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***Official*** India in Australia 2014-5

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
The combination of Clarke's injury, his "seniority", his bowling/decent slipping and the lack of an obvious replacement number 3 are what's keeping him in his spot at the minute.

His bowling was really important in the Gabba test. His ability with the ball is great imo, and if Harris is out he becomes all the more important. He's so economical and good at building pressure. His bowling is far better than Marsh's at the moment.

If we had a keeper who was making runs, and Watson, occupying 6 and 7, plus a reliable number 3, we'd be in much better shape. But we can't keep having a number 3 who averages 20.
 

Tangles

International Vice-Captain
Wow. Knew it was poor but jesus.

And his bowling's been largely ineffective since getting injured in South Africa too.
The bowling is interesting because I'm not sure what the expectations are from the selectors. Marsh hasn't been taking wickets but is that an expectation. Or is it to bowl tight and take some pressure of the other 4 bowlers?
 

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
im pretty sure it's not to average 48 at a strike rate of 125, which he has done since Nov 2011
 

Spark

Global Moderator
The bowling is interesting because I'm not sure what the expectations are from the selectors. Marsh hasn't been taking wickets but is that an expectation. Or is it to bowl tight and take some pressure of the other 4 bowlers?
Hopefully is the latter, because at home raw wicket-taking power isn't something we lack.
 

Tangles

International Vice-Captain
im pretty sure it's not to average 48 at a strike rate of 125, which he has done since Nov 2011
Marsh has 1 pole in 4 tests. Average of 164 at 366. A small sample but I think his batting is carrying more weight than his bowling right now.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Not really. We were competitive for a test and a half in England in 2011, we were competitive for 1 test last time in Australia. This is pretty similar. It's shaping up to be just as bad because I expect us to completely capitulate in the last 2.
You're massively over exaggerating England 2011 there. You were flogged at Lord's and competitive for 2 days at Trent Bridge, then got flogged twice more. That's not 1 and a half Tests.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
im pretty sure it's not to average 48 at a strike rate of 125, which he has done since Nov 2011
His bowling's always been nothing more than decent. It always baffled me when he occasionally ran through sides earlier in his career.
 

Swingpanzee

International Regular
Imo Watson's best test knock was the 60-odd or so he scored in Durham last year's Ashes. Was quite composed and played very well with Rogers before he got caught down the legside. Given Marsh is not fit, I'd keep Watson in the side, but not at no.3.
 

TimAngas

State Vice-Captain
Imo Watson's best test knock was the 60-odd or so he scored in Durham last year's Ashes. Was quite composed and played very well with Rogers before he got caught down the legside. Given Marsh is not fit, I'd keep Watson in the side, but not at no.3.
That is one of the only times in the last few years (i.e. since he stopped opening with Katich), that Watson has made a score and played a proper test innings. If you look at most of his other biggish knocks since 2011-12, he is essentially scoring in one day mode and/or beating the opponent while they are already down. His supposed 'arrival' as a test batsman at the WACA last summer was case and point. He never seems a player to play the innings we desperately need or a player to knuckle down under pressure of decent bowling. I would like to see some sort of stat looking at the percentage of Watson's runs scored from boundaries in his big innings.
 

TimAngas

State Vice-Captain
hmmmmmmm kk
Would have picked Ferguson but I prefer this to the Doolan selection last summer. Would liked to have seen Burns get a few more tons this summer.
 

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