Cricket

[mld]

Problem with Johnson is he gets zero movement in the air or off the seam. Batsmen don't chase his wide sh!t anymore so he doesn't get his cheap wickets. Unless he can start to swing and seam it, he will continue to be cannon fodder.

It worked for him because of his pace, he could keep it between 145 and 150 kph all day. Now he is starting off near there but quickly drifiting down to around the 130 kph mark, makes a big difference in reaction time choosing which ones to let go.

 

[Leysy Days]

Yep
If we prepare a green top, they'll win. If we prepare a spinners wicket Swann will dominate. If we prepare a flat batting wicket

Not sure on the green top being a foregone conclusion. Not at all. Given half testing conditions the England batting lineup is just as if not more capable of a collapse as the Aus lineup. This has been proven a lot over the past 18 months.

Problem with Johnson is he gets zero movement in the air or off the seam. Batsmen don't chase his wide sh!t anymore so he doesn't get his cheap wickets. Unless he can start to swing and seam it, he will continue to be cannon fodder.

So true.

Johnson could bowl with the new ball, old ball or whatever. Fact is with his technique the way it currently is he wont move the ball either off the seam or in the air thus has zero hope of getting wickets.

It could take him a long while to straighten things out INO.

Had the game had any more time than the five days allocated, England would not have declared when they did and gone on to about 3/800. How embarrassing would that have been?

Agree with how Johnson should be played, but think it would be too risky NOT to drop him now.

Look, I still think alot of Australian cricket fans are having a hard time coming to grips with the retirements of several champion players and accepting that their replacements are going to be found wanting. After day 3, I had some friends on facebook with statuses such as "Ashes are ours", and "Series all over". My God, how moronic. They are a bit more quiet now.

People forget what a luxury it was to have Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in the same team. They were both once-in-a-lifetime bowlers and the fact that they were of opposite styles meant we almost always had at least one legendary bowler in favourable conditions at our disposal - no matter what the conditions.

Sure, Hayden, Gilchrist and few others were great players, but SW and GM were what made the team what it was. Without them we would have been on a par with the better Test sides of the day. With them we were unbeatable. Now we are without them and a few others and it shows. Get used to it.

So so true. Jonathan Agnew made this point on SEN tonight. He said the Australian media in particular, but also many supporters really have to come to terms that the side we had over the past 15 years is unlikely to come along again in our lifetime. Currently we simply dont have the talent to expect us to deliver results that some bizarrely think should come. He said we are in a dangerous situation where people are going to get hung out even though it is close to the best we could do.

He also made the point that the Australian 2nd XI that played was the weakest he has seen for many many years. The lack of talent coming through in the sport could just be a cycle or a bigger issue with other sports now capturing young kids. But thats an arguement for another day.

 

[IanG]

So so true. Jonathan Agnew made this point on SEN tonight. He said the Australian media in particular, but also many supporters really have to come to terms that the side we had over the past 15 years is unlikely to come along again in our lifetime. Currently we simply dont have the talent to expect us to deliver results that some bizarrely think should come. He said we are in a dangerous situation where people are going to get hung out even though it is close to the best we could do.

Who is this addressed to? Those who want changes and think the selectors are abrogating their responsibility? I don't think those who want that think the side is potentially No. 1 in the world, I certainly don't. So what is there to come to terms with? And besides they don't try other players except when there are injuries and when they do they drop them at the slightest hint of failure eg. Hughes, McGain without giving them a chance.

 

[Leysy Days]

No question the selectors havent shown enough foresight in recent times but the general feel from the media is that they seem to believe winning the Ashes comfortably is our right. Its not.

These are 2 evenly matched teams. & yes some changes need to be made, & should have been made before now. But currently the challengers arent a hell of a lot better unfortunately.

Also not sure why you bring up Hughes. Dropping him & bringing in Watson to the side to open when barely a cricket follower in the world thought he could do the job has been a move of genius'.

 

[Bill James]

In London at the moment and reading the English press apparently we had an absolute shocker and they played pretty well. I am no huge wraps for our current side but the reality was that the game was neutral for a day and a bit, England were in a winning position for 2 sessions and after that Australia was the only team that could win the match. Last time I looked we scored 580 for the loss of 11 wickets. Would like to see us play well.

Andersen is the only quality bowler in form from either side and its difficult to see how either team takes 20 wickets on a normal test wicket.

