*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[social]

****'s sake how many times do I have to read the 'player x thrown to the wolves... will ruin his career' - it's absolute turd. Cause and effect. Warne got smashed - so surely the way to go is to get smashed and become an all-time great right? Ugh the logic is beyond flawed.

Borthwick is a leg spinner playing for Durham - so most of the time he gets a prolonged bowl the pitch is a road and getting smacked goes with the territory, but he is as much if not moreso a batsman who bowls than a bowler who bats. He's also a very good fielder and that will be valuable as well.

Generally I'd agree 100%

For example, if Finn/Rankin were to be selected in preference to Anderson/Bresnan the latter have no cause for complaint I actually think Anderson should be gone for this test btw)

If Ballance were preferred to Root, ditto

However, whilst Borthwick looks to be a reasonable cricketer, he is an all-rounder and selecting him as a front-line spinner looks a step too far at this stage - 2nd spinner yes but dumping all responsibility on him is a huge ask

 

[Spikey]

Haha yeah exactly. FWIW I think there are too many teams in county cricket and there are too few games in the Shield season, but neither of these faults is losing its national team the Ashes every time.

yeah this

 

[jackbyrne91]

England returning to the days of picking bits and pieces Cricketers.

We have lost it, really.

 

[Riggins]

Its the sign of a team performing ****, really. We did the same thing with Maxwell etc. It's like they think -Oh our batting is crap and our bowling is crap aswell, lets pick someone who does both.

 

[Spark]

Kerry O'Keefe's last test

Harsha Bhogle, Kerry O'Keeffe and Naga chillies - YouTube

 

[Mark68]

Quite often the last Test of a thrashing inspires England to perform. Except this series it won't happen. Whichever way you view it England are going to get well and truly thrashed in Sydney. But i'm on the lookout for some fight here and perhaps another century. Take it past lunch on the 5th day.But we ARE going to lose.

 

[Crazy Sam]

Aus bats could struggle if it's overcast.

 

[Johnners]

Kerry O'Keefe's last test

Harsha Bhogle, Kerry O'Keeffe and Naga chillies - YouTube

Sucks so much . Skull & Bhogle was an incredible partnership in the comm box, just so random & never a dull moment, even if little of it was regarding cricket.

Kerry O'Keeffe & Harsha Bhogle - Skippy The Bush Kangaroo ABC cricket commentary - YouTube

Also can't discuss Skull without bringing up this

Kerry O'Keefe frog in a bank joke - YouTube

 

[MW1304]

I don't understand how anyone can even be remotely happy about potentially giving three players their debut, not to mention playing Borthwick as a specialist spinner despite hardly getting the chance to bowl this season, and hardly setting the world alight when he did. These are desperate, thoughtless selections that seem to be made just for the sake of it. 'It's gone so badly we may as well give it a shot' is not a legitimate reason to completely shake up the team. Keep playing the team you think is most likely to perform in the context, and to me that does not include playing ****ing Borthwick.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

I don't understand how anyone can even be remotely happy about potentially giving three players their debut, not to mention playing Borthwick as a specialist spinner despite hardly getting the chance to bowl this season, and hardly setting the world alight when he did. These are desperate, thoughtless selections that seem to be made just for the sake of it. 'It's gone so badly we may as well give it a shot' is not a legitimate reason to completely shake up the team. Keep playing the team you think is most likely to perform in the context, and to me that does not include playing ****ing Borthwick.

Absolutely. I think giving someone like Monty one go as the top spinner after Swann's retirement isn't good enough. Especially about to head to Sydney, give the lad a go there, he's bowled well in the past and I think he deserves Sydney at least.

 

[Prince EWS]

Erm, Panesar's injured.

 

[MW1304]

Article on cricinfo suggests he bowled a net session 'without obvious discomfort', but my gripe is with Borthwick's inclusion in the squad the first place, they've been cornered into this. I feel bad for the guy but he's in way too deep to be playing his first Test as the sole spin bowler.

Signs are also heading to Carberry being dropped and the batting order being reshuffled. It is all so dispiriting.

 

[Spikey]

depending on who you talk to

 

[Prince EWS]

Article on cricinfo suggests he bowled a net session 'without obvious discomfort', but my gripe is with Borthwick's inclusion in the squad the first place, they've been cornered into this. I feel bad for the guy but he's in way too deep to be playing his first Test as the sole spin bowler.

Yeah, I wasn't responding to you as such. I actually agree with you there. If he's not going to bat in the top seven then he shouldn't be playing. I was just responding to the backlash about Monty's "dropping".

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Past caring, no matter what side we put out they will give up once Johnson starts bowling quickly.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Erm, Panesar's injured.

Agh my bad, I knew that, just slipped my mind.

 

[Spark]

If this deck is anything like what the BBL teams have been playing on, it'll be quick.

Which is not necessarily synonymous with "over quickly".

 

[hendrix]

Injuries ruined his pace. Was basically a medium-pacer in the Brisbane test (though still took a few wickets). His test career is probably over.

as opposed to Bresnan?

I know they're not exactly similar cases, but Tremlett wasn't that slow. Low 130s IIRC. Should be capable of clocking up to 140kph, and he wasn't as run-leaking as say Finn had been for the past year.

 

[GIMH]

IIRC our record in Sydney is better than everywhere else in Australia.

As such I tip that the defeat margin will be less than 100 runs/5 wickets. Yes, I'm that optimistic.

 

[Tangles]

Borthwicks selection does have similarities to Maxwells in India. Teams going ****e so let's play an all rounder as a frontline spinner. If your lucky you will get to watch him open the batting and bowling like we did. Hate Watson so much for that.