***Official*** Australia in South Africa

[Quaggas]

holy **** how ****ing fast does he speak hahahahahaha

Just nervous, would be odd if not.

 

[Ikki]

Wonder if there is a bit of AB in Pup.

 

[Ruckus]

You think that's really gonna make things better..!? If making sweeping changes improved a side's fortunes then we would have been the undisputed best side in the world right now but that apparently ain't the case.

Yes tbh. Johnson, Ponting and Haddin can all be replaced with players who I'd be confident would perform better. Even if the results aren't instant, you are building to something better. The aforementioned players in all likelihood have no real future. Would you want to gamble on Ponting having a rebirth after so many years of pure failure? Or Johnson finally becoming consistent enough to be a proper threat with the ball despite being 30 and still confused about his game? You could gamble on that, but the chances are you would waste more years with poor team performance whilst delaying the development of new players.

 

[Burgey]

Second Test:

Warner
Hughes
Usman
Watto
Clarke
Huss
Wade
Copes
Harris
Lyon
Dougeh

Won't happen though.

Reasons:

Sad end for Ponting, I've kept faith with him for ages, but can't any more. I think he had highs as a batsman surpassed only by Lara, but it's over.

Marsh is injured. That side assumes he will not be fit. If he is, I would open with him and Hughes, Warner would wait.

Haddin's form with the bat has been bad for a while. I'm a fan but he doesn't look like it at all at the mo. Can have a spell.

Siddle. Gun barrel. Either too short or too full.

Johnson. Enough already. There's mercurial, then there's once in a blue moon.

Warner is an all around the wicket player, and in form. He's ready

Usman is next in line (I remain unconvinced but he deserves a chance).

The line up lets Watson bat middle order, which should suit him.

Copes is accurate, gives us control. Conditions suit.

Dougeh gives variety, being left handed, and shapes it more than Johnson.

Wade - token Victorian.

A two test series that now cannot be won. Try it.

 

[keeper]

Ron Key not getting any slimmer is he?

Think he's about to come to blows with Dominic Cork.

 

[hang on]

Wonder if there is a bit of AB in Pup.

can just imagine ab all tatted up and bejewelled, ordering a cosmopolitan or somesuch in a sydney lounge bar of an evening.

horrifying thought.

 

[Furball]

I get the Ponting criticism, but I reckon if they picked him to to see how he goes then you have to almost ignore this match since pretty much everyone bar 3-4 batsmen were ****.

No you don't. You cannot ignore a year of pathetic form from a batsman in serious decline.

Australia's woes stem from ignoring pretty much all of their batting woes in the last 2-3 years. Almost to a man, this is the same line up that collapsed at Lord's, The Oval, Perth vs the West Indies, Sydney vs Pakistan, Leeds vs Pakistan and every single first innings in the last Ashes. The only batsman since losing the Ashes in 2009 who's actually been dropped is Marcuss North - for a lineup that's underperformed and collapsed as much as Australia have in the last 2 years that's simply incredible.

 

[benchmark00]

Ponting is still in our best six batsmen, no doubt in my mind. Hughes I wouldn't be so sure of...

I want Usman opening, and I want it bad.

 

[pup11]

Cricinfo excerpt



He "sounded" worse. Kinda painful to listen to.

These words won't mean anything if likes of Johnson and Haddin are persisted with during the longer run, have heard even Ponting talk in pretty similar tone but very little happened beyond that.

 

[benchmark00]

No you don't. You cannot ignore a year of pathetic form from a batsman in serious decline.

Australia's woes stem from ignoring pretty much all of their batting woes in the last 2-3 years. Almost to a man, this is the same line up that collapsed at Lord's, The Oval, Perth vs the West Indies, Sydney vs Pakistan, Leeds vs Pakistan and every single first innings in the last Ashes. The only batsman since losing the Ashes in 2009 who's actually been dropped is Marcuss North - for a lineup that's underperformed and collapsed as much as Australia have in the last 2 years that's simply incredible.

