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Australian cricket selection

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Bird's capable of getting that little bit of late swing from back of a length without really trying to bowl big "outies"; and hit the seam enough to create some doubt; just like a Reiffel.
 

howardj

International Coach
Need to go back to basics and stop being funky

Clarke needs to move up to four
Watson needs to open
Only pick guys who are good enough to make the team in at least one discipline
Don't go rolling the Doherty dice
Pick more Queenslanders (ha)
We need a keeper who can take the tough chances
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Mohammad Asif disagrees ftr.
Asif, who averaged 28 in England (and it jumps to 32 in England against England) despite averaging 18 in South Africa and 24 overall in his career. Quite.

He had success there because he's a good bowler overall; not because the conditions suited him more than than they did elsewhere in the world.
 

Maximas

Cricketer Of The Year
Seam and swing bowlers alike have success in England.
Philander is a seam bowler, and he did fine in England, there is usually some moisture in the decks, so seam movement is common.
 

Philhughesisbes

School Boy/Girl Captain
Need to go back to basics and stop being funky

Clarke needs to move up to four
Watson needs to open
Only pick guys who are good enough to make the team in at least one discipline
Don't go rolling the Doherty dice
Pick more Queenslanders (ha)
We need a keeper who can take the tough chances
1.When will people realise Watson isn"t a good option for the opening role.He has a very poor conversion rate.
2.In a side whose batting other is so fragile Wade is the only real option.Haddin is too old,Paine isn"t as good a batter as Wade, Hartley will never play for Australia and rightfully so,Nerville isn"t keeping for NSW.
 
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outbreak

First Class Debutant
Hughes, Watson, Maxwell and Doherty should not be in the team. I'd like to see Bailey and O'Keefe get a run. Really stumped as to why Maxwell is so popular with the selectors compared to O'Keefe for tests. Maxwell can bash it but he's got poor technique and can't bowl much better then D-Hussey did. Hughes only performed well this summer as it was in Australia against poor bowling line ups. Of course he will struggle at any other time.

I'd like to see them try something like

Cowen
Warner
Khawaja
Clarke
Bailey
Wade
Henriques
O'keefe
Starc
Pattinson
Bird

Long tail but at least they can bat right down to pattinson, In spinning conditions like India I'd drop Henriques for Lyon
 
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howardj

International Coach
Hughes, Watson, Maxwell and Doherty should not be in the team. I'd like to see Bailey and O'Keefe get a run. Really stumped as to why Maxwell is so popular with the selectors compared to O'Keefe for tests. Maxwell can bash it but he's got poor technique and can't bowl much better then D-Hussey did. Hughes only performed well this summer as it was in Australia against poor bowling line ups. Of course he will struggle at any other time.

I'd like to see them try something like

Cowen
Warner
Khawaja
Clarke
Bailey
Wade
Henriques
O'keefe
Starc
Pattinson
Bird

Long tail but at least they can bat right down to pattinson, In spinning conditions like India I'd drop Henriques for Lyon
Watson averages 10 more runs per innings than Cowan as an opener. I know people are pissed off with Watson, but you need to be dispassionate with these things.

Steve Smith has a better FC average than both Bailey and Cowan, and has two Test match half centuries

Wade should not be at six, as batting is our weak point

Like your attack though

Going forward, for the Ashes, I'd like to see something like:

Usman
Watson
Clarke
Warner
Ferguson*
Smith
Wade
O'Keefe
Pattinson
Bird/Starc/Siddle
Harris

* Has at least made a really good fist of international cricket, and in FC cricekt averages no lower than journeymen such as Bailey and Cowan
 

outbreak

First Class Debutant
Watson averages 10 more runs per innings than Cowan as an opener. I know people are pissed off with Watson, but you need to be dispassionate with these things.

