Aussie Squad Form

[pasag]

Rather Hussey at 5. Clarke'll end up filling the 3 spot when Ponting retires anyways so might as well move him up slowly.

 

[aussie tragic]

Johnson possess a limited defensive technique. He is bowled far too many times by deliveries that move neither off the pitch or in the air.

Well he has been bowled twice during his 28 Innings (for 0 and 1), so I wouldn't say that is far too many times....

 

[Noble One]

Well he has been bowled twice during his 28 Innings (for 0 and 1), so I wouldn't say that is far too many times....

Fair point, you caught me out there.

Perhaps ODI performances, or playing for Queensland has given me the impression that his defense is faulty.

 

[aussie]

Well yeah, I wouldn't have Hauritz or McDonald in my team, but my point was that McDonald > Hauritz at Hauritz's role, irrespective of whether he pretends to be a spinner or not.

I definitely rate Clark and Siddle as better bowlers than McDonald, but McDonald's better in the specific role that I was talking about. The ability to Clark and Siddle to bowl long spells is questionable given they are both returning from lengthy injuries and the ability to Siddle to bowl consistently accurately is questionable in general. There's little doubt in my mind that they're better overall bowlers than McDonald but my point was that McDonald offers everything Hauritz does and more.

Well yea the injury worries is the only reason one may have slight hesitation. Its probably the only logical reason why Hilditch & his hillbilies picked McDonald & Haurtiz.

But like is the case with Flintoff & England when debate comes about, whether to pick him as part of a 4-man attack. You might as well back Siddle & Clark.

 

[aussie]

Well, I'm not thrilled about Hauritz full stop, so North being better doesn't cut a lot of ice with me. I'd prefer the attack with McDonald because I'd back him to bowl 15 overs a day without placing Ponting and the rest of the attack under pressure.

On evidence of the 3rd test in Capetown, which i'd presumed Flower & England would have watched. McDonald would become a weak-link in the bowling attack, he wont tie up an end.

I suppose Johnson/Siddle/Clark/McDonald/North would be the quickest combination.

Picking such a combo is disaster, come on mayn. Aus got lucky in SA, no need to go into a test match with such a poorly balanced bowling combination ever again.

As for simply hustling, we seem to have proven pretty comprehensively that we can't do that in anything less than ideal circumstances, and therefore unfortunately, I think its something we should factor into team selection. Or else we end up in the situation where Ponting is warned he'll be suspended unless 18 overs are bowled in the last session and he throws the ball to Hussey and Clarke at a critical juncture in the match.

Really dont see why Johnson/Lee/Siddle/Clark along with a few overs from North, Clark, Katich wont get through at least 85 overs a day. SA as recent as the late 90 & much of this 2000s era where doing it with pace-based attack.

Australia need to come out from the ideology of picking a spinner is a "must". Another hollywood on averages may not appear for another 40 years, so the best bowlers needs to be picked, in the fast-men. Not English county style journeymen like McDonald.

 

[Burgey]

Any word on Ponting's wrist injury? There was some suggestion he got hit while batting in the nets overnight

 

[FBU]

Somehow don't see Sidebottom playing.

Since July 2008
Sidebottom - 160 overs 9 wickets at 51.88 econ 2.91 s/r 106.6
Johnson - 588 overs 65 wickets at 26.03 econ 2.87 s/r 54.2

 

[GIMH]

Any word on Ponting's wrist injury? There was some suggestion he got hit while batting in the nets overnight

Last I heard they said he'd be fine to train today, haven't stuck SSN today though

 

[pasag]

Think he should skip the T20 WC as a precaution and bring in Brad Hodge as cover

 

[GIMH]

 

[Uppercut]

Fair point, you caught me out there.

Perhaps ODI performances, or playing for Queensland has given me the impression that his defense is faulty.

He's only been bowled 4 times in 28 ODI innings either, and I don't think someone batting 8/9 for Australia in an ODI gets out due to flawed defensive technique very often. Could have been Queensland performances that gave the impression, then again, Johnson has improved immeasurably with the bat since coming into the Australian side so it's not really fair to hold those matches against him.

He's bound to fall away with the bat, simply because you can't average 85 over every series. Still, a 96* and a 123* in three games against a top-class attack isn't to be dismissed out of hand. If a specialist bat had played exactly the innings that Johnson has over the past few months we'd be raving about him non-stop.

 

[pasag]

He's only been bowled 4 times in 28 ODI innings either, and I don't think someone batting 8/9 for Australia in an ODI gets out due to flawed defensive technique very often. Could have been Queensland performances that gave the impression, then again, Johnson has improved immeasurably with the bat since coming into the Australian side so it's not really fair to hold those matches against him.

He's bound to fall away with the bat, simply because you can't average 85 over every series. Still, a 96* and a 123* in three games against a top-class attack isn't to be dismissed out of hand. If a specialist bat had played exactly the innings that Johnson has over the past few months we'd be raving about him non-stop.

Honestly, I don't think he's improved that much with the bat since he came into the side. He's always been quite gun, it's just that people started to realise it a bit more as he went on and was given the opportunity to make a few scores.

 

[Uppercut]

Honestly, I don't think he's improved that much with the bat since he came into the side. He's always been quite gun, it's just that people started to realise it a bit more as he went on and was given the opportunity to make a few scores.

I obviously didn't see him bat for Queensland, but I was going on the fact that he averages 24 in Aussie domestic cricket as opposed to 34 for the test side. Got a century now too.

 

[rivera213]

Think he should skip the T20 WC as a precaution and bring in Brad Hodge as cover

Though you said it in jest, I actually agree.

 

[oitoitoi]

I obviously didn't see him bat for Queensland, but I was going on the fact that he averages 24 in Aussie domestic cricket as opposed to 34 for the test side. Got a century now too.

Johnson's batting reminds me of Flintoff's (except better these days), if the surface is half decent and you bowl it in his areas he can murder you, but if bowl correctly to him early on he's a wicket you won't have to work too hard for. Reckon spin is the way to go, or quick, short and at the ribs.

 

[pasag]

Though you said it in jest, I actually agree.

I agree as well.

 

[aussie tragic]

So with the Aussie batting finished for the first tour game (non-FC due to 12 players), I’m guessing that a batsman will need to be rested for the next game so that Watson and North (and maybe even Hussey) can battle for the remaining batting slot(s).

I think the following had already sealed their place in the first Test, however tour game form confirms:

Hughes: 15 & 78…also 1299 FC runs @ 99.92 for 2009 (phenomenal)
Katich: 49 & 40 & 1-32…also 672 FC runs @ 59.72 for 2009, plus 5 FC wkts @ 10.80
Ponting: 8 & 71…his 356 FC runs @ 39.92 for 2009 (not great)
Clarke: 45 & 75*….also 320 FC runs @ 45.71 for 2009

So I think the following will have to play the next FC game:

Hussey: 32 & 40…207 FC runs @ 29.57 for 2009
North: 1 & 11…282 FC runs @ 40.28, plus 8 FC wkts @ 22.87 for 2009
Watson: DNP…163 FC runs @ 54.33 for 2009

So does Watson play at # 7 (unlikely as Johnson, Lee, Clark & Siddle will probably play), maybe he misses out (risky given North did not impress in the tour game), or will he be given a chance by having a batsman rested (I'd give Ponting or Clarke a rest with Watson batting either # 3 or # 5).