Bird looks the goods to me, and a genuine 1st change bowler who would maintain the pressure.Surprised that everyone seems to be including Hughes in the side. Honestly from what I've seen of him (which being a kiwi, was mostly his giving Guptill catching practice) I wouldn't have him in the same postcode as Jimmy Anderson for his own safety. Does no-one think Wade might score more runs than Hughes playing as a batsman?
Have never seen Bird bowl at all, but the comments on here intrigue me. I seem to recall similar things being expressed about Copeland - what happened there?
We can hope.Is there any chance we'll see this by the third or fourth test?
- Rogers
- Cowan
- Hughes
- Khawaja
- Clarke
- Lehmann
- Haddin
- Siddle
- Pattinson
- Harris
- Lyon
Yarp.Lehmann has said Watson will open. That would likely mean one of Hughes, Cowan or Rogers will miss out.
And the thing is, at the back-end of the India tour you could tell he'd worked his arse off to improve - following his complete lol-worthiness against spin in the first two tests, he knuckled down and made a couple of decent scores (69 in the second dig at Mohali before getting a shocker of an lbw decision, then 45 in the fourth game before copping one in the helmet from Sharma off a length).So lets give him a proper go to show it this time then. He's played seven tests since his recall, four of which were in conditions that couldn't be more foreign to the conditions he'll get in England. I wasn't completely convinced about his recall, because I felt he probably needed a bit longer to work on his game before getting another go, but now that he's been given one, you can't just bin him against straight away.
My opinion but it's not really the Aussie way to have a number 3 who knuckles down then scores at a similar rate after absorbing the pressure innit. Last one of that sort was probably Yallop. So I'd guess the selectors would be more likely to go with Warner or Hughes than Cowan.I'd like to see Cowan as a Diet Trott figure at 3. He can act as insurance against collapses, and let's face it - the biggest problem we have is losing two or three wickets in succession.
So long as they don't take 5 or more tests to accept it's not working if it isn't working. He's been averaging mid 20s as an opener, no.3 and no.4 since the last ashes as well as missing significant chunks due to injuries and indiscretions. 2 maybe 3 tests tops for mine. Make scores (and 30s ain't scores) or **** off. He's got his wish, now he has to deliver.Still burning that the selectors seem to have hitched their wagon to Watson, tbh.
He's probably got all 10. He's the golden boy, remember.I wonder if Watson has been told he gets all 5 tests to prove his worth? That would be a luxury we can't afford if he doesn't score and were losing. I agree with only picking 3 openers though. But if Watson opens either we call Hughes a middle order bat or Uzi and Smith have to bat 4 and 6. They have loaded the team with them.
Sometimes I wonder if he's a country member...He's probably got all 10. He's the golden boy, remember.