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

[Malleeboy]

Clearly Australia are concerned about the batting and are looking to strenghten were the team score by further improving the tail by including Agar, so we can keep picking crud in the top 6.
Johnson, Harris, Agar, Lyon is a strong tail and that is where our runs are coming from, so we can we keep selecting Watto and Burns in the top 6.

 

[adub]

you know, why is agar even in the squad? just wanna see how he's going?

Gotta be a piss take.

Either that or he's batting at 3 as the Maxwell substitute. So see point 1.

 

[adub]

Wish I could give Debris more than one like...

 

[Dan]

It wouldn't be an Australian Test series without the obligatory Lyon dropping, so...

 

[Tangles]

Only logical reason I can think of is that Mark Waugh made a large bet that Agar would play a test this year.

 

[morgieb]

I hope picking Agar is just for experience or whatever. If Lyon gets dropped...............................................................................

 

[JBMAC]

Like to see Watson dropped and we play 2 specialist spinners even though Sydney is not a "turner" like it has been. Likely Harris to be rested unfortunately. After all it is a dead rubber

 

[Noble One]

I see one positive. It's not Doherty.

 

[Burgey]

Lyon is the leading wicket taker in the series isn't he? I can't see him getting dropped, but maybe they're thinking of playing two spinners, or he's carrying an injury.

 

[Tangles]

Like to see Watson dropped and we play 2 specialist spinners even though Sydney is not a "turner" like it has been. Likely Harris to be rested unfortunately. After all it is a dead rubber

I have a feeling they have Rhino down for no dead rubbers or back to backs. Stupid since his body could quit at any time. Let him play if he is fit. And I mean he says he is fit not Pat ****ing Howard.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Or they want Rhino for the WC.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, if resting Harris from this game gets him through the whole World Cup, I'm all for it. Takes our ODI unit to a whole other level IMO.

 

[Spikey]

totally on board with resting harris but harris wont be and it might mean siddle


also

Leigh Matthews ‏@LeighRMatthews 36m36 minutes ago
Steve Smith did not accept the competitive challenge , did not risk the depression of losing to achieve the exhilaration of victory

 

[Burgey]

totally on board with resting harris but harris wont be and it might mean siddle


also

Leigh Matthews ‏@LeighRMatthews 36m36 minutes ago
Steve Smith did not accept the competitive challenge , did not risk the depression of losing to achieve the exhilaration of victory

Leigh Matthews is a ****wit.

 

[Burgey]

Actually, he's a ****ing legend but he doesn't know what he's talking about here.

 

[Dan]

I'd like to see them bring in a new quick if they rest Rhino. Sayers or Behrendorff, imo.

That said, it's risky considering Hazlewood would only be in his third Test and Watson's bowling isn't exactly great these days.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think we're seeing how overrated the wicket-taking ability of the fifth bowler can be though.

Watson is contributing well to Australia by bowling well and building pressure, so there's no release valve while we rest our main three quicks and the game doesn't get out of hand. Even if he's averaging 50-odd over the past few years, it hasn't been a massive hindrance for Australia.

Even when it was just M. Hussey we were using in the same role for five overs a day, it was bloody handy.

 

[Dan]

Yeah, I don't deny that -- just if one of the quicks breaks down in my hypothetical (Haze lasting more than 3 games in a row is basically a miracle, given his history), Watson's seemingly less capable of moving into that third seamer role than he once was.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think there's a big difference between "building pressure" and "not leaking runs" in Test cricket though. You're barely actually building any pressure if the batsmen don't feel like you could get them out. Watson hasn't taken many wickets lately but the threat of him doing so is what has built pressure; not just keeping the runs down.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think there's a big difference between "building pressure" and "not leaking runs" in Test cricket though. You're barely actually building any pressure if the batsmen don't feel like you could get them out. Watson hasn't taken many wickets lately but the threat of him doing so is what has built pressure; not just keeping the runs down.

Watson bowled some innocuous spells in the Ashes last year where he didn't look like he was going to get a wicket, but Siddle/Johnson/Harris were operating down the other end.

Even if you don't feel like that bowler is a threat, if you can't make the opposition change what they are doing and there is a threat down the other end, it creates a large amount of pressure.