What would have happened if we did that with Hussey?

 

[Spark]

Second Test:

Warner
Hughes
Usman
Watto
Clarke
Huss
Wade
Copes
Harris
Lyon
Dougeh

Won't happen though.

Reasons:

Sad end for Ponting, I've kept faith with him for ages, but can't any more. I think he had highs as a batsman surpassed only by Lara, but it's over.

Marsh is injured. That side assumes he will not be fit. If he is, I would open with him and Hughes, Warner would wait.

Haddin's form with the bat has been bad for a while. I'm a fan but he doesn't look like it at all at the mo. Can have a spell.

Siddle. Gun barrel. Either too short or too full.

Johnson. Enough already. There's mercurial, then there's once in a blue moon.

Warner is an all around the wicket player, and in form. He's ready

Usman is next in line (I remain unconvinced but he deserves a chance).

The line up lets Watson bat middle order, which should suit him.

Copes is accurate, gives us control. Conditions suit.

Dougeh gives variety, being left handed, and shapes it more than Johnson.

Wade - token Victorian.

A two test series that now cannot be won. Try it.

Six changes, two debutants, only two batsmen in the same position...

...and this is probably our best XI.

 

[Furball]

What would have happened if we did that with Hussey?

Not relevant.

 

[NUFAN]

The only batsman since losing the Ashes in 2009 who's actually been dropped is Marcuss North - for a lineup that's underperformed and collapsed as much as Australia have in the last 2 years that's simply incredible.

Katich was dropped too.

We've basically brought in Hughes for Katich, Marsh for North and Lyon for Hauritz in the last few years. Meanwhile a fair few players are worse players now compared to in 2009.

 

[benchmark00]

Not relevant.

Ofcourse it's not, because it doesn't support your argument.

 

[aussie tragic]

***Breaking News***

Warner, Bollinger and Wade called up as Ponting, Johnson and Haddin fight it out in dressing room brawl over who should go first....all injured....odds dramtically improve for 2nd Test as new team announced....

Hughes
Warner
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Wade
Harris
Copeland
Bollinger
Lyon

....oops dreaming again

 

[Burgey]

can just imagine ab all tatted up and bejewelled, ordering a cosmopolitan or somesuch in a sydney lounge bar of an evening.

horrifying thought.

Clarke's public persona is misleading mate.

He's all western Sydney. If he wa North Shore or Eatern Suburbs he'd be fapping with the rugby toffs. He's a pretty hard fella.

 

[Furball]

Ofcourse it's not, because it doesn't support your argument.

It's a poor argument. Ricky Ponting is not Michael Hussey. What indication has Ponting given recently that he might be about to return to form?

 

[Howe_zat]

I love Corky but he's a hilariously bad commenter. Keeps calling Amla "Hamish" atm.

 

[Ikki]

No you don't. You cannot ignore a year of pathetic form from a batsman in serious decline.

Australia's woes stem from ignoring pretty much all of their batting woes in the last 2-3 years. Almost to a man, this is the same line up that collapsed at Lord's, The Oval, Perth vs the West Indies, Sydney vs Pakistan, Leeds vs Pakistan and every single first innings in the last Ashes. The only batsman since losing the Ashes in 2009 who's actually been dropped is Marcuss North - for a lineup that's underperformed and collapsed as much as Australia have in the last 2 years that's simply incredible.

You've ignored my point. The reasons above also go for him not being in this Test. Yet people were willing to give him this and possibly the NZ series. Why has that changed because of this freak Test?

Ponting is still in our best six batsmen, no doubt in my mind. Hughes I wouldn't be so sure of...

I want Usman opening, and I want it bad.

I agree, whether we can afford to let him find form is a different matter.

 

[benchmark00]

It's a poor argument. Ricky Ponting is not Michael Hussey. What indication has Ponting given recently that he might be about to return to form?

Where was Michael Husseys??? Michael Hussey's indication was when he made runs in a Shield game (after failing before that) just before the Ashes. Guess what Ponting did just before the tour to South Africa?