*Official* Third Test at Old Trafford

[uvelocity]

id rather smitteh than hughes tbh

 

[Tangles]

Time to take selections away from the selectors and give it to the fans IMO. We could run a show called "Australias Next Top Order Bat" and have all the kiddies call in at the end. One with the most votes get the gig for the next match. Would make as much sense as what the selectors have been doing.

 

[marc71178]

Time to take selections away from the selectors and give it to the fans IMO. We could run a show called "Australias Next Top Order Bat" and have all the kiddies call in at the end. One with the most votes get the gig for the next match. Would make as much sense as what the selectors have been doing.

Australia's new top 4

 

[grecian]

Monty's three wickets today pretty much guarantee that this Kerrigan stuff can be canned.

Gonna rain a lot anyway, so two spinners is not going to happen anyway.

 

[watson]

Watson (Have every reason to drop him just don't have the alternative)
Cowan (Yes Rogers could stay and Watson go but Rogers and Cowan are too similar. Plus Watson bowls)
Khawaja
Warner
Clarke
Hughes
Haddin
Siddle
Harris
Bird
Lyon

Hope our batsmen score runs bcos there isn't any runs in that lower order. Apart from the batting Harris getting through 2 tests in a row is a worry. 2 played and 2 down we might have flamed Pattinson and Harris before 3 tests are completed.

Warner should take Hughes' position. Since his first Test 81 his inadequacy against spin-bowling has been found out yet again. At this stage of the tour Hughes is little more than cannon fodder for Swann and should go.

 

[NUFAN]

I think we will see:

1 Watson
2 Rogers
3 Khawaja
4 Hughes
5 Clarke
6 Smith
7 Haddin
8 Siddle
9 Starc
10 Harris
11 Lyon

12 Warner

I don't for a minute suggest this is our best lineup. I think we now need Warner and Bird in that XI for Starc and someone - not 100% on who though.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah, agree completely. Guess which ever of Smith, Hughes, Khawaja or Rogers fails the most will make way for the fourth test.

 

[morgieb]

I expect:

Watson
Rogers
Khawaja
Warner
Clarke
Smith
Haddin
Agar
Starc
Siddle
Harris

 

[Maximas]

Is Warner more equipped to handle Swann than Hughes? I think Warner really needs to bat in the top order and face the pacers if he is to succeed.

 

[NUFAN]

Is Warner more equipped to handle Swann than Hughes? I think Warner really needs to bat in the top order and face the pacers if he is to succeed.

Without doubt he is better equipped. Its ordinary though really as Clarke is the only batsman I'm very confident with immediately facing a spinner. Smith isn't too bad, Warner would be next IMO ahead of Watson, Rogers, Cowan, Khawaja, Hughes, Haddin and Wade (these 7 aren't in order).

 

[Maximas]

Without doubt he is better equipped. Its ordinary though really as Clarke is the only batsman I'm very confident with immediately facing a spinner. Smith isn't too bad, Warner would be next IMO ahead of Watson, Rogers, Cowan, Khawaja, Hughes, Haddin and Wade (these 7 aren't in order).

Interesting, I didn't think he played all that well in India, is it the mindset you think gives him an advantage or is it a technical thing?

 

[NUFAN]

Interesting, I didn't think he played all that well in India, is it the mindset you think gives him an advantage or is it a technical thing?

Yeah your right. Warner didn't play spinners that well in India, its just that the others are worse when starting. Haddin actually is generally okay and I wouldn't disagree if someone says he's better starting against spinners than Warner - despite his troubles at Lord's. If I were to guess, I would say its a mindset thing. Warner's weakness against spin is playing down the wrong line of the ball looking to hit it leg side and getting LBW so he does need to work on that a bit.

 

[morgieb]

Is Warner more equipped to handle Swann than Hughes? I think Warner really needs to bat in the top order and face the pacers if he is to succeed.

I'm a better starter against spin than Hughes.

 

[hendrix]

Cowan's not bad against spin either. His dismissals in the first test were weird.

 

[Maximas]

Cowan's not bad against spin either. His dismissals in the first test were weird.

Cowan never makes it count though, I think he should be left out of the national set-up for now and only come back if he starts plundering shield attacks, he can't keep making little starts and getting out, at least Watson does it in style and can bowl.

 

[Howe_zat]

Monty's three wickets today pretty much guarantee that this Kerrigan stuff can be canned.

Gonna rain a lot anyway, so two spinners is not going to happen anyway.

All set up perfectly, now that Bresnan has proved his credentials to bat #5 on a permanent basis we can bring in Monty knowing there's room.

In seriousness Taylor is a good pick, they were happy to use him as a stop gap last year and he's having a far better summer this time around. I'm not that confident in them anyway - the middle order does look annoyingly short of Test runs with no KP, regardless of how poor a series he was having - but I'd be even more worried about throwing in a debutant, especially Ballance who is a dead set minnow basher.

 

[NUFAN]

Cowan's not bad against spin either. His dismissals in the first test were weird.

I think Cowan is very poor against right arm off break bowlers especially starting against them or even early in their spell. I haven't noticed as big a weakness against left arm orthodox bowlers even if Jadeja and Herath have recently gotten him out.

 

[Furball]

I really don't see how you can justify Warner coming in for anyone other than one of the openers.

 

[Riggins]

i don't see how you can justify playing any batsman outside of clarke ahead of warner.

 

[Spikey]

i don't see how you can dislike Justified