Cricket Season Thread

@Allan Towle said:
Boys scratched to 245 thanks to Watson, Hussey & Haddin. Some great bowling and dumb running between the wickets means the Aussies must come back on day 2\. Early wickets will be crucial. Pitch it up there and give yourself a chance like Anderson did.
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It's not ideal, but I believe our bowling attack is superior to the one at the GABBA (Hilfy is economical but doesn't take wickets,) and it could be a defendable first innings target. Until Hussey got going it looked like it was going to be all over for about 150-180.

Unless Pup pulls together a match winning dig in the second innings, he and Marcus Naughts' heads are both on the chopping block for mine. Ferguson scored a ton and we may as well give the Uzi a shot since no one else is stepping up to be counted.

Just goes to show how confidence is a major factor in batting. Ponting has been inconsistent for months and Clarke is as shaky as ever. North's continued selection is up there with the "meaning of life" as one of the universes great mysteries. Definitely has a photo of the selectors chock a block up each other.

Katich wasn't backing up like he should have, and paid the price. Unfortunately I thought Watson should have used his head and sacrificed his wicket for Kat because out of the two I'd bank on Katich making the ton. Watson hit his half ton and got out almost straight away. We would have almost certain been in a better position, but it's always a dangerous proposition to lose a wicket that early on in the piece.
 
Would be interesting to see if the bowling fails to get 20 wickets and then again, they make heaps of changes.

It was stupid IMO to kick out Hilfy and Johno, shouldve stuck with em. In saying that, I do hope Harris and Bollinger rip out the Poms though.
 
Australia looking very ordinary and tired out there. Their bowling attack offers bugger all these days and I won't be surprised if England beat us on our own soil.
 
I don't entirely agree with that Willow, we've had chances, but the field hasn't taken them.

Hussey let a sitter pass straight through him (he's no slouch in the slips cordon either,) and Haddin was wrong footed by that top edge.
 
Ponting needs to stop putting an attacking field rite now. An Australian win is beyond doubt and as I can see Pietersen is scoring at 70 runs a 100 ball. So, if they keep scoring at that rate, Australian will have to bat for 2.5 days which means England wins. Ponting needs to put a very smoothing field and stop the runs flowing. Once the runs stop flowing, wickets will come.

Siddle and Harris need to bowl outside the off stump and make em jerk a bit.
 
I wonder if Ponting should have taken the new ball and go for the wickets. Cook looks dead tired and Pietersen just wants to hit. Can see a wicket coming.
 
Doherty has played as well as I thought he could. Don't know why he was picked. He has bowled too quick and flat.

Hauritz was doing a good job and I thought actually earned his position after being given an extended opportunity. His flight and drift is much better than that of Doherty and can still improve his game. Hauritz doesn't use his hips very well which can generate some more side spin and bounce. He needs to work with Greg Matthews there.

Our catching needs to better thats for sure. A dew dropped at Brisbane and two at Adelaide. England have been much better. Cook is extremely fit mentally and physically. His played few false shots and has played all of the 2nd test and all but just over and an hour of the 1st test. They have bowled short and straight, wide and full; but I don't think have remained patient outside off for too long. They change plans too quick. Bore them and limit the boundries so scoring is slow.
 
I predict Australia goes to the third test with the scores at 0 all…..

Whether its rain or stoic batting, we'll get away with this one.
 
Adelaide is a road for the first 2-3 days. England's total of 600 was the norm on that ground, the problem with this test was out 245\. We need to hang on for a draw here, and hopefully get the win 2 of Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. If the Poms take this game out, we're in a HUGE trouble, they'll only need 1/3 from the remaining games to take back the urn.
 
Clarkey gone in the last over of the day again, to Pietersen of all people!

Stumps on day 4, Marcus North, what have you got for us?
 
