It ain't over till Mata sings

[Matabele]

For some reason I'm having strong memories if waking up on Australia Day 1993 to all the radio news stations pronouncing australia would achieve its first win over the Windies in 15 years that day.  The rest was history (the Aussie collapse and McDermott edging the ball with only a few runs required).  From memory the Aussies were chasing 150 on that last day.

I'm just having a strong feeling of deja vus.

Perhaps the Saffas will choke yet again.  Or maybe Melbourne's weather will save the aussie bacon and they can turn the tide in sydney without the dead weight of Lee and Symonds.

 

[The Wheel]

Gee Mata, you are very humble in victory (pending) on this occassion.  Or are you saving it up for one big spray this afternoon?

 

[Dan]

We will collapse, Our bowling lacks any real strike power at the moment, and the strike power we have doesnt vary enough.

For mine we need to bring in another fast bowler at least, drop SYmonds and hayden I think too.

What is Bracken up to these days?

 

[The Gronk]

My side for the SCG:

Katich
Hayden (may as well give him one last chance and Jaques can take over on the next tour when he is fit again)
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Gronk
Siddle
Bollinger

 

[Dan]

watson I think is also a good choice. bring him in for sure. But what about Bracken?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Smith unbeaten century to win the game

 

[DVS Matt]

We have so many out of form players, Hussey, Hayden, Symonds, Lee and no spinner. Ponting only just getting back into form this test.

In my opinion, Siddle is very average, he has only had 1 decent spell in 3 tests.

Just like the captain, the selectors are risk adverse. My team for Sydney would be:

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
D.Hussey
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Bollinger and Hauritz to give way for Clark and McGain when fit.

 

[willstyles]

For some reason I'm having strong memories if waking up on Australia Day 1993 to all the radio news stations pronouncing australia would achieve its first win over the Windies in 15 years that day.  The rest was history (the Aussie collapse and McDermott edging the ball with only a few runs required).  From memory the Aussies were chasing 150 on that last day.

Billy the Kid didn't bloody hit it either. Came off his helmet!

 

[The Gronk]

Now today's version of Bruce Reid - Shane Watson, is out for 6 months with stress fractures in his back.  He must have strained it carrying out the drinks. 

Do we leave Symonds there or bring in a real number 6?

I guess the other options would be Shaun Marsh, David Hussey and Luke Pomersbach

Possible all-rounders could be Moises Henriques or Cameron White. 

I might need to move myself up to number 6 in my side I reckon. 

 

[The Wheel]

Now today's version of Bruce Reid - Shane Watson, is out for 6 months with stress fractures in his back.  He must have strained it carrying out the drinks. 

Do we leave Symonds there or bring in a real number 6?

I guess the other options would be Shaun Marsh, David Hussey and Luke Pomersbach

Possible all-rounders could be Moises Henriques or Cameron White. 

I might need to move myself up to number 6 in my side I reckon. 

Bring in a real batsmen, we went without an allrounder for decades, if you choose 4 bowlers and have M Clarke & Katich to bowl a handful of overs per innings that should be sufficient.

Gronk I think you are too prone to playing across the line, leave yourself at 9.

 

[willstyles]

Can't leave Symonds there. He's injured, out of form, mind elsewhere. There is no suitable all-rounder replacement, so we can't afford to pick an all-rounder. White is never going to be a Test option - he's great for the hit and giggle where he can bat at 8 and slog away, and then bowl 10 overs of nothing darting balls that are hard to get away in the coloured clothing format. Moises has yet to produce in State cricket, a long way to go before he deserves a baggy green - but he'll get there. 2 more seasons at least you would think though.

There could be a real reshuffle after this game....Lee won't play (foot), Roy (knee), Haydos (gone for good?), Hauritz? It's been a while since an Aussie team has made four changes between Tests.

Blokes that will be on the radar to get a call-up: Hughes, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, David Hussey, Chris Rogers.

Would it be an option to bring two openers in, drop Hayden, open with Hughes/Rogers and move Katich into the middle order? I'd like to see Hussey move back to 6, especially while he is in a bit of a slump. Katich is in great touch, I can see him adjusting to batting at 4. But no, that would be too many changes.....just a thought really.

Just make the simple changes. Hayden, Symonds out. Hughes/Rogers and D Hussey in. Lee out, Hilfy/Bollinger in. Hauritz out.....????? I'd pick Krejza because he's more of an attacking spinner, but really, we've got absolutely no one....

