*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[aussie]

If he bats at 7 then that's perfectly fine IMO... especially when Hilfenhaus gets a free pass to do it at 10.

Uh what?

 

[social]

Sorry. He doesn't provide balance, he unbalances the side in every way possible you can think of.

I cant see McDonald providing that kind of accuracy againts good opposition consistently. As i alread said, Ryan Harris can be a sort of metronomical bowler who Ponting can use in a 4-man attack to do that role. But most importantly Harris is FARR more potent wicket taking threat & that at then end of the day, is what bowlers get picked for in general.

The none spine bat in the team is obviously North. Just get rid of him, bring back Hughes, drop Katich into the middle, possinly also bring in Khawaja & i expect that the middle-order will have more solidity to it again. The collapses will be significantly decreased.

AUS certainly desperately dont need McDonald in any way. Better players are available all across the board.

Harris is one of THREE main strike bowlers

If he isnt (and I reckon he is btw), dont bother playing him!

However, at a ground like Brisbane, which has only suited a couple of spinners in history AND is due for rain, back them up with McDonald and it'll be a whole lot more effective than any spinner we can chuck in atm

In any event, McDonald averages near 40 with the bat, less than 30 with the ball and has won everything there is to win INCLUDING a series between the 2 best sides on the planet

If you think it's a coincidence, then more fool you

 

[Jarquis]

Johnson has had a average year with the bat indeed. But its not an area where i think we should be too worried about TBH. I reckon he will always contribute enough with the blade when AUS need him - more often than he wont.
.

Have you not noticed that Johnson has been an absolute walking wicket during some of Australia's big collapses this year?!
Since the Lords Test last year he's averaged <12!

Since the Lords Test, he has scored 269 runs at 11.69. Nobody else who has scored that many runs has done so at an average lower than ~21

 

[Jarquis]

Uh what?

Bowl 20 overs for 60 obvz.

 

[Woodster]

If he bats at 7 then that's perfectly fine IMO... especially when Hilfenhaus gets a free pass to do it at 10.


lolBroadpopular

Hilf is a genuinely threatening bowler to be fair, and can slog a few at 10. Don't get that comparison.

Cannot see McDonald offering enough for Australia to permanently reside in the number 7 slot.

 

[aussie]

Have you not noticed that Johnson has been an absolute walking wicket during some of Australia's big collapses this year?!
Since the Lords Test last year he's averaged <12!

Yes & has i said that doesn't really bother me. Since i'm confident he can bat better than that, its not as if he has become a worse batsman in the last year. Has gotten out to more dumb shots rather than fantastic bowling, so i expect him to improve on that has fairly soon.

 

[GIMH]

He'd walk into the Eng side at home (Bresnan ffs!), not just Oz, NZ and WI - pretty simple I'd have thought

Wrong, and given that Morgan isn't in the first XI your point is irrelevant

I know he's not blonde but he's a better cricketer in ever aspect than Broad

Play the stats not the popularity component

Hang on, Broad, popularity, what?

Just no

 

[Jarquis]

Hilf is a genuinely threatening bowler to be fair, and can slog a few at 10. Don't get that comparison.

Cannot see McDonald offering enough for Australia to permanently reside in the number 7 slot.

Interesting statistics...
Ben Hilfenhaus for Tasmania : 151@29.13
Andrew McDonald for Victoria : 132@29.24

 

[Jarquis]

Yes & has i said that doesn't really bother me. Since i'm confident he can bat better than that, its not as if he has become a worse batsman in the last year. Has gotten out to more dumb shots rather than fantastic bowling, so i expect him to improve on that has fairly soon.

He's been dire for nigh on 16 months! It's more than a dodgy patch of form, he was dire for the back end of the Ashes, dire for the entire Australian winter 09/10, dire for the Australian summer and has started the winter of 10/11 badly.
It's not about if "he can bat better than that", it's about how well he actually is batting. Which is ****ing abysmally. Cue Ashes century

 

[aussie]

Harris is one of THREE main strike bowlers

If he isnt (and I reckon he is btw), dont bother playing him!

However, at a ground like Brisbane, which has only suited a couple of spinners in history AND is due for rain, back them up with McDonald and it'll be a whole lot more effective than any spinner we can chuck in atm

In any event, McDonald averages near 40 with the bat, less than 30 with the ball and has won everything there is to win INCLUDING a series between the 2 best sides on the planet

If you think it's a coincidence, then more fool you

Main 3 bowlers or 4 bowlers. Doesnt matter what you want to call him, once he is in the team.

If you have Bollinger/Hilfy/Johnson/Harris in the team i suggested in Brisbane in those condtions. Why would you need McDonald to back them up when you already have Watson, who can back then up if needed?.

Their is aboslutely no way McDonald could replicate that FC average of his if he played test cricket regularly. He is not that good. I already articulated to you how McDonald was weak link in those matches he played vs SA.

