*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[GIMH]

England to win by an innings.

 

[Jono]

I will be there and I hope to witness the following:

- Twatto golden duck
- Clarke golden duck
- KP ton
- Hussey ton
- Another epic Johnson spell

Not much to ask.

 

[GIMH]

You can have the first three but no deal on the last two.

 

[Furball]

Bell has to bat 5 at Melbourne, his form is being wasted at 6.

 

[aussie tragic]

I'd take the same team into Melbourne....something about pick your best 4 bowlers rather than 3 + token spinner...Watto, Smith and Clarke can cover if the 4 quicks need a break...

If Ponting is injured, Khawaja has to get the call....so team would be

Watson
Hughes
Ponting (Khawaja)
Clarke
Hussey
Smith
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Hilfenhaus

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd take the same team into Melbourne....something about pick your best 4 bowlers rather than 3 + token spinner...Watto, Smith and Clarke can cover if the 4 quicks need a break...

If Ponting is injured, Khawaja has to get the call....so team would be

Watson
Hughes
Ponting (Khawaja)
Clarke
Hussey
Smith
Haddin
Johnson
Harris
Siddle
Hilfenhaus

Yeah AWTA. I'd think about bringing Dougey in for Siddle or Hilfenhaus if he proved his fitness/rhythm but that's not gonna happen.

 

[Jacknife]

I wonder if England are going to stick or twist with the team, I think Flower will probably put this down to that usual once a series poor batting performance and a good bowling performance by Johnson and keep the same team. Colly is a really worry now , but I doubt he would get replaced by morgan. The other would be Finn who has been expensive, I wish Broad was still here and injury free because Temlett, Broad and Anderson would be a good seam attack, who don't give too many runs and take wickets.

 

[Prince EWS]

I wonder if England are going to stick or twist with the team, I think Flower will probably put this down to that usual once a series poor batting performance and a good bowling performance by Johnson and keep the same team. Colly is a really worry now , but I doubt he would get replaced by morgan. The other would be Finn who has been expensive, I wish Broad was still here and injury free because Temlett, Broad and Anderson would be a good seam attack, who don't give too many runs and take wickets.

There's virtually no way England will change the team for Melbourne IMO. If they go 2-1 down we may see Panesar or Bresnan in for Collingwood at Sydney but I think even that's very unlikely now that Broad is out.

 

[Jacknife]

There's virtually no way England will change the team for Melbourne IMO. If they go 2-1 down we may see Panesar or Bresnan in for Collingwood at Sydney but I think even that's very unlikely now that Broad is out.

No I don't think so either, knowing how Flower & Strauss work, they'll put this behind them and move on.

 

[marc71178]

You can have the first three but no deal on the last two.

Dunno, Hussey's ton will be with the ball after all the seamers break down aside from Johnson (whose epic spell is 0-150 from 20 overs)

 

[BoyBrumby]

Shahzad in for Finn, IMHO. With Tremmers in the team Finn's skillset is covered and Ajmal brings in pace, reverse and (potentially) runs down the order.

 

[JBH001]

Never seen Shahzad bowl but he surely can't be worse than Finn who bowls so much tripe so often.

Gus Fraser must be raging.

 

[vcs]

I think if Ponting is fit to play, Khawaja should be brought in for Smith as I don't recall the MCG assisting spinners that much.. it's more a pace-friendly wicket IIRC. Batting order will have to be reshuffled, but Australia should go in with their 6 best batsmen and 4 best bowlers IMO. Relying too heavily on Watson, Hussey and Haddin to score runs at the moment.

 

[fredfertang]

I think Shahzad is a tremendous prospect, even if he is French - agree with Brumbers

 

[Burgey]

I think Shahzad is a tremendous prospect, even if he is French - agree with Brumbers

Lol.. Is he really? In the Yorkshire being French sense, or was he born there?

 

[fredfertang]

yeah - that outpost of the French Empire to East of the Pennines

 

[Pothas]

Yeah no need for us to panic that is for sure. Bell should go to five and there is certainly a case for dropping Collingwood but think it is very unlikely.

Would not object to Finn being replaced, I am a big fan of his and all things considered I think he has done pretty well this series but the guy is still very young and he probably needs a rest anyway. Only problem is that I still don't think Bresnan can really cut it as part of a four man attack, Shazhad is a better option but still represents just as much a risk as Finn in terms of the likelihood of being expensive.

 

[Jarquis]

Finn's FC economy is almost 10% higher. Not sure how much you can read into that but he kept it tight against Aus A IIRC and also for the first innings against Vic

 

[JBH001]

The other issue for Strauss and Flower is Swann. Hussey has a real ascendancy over him and it seems to have spooked him.

I don't think he has bowled all that well on this tour apart from the second innings at Adelaide. But with 4 bowlers, Swann needs to step up otherwise it is too much pressure on Anderson and Tremlett (Anderson especially who may just bowl himself into the ground come Sydney if Swann isn't able to hold up an end effectively in the tests to come).

 

[GotSpin]

I'd keep the 4 pace bowling attack. Always an advocate of playing your 4 best bowlers.