What should we do with Mitchell Johnson?

[Top_Cat]

Not true, again. I've been pinged in the head by quick bowlers on even decks, hit in the ribs, on the hand, you name it, and I'm sure it'll happen many more times. Sometimes you just get a delivery in an awkward area or you simply misjudge the height of it. Doesn't have to be an uneven deck.

Yep, AWTA.

 

[Richard]

I know for certain that you're not a batsman.

 

[oitoitoi]

Someone who starts off as a bowler you can bat a bit, then develops his batting to a point where he becomes a batting allrounder.

Like err.. Scott Styris. But younger, and without losing so much of the bowling.

A man after my own heart!

 

[Pigeon]

Well, after his struggle against Northants today, (7 overs 42 runs no wicket), I am afraid Johnson is pushing himself into being dropped. Watson's form (84 and 2-20 so far) does Mitch's chances no good.

 

[Richard]

As I said in the tour thread, surely it's extraordinarily unlikely (if not completely OOTQ) that Watson would replace Johnson?

It'd be interesting to see Australia go in with the bottom four Watson, Hauritz, Clark, Hilfenhaus.

What's more, my ever-present maxim of "don't count your chickens until the end of the innings\game" applies here, and how. Leaping to conclusions about bowlers with five wickets still to fall is fraught with danger.

 

[pasag]

Watson will replace North if anything. Clark will replace Johnson if it comes down to it.

 

[Pigeon]

Watson will replace North if anything. Clark will replace Johnson if it comes down to it.

On further deliberations with myself, I agree with Pasag here. And Richard too. Australia cannot risk going in with two genuine pacers, a spinner and an allrounder who is not proven match fit in Watson at any rate. Especially since they are one down in the series.

A good chance though that Johnson might be dropped anyway for Clark. Unless Johnners do a complete turnaround in the second innings, like a ripping fifer.

 

[Richard]

If North loses his place due to basically the fact that the bowlers have bowled a heap of crap, I'll be seriously pissed-off.

Oh, and Johnson won't be dropped for Clarke. You can't bring someone in who's already in the team, and Michael Clarke is.

 

[Jamee999]

Watson batting 8 and playing as a 4th bowler would be:

a) stupid
b) asking for disaster

 

[GIMH]

Hope they do it

 

[oitoitoi]

clark in for hauritz, watson in for hughes (hussey to open), langer 12th man.

 

[Richard]

Watson playing as a first-choice with someone else dropped in order to bring him in would be:

a) stupid
b) asking for disaster

Fix'd, TBH.

 

[Jamee999]

Not really, if Marcus North breaks his leg on Thursday morning, and Watson is fit to bat, it wouldn't be a dire choice.

 

[Richard]

Fix'd again now TBH.

 

[Jamee999]

IDK about that, dropping a batsman for Watson wouldn't be a disaster - his injuries usually come from bowling as far as I know.

 

[Ikki]

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Clark
Hilfenhaus

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

North's been poor in this series bar a knock on a flat deck coming in under absolutely zero pressure. I think he's a great player but it's not like he's in untouchable form. He couldn't even lift the pace when he got past 100 for quick runs.

 

[pasag]

North's been poor in this series bar a knock on a flat deck coming in under absolutely zero pressure. I think he's a great player but it's not like he's in untouchable form. He couldn't even lift the pace when he got past 100 for quick runs.

And his bowling has become a bit irrelevant.

 

[Pigeon]

Good to see Hughes playing out his innings of the tour in a tour match.

 

[Top_Cat]

And his bowling has become a bit irrelevant.

Yep, absolutely. If he was bowling well, you'd be tempted to back him for the 3rd but that it probabaly won't affect his selection any more makes him vulnerable to a challenge from Watto for the number 6 spot.