 

[IanG]

Also not sure why you bring up Hughes. Dropping him & bringing in Watson to the side to open when barely a cricket follower in the world thought he could do the job has been a move of genius'.

Watson would bat well at any spot in the order.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

Who is this addressed to? Those who want changes and think the selectors are abrogating their responsibility? I don't think those who want that think the side is potentially No. 1 in the world, I certainly don't. So what is there to come to terms with? And besides they don't try other players except when there are injuries and when they do they drop them at the slightest hint of failure eg. Hughes, McGain without giving them a chance.

Hughes had his chance and has hardly dominated at shield level whilst McGain got injured at an inopportune moment and hasn't exactly fired in his return. Add to the fact his age and he hardly has a pressing argument for elevation.

 

[mb64]

Hughes had his chance and has hardly dominated at shield level whilst McGain got injured at an inopportune moment and hasn't exactly fired in his return. Add to the fact his age and he hardly has a pressing argument for elevation.

Forget McGain now,we need some youth

 

[Leysy Days]

Watson would bat well at any spot in the order.

Maybe, but cricketers are funny beasts. Clarke hasnt been the same player since the (what should be small move) from 5 to 4.

Watsons technique has proven ideal for opening. Doubt Hughes' ever will.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Forget McGain now,we need some youth

How old are Warnes Kids?

 

[mb64]

How old are Warnes Kids?

Too young skipper

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Too young skipper

Bugger.

 

[mb64]

Bugger.

Any of your kids spin the ball Skipper

 

[Tigers of Old]

- Clarke was clearly troubled by his back. Firstly, he fielded out of his usual position. Then he played one of the most painful innings I've ever seen live from a top order batsman. No timing, continually playing and missing and almost looked relieved when he was finally dismissed. Decision to play him looks extremely questionable

Agree entirely. His simple dropped slips catch in the Poms 2nd dig did nothing to quell the speculation.
Not moving well at all and must be under a cloud for Adelaide.

 

[poppa x]

Johnson's bowling action also effects his bowling partner.
When he scrambles the seam every ball it takes the shine off the shiny side when it hits the pitch.
Speaking as an old time out swing bowler, if I was Hilfy I'd be having serious discussions with him and the captain.

 

[mb64]

Agree entirely. His simple dropped slips catch in the Poms 2nd dig did nothing to quell the speculation.
Not moving well at all and must be under a cloud for Adelaide.

No-one is on standby Tooheys

 

[Joe Lynn Turnip]

Watsons technique has proven ideal for opening. Doubt Hughes' ever will.

Rubbish. Hughes is a gun. You don't score twin hundreds in your second ever test against the best pace attack in the world if you're not. His technique's no worse than the likes of Gooch & Langer and it's better than Wessell's was...or Chanderpaul's for that matter (though he never opened). Perceived short ball problem is over-stated and easily fixed. Mentally stronger than Bevan who let all the same hype about short pitched bowling get to him.

Watson is not a long term solution as an opener. You need someone who converts more fifties to hundreds...not someone who just belts a quick 51's & 36's all the time. Lacks the long term concentration at Test Level to score BIG 100's and get's bowled and trapped LBW more often than an opener should be. Add all that to the fact that he's expected to bowl more than just few overs and his luck will run out eventually.

 

[mb64]

Rubbish. Hughes is a gun. You don't score twin hundreds in your second ever test against the best pace attack in the world if you're not. His technique's no worse than the likes of Gooch & Langer and it's better than Wessell's was...or Chanderpaul's for that matter (though he never opened). Perceived short ball problem is over-stated and easily fixed. Mentally stronger than Bevan who let all the same hype about short pitched bowling get to him.

Watson is not a long term solution as an opener. You need someone who converts more fifties to hundreds...not someone who just belts a quick 51's & 36's all the time. Lacks the long term concentration at Test Level to score BIG 100's and get's bowled and trapped LBW more often than an opener should be. Add all that to the fact that he's expected to bowl more than just few overs and his luck will run out eventually.

Hughes has already been found out with his poor technique.

 

[Joe Lynn Turnip]

Hughes has already been found out with his poor technique.

What? In two tests? At the age of 20? Get a clue.

 

[mb64]

What? In two tests? At the age of 20? Get a clue.

Yes,yes,yes & you haven't.