 

[Woodster]

Interesting statistics...
Ben Hilfenhaus for Tasmania : 151@29.13
Andrew McDonald for Victoria : 132@29.24

As we know stats can at times be misleading. I'm sure I can produce a long list of England domestic players with very encouraging domestic stats but would never trouble Test players nearly enough on the flat wickets.

Tbf McDonald is a steady bowler, but carries nothing like the threat Hilf does, regardless of those stats.

 

[Jarquis]

As we know stats can at times be misleading. I'm sure I can produce a long list of England domestic players with very encouraging domestic stats but would never trouble Test players nearly enough on the flat wickets.

Tbf McDonald is a steady bowler, but carries nothing like the threat Hilf does, regardless of those stats.

What is this threat of Hilfenhaus? Yeah he beats the outside edge... but taking wickets is what matters. Which McDonald is just as good at, all things being equal. (Opposition, pitches etc etc).

 

[aussie]

He's been dire for nigh on 16 months! It's more than a dodgy patch of form, he was dire for the back end of the Ashes, dire for the entire Australian winter 09/10, dire for the Australian summer and has started the winter of 10/11 badly.
It's not about if "he can bat better than that", it's about how well he actually is batting. Which is ****ing abysmally. Cue Ashes century

As i said. Given i have seen him bat in all those tests. Most of his dismissals have been more down to hit getting out to dumb/overly aggressive shots, instead of him looking technically exposed & getting out one way all time. Which if that where the case, then that would have been a HUGE problem.

But given that hasn't been the case, i am confident once he focuses more when he bats. He will score more consistently, i have no worries.

 

[Woodster]

He's been dire for nigh on 16 months! It's more than a dodgy patch of form, he was dire for the back end of the Ashes, dire for the entire Australian winter 09/10, dire for the Australian summer and has started the winter of 10/11 badly.
It's not about if "he can bat better than that", it's about how well he actually is batting. Which is ****ing abysmally. Cue Ashes century

I don't think Johnson's batting form is a big issue either, just like Stuart Broad's wasn't when he endured an elongated spell of poor batting results. They are bowlers first and foremost, if they do that well what they get from their batting is a bonus.

I also think they do have enough talent with the bat to chip in with a few vital innings every now and again, but neither will make genuine all-rounders.

 

[GIMH]

Wasn't Hilf top wicket-taker last Ashes?

I know he's not done a lot since but things like that will be factored when facing the same opposition

 

[Woodster]

What is this threat of Hilfenhaus? Yeah he beats the outside edge... but taking wickets is what matters. Which McDonald is just as good at, all things being equal. (Opposition, pitches etc etc).

Presuming you didn't see a great deal of the Indian series, but despite conditions being against Hilf's preference, he looked the only one capable of getting the breakthrough. He has the control to not just bowl tightly, but work to a plan accurately and effectively. He may not yet have reaped the rewards in terms of wickets, but he earns wickets for bowlers at the other end, should they bowl with equal discipline, and his own personal rewards are surely imminent. Just hopefully not during the Ashes.

 

[aussie]

What is this threat of Hilfenhaus? Yeah he beats the outside edge... but taking wickets is what matters. Which McDonald is just as good at, all things being equal. (Opposition, pitches etc etc).

DEAR GOD. You cannot be serious. If this is how you view the threat Hilfenhaus brings with the ball & comparing that to what McDonald can do with the ball againts international batsmen??.

I wonder what you then think about Anderson's threat?. At least Hilfenhaus can bowl well on flat pitches. Anderos has yet to prove he can bowl well when the sun comes out. Plus of course Hilfenhaus outbowled Anderson in Ashes 09, so i dont what madness your are talking about there.

 

[Jarquis]

As i said. Given i have seen him bat in all those tests. Most of his dismissals have been more down to hit getting out to dumb/overly aggressive shots, instead of him looking technically exposed & getting out one way all time. Which if that where the case, then that would have been a HUGE problem.

But given that hasn't been the case, i am confident once he focuses more when he bats. He will score more consistently, i have no worries.

Funny because when I've seen him he's look completely at sea as soon as the ball gets off straight.

 

[aussie]

I don't think Johnson's batting form is a big issue either, just like Stuart Broad's wasn't when he endured an elongated spell of poor batting results. They are bowlers first and foremost, if they do that well what they get from their batting is a bonus.

I also think they do have enough talent with the bat to chip in with a few vital innings every now and again, but neither will make genuine all-rounders.

Presuming you didn't see a great deal of the Indian series, but despite conditions being against Hilf's preference, he looked the only one capable of getting the breakthrough. He has the control to not just bowl tightly, but work to a plan accurately and effectively. He may not yet have reaped the rewards in terms of wickets, but he earns wickets for bowlers at the other end, should they bowl with equal discipline, and his own personal rewards are surely imminent. Just hopefully not during the Ashes.

Smart fellow Lancastrian this bloke Woodster.

 

[Woodster]

Smart fellow Lancastrian this bloke Woodster.

Been called many things but never smart!!