Who should be the third Aussie quick?

[iamdavid]

Well last season he was still capable of it, spose it depends how he's kept during the off-season and what sort of impact the ankle had on his fitness.

 

[Nate]

Went with Bracken, though he's pretty much the irrelevant fifth option.

I'm pretty worried about how Australia will fair in the Tests approaching, and believe Bracken's consistent L&L is a must-have at least for the start of the summer. Something the other options don't have is a solid career with a 26-ish FC average and years of experience. I think he's a more mature bowler and has impressed me in his latest FC performances, such as in the tour match against England.

As such, I'd go with Bracken, Lee, Clark, Heal and Watson, but that's another story...

Personally believe MacGill will be demolished on his return to Test Cricket btw.

 

[chaminda_00]

Went with Bracken, best chance of Sri Lanka winning.

 

[Richard]

Went with Bracken, though he's pretty much the irrelevant fifth option.

I'm pretty worried about how Australia will fair in the Tests approaching, and believe Bracken's consistent L&L is a must-have at least for the start of the summer. Something the other options don't have is a solid career with a 26-ish FC average and years of experience. I think he's a more mature bowler and has impressed me in his latest FC performances, such as in the tour match against England.

As such, I'd go with Bracken, Lee, Clark, Heal and Watson, but that's another story...

Personally believe MacGill will be demolished on his return to Test Cricket btw.

Knew we could depend on you to find a legit reason Bracken should be in the side.

Aaron Heal?

 

[Nate]

Rogers/Watson (depending on form)
Hayden
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Heal
Bracken
Clark

Would be my side, yes.

 

[Pup Clarke]

What are you smokin?

 

[Richard]

So... why Aaron Heal then Nath?

Something in his whole 10 First-Class games and 24 wickets at 35.25 you see that screams "TEST-CLASS" then?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Indeed, don't see why he'd be ahead of MacGill, Cullen, Bailey or Hogg myself.

 

[Perm]

So... why Aaron Heal then Nath?

Something in his whole 10 First-Class games and 24 wickets at 35.25 you see that screams "TEST-CLASS" then?

Indeed, don't see why he'd be ahead of MacGill, Cullen, Bailey or Hogg myself.

Fairly certain he's just blindly supporting Heal because he quite likes his character or something.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Went with Bracken, best chance of Sri Lanka winning.

Same here.

 

[Richard]

Fairly certain he's just blindly supporting Heal because he quite likes his character or something.

That's not like our Patto.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

He was a big Heal fan last year, said he was really impressed based on what he's seen.

MacGill can't be left out IMO, especially not for someone totally unproven. He's not had a great run in FC cricket but he's a proven success at test level and can't be discarded until he's been given a chance in Warne's old position.

Anyway, I don't actually think that position is really up for debate, from the selector's PoV. If MacGill is fit, he will play. If he is demolished, they'll look to other options afterwards.

 

[Perm]

He was a big Heal fan last year, said he was really impressed based on what he's seen.

MacGill can't be left out IMO, especially not for someone totally unproven. He's not had a great run in FC cricket but he's a proven success at test level and can't be discarded until he's been given a chance in Warne's old position.

Anyway, I don't actually think that position is really up for debate, from the selector's PoV. If MacGill is fit, he will play. If he is demolished, they'll look to other options afterwards.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if, on the off chance, that MacGill isn't fit that the selectors would go with an all pace attack. Could also happen if MacGill gets demolished and none of the other spinners are putting their hands up.

 

[Matt79]

Under no circumstances should Tait & Lee be in the same test team imo. An attack containing both of them, Macgill & Watson/Symonds looks dangerously fragile, as all of them are likely at any stage to cop some stick. If the opposition batsmen do get going, its going to leave really only Clark (who is also untested when the pressure is on) as the man to reign them in, and quite frankly that scares me.

But the problem is that Johnson and Hilfy are virtually completely untested at the international level. I understand the points about the differing styles that makes you suspect that Johnson or Ben might be less prone to getting smacked than Tait, but those same differences also make you suspect that Tait might produce some wicket taking deliveries neither of the others would.

I think Tait should get a go, he was fantastic in the WC, and regardless of what we purists like to think, its clear that selectors do consider ODI form sometimes when making test selections, especially if none of the people involved have any real test form/history to make a judgement upon. And sometimes even when they do - witness the Andrew Symonds experiment. And Adam Gilchrist.

 

[Johnners]

But the problem is that Johnson and Hilfy are virtually completely untested at the international level. I understand the points about the differing styles that makes you suspect that Johnson or Ben might be less prone to getting smacked than Tait, but those same differences also make you suspect that Tait might produce some wicket taking deliveries neither of the others would.

I think Tait should get a go, he was fantastic in the WC, and regardless of what we purists like to think, its clear that selectors do consider ODI form sometimes when making test selections, especially if none of the people involved have any real test form/history to make a judgement upon. And sometimes even when they do - witness the Andrew Symonds experiment. And Adam Gilchrist.

