I'm no Watson fan but if there's a desire to bring in Faulkner or Dools then George should be the one to go.Time for a rant...I'm a great fan of Watson's potential, and so dissapointed he's never reached it in Test cricket, but this is rediculous...he's averaging 41.85 in this series, averaging over 70 in last 2 tests and Lehman makes a statement something like...Watto must be dissapointed with his #3 returns and as an allrounder must bowl in Sydney.... Doolan is added for cover for Watson, when Watson says on tv, I'm fine, no injury....all the while Bailey still sitting pretty at # 6 with a test average of only 27...as Ian Chappell, said, Bailey will never be a Test player
...okay rant finsished, sorry as drunk
Watson only gets dropped for homework and not being fit to bat so I expect him to play. Haddin at 6 is the most likely scenario to cover his overs and the selectors love all rounders. NSW selectors would have him at 5 with 2 all rounders following. So it could be worse.Would it surprise anyone to see Watson left out, Bailey dropped, Haddin stupidly moved to 6 and Forkers batting at 7 in his debut test match?
The above was with the assumption Watson is under an injury cloud.Watson only gets dropped for homework and not being fit to bat so I expect him to play. Haddin at 6 is the most likely scenario to cover his overs and the selectors love all rounders. NSW selectors would have him at 5 with 2 all rounders following. So it could be worse.
Harris has been superb against us, makes you wonder what could have been without the injuries he's suffered. But there are a number of excellent young pacemen waiting in the wings. Pattinson and Cummings spring to mind...they will surely spearhead the next Ashes series??Harris won't be around forever. He is 34 and manages his knee. He has been great against the top order and a major factor. If he's fit he plays. The batting is a bit different because the cracks have been papered over by Rad. George didnt deserve a cap and hasn't taken his opportunity. Dools and Forkers don't excite me but I can see the logic to dropping George. The problem is they will most likely move Rad to 6 and play Forkers at 7 to cover Watson.
That makes less sense because that's not a sustainable long term plan. So Dools makes more sense to me. He wouldn't have been my pick for 6. He's a 3 and they won't move Watson after his runs. He's not exactly banging on the door for selection either.
I was always against the rotation policy. Pick your best bowlers every test. At this point we don't know how long he has. He probably doesn't know. Any test could be his last. Any match could be. If our best quick wants to play then he can. He's earned it. Last year they denied Starc a Sydney test and this year he's not here. I know it's not the same but let's not go down that path again.Wouldn't that be even more of a reason to to save Harris for SA though? The series is over and he's injury prone. Just doesn't make any sense for him to play imo.
would just go straight Doolan for Watson and Faulkner for Bailey. Baileys runs haven't been any more than we'd expect from Faulkner anyway. They can "rest" Watson even if he's fit. He played with a sore groin so that's a good enough excuse to get him properly fit or whatever.Harris won't be around forever. He is 34 and manages his knee. He has been great against the top order and a major factor. If he's fit he plays. The batting is a bit different because the cracks have been papered over by Rad. George didnt deserve a cap and hasn't taken his opportunity. Dools and Forkers don't excite me but I can see the logic to dropping George. The problem is they will most likely move Rad to 6 and play Forkers at 7 to cover Watson.
That makes less sense because that's not a sustainable long term plan. So Dools makes more sense to me. He wouldn't have been my pick for 6. He's a 3 and they won't move Watson after his runs. He's not exactly banging on the door for selection either.
Yeah I just don't see them dropping Watto unless he physically can't bat. He seems to get picked even when just as a batsmen who can't run.Would it surprise anyone to see Watson left out, Bailey dropped, Haddin stupidly moved to 6 and Forkers batting at 7 in his debut test match?
If Watson can't bowl, I'll be fairly surprised if they don't do this tbh.Would it surprise anyone to see Watson left out, Bailey dropped, Haddin stupidly moved to 6 and Forkers batting at 7 in his debut test match?
Yep. If he can bat and walk he will play.Yeah I just don't see them dropping Watto unless he physically can't bat. He seems to get picked even when just as a batsmen who can't run.
Yeah, same.If Watson can't bowl, I'll be fairly surprised if they don't do this tbh.