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***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

trapol

U19 12th Man
So let me get this straight

In 1975 and 1976 Thomson was clocked at 160+

In 1979 he was clocked (Beamer) at 147

So technology went backwards is that what you're saying?

Or forget Thomson for a minute cause you can make up whatever you about his 147 (ie injured, hadn't bowled for a while...whatever)

But it's the rest of bowlers clocking between 127 (Hadlee who was the slowest) right up to Imran 140.

So technology went backwards or could it be that the technology in 1975 wasn't as advanced and Thomson was never 160

We will never know I guess..but for my eyes watching footage on YouTube Thomson was never as quick as shoaib, Tait, lee etc
 

Sylvester

State Captain
New selectors would not blacklist Cricketers who are still reasonably young and playing First Class Cricket in Australia.

- McDonald isn't bowling well at the moment, he's not making many runs either. He has more chance of playing T20 for Australia.

- George was very lucky to get picked for Australia at the time. He's still only 25. He doesn't offer enough at the moment to be a Test player. This could change in the future, but I doubt it.

- Copeland is still in the selectors thoughts. They explained the reason behind his non selection, he just wasn't doing enough since the Test series.

- McKay had an injury plagued year last season. He finally produced good figures in his last Shield match. He just hasn't done enough lately to be considered a Test player, but if he finishes the season strong he has a slight chance of representing Australia again.
What reason was there for dropping McDonald at the time? Lack of pace.
Whether George deserved selection is not the question, Lyon didn't deserve his but he's still in the team. How has George gone from his Test debut to completely off the radar? Lack of pace.
How did Copeland who was part of the successful series in SL suddenly get overtaken by Cummins and then Starc? Lack of pace.
How did Butterworth go from the Aus A squad to missing out completely despite having another good start to the season? Lack of pace.
Why was McKay dropped after making his test debut and after investing time in him through the ODI side? Lack of pace.

Let's face it, pace is what the selectors look for, whether it be the old ones or the new ones. Each of the players mentioned were given one test or one series and then discarded. You don't discard a player after one test for no reason. If they were seriously in the frame they would have been back in the side by now or at least in the squad.

As for Copeland that is a BS excuse given by the selectors. He has only had one FC game and SA A since his last Test. Now I've never heard of some guy being dropped from a squad/side because he didn't perform in the matches between the Test matches. The guy has obviously proven he deserved selection through his performances before and with a couple of matches all that goes out the window? Every player will have a bad match here and there. You have already mentioned you don't think Copeland is threatening enough, that is what the new selectors think as well, despite whatever BS excuse that CA media rep has said for them.
 

BeeGee

International Captain
I may have missed it, but why didn't Copeland play in the Aus A game V NZ?

Surely that was the perfect opportunity to directly compare the Test spot bowling contenders. Same pitch, same batsmen, same conditions.

Had the selectors already decided they didn't want him?
 

Flem274*

123/5
Maybe the Aus selectors might have wanted to spread their options by letting guys close to the side play for their states and newbies they liked play for the A side?

Or they could just hate him I guess.
 
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Sylvester

State Captain
I may have missed it, but why didn't Copeland play in the Aus A game V NZ?

Surely that was the perfect opportunity to directly compare the Test spot bowling contenders. Same pitch, same batsmen, same conditions.

Had the selectors already decided they didn't want him?
Something to do with 12th man duties but I'm positive I saw Warner still in SA on the 4th day of the 2nd test.
 

outbreak

First Class Debutant
I've heard their treating this game as an audition for replacing johnson and the oft injured Harris. Hence they wanted to pick more attacking bowlers. I hope that's the case and they haven't pushed Copes completely aside due to his pace. A future attack of cummins and pattinson/starc/cutting providing the pace and aggressiveness and then copes providing the accuracy and repetition could work well in the future.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I've heard their treating this game as an audition for replacing johnson and the oft injured Harris. Hence they wanted to pick more attacking bowlers. I hope that's the case and they haven't pushed Copes completely aside due to his pace. A future attack of cummins and pattinson/starc/cutting providing the pace and aggressiveness and then copes providing the accuracy and repetition could work well in the future.
I think I'd be more outraged by the selectors treating a Test series against New Zealand as a selection trial than them just being a little misguided about who the best bowlers were.
 
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outbreak

First Class Debutant
I think I'd be more outraged by the selectors treating a Test series against New Zealand as a selection trial than them just being a little misguided about how the best bowlers were.
That too annoys me. Also annoys me that it's been a long time since i've actually thought our selectors have picked our BEST line up of available first class players and not just the guys who everyone likes having a beer with or who's the flavour of the month or who's already been selected so it's easy to leave them even if they under perform. We should be playing out best team every test and trying to win every test. I'm confident we could make a team of first class crickets who haven't been playing test cricket over the last year who could beat the current Aussie side regularly.

The curator has been saying he's made a bouncing bowling wicket Howard so hopefully it's entertaining.
 

Noble One

International Vice-Captain
Out of interest, what is everyone’s opinion on the best Australian XI for the first Test? Only consider players who are available and don’t give half selections like Siddle/Pattinson.

My selection:

David Warner
Phil Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
Trent Copeland
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon
James Pattinson
 

TumTum

Banned
Out of interest, what is everyone’s opinion on the best Australian XI for the first Test? Only consider players who are available and don’t give half selections like Siddle/Pattinson.

My selection:

David Warner
Phil Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
Trent Copeland
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon
James Pattinson
I think Cummins could have played.
 

outbreak

First Class Debutant
Out of interest, what is everyone’s opinion on the best Australian XI for the first Test? Only consider players who are available and don’t give half selections like Siddle/Pattinson.

My selection:

David Warner
Phil Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
Trent Copeland
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon
James Pattinson
Probably the same i'd pick atm. O'Keefe is injured isn't he?
 

howardj

International Coach
Out of interest, what is everyone’s opinion on the best Australian XI for the first Test? Only consider players who are available and don’t give half selections like Siddle/Pattinson.

My selection:

David Warner
Phil Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Ricky Ponting
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
Trent Copeland
Peter Siddle
Nathan Lyon
James Pattinson
I will give you a "if my life was at stake XI"

Remembering that Cummins, Harris, Watson, Marsh and Johnson are all out, and that it's at the Gabba

Phillip Hughes
Dave Warner
Simon Katich
Usman Khawaja
Michael Clarke
Michael Hussey
Matthew Wade
Steve O'Keefe
Peter Siddle
Trent Copeland
Ben Cutting
 

outbreak

First Class Debutant
For a life at stake team i'd even replace Hughes with Rogers and bump Kat man to open and Rogers play at 3.
 

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