Hodge an option as Aussie Test opener ?

[Woodster]

Brad Hodge has thrown his hat into the ring to replace Justin Langer at the top of the Aussie innings.

He cited past players that have adjusted to life at the top successfully, ie Boon, Hilditch and Langer himself, but will Hodge, who obviously has an excellent record in the middle order, be able to make the necessary alterations to his game ?

And will he be a better option than the specialists in this position, like Chris Rogers and Phil Jaques, surely Shane Watson is not a serious candidate up there is he.

 

[Flem274*]

Brad Hodge has thrown his hat into the ring to replace Justin Langer at the top of the Aussie innings.

He cited past players that have adjusted to life at the top successfully, ie Boon, Hilditch and Langer himself, but will Hodge, who obviously has an excellent record in the middle order, be able to make the necessary alterations to his game ?

And will he be a better option than the specialists in this position, like Chris Rogers and Phil Jaques, surely Shane Watson is not a serious candidate up there is he.

I've only seen Jacques a couple of times and I wasn't impressed, chasing wide ones from Bond, He may well be a better player than I give him credit for though.

As for Hodge, no, no and no. Middle order players are not openers as John Bracewell has discovered to his cost. At best he might be able to average 20-30 opening but he would be much better averaging 30-50 in the middle order.

 

[Woodster]

I've only seen Jacques a couple of times and I wasn't impressed, chasing wide ones from Bond, He may well be a better player than I give him credit for though.

As for Hodge, no, no and no. Middle order players are not openers as John Bracewell has discovered to his cost. At best he might be able to average 20-30 opening but he would be much better averaging 30-50 in the middle order.

Will there be room for him in the middle order ? Maybe if Hussey moves up to open, where he has been known to play, and Hodge slips into the middle order.

 

[open365]

Is Glen McGrath said he should bat 4 in tests would we also be discussing it?

Hodge strikes me as being one of the more egotistical and arrogant cricketers around, and i don't think he has any business opening in tests, Mike Hussey should be next in line,.

 

[Woodster]

Is Glen McGrath said he should bat 4 in tests would we also be discussing it?

Hodge strikes me as being one of the more egotistical and arrogant cricketers around, and i don't think he has any business opening in tests, Mike Hussey should be next in line,.

Possibly had he not retired.

 

[Richard]

Will there be room for him in the middle order ? Maybe if Hussey moves up to open, where he has been known to play, and Hodge slips into the middle order.

If Hodge and Hussey play in the same side, it'd be nothing short of total madness for Hodge to open and Hussey to bat in the middle.

Same applies to Watson, incidentally.

What on Earth is Hodge thinking? Oh, wait, I forgot - it's Hodge, he doesn't do thinking!

 

[Woodster]

The only reason to keep Hussey where he is, would be the fact that he has done so well in that position in the middle. I agree, surely they won't pick Hodge as an opener and stick Hussey in the middle order, but they may be reluctant to move Hussey.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Wouldn't it just be easier if one of Jaques or Rogers comes in?.

 

[Woodster]

Wouldn't it just be easier if one of Jaques or Rogers comes in?.

Well that is the question, who should come in ?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Jaques imo. The guy could easily average in the 40s if he plays enough tests.

 

[aussie]

Like all the blokes knock they head on some wall or something suddenly all a them want to open batting. All of them want lashes if you ask me, stick to what they are good at for christ sake..

 

[Woodster]

Jaques imo. The guy could easily average in the 40s if he plays enough tests.

For what it's worth, I think I would probably sway towards Jaques also. He has shown his quality in First class cricket and now he deserves a decent run in the Test side.

 

[Richard]

The only reason to keep Hussey where he is, would be the fact that he has done so well in that position in the middle. I agree, surely they won't pick Hodge as an opener and stick Hussey in the middle order, but they may be reluctant to move Hussey.

TBH, I think the whole "keep Hussey in the same place" thing is totally overblown. He's been an opener all his life, it can't possibly be so important to have him in the middle. Heck, me, I'd be actively trying to get him up to the top of the order, never mind leaving him there and picking middle-order players to open!

 

[Pup Clarke]

You could either of these two top 6 s for Australia.

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Hodge
Watson

or

Hayden
Jaques/Rogers
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Watson

 

[Richard]

You could either of these two top 6 s for Australia.

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Hodge
Watson

or

Hayden
Jaques/Rogers
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Watson

Have thought ever since I heard of Langer's retirement that the former would be the best, TBH.

Me, I'm just frustrated that Watson and Hodge got injured when they did last summer, because had they not they might well be established in the side by now anyway. Of course, were they to be Clarke presumably wouldn't be (or maybe Hodge wouldn't) but one of them would automatically be first cab-off-the-rank.

I just can't see that Jacques, superlative batsman that he undoubtedly is, should right now be ahead of Hodge in the pecking-order. Doesn't seem remotely fair.

 

[open365]

Personaly i think David and Mike Hussey should open but that's just me

 

[Richard]

Thought you rated Hayden?

 

[NZTailender]

Katich, tbh.

 

[Prince EWS]

TBH, I think the whole "keep Hussey in the same place" thing is totally overblown. He's been an opener all his life, it can't possibly be so important to have him in the middle. Heck, me, I'd be actively trying to get him up to the top of the order, never mind leaving him there and picking middle-order players to open!

Hussey's resurgence as a first class player in Australia coincided with him being moved to #3 in the order regularly for WA though, IIRC. He was on the verge of getting dropped a few times while opening, and was eventually moved to #3 on a more regular basis where he flourished. Watson looks a lot more technically equipped to open the batting than Hussey IMO, and with Hussey doing so well in the middle order, promoting him to open just because he used to do it at first class level would be silly IMO.

Watson's issues opening the batting stem not around his technical ability to do so, but his bowling. Bowling a long spell and then having to open up straight away wouldn't be ideal as many have pointed out, however it's not more or less ideal than scoring a hundred not out batting with the ball and then having to bowl second change. I actually think Watson would suit the opening position better than he would suit #6 - he prefers the pace bowlers, plays the moving ball well and has good off-stump judgement. I'd be more comfortable with him coming in then than with Murali or Kumble in the middle of a testing spell of spin.

Hodge.. well, no. He's a definite middle order prospect, even given the fact that bowlers were beginning to find quite a few technical faults within his game last time around, but he'd fail as an opener IMO. His technique is just a bit loose for that IMO.

Regardless of all that though, I'll be fairly happy with any team Australia name if Symonds isn't in it. The likelihood of that is increasingly small though. If Australia name a team with Symonds *and* Watson in it though, I will absolutely scream. Picking Watson renders Symonds's bowling fairly pointless within the side, and picking him as a specialist batsman is something even Bangladesh shouldn't ponder.

 

[James90]

I wouldn't mind Watson opening the batting. It would allow Symonds to be removed from the team and Hodge to slide in down the order.

If I had to select a team today though I'd probably go with Rogers. Jaques is still a genuine chance if he scores some runs before November.

Hodge is clutching at straws here. He's not in the first team batting at his normal position let alone trying to recreate himself as an opener when there's perfectly capable openers around. That's not to say he wouldn't do a good job but it's less likely than Jaques or Rogers.