*Official* Australia v Pakistan Test Series

[age_master]

to top_cat, hussey is the best FC opener in the country at the moment, he has 2 triple centuries in county (Langer and Hayden have both played multiple seasons of county), Langer used to Bat middle order and still does in FC, why not bat him where he has batted for most of his career??

 

[Top_Cat]

to top_cat, hussey is the best FC opener in the country at the moment, he has 2 triple centuries in county (Langer and Hayden have both played multiple seasons of county),

Hussey is a great player no doubt and when Slater was dropped, I'm sure he was in contention. But now? I get the feeling that Langer and Hayden will last just long enough to put Hussey in the 'too old' category when his time comes. It's hardly an issue of quality, as Hussey is a top player. It's just timing. Same with Lehmann, Siddons, Elliott, Love, Cox etc. All highly talented players but bad luck has meant that they miss out.

Langer used to Bat middle order and still does in FC, why not bat him where he has batted for most of his career??

Because he seems to be doing pretty well where he is. Who knows, maybe he's had an epiphany and woke up thinking, "All those wasted years at number 3 and 4............." I would say he's most definately a specialist opener these days and you don't change something which is working, regardless of where he may have batted previously.

 

[anzac]

I would say that in light of Steve's recent comments re his successor, that 'The Ashes' will probably be his swan song by his choice, and that the selectors will give him the opportunity to do so - it's just too big a set of circumstances to do otherwise.

I still have doubts as to whether Mark will make the team on form, unless the selectors think they owe it to both borthers to go out on a high!!!!

:karate:

 

[Tim]

Even with Mark & Steve in the side, I think Australia will still beat England.

 

[sean]

Mark will most likely be dropped for the Ashes if he doesn't perform in the second test, they'll give Steve a little more leniency and let him bow out there.

Their replacements should be Love (for Mark, bat him at 4, keep Martyn at 6 - Why change a bloke who has pulled his average up to in the top 5 of all time for Australia), and then Lehmann for Steve who can slot in at 5.

Blewett will never play internationals again, he got a very long run, and never really cemented a place, and if you average mid 30s at test level, you won't last very long in the Australian team.

 

[age_master]

i heard a rumnor that both waughs will be retiring after the ashes

 

[Eclipse]

I hope Australia go for somone like M.Clark instead of a love or lehmann.

Clark is still very young and appears to me to be the best young batsman for his age in Australia.

 

[Top_Cat]

Their replacements should be Love (for Mark, bat him at 4, keep Martyn at 6 - Why change a bloke who has pulled his average up to in the top 5 of all time for Australia)

Number four is usually reserved for your best strokemaker and what qualifies you as the 'best' in a team is consistent performances in other positions. Martyn has more than earned a right to stamp his authority on the number 4 spot, as Mark Waugh did early on. Batting at 6, you never really get a chance to play to your potential because you're torn between playing your shots and curbing them as well as watching what you do because by then you might start running out of partners.

Damien Martyn deserves the opportunity to show what he really can do as a batsman and number 4 is the ideal position because it's more of a leadership position. It'll mean more pressure but the Aussie teams tend to leave number 6 for the 'apprentice' batsman.

And yes Michael Clarke looked VERY good in the ING Cup game. Shame he's got a sore back, though. Plus I thought he was hard done by to be given run-out when he was.

Tell you what, though; Jimmy Maher looked in ominous form. It took a great catch to remove him but before then, he was playing shots to every ball and middling every one.

 

[age_master]

Katichs capatincy was brilliant yesterday!!

looking art some of his shots he would make a great number 4

 

[MrPerko]

Yeah - I agree. Bring in someone young like Michael Clarke. Simon Katich was the last batsman to make his Australian debut since Darren Lehmann in about 1997... I think we need a fresh face to step up - someone who can be a sort of backbone for Australia when the Pontings, Martyns and Haydens get too old.

As for the Waughs, I think the selectors would have to be pretty ballsy to change a side which has recently had two of the most comprehensive victories in test match cricket in recent times (against Pakistan and South Africa earlier in the year).


If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[age_master]

pontings 27 hes got 10 years left in him !!

 

[masterblaster]

My pakistani team for the next test:

Taufeeq or Imran Farhat
Salim Elahi
Younis Khan
Shahid Afridi
Yousuf Youhana (If available)/M Wasim
Azhar Mahmood
Rashid Latif (if available)/Moin Khan
Shoaib Malik
Saqlian
Waqar
Shoaib Akhtar

This is a much, much better outfit than the one before. I mean Imran Nazir is not in good form, neither is Misbah Ul Haq, apparently reports suggest that Yousuf is coming back, and id pick Shoaib Malik over Danish Kaneria as he is a much better batsman.



[Edited on 14/10/2002 by masterblaster]

 

[Paid The Umpire]

Question:

How could Pakistan gone worse?

 

[Rik]

A few things:

I thought Ponting was still 25

Misbah was in superb form in one day cricket so that is why they picked him for the tests.

Afridi not opening? It would be interisting to see how quickly he could destroy the Aussies...but when he opens he quite ofen plays normally!

 

[Rik]

Hmmmm they brought Afridi back...am I physic?

 

[aussie_beater]

Originally posted by Rik
Hmmmm they brought Afridi back...am I physic?

did you mean psychic ?...Ms. Chleo style ?

 

[Anil]

Even though Waugh says they won't have any mercy for the Pak team in the third test, I have a feeling the Aussie intensity will be a little less due to the following reasons:

They have already won the series.

They must be feeling over-confident right now.

On the other hand, Pakistan has a lot to play for:

Salvaging the shreds of their pride and dignity.

Some of these players should be afraid of the impact of this series on their careers and will play out of their skin to protect it.

A draw or a win here will provide the much needed confidence-boost going forward.

So, I feel there could be a surprise result in the final test.

 

[royGilchrist]

Even though Waugh says they won't have any mercy for the Pak team in the third test, I have a feeling the Aussie intensity will be a little less due to the following reasons

This is not Pakistan or India, I think this will be another defeat for sure. And the way things go in Pak, if its a miserable defeat, Waqar might lose his captaincy to Wasim Akram

 

[Neil Pickup]

This is the same Australia that won 16 Consecutive Tests we're talking about...

No Let-up from this lot, it's 3-0 and goodnight IMO. Get the Mentality from the Taylor Era (not that he was a bad captain, he was a great man, just they didn't tend to bother with the 5th tests v England which meant the selectors stuck with the Surrey Rejects because it was a new dawn.. (Bitter :baddevil) then maybe... also Afridi is not a test match batsman.

 

[Umpire Money]

Australia should bat first and then declare at 60 just to give them a chance