Steve Smith has a better FC average than both Bailey and Cowan, and has two Test match half centuries

Wade should not be at six, as batting is our weak point

Like your attack though

Going forward, for the Ashes, I'd like to see something like:

Usman
Watson
Clarke
Warner
Ferguson*
Smith
Wade
O'Keefe
Pattinson
Bird/Starc/Siddle
Harris

* Has at least made a really good fist of international cricket, and in FC cricekt averages no lower than journeymen such as Bailey and Cowan
While I agree in part with what you say (fergo should get a go i agree) my problem with Smith is the same as with Hughes. Hughes got his runs in conditions that are perfect for him but can't bat when we need him to. Smith's technique was still horrible last time I saw it. Unless that's changed he can't bat number 6 for us and his bowling isn't good enough to warrant having him bat any lower. While looking at averages is good I think they should also be looking at the conditions they are getting runs in and failing in as well.
Maybe I am being a bit harsh on watson and he deserves a go as an opener again, but if he has a bad string while being returned to opening that would be the end of it. I don't hate him as a person like a lot of people seem to and don't mind him, I've just been frustrated with his performance and without his bowling now I'd prefer to keep looking for an opener who can go on with scores.
 

howardj

International Coach
Cool yeah, at least with Smith there is some pedigree there - he has five FC centuries, 14 half centuries, two Test half centuries, a FC average over 40, and the good thing is at 23 years of age there is time and scope for improvement. By contrast, with Cowan and Bailey, those guys are 30 odd years of age; and have probably developed as much as they are going to. It's not youth for youth's sake, it's just that much younger players are more likely to improve, to develop, as they move forward than guys who are already 30 years of age.
 

howardj

International Coach
Have to say, generally speaking, blond headed guys who look soft (such as Clarke, Watson and Smith) are really discriminated against on these forums. It's like people just take a set against them, and judge them more harshly (or it at least feeds into their judgements on these players).
 

outbreak

First Class Debutant
Cool yeah, at least with Smith there is some pedigree there - he has five FC centuries, 14 half centuries, two Test half centuries, a FC average over 40, and the good thing is at 23 years of age there is time and scope for improvement. By contrast, with Cowan and Bailey, those guys are 30 odd years of age; and have probably developed as much as they are going to. It's not youth for youth's sake, it's just that much younger players are more likely to improve, to develop, as they move forward than guys who are already 30 years of age.
Totally true, what is annoying me lately though is that we are blooding young players then dropping them if they have flaws, however we are then re calling the same players even though they haven't fixed their flaws and don't seem to be having any help working on this. In the past it seemed CA would identify issues players had and work with them in domestic cricket before re calling them. Now everything is handled like the players are babies and constructive criticism doesn't seem to be given.
 

benchmark00

Request Your Custom Title Now!
This has to be a parody. Howard deriding Hughes'average of mid forties this year and still advocating Ferguson!

Holy ****.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
Khawaja
Warner
Hughes
Clarke
Watson
Rogers
Haddin
Pattinson
Bird
Siddle
Starc


This is presuming Harris and Cummins isn't fit.
 

the big bambino

Cricketer Of The Year
Love the way you snuk Rogers in there to avoid the bwhahahha's.

Seriously though he's been unlucky but I think time has passed him by. Still a bit shattered with our weak effort this test. I mean the 1st test turned on the Dhoni innings which meant there was little difference btwn the sides. Last test outplayed from the get go. Don't know what to think or who to turn to. Some guys are a given so I'd pick the obv ones like Clarke, Watson, Warner, Pattinson and Wade (despite the rotten tomatoes thrown at him here he's still going to keep his spot). I'll add Siddle though he's been awful in India. Hopefully he'll get his mojo back soon.

So thats just over half a side atm. The rest are probably the usual suspects; just don't know where to order them. I would like to see us get back to a traditional specialist 6/4/1 side. Might even have to give that up on the grounds that managing Pattinson requires the retention of Moises whose form in the 1st test makes that an acceptable option.
 

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