***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

[TumTum]

When is the squad to Hobart going to be decided?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

If Arnel gets selected over Boult I'm gonna....

 

[social]

I know that a lot of people will advocate giving Hughes time but to me he looks completely shot

He literally has no idea where his off stump is (e.g. how many of the deliveries that he has edged would have hit the stumps?) and the shot he was dismissed from today looked like it was played in desperation

Of the younger guys, he looks to be the only one without solid fundamentals and giving him another test atm is not going to change that

 

[Spark]

Yeah a system in which a guy who picks up more wickets gets a tenth of a vote...

 

[James]

That performance hurts a lot. Expected a lot more out of them, and it is a worry when a 37 year-old is your best bowler. Some good years ahead for Australia one feels with their quality young pace attack.

What that match clearly showed for me was that McCullum has to re-take the gloves for mine and another batsman/bowler be played.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Alright, tbh I was pretty well prepared for a 2nd innings collapse, but seriously what the **** was with our catching? Also, Ryder (especially) needs a good kick up the arse through being dropped imo. Didn't deserve any of that 30 he scored.

 

[Sylvester]

Irony is the changes Hughes has made to his game since being dropped in the Ashes has brought about a bigger weakness against the short stuff. I watched again the way he got out in the 09 Ashes series and none of them have been like how he has been getting out recently. In the first test he cut at one too close to him then the second test he got a glove down legside and a forward defence edge to slip. While he might have looked weak against the short ball he never really got out to it (all batsmen have been gloved down leg side). Now he's getting out every innings in the same fashion.

 

[Spark]

Alright, tbh I was pretty well prepared for a 2nd innings collapse, but seriously what the **** was with our catching? Also, Ryder (especially) needs a good kick up the arse through being dropped imo. Didn't deserve any of that 30 he scored.

How so? Got pies, dealt with them.

 

[social]

That performance hurts a lot. Expected a lot more out of them, and it is a worry when a 37 year-old is your best bowler. Some good years ahead for Australia one feels with their quality young pace attack.

What that match clearly showed for me was that McCullum has to re-take the gloves for mine and another batsman/bowler be played.

Agree re McCullum as he is a very good "all-rounder" but not a particularly good specialist batsman and taking the gloves would open up another spot

 

[wellAlbidarned]

How so? Got pies, dealt with them.

I may be overreacting, but his dismissals just seem to be getting softer and softer.

 

[adub]

Yeah a system in which a guy who picks up more wickets gets a tenth of a vote...

Pretty stupid huh. Lyon's 4-fer in the 1st dig was huge.

 

[Spikey]

the problem is no-one in NZ can open so freeing up McCullum doesn't do jack if you move him back down to 7

 

[TumTum]

Irony is the changes Hughes has made to his game since being dropped in the Ashes has brought about a bigger weakness against the short stuff. I watched again the way he got out in the 09 Ashes series and none of them have been like how he has been getting out recently. In the first test he cut at one too close to him then the second test he got a glove down legside and a forward defence edge to slip. While he might have looked weak against the short ball he never really got out to it (all batsmen have been gloved down leg side). Now he's getting out every innings in the same fashion.

He's getting out to good line and length a lot now, I think he's fixed his short ball problems.

It's mostly mental now, playing loose shots outside off-stump and not leaving the good balls.

I would like to see him get back to Shield cricket and get used to scoring big runs again.

 

[Ruckus]

Irony is the changes Hughes has made to his game since being dropped in the Ashes has brought about a bigger weakness against the short stuff. I watched again the way he got out in the 09 Ashes series and none of them have been like how he has been getting out recently. In the first test he cut at one too close to him then the second test he got a glove down legside and a forward defence edge to slip. While he might have looked weak against the short ball he never really got out to it (all batsmen have been gloved down leg side). Now he's getting out every innings in the same fashion.

Unfortunately at this stage though we probably can't afford to have a guy in the side who is so muddled in terms of technique and what he has to do. We need stability amongst our batsmen, and someone like Warner has very sound foundations already, so if he can prove he has the mental aptitude then he suits the team much more atm. Hughes may or may not come good in the long term, but we don't really have the luxury right now to having a 'work in progress' in the side. Perhaps he needs to go back to shield again, try and work out his problems, and then be slotted back into the team at some point in the future when we we are more certain about what our top 6 looks like. Or maybe he should be put into a less exposing position like number 6 for a while when e.g. Hussey retires.

 

[Spark]

I just hope that we don't pick every opener under the sun in some misguided notion that they'll amazingly do better, though.

 

[Spikey]

funny thing is if we drop hughes we're dropping the most recent, non-clarke, player to score a ton for us.


that's not a defence btw.


guess it isn't a funny thing really.

 

[Sylvester]

Unfortunately at this stage though we probably can't afford to have a guy in the side who is so muddled in terms of technique and what he has to do. We need stability amongst our batsmen, and someone like Warner has very sound foundations already, so if he can prove he has the mental aptitude then he suits the team much more atm. Hughes may or may not come good in the long term, but we don't really have the luxury right now to having a 'work in progress' in the side. Perhaps he needs to go back to shield again, try and work out his problems, and then be slotted back into the team at some point in the future when we we are more certain about what our top 6 looks like. Or maybe he should be put into a less exposing position like number 6 for a while when e.g. Hussey retires.

Someone brought up the question about what we do when Hussey goes. You are probably right in saying Hughes at 6 is the way to go, won't have to worry about the new ball, he is good against spin and we know he can change gears. Definitely needs to sort out his new problem first though.

 

[Ruckus]

I'm thinking Watson should probably stay as an opener too, maybe permanently, and really focus all his energy on his batting.

As good a bowler as Watson is, I feel bowling him too much is the real catalyst for his injuries and I don't think he'll last if he is made into a proper allrounder. Given we have some pretty bright bowling prospects coming through, and our batting is still the most fragile part of our line up, I think it would be best if he stayed where he is and only bowled real part time stuff.

 

[Briony]

Irony is the changes Hughes has made to his game since being dropped in the Ashes has brought about a bigger weakness against the short stuff. I watched again the way he got out in the 09 Ashes series and none of them have been like how he has been getting out recently. In the first test he cut at one too close to him then the second test he got a glove down legside and a forward defence edge to slip. While he might have looked weak against the short ball he never really got out to it (all batsmen have been gloved down leg side). Now he's getting out every innings in the same fashion.

Although he gloved a few down the leg side early during those tons he made in SA but they never referred them.

 

[Spark]

So I assume Watson, Cummins won't be playing at Hobart?

If so the only change I'd make is Copeland in for Starc (so effectively we play the XI we should have played this match)