**Official** Tour Matches

[Uppercut]

Personally, I'd advocate an unchanged side. Don't think the combination is faring that badly and I'd back Johnson if he's saying/doing the right things at training. The other guys are nice, consistent bowlers but Johnson, when he gets it right, is the knock-out punch the side needs in my view. Like I've said, it probably depends on factors we, as fans, don't get to see.

"Johnson when he gets it right" is a mythical creature extremely unlikely to make an appearance at Edgbaston.

 

[Son Of Coco]

"Johnson when he gets it right" is a mythical creature extremely unlikely to make an appearance at Edgbaston.

Yeah I agree, pick guys who are getting it right now (or getting closer to it than Johnson). Waiting for him to get it right at the moment could be like waiting for one of my students to make a correct English sentence.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I think waiting for him to get it right is fine when you're up in a series or at least still even. Once you're down you can't carry him anymore, especially after he bowls puss at a county 2nd XI between games.

Of course we'll go in unchanged, and if we do IMO we deserve to lose the Ashes.

 

[Demolition Man]

Dropping any of Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Clarke or Katich at any point in that series would've been plain madness, and I'd like to see the person who suggested Hayden should be dropped as well.

??? Katich made 15 runs and martyn averaged 19 in 9 innings how on earth would not dropping one of them be valid.

 

[Richard]

Haha ... Ronny has played 4 tests and finished on the winning side 3 times against a faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better side than England

Most of which had to do with the likes of Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, Phil Hughes, Simon Katich, and Brad Haddin.

McDonald is far from as diabolical as some describe him as, but to ascribe the fact that he was present in 3 victories out of 4 against South Africa to anything bar him being in the right place at the right time would be plain wrong. McDonald deserves no more than a little credit for said 3 victories and to expect his presence to make any significant contribution to a similar Australian performance is expecting faaaaaaaaaaaaar too much.

 

[Richard]

??? Katich made 15 runs and martyn averaged 19 in 9 innings how on earth would not dropping one of them be valid.

Because you can't change the team a year after the match was played.

 

[Top_Cat]

I think waiting for him to get it right is fine when you're up in a series or at least still even. Once you're down you can't carry him anymore, especially after he bowls puss at a county 2nd XI between games.

Of course we'll go in unchanged, and if we do IMO we deserve to lose the Ashes.

As I said, whether he gets a go or not will probably depend on factors we don't get to see.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

As I said, whether he gets a go or not will probably depend on factors we don't get to see.

Ease up on the patronising tone, Richard.

 

[Top_Cat]

Ease up on the patronising tone, Richard.

Nah, I meant it sincerely. Not trying to stifle debate here, I'm speculating as much as anyone. I've said this a few times but I'd guess (and it is a guess) that the selectors would be concerned by Johnson's form but if the batters facing him in the nets are saying he's not far off, he's doing the right things, etc., he'll play at Edgbaston. Conversely, if the batters say he's all over the shop, he's down on himself, etc., they might give him a spell.

 

[pup11]

I think waiting for him to get it right is fine when you're up in a series or at least still even. Once you're down you can't carry him anymore, especially after he bowls puss at a county 2nd XI between games.

Of course we'll go in unchanged, and if we do IMO we deserve to lose the Ashes.

I don't think anybody is really expecting Johnson to bowl the way he did in South Africa anymore, on the basis how he has bowled on this tour so far.

In my book he is really an enigmatic bowler, everybody knows he has bowled poorly so far, but still he has 8 wkts to his name, so if he can even lift his game slightly, then he would still cause a lot of problems, and that's one of the reasons the Aussie think-tank would like to stick with him, atleast for now.

I'm not sure about the fact whether no changes would be made or not, I would definitely be very surprised if either Watto or McDonald don't replace North, and Clark coming in for Siddle too is a possibility, but that depends on whether they are still willing to show faith in Siddle, and secondly and more importantly whether they feel that Clark is good enough to replace him at present or not.

 

[redhotchilipepa]

<completely off the Mitchell Johnson topic>

Something that you might find interesting: Australian selector and 'one of the most talented players to never play for Australia,' Jamie Cox has written an article about Manou's tour match debut and the bitter sweet nature of being back-up wicket-keeper on an Ashes tour, is a pretty interesting read from the big guy, he writes pretty well... the article is on the saca website at SACA - South Australian Cricket Association - Home, you should be able to see the link in the middle of the page.

 

[Richard]

Jamie Cox writing about being a backup wicketkeeper?

 

[Top_Cat]

Jamie Cox writing about being a backup wicketkeeper?

Well, he has been over there with the team since the end of the second Test. Plus, although he never toured with the Aussie side, he knows what it's like to be over-looked for years.

 

[brockley]

We play the english lions instead of kent,team named yet and will it be telecast?

 

[Richard]

There's no way it'll be broadcast, and if they've changed it to another Lions fixture will they make it a proper three- (or even four-) day First-Class match rather than one of those pointless two-dayers? I doubt it.

 

[andyc]

Should have given the Aussies a warm-up match against Durham. See if that soft ponce scores 84 off 96 then.

Enjoying this now tbh.

 

[inbox24]

For this next tour game Australia should play basically all their bowlers and rest North and Clarke. These bowlings thrive on workload and to rest only kills their momentum. Obviously we also need a look in at Lee and Hauritz to see where they're at:

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Hauritz
Siddle
Clark
Hilfenhaus

Maybe Hughes in for Hilfenhaus as the latter doesn't need that much to do well as shown previously. But definitely the others considering that the Oval's gonna be a flatbed.

 

[GIMH]

Not sure if this is really the place to put it, but I agree with Beefy that all of the bats barring Strauss have to play for their counties next week. Give the bowlers a rest though, maybe let Swann have a twirl.

 

[pasag]

Agree with Uppercut for this game - pick your most likely Oval XI and play them. Bat Haddin up the order though, will be a couple of weeks without much time in the middle for him.

 

[GIMH]

Would you not rest anyone?