*Official* Pakistan in Australia

[NUFAN]

Marcus North has a median score of only 10. That is seriously poor.

 

[Matt79]

Maybe stating the obvious but jeez our batting sucks with Katich out and Ponting and Clarke out of form. Reckon North might be gone for Hobart.

 

[Xuhaib]

I have never seen an Aus batsman look so out of his depth in int cricket as North maybe its bad form but jeez he is awful to watch.

 

[Xuhaib]

1st Test: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Galle, Jul 4-7, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
Reasons for the nervousness.

 

[Howsie]

should have been 2-0 not for those ****in drop caatches in the first test.

I really hate it when people do this, catching is all part of the game. It's like saying Pakistan should of won this test by an innings if Farhat, Yousuf or Akmal had gone on with there start.


Besides, it's not like New Zealand didn't put down Pakistan's century maker when he was on seven.

 

[Prince EWS]

Maybe stating the obvious but jeez our batting sucks with Katich out and Ponting and Clarke out of form. Reckon North might be gone for Hobart.

It's not like Hughes looked much better though. I'd be all for a lineup of

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Hussey

...

but I probably have more faith in North than Hughes at the moment anyway given Hughes's efforts in this game, and retaining him means we don't have to reshuffle the whole team. We could play Rogers, but we won't.

As I said earlier, I think the selectors will play Smith if they drop North. I think it's an awful idea on many levels but I can see them doing it.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I really hate it when people do this, catching is all part of the game. It's like saying Pakistan should of won this test by an innings if Farhat, Yousuf or Akmal had gone on with there start.


Besides, it's not like New Zealand didn't put down Pakistan's century maker when he was on seven.

Never have I agreed with one of your posts more.

Fielding is a core skill of cricket, if you ain't up to it in the field, you will lose. More so in this day and age than any other.

 

[Xuhaib]

I really hate it when people do this, catching is all part of the game. It's like saying Pakistan should of won this test by an innings if Farhat, Yousuf or Akmal had gone on with there start.


Besides, it's not like New Zealand didn't put down Pakistan's century maker when he was on seven.

haha.. don't take it wrongly yes i agree fielding is as important as the other two skills but overall for the for two tests Pak looked a much better team then NZL a result of 1-1 was just and a series loss for either would have been harsh I reckon.

 

[social]

It's not like Hughes looked much better though. I'd be all for a lineup of

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Hussey

...

but I probably have more faith in North than Hughes at the moment anyway given Hughes's efforts in this game, and retaining him means we don't have to reshuffle the whole team. We could play Rogers, but we won't.

As I said earlier, I think the selectors will play Smith if they drop North. I think it's an awful idea on many levels but I can see them doing it.

Yep

Dont rate Hughes but wouldnt be shocked if he was retained whilst Smith has done nothing but wouldnt be surprised if he was picked either

However, favourite has to be doing nothing as I think the selectors really want to pick Ferguson (whom I also dont rate) but he is injured so they are likely to just bury their heads in the sand

 

[Xuhaib]

Yep

Dont rate Hughes but wouldnt be shocked if he was retained whilst Smith has done nothing but wouldnt be surprised if he was picked either

However, favourite has to be doing nothing as I think the selectors really want to pick Ferguson (whom I also dont rate) but he is injured so they are likely to just bury their heads in the sand

looked decent today.

 

[Julian87]

It's not like Hughes looked much better though. I'd be all for a lineup of

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Hussey

...

but I probably have more faith in North than Hughes at the moment anyway given Hughes's efforts in this game, and retaining him means we don't have to reshuffle the whole team. We could play Rogers, but we won't.

As I said earlier, I think the selectors will play Smith if they drop North. I think it's an awful idea on many levels but I can see them doing it.

I'd go with that team. Hughes looked out of sorts, but North has looked almost incapable of scoring under pressure of late.

And just on Smith...while we were doing so well, I think there was a big chance of that happening. But with the batting costing us dearly of late, if North is dropped, we'll see the batting 'strengthened' IMO. I mean we really don't need another all rounder, North barely bowls anyway.

For the next test I'd bring Katich back in for North, as well as maybe Cameron White. There's been no talk of White but he hasn't played much Shield this season and there was no talk of North or McDonald either, he is the best slips fieldsman in Australia and most crucially; he has stepped up when needed in ODIs lately for Australia (you have to admit that's a huge plus when it comes to the Aussie selectors.)/

 

[Howsie]

looked decent today.

Really I thought he looked rather ordinary. Fair play to him for trying to stick it out but he just never looked right at any time. I really don't get why some people what Watson moved down the order so Hughes and Katich can open.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd go with that team. Hughes looked out of sorts, but North has looked almost incapable of scoring under pressure of late.

And just on Smith...while we were doing so well, I think there was a big chance of that happening. But with the batting costing us dearly of late, if North is dropped, we'll see the batting 'strengthened' IMO. I mean we really don't need another all rounder, North barely bowls anyway.

For the next test I'd bring Katich back in for North, as well as maybe Cameron White. There's been no talk of White but he hasn't played much Shield this season and there was no talk of North or McDonald either, he is the best slips fieldsman in Australia and most crucially; he has stepped up when needed in ODIs lately for Australia (you have to admit that's a huge plus when it comes to the Aussie selectors.)/

There was actually heaps and heaps of talk of White on here after yesterday's play.

 

[GotSpin]

Went to the ground today but oh so devastated. How can our middle order crumble every time it's under pressure. So frustrated. I want to punch my computer screen when i think about Clarke/North/Haddin

 

[Dydl]

Our batting this match has been so incredibly frustrating. I'm glad Hussey's played well though, it's just that everyone else (excluding Watson) has been pretty bad.

Yeah I mentioned it before. He got bounced by an eighteen year old girl with a tennis ball off two steps, and copped it in the head.

Tbf, she's actually 19, and a pretty good bowler too, but it's just nice to see that some things never change and McGrath still can't bat.

 

[Prince EWS]

Our batting this match has been so incredibly frustrating. I'm glad Hussey's played well though, it's just that everyone else (excluding Watson) has been pretty bad.



Tbf, she's actually 19, and a pretty good bowler too, but it's just nice to see that some things never change and McGrath still can't bat.

I've faced her in the nets and she made me look like an idiot so I'm no position to judge but it's more amusing if you put it the way I did.

 

[howardj]

When we lose this Test, let's please not hear from the hierarchy that we went down because we 'lost the big moments'.

This was the excuse for the loss of the Ashes.

The harsh reality then, as in this Test, is not that we lost the big moments. But rather we failed to dig in during a whole innings.

It did not come down to a defining 'moment', but rather a whole innings of slackness.

 

[Ikki]

Agree with howard. I am aching for an Aussie batsman who REALLY values his wicket. I don't care if he is ugly to watch, scores slowly or anything of the type. But someone who can at least put on a good 40 runs and slow down the bowling team's momentum. I am tired of seeing this team crumble in one innings and effectively hand over the match.

 

[NUFAN]

Agree with howard. I am aching for an Aussie batsman who REALLY values his wicket. I don't care if he is ugly to watch, scores slowly or anything of the type. But someone who can at least put on a good 40 runs and slow down the bowling team's momentum. I am tired of seeing this team crumble in one innings and effectively hand over the match.

Seems like you would like Klinger in the Australian team. Pasag to agree.

 

[Matt79]

I have never seen an Aus batsman look so out of his depth in int cricket as North maybe its bad form but jeez he is awful to watch.

Too young to have seen Taylor during his slump?