*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[Prince EWS]

Siddle's just not that threatening without any tools like swing or whatever. He's also not always that fast and not always that accurate. Most batsman dont have much trouble facing him bar the odd occassion and I'm not sure he adds much to the attack (yet).

Siddle's definitely at his best when he has that big fast off-cutter going. Haven't seen it for a while though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Siddle was always looked like he was potentially like he was going to get a wicket in the Ashes.

You know who else always looks like he can potentially take a wicket? Mohammad Sami.

Looking like taking wickets doesn't win games.

 

[Pothas]

Yea he had an up & down Ashes series. Started off eratic didn't maintain the excellent control he had in SA but ended well. He wasn't as bad as Johnson for example who basically lost the plot due to various reason in the first 3 test.

Siddle was always looked like he was potentially like he was going to get a wicket in the Ashes.

That always seems to be the thing with Siddle, seems to be one of those bowlers that is seen as 'unlucky' when maybe he just lacks something special that would get him wickets on a consistant basis. Seen quite a bit of him over the last year and has bowled well at times but has never really looked special to me.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

That always seems to be the thing with Siddle, seems to be one of those bowlers that is seen as 'unlucky' when maybe he just lacks something special that would get him wickets on a consistant basis. Seen quite a bit of him over the last year and has bowled well at times but has never really looked special to me.

Heard quite a bit of him, and the sooner he's dropped, the sooner I'd watch Australian cricket again.

 

[pasag]

Gun bat though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Gun bat though.

Haha indeed. Get him in for North.

 

[Pothas]

Gun bat though.

Loved it when I saw him bat live. bowled by the great man.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Siddle's a long term project, still the youngest of our quicks. I can't see them discarding him permanently, and I don't think that anyone has been banging the door down hard enough for him to be dropped.

If Hilfenhaus was fit, I'd have him (Siddle) as 12th, but you'd struggle to find anyone in Victoria who'd take McKay over Siddle, and McKay seems to currently be next in line.

 

[Prince EWS]

Siddle's a long term project, still the youngest of our quicks. I can't see them discarding him permanently, and I don't think that anyone has been banging the door down hard enough for him to be dropped.

If Hilfenhaus was fit, I'd have him (Siddle) as 12th, but you'd struggle to find anyone in Victoria who'd take McKay over Siddle, and McKay seems to currently be next in line.

Yeah I do tend to agree with this; I don't think there are three fit bowlers in the country better than Siddle.

 

[Noble One]

What is the current status on Hilfy? Is he any chance of playing in Hobart?

Agree on the opinion that Siddle is the only option by default. In his favour, his one first class game in Hobart contributed 8 wickets. Need to hang onto some hope.

 

[aussie]

You know who else always looks like he can potentially take a wicket? Mohammad Sami.

Between 2002-2004 probably. After then he has been pretty much trash..

Looking like taking wickets doesn't win games.

Yea sure. But don't make it sound as if thats has been the story of Sidvicious career so far.

That always seems to be the thing with Siddle, seems to be one of those bowlers that is seen as 'unlucky' when maybe he just lacks something special that would get him wickets on a consistant basis. Seen quite a bit of him over the last year and has bowled well at times but has never really looked special to me.

Yea consistent swing with the new ball. Although as he showed in SA & at times in the Ashes he has a big leg-cuter to right handers & can reverse swing the ball (SCG 08).

 

[howardj]

Lock me up for treason, but I felt a tang of disappointment at the result the other day. The Summer would have caught fire if the Pakistan team won. As it is, the Hobart Test is now rendered somewhat limp. Furthermore, a loss would have forced Australia to look at a few underperforming players more closely. It's doubtful that North and Siddle would have survived had we lost.

 

[Xuhaib]

Talha's FC performances haven't always been great, from what I have seen on Cricinfo. He is often expensive and often doesn't pick up wickets when a track suits. Watching his performance in his debut, he lacks the yard of pace that he was touted as having, stuck mainly at 130-140kph.

