*Official Third Test at Edgbaston

[Matt79]

Don't think Johnson should be dropped. If you look at Johnson's form line it follows something like:

1. Johnson enters series with big rep
2. While somehow still taking wickets, Johnson bowls badly, leading people to denounce him as overrated and call for his dropping. (We are currently here)
3. Johnson tears a match or two apart.

I'd hang out for stage 3 a bit longer yet.

 

[Matt79]

Hauritz bowled better with his finger smashed (was interesting hearing MacGill and Matthews discussing why this was the case) and the next test isn't back-to-back with this one. He'll be fine.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Hopefully Johnson does something worth while with the bat tonight which makes him undroppable.

 

[Trumpers_Ghost]

Hopefully Johnson does something worth while with the bat tonight which makes him undroppable.

yes

 

[Matt79]

Reckon if he bats well, he could well turn his bowling form around pretty quickly. There doesn't appear to be anything physically wrong with him, but we always hear he's a confidence bowler and at the moment, I think that's his biggest problem.

 

[Uppercut]

Don't think Johnson should be dropped. If you look at Johnson's form line it follows something like:

1. Johnson enters series with big rep
2. While somehow still taking wickets, Johnson bowls badly, leading people to denounce him as overrated and call for his dropping. (We are currently here)
3. Johnson tears a match or two apart.

I'd hang out for stage 3 a bit longer yet.

He's never bowled anywhere near this badly before though. Really hope he comes good again. That spell in South Africa where he injured their team was one of the best spells of fast bowling I've ever seen.

 

[Jakester1288]

If Flintoff is out I would like to see him replaced with a bowler, personally.

Harmison?

Now that Haddin has performed so well I'm tipping Lee or Watson to come in for the unlucky M. North.

The reason being that the team needs an extra quick. Hope Watson bowls well in the warmup.

I don't think we will drop North. With centuries against South Africa and in the first Test at Cardiff, I don't see us dropping him. Doesn't mean we won't though.

In: McDonald, Lee and Clark
out: Johnson, Hauritz and North/Hussey

So essentially

1. Hughes
2. Katich
3. Ponting
4. Hussey/North
5. Clarke
6. Haddin
7. McDonald
8. Lee
9. Siddle
10. Clark
11. Hilfenhaus

No thanks. Only changes for me are picking 2 of Lee, Clark, Siddle and Johnson to go with Hilfenhaus and Hauritz. I was of the opinion that Siddle should be a definite, but by opinion has changed.

I want to see the same batting line up retained, Hussey, Hughes and Katich were all not out, Katich is undroppable anyway, and if his foot was that little bit back on the delivery he still probably would have been out. North, well I want to see him get another shot. As I said up a little bit, he has made centuries against South Africa and in the first Test at Cardiff, surely you can't turn around and drop him the very next match?

Hopefully Johnson does something worth while with the bat tonight which makes him undroppable.

Hopefully.

 

[Hoggy31]

England will get absolutely pumped, never been more sure of anything.

Anyone know the likely pitch conditions?

 

[pasag]

He's never bowled anywhere near this badly before though. Really hope he comes good again. That spell in South Africa where he injured their team was one of the best spells of fast bowling I've ever seen.

He was easily worse in the Windies.

 

[sephiroth123]

Well I'd imagine this win for England will be a kick in the butt for the Aussies and I doubt they will have a first innings as bad as this one. Still England will be buzzing as well thanks to this first win.

 

[NUFAN]

My side.
1 Simon Katich
2 Phillip Hughes
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Michael Clarke - promoted
5 Michael Hussey
6 Brad Haddin
7 Mitchell Johnson
8 Brett Lee
9 Nathan Hauritz
10 Peter Siddle
11 Ben Hilfenhaus

Opening the bowling
Hilfenhaus and Lee.

 

[howardj]

Seems to me there are a few problems with our squad, which are laid bare when you're playing from behind as we now are.

Lee and Watson are still injured. Clark is woefully short of work, while MacDonald is yet to slip on the creams the whole tour. Furthermore, we don't have a reserve opener.

Whether by misfortune or poor planning, we're struggling for options.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

He was easily worse in the Windies.

I watched heaps of that series in the Windies and he did NOT bowl as badly there as he did on the first morning this series. I'm not sure I've ever seen an Australian bowl that badly.

 

[pasag]

My side.
1 Simon Katich
2 Phillip Hughes
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Michael Clarke - promoted
5 Michael Hussey
6 Brad Haddin
7 Mitchell Johnson
8 Brett Lee
9 Nathan Hauritz
10 Peter Siddle
11 Ben Hilfenhaus

Opening the bowling
Hilfenhaus and Lee.

Not the worst side ever, but I really worry about a Johnson struggling to cope being given extra responsibility. It's one thing having a license to hit when we've lost already, it's another thing batting at 7. Might be worth trying against the West Indies, but not now IMO.

 

[Hoggy31]

In: Lee, Out: Siddle. Siddle's been huge but someone has to go and he won't win us a Test like Lee can.

 

[pasag]

Seems to me there are a few problems with our squad, which are laid bare when you're playing from behind as we now are.

Lee and Watson are still injured. Clark is woefully short of work, while MacDonald is yet to slip on the creams the whole tour. Furthermore, we don't have a reserve opener.

Whether by misfortune or poor planning, we're struggling for options.

Still boggles the mind that Clark was called up for the one-day series against Pakistan when he could have been playing FC cricket and working up some form in England.

 

[NUFAN]

Not the worst side ever, but I really worry about a Johnson struggling to cope being given extra responsibility. It's one thing having a license to hit when we've lost already, it's another thing batting at 7. Might be worth trying against the West Indies, but not now IMO.

I know it's risky, especially with Hughes and Hussey not in the best of form, but we are struggling big time to get wickets and just having an extra bowling option could help us get 20 wickets.

 

[howardj]

My side.
1 Simon Katich
2 Phillip Hughes
3 Ricky Ponting
4 Michael Clarke - promoted
5 Michael Hussey
6 Brad Haddin
7 Mitchell Johnson
8 Brett Lee
9 Nathan Hauritz
10 Peter Siddle
11 Ben Hilfenhaus

Opening the bowling
Hilfenhaus and Lee.

Agree with that side. We need to be bold. The batting is our strength at the moment, despite what happened at Lords. Anyway, Watson and Lee must both play this tour game or be sent home. We need options, not passengers.

 

[wpdavid]

Strauss doesn't seem to rate Onions judging by the number of overs he got in this innings, so a straight swap with Harmison seems likely. Bit harsh, but might be the right call. If KP or Fred isn't fit, that messes us up a treat though. You really wouldn't want Broad to be one of only four bowlers, so perhaps they'll stick Fred & Kev in an oxygen tent for the next 10 days and send them out filled with more chemicals than ICI.

 

[Neil Pickup]

England will get absolutely pumped, never been more sure of anything.

Anyone know the likely pitch conditions?

Flattest and deadest track in the country. Something like two results in four years in the Championship.