***Official*** West Indies in Australia

[SquidAU]

"Since when does no talent get you 21000 FC runs, including over 6000 test runs?"

Back when Hayden first came into test cricket he struggled against good but ageing attacks, since his return the standard of bowling has fallen sharply. You could get just about any decent state player and have thrown him into this Australian side over the past 5 or 6 years and they would have scored heavily.

But Hayden scored heavily in Sheffield Shield back then, when Aussie bowlers were of a very high standard. There were cries from Queensland to let Hayden get a test spot during the 1992/93 season, when he was smashing everyone around the park, IIRC.

 

[SquidAU]

The selector's axe has swung and Clarke is out of the Adelaide test.

Clarke axed

 

[Buddhmaster]

About time too

 

[Son Of Coco]

Can you beleive Hayden/Hussey marching toward the total of 78 by playing cautiously and taking singles If that was Lara or Gayle they'd finish it off in style but instead Hayden and Hussey were too concerned about their averages despite having already notched up tons in the 1st innings, talk about vain.

Is that you Neil Harvey?

 

[SJS]

The reason Australia has done so well is because it has batsmen like Hayden, Langer etc in the side,

I would have thought the bowlers had something to contribute...no ?

 

[aussie]

The selector's axe has swung and Clarke is out of the Adelaide test.

Clarke axed

not surprised, pretty much expected it..

 

[cameeel]

I would have thought the bowlers had something to contribute...no ?

Oops, i was referring to the batsmen only, as Jason M seemed to be referring to Hayden only

 

[cameeel]

About time Clarke was dropped, as long as they retain Hodge i'll be happy..

 

[Jono]

Good move to drop Clarke.

 

[GotSpin]

"why should he change his style just cause you think thats how they should play?"

he's someone who is clearly playing cricket for the $ alone and not for the enjoyment of the game.

How would you know?

 

[Crazy Sam]

This is australia's strongest test 12 in my opinion. Those batsmen are all in some good form and the bowlers have all been bowling well this season. I still can't believe hussey didn't play in the ashes; that was one of the worst decisions the australian selectors have made since giving scott muller a run in tests. Thankfully the selectors have turned it around and I wonder if david boon's addition to the panel is just a coincidence...

Symonds did a better job as all-rounder than Watson I feel. Where watson was going for runs and getting almost nothing in return, symonds at least bowled tight, tidy overs to keep the pressure on.

When you think the test side has lost gillespie, kasper, katich, martyn and clarke from its ranks, the only questionable decision there is martyn but even that wasn't such a bad decision to me.

 

[Slow Love™]

I think we can put Jason_M's comments down to the absolute hatred he has for the Australian cricket team (as he has stated in previous posts). Can't make rational statements about something you already dislike.

Actually, you can.

He doesn't, though.

 

[age_master]

This is australia's strongest test 12 in my opinion. Those batsmen are all in some good form and the bowlers have all been bowling well this season. I still can't believe hussey didn't play in the ashes; that was one of the worst decisions the australian selectors have made since giving scott muller a run in tests. Thankfully the selectors have turned it around and I wonder if david boon's addition to the panel is just a coincidence...

Boon has been a selector for a while, Merv is the new boy

 

[age_master]

as long as they retain Hodge i'll be happy..

Hodge is the most overrated batsman in the country for mine. hes not even in the same league as Martyn or Lehmann

 

[Crazy Sam]

Boon has been a selector for a while, Merv is the new boy

same thing. i thought merv's only use was losing weight for television :P


As for hodge, it was brought up on another forum that symonds was a 'joke' and 'not fit for test cricket'. Which is a load of crap given the enormous hype surrounding hodge in the past few weeks yet he averages 46 compared to symonds's 44 in first class cricket, which compares with just 38 for clarke. what's the big deal?!

 

[howardj]

This Australian team for Adelaide (assuming Bracken carries the drinks) has an average age of 32.5 years. This makes it the oldest team since the Bodyline series 72 years ago. In fact, it would be older than the Bodyline team, but for the fact that team had two players over 40 who raised the average age to 33 years.

Anyway, after five sackings since the Ashes, as Mark Waugh said just before, hopefully the selectors let things be for the rest of the summer and give this XII an opportunity to relax and play some good cricket.

 

[Pratters]

what's wrong with trying hit a 50?

Throwing your wicket away when you could have finished with a nice 47*.

 

[Pratters]

Good move to drop Clarke.

There was hardly any other option.

 

[Josh]

Hodge is the most overrated batsman in the country for mine. hes not even in the same league as Martyn or Lehmann

Only because he's victorian tho, can you admit that??

 

[ClownSymonds]

I agree that Hodge is nowhere near as good as Martyn and Lehmann. Lehmann, in particular, got screwed over by the selectors after one bad series against Pakistan. He's done better than ever in state cricket recently, even scoring an unbeaten triple-century. Sad that he got prematurely kicked out of the Australian team. It would be better to give players like him a full run rather than to give inferior players like Hodge a chance.