Why Hughes?

[Bradesmaen]

Am I the only one who thought his technique looked a lot more settled and positive today? His back leg was coming across much earlier than usual, which was good to see, he was getting a big positive stride forward with his front leg when he needed to, he wasn't playing away from his body too much.

Even the way he got out, to me it looked like a fairly convincing shot. Big stride, straight bat, head still (by his standards). It was just a risky shot to a wide ball that probably wasn't needed, but you can understand that when you're trying to be positive and dig yourself out of a form dip. I'd rather have seen that than him stick around for 30 extra balls, scratching around and not making any runs.

If by convincing shot you mean, looked 100% like he was going to get out, then yes it was convincing. Terrible shot, terrible technique on the playing of it.

 

[Bomber Bears]

Looked more assured today, might have been to do with the slower less bouncy pitch compared to the Waca, but a poor shot.

'No Ability' is a ludicrous thing to say, you dont hit 13 tons in 42 first class matches with no ability, and you dont hit back to back tons against the best attack in the world with no ability. No form is the obvious issue.
Should never have been dropped in the first place, piss-poor backing of a young player, but by the same token should not have been recalled at this point in time, clearly not in form and not comfortable with his own game at present. Needs a bit of a Steve Waugh mentorship. Hughes is mainly fortunate there arent any other openers performing at present.

 

[Outshined]

Re: Hughes is not good enough

It's a joke, as I said in the main match thread, Hughes career almost ended this morning, he has one more innings, and then it's over IMO if he doesn't perform.

You realise how stupid that sounds right?
He should never have been selected in the first place for the last two tests, especially since someone with a technique like his isn't going to stick around and make scratchy runs when out of form, but writing off a 22 year old who has made runs against what was (and arguably still is) the best attack in the world on their home turf in bowler friendly conditions is deserving of a little more patience.

 

[mediumsizered]

Re: Hughes is not good enough

Enough of the Victorian bashing of NSW players on this board. Hughes will play many games for Australia in the future and will iron out his deficiencies, give him time. Katich, Hayden and many others before him have done the same.

Hughes will most likely play many games for Australia, but now is not his time. The Australian selectors should not select him again before he has put together at least 2 consecutive domestic seasons of making a heap of runs, whilst at the same time improving his technique, which is barely first class standard at the moment.

 

[The 747]

Looked more assured today, might have been to do with the slower less bouncy pitch compared to the Waca, but a poor shot.

'No Ability' is a ludicrous thing to say, you dont hit 13 tons in 42 first class matches with no ability, and you dont hit back to back tons against the best attack in the world with no ability. No form is the obvious issue.
Should never have been dropped in the first place, piss-poor backing of a young player, but by the same token should not have been recalled at this point in time, clearly not in form and not comfortable with his own game at present. Needs a bit of a Steve Waugh mentorship. Hughes is mainly fortunate there arent any other openers performing at present.

More assured? He made 16 runs. 10 of those came from throwing the bat in the first over.

And once again, on this board, people just continue to make excuses for the guy - selectors stuffed him around, too much talk about technique, he is quality but it is someone else's fault he doesn't make runs.

Fact is his technique is not up to it, he is not mentally tough enough and he is an arrogant little tool who thinks he can bat like Sehwag when he has nowhere near that ability and what the team needs is for him to tough it out and get them off to a start.

If he was a Test standard opener as people continue to insist he is, he would understand that, alter his game to suit the match at hand and attack when the moment is right. But no he is young right so we can let all that go and maybe when he is 32 he might have learnt how to bat at the top level.

 

[rickyp]

More assured? He made 16 runs. 10 of those came from throwing the bat in the first over.

And once again, on this board, people just continue to make excuses for the guy - selectors stuffed him around, too much talk about technique, he is quality but it is someone else's fault he doesn't make runs.

Fact is his technique is not up to it, he is not mentally tough enough and he is an arrogant little tool who thinks he can bat like Sehwag when he has nowhere near that ability and what the team needs is for him to tough it out and get them off to a start.

If he was a Test standard opener as people continue to insist he is, he would understand that, alter his game to suit the match at hand and attack when the moment is right. But no he is young right so we can let all that go and maybe when he is 32 he might have learnt how to bat at the top level.

What are you basing this on? Looks like the quietest guy on the team

 

[The 747]

What are you basing this on? Looks like the quietest guy on the team

The way he bats. Just smacks of I'll bat the way I want not the I'll bat the way the team needs.

 

[SurfingTheVoid]

More assured? He made 16 runs. 10 of those came from throwing the bat in the first over.

And once again, on this board, people just continue to make excuses for the guy - selectors stuffed him around, too much talk about technique, he is quality but it is someone else's fault he doesn't make runs.

Fact is his technique is not up to it, he is not mentally tough enough and he is an arrogant little tool who thinks he can bat like Sehwag when he has nowhere near that ability and what the team needs is for him to tough it out and get them off to a start.

If he was a Test standard opener as people continue to insist he is, he would understand that, alter his game to suit the match at hand and attack when the moment is right. But no he is young right so we can let all that go and maybe when he is 32 he might have learnt how to bat at the top level.

Yep. Agree completely.

If he couldn't handle being dropped for the first time, he's not mentally tough enough for cricket. Pathetic excuse that people keep trotting out for him. Ponting took it. Langer took it. If Hughes couldn't, that's his problem.

And I agree he's an arrogant tool. He clearly doesn't care about improving his technique. He doesn't care about the team. He'll just play his own way and stuff everyone else. He hasn't improved at all since he got dropped - shows how much he cares about it.

The guy is not actually "talented". He just has a good eye. That's it. Unfortunately, while that might get him through at first-class level, when people analyse weaknesses and bowl to a plan in Test cricket he is hopelessly inadequate. Hopelessly inadequate.

Sehwag has a better eye, and relies on it a lot, but also has something Hughes doesn't: a level of judgement.

 

[rickyp]

The way he bats. Just smacks of I'll bat the way I want not the I'll bat the way the team needs.

You're not serious...

 

[Sman-21]

2nd highest scorer for the innings got alot more to complain about than him

 

[Bomber Bears]

he's also scored about 30 runs in three innings and shouldnt have been picked at all, but yes, the long term players who havent performed over a large period of time are more concerning.

 

[jonesy86]

I'd back Merv to make more runs than Phil if he opened up for us at the moment.

 

[SurfingTheVoid]

On that basis, let's put Ryan Harris in as opener. He was 10* and looked more solid than Hughes. I mean, if we're basing it on scores. Cos Ryan looked good for 100.

 

[Outshined]

It's been mentioned a bit around here but it may be worth considering a move down the order to number 6, especially if the selectors are refusing to send him back to NSW to work on his technique and regain form. He'll be protected from the new ball which has caused him so much trouble, and might be able to loosen up a bit more a play a few shots. Of course, he'd still be exposed in a situation like today, but an older ball is probably going to be a bit more condusive to his unique style of batting.

Khawaja has an awesome technique so a slight shift from 3 to opening wont cause him too much trouble. Kerry O'Keefe was throwing Cowan's name around as a candidate as well.

 

[Cooldude]

This guy will never be an effective opener with the way he plays. If he wants to play his shots and wildly flash at stuff outside off all the time, then bat him in the middle order

People might say it works for Sehwag but Sehwag has a better technique and more talent to pull it off

 

[Public Enemy No1]

Another product of the NSW's propaganda machine

All talk no substance

 

[benny_cousins]

I'm still trying to work out which selection annoys me the most out of Hughes and Smith. Two golden boys who get a free ride into the test team. What a joke.