***Official*** 3rd Test at the WACA

[Mister Wright]

If England ever pick Giles again in a test match it will be a joke. Why is Giles in as a bowling allrounder? First of all he isn't a bowler, and 2nd of all he makes 20 with the bat, at best. What do England really want? A number 8 who can score 20 odd runs and take 1 wicket for a thousand, or a bowler who will at least threaten the batsman.

I find it ironic that Giles dropped the 2nd test, when he was in the side ahead of Panesar for his batting and fielding. Duck and dropped catch. Great going Giles - enjoy stirring the drinks for the rest of the series.

If Vaughan is fit he must come in.

England side for 3rd test.

Strauss
Vaughan
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Australian side for 3rd test:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Watson
Gilchrist
Warne
Clark
McGrath
MacGill/Lee

 

[Johnners]

Given the fact that Flintoff was struggling quite obviously with his ankle in the past 2 days i doubt whether it's in Englands best interests to revert back to a 4 bowler attack. Vaughan and Pietersen may be able to provide a few overs of back-up spin, but theres far more chance of a 5th bowler taking wickets. Add to that the fact that their batting is clearly in far better shape than their bowling.

 

[Mister Wright]

Given the fact that Flintoff was struggling quite obviously with his ankle in the past 2 days i doubt whether it's in Englands best interests to revert back to a 4 bowler attack. Vaughan and Pietersen may be able to provide a few overs of back-up spin, but theres far more chance of a 5th bowler taking wickets. Add to that the fact that their batting is clearly in far better shape than their bowling.

There is another 2 weeks until the next test. Flintoff should be right by then. Collingwood could be used more. They have Hoggard to bowl 45 overs in a day so I don't see a problem with a 4 man main attack, especially given Panesar should have more of an impact than the bowling machine Giles.

 

[Steulen]

Jones, Giles and Anderson out...Read, Panesar and Mahmood in...quite simple really. Vaughan not to play until the SCG.

For Australia, I'd say only Clark and Warne should be safe, they should seriously consider playing Johnson and MacGill and never again trust Glenn McGrath on his word regarding his fitness. Watson in for Martyn as well, to facilitate MacGill.

 

[The Sean]

For Australia, I'd say only Clark and Warne should be safe

I'd consider Punter reasonably safe too.

Yes, I know you just meant bowlers...

 

[James90]

For Australia, I'd say only Clark and Warne should be safe, they should seriously consider playing Johnson and MacGill and never again trust Glenn McGrath on his word regarding his fitness.

McGrath looked gun from what I saw today. You're right though...the first innings was a good indication that McGrath shouldn't have played.

 

[Matteh]

England side for 3rd test.

Strauss
Vaughan
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Interesting that'd you have Vaughan opening.

 

[Mister Wright]

Interesting that'd you have Vaughan opening.

Why?

 

[Matt79]

My selection for England would be:
Strauss
Cook
Bell
Collingwood
Pieterson
Flintoff
Jones
Hoggard
Harmison
Mahmoud
Paneser

I don't think Giles should ever play for England again. His record is going from deeply average to woeful, and he simply does not appear to be good enough to justify a slot, not when there is a guy who's started his career in the way Paneser has in the wings. I'd like to take a four man attack and drop Flintoff down to 7, but with a newbie like Paneser, Harmison's ongoing form, and the question mark over Flintoff's fitness, I have to concede that a five man attack is probably necessary. Collingwood, Bell and Pieterson are in some form, but the batting is fragile. Strauss got a bad call today but badly needs to stand up.

The captaincy seems to have had a bad effect on Flintoff's batting, but he's bowling great when he's able to.

 

[Matteh]

Why?

Don't think he's opened in Tests for awhile now.

 

[Matt79]

He also hasn't played in tests for a while, and you'd have to think it would be more comfortable coming back in at 4 or 5 rather than opening.

 

[Mister Wright]

IMO Flintoff isn't a good enough batsman to bat at 6, especially not in Australia. If Vaughan is walking he should be playing IMO. He is a batsman who the Australian's fear and he can pile on big runs and he could take a massive load of Flintoff's shoulders. Flintoff looked great for the first 4 days of the test match, but you could see how much he was hurt today, almost carrying the loss himself.

 

[Mister Wright]

Don't think he's opened in Tests for awhile now.

Doesn't really matter IMO. I get the feeling Vaughan prefers to open and only dropped down for team balance so Strauss could open. If Vaughan is playing IMO it has to be at the top of the order and as captain. He needs to lead from the front.

 

[James90]

If Harmison can't take wickets at Perth then England will have lost the Ashes.

 

[Matt79]

Wonder what England would give for a fully-fit Simon Jones right now...

 

[Matteh]

Wonder what England would give for a fully-fit Simon Jones right now...

A lot...

 

[pasag]

Despite the collapse under pressure today and in Brisbane in the first innings, Englands batting line up has looked pretty damn good (2nd innings Bris and 1st innings in Adelaide). Vaughan has the comeback duck and even if he comes up fully fit he shouldn't be selected IMO, unless you want him there for the captaincy or the match time recovery once the Ashes are out of reach.

 

[James90]

Wonder what England would give for a fully-fit Simon Jones right now...

Collingwood.

 

[Mister Wright]

Despite the collapse under pressure today and in Brisbane in the first innings, Englands batting line up has looked pretty damn good (2nd innings Bris and 1st innings in Adelaide). Vaughan has the comeback duck and even if he comes up fully fit he shouldn't be selected IMO, unless you want him there for the captaincy or the match time recovery once the Ashes are out of reach.

I agree that England's bats have looked very good, but that's due more to Collingwood and Pietersen and to a lesser extent Bell. The rest of the top 7 have struggled to get past 30, that's not a good sign. There's always the possibility of Vaughan failing if he were to comeback, but you really couldn't ask for a better pitch as a batsman to make a come back on than in Perth, especially in its current condition. He is desperately needed, not just because of his ability with the bat, but moreso because of his ability of captain and to relieve Flintoff of some stress.

 

[Matt79]

I think Vaughan needs to bat for more than 7 balls and prove he can still move the next day before you rush back into the side - the last thing England needs is being a man down for four days of the test.