 

[The Gronk]

Bring in a real batsmen, we went without an allrounder for decades, if you choose 4 bowlers and have M Clarke & Katich to bowl a handful of overs per innings that should be sufficient.

Gronk I think you are too prone to playing across the line, leave yourself at 9.

Well you can get away with 4 bowlers when two of them are Warne and McGrath.  These days we need as many bowlers as we can get into the side to take the 20 wickets. 

Actually in my playing days I was a Geoff Boycott style opener - not too much playing across the line.  I once made 7 not out off 60 overs just to annoy the other team who were looking for outright victory. 

The main problem for me batting in the test side would be that I would be taking guard next to the square leg umpire against the likes of Morkel and Steyn. 

 

[Fluffy]

We have so many out of form players, Hussey, Hayden, Symonds, Lee and no spinner. Ponting only just getting back into form this test.

In my opinion, Siddle is very average, he has only had 1 decent spell in 3 tests.

Just like the captain, the selectors are risk adverse. My team for Sydney would be:

Katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke
D.Hussey
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger

Bollinger and Hauritz to give way for Clark and McGain when fit.

I wouldnt be dropping M Hussey just yet but he is certainly moving up the list, might need a break out of the top line to get things in order again but someone needs to take symonds spot.

I like the Bowling attack when fit of Clark, Johnson, Hilfy, McGain as it is well balanced. One seamer, one angle and one swinger plus the spinner.

Also i am wondering why Lee has bowled the most overs so far in the second innings when he could only manage 13 in the first having only taken 1 wicket all series. WTF is Poning thinking?

Also i dont think Hauritz has gone too bad, 4 wickets in the test is an ok return. I would leave him until McGain gets back.

 

[The Wheel]

[quote author=The Wheel link=topic=179000.msg204683#msg204683 date=1230595550]
  I once made 7 not out off 60 overs just to annoy the other team who were looking for outright victory. 

You cannot be serious, I guess you are lucky to be alive after that effort

 

[Matabele]

*breaks out into a warble as everyone covers their ears*

 

[Matabele]

Gee Mata, you are very humble in victory (pending) on this occassion.  Or are you saving it up for one big spray this afternoon?

  I go for Australia in the cricket except where they play a legitimate Zimbabwean side.

I wasn't much interested in cricket when I lived over there.  Was a rugby family. 

 

[Nutzcraw]

Australia sure needs a shake up.

For me, Symonds should be like Bevan. Only play the 1 dayers. I am sick to death of him scoring **** all or when he gets a start he throws it away by trying to smash it. Stick to the 1 dayers roy.

Hayden has earnt the right to go out on his own terms and that deserves to be when he is in better form.. Hayden will come out the other side of this. I'm not giving up on him yet. He's been stiff on a couple of decisions been run out a couple of times lately and all of a sudden he's under pressure. He'll be right. I expect him to bounce back and retire after a successful ashes tour.


My team for the SCG test would be:

Matthew Hayden
Simon Katich (he is in great touch at the moment)
Ricky Ponting
Micheal Clarke (I'd swap him and Hussey)
Michael Hussey
David Hussey
Brad Haddin
Mitchell Johnson
Ben Hilfenhaus
Doug Bollinger
Peter Siddle

Your spin options can come from D.Hussey, M. Clarke and S. Katich.

I think if you want an "all rounder" Brett Geeves is probably going the best in the domestic stuff. Mitchell Johnson is playing like an all rounder at the moment.

Peter Siddle bold well in the first innings of this test but he seems like a "dumb" quick. In the first test he appeared to bowl way too many short balls. Then he got it right in the first innings of this test, then reverted back to the short stuff in the second innings. He's on thin ice I believe.


What's the deal with Tim Neilson??? Is he passing on any information at all. Why wasn't Siddle/Johnson told to bowl it full and on the stumps to Steyn in that first innings. He's a tail ender. Every ball should attack the stumps when bowling to a tail ender.

 

[Nutzcraw]

Well, I nearly got it right.

A. MacDonald got the nod ahead of D.Hussey some how.

 

[Matabele]

I agree that they'll persist with Hayden until after the Ashes.  They can't afford to go to England with only Ponting in the top 6 having played there previously.

 

[The Gronk]

I agree that they'll persist with Hayden until after the Ashes.  They can't afford to go to England with only Ponting in the top 6 having played there previously.

Katich and Clarke played in the last ashes over there but didn't do very well.