***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[Rant0r]

i was wondering about the take on mcdonald, australia still have this fixation on an allrounder since '05, just pick 6 batsmen and if one or two of them can bowl then woopee, but don't just pick any old dibbly dobbly.

 

[susudear]

Andrew Flintoff?

Test avg not equal to FC average.

 

[howardj]

Yup Symonds would be back for the 1st test in South Africa so this might be the only test McDonald might play for now

They might want to make sure he is scoring runs, and has fixed his smart arse attitude, before recalling him this time. Rushing him back into the team, regardless of these things as though he was some sort of Keith Miller, was one of several errors this boofhead panel has made in just the last four months or so.

 

[howardj]

Would like both Hilfenhaus and Bollinger to play tomorrow.

Very much agree with this piece.

 

[inbox24]

Would like both Hilfenhaus and Bollinger to play tomorrow.

Very much agree with this piece.

Yes we need more swing bowlers in the team, the only reason they weren't before was due to the quality of the seam attack, but obviously now that's dead and injured we should look at new options.

 

[NUFAN]

Would like both Hilfenhaus and Bollinger to play tomorrow.

Very much agree with this piece.

Yeah I completely agree too.

I rate Craddock.

 

[howardj]

I rate Craddock.

Don't let Top Cat read that.

 

[NUFAN]

Don't let Top Cat read that.

Meh, I don't really care if anyone else doesn't like him.

Wish the Test was starting today, makes more sense to have the Test starting on a Friday, any reason why it's not starting today?

 

[oldmancraigy]

Test avg not equal to FC average.

Andrew Flintoff first class average with bat: 34.41 (test 32.23)
Andrew Flintoff first class average with ball: 31.66 (test 32.212)

Ronny McDonald first class average with bat: 38.11
Ronny McDonald first class average with ball: 30.20

Flintoff has a 2.91 first class economy rate; McDonald is 2.93
Flintoff has 3 5 wicket hauls in 173 games (which includes his 2 test 5fers); McDonald 2 in 44.
Flintoff strikes every 65 balls, McDonald every 61.
326 wickets for Flintoff (1.88 per game) and 94 wickets for McDonald (2,13 per match)

Flintoff's 15 centuries (1 every 12 games) overshadows McDonalds 2 (1 ever 22 games) - but both players pass 50 every 3 games (Mcdonald every 2.9 Flintoff every 3.1 -->51 half centuries for Flintoff and an impressive 15 for McDonald in 44 games).

You look purely at the stats, and they're weighted in McDonalds favour at the first class level - which makes him all the more impressive considering the higher level of opponent he faces in first class cricket compared to the English county scene.

I was originally very underwhelmed when I heard McDonalds name read out - but he's peeling off runs at an average of 47 the last 2 years, and taking a swag of wickets at 26.
I am completely unconvinced that he's a test number 6 --> but having said that, I think Flintoff is WELL out of his depth batting number 6. The ideal place for a bowling all-rounder is to bat at number 7, and to earn their stripes as a bowler and not as a "bits'n'peices" type player.

The advantage that the Aussies currently have is that Haddin is a genuine all-rounder (41 with the bat at test level and 11 first class centuries) and Mitchell Johnson gives some depth at number 8 with his 24 test average (which looks more likely to climb than fall).

A Bollinger/Siddle/Hauritz tail is pretty thin though...


I must confess, I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing McDonald bowl at test level - he gets some nice shape on the ball and has that ability to bring one back in. His batting should also be interesting.
Gutsy move by the selectors, but I'm all for it now

And if it pans out - it may well allow us to experiment with some spin options in the future (North/ Heal/ Smith - guys who have the talent and who wouldn't be required to bowl 50 overs in a match if things go sour).

 

[NUFAN]

^^ Nice post apart from the fact that Heal was mentioned!

 

[Uppercut]

For all the Flintoff comparisons, if the start of his test career goes anything like Flintoff's did this will go down as a shocking selectorial decision.

 

[Josh]

i was wondering about the take on mcdonald, australia still have this fixation on an allrounder since '05, just pick 6 batsmen and if one or two of them can bowl then woopee, but don't just pick any old dibbly dobbly.

McDonald is pretty much a batsman anyway.

 

[Smudge]

BTW Smith and Harris ate Hungry Jacks as well, sharing a burger, the same burger lol

Daytime friends and night-time lovers, IMO.

 

[oldmancraigy]

^^ Nice post apart from the fact that Heal was mentioned!

Yeah ok - I apologise for that - was just scratching my head and trying to think of someone (anyone) in Australia who can exact a bit of sideways turn without getting tonked!

 

[NUFAN]

Hilfenhaus left out.

McDonald and Bollinger to debut.

