The Ashes

[Benwah83]

Warner should miss the next game as well while he's attempting to scrape together something resembling form and humility.

I think he's being shipped of to SA/Zimbabwe with the Aus A squad for the time being. He better lose that grotty mo before he gets back.

Can't see the point of ringing in massive changes for the second test. It's about time we picked a squad and just stuck with it - no chopping and changing unless absolutely necessary. The top order batting is a worry but I can't see any real changes that can be made to definitively stiffen it up.

 

[Cannon82]

I think he's being shipped of to SA/Zimbabwe with the Aus A squad for the time being. He better lose that grotty mo before he gets back.

Can't see the point of ringing in massive changes for the second test. It's about time we picked a squad and just stuck with it - no chopping and changing unless absolutely necessary. The top order batting is a worry but I can't see any real changes that can be made to definitively stiffen it up.

Yeah, the Aus A game starts at the same time as the 2nd test I think. Given Warner has only played one dayers (badly) and the IPL Twenty20 recently, it'd be ridiculous to select him. It's a shame to say it but he's one of the more talented bats we have around the squad these days so the longer he spends out having to chew over his stupidity, the better he and hopefully Aus will be for it.

Agree re: changes. If no one is banging down the door with runs then keep trucking on. Would like to see Cowan go but he might scrape around and get 40 odd and do just enough to hang on to his spot for a few matches, then do something similar again, etc and end up scraping through the series with an average of 20 without having contributed anything meaningful.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

I saw almost none of the match so I can't comment too much, but I would not change anything yet.

Give Cowan another crack at least, he deserves it and throwing Hughes back to #3 would be a terrible idea. The other option would be bringing Khawaja in at 3, could work but tough gig for a young bloke.

Haddin stays, he's a better keeper than Wade and a more reliable bat (which isn't saying much),

Leave the bowling alone for now, Starc has never played consecutive Tests before so give him the chance to build up some confidence and rhythm without having to worry about that damn rotation policy. I wouldn't have picked Agar for the first test but now that he's there he deserves a few games. Why they threw Lyon out in such terrible fashion is beyond me. The bloke can bowl.

I guess that's just how I thought it should happen at the start of the series.

I do think that having Cowan bat at no.3 is up there with the worst ideas in the history of test cricket.

Every other number 3 in world cricket is a quality batsman and/or an stroke player.

And Haddin isn't a better keeper then Wade IMO, I think everyone's just forgotten how bad Haddin was

 

[jhong]

Having the 1st and 2nd Tests back to back is not a great idea for us . Gives no-one a chance to force their way into the team . So i guess they will not make any changes . I just don't see our batting line-up (top order)making enough runs to win a Test over there .

 

[Cannon82]

Cowan is a terrible #3. He's a really bad test batsman. Saying that, for some reason Boof and the other idiot selectors thought he was good enough last week, and nothing should have changed in one week. They haven't brought a proper number 3 on tour (ie someone with something resembling a technique - why wasn't Doolan in the squad instead of Faulkner??) so may as well give Cowan a chance to atone for his pissweak first test effort. I hate seeing selectors picking and dropping people based on one test; just shows you're not really sure what you're doing.

Haddin and Wade are both bad keepers. Wade might be slightly better? Wade is a terrible batsman and hasn't toured England before (I think? Don't imagine he would've) while Haddin has been there before and at least has a better technique if he can keep it in his pants.


Best result for us would be for someone to grovel and beg Mike Hussey to step in and rescue us. If we're going to pluck old people off the shelf (Hogg FFS) then at least go to the top shelf for Huss and Katich etc.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Harris and Khawaja in, Cowan and Starc out.

Will be interesting to see Khawaja's batting attitude, we don't need another batsman who doesn't fight when things aren't going his way (see Watson).

 

[Demon JP]

Apparently Khawaja to 3 Clarke back to 5? Starc a bit stiff once again, I like him provides something different but can be erratic at times

 

[Blackas87]

When's Brad Green going to get his baggy green?

 

[Captain Jack]

Surely Khawaja sees this as his chance to secure the #3 spot for the next 10 years. The man can seriously play, he needs to seize the opportunity.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

No doubting Khawaja's strokeplay or techinque, lots of doubts on the mental side of his batting.

Hopefully he's working on it.

 

[maxmustard]

Considering how much of a joke our top 6 have been im amazed Khawaja hasn't had more of a go. I like both changes, Harris is a better bowler than Stark at the moment IMO, hopefully he doesn't break.

 

[Cannon82]

Where'd you guys see those changes? Are they official?

Would prefer we kept Starc in. Left hander compared to taking 3 or 4 righties in bowling essentially the same stuff and can be the most unplayable of our ballers when he gets it right.

Khawaja for Cowan. Meh. Not exactly setting the bar for Khawaja high there.

 

[Tulip]

Great start!

 

[Demon JP]

seriously don't mind bowling first at lords (e.g. Glenn Mcgrath 2005).... BAM pietersen gone!

 

[Captain Jack]

What a start! Harris... The man can bowl!

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Pattinson was all over the shop! We took a bit of pressure off them in the middle of that session with defensive bowling, surprised it took so long to get Agar in.

 

[Blackas87]

Would like a wicket soon, need to break this partnership

 

[Dory_77]

Bowling is looking ordinary so far this session. Seems like we're bowling too straight to Trott, though with his style we could bowl a metre outside off and he'd work it to the legside. Goodish start though.

 

[Blackas87]

and there it is

 

[Demon JP]

Phew trott gone, why do the umpires always check our No-Balls? just getting silly now

 

[Captain Jack]

Very lucky to get a wicket there, was looking pretty grim for a while.

 

[Cannon82]

heck me, how many hours of coaching went into eradicating Strauss' Saffa accent? Backslide you c**t, give the punters what they want.

 

[Benwah83]

The mission to the Australian physio team is to keep Harris fit for the remaining matches. Even with Siddle's effort in the 1st innings at Trent Bridge, Harris looks the most dangerous of our bowlers by far.

As with England and Anderson, we really can't afford him to do down.

 

[RandB]

FFS get these arseholes out...

 

[Benwah83]

Toe-crushing yorkers pls...