***Official*** India in Australia 2011/12

[morgieb]

They'll pick Christian and Starc I think. They won't risk Harris, and most of the other options are injured (Cummins, Johnson) or out of form (Copeland, Bollinger)

Cowan also looks a possibility too.

 

[adub]

This

Is wrong (imho).

I'd back Warner, Cowan and Khawaja, to score more than Watson, Ponting and Hussey at the moment.

 

[Burgey]

Come on Cowan you good thing!

Would be the first person from my school to represent us in test cricket.

Waverley College?

 

[adub]

i mean really for me it's just the same as playing smith last year. in that yeah if you put in enough requirements/restrictions/ etc the selection makes sense....but I just wanna put out something like the best team.

I agree with this, and have never been a fan of trying to manufacture an all rounder, but I will say that when Watson is bowling well he makes our attack soooooooooooo much better.

Now maybe that's been exaggerated due to having Johnson in the attack at the same time, so any overs he's not bowling are a blessing, but unless you've got a couple of real champions a genuine 5th bowling option is a real nice to have.

At the moment having assorted crocks and débutantes in the attack looking for that bit of extra depth makes sense. Not saying Christian is the best choice, but I don't think he'd be a terrible choice as a stop gap until Watson is fit again (maybe in Sydney?). Let's face it if he replaces any of Hughes, Khawaja, Ponting or Hussey at the moment he wouldn't need to score too many to be a step up for us.

So yeah maybe as a short term stop gap, nah as a long term option.

 

[howardj]

If my life was at stake on Boxing Day...

Warner
Katich
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Wade
Christian
Siddle
Pattinson
Harris
Lyon

 

[GotSpin]

Waverley College?

Cranbrook

 

[howardj]

you got to put it out there, rather than sitting back

 

[adub]

Well done Eddie. Surely must have inked his name in.

 

[GotSpin]

Fantastic stuff.

 

[Ruckus]

Is wrong (imho).

I'd back Warner, Cowan and Khawaja, to score more than Watson, Ponting and Hussey at the moment.

I don't think I would, but that's not what I meant anyway.

what does playing a person not quite good enough with the bat and not quite good enough with the ball do for team balance?

haha yeh, I don't really get it either. Our team's batting is completely ruining the balance of team at the moment, so surely to the solution is to try and improve the batting to regain some balance rather than weakening it? I'd much prefer to play Watson instead, and rely on a few more overs from Lyon, Siddle and bits and pieces from Hussey etc. if Harris happens to break down.

 

[Burgey]

Cranbrook

GPS the great disappointment in non-Rugby sport.

Terible record for producing international cricketers. Phil Emery was the first GPS educated bloke to play for Australia since Stan McCabe ffs.

Gone off Cowan now, knowing he's a silver spooner. Hope he isn't picked, or alternatively fails.

No place for Toffs in the Australian side.

Sorry mate, not a sledge on you. Please don't take it personally. It's just none of you are hard enough.

 

[NasserFan207]

Cowan does have a hot wife tbf

 

[BeeGee]

Seriously, what more does Cowan have to do to get in the Aus Test team?

He's scored centuries against NZ and India in the warm up matches, and he's scoring a butt load of runs at the moment.

There's a lot to be said for picking a batsman who's in the form of his life, as opposed to picking a batsman who's in terrible form, like... say for instance... I don't know.... the entire Australian Test top order, FFS!?

It's not rocket science.

 

[Ruckus]

Seriously, what more does Cowan have to do to get in the Aus Test team?

Probably not much tbh. I'd put him as the favourite now ahead of the Christian option to start on boxing day. And good on him too, very classy bat, enjoy watching him play.

 

[Burgey]

Cowan does have a hot wife tbf

Do you use that expression in the Literotica sense, or in the sense she's good looking?

 

[Sylvester]

Pretty easy to bring in Cowan if Marsh isn't fit.

 

[NasserFan207]

Do you use that expression in the Literotica sense, or in the sense she's good looking?

In the sense that I google image searched

 

[Burgey]

In the sense that I google image searched

So it could be either.....

 

[Jacknife]

Yes Cowan has certainly put his name in the hat for selection and appears to be in some cracking form atm. I wonder what the chances are of opening with Warner and Cowan and moving Watson down the order.

 

[Top_Cat]

Warm-up form != Test form, as shown by the NZ'ers who belted the bowlers in their warm-up pretty much for nothing. Think the perception is Cowan's a class below that of a Test player and it's easy to see why when you have a look at how he goes about his runs (patient but limited scoring areas, etc.).

That said, until he opened, the same was said of Justin Langer. Being given a big vote of confidence can open up a (prima facie) average player too. That said, Langer did have 6 or 7 years in and out of the Test side to draw upon before his golden run.

Hard to say. Haven't seen him bat today but you'd image he'd be very, very close to being selected.