Australia - the aftermath of the Ashes

[Spark]

Not on a good length, just outside off stump. He's been gotten a few times chasing balls that he really should be leaving alone. Inexperience, perhaps, but when you get squared up as much as he does it's a risk.

 

[TumTum]

He got squared up because the straight balls moved off the seam. He is perfectly capable of leaving good balls around that area.

 

[robinjr]

Not seriously trying to suggest Marsh is as bad outside off stump as Hughes now are you?

yep thats what im doing.plays a gun pullshot but will poke at balls around the off as much as Phil would...the only diffrence is Marsh goes fishing with a straight bat so most likely will get caught in the 1st slip than gully

 

[Noble One]

Hughes is awesome to anything pitching three feet outside off stump. The delivery on a good length just outside off though gets him constantly though. The cover drive has rarely worked for him this summer either. Until he either works that technical glitch out, or finds form again he is a liability at the top of the order.

The one advantage Hughes has is a long gap before any Test cricket is played. He needs to get over this slump and prove himself as Test class again.

 

[robinjr]

probably his backfoot not moving to the legside anymore may restrict his ability to cut wide range of balls including the ones inline of the off

 

[TumTum]

Guys, he hasn't cut or driven through cover much this series because as I said they hardly bowled in that area. They figured him out and in general figured all our batsman out.

 

[BoyBrumby]

when he was inform he scored bags of runs regardless of the technical issues.you don't have to have boycott's technique to score these days anyhow likes of sehwag,dilshan,cook etc all have dodgy techniques yet score lot of runs.i think hughes need another breakthrough knock like in SA

who's your opening partner to Watson if it isnt Hughes?go back to Kat?

There's a difference between technical quirks and dodgy techniques. Sehwag, like Trescothick & Tamim Iqbal, doesn't have what the coaching manuals would call classic footwork; they all rely on weight transference rather than getting to the pitch of the ball. Unlike Hughes, however, all have a full range of shots at their disposal & play very straight. The New South Welshman's offside bias is so pronounced it appears that his first instinct is always to step away from the ball to leg to open up his favoured off side. He was clearly (well, to this observer) wrestling with his tendencies in the last two tests but a lifetime's modus operandi is hard to step away from (pun intended; I kill me, sometimes ) especially when not in the best of form.

Hughes will come back, the boy has an amazing eye, but I don't think it's in his interests to be playing tests just now.

 

[Midwinter]

The challenge to Hughes is to be able to make runs against bowling that is always going to on his body. ?

He shoudn't be playing now because he can't make runs but Ponting and Clarke are in the same boat, badly out of form and should be dropped, and although Hussey carried us in the first three tests look at his last 4 innings and suddenly he is back in the doldrums like in the lead up to the Ashes.

Marsh needs to be given a trial as opener. Will he do worse than Hughes did ?

We are in serious trouble and until new blood is introduced, we'll stay that way.

 

[Sylvester]

Marsh is definitely worth a punt, him surviving while the other batsmen fell to pieces ala the 4th Test is enough for me. Hes been good the last few seasons to suggest he is better than his FC average of 37.

Hughes needs a couple more seasons to sort out his new technique.

 

[pup11]

I don't think Hughes needs to go back and make dramatic changes to the way he bats, would be nice if he develops his on-side game a bit more. I think he needs to persisted with atleast for the Sri Lankan series and if he fails there then we can look at other options. I also hope they don't just bracket him as test player, because AFAIC he can have a huge career across all formats and playing other forms would also help him develop at a faster rate as an international cricketer.
Also I can understand the support for Marsh as he has been in superb form this season, but I think with his technique #6 is where he really should be batting at in the test side.

 

[TumTum]

I don't think Hughes needs to go back and make dramatic changes to the way he bats, would be nice if he develops his on-side game a bit more. I think he needs to persisted with atleast for the Sri Lankan series and if he fails there then we can look at other options. I also hope they don't just bracket him as test player, because AFAIC he can have a huge career across all formats and playing other forms would also help him develop at a faster rate as an international cricketer.
Also I can understand the support for Marsh as he has been in superb form this season, but I think with his technique #6 is where he really should be batting at in the test side.

Yeah the relatively easier SL conditions should help him to find his form again and restore some confidence. Don't think he's a LOI player though.

Marsh >>>>>> Smith at #6, no doubt about it, especially considering that Smith's bowling is rubbish. Although we might need another spinner in SL, so I guess Smith stays.

 

[Spark]

Rarely agree with TumTum on Smith, but yeah. Marsh is a vastly superior option to Smith at 6.

Doubt it'll matter though since when Ponting comes back that should push Smith out anyway. I'd keep him in the squad, though.

 

[TumTum]

Forgot about that, Ponting/Khawaja/Clarke/Hussey is a seriously good middle order. I wonder if the selectors will have the guts to drop Smith though for a guy who only played 1 match, was Ponting's replacement and didn't make a 50.

 

[robelinda]

Marsh over Smith for sure. Really the whole lineup bar Watson needs shuffling. Hussey at 4 for starters, does Ponting stay at 3?

 

[Spark]

I actually think Hussey will work best at 6. Not to "hide" him but to make use of his almost godlike tail-shepherding abilities.

Clarke at 5 is an absolute must, though.

 

[TumTum]

I actually think Hussey will work best at 6. Not to "hide" him but to make use of his almost godlike tail-shepherding abilities.

Clarke at 5 is an absolute must, though.

awta, Hussey being in great form doesn't need the psychological boost from the #5 position as much as Clarke does Ponting/Khawaja/Clarke/Hussey also helps with the right-hand left-hand order.

 

[Ausage]

I think it's impressive that the last couple of pages ended up being an incredibly informative discussion on spin bowling rather than a flame fest. Learned alot just quietly. Well done to all concerned

 

[Prince EWS]

I actually think Hussey will work best at 6. Not to "hide" him but to make use of his almost godlike tail-shepherding abilities.

Clarke at 5 is an absolute must, though.

Yeah, obvious top six to me is:

1 Katich
2 Watson
3 Khawaja
4 Ponting
5 Clarke
6 Hussey

I could definitely live with Ponting and Khawaja swapping, but anything else would make me pretty annoyed tbh.

 

[vcs]

I think it's impressive that the last couple of pages ended up being an incredibly informative discussion on spin bowling rather than a flame fest. Learned alot just quietly. Well done to all concerned

I enjoyed it as well. Good stuff.

 

[Debris]

Yeah, obvious top six to me is:

1 Katich
2 Watson
3 Khawaja
4 Ponting
5 Clarke
6 Hussey

I could definitely live with Ponting and Khawaja swapping, but anything else would make me pretty annoyed tbh.

I would really like to move Watson to 4 if that can be worked out somehow. Think it would benefit both his batting and bowling. It also feels a bit weird to have two make-shift openers.