If Marcus North wants to prove anyone wrong, he must last till tea tomorrow, end of. If he can hang around with Hussey/Haddin for 2 sessions, and hopefully get us in front, we may salvage a draw. I don't see it happening, the guy is not up to standard, and his second innings performances in his career thus far are woeful.
 
our only hope is for it to rain in adelaide for a good solid 3 hours and leave the players off the field for round 4\. north will be out early mark my words whilst haddin will last longer but be out soon enough. if the rain comes i see england needing 3 wickets in the final hour with hussey staying out their til the end hopefully the tail dont have to face too many balls

Next test squad

1\. Watson
2\. Hughes (Katich has no chance of backing up with his achillies injury)
3\. Ponting (But the calls will be for his head, will retire at the end of the series)
4\. Hussey
5\. Clarke (His 80 today will keep him round for a few more tests for the golden child)
6\. Haddin (His performances prove that he can bat and North should not be around full stop)
7\. Smith (For the WACA we wont need a spinner as much as we would in the other matches but still handy to have one like Smith)
8\. Harris (Best Performer so far in this match with the ball)
9\. Johnson (The extra bounce of the wicket will help him and could cause a real handful if he picks up his accuracy
10\. Siddle
11\. Cameron (One of the form bowlers of the state competition and bowled decently in the Aussie A game)
 
If Katich is out

Watson
Hughes
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Ferguson
Haddin
Hauritz
Harris
Siddle
Bollinger

If Katich can play, Fergy out and Watto to 6\. I really don't think Watson should open, he just doesn't convert his starts (14 50s and only 2 100s is not good enough for a test opener), but other than Kat and Hughes, no one else is really good enough to open.
 
My 3rd Test squad:

Hughes
Watson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Hauritz
Harris
Siddle
Bollinger

It may seem strange playing 2 spinners at the WACA but we all know its not as quick and bouncy as it used to be. And I dont think that has changed with Hauritz recently taking 7 wickets there and bowling a lot of overs, I could be wrong though. Plus our attack needs something extra, with Watson opening nowadays I don't think we can class him as a genuine all-rounder as he does not bowl as much now.

And I agree with MM, I think Watson needs to drop down the order, so if Katich plays I'd drop Smith and have Watson at 6\. I think the reason why he doesn't convert his 50s is because he see's himself as an all rounder, maybe the bowling takes a bit out of him, not just physically but mentally as well. Maybe he needs to try and think of himself as a batsmen more so that he plays like a batsmen who makes 100s.

You just have to look at Jacques Kallis as an example, a genuine all-rounder who bats 3 or 4, renown for his concentration, has a great record yet, he has never scored a 200 which I think comes down to his bowling.

If Hussey was still out of form, I would of been tempted to swap him and Watson around even if Katich is out, but with him paying well now, and with the middle order struggle, we can't tinker with him.
 
i cant see the point of keeping the same pace attack. the pacemen are meant to pick up the wickets in the first innings with the spinner(s) picking up the majority in the second innings. A horses for courses need to be picked and guys who bowl quick and exploit the bounce should play

I completely agree with the fact that Watson should bat down the order but the selectors wont change that yet due to watson scoring runs. He has 4 solid scores so far this series with his low being 36 but his high being 57 shows he doesn't go on which is worrying now.

Looking at Hughes' last few innings he has scored 48, 10, 47, 12, and 39 along with his 2 and 81 in the match against England so nothing really outstanding there but agree that he is the man to come in.

Khawaja has scored the most runs this year on the domestic front in the longer form so he has potential. Although he scored a massive 214 his other scores have been mediocre only scoring 2 fifties.

Another name on the list would be David Hussey who could potentially be a straight swap for North. Hussey is in form with bat and ball scoring 393 runs in 5 matches although taking only 4 wickets (same as Steve Smith) at an average of 38 so thats decent for the number 6 spot. (Not important but why have 1 hussey when you can have two)

If Katich is unfit and they dont got with Hughes, Shaun Marsh should be picked he has ammased a massive 339 runs in only 4 knocks and with that goes one century and 2 half's and is used to playing at the WACA similar to when Chris Rogers made his debut it could be a factor if required

Of the bowlers Chris Swan, Mark Cameron and Trent Copelan all of 22 wickets in 4 matches. Luke Butterworth and Siddle are next best with 19\. Butterworth is gentle mediums at best so no chance and Swan is 32 whilst Copeland is very raw.

Of the spinners Doherty has the most which is disappointing with 14 in 5 whilst Hauritz and O'Keefe have 11 in 5 so the hope is not looking great.

So obviously a squad will be picked for the next match in just over a week im expecting round 20 players
\
\
1\. Bollinger
2\. Cameron
3\. Clarke
4\. Doherty
5\. Ferguson
6\. Haddin
7\. Harris
8\. Hauritz
9\. Hilfenhaus
10\. Hughes
11\. D Hussey
12\. M Hussey
13\. Johnson
14\. Khawaja
15\. McKay
16\. North
17\. Ponting
18\. Siddle
19\. Smith
20\. Watson
 
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