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Australia - the aftermath of the Ashes
- Thread starter stephen
- Start date
howardj
International Coach
Australian cricket, IMO, should be more than just about the Ashes.
I want to see us set our stall to become the best team in the world again
You do that by making the tough calls and letting some young guys grow together.
IMO, you don't do that by looking two years ahead to the next Ashes series.
Cast your mind back to 1991-1995....Martyn, Hayden, Slater, Warne, McGrath, Ponting, Gillespie, Langer....they all grew together.
And yes, you have a sprinkling of experience - Hussey, Clarke, Watson.
I want to see us set our stall to become the best team in the world again
You do that by making the tough calls and letting some young guys grow together.
IMO, you don't do that by looking two years ahead to the next Ashes series.
Cast your mind back to 1991-1995....Martyn, Hayden, Slater, Warne, McGrath, Ponting, Gillespie, Langer....they all grew together.
And yes, you have a sprinkling of experience - Hussey, Clarke, Watson.
Spark
Global Moderator
Precisely! This is what I've been saying all along, forget 2013 and just worry about the next series.
I think my major, major beef with your team is just Clarke at #3.
howardj
International Coach
I just think it's criminal that while Hussey, Clarke and Ponting slide down the order, we're asking greenhorns to bat in the prime position in the order. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I think Channel Nine even commented the other day, that Usman was the first guy to debut at three in a very long, long time.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
It was a stiff ask of the boy, but he's a top order batter and (as I think I read somewhere on CW) he opened in Grade and age level cricket too, so he should have the chops for it.
From the selected XI Clarke was the only conceivable other option at three and four is giving him vertigo just now.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Yeah, as I said before, I have more faith in Khawaja to score runs at three than I do in him to score runs at six. He's always been an opening batsman and he's batted exclusively in the top three for New South Wales. Yeah, there's more pressure there, but that's the role he's used to.
howardj
International Coach
I just think he's going through a bad patch.
I have no evidence, but I don't think he finds batting at four any different to batting at five.
Correlation doesn't always equal causation.
In any case, in this series, the only difference between four and five was one over.
I have no evidence, but I don't think he finds batting at four any different to batting at five.
Correlation doesn't always equal causation.
In any case, in this series, the only difference between four and five was one over.
Burgey
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Can't see Cosgrove as a test opener tbh. Not saying he isn't a test player though.
A very, very big test player.
social
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Never been much of a fan of Shaun Marsh, simply because he received an armchair ride into the Oz odi team without doing anything of note domestically
However, there is no denying that he is a huge talent plus he is finally showing application at state level and this is being reflected in his results
If his form continues until the end of the season and carries on at the WC, I'd have no problem with him being in the squad for SL and in the tests side next summer because the guy exudes class with the bat
However, there is no denying that he is a huge talent plus he is finally showing application at state level and this is being reflected in his results
If his form continues until the end of the season and carries on at the WC, I'd have no problem with him being in the squad for SL and in the tests side next summer because the guy exudes class with the bat
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Fair point. Obviously it's different for everyone, but some chaps are never going to be from the identikit pro template. Warney chased fanny til all hours and refuelled on chips n cheese and pizzas and he went ok.
It might seem unfair on the less talented blokes who do knuckle down, but that's life. It's not fair Ben Cousins still looks cut and chisled in his 30s after a Class A consumption that would embarrass Amy Winehouse, but genius writes it own rules as the cliche has it.
Last season the problem with the team was that the middle order wasn't making any runs. .
The problem this season is the middle order isn't making any runs
Why does everyone want to retain the players who are the cause of the problem.
Ponting's time is up - an average of 16 for the series as captain
Katich deserves to hold his place but his age is against him
Hussey's plaace is again borderline after 4 consecutive failures in the last two tests.
Clarke should be out of the team on his current form.
Smith has had a turn and he may offer something in the future, but we need to try someone else.
On form alone you can see what trouble we are in
As Peter English has pointed out everyone is in denial .
The problem is obvious
The solution is to start bringing new players into the team and saying goodbye to yesterdays heroes, former champions or not .
The sooner the process is started the better for rveryone.
The problem this season is the middle order isn't making any runs
Why does everyone want to retain the players who are the cause of the problem.
Ponting's time is up - an average of 16 for the series as captain
Katich deserves to hold his place but his age is against him
Hussey's plaace is again borderline after 4 consecutive failures in the last two tests.
Clarke should be out of the team on his current form.
Smith has had a turn and he may offer something in the future, but we need to try someone else.
On form alone you can see what trouble we are in
As Peter English has pointed out everyone is in denial .
The problem is obvious
The solution is to start bringing new players into the team and saying goodbye to yesterdays heroes, former champions or not .
The sooner the process is started the better for rveryone.
Last edited:
Spark
Global Moderator
BoyBrumby
Englishman
There's a balance that needs to be struck tho. Statis can be just as crippling as a selectorial game of pass-the-parcel.
I'll probably use the example again but England cutting Finn despite him being our leading wicket taker was a bravura piece of bold selection. It would've been so easy to back the status quo, but it was absolutely the right decision.
Clarke and especially Ponting have been formula one players so both have deserved a little forbearance, but they seem to be running on fumes just now. I'd personally drop Clarke and strip Ponting of the captaincy to see if a return to the ranks might re-energise his batting. If it doesn't then maybe his decline is terminal.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
That really should be in cricinfo's profile of the guy.
Or perhaps Wisden in 40 years or so when they're wrting his obituary.