Cricket

[Hayfever]

Barring a miracle Ricky's days as captain are just about over. Still think his batting will improve without responsibilities of leading team. If selectors don't act soon this series will become a farce.

Given Clarke is struggling too then I'd give captaincy to Brad Haddin. He's one of the few who knows how to dig deep and fight back when the going gets tough. We have to stick it right up to the Poms, not let them dictate the play. At the moment they are laughing at us and Ponting in particular.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Barring a miracle Ricky's days as captain are just about over. Still think his batting will improve without responsibilities of leading team.

Ponting is about to turn 36 years old in a couple of weeks. The clock is ticking..

 

[MB78]

Ponting is about to turn 36 years old in a couple of weeks. The clock is ticking..

Agree that it is. However our selecters are softer than our middle order and will keep picking Clarke who is most likley going to be our next captain

 

[Tigerbob]

Agree that it is. However our selecters are softer than our middle order and will keep picking Clarke who is most likley going to be our next captain

Isn't that the truth.

If we are going to do the right thing, Ponting, Clarke, North, Katich, Hussey need to be broken up and replaced. That's the long term view.

Watson, Haddin, Johnson, Siddell, Harris, Bollinger are the only one's that stay. We can see a few issues here. No batting and no difference of pace in the bowling. So we put in blokes young enough to build a dynasty together. This should of been done a couple of years ago.

Steve Smith needs to be given games. His bowling is adequate and his batting is already good enough. He is a top fielder and his energy levels are vital. Give him game time and he will improve. Needs to be given his shot now.

Phil Hughes is another one. His averages are very good, he just needs time. He can win you games. He can be electric. Needs to be given his chance and persisted with.

These two are monties for mine to get a game.

It's time. We can't get worse than we are now.

Which other players would you have long term?

Fill in the gaps:

1. Hughes
2.
3.
4.
5. Watson
6.
7. Smith
8. Haddin
9. Johnson
10. Harris
11. Siddell

 

[Leysy Days]

The arguement to move Watson down the order has more holes than swiss cheese INO.

He is averaging over 50 in the role. Outstanding.
Is the teams leading run scorer since moving there.

& the big one. By moving him we run the very real risk of losing the form of a strong link in the side.

People seem to think he will automatically keep his form if moved to the middle order. No way is it as simple as that.

Cricketers are funny beasts. Some people just arent suited to sitting around in the pavilion waiting to bat. They get edgy, pace around & struggle to adapt when going in after a wicket.

Watson scored ONE thats right one fifity in his last 13 innings when batting in the middle order before his move to open.

We have a peg filled with an excellent long term opener averaging over 50. Lets try & fill the other holes rather than moving them when we could end up with an extra problem.

 

[Leysy Days]

& Dougie has just knocked over Strauss for 1 with an absolute peach.

A lot of people have written Aus off in this series. Both in the media & on here.

Its still nil all with it all to play for.

Very evenly poised.

 

[Streak]

Barring a miracle Ricky's days as captain are just about over. Still think his batting will improve without responsibilities of leading team. If selectors don't act soon this series will become a farce.

Given Clarke is struggling too then I'd give captaincy to Brad Haddin. He's one of the few who knows how to dig deep and fight back when the going gets tough. We have to stick it right up to the Poms, not let them dictate the play. At the moment they are laughing at us and Ponting in particular.

I am not totally sure of this, but certainly in recent times Auistralia has never played an ex-captain, other than blokes who have been obvious fill-ins like Gilchrist who captained an Ashes test I think.

 

[Streak]

& Dougie has just knocked over Strauss for 1 with an absolute peach.

A lot of people have written Aus off in this series. Both in the media & on here.

Its still nil all with it all to play for.

Very evenly poised.

That was a great ball, but I wish Dougie's radar was on the money this morning. Struggling with keeping the ball away from leg just at the moment.

First time I have seen Harris bowl. Looks pretty promising.

 

[Leysy Days]

The normally reliable Hussey drops a sitter.

Australia's catching has been so costly this series.

 

[Streak]

That was a bad miss.

Doherty could have been a lot closer with his run out attempt as well. Only one stump to aim at, but to miss by about a metre isn't good.

 

[Tigerbob]

& Dougie has just knocked over Strauss for 1 with an absolute peach.

A lot of people have written Aus off in this series. Both in the media & on here.

Its still nil all with it all to play for.

Very evenly poised.

We have to win the Ashes mate.

At this current point, England hold a steady advantage.

Draws are meaningless. I would rather lose and see our deficiencies than draw and cover up the cracks. We are a basket case at the minute.

 

[Leysy Days]

Normally Navy would agree with you, but this is the Ashes.

Navy just wants to win regardless of who's in the team. The fallout from the many poms navy knows well is just too great.

Draws are still fine. Still plenty of cricket to go.

If its all square going into Sydney where there will be a result navy wouldnt have a problem.

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

& Dougie has just knocked over Strauss for 1 with an absolute peach.

A lot of people have written Aus off in this series. Both in the media & on here.

Its still nil all with it all to play for.

Very evenly poised.

I have certainly written us off. With the number of passengers we are carrying at the moment, the way we are batting, bowling and even fielding, I can't see how we will win a test, let alone win the series.

I reckon the poms have us covered in every department at present. I know things can turn, but I just can't see it happening. This is a very ordinary Australian cricket team.

