*Official* Road to 2013 Ashes

[Burgey]

Man, Steve Smith is the People's Champion. Got more votes than Clarke. WAFG

 

[social]

Siddle can't not play. He's not just a bowler; he's a leader. Probably the player whose game is least dependent on his mood for that day.

He doesn't have to hoop it round corners or break the sound barrier, he moves it enough and he's fast enough. That, along with an excellent cricket brain and fidelity to a bowling plan gets batsmen out. Good batsmen. In other words, he's the player that gels the attack together. Not just by offering advice but leading by example.

The whole "runs in all day, big hearted" thing has turned into a pejorative, and that's a disgrace. If we had a batsman that we could describe the same way he'd have a cult following by now.

Siddle has no form to speak of and there are better bowlers in the squad

Aside from that, pick him

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Siddle has no form to speak of and there are better bowlers in the squad

Aside from that, pick him

So he bowled badly in his only FC game of the tour? So did Philander in the lead-ups in both Australia and England.

He's not entitled to a spot any more than the rest of the squad, but he's a proven quantity. If he averaged 28 during this series he'd be as pivotal as Anderson was in Australia.

Siddle has never been photogenic to watch bowl, but he gets wickets and he's immune to self-doubt and confidence lapses even when the attack is falling apart around him. That is priceless in any big series. It annoys me no end that we piss and moan about our batsmen being mentally fragile but it's somehow a non-entity WRT bowlers. Starc could be a superstar or a disaster. Bird is an unknown quantity. Harris needs every over we can get from him before he donates his knee to science. What, exactly, is the drawback with playing our leading wicket-taker over the past 12 months?

Siddle, Patto, Harris, Lyon is the best Test attack we can put on the park.

 

[Maximas]

So he bowled badly in his only FC game of the tour? So did Philander in the lead-ups in both Australia and England.

He's not entitled to a spot any more than the rest of the squad, but he's a proven quantity. If he averaged 28 during this series he'd be as pivotal as Anderson was in Australia.

Siddle has never been photogenic to watch bowl, but he gets wickets and he's immune to self-doubt and confidence lapses even when the attack is falling apart around him. That is priceless in any big series. It annoys me no end that we piss and moan about our batsmen being mentally fragile but it's somehow a non-entity WRT bowlers. Starc could be a superstar or a disaster. Bird is an unknown quantity. Harris needs every over we can get from him before he donates his knee to science. What, exactly, is the drawback with playing our leading wicket-taker over the past 12 months?

Siddle, Patto, Harris, Lyon is the best Test attack we can put on the park.

He didn't look that flash in the A tour games either, while I want him picked, his form is a legitimate concern.

 

[NUFAN]

Did you watch the A tour games Maximus? I think its so bizarre that Siddle's spot would even be questioned, of course I'm a fan of his but honestly if you were to pick Cricketers on their Test performances over the last year or two I would be writing M Clarke first, J Pattinson second and P Siddle third.

Its Starc vs. Bird vs. Harris where the battle should be.

Just as a side note, in Siddle's last Test match he scored twin 50's. No one else in the entire Ashes squad has managed to do that in a Test match this year. The test before he claimed a 5 wicket haul.

 

[Spikey]

he even got smashed in the aus a scratch match

 

[Maximas]

Did you watch the A tour games Maximus? I think its so bizarre that Siddle's spot would even be questioned, of course I'm a fan of his but honestly if you were to pick Cricketers on their Test performances over the last year or two I would be writing M Clarke first, J Pattinson second and P Siddle third.

Its Starc vs. Bird vs. Harris where the battle should be.

Just as a side note, in Siddle's last Test match he scored twin 50's. No one else in the entire Ashes squad has managed to do that in a Test match this year. The test before he claimed a 5 wicket haul.

Wasn't able to watch the games no, but his figures didn't make for particularly good reading. Again, I'm not saying his spot is up for grabs, but you can't tell me that his form has been good in the lead-up. What I'm saying is that the concerns of others in the forum about Siddle should be taken seriously.

 

[NUFAN]

Wasn't able to watch the games no, but his figures didn't make for particularly good reading. Again, I'm not saying his spot is up for grabs, but you can't tell me that his form has been good in the lead-up. What I'm saying is that the concerns of others in the forum about Siddle should be taken seriously.

Yes, I agree, his bowling warm up form has not been great.

But the fact that he has taken more Test wickets compared to Harris, Pattinson, Starc, Bird and Faulkner combined means that it would be such a knee jerk reaction to drop a Cricketer of his status due to practice form. If Siddle was like the unproven guys Bird and Starc, I would take the lack of wickets in practice a bit more seriously.

I am way more concerned about Hughes, Watson, Warner, Cowan, Khawaja, Starc and Smith from the squad.

 

[Spikey]

why don't we bring jason gillespie out of retirement he has lots of wickets too

 

[NUFAN]

why don't we bring jason gillespie out of retirement he has lots of wickets too

Yeah because its guaranteed that Siddle if selected is going to have as bad a series as Dizzy had in 2005.

You know since Siddle's debut he averages below both Broad and Morkel.

NAME, MATCHES, WICKETS AVERAGE
Steyn 40 204 22.75
Anderson 53 203 27.91
Broad 48 171 29.18 
[B]Siddle 41 150 28.84[/B]
Morkel 39 143 29.32

I know averages are not everything, but FFS.

 

[Spikey]

i'm not advocating australia pick broad or morkel either

 

[NUFAN]

 

[Tangles]

How do we know that Bird won't run in all day and have a big heart? We don't until he gets a go. He looks made for test cricket. If Bird and Harris are fit, which is an issue with Harris, then Siddle isn't the 2nd best available and shouldn't be a lock.

It's a moot point since he is a lock and will play. I'm betting Starc gets the 3 rd spot but I'd be picking Bird. Harris fit and in form would be a lock for me but he's not quite there yet.

 

[NUFAN]

I have nothing against Bird joining Pattinson and Siddle in the 3 man pace attack. I thought Siddle and Bird worked well in the same team in Bird's only 2 Test matches.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

why don't we bring jason gillespie out of retirement he has lots of wickets too

Next in line for the batting coach gig, I hear.

 

[Valer]

Mitchel Johnson has lots of wickets too.

 

[Spikey]

man of the match in australia's 2nd most recent test match

 

[Maximas]

man of the match in australia's 2nd most recent test match

at home

 

[Valer]

So a more serious reply here I think the issue with siddle is our recent fast bowling riches. Since the end of the last ashes

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

(relvant part is a top 6 in order of Philander, Hilf, Steyn, Harris, Pattinson, Siddle)

While Siddle's figures are good they don't even make the top 3 by average for australian quicks. Obviously Hilf (rightly) isn't in the squad but Bird has top tier performance to date (hard not to let him back it) and given Siddle has opened the door so to speak based on his tour matches (I'm counting aus a tour matches).

The bowling looking weak in india probably does nothing to his chances either.

As an aside Starc hasn't done enough for me to show consistency and I'd much rather have 2 of Bird Siddle Harris // Pattinson over him.

 

[Top_Cat]

There's no 'chance' about it, though; he's playing the first Test and I'd be shocked if he isn't at least pencilled for the whole series. And in terms of value to the team, 76 wickets @ 25 playing almost every Test >>>>>> Harris' 27 @ 23 in 7 Tests.

I mean, seriously now, everyone knows the team will be leaning on Siddle to anchor the bowling unit and has to show up every game. Did anyone really expect him to go **** out in a tour match against a **** team's 2nd XI?