*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[Spark]

Surprised to see Katman's average so poor. 2005 hangover? I know he also didn't have a stellar time of it after Cardiff.

 

[Jayzamann]

Just to put a different perspective on who to pick for the first test, the averages for Australia V England since 2000

Hussey 734 runs @ 56.46
Clarke 1172 runs @ 55.80
North 367 runs @ 52.42
Ponting 2075 runs @ 51.87
Watson 248 runs @ 48.00
Haddin 278 runs @ 46.33
Katich 604 runs @ 33.55

Definitely the operative word there. :O

 

[howardj]

The Australian team for this game will be announced on 15 November.

That's right, before the Australia A game, and before the full round of Shield matches.

lol

 

[Burgey]

He will get the support,i expect Broad and Finn to do well and use their height to advantage.Both are very fast learners and should be able to adapt to bowling the different lengths needed in Australia.Anderson is a worry,yes he will destroy the Aussies if he gets the right conditions but how often is he likely to get them in Australia,the rest of the time he is cannon fodder though he is a little bit wiser and less of a liability than he was 3 or 4 years ago.

I think the Eastern states are expecting quite a wet summer this year, so Anderson may get conditions to suit him afterall. More than usual, anyway.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I think the Eastern states are expecting quite a wet summer this year, so Anderson may get conditions to suit him afterall. More than usual, anyway.

Hopefully but you can't bank on it when you go to Australia.You know beforehand in England there will be a couple of grounds he will get help no matter what and may at others due to conditions anyway.If he does get conditions to suit then Australia could be in serious trouble as they don't play the swinging ball well at all.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, that's true. Also depends on whether he can get the Kooka to swing (though I imagine he's bowled with it many times on tours of other places).

Gabba often sees the ball move around a fair bit. Usually on at least one day there's an impending thunderstorm about the place.

 

[howardj]

I think that with the Test wickets at least, that the ball hoops around is a bit of a myth. In Shield cricket, my God the pitch has branches growing on it such is its greenness. However, the Test tracks are flat but for the first morning where you may get a bit of assistance but certainly not prodigious movement. The Test pitch is always over to the Eastern side of the square and is an absolute beauty.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Exactly, the aim will be for it to be a normal Test wicket at the 'Gabba. The weather will determine whether or not it genuinely provides something for the seam bowlers, as seen when NZ were here last and Southee took advantage of good bowling conditions (certainly not unplayable ones, though).

 

[andyc]

The Australian team for this game will be announced on 15 November.

That's right, before the Australia A game, and before the full round of Shield matches.

lol

**** off, are you serious? Why?? Sounds ridiculous.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Saw Roebuck state that today. Think it doesn't make a difference, the top 6 will be the same as what we've seen, these rounds of matches are just to sort out the pecking order of potential replacements.

 

[Prince EWS]

Shouldn't really be picking the team based off two matches anyway IMO, so I don't have a huge problem with it.

 

[social]

Saw Roebuck state that today. Think it doesn't make a difference, the top 6 will be the same as what we've seen, these rounds of matches are just to sort out the pecking order of potential replacements.

Whilst what your saying is undoubtedly correct, it's absolutely ludicrous that North and/or Hussey could fail a number of times and potential replacements succeed without it making one iota of difference to the selectors thinking - it's that sort of attitude that has got us where we are ffs

 

[GotSpin]

Yeah it's good to see Hussey and North get a freeroll into the Ashes. I hope Khawaja scores big in both FC matches beforehand though

 

[pup11]

Sometimes four isn't enough though. Having five (six even tbh, North's useful) bowling options > having four. You can't just ignore the fact that Australia have an extra couple of decent bowling options - or you can, but then it doesn't make sense to then take the batting all the way down to nine.

I'll put it this way - I don't think the bowling of Watson and North is less likely to have an impact on the series than the difference between the batting of Hauritz/Johnson and Broad/Swann.

Agree with this, and I think Hauritz should bat at 8 and Johnson should bat at 9.
Like Johnson's bowling, even his batting has gone slightly downhill in the last 18 months, and I think if Hauritz bats at 8, its gives him a chance, to build an innings, and then Johnson at 9 can come, and play his shots, as that's when he is at his best.
As for Australia's top 6, I feel Hussey is gonna be disappointing, in this series as well. Nothing wrong with his technique or anything, but he seems to have a mental cluster, that's making things hard for him, in the longer form of the game.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Talk on Ch 7 that they'll pick a 15 man squad anyway, so it might not mean anything in the end.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Seems a strange one to announce the team before the A game even if they pick a 15 man squad.What if they pick Ferguson in the squad and he gets a pair in the A game and Khawaja gets a ton?

Having said that,a 15 man squad for a test at home shows the selectors have no idea what the best side is at present.You could understand it if there was an injury doubt so they don't need a late call up but unless Katich or Bollinger are worse than has been reported then it makes no sense.

 

[Nate]

Imo, there are a few spots that are 50/50, and I believe the Shield/'A' game could well dictate who gets those spots. So there bloody well better be a 15 man squad.

 

[Spark]

Probably because the selectors having no idea is something close to their default state of being tbh.

 

[GotSpin]

I'm more annoyed with the squads being announced early because it means the selectors are putting little pressure on Hussey and North to finally perform...If they even have a chance too beforehand

 

[GIMH]

All jokes aside, it is so weird going to an Ashes series 95% sure what our team will be whilst Australia are unsettled. Almost like a parallel universe.