***Official Australia in India***

[social]

Oz selectors logic

Krezja - standard of bowling shown in this match is what got him selected in the first place, we like consistency
Katich - double failure but we cant pick Jaques because we havent given him an innings on tour plus the team was selected in WI and performances here are irrelevant
Watson - sick but he plays his best that way. In fact, we've never seen him healthy

"OK, that's 3 now if we could only find a reason to pick another 8, we'll have a team on our hands."

 

[Johnners]

Oh seriosuly, shut up, it's pathetic.

 

[pup11]

Oz selectors logic

Krezja - standard of bowling shown in this match is what got him selected in the first place, we like consistency
Katich - double failure but we cant pick Jaques because we havent given him an innings on tour plus the team was selected in WI and performances here are irrelevant
Watson - sick but he plays his best that way. In fact, we've never seen him healthy

"OK, that's 3 now if we could only find a reason to pick another 8, we'll have a team on our hands."

Mate, c'mon the Aussie selectors have picked a side and nothing is gonna change that, so if you are a true Aussie fan just support whatever team has been picked and hope they do well, as constantly criticising them won't achieve anything.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I can't help but think that the Aussies are in dire straights if either Krezja or White will play. Neither is anywhere near close to being a Test standard bowler.

 

[social]

Mate, c'mon the Aussie selectors have picked a side and nothing is gonna change that, so if you are a true Aussie fan just support whatever team has been picked and hope they do well, as constantly criticising them won't achieve anything.

Sorry, but I support the best players and the selectors and the "leadership group" are just as open to criticism as players and umpires

The reality is that they have placed Australia in this position and if they are going to take the praise then they also have to cop the criticism

If the initial side was picked on merit, then OZ should be faced with relatively simple decisions

On the basis of PERFORMANCES ON THIS TOUR, do they select:

a. Katich or Jaques to open; and/or

b. Katich/Watson/another quick to bat down the order.

However, the complete mismanagement of:

1. Symonds;

2. McGain; and

3. Jaques

has completely thrown off the balance of the side and eroded the potential number of players from whom the team can be selected.

In short, they're clueless and, as a result, have been forced to resort to selecting substandard players to make up for their management incompetency.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time and if you dont believe me, kindly name the last contentious selection issue that the management got right in the last 15 years.

 

[Woodster]

Am surprised by Ponting and the Australia management team in suggesting that a spinner, regardless of their perceived lack of ability (my words not theirs), will play in the first Test. It is simply playing a spinner for the sake of it, not on the actual qualities they bring to the side. I should at this point say I have not seen much at all of Krejza, so i may be being harsh, and should he be selected will look forward to what he brings to the side. However, everything about his possible selection, and that of White, leaves me feeling perplexed based on the fact they have never ripped up trees for their state sides.

 

[silentstriker]

No it has little to do with the state of the pitch rather if you field for one and a half or two days you're not going to bat anywhere near as well as you could especially in the face and the pressure of a large total. Out biggest chance in this series is winning the toss and putting big scores on first up, you don't need statistics to tell you that - just look at the practice match that finished today and how we batted in the first innings.

But if that were true generally, why has it not affected the outcome of the match? However, it is true that if a team scores over 400+ in the first innings, they'll most likely have a lead after the other team has batted.

 

[four_or_six]

Playing three specialist bowlers + Watson and White (with Clarke and Katich to back them up) actually doesn't seem like the worst idea. It might be good to be a bit inventive to get round the spinner issue.

 

[NUFAN]

Playing three specialist bowlers + Watson and White (with Clarke and Katich to back them up) actually doesn't seem like the worst idea. It might be good to be a bit inventive to get round the spinner issue.

8 players averaging over 40 with the bat in first class cricket does seem a bit of an overkill IMO.

Wouldn't surprise me though if this is what the selectors end up doing. Can't see Krejza playing now tbh, although I reckon he'd bowl tighter in a Test then the practice match.

 

[four_or_six]

8 players averaging over 40 with the bat in first class cricket does seem a bit of an overkill IMO.

Wouldn't surprise me though if this is what the selectors end up doing. Can't see Krejza playing now tbh, although I reckon he'd bowl tighter in a Test then the practice match.

Yeah, he probably would be better in the test. I still don't get why they didn't have Casson in the squad at the beginning. At least he wouldn't have debut-nerves to worry about and I don't see that he's that much worse than Krejka.

And I agree about the overkill bit, but when you look at the current squad I'm not sure what would be better. Presumably the only other option is to replace Watson with Bollinger/Siddle and have White as the all-rounder. But personally, I think he's a worse batsman and bowler than Watson, so I'm not sure that's really good.

 

[howardj]

Take it as read, this is the First Test team

Hayden
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
White
Lee
Johnson
Clark

EDIT: Longest batting lineup we've ever had, I'd venture to say.

 

[George.Hinton]

Oh seriosuly, shut up, it's pathetic.

I agree - Australia's selectors have got most things right over the years. Compared to other selection comittee's I think they do a pretty good job and let's face it ....how many genuine flops have they selected over the years ?

 

[George.Hinton]

Bang on. That's what it should be. Gives us four of the better bowlers in the country, and Clarke and Katich as other options if we need them.

Get this awful feeling White or Krejza will get a gig, though.

That would be my team as well.....I'm not sure I'd have Katich as an opener....

 

[howardj]

This series will be broadcast live on ABC Radio.

 

[Polo23]

Just read the cricinfo heading "Krejza or White will debut - Ponting"



Beautiful.

 

[pasag]

But if that were true generally, why has it not affected the outcome of the match? However, it is true that if a team scores over 400+ in the first innings, they'll most likely have a lead after the other team has batted.

It's simple stuff, Australia, as we saw with the tour match will be spending long days in the field, as such our advantage in this series, our batting, will be weakened if made to bat after spending those long days in the field. It's no secret that Australia's tactic for a while now has been to bat first get a massive score on the board and then grind the opposition out. Look at the two matches against SL, put up huge scores and ground them out. In fact the only instance we've lost in recent times is when we lost the toss. The assumption here of course is that we won't be running through any Indian sides if we bowl first.

 

[silentstriker]

It's simple stuff, Australia, as we saw with the tour match will be spending long days in the field, as such our advantage in this series, our batting, will be weakened if made to bat after spending those long days in the field. It's no secret that Australia's tactic for a while now has been to bat first get a massive score on the board and then grind the opposition out. Look at the two matches against SL, put up huge scores and ground them out. In fact the only instance we've lost in recent times is when we lost the toss. The assumption here of course is that we won't be running through any Indian sides if we bowl first.

And the assumption is that the winning side will bat first.

In any case, overseas spinners and their woes in India. Since 1990 only two times have overseas spinners taken ten wicket hauls in India and both were by Saqlain Mushtaq.

No one else.


Why are they going with a spinner again?

 

[Malleeboy]

Would White be any worse then Krejza bowling, if their determined to have a spinner might as well get some use out of him as a batsman. White also has more international experince if only at 1day and 20/20.

If they do go with the side listed above, their combined FC batting av of 452 seems overkill.

 

[NZTailender]

Feels good to have at least two better spinners than Australia.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Feels good to have at least two better spinners than Australia.

Would take McGain over Patel. He's a bit ****.