Number 400 ?

[SirBloody Idiot]

Bollinger.

 

[Richard]

This is a poor representation of Scott Muller. He was a gun bowler, his bowling ability has been let down by the Warne comment and Muller's handling of the situation. But, the fact is he deserved his chance, and he didn't bowl that badly when he had it. Can't believe he gets brought up when guys like Nicholson, Wilson and Cook were not even close to the class of Muller. Shaun Young on the other hand.

Nicholson and Wilson both > Muller AFAICS. Muller may have been bowling well at the time he was picked, but was it or was it not just a season or two?

Sure, that "Warne" comment has made him look worse than he was, but he was still a pretty average pick.

Can't believe I mentioned him and didn't mention Hauritz or Robertson, however.

 

[Richard]

I thought that exact same thing when I saw the thread, anglocentric pom that I am. I'd guess we've probably played more tests than Oz (but it's only a guess), but it still shows the greater importance that Australia puts on test caps than ourselves. Although 18 counties v 6 states is also a factor, obv.

TBH it just shows that England have had more need to chop-and-change. You can't make bad players into good ones by keeping on picking them - if someone's doing crap, you pick someone else. Granted there have been countless hundreds of awful selections, from Fred Tate (and yes I know the legend, as with Muller in fact, is an exaggerated one) through to Tim Bresnan but these wouldn't have happened had there been more undroppable players, and less injuries.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Bollinger.

I hope that was in jest, because Bollinger was dire playing for Worcestershire in CC 2007, and if you can'y cut it at CC level, you shouldn't really be anywhere near Test Cricket.

 

[Richard]

Gilchrist has never missed a Test which is remarkable

IIRC Mark Waugh has the record for most contestive Tests played.

They and Michael Slater are pretty well the only modern Australian batsmen who didn't start their Test-careers poorly and need some time off really, even if it was only a short break a la Michael Clarke.

But the likes of Stephen Waugh, Langer, Martyn, Ponting, Hayden, Lehmann, Katich, Clarke, maybe even Jaques though it was only 1 Test, have all had the proverbial "toe in the water", failed, then come back later and succeeded. Just a shame Michael Bevan never got the chance.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I hope that was in jest, because Bollinger was dire playing for Worcestershire in CC 2007, and if you can'y cut it at CC level, you shouldn't really be anywhere near Test Cricket.

He had a cracking Aus A tour and a very good start to this season. I have no doubt he'd be on the selectors radar if he stays in good knick.

Obviously didn't see him play cricket this winter, but I couldn't really care less about CC if he is tearing up Australian Domestic cricket.

 

[BoyBrumby]

TBH it just shows that England have had more need to chop-and-change. You can't make bad players into good ones by keeping on picking them - if someone's doing crap, you pick someone else. Granted there have been countless hundreds of awful selections, from Fred Tate (and yes I know the legend, as with Muller in fact, is an exaggerated one) through to Tim Bresnan but these wouldn't have happened had there been more undroppable players, and less injuries.

We only need to chop-and-change because we've made so many awful selections down the years tho. There's an obvious cause and effect in operation; Australia are more judicious in their selections so don't have to drop so many players who shouldn't have been picked in the first place.

Bresnan has never played a test either, from memory.

 

[gettingbetter]

He hasn't, don't think he will either, but he has played no more than 3 ODIs in that eventful series against Sri Lanka about 18 or so months ago.

Edit: he's actually played 4.

 

[Richard]

We only need to chop-and-change because we've made so many awful selections down the years tho. There's an obvious cause and effect in operation; Australia are more judicious in their selections so don't have to drop so many players who shouldn't have been picked in the first place.

I feel there have been (since 1918) fewer players who "demand" selection for England than for Australia. You can't just pick 7 players - even if not fully confident of someone's ability, you need to make-up a full side. It's not a selector's fault if there aren't the calibre of player to demand a settled side.

Bresnan has never played a test either, from memory.

No, but we hand-out ODI caps even more ridiculously than Test ones. And Australia also hand the things out sparsely.

 

[White Lightning]

He had a cracking Aus A tour and a very good start to this season. I have no doubt he'd be on the selectors radar if he stays in good knick.

Obviously didn't see him play cricket this winter, but I couldn't really care less about CC if he is tearing up Australian Domestic cricket.

Damn straight.

I'm a bit of a Bollinger fan and couldn't give a rats arse how poorly or how well he did in English country cricket. He is performing well in Australia and in the Australia tour and that whats most important. I also think he is just a good bowler - good run up, sound action, pretty quick and moves the ball a bit....

Shieffield Shield performance is also the reason i don't think Dave Hussey should be playing for Australian any time soon. There are several batsman whose performances in the Sheffield Shield over the past 5 seasons warrant selection far ahead of DH: Chris Rogers (aware he is an opener), Brad Hodge, Simon Katich, Brad Haddin, Marcus North, Shane Watson and even Dominic Thornely have out performed Dave Hussey during the period.... not that i would necessarily pick them all before D Hussey, just pointing out they have performed better.

