Cricket Season Thread

[Cultured_Bogan]

I'm conflicted…

I'm of the opinion that Ponting has given so much to Australian Test cricket that he deserves to at least see this season out. The writing is definitely on the wall for him, but he deserves to see this out and try and go out with a few respectable knocks. I'd love to see him play forever but he's simply does not possess the same intimidation that he used to.

We have two capable understudies for Haddin in Paine and Wade. Wade is only 23 and has a higher first class average than Paine (40 to 30 respectively from a similar amount of matches,) and we would be looking for another keeper again in six to seven years if Paine was given the role. Haddin has become largely unreliable, but is one of the players you can expect to dig in and have a go when the top-middle order collapses.

Hussey is the man who should probably remain behind for another season. He's a handy part time bowler that should be utilised a little more (along with Clarke himself,) and would be the man I expect to put his hand up against the Indians with the bat.

Hughes unfortunately has had numerous chances against lower ranked nations to put runs on the board, but the kid is technically flawed and requires a good season of work (much like Katich did,) to rectify his issues. He's not hitting the ball cleanly enough and is way too easily sucked in by loose deliveries outside off. Warner should be given the chance to prove himself now, especially since he has shown he can deliver in the longer form of the game.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Team for boxing day test

Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Copeland
Pattinson
Lyon

Khawaja just hasn't delivered at international level and Hughes is a backyard cricket specialist. The Indian attack is pretty tame, so I'd like to see Ponting and Hussey have one last crack at it, if they can't score runs against India it'd probably be in their best interests to retire. Starc is rubbish so I'd bring in Copeland for him.

 

[stryker]

The Aussies should count themselvs lucky they got out of this series with a draw. Had the Kiwis had some luck in the first test they could have easily won it

Rubbish…we embarrased them in the first test and this one was a bowlers wicket that showed our top order arent in good enough form. Kiwis were lucky to get away with the draw after the first test and their first innings in this one. They bowled well and got away with the draw...just.

This Australian side can not afford to lose the likes of Punter, Huss and Hadds in one go. They will all play against India and we will need them there. After the series..sure they can retire but not before it.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Team for boxing day test

Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Copeland
Pattinson
Lyon

Khawaja just hasn't delivered at international level and Hughes is a backyard cricket specialist. The Indian attack is pretty tame, so I'd like to see Ponting and Hussey have one last crack at it, if they can't score runs against India it'd probably be in their best interests to retire. Starc is rubbish so I'd bring in Copeland for him.

The Indian attack will go alright i think. Kahn says he'll be fit, and Sharma is a class bowler. They'll miss Harbajan but Ashwin is a handy off-spinner. They won't do any worse then the NZ attack

 

[Jazza]

The Aussies should count themselvs lucky they got out of this series with a draw. Had the Kiwis had some luck in the first test they could have easily won it

Rubbish…we embarrased them in the first test and this one was a bowlers wicket that showed our top order arent in good enough form. Kiwis were lucky to get away with the draw after the first test and their first innings in this one. They bowled well and got away with the draw...just.

This Australian side can not afford to lose the likes of Punter, Huss and Hadds in one go. They will all play against India and we will need them there. After the series..sure they can retire but not before it.

Why can't we afford to lose them? If they're not scoring runs then I would think we can. Its just dragging the transitional process out further by keeping under performing veterans there. I do think Hussey should stay despite his very poor recent form. However Ponting has run out of chances for mine and Wade's form is too good to refuse. Get him in while he is confident and in form. I also think a big score is not far away for Khawaja.

So I would go:

Warner
Marsh
Khawaja
Clarke
Hussey
Watson
Wade
Siddle
Pattinson
Starc
Lyon

Copeland will be too tame for this Indian line up, his medium pacers will get eaten alive.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

The Aussies should count themselvs lucky they got out of this series with a draw. Had the Kiwis had some luck in the first test they could have easily won it

Rubbish…we embarrased them in the first test and this one was a bowlers wicket that showed our top order arent in good enough form. Kiwis were lucky to get away with the draw after the first test and their first innings in this one. They bowled well and got away with the draw...just.

