batted every position from 1-6 on the tour as well. Hardly what you call stability.

Hughes and Smith need to be backed in for the long haul. Let them work on their flaws against the worlds best.

You didn't see England dropping Root or Bairstow so quickly do you?

 

[The_Reaper]

Swann and Pietersen have had issues with injury for a while now.

I think they will try and nurse them to it.

I suspect Swann will make it at least. KP probably not but I wouldn't rule him out.

It will be interesting how many of our current squad make it. Harris almost certainly won't due to injury/retirement and I'm not sure how long Clarke will go on for.

 

[LosBeatles]

In my opinion Khawaja has no chance of making it, ever. Hughes has maybe a 40 % chance of becoming a great test batsman. I wish they would have given him all 5 tests in one batting position to find out once and for all.

 

[Outshined]

Leave the batting lineup as is. Haddin...meh, he's kept reasonably well.

Bowling shouldn't change either, unless Rhino is a bit sore, in which case send him home to get ready for our Ashes series. Starc in if necessary.

 

[WATiger86]

The issue we face is that Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith - the three young batsman the selectors seem intent on building a side around - are just not up to it. They may never be. Smith and Hughes have technical issues, while Usman's would appear to be mental.

No change would be the easy option, but I'd be keen on seeing Hughes back up at 3 for the next test in favour of Khawaja and bringing in Faulker for Watson if he doesnt get up. Moving him up and down the order and in and out of the side is no good for the blokes confidence and horrible technique aside, one thing Hughes has proven over a period of time in FC cricket is an ability to churn out runs, season after season.

Now for the 1st test in Brisbane I would like to see:

Rogers
Warner
Doolan/Burns/Maddinson/Silk (whoever has the best start to the season)
Clarke
Smith
Watson
Haddin (with Hartley on standby)
Agar
Siddle
Cummins
Pattinson
12th: Starc/Bird

This is a terrible side, aside from the new blood at 3. Steve smith is not the answer for us at 5. Unless this bloke is bowling 15 overs an innings i just cant see a place for him in the side.

And why on earth would you pick Cummins over Harris and Agar over Lyon?! Harris as shown again that when fit he is the best bowler in the country. Lyon has put egg over the selectors face since his return.

Agar was in the side to bowl and take wickets. Once the afterglow of his first test knock wore off, there was not much of a player left. Not saying he's not one for the future, but is a few years off being a test quality spinner.

 

[Outshined]

I really can't see the logic behind shuffling Smith, Hughes and Khawaja around every 2-3 tests. Khawaja has suffered from being thrown in and out of the lineup every second series, while Hughes has never had the chance to nail down a consistent spot in the team.

People are willing to write these guys off before they've hit the 10 or 20 test mark, which is fine, but don't expect the replacements (whoever they are?) to do any better. As crazy as it sounds, I'd like to see us persist with the current group for at least the next 3 or so tests. Give them an extended run to prove they can do it.

 

[Scotland]

Series is well and truly done, but there's not much in the squad that is better than what is in the XI from a batting perspective.

The only players in the squad who haven't played a test are Wade and Faulkner. May as well give them a run. Watson's struggling for fitness so that's as good an excuse to get rid of him as any. Averages 35 from 45 tests with a whopping 2 centuries. Save for a purple patch in 2009/10 he's been a major disappointment for the better part of a decade. His bowling is OK but an average of 35 and a conversion rate of 2 x 100s to 20 x 50s just isn't good enough for an experienced test opener. Harris is as durable as Bruce Reid, so may as well rest him for Starc.

Warner
Rogers
Clarke (C)
Wade
Smith
Haddin (VC)
Faulkner
Starc
Siddle
Bird
Lyon

Agar (12th)

Hopefully Boof already has a head full of names of players outside the squad to come into consideration for the return series.

I'd like to see Shaun Marsh back in the fold. Huge question marks over his mental application, but at least he has some semblance of technique. Out of left field I'd like to see George Bailey's name thrown into the mix. FC record is nothing special, but has performed in ODIs for Australia and importantly looks like he has half a brain between his ears and can handle pressure situations. ODI cricket used to serve as a form of apprenticeship for test aspirants. The rise of T20 has killed the ODI innings builder, and test cricket is worse off for that.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I really can't see the logic behind shuffling Smith, Hughes and Khawaja around every 2-3 tests. Khawaja has suffered from being thrown in and out of the lineup every second series, while Hughes has never had the chance to nail down a consistent spot in the team.

People are willing to write these guys off before they've hit the 10 or 20 test mark, which is fine, but don't expect the replacements (whoever they are?) to do any better. As crazy as it sounds, I'd like to see us persist with the current group for at least the next 3 or so tests. Give them an extended run to prove they can do it.

Yes. There is no point in shuffling around the same players like they do, just ****ing stick with them for a longish period. All this piss-farting around has not meant any match wins.

Rod Marsh and Invers are smart guys and OLD guys so why are they behaving in this stupid manner over selections?

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Series is well and truly done, but there's not much in the squad that is better than what is in the XI from a batting perspective.

The only players in the squad who haven't played a test are Wade and Faulkner. May as well give them a run. Watson's struggling for fitness so that's as good an excuse to get rid of him as any. Averages 35 from 45 tests with a whopping 2 centuries. Save for a purple patch in 2009/10 he's been a major disappointment for the better part of a decade. His bowling is OK but an average of 35 and a conversion rate of 2 x 100s to 20 x 50s just isn't good enough for an experienced test opener. Harris is as durable as Bruce Reid, so may as well rest him for Starc.

Warner
Rogers
Clarke (C)
Wade
Smith
Haddin (VC)
Faulkner
Starc
Siddle
Bird
Lyon

Agar (12th)

Hopefully Boof already has a head full of names of players outside the squad to come into consideration for the return series.

I'd like to see Shaun Marsh back in the fold. Huge question marks over his mental application, but at least he has some semblance of technique. Out of left field I'd like to see George Bailey's name thrown into the mix. FC record is nothing special, but has performed in ODIs for Australia and importantly looks like he has half a brain between his ears and can handle pressure situations. ODI cricket used to serve as a form of apprenticeship for test aspirants. The rise of T20 has killed the ODI innings builder, and test cricket is worse off for that.

If he has, he's making them up from a 'name your baby' book. The players aren't there. Not at present.

 

[nick1408]

Sam Robson at Middlesex. He is making runs for fun and the Poms ar sniffing around him. Get him in the side before the Poms get him.

 

[allrighty]

Meg Lanning for Usi
Holly Ferling for Bird
Ellyse Perry for Watto.

They may not win but will be a hell of a lot more enjoyable to watch

 

[bird_man]

Faulkners batting isn't good enough to bat at 6, neither is Haddins so we can't bat him at 7. His bowling isn't quite good enough to be a front line bowler yet either. I'd play him in the ODI side but he's not up to test cricket yet until either his bowling or batting is test standard.