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***Official*** Sri Lanka in Australia

howardj

International Coach
Would love to see Hodge in the Test team even though hes had a bad One day series so far he is a quality player who deserves a run in the squad.
In this month's edition of Inside Cricket, Ponting has killed off the chances of Hodge playing by stating that he thinks it would be madness (which it absolutely would) to move Hussey out of the middle order to open. Thus, there is no middle order vacancy.

And please, anybody who suggests that Hodge open (when he has never opened before in FC cricket; when he has failed against the new ball in India; and when you have a bluechip prospect like Jaques ready to rumble) is out of their mind.
 

pasag

RTDAS
^ Bracken's pretty much an ODI specalist.

Anyways, the media are pretty certain Johnson is favourite to play over Tait, especially with Tait being on the sidelines for quite a while after the surgery and Johnson looking in good touch. If there's no Watson, Symonds will play as well without a doubt, much to the disgust of Prince and co.
 

The_Bunny

State Regular
^ Bracken's pretty much an ODI specalist.

Anyways, the media are pretty certain Johnson is favourite to play over Tait, especially with Tait being on the sidelines for quite a while after the surgery and Johnson looking in good touch. If there's no Watson, Symonds will play as well without a doubt, much to the disgust of Prince and co.
Ok, thought has was talking about Odi's, not sure why though tbh:blink:
 

howardj

International Coach
No Bracken?
People picking Bracken?

Aussie (othewise a good bloke) not picking MacGill?

People picking Hodge as opener?

People promoting Hussey to opener?

FFS guys - if you're going to be passionate about something, at least have a good knowledge of it.
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
^ Bracken's pretty much an ODI specalist.
Going by Test records, so is Tait. And I can't really see a Tait/Lee combo dominating at Adelaide - where MacGill must surely, surely be a cert.

Bracken's pretty good at the Gabba, too. Ask Nath. :p
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
People picking Bracken?

Aussie (othewise a good bloke) not picking MacGill?

People picking Hodge as opener?

People promoting Hussey to opener?

FFS guys - if you're going to be passionate about something, at least have a good knowledge of it.
Fair bit of scaremongering there, howard - even Jaques' mum can testify that he had a shocker of an FC season last year and this year (541 @ 31.82 for Worcestershire). He's not more 'blue-chip' now than he was two seasons ago.

Moreover, Bracken's record at the Gabba is fab, in all forms of cricket (from FC to Twenty20). On top of that, he's worked wonders at Adelaide before (7-4 v. South Australia). Can't see Lee and Tait in tandem as anything more than a compromise of variety, which Bracken brings in full force as a southpaw. If Lee gets smashed, Tait will more than likely get smashed accordingly.

Though I agree with you re: MacGill. :p
 

pasag

RTDAS
Going by Test records, so is Tait. And I can't really see a Tait/Lee combo dominating at Adelaide - where MacGill must surely, surely be a cert.

Bracken's pretty good at the Gabba, too. Ask Nath. :p
I'm not talking about the selective merits of the players though, rather how selectors see them. Tait seems to have been earmarked for Tests in the near future by selectors, Bracken is destined to stay on the sidelines because he's recognised by selectors as an ODI specialist.

Also I clearly remember MacGill being a 'certainly' in the Ashes for Adelaide and the relative shock when he wasn't chosen. So nothing would surprise me regarding his selection and you can never say MacGill is a certainly to get picked, imo.

Fair bit of scaremongering there, howard
Lol.
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
I'm not talking about the selective merits of the players though, rather how selectors see them. Tait seems to have been earmarked for Tests in the near future by selectors, Bracken is destined to stay on the sidelines because he's recognised by selectors as an ODI specialist.
Fair enough, though it seems a crying shame considering Bracken's last Test bowl was against India last time they toured. He's got the swing, the nous and the stamina. Don't you agree?

pasag said:
Also I clearly remember MacGill being a 'certainly' in the Ashes for Adelaide and the relative shock when he wasn't chosen. So nothing would surprise me regarding his selection and you can never say MacGill is a certainly to get picked, imo.
My Merv-Hughes sense tells me that MacGill would have played had Watson been fit, his batting needed to safeguard a five-man attack. Now that there's no fifth bowler to pander to (like when Warnie was banned) there's no need to consider batting depth.
 

howardj

International Coach
Fair bit of scaremongering there, howard - even Jaques' mum can testify that he had a shocker of an FC season last year and this year (541 @ 31.82 for Worcestershire). He's not more 'blue-chip' now than he was two seasons ago.

Moreover, Bracken's record at the Gabba is fab, in all forms of cricket (from FC to Twenty20). On top of that, he's worked wonders at Adelaide before (7-4 v. South Australia). Can't see Lee and Tait in tandem as anything more than a compromise of variety, which Bracken brings in full force as a southpaw. If Lee gets smashed, Tait will more than likely get smashed accordingly.

Though I agree with you re: MacGill. :p
We've seen enough of Bracks in the Test arena, have we not?

Average 42.

Strike Rate 92.

I don't care if he bowls with both arms.

Get in line behind Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Tait.
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
We've seen enough of Bracks in the Test arena, have we not?

Average 42.

Strike Rate 92.

I don't care if he bowls with both arms.

Get in line behind Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Tait.
When was his last bowl in Tests? South Africa in......

December 2005.

He's changed a fair bit since then.

Moreover, nobody in that lineup has played more Tests than him, nor indeed achieved more in ODIs. Fair go.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
When was his last bowl in Tests? South Africa in......

December 2005.

He's changed a fair bit since then.

Moreover, nobody in that lineup has played more Tests than him, nor indeed achieved more in ODIs. Fair go.
I honestly can't see Bracken's style succeeding much in tests, though. He swings the new ball a little but does nothing with the old one, doesn't possess much pace and, most significantly, has most his success in ODI cricket by bowling a high percentage of accurate, well-disguised cutters. I don't think this would really work in test cricket with the batsmen not trying to score off him so much, and given he's already had his chance in test cricket and did poorly, I'd be much more inclined to give Hilfenhaus, Johnson or Tait the nod ahead of him.

Obviously, if Bracken decided to dominate first class cricket while the one who gets the nod struggles against Sri Lanka, he'd put himself right in the reckoning, but he certainly wouldn't be my pick originally.
 

aussie tragic

International Captain
Round 1 for the new Aussie opener goes to Jaques

(WA vs NSW - 50 overs)

Rogers (batting at # 6): 18 from 26 balls

Jaques (opening): 83 off 108 balls
 
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howardj

International Coach
With another 29 runs, Jaquesy can nail the door shut on the opening role at the Gabba today. He's currently 71 not out.
 

pasag

RTDAS
Border and M Waugh's XI for the Tests on Inside Cricket, from memory:

Border's XI:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Hodge
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson
Clark
Tait

Mark Waugh's:

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson
Clark
Tait
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Border and M Waugh's XI for the Tests on Inside Cricket, from memory:

Border's XI:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Hodge
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson
Clark
Tait

Mark Waugh's:

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson
Clark
Tait
Almost. Waugh wanted Clark to bat above Johnson. :p
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Presumably Johnson's now something close to a shoo-in. Who'd have thought that after the WC.

Here's hoping for a Bracken-repeat. ;)
 

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