This Australian side can not afford to lose the likes of Punter, Huss and Hadds in one go. They will all play against India and we will need them there. After the series..sure they can retire but not before it.

Rubbish, realy? on the second morning Vetorri and Brownling were cruising until Vetorri ran himself out on 96\. If he hadn't run himself out NZ could have gotten themselves to a total of around 350 as opposed to 295\. Then the amount of chances they wasted when they were bowling. Clarke should have been out 3 time in the innings where he made 100\. Most notably when he played on, and was called back for the no-ball. Then they let the tail wag. They wasted their oppurtunities. Whats rubbish is to suggest we embarressed them. We didn't embarrass anyone, they embarrassed themselves. The Aussies just happened to take advantage of it

 

[Yossarian]

Khawaja has only made one score in single figures. He was set for a decent score when Ricky ran him out in the first dig. He has the temperament to be a test player for a long time. Hughes will be punted for India. Marsh will replace him if he's fit and if he's not (and I can't believe I'm saying this) Ed Cowan will open with Dave Warner.

Yep… Ed Cowan... that's how low we've gone...

 

[Yossarian]

The Aussies should count themselvs lucky they got out of this series with a draw. Had the Kiwis had some luck in the first test they could have easily won it

Rubbish…we embarrased them in the first test and this one was a bowlers wicket that showed our top order arent in good enough form. Kiwis were lucky to get away with the draw after the first test and their first innings in this one. They bowled well and got away with the draw...just.

This Australian side can not afford to lose the likes of Punter, Huss and Hadds in one go. They will all play against India and we will need them there. After the series..sure they can retire but not before it.

Why can't we afford to lose them? If they're not scoring runs then I would think we can. Its just dragging the transitional process out further by keeping under performing veterans there. I do think Hussey should stay despite his very poor recent form. However Ponting has run out of chances for mine and Wade's form is too good to refuse. Get him in while he is confident and in form. I also think a big score is not far away for Khawaja.

So I would go:

Warner
Marsh
Khawaja
Clarke
Hussey
Watson
Wade
Siddle
Pattinson
Starc
Lyon

Copeland will be too tame for this Indian line up, his medium pacers will get eaten alive.

I'd agree with that although Mike Hussey needs to start producing runs at a decent level. Probably worth keeping him in since there's nobody really putting their hand up for a middle order spot (apart from possibly Dave Hussey!). Dan Christian is having a decent summer but up until now he's been handy at best.

 

[steve-o]

To the Sydney residents on the forum: are you gonna go for sixers or thunder?

 

[Marshall_magic]

Team for boxing day test

Warner
Marsh
Ponting
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Siddle
Copeland
Pattinson
Lyon

Khawaja just hasn't delivered at international level and Hughes is a backyard cricket specialist. The Indian attack is pretty tame, so I'd like to see Ponting and Hussey have one last crack at it, if they can't score runs against India it'd probably be in their best interests to retire. Starc is rubbish so I'd bring in Copeland for him.

The Indian attack will go alright i think. Kahn says he'll be fit, and Sharma is a class bowler. They'll miss Harbajan but Ashwin is a handy off-spinner. They won't do any worse then the NZ attack

Kahn is class, Sharma is overrated in my opinion, he has his moments but hasn't kicked on in the past few years. Ashwin is a handy off spinner as you say, but they've had better over the years. They're certainly better than New Zealand, but they're a long way short of the Saffa and English attacks.

 

[biggest_tigers_fan]

team for the boxing day test has to be
1.warner
2.cowan
3.marsh
4.watson
5.clarke
6.ponting
7.wade
8.siddle
9.pattison
10.cummins
11.lyon

 

[stryker]

Jazza, dropping Ponting and Hussey when we are playing one of our arch rivals would be a silly move. They are both well respected cricketers internationaly, know their opponents inside and out through the wealth of experience they have against them, are the best 2 fieldsmen in the side and are great mentors for the young fellas coming into the side.

If you get rid of both of them, who will be the calming influence on the side when the going gets tough (which this whole summer will be)? Clarke? I dont think so. You need some old hard heads against the Indians who will be coming out here hell bent on demolishing us and a team chock full of inexperience will be easy pickings for them.

