***Official Australia in India***

[Prince EWS]

This is what the selectors are thinking IMO. I think the positions could change HEAPS in such a short period of time however.
1 Brett Lee
2 Stuart Clark
3 Mitchell Johnson
4 Peter Siddle
5 Ashley Noffke
6 Doug Bollinger
7 Shaun Tait
8 Nathan Bracken
9 Brett Geeves
10 Ben Hilfenhaus
11 Steve Magoffin
12 Ryan Harris

I'll make a new thread for this..

I think it's fairly obvious that Bollinger is above Noffke given he's on tour and Noffke isn't.

 

[Prince EWS]

Brett Lee
Stuart Clark
Mitchell Johnson
Doug Bollinger
Peter Siddle
Ashley Noffke
Ben Hilfenhaus
Steve Magoffin
Shaun Tait
Brett Geeves
Nathan Bracken

This is Test only though. Moved Siddle up since he will be Test cap 403 tomorrow.

Reckon Siddle's ahead of Bollinger given he's going to play ahead of Bollinger tomorrow...

 

[sanga1337]

This is what the selectors are thinking IMO. I think the positions could change HEAPS in such a short period of time however.
1 Brett Lee
2 Stuart Clark
3 Mitchell Johnson
4 Peter Siddle
5 Ashley Noffke
6 Doug Bollinger
7 Shaun Tait
8 Nathan Bracken
9 Brett Geeves
10 Ben Hilfenhaus
11 Steve Magoffin
12 Ryan Harris

I'll make a new thread for this..

How would Noffke be ahead of Bollinger if Bollinger was picked for this tour ahead of Noffke?

Edit: Beaten to it...

 

[Woodster]

I think in terms of the quick bowling resources and where they all stand, would think the list needs to be categorised. For example for this Test, Siddle has come in to replace Clark, should Johnson have missed out through fitness or whatever, then Bollinger would surely have come in to replace him. A horses for courses type selection.

Looking forward to seeing Siddle bowl, seen very little of him so far. But I think this is an excellent opportunity for India to go on the attack. It's a very inexperienced bowling line-up here and with the likes of White, Watson, Johnson, and Siddle, I really think it's an ideal opportunity for the home side to assert some real pressure on this attack by being a little more positive.

 

[Craig]

Also going to increase the pressure and workload on Brett Lee by a fair bit.

 

[NUFAN]

I think the selectors didn't think Noffke would be so valuable on the Indian pitches and is still in the selectors minds.

The selectors picked Bollinger on tour in case Johnson didn't perform..

Bollinger may be on this tour but it doesn't appear as though the selectors are that confident he'll perform as he didn't even get a run in the tour game.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think the selectors didn't think Noffke would be so valuable on the Indian pitches and is still in the selectors minds.

The selectors picked Bollinger on tour in case Johnson didn't perform..

Bollinger may be on this tour but it doesn't appear as though the selectors are that confident he'll perform as he didn't even get a run in the tour game.

Haha nah, don't buy it. Bollinger's definitely ahead of Noffke in the pecking order. Noffke didn't get a tour game either because Bollinger was picked ahead of him.

 

[Julian87]

Well, McGrath played Tests after only 8 FC matches and Siddle has played 12. In both their initial careers, they both played in a Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup final, both have taken wickets against the best batting line-ups in the country (and in the finals they played in) and they're quite similar bowlers in many ways at the same stages of their careers, McGrath perhaps a touch more consistent but Siddle quicker. Both have a rep for being wicket-takers and a fair bit better than even their good stats would suggest.

It's not a ridiculous pick. Bolly should have gotten the nod on form and his place in the queue. I don't think it's because the selectors are adverse to two lefties, either. I reckon Siddle is actually rated quite highly and having seen him bowl a bit, it's not hard to see why. Genuine heavy-ball bowler, moves the ball at really good pace and has a nasty bouncer.

For every McGrath there are likely to be about 20 Mullers, Nicholsons or Cooks.

 

[Julian87]

Picked for his lower order batting, obv.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

What a ****ing joke. I don't give a stuff if people think I should support the selections, but that decisions is absolutely ****ed. Siddle has shown absolutely ****ing nothing to suggest he should be ahead of Doug "I take wickets for fun" Bollinger. I'm sick of them throwing in these bull**** selections out of left ****ing field. It cost us the first test because we were stuck with Watson and Cameron ****ing White as a specialist pair of bowlers.

I feel better now.

 

[social]

As TC has mentioned, Siddle is a bowler of real quality in the making

However, Bollinger is extremely hard done by

 

[Uppercut]

I'd say the selection looks strange, but as always i prefer to wait until after the match to decide if it's really a bad decision. There's far more to judge a bowler on than his FC stats, and i presume the selectors look at everything (and they see a lot more than most) before deciding which bowler they think most likely to help them win the match. If he fails, then we'll know they got it wrong. As it is, it's just a strange one.

 

[pup11]

Seriously surprised to hear Siddle is gonna make his debut ahead of Bollinger, Siddle is a bowler for future but there is no way he should be playing ahead of Bollinger atm, anyways i hope since now Siddle has been picked he does well, but feeling really bad for Bollinger at the same time.

 

[mikeW]

Bollinger probably should of gotten the call-up but the writing was on the walls when Siddle played in the tour match. It was fairly obvious as to what the pecking order was. Can't believe there is so much angst over the decision though, even before he's bowled a ball at test level. He did take 5 for in a pura cup final...

 

[duffer]

Every time I've seen Siddle bowl I've been impressed. Definitely has the "it" factor about him that it takes to be a good Test bowler.

Hope and think he'll do well for Australia. Whether that's in this series or a few years down the line I'm not sure. That said Noffke and Bollinger should be spitting chips about now.

 

[pasag]

If India can't beat a bowling attack of:

Lee
Siddle
Watson
Johnson
White

which basically has only one proven Test bowler, at home, their fans should rightfully tear them a new one.

 

[duffer]

Indian fans will always find some reason to complain about the team. The best part of cricket for lots of fans there is the hours of bitching they can do after a loss.

 

[four_or_six]

It's not a ridiculous pick. Bolly should have gotten the nod on form and his place in the queue. I don't think it's because the selectors are adverse to two lefties, either. I reckon Siddle is actually rated quite highly and having seen him bowl a bit, it's not hard to see why. Genuine heavy-ball bowler, moves the ball at really good pace and has a nasty bouncer.

Given Shane Watson was, imo, one of the more threatening (certainly more successful) bowlers in the last test, and he his also a heavy-ball bowler with a good bouncer, I can see the logic if Siddle is a similar - though presumably better - exponent of the same.

 

[Uppercut]

If India can't beat a bowling attack of:

Lee
Siddle
Watson
Johnson
White

which basically has only one proven Test bowler, at home, their fans should rightfully tear them a new one.

It does look pretty atrocious minus Clark. Never mind. Their batting's still far and away the best in the world.

Interesting thought, any examples of teams with a huge unbalance between their batting and their bowling? England have had one in favour of the bowlers for a while now (yet somehow it's the bowlers who keep getting dropped...).

 

[Uppercut]

Also, what happens if Siddle takes ten and Clark's fit for the next test? Johnson will finally miss out?