Australian Box Day Test Team

[JBMAC]

Been a lot of speculation as to who should stay and who should go. So this is my turn.Team,in batting order, should be as follows

Watson....Proven opener at this level,brings experience, and if his Captain only uses him as a "change" bowler ala Mackay/Walters will not have fitness problems.
Warner....You can't dislodge an opener who has batted through his team,remains not out and who scores his maiden Test Century
Kwajah....This young man continues to impress and #3 is his rightful place and will only benefit from playing at this level
Clarke.... He seems to be a better player when he comes in higher in the order
Ponting.... While not going at his best at present I am of the opinion he still has some good innings left in him.His relegation down the order takes alot of pressure off.Remember Border made a similar transition and it did not hurt his career.
Christian....Proven "All rounder" at FC level and I believe unlucky,or lucky depending on how you look at it,not to have made the team for Hobart
Ronchi/Wade.....Hard to split these two as keeper.If selectors are looking for a batsman/stumper then Ronchi is the man.If,on the other hand they want a good keeper who can occasionally score some valuable runs then Wade is the answer.Personally I prefer Wade but then I may be biased.
Pattinson....2 five fors in his first 2 Tests speak volumes of this player.Will only get better and will trouble some very good Indian batsmen on the harder Aussie wicket.
R,Harris....Providing he can keep his fitness this young man will bear the brunt of the Indian batting attack with the other 2 being used as "strike"
bowlers.
Siddle....He is the most experienced of the specialist bowlers I have selected and will do "a job".I must admit if Cummins had been fit the Siddle would have no place in this team.
Lyon....This young man has both the temperament and ability to last along time in this game providing his skipper does not overbowl him. Clarke should remember he himself is a fair finger spinner and Warner is also a "leggie" who has bowled at FC level.

There you have it.It,s now open for discussion but please try and justify whatever changes you would make to make it lively

 

[Prince EWS]

Clarke.... He seems to be a better player when he comes in higher in the orde

Clarke at #4
28 innings, 565 runs @ 20.92; 0 hundreds and 3 fifties

Clarke at #5
49 innings, 3859 runs @ 55.92; 14 hundreds and 16 fifties

 

[vic_orthdox]

Don't think that Ronchi will be anywhere near the side.

I'm just not convinced that Christian bats well enough to be in the top 6 for Australia. We need to be picking our best six batsmen, and worry about our bowling after that. We're lucky enough that one of our best six also bowls some good overs for us. That's Watson, for the record.

There's no doubt in my mind that Wade won't be playing. They will hold onto Haddin until Paine is available, otherwise the move would already have been made.

 

[Noble One]

Luke Ronchi only just regained his place for WA, interesting you have him with Matt Wade as next in line.

 

[Prince EWS]

Don't think that Ronchi will be anywhere near the side.

Yeah he only made his way back into Western Australia's Shield side one round ago after being dropped late lease season and he scored 11. No hope.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah he only made his way back into Western Australia's Shield side one round ago after being dropped late lease season and he scored 11. No hope.

He's been a massive "one who got away" from Cricket Australia's point of view. They long looked at him as a bit of a Ryan Campbell, but he's just such a poor starter that it never worked out. He's reasonably old now too, isn't he?

Checked, yeah, 30.

EDIT: Forgot how decent his FC stats are, to be fair.

 

[Noble One]

Unlucky not to get a further gig in limited overs cricket. He had a very good run in the West Indies.

 

[Prince EWS]

EDIT: Forgot how decent his FC stats are, to be fair.

Doesn't seem that long ago they were a lot better, though. IIRC he was averaging around 37 after he hit that 6th ton.

 

[JBMAC]

Clarke at #4
28 innings, 565 runs @ 20.92; 0 hundreds and 3 fifties

Clarke at #5
49 innings, 3859 runs @ 55.92; 14 hundreds and 16 fifties

Still think he has the goods for this spot.Captaincy and this responsibility will only improve him.


EDIT:Providing he does not go in just before a break

Luke Ronchi only just regained his place for WA, interesting you have him with Matt Wade as next in line.

That's an either/or situation. Wade is far superior stumper to both Haddin and Ronchi but the latter seems to have a bit of form of late with the bat. So it's the selectors call.

 

[Viscount Tom]

That's an either/or situation. Wade is far superior stumper to both Haddin and Ronchi but the latter seems to have a bit of form of late with the bat. So it's the selectors call.

The former also has form with the bat and arguably is one for the future far more than Ronchi is.

 

[JBMAC]

The former also has form with the bat and arguably is one for the future far more than Ronchi is.

I would certainly agree with that.Wade does have a tendency though to run hot and cold with the bat but his glovework ,IMPO, is far superior to anyone else we have playing including Paine who btw is out for at least 4 months.

 

[benchmark00]

lol Ronchi.

Haddin... then Wade/Nevill.

 

[ganeshran]

The injury to Paine is a huge relief for Haddin who is walking on a tightrope. Paine will now get more surgery done and be out for 3-4 months. If Haddin does very well in the india series, he would be able to keep Paine out of the side for a very long time

 

[Viscount Tom]

Paine's got a serious finger injury, its enough to put his domestic career in bother never mind his international career.

 

[ganeshran]

Paine's got a serious finger injury, its enough to put his domestic career in bother never mind his international career.

Is it serious enough to be a career threatening one? The newspaper report mentioned that he will be back in action in 3-4 months.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Watson will return for Hughes. Marsh if fit will replace Khawaja/Hussey and Haddin will earn a reprieve for now just to keep some experience in the sides. Harris if fit should come in for Starc too but I doubt he will be.

Ponting is lucky there are so many other players out of form/injured as he would have been bombed ages ago had this been an Aussie side with more talent in it. As it is he will probably stay in the side for a little while longer and has a chance he shouldn't have had of rescuing his faltering career.

 

[Jono]

Clarke.... He seems to be a better player when he comes in higher in the order

What are you basing this on JBMAC?

 

[Burgey]

Is it serious enough to be a career threatening one? The newspaper report mentioned that he will be back in action in 3-4 months.

I think this is the second or third corrective operation on it since the injury. It cant' be any good at all you'd reckon.

 

[howardj]

I'm going for

Usman
Warner
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Christian
Wade
Siddle
Harris
Pattinson
Lyon

Ferguson on standby for Marsh

 

[iamdavid]

There's no doubt in my mind that Wade won't be playing. They will hold onto Haddin until Paine is available, otherwise the move would already have been made.

Out of curiosity, why do you think this is the case?

Is it because of their delusional faith in Paine and his status as the annointed one? Or is there something in Wade's game they're not convinced about?