Until Khawaja and Hughes learn to play at this level (which neither of them are anywhere near yet), I would be very reluctant to bring further new bloods in for this up coming series. Huss was on fire in SL, and Punter went pretty well in SA and here. They are due for big summers (Ricky especially) and like true champions they will deliver.

I dont know as much about cricket as some of you do but I am certainly not as reactionary. That was a team effort to lose that game and your young guns were just as much at fault as were my old farts…..

 

[happy_tiger]

Hi guys did Warner bat well and will he keep his spot when Watson comes back or will they keep Hughes

A bit off track but Warner carrying his bat throughout the innings ,the last time I remember of a batsman doing that was Bill Lawry in 1969 has anyone done so since I tried goggling it but can't get the answer I want

 

[stryker]

I remember Slats doing it years ago Happy.

Yeah Warner batted well and didnt seem to fazed with the moment. If one of the batsmen had of shown the mettle Lyon did we would have romped home. Hughes should make way if they are serious.

 

[happy_tiger]

I remember Slats doing it years ago Happy.

Yeah Warner batted well and didnt seem to fazed with the moment. If one of the batsmen had of shown the mettle Lyon did we would have romped home. Hughes should make way if they are serious.

I tried again to google it and Katich's name but no innings or Tests came up
Can't remember it maybe someone else does
Thanks Stryker i think I got to watch about an hour and a half all up over the 4 days

 

[derailed]

For Boxing day I would go with

Warner
Watson (Hopefully fit)
Marsh (Hopefully fit)
Pointing (Deserves another summer and form hasn't been as terrible as it has been made out)
Clarke
Khawaja (Looks the goods to me and I can see a big summer for him - Just needs to tick the score along)
Wade - (But they will pick Haddin because they are waiting for Paine to be fit otherwise HAddin would have been gone by now)
Siddle
Patterson
Stark (No point blooding another young blower just yet lets let him find his feet while Cummings is out)
Lyon (Has to remain to the team for a least the next couple of summers. Time to pick and stick with a spinner and he has bowled well)

Personally I have my doubts we will put up much of a fight against India but hope that we do. The main thing we need to do is pick a team we think can win it at the start of the series and stick with them throghout (good or bad). Let some of these guys find there feet and see what happens

 

[Bazzinator]

I remember Slats doing it years ago Happy.

Yeah Warner batted well and didnt seem to fazed with the moment. If one of the batsmen had of shown the mettle Lyon did we would have romped home. Hughes should make way if they are serious.

I tried again to google it and Katich's name but no innings or Tests came up
Can't remember it maybe someone else does
Thanks Stryker i think I got to watch about an hour and a half all up over the 4 days

complete list of all bats carried through a test
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283149.html

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

To the Sydney residents on the forum: are you gonna go for sixers or thunder?

Thunder mate. Western Sydney team essentially, plus Warner, Gayle, Ruggy Bollinger and Khawaja are drawcards.

 

[steve-o]

To the Sydney residents on the forum: are you gonna go for sixers or thunder?

Thunder mate. Western Sydney team essentially, plus Warner, Gayle, Ruggy Bollinger and Khawaja are drawcards.

Fair call. I think I'm gonna go for sixers though, as it seems to be more of the nsw team, plus they've got Brett lee, stuey McGill, watto n haddin. Tough choice though, and I'll obviously be backing the thunder in every game except the sydney derby. Thinking of buying a membership for the sixers. $40 odd bucks for a concession for their 3 home games plus the game against thunder at anz

 

[happy_tiger]

I remember Slats doing it years ago Happy.

Yeah Warner batted well and didnt seem to fazed with the moment. If one of the batsmen had of shown the mettle Lyon did we would have romped home. Hughes should make way if they are serious.

I tried again to google it and Katich's name but no innings or Tests came up
Can't remember it maybe someone else does
Thanks Stryker i think I got to watch about an hour and a half all up over the 4 days

complete list of all bats carried through a test
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283149.html

Thanks Bazz gee there has been a few for Australia since the Lawry 2