For what its worht though Dave Hussey has also out performed brother Mike who has only scored 3 tons in his last 50 sheffield shield innings, and we all know how well Mike has done in test cricket.

            Inns     NO      Runs       Ave       HS     100      50
S Katich      51      6      3032      67.38      306      7      18
M Clarke      25      3      1255      57.05      201      6       2
B Hodge       76      7      3578      51.86      204     11      17
C Rogers      87      3      4276      50.90      279     12      21
B Haddin      75     12      3159      50.14      154      6      17
P Jacques     79      2      3728      48.42      240     11      17
S Watson      50      5      2151      47.80      201      6       9
M North       83      9      3426      46.30      239      9      18
D Thornely    71      7      2910      45.47      261      8      13
D Hussey      74      7      2931      43.75      212      9      17
M Di Venuto   86      4      3578      43.63      181      9      20
M Hussey      50      3      2016      42.89      223      3      13
A Symonds     31      1      1249      41.63      163      3       6
M Love        79      7      2994      41.58      300      9      11
C Perren      93      4      3581      40.24      224      8      19
M Cosgrove    67      3      2499      39.05      184      5      17
A Voges       52      8      1673      38.02      178      5       5
M Dighton     68      3      2405      37.00      152      5      13
C White       78      7      2317      32.63      150      2      12

those batting figures are for 19 batsman i did since the beginnig of the 2002-03 pure cup season.

for what its worht though i'd have dave hussey next in line for a middle order spot behind Brad Hodge, Shane Watson and Marcus North, with Brad Haddin fifth in line.

 

[Perm]

Shows just how awesome Simon Katich is, and further justifies how highly Michael Clarke is rated.

 

[Mister Wright]

Nicholson and Wilson both > Muller AFAICS. Muller may have been bowling well at the time he was picked, but was it or was it not just a season or two?

Sure, that "Warne" comment has made him look worse than he was, but he was still a pretty average pick.

Can't believe I mentioned him and didn't mention Hauritz or Robertson, however.

No you're wrong again. Maybe Nicholson could be ahead of Muller, but definitely not Wilson. Muller was on fire for about three season before he got his test debut. He was rated by Mark Taylor as the best bowler in the country just before he retired. He was anything but an average pick.

 

[Richard]

Didn't realise quite how long it'd been in the Muller case (mind, he only took 13 wickets in 1997\98 and 22 in 1998\99) as I've only heard limited amounts about him all of which said "he was picked on fleeting form" but Wilson was a fine bowler. Admittedly, mind, when selected he wasn't exactly an obvious choice, having averaged 39 the previous season.

 

[NUFAN]

Luke Pomersbach

 

[sideshowtim]

He's been quite impressive. Young fella can hit the ball a long way. Hope he continues to pile on the runs...WA have a pretty damn strong batting line up right now. At full strength it's even more daunting. And 12 months ago they had Marto too!

 

[NUFAN]

He's been quite impressive. Young fella can hit the ball a long way. Hope he continues to pile on the runs...WA have a pretty damn strong batting line up right now. At full strength it's even more daunting. And 12 months ago they had Marto too!

What I am hoping happens is that he wins the Bradman medal for best young cricketer. He will get his name thrown up around the selectors table and will hopefully jag a place on a short overseas trip to a place like Bangladesh in a similar way that Cosgrove was selected in the ODI's.

I would suspect that Hilfenhaus is number 399th and as previously mentioned Haddin would be a good chance for 400th but good luck to Pomers who is better then Voges by the way.

 

[Mister Wright]

Didn't realise quite how long it'd been in the Muller case (mind, he only took 13 wickets in 1997\98 and 22 in 1998\99) as I've only heard limited amounts about him all of which said "he was picked on fleeting form" but Wilson was a fine bowler. Admittedly, mind, when selected he wasn't exactly an obvious choice, having averaged 39 the previous season.

Wilson was anything but a fine bowler.

 

[chaminda_00]

Surprised Adam Dale wasn't mention in Wright's list for dire Test bowlers............Oh wait his a Queenslander

Also Wilson was a solid FC bowler and really good OD bowler. Like Muller at the time of his selection there weren't many other options. Maybe they should have gone to Kaspra and Bichel earlier or given Clark an earlier run, but thats hindsight.

 

[sideshowtim]

Lol, Adam Dale.

Gun fielder though.

 

[Richard]

Surprised Adam Dale wasn't mention in Wright's list for dire Test bowlers............Oh wait his a Queenslander

Also Wilson was a solid FC bowler and really good OD bowler. Like Muller at the time of his selection there weren't many other options. Maybe they should have gone to Kaspra and Bichel earlier or given Clark an earlier run, but thats hindsight.

Dale was a fantastic bowler in the shorter game. Was a nothing in his couple of Tests though.

Wasn't Kasprowicz already in the team at the time of Muller's elevation? Or was he dropped for him?