*Official* First Test at The Gabba

[Spikey]

the fourth guy can be a local guy who knows the Perth conditions, like joe mennie

 

[Prince EWS]

the fourth guy can be a local guy who knows the Perth conditions, like joe mennie

Maybe Shane Warne will convince England to call up Allenby for the Perth Test.

 

[Spikey]

who is Dimitri Mascarenhas eligible for nowadays anyway

 

[dermo]

the fourth guy can be a local guy who knows the Perth conditions, like joe mennie

katich

 

[Spikey]

katich

No, Katich is actually a local. The funny thing about suggesting Joe Mennie as a local is that his brief stint as a Perth Scorchers player makes him as much of a Perth local as Michael Beer circa 2010, when Shane Warne called him as such. That's why it's such a great callback/joke by me.

 

[Cabinet96]

I was never a big Hilfenhaus fan when he first came into the side but his comeback was really good and he seemed to get pushed way down the pecking order for daring to get injured after his 25th birthday. He was grazing his knuckles in the Ryobi Cup but he's never been a particularly good one day cricketer and I had a bit of a look at him today against Queensland where he looked much better. McDermott as bowling coach is a massive plus when it comes to Hilfenhaus in general; I'd much prefer him to Johnson or indeed some of the alternatives offered by CW members (Sayers, Hazelwood etc).

Yeah, I don't really get it with Hilfenhaus. His recall in 11/12 was bizzare (I mean, believe it or not, Spikey had a point) but he was awesome for the four tests and the West Indies trip (at least the bits I remember). Then he missed the Perth tests against South Africa and Australia went from the better of the sides to getting hammered. He got injured in Hobart and apparently he was past it an never to be in contention again. Was his end of season Shield form really poor, or was it just a case of him approaching the 30 mark at the time?

 

[Spark]

Think it was more that with everyone fit, no-one would have him near our best attack I suspect. I mean, Starc maybe, but Siddle no, Pattinson no and, well, Harris...

 

[Cabinet96]

It was weird though to se him go from 3rd wheel (behind Patto, Siddle and arguably Harris) to behind Starc, Bird and even Johnson again just because he missed a couple of tests. And then there are those who would have another heap of guys ahead of him in a pecking order. There must be a bit more to it.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah, I don't really get it with Hilfenhaus. His recall in 11/12 was bizzare (I mean, believe it or not, Spikey had a point) but he was awesome for the four tests and the West Indies trip (at least the bits I remember). Then he missed the Perth tests against South Africa and Australia went from the better of the sides to getting hammered. He got injured in Hobart and apparently he was past it an never to be in contention again. Was his end of season Shield form really poor, or was it just a case of him approaching the 30 mark at the time?

His injury was worse than originally anticipated; he had two months out of the game and was ruled out of the Test series against India because he wasn't fit yet when the squad was announced. He was fit by the time the Tests were actually played though and finished the Shield season strongly, taking 20 @ 24 in the five games games he played post-injury (yeah there were a couple of green tops amongst that but he was really strong in two drawn games too). I was really surprised that his name didn't come up at all as a potential England tourist given how well-suited his bowling is to the conditions and how well he went in 2009, but it didn't.

The main doubt about him is his action, really. If he bowls with the upright action he produced at home against India then he should walk into the side, but there were definitely signs against South Africa that it was deteriorating and his arm was getting lower. It was visibly pretty low for the Sheffield Shield final (he bowled well anyway tbf) which is why he wasn't in my preferred Ashes squad for England but with so many injuries and the man credited with fixing his action the first time - McDermott - now back working with the bowling group, there's no harm in him being in the mix at all IMO.

 

[GIMH]

I rated Hilf quite highly after the 09 Ashes and was quite surprised to see him become the complete weak link next Ashes series. Was as pleased as I can be for an Aussie that he found his mojo again and wouldn't be surprised if he did okay should he play, though I don't remember watching much of him since the India series, and what little I caught of the West Indies series. Though from reading above I'm not sure there's much more I could have seen. I certainly don't watch Australian domestic cricket.

 

[Spikey]

we're just sick of this action bull**** with hilf

 

[dermo]

upright late swinging hilf is good, low slinging early outswing hilf is average

 

[Riggins]

breaking news. late swing harder to play than early swing.

 

[dermo]

cheers scoop

 

[Daemon]

Instagram

Get him a second debut

 

[uvelocity]

getting your arm up is actually harder than it sounds

 

[Dan]

Hazlewood injured, out for up to a month. Sayers and Bollinger the two names mentioned as likely to replace him in the Big 8.

You never like to see someone get injured, but Dougeh and Chadd...

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Bollinger injured?

Didn't complete an over and Lyon did instead.

 

[Spikey]

Jesse Hogan ‏@Jesse_Hogan 26m
Doug Bollinger off field due to abdominal soreness. NSW coach Trevor Bayliss said it's precautionary, would be out there if result likely.

The first half of the over was started last night, then bad light hit. You could, if you really want to, possibly even interrupt this as a CA decision

 

[Daemon]

At this rate Australia will have to recall Ponting to open the bowling at the gabba