***Official*** West Indies in Australia

[GotSpin]

Matthew Hayden and Courtney walsh were at my school cricket training

 

[Crazy Sam]

This news has made my day Australia's best one day player finally gets another run in the test arena. I just hope Symonds doesn't let himself down this time if he gets a chance!!


Personally I think both Hodge and Symonds should play, I'm not convinced they should have only 6 batsmen (including gilchrist) when clarke is not in form, hussey has played just one test, symonds has not played test cricket in a while and hodge hasn't played test cricket at all. All four should play so that hayden, ponting, gilchrist are not under as much pressure.

 

[andyc]

For me, the best team would just be one that replaces Katich and Watson for Hodge and Symonds, so:

Hayden
Hussey
Ponting
Clarke
Hodge
Gilchrist
Symonds
Warne
Lee
Bracken
McGrath

 

[age_master]

Hodge thats depressing


Symonds makes up for it though - hed batter play

 

[age_master]

Gilchrist
Symonds
Warne
Lee

how fast does that lower order have the ability to score

 

[andyc]

Matthew Hayden and Courtney walsh were at my school cricket training

On the weekend we had some guy from Knox take 6 wickets, of which 5 were bowled and included a hattrick. Then we found out that during the week Courtney Walsh had came to their school and fixed something in his run up which made him a hell of a lot faster.
Still managed to hit (well, edge) him for consecutive fours

 

[andyc]

how fast does that lower order have the ability to score

I can see it now... 4/250 off 60 overs, all out for 450 off 95.

 

[marc71178]

I'm not convinced they should have only 6 batsmen (including gilchrist) when clarke is not in form, hussey has played just one test, symonds has not played test cricket in a while and hodge hasn't played test cricket at all.

They wouldn't be only playing 6 including Gilchrist if all those were in anyway!

 

[Crazy Sam]

that's what i'm saying.

people are saying include 5 bowlers (mcgrath, lee, bracken, macgill, warne); that would leave 5 specialist batsmen of which only two are in form in tests plus gilchrist.

 

[GotSpin]

On the weekend we had some guy from Knox take 6 wickets, of which 5 were bowled and included a hattrick. Then we found out that during the week Courtney Walsh had came to their school and fixed something in his run up which made him a hell of a lot faster.
Still managed to hit (well, edge) him for consecutive fours

Who do you play for?

 

[andyc]

Who do you play for?

St. Aloysius. We were all out for 58 in that second innings.

 

[GotSpin]

Ahh ok, i play for cranbrook

 

[Josh]

Hodge thats depressing


Symonds makes up for it though - hed batter play

What the hell??

 

[Slats4ever]

Ahh ok, i play for cranbrook

******

 

[Prince EWS]

that's what i'm saying.

people are saying include 5 bowlers (mcgrath, lee, bracken, macgill, warne); that would leave 5 specialist batsmen of which only two are in form in tests plus gilchrist.

Yes, but if all the players you mentioned played, that would be 7 including Gilchrist, unless you think they'll leave Ponting or Hayden out...

 

[andyc]

Ahh ok, i play for cranbrook

What team are you in? I'm in the 2nds.

 

[howardj]

Bracken, almost certainly, will carry the drinks in Hobart. The way I read it is that Hodge has come in for Katich and Symonds has been drafted for a specific purpose - to bowl medium pacers. I doubt very much that Symonds would have been considered, but for his ability to do just that.

 

[aussie]

kinda shocked Katich was dropped but not totally surprised either but i would have loved if Martyn could have been recalled but they cant do that just as yet because they at least need to give Hodge a chance at the highest level, so good luck to him at hobart...

 

[tooextracool]

I would have thought more that Hoggard and Pollock move the ball both ways, rather than swing it both ways.

umm i dont see how hoggard and pollock dont swing the ball both ways. they've done it plenty of times before.

Anyways, it's a different ball game as a left-armer, you don't need to swing it away from the right hander IF you are swinging it into him regularly. Because he'll have to play at you if you slide one across, and if it decks away it's even more effective than swinging it away, because the batsman would have time to adjust.

its often far easier to pick a ball that goes straight on than one that swings away. as such when it comes to left handers, most left handers cant simply leave nearly every ball that bracken bowls because he barely threatens the stumps. devon smith and lara did exactly that during the first innings.

 

[Hazza]

umm i dont see how hoggard and pollock dont swing the ball both ways. they've done it plenty of times before.

I have seen quite a lot of Hoggard and havent observed him bowling an in-swinger. He does bowl off-cutters if you are confusing them with in-swing.