***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Jayzamann]

Mickey Arthur not dropping Copeland's name, itstl

Australia in South Africa 2011-12: Mickey Arthur says Pat Cummins should be handed a Test debut | Cricket News | South Africa v Australia | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Spikey]

Australia's Test-only players will fly out on October 27, although Harris and Michael Beer will remain in Australia a little longer, to allow them extra Sheffield Shield game-time. After a warm-up match in Potchefstroom, the first Test will be played at Newlands from November 9, before the teams head to Johannesburg for the second and final Test.

Guess that means Cummins might play in the tour match?

 

[howardj]

Cummins certainly will not play in the 1st Test unless we go with four quicks

Harris - first guy picked these days
Johnson - great record in South Africa
Copeland - Clarke loves him, and the discipline he brings to the attack

 

[Spark]

dunno what Patto did wrong, but if they cycle some youngun's through the squad so they know what's doing I suppose it's not a bad thing.

Also poor doug ftr.

ps could do with some more NSW

pps wtf is beer there for.

apparently cummins would've toured sl, but he was injured so patto got the call

 

[iamdavid]

Reading all these quotes from Mickey Arthur saying we have to pick Cummins and Johnson in the same attack while disregarding Copeland makes me wonder if he's still on the Cricket South Africa payroll.

 

[Howe_zat]

As a general rule I don't think you should pick players in the squad if you have no intention of playing them. Good luck to Cummins though.

I'd have picked Bollinger over Beer. If Lyon gets injured then they could revert to the four quicks strategy that worked well in SA last time, with Copeland in the typical spinners' holding role.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Wonder whether Arthur feels that Copeland is one of the bowlers that benefited from the below par Shield pitches that he's talked about quite a few times.

 

[Spikey]

iirc all non-west australian bowlers have benefited from the below par Shield pitches that he's talked about quite a few times.

 

[uvelocity]

I'd have wade over beer to give haddin a rocket.

Probs good not picking dougie actually, so he can 'prove his fitness' in shield

 

[BoyBrumby]

Knowing he's a lame duck has really brought out the gambler in Hilditch, eh?

Don't have a problem with it myself; the boy's clearly a talent and, based on the admittedly small sample size I've seen of the two, looks to have slightly more about him than Pattinson jr, whose place he's taking.

Only issue is, as others have suggested, him being denied Shield games if he's unlikely to play but I suppose there's a body of opinion he'll learn more being around the test squad anyway. Not one I share, ftr.

 

[Spikey]

important thing to remember is that Cummins isn't really keeping anyone out. If they don't pick Cummins it's either Pattinson or no-one. So it's not really a gamble in that sense...but I'd rather they just pick no-one

 

[Sylvester]

Guess that means Cummins might play in the tour match?

Ah yes forgot about that match, that goes someway to making up for him missing two Shield matches.

 

[Prince EWS]

Wonder whether Arthur feels that Copeland is one of the bowlers that benefited from the below par Shield pitches that he's talked about quite a few times.

I think it'd be hard to make a case against the idea Copeland has benefited quite a bit from the state of the pitches since his debut, and that's coming from a big fan.

 

[Prince EWS]

important thing to remember is that Cummins isn't really keeping anyone out. If they don't pick Cummins it's either Pattinson or no-one. So it's not really a gamble in that sense...but I'd rather they just pick no-one

Reckon they might've picked Bollinger ahead of Pattinson this time.

 

[Spikey]

Ah yes forgot about that match, that goes someway to making up for him missing two Shield matches.

Tbf, Pattinson didn't get picked for the SL tour match so it's far to assume Cummins wouldn't've, given Siddle, Copeland and Harris aren't playing ODers. But if Harris is gonna play a game at home Cummins might get the game

 

[Nate]

Reading all these quotes from Mickey Arthur saying we have to pick Cummins and Johnson in the same attack while disregarding Copeland makes me wonder if he's still on the Cricket South Africa payroll.

Nah, he's just a terrible, terrible coach.

 

[Spikey]

ssrly for every good thing Arthur says he usually follows it up with something terrible

 

[BoyBrumby]

Nah, he's just a terrible, terrible coach.

Close to the biggest arsehole in cricket in my estimation and there's some stiff competition for that accolade too.

 

[NUFAN]

Copeland is fairly ordinary and will continue to be in Test Cricket as far as I'm concerned.

He's only a semi-suitable option when we continue to select potentially wayward bowlers like Johnson in our attack. I can't see him doing well in South Africa, in fact by the time we get to the first home Test of the summer on December 1 vs. New Zealand, Copeland will be back in the shield ranks.

 

[inbox24]

Where's Bollinger? Harris?