 

[Rant0r]

Would like both Hilfenhaus and Bollinger to play tomorrow.

Very much agree with this piece.

would like that to happen myself

Meh, I don't really care if anyone else doesn't like him.

Wish the Test was starting today, makes more sense to have the Test starting on a Friday, any reason why it's not starting today?

apparently the players need the extra rest, maybe they shouldn't have gone to the ipl then eh ? clarke and johnson didn't go and they are going fantastically at the moment.

Andrew Flintoff first class average with bat: 34.41 (test 32.23)
Andrew Flintoff first class average with ball: 31.66 (test 32.212)

Ronny McDonald first class average with bat: 38.11
Ronny McDonald first class average with ball: 30.20

Flintoff has a 2.91 first class economy rate; McDonald is 2.93
Flintoff has 3 5 wicket hauls in 173 games (which includes his 2 test 5fers); McDonald 2 in 44.
Flintoff strikes every 65 balls, McDonald every 61.
326 wickets for Flintoff (1.88 per game) and 94 wickets for McDonald (2,13 per match)

Flintoff's 15 centuries (1 every 12 games) overshadows McDonalds 2 (1 ever 22 games) - but both players pass 50 every 3 games (Mcdonald every 2.9 Flintoff every 3.1 -->51 half centuries for Flintoff and an impressive 15 for McDonald in 44 games).

You look purely at the stats, and they're weighted in McDonalds favour at the first class level - which makes him all the more impressive considering the higher level of opponent he faces in first class cricket compared to the English county scene.

I was originally very underwhelmed when I heard McDonalds name read out - but he's peeling off runs at an average of 47 the last 2 years, and taking a swag of wickets at 26.
I am completely unconvinced that he's a test number 6 --> but having said that, I think Flintoff is WELL out of his depth batting number 6. The ideal place for a bowling all-rounder is to bat at number 7, and to earn their stripes as a bowler and not as a "bits'n'peices" type player.

The advantage that the Aussies currently have is that Haddin is a genuine all-rounder (41 with the bat at test level and 11 first class centuries) and Mitchell Johnson gives some depth at number 8 with his 24 test average (which looks more likely to climb than fall).

A Bollinger/Siddle/Hauritz tail is pretty thin though...


I must confess, I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing McDonald bowl at test level - he gets some nice shape on the ball and has that ability to bring one back in. His batting should also be interesting.
Gutsy move by the selectors, but I'm all for it now

And if it pans out - it may well allow us to experiment with some spin options in the future (North/ Heal/ Smith - guys who have the talent and who wouldn't be required to bowl 50 overs in a match if things go sour).

if mcdonald becomes half the bowler flintoff is then i'll eat my hat, he could well be a better batsman however.

^^ Nice post apart from the fact that Heal was mentioned!

heal would have been better than white

Daytime friends and night-time lovers, IMO.

hahahahaha

Hilfenhaus left out.

McDonald and Bollinger to debut.

damn, hilfy > siddle

can't believe that spell siddle bowled when he was consistently hittint 150, then the next day he struggled to reach 140, fitness issue maybe, i rate him a bit, but not as much as hilfy

 

[Atreyu]

Siddle reminds me of Tim Southee. Great bowler in the first innings but significantly worse in the second

Southee 1st Innings 30.77
Siddle 1st innings 29.87

Southee 2nd innings 146.00
Siddle 2nd innings 180.00

ITSTL. Hopefully both these players can sort this out because it's really killing their averages

 

[Son Of Coco]

Siddle reminds me of Tim Southee. Great bowler in the first innings but significantly worse in the second

Southee 1st Innings 30.77
Siddle 1st innings 29.87

Southee 2nd innings 146.00
Siddle 2nd innings 180.00

ITSTL. Hopefully both these players can sort this out because it's really killing their averages

It's not that interesting...how many games have they played?

 

[pup11]

damn, hilfy > siddle

can't believe that spell siddle bowled when he was consistently hittint 150, then the next day he struggled to reach 140, fitness issue maybe, i rate him a bit, but not as much as hilfy

On current form there isn't much to choose between the two, but i rate Hilfenhaus slightly higher, anyways good for Bollinger, getting to play a test in-front of his home crowd so hopefully he would justify his selection, but even his selection now over Hilfenhaus shows a strict lack of any consistency in the selection policy, if the selectors think Bollinger is a better option then Hilfenhaus then why was Hilfenhaus picked ahead of Bollinger in the squad for the Melbourne test!!!

 

[Rant0r]

i think bollinger is the slightly better bowler, and i think it's either a horses for courses deal, or they are trying to rotate the 12th man a bit, since bichel was 12th man 38 times or something and didn't get any match practice