 

[spook]

Without a dramatic selection shakeup, we're screwed. Our bowling is no better than honest, our batting is brittle, our fielding, in particular our catching, has slipped alarmingly. The runs are coming from a rising 36-year-old who looked finished a couple of weeks ago and who will have to find superhuman reserves of energy, application, concentration and stamina - and hope the angel of luck on his shoulder hangs around - to keep contributing as he has for the final three tests. Stars burn brightest just before they become black holes.

Ponting is vulnerable and getting a lesson from Trott in how to bat 3. He's lost either his nerve or more likely his eye for the short ball. Ponting being bounced out is disturbingly reminiscent of Richie Richardson wearing a helmet. He's an ordinary captain - too antsy, indecisive, reactionary and quick to go on the defensive. Clarke is woefully out of form and not fully fit whatever he says; North is leaden-footed and simply not good enough. Haddin is batting beautifully but five tests in seven weeks, coming in at 5-for-FA after a day or two in the field will take its toll by the end of the series. Katich and Watson are going ok but it's when you're getting 30, 40, 50, and think "I'm going ok" that you invariably cop a couple of blobs that completely ruin your numbers. Getting 50 and 'taking the shine off the ball' is not an opener doing his job, at least not fully. Alastair Cook is doing his job fully: top order players are there to make hundreds. Watson is a class batsman, which is why he is letting the team down wasting sublime form scoring 50 and getting out. He's not protecting anyone, because the middle order crumbles anyway and we're 5/150. The way an opener protects a shaky middle order is by making 150, not 50.

The Watson situation to me depends on who is pushing up from below. If it's an opener, great, get him in and move Watson to number 4, which has long been his position at first-class level and to which his game seems ideally suited. That must be the long-term plan. The trouble is the most in-form batsman in domestic cricket is Brad Hodge. Hughes is not demanding to be picked and does have some technical problems to sort out, but surely he is a long-term prospect. We need a big-scoring opener. All good sides have them. Jaques - did I see him bat at 4 last Shield game? Ferguson averages 35; Khawaja should be picked, so should Steve Smith.

The bowling is where we really need to pull a rabbit from a hat. Starc and Hazlewood look extremely promising, but geez we need a spinner. Doherty is not the answer. O'Keefe might be worth a shot - can bat too.

Graeme Swann just mentioned 86/87 and that's the feeling that's been growing on me the last week or three. England is younger, fitter, in better form and far more settled. We'll struggle to win a Test.

 

[jb03]

Navy seems more in denial than the Aussie selectors.

 

[IanG]

& Dougie has just knocked over Strauss for 1 with an absolute peach.

A lot of people have written Aus off in this series. Both in the media & on here.

Its still nil all with it all to play for.

Very evenly poised.

You definitely spoke too soon

 

[snaps truly]

The Watson situation to me depends on who is pushing up from below. If it's an opener, great, get him in and move Watson to number 4, which has long been his position at first-class level and to which his game seems ideally suited. That must be the long-term plan. The trouble is the most in-form batsman in domestic cricket is Brad Hodge. Hughes is not demanding to be picked and does have some technical problems to sort out, but surely he is a long-term prospect. We need a big-scoring opener. All good sides have them. Jaques - did I see him bat at 4 last Shield game? Ferguson averages 35; Khawaja should be picked, so should Steve Smith.

The bowling is where we really need to pull a rabbit from a hat. Starc and Hazlewood look extremely promising, but geez we need a spinner. Doherty is not the answer. O'Keefe might be worth a shot - can bat too.

Agree with Watson at four, when we have two decent openers that do a better job in that position, sure, why not. Theres no point putting him lower than four, it doesn't suit his game. We'll get the most out of him towards the top of the order.

As to who will replace Katich, we could have a guy like Hughes, who has been out of form for a while, but has shown great strengths to go with his weaknesses.
We could have a young gun opener like Nic Maddinson, he has a century and a fifty from his first five innings in his debut season. Shows great promise.

Born December 21, 1991, Nowra, New South Wales

Current age 18 years 348 days

Major teams Australia Under-19s, New South Wales, New South Wales Under-17s, New South Wales Under-19s, Sutherland

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

Batting and fielding averages Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
2010/11 First-class 3 5 1 206 113 51.50 362 56.90 1 1 32 2 1 0

Still very young though.


Another is Aiden Blizzard, he's opening for SA recently

Born June 27, 1984

Current age 26 years 160 days

Major teams Marylebone Cricket Club, Rajshahi Division, South Australia, Victoria

Nickname Blizz

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Left-arm medium

Height 1.76 m

Batting and fielding averages Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
First Class 7 9 1 453 141* 56.62 651 69.58 2 1 60 6 3 0

At 26 years old, his only knock is that he hasn't played a lot of first class cricket. I haven't seen a lot of him, but he can play.

 

[Leysy Days]

Good call on Maddinson Snapper.

People talk about Hughes & Marsh being pushed up into the Aus team.

This kid has for more potential & will be a better player than both of them in navy's humble opinion.

 

[Jason King]

Not much good having batsmen without any real wicket taking bowlers. Aussies are looking like swiss cheese at the moment, in fact I reckon Richmond has lesss holes to fill in comparison to the aussies. Eng-a-land arent the best in the world either, but they are looking more and more like it with every minute against us.

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

Not much good having batsmen without any real wicket taking bowlers. Aussies are looking like swiss cheese at the moment, in fact I reckon Richmond has lesss holes to fill in comparison to the aussies. Eng-a-land arent the best in the world either, but they are looking more and more like it with every minute against us.

Yep. 3/800 in past 2 innings is not a good look. We lack penetration with the ball and steel with the bat. Going to be a long summer