*Official* First Test at the Gabba

[superkingdave]

Meh, its quite clear its going to be impossible to follow this thread when not watching the game, will probably put on 500+ posts tonight.

 

[GotSpin]

Wait, how are the bowlers going to take 22 wickets between them?

See above edit

 

[Spikey]

Yeah best case scenario. Watto double ton. Ponting double ton. Clarke double ton. Hussey 0. North 0. Hilf 10/25 & Johnson 12/50 with Siddle going 0/100.

- edit Johnson taking extra two wickets because they felt bad for the poms and let Rhoyd Rage and Pierce Potts from the Barmy Army come and bat

Ponting will allow the remaining batsman in both innings to bat by himself.



Strauss will use this opportunity both times to finally get off the mark for the innings.

 

[Ruckus]

Tomorrow's Forecast Just Released

Be a tad disappointing if the first test is delayed by rain, which it looks like it might be. Nonetheless if play does go ahead and Aus win the toss it will be very interesting indeed to see if Ponting bats or bowls first in overcast conditions. I will not be suprised if he does the former yet again.

 

[GotSpin]

Ponting will allow the remaining batsman in both innings to bat by himself.



Strauss will use this opportunity both times to finally get off the mark for the innings.

12th and 13th man are allowed to bat for England because it's turning into such a farce. Members of the barmy army are called upon by a desperate Strauss

 

[Jono]

Mitchell Johnson thinks Andrew Strauss's pulling is also suspect so both captains will be ready for bouncers. "I've had to deal with a lot of short balls in the past," Strauss said. "I'm quite happy with my technique against it. If Mitchell wants to let us know their bowling plans a day early that's very kind of him."

Lol Strauss. Well played.

 

[Prince EWS]

FFS please do not bounce Strauss early.

 

[Top_Cat]

Guys with pace have been known to shake up Strauss so it's not a ridiculous plan. Have to be aware of whether he's hitting them well and adjust quickly if he is, though.

 

[morgieb]

Australia's bowling

8 Mitch Johnson
9 Ben Hilfenhaus
10 Pete Siddle
11 Xavier Doherty

vs

NSW's bowling

8 Steve O'Keefe
9 Trent Copeland
10 Mark Cameron
11 Doug Bollinger

_____________

I know which I'd pick 10 times out of 10.

Haha I agree soooo much. You've got 1 star (Bollinger), 2 inexperienced but still very good quicks (Copeland, Cameron) and an up and coming spinner (O'Keefe). Whereas you've got 1 great but inconsistent (Johnson), 1 unlucky but somewhat over-rated (Hilfenhaus), 1 bowler who hasn't done much in 18 months (Siddle) and a spinner who did nothing for years (Doherty).

 

[marc71178]

Surely the not being 100% fit factor when combined with the 5 Tests in 6 weeks (or whatever the schedule is) is why Dougeh is missing the 1st game - would make logical sense to me that they're trying to make sure he can play 4 out of 5 - if he breaks down then you're left with an attack of the unlucky Hilfenhaus, the random Johnson, the liable to break down Watson and a bloke with an FC average of just under 50.

EDIT: And with the 2nd Test following on immediately, those same bowlers would have to turn round and back it up straight away.

 

[Johnners]

Wait, how are the bowlers going to take 22 wickets between them?

Mitch is that good, he'll get 2 double plays tbh.

Anyway, I'm annoyed Dougeh can't play, but I cannot help but think people are seriously overreacting and perhaps missing the point with regards to Siddle being picked ahead of him. There's no doubt Bollinger is the better bowler, and I'd be suprised if Ricky thought otherwise, but I think it's plainly obvious they're concerned about his side-strain, and the fact that it's a 5 match series. If it is indeed a case of just selecting favourites, it's ****ed, but I very much doubt it. Unless Siddle carves up in Brisbane, I honestly expect to see Bollinger play at Adelaide.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

FFS please do not bounce Strauss early.

No please do it.Let him cut and pull his way to a century.

Nice to see so many happy Aussies with the side they have picked.

 

[four_or_six]

Any official news on Finn/Tremlett?

 

[Ruckus]

Mitch is that good, he'll get 2 double plays tbh.

Anyway, I'm annoyed Dougeh can't play, but I cannot help but think people are seriously overreacting and perhaps missing the point with regards to Siddle being picked ahead of him. There's no doubt Bollinger is the better bowler, and I'd be suprised if Ricky thought otherwise, but I think it's plainly obvious they're concerned about his side-strain, and the fact that it's a 5 match series. If it is indeed a case of just selecting favourites, it's ****ed, but I very much doubt it. Unless Siddle carves up in Brisbane, I honestly expect to see Bollinger play at Adelaide.

It's bit of a double-edged sword really. On one hand if Siddle does well at the Gabba it will improve our chances of winning there, but he will likely be retained over Bollinger for further matches (can't see them replacing him with Bollinger if he brings in a good haul). On the other hand, if Siddle fails then that will go a fair way to us not winning the match, but we will be more likely to get Bollinger back for the next tests. TBH I'd almost prefer the latter, because we have to look beyond just the Ashes here. If Siddle has a successful Ashes, we will likely be stuck with him for ages when there are other better bowlers (like Dougie) out there. And I really want that to be avoided.

 

[stephen]

I just heard the news about Siddle over Bollinger and boy am I pissed. I didn't agree with the Hauritz decision but kept quiet over it because I could see reasons for it. There is no way that Bollinger shouldn't be first picked bowler in the Aus team at the moment. He bowls well and takes wickets and does so consistently and economically. FFS the selectors need a good clip over the ear.

This lineup would have been much better:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Khawaja
Hussey
Haddin
O'Keefe
Johnson
Bollinger
Hilfenhaus

 

[Nate]

I hate how long our tail is. And England bat to 9. North being retained, no Harris, O'Keefe, or Bollinger. Gaaaaaahhhhh.

 

[Ruckus]

I hate how long our tail is. And England bat to 9. North being retained, no Harris, O'Keefe, or Bollinger. Gaaaaaahhhhh.

No Hauritz either, who is undoubtedly a better bat than Doherty. Although the inclusion of Siddle over Bollinger somewhat makes up for that.

 

[stephen]

It's bit of a double-edged sword really. On one hand if Siddle does well at the Gabba it will improve our chances of winning there, but he will likely be retained over Bollinger for further matches (can't see them replacing him with Bollinger if he brings in a good haul). On the other hand, if Siddle fails then that will go a fair way to us not winning the match, but we will be more likely to get Bollinger back for the next tests. TBH I'd almost prefer the latter, because we have to look beyond just the Ashes here. If Siddle has a successful Ashes, we will be likely be stuck with him for ages when there are other better bowlers (like Dougie) out there. And I really want that to be avoided.

This is what makes me so angry about boneheaded selections.

1) Your team underperforms for longer.
2) Good players who are dropped tend to lose confidence and try to do "too much" to get reselected (see Hughes)
3) It builds a culture in the lower ranks that says that only the captains favourites get picked (why do you think Hodge never got a good run). This leads to less competition for spots, which means a weaker team all round.
4) When one of the boneheaded selections does well the selectors tend to feel vindicated (not realising that the better selection would probably have performed better).

All of these reasons lead me to not liking the Australian selectors at the moment.

 

[Nate]

Regardless of whether we're 19 Tests up by Sydney, I'm bringing my "Hilditch - it's in the name" sign to the SCG.

 

[GIMH]

I hate how long our tail is. And England bat to 9. North being retained, no Harris, O'Keefe, or Bollinger. Gaaaaaahhhhh.

If Tremlett plays our batting gets even stronger, he's way too good for a 10