Australian Thread

[Jono]

Haha that Ponting pics is hilarious.

But still, I'll miss the skinless skull from your avatar Gelman. You just won't be the same.

 

[Richard]

He wasn't the same -Warney, either, IMO.

 

[Richard]

Does anyone know if Clarke's hip problems will affect his bowling? He has said in the press that he will be playing through pain.

I ask because without Clarke's bowling and with Symonds' replacement Hodge not bowling, I think this is a big concern... I presume even if Symonds comes back he won't be bowling.

Hodge is every bit as much a bowler as Clarke, surely?

If not quite as much as Symonds.

In any case, a front-liner bowling more and a part-timer less seems an attractive option to me...

 

[pup11]

Pup is going to take pain-killers so he will be fine and yeah he would bowl too, but my major concern is he might aggravate his hip soreness into something serious if he doesn't take care.



Anyways what sort of soreness is it which is taking such a long time to go away i hope its not something to be worried about and hopefully it doesn't affect his on-field performances.




**Fingers crossed for Pup, Symo and Haydos**.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

In any case, a front-liner bowling more and a part-timer less seems an attractive option to me...

Right, if they are bowling well, but the more options you have the better. There's likely to be situations where part-time spin is useful, and Clarke has done a fairly good job in that area recently. If Symonds and Clarke can't bowl it limits Australia's support options a bit.

 

[marc71178]

I'd say that's an understatement there.

I'd say that Symonds is now a 10 over a match guy in that you can pretty much plan on him bowling his 10 every game.

If he can't bowl, then a huge rethink in strategy has to come in.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

With Watson in the team and four specialists, Symonds doesn't really need to bowl 10, he's mostly there as backup. The usual plan would be that Watson and the specialists would bowl most of their overs, and Symonds would be used to get through overs quickly, and to fill in for anyone who was struggling or take advantage of a slow or turning wicket.

Symonds used to be picked as the 5th bowler a bit, but it doesn't happen much any more, except when Watson is injured. He is obviously capable of sending down 10 reasonable overs most of the time though, and the big loss is the flexibility he provides. Hodge is a reasonable off-spinner, so he might need to bowl a few overs in the WC. No idea why he didn't bowl at all in New Zealand, really.

 

[pup11]

Symonds gives lots of options and basically with him for a captain its like having 4 in 1 player, as he is a terrific batsman, outstanding fielder, efficient off-spinner and a handy medium-pacer.




So if his injury restricts his bowling and fielding abilities then it effects the aussie on-field tactics in a negative way.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think there is some sort of injury problem that stops Hodge from bowling a heap of overs. Never tends to bowl more than 4 or 5 for Victoria, I don't think.

 

[pup11]

Its always nice to have Symo up your sleeve as a bowling option even if you have 5 specialist bowlers, as if any of those 5 bowlers have an off-day Symo can always chip in with some overs.

 

[Richard]

I think there is some sort of injury problem that stops Hodge from bowling a heap of overs. Never tends to bowl more than 4 or 5 for Victoria, I don't think.

I seem to recall him bowling a few more than that for Leics, though that was 3 and 4 years ago now...

 

[Richard]

Right, if they are bowling well, but the more options you have the better. There's likely to be situations where part-time spin is useful, and Clarke has done a fairly good job in that area recently. If Symonds and Clarke can't bowl it limits Australia's support options a bit.

Obviously the more options you have the better, but the likelihood is that if the front-liners are being caned then the part-timers will too.

And personally I'd rather see a bowler fronting-up to doing a bowler's job than hiding behind part-timers.

 

[Prince EWS]

I was going to start a new thread on this, citing my references, providing links and writing it up properly, but I really can't be bothered so I'll just throw it together here.

Basically, Warne has lost the plot in the media. The following things he has said in various articles/interviews don't add up:
* Clark should opening the bowling with McGrath
* Tait should bowl the death overs
* Hogg should play every game
* Watson will be man of the tournament

Basically, if all that is to actually happen, Bracken either has to be dropped or Australia need to play 5 specialist bowlers + Shane Watson. Neither has any chance of happening and I doubt he meant such either - he obviously just didn't really think it through before opening his mouth.

 

[Richard]

TBH I'm always surprised Warne is regarded as such an astute reader of the game - or, at least, the one-day game.

I saw him captain for Hants in one game and I was half tempted to march out from the stands and tell him I could do a better job.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Meh, Warne's always been an "outside the box" thinker, which makes him a great vice-captain because he brings new perspectives and the skipper can sort through the genius, outrageous and what won't work. At times then, as a skipper, he'll either come off looking like a future teller, or looking very silly.

 

[Richard]

True, I suppose.

He has undeniably done a decent job with Hampshire's First-Class side, mind.

 

[pasag]

I was going to start a new thread on this, citing my references, providing links and writing it up properly, but I really can't be bothered so I'll just throw it together here.

Basically, Warne has lost the plot in the media. The following things he has said in various articles/interviews don't add up:
* Clark should opening the bowling with McGrath
* Tait should bowl the death overs
* Hogg should play every game
* Watson will be man of the tournament

Basically, if all that is to actually happen, Bracken either has to be dropped or Australia need to play 5 specialist bowlers + Shane Watson. Neither has any chance of happening and I doubt he meant such either - he obviously just didn't really think it through before opening his mouth.

Yeah, I was going to start a similar thread a short while back, but also cbf. I don't know whose fault it is, probably the media for hanging on his every word, but headlines with "Warne says...." are getting pretty annoying now tbh.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I bloody hope he's right about Watto.

 

[Pup Clarke]

My Australian X1 if Symonds is fit would be

Matthew Hayden
Adam Gilchrist
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Andrew Symonds
Michael Hussey
Shane Watson
Brad Hogg
Nathan Bracken
Glenn McGrath
Shaun Tait

 

[pup11]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21395522-15084,00.html


Before the big game between Proteas and the Aussies the war of words has truly begun.