Talha got late in to cricket and I still think he is at the stage where he is understanding his bowling. Watch him bowl once when he is in full flow its an awesome site I assure you but until or unless it happens consistently I agree he should be kept away.

 

[Johnners]

Siddle's a long term project, still the youngest of our quicks. I can't see them discarding him permanently, and I don't think that anyone has been banging the door down hard enough for him to be dropped.

If Hilfenhaus was fit, I'd have him (Siddle) as 12th, but you'd struggle to find anyone in Victoria who'd take McKay over Siddle, and McKay seems to currently be next in line.

Yeah agree with this. Just think Siddle really needs to improve his output if he wants to guarantee himself a spot in the XI when the 'haus is fit again.

 

[howardj]

WHat a game this was the other day, by the way.

Ah Test cricket...she's a beautiful mistress.

 

[aussie]

From a biased personal perspective i would prefer to see North score a hundred in the final test & keep his place. Since that increases the likelhood that AUS will play 4-seamers long term (Hilfy/Doug/Mitch/Sidvicous) & drop Hauritz - instead of having to probably drop Siddle when Hilfy returns.

If North fails & probably gets dropped then to my distgust Hauritz will remain, since no other batsman in the top 6 can roll his arm over consistently.

 

[Prince EWS]

From a biased personal perspective i would prefer to see North score a hundred in the final test & keep his place. Since that increases the likelhood that AUS will play 4-seamers long term (Hilfy/Doug/Mitch/Sidvicous) & drop Hauritz - instead of having to probably drop Siddle when Hilfy returns.

If North fails & probably gets dropped then to my distgust Hauritz will remain, since no other batsman in the top 6 can roll his arm over consistently.

Hauritz is going to keep his place anyway aussie, whether we like it or not.

 

[NUFAN]

From a biased personal perspective i would prefer to see North score a hundred in the final test & keep his place. Since that increases the likelhood that AUS will play 4-seamers long term (Hilfy/Doug/Mitch/Sidvicous) & drop Hauritz - instead of having to probably drop Siddle when Hilfy returns.

If North fails & probably gets dropped then to my distgust Hauritz will remain, since no other batsman in the top 6 can roll his arm over consistently.

Grrrr.. Is that right? Can't Shane Watson role his arm over? This means in your ideal scenario we have 5 quicks and a useful but not much more than part time offspinner in Marcus North.

Hauritz is taking wickets, he's also making useful runs at times. There has been no real issue with over rates either. Barring an injury Australia will almost always go into a Test with a specialist spinner.

 

[howardj]

Agreed.

North is no more a spinner than Katich or Ponting.

Hauritz has been more than doing the job. Importantly, he's been improving as well.

 

[aussie]

Hauritz is going to keep his place anyway aussie, whether we like it or not.

Yea yea i know, just felt like i ranting it one more time..

Grrrr.. Is that right? Can't Shane Watson role his arm over? This means in your ideal scenario we have 5 quicks and a useful but not much more than part time offspinner in Marcus North.

Yes just like South Africa in the 90s, who needs a spinner? haa

But of course depending on match/ptich conditions, the selectors & Ponting should know when it would be correct to pick a spinner. For example for AUS home series, you pretty much HAVE to play a spinner @ Adelaide & SCG.

Hauritz is taking wickets, he's also making useful runs at times. There has been no real issue with over rates either.

Well the over-rates wasn't an issue in SA nor the Leeds or Oval tests with the 4 quicks.

Barring an injury Australia will almost always go into a Test with a specialist spinner.

Yea a trait we need to get over slightly in this post Warne/MacGill era. My point is AUS shouldn't go into a test with the precedence of "we have to pick a spinner" just for the sake of it. Picking the 4 quicks given that AUS strenght, should be first preference & Hauritz should come in where conditions demand a spinner..

But as i said if North gets dropped the whole dynamic here would change..