The Ashes squad

[lionbear]

As I hit submit my two ins go in two balls

Wont change my mind though

 

[CAS79]

Chanel 9 NSW commentators certainly upping the anti for Smith to be an in.

Considering Englands battle with leg spinners I don't think the teams as settled as Doherty in as some people may think.

 

[lionbear]

I honeslty can't seeing us winning the Ashes with that 11, I think in 12 months time the starting 11 will look alot different to the 11 we see this week.

What is even more worrying this is the first time in a long time I have seen England rip through an Australia 11 (1st or 2nd 11) down here, they do look the goods.

 

[lionbear]

Chanel 9 NSW commentators certainly upping the anti for Smith to be an in.

One of the rare times I don't mind the NSW commentators talking up their own

 

[Chris25]

Doherty is no improvement on Hauritz. It just seems like change for the sake of change. Would have been fair more impressive had they dropped Haddin, Hussey or North (the three who should have been at risk). I don't like Hauritz. But it just seems like a weird decision to drop your #1 spinner of the past couple of years, in favour of a guy with an average record just because he bowls left handed.

I wonder who the spinner will be at the Adelaide Oval in the second match, smart money would have to be on Doherty being dropped....

 

[Bradesmaen]

Great to see Xavier Doherty given a go. He brings in youth and excitement plus his form has been good

Youth? Is Australian cricket in such a dire state that 28 years of age (2 days away) is "youth"?

 

[CAS79]

Xavier Doherty, the man who makes Ashley Giles look like Derek Underwood, is in the squad. Even Kevvo couldn't get out to some who was a FC Bowl AV of 48 could he?, Left armed spinner or not

If you remove Hauritz test bowling, and a number of his wickets came against a suspect Pakistan, his FC average is around 50.

You don't read to much into raw figures for Australian spinners from shield cricket.

 

[CAS79]

Doherty is no improvement on Hauritz. It just seems like change for the sake of change. Would have been fair more impressive had they dropped Haddin, Hussey or North (the three who should have been at risk). I don't like Hauritz. But it just seems like a weird decision to drop your #1 spinner of the past couple of years, in favour of a guy with an average record just because he bowls left handed.

I wonder who the spinner will be at the Adelaide Oval in the second match, smart money would have to be on Doherty being dropped....

What part of Doherty's shield record is worse than his counterparts in Hauritz and Smith in the same competition? And he doesn't get to bowl at the SCG?

I can handle the opinion but the stats people are relying on are starting to tell fibs.

 

[Chris25]

I said average record, because I thought people would get more upset if I said average player. Which he is in my opinion. He tries hard, but he just isn't international standard. I'm not saying Hauritz or Smith should be playing at all. They are all as average as each other.

Doherty is just the latest stop gap solution, while the selectors pray for someone to step up and make the decision for them. I have nothing against him, I just think he'll be another Casson.

Personally, I'd take Steve O'Keefe. Like the others, he isn't a world beater but he looks to be the best of an average lot.

 

[dan warna]

^^

I'd be more likely to throw o'keefe to the wolves than persist with horrorwitless.

Give o'keefe 2 or 3 seasons even.

Smith, let the kid bat and forget his bowling except as a change up like pup or katich or the way the White used hodge, hussey etc.

 

[CAS79]

I said average record, because I thought people would get more upset if I said average player. Which he is in my opinion. He tries hard, but he just isn't international standard. I'm not saying Hauritz or Smith should be playing at all. They are all as average as each other.

Doherty is just the latest stop gap solution, while the selectors pray for someone to step up and make the decision for them. I have nothing against him, I just think he'll be another Casson.

Personally, I'd take Steve O'Keefe. Like the others, he isn't a world beater but he looks to be the best of an average lot.

Your correct in regards to Test cricket he is a stop gap solution while Smith matures he will replace them both, but there is a risk to play a spinner before there ready as it can end in some confidence battering.

What Doherty can do well is dry up a scoring rate and his recent form in all aspects of the game has been good.

 

[aussie1st]

But it just seems like a weird decision to drop your #1 spinner of the past couple of years, in favour of a guy with an average record just because he bowls left handed.

Not the first time, Casson was dropped because he was a left arm wrist spinner, he was alright in his debut certainly not the worst and not enough to drop him but he was dropped because of his bowling arm.

 

[Phone]

Said elsewhere a couple of days ago:

"Anyway, the test team they could realistically send out that would lead to me conceding the game before a ball has even been bowled

Katich
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Doherty
Siddle
Hilf"


You know what? Despite preparing myself for the worse I still feel like jumping into a suicide booth.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

If Doherty is named spinner - North should be dropped for Smith

We would have needed (well perhaps not at the gabba) North if we were to pick OKeefe or Smith as the spinner.

However if Doherty is the spinner - then he bowls a tidy line and is less likely to be belted out of the attack!

 

[Cousin Jed]

The old defensive left arm spinner.

Straight out of the England play book.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

The old defensive left arm spinner.

Straight out of the England play book.

Indeed it is - and it bites.

Not that i think we need a spinner at the Gabba if North plays - but if we are going to pick one - i'd rather be bold and pick o'keefe.

Doherty has shown over a number of years he is pedestrian - and that's being kind. (North has a better bowling record)

 

[Phone]

i'd rather bring colin miller out of retirement than play doherty tbh

 

[Thunderstruck]

Not sure on Smith or Siddle. I'd be playing Ryan Harris but obviously they see different.

Happy with Doherty, but that's about it. Siddle has had a pretty good ride...

 

[Cleavy]

Not sure on Smith or Siddle. I'd be playing Ryan Harris but obviously they see different.

they're managing his fitness.

 

[amer]

Not sure on Smith or Siddle. I'd be playing Ryan Harris but obviously they see different.

Happy with Doherty, but that's about it. Siddle has had a pretty good ride...

He'd be right in calculations if not for the knee issue.

 

[triplejdude]

I'd be furious if they played Siddle. A guy who bangs it in hard and huffs and puffs a lot can only go so far. Dougeh is a far better option.

 

[BACCS]

So, from this 13 man squad, the 12 for Brisbane is likely to be:

1. Shane Watson
2. Simon Katich
3. Ricky Ponting (c)
4. Michael Clarke
5. Mike Hussey
6. Marcus North
7. Brad Haddin (wk)
8. Mitchell Johnson
9. Xavier Doherty
10. Ben Hilfenhaus
11. Peter Siddle

12th Steve Smith

Bollinger will be in there over Siddle, that looked pretty obvious after reading the article on cricinfo I thought.

 

[lionbear]

I'd be furious if they played Siddle. A guy who bangs it in hard and huffs and puffs a lot can only go so far. Dougeh is a far better option.

I think Dougeh is also just someone who huffs and puffs and bangs it in hard as well. He just gets alot more overs then anyone else so he would want to take wickets with that opportunity.

 

[Cleavy]

The Victorian in me cannot even agree with picking Siddle over Bollinger.

 

[Phone]

i think everyone is forgetting how much ponting loves siddle. and ponting (seemingly) gets the final say.