I would've thought that point was obvious. Tait has generally ALWAYS been the more expensive of the 3 bowlers mentioned at Pura Cup level, which is the only level we have to compare them on.

As for wicket taking deliveries, I don't think there is that much of a difference between the 3 of them. Hilfenhaus can obviously produce his fair share of them as he was the no.1 wicket taker in the Pura Cup last season taking 60 wickets, which was 13 better than the next best. Johnson, when he's been fit, has been a constant threat to the batsmen in the Pura Cup, (and lets not forget, he did take 10-fer on a pitch where one team scored 900).

 

[chaminda_00]

There are plenty of grounds to claim that Heal is infront of Hogg, Cullen and Bailey. Out bowled all three last season, so if the selectors wanted to go for a gamble and pick an young spinner, he would be the guy i would pick. Shows more Test Class then Bailey or Cullen right now.

 

[iamdavid]

There are plenty of grounds to claim that Heal is infront of Hogg, Cullen and Bailey. Out bowled all three last season, so if the selectors wanted to go for a gamble and pick an young spinner, he would be the guy i would pick. Shows more Test Class then Bailey or Cullen right now.

Showing more than Bailey or Cullen is nothing to write home about atm. Ive seen a bit of Heal and I dont really buy into the hype, he's a decent young emerging left arm finger spinner and while he's by no means been dominant at FC level he has shown an ability to get big wickets and people seem to like his attitude. I recall him bowling well v the touring England side last summer. But really atm I dont see him as being a whole lot better than Xavier Doherty, Dan Cullen, Chris Simpson or hell even Nathan Hauritz, and I dont think any of them are going to make an impact if they get a chance at test level. To get test batsman out you need to bowl quality wicket-taking deliveries, for a spinner that means spinning the ball, Heal dosent do that enough to be a threat. I dont see any point picking a specialist spinner to just keep things tidy and support the quicks, which in most conditions is all Heal would be good for, Michael Clarke or god forbid Symonds can do that.

P.S - Heal is very ugly, do we really want to see his face on tv ?

 

[Matt79]

But the problem is that Johnson and Hilfy are virtually completely untested at the international level. I understand the points about the differing styles that makes you suspect that Johnson or Ben might be less prone to getting smacked than Tait, but those same differences also make you suspect that Tait might produce some wicket taking deliveries neither of the others would.

I think Tait should get a go, he was fantastic in the WC, and regardless of what we purists like to think, its clear that selectors do consider ODI form sometimes when making test selections, especially if none of the people involved have any real test form/history to make a judgement upon. And sometimes even when they do - witness the Andrew Symonds experiment. And Adam Gilchrist.

I would've thought that point was obvious. Tait has generally ALWAYS been the more expensive of the 3 bowlers mentioned at Pura Cup level, which is the only level we have to compare them on.
As for wicket taking deliveries, I don't think there is that much of a difference between the 3 of them. Hilfenhaus can obviously produce his fair share of them as he was the no.1 wicket taker in the Pura Cup last season taking 60 wickets, which was 13 better than the next best. Johnson, when he's been fit, has been a constant threat to the batsmen in the Pura Cup, (and lets not forget, he did take 10-fer on a pitch where one team scored 900).

Grasped the first part of my argument there magnificently - I'd have thought Tait's strike rate to date in FC cricket illustrated the second part of my argument.

 

[Nate]

Seeing him first-hand a few times now, seeing his work ethic and the fact that everyone who watches him can see his class - I'd go Heal. I don't see MacGill being a force again in Test Cricket and his batting and especially fielding are a huge liability. Heal is capable of averaging around twenty with the bat and his fielding, least to mention off his own bowling, is solid. Warne was picked for Australia after playing only a handful of matches, and while Aaron Heal won't be the next Warne, I definately rate him. Absolute travesty he wasn't selected to tour Pakistan. Looked a class above Bailey in the Emerging Players comp just gone by.

Don't expect it to be a popular decision, and it won't happen anyway, but that'd be my input as a selector.

 

[Nate]

Just on the OD section of the Emerging Players Tournament -

Aaron Heal - 6 matches, 11 wickets @ 18.54, Eco 3.84
Cullen Bailey - 5 matches, 3 wickets @ 80.00, Eco 5.85

And both performed similiarly in the two 20/20 matches. EDIT: Heal - 4 wickets @ 13.25, Eco 6.62 and Bailey - 3 wickets @ 22.33, Eco 8.37. But you know, give Bailey the CA Contract and trip to Pakistan just because he's a leggie. Gah.

I understand this tournament means nothing in way of an arguement for me, but just for show in the OD matches, Heal was the third leading wicket-taker, had the fourth best average, fifth best economy-rate and foruth best strike-rate comfortably beating Andre Adams, Johan Botha, the Morkel brothers, Ian O'Brien and Moises Henriques in all departments.