mb64 said:
Not in the past two years. Clarke also has age on his side.
BTW Haddin for Skipper.
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Cricket
- Thread starter mb64
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Not in the past two years. Clarke also has age on his side.
BTW Haddin for Skipper.
Lots of good points Navy. We are in a pickle. Australian batsmen struggle against the moving ball because they hardly ever face it in the Sheffield Shield. We need to get bowlers moving the ball in the air and off the seam...not only does it make for a better attack, but batsmen then have to adjust their techniques to counter it. Playing on roads in the shield, against bowlers whose first priority is to hit the deck hard rather than get it in the right areas and move it off the straight has resulted in batsmen who are flat track bullies and bowlers who are cannon fodder when the conditions don't suit.
Punxsutawney Phil said:
Very salient & deep points Phil with a lot of truth.
You can add the plethora of 50/50 & 20/20 cricket that deducts from batting & bowling techniques to your list.
jb03 said:
As navy said Australia's inability to get wickets on flat decks has been a common theme. In those conditions of course England has been the better team in every facet.
On the same token England have collapsed 3 out of 3 times when there has been any life in the pitch. & thats just in this series without going back in there recent history. Do you think by some aberation they would have survived if batting first in melbourne... No chance.
Tigers of Old said:
Haddin is 33 years old with a young well-performed potential leader (who we badly need) in Tim Paine waiting in the wings to be pushed up shortly.
Seems just as short sighted.
jb03 said:
I had to chuckle when I heard Ponting say he would have sent the Poms in on that pitch. He has never sent the opposition in in 5 years.
It is a mute point, but I do not believe we had bowlers capable of taking full advantage of those conditions like the English did. They might not have reached 0-160, but they would have been a long way from all out for 98 if they had batted first.
I'd look at replacing Nielson as coach with someone who is a stronger personality and can take more of the leadership burden off of the captain, whoever that me be in the future. Bob Simpson mark two.
Ponting has certainly been copping flack, but does anyone really think Clarke is the man to lead a revival of Australian cricket.
He would appear to be a long way down the list. For mine it would be a major folly to allow Ponting to retire. He at least has the respect of the side and the cricket world.
As others have said, he should be allowed to bat down the order and focus on leading the side.
If I was selecting the side I would have Ponting at 4, Hussey at 5, Watson at 6 and Haddin at 7.
I would have Watson playing as a genuine all rounder, he hasn't shown the capacity to regularly bat for long periods which is what is required at the top of the order.
Young blokes are a major priority. Having these four in the middle order allows for experimentation at the top of the order. Hughes needs to keep playing and anyone with form should be given a shot.
As for the bowlers, we just have to play a spinner and at the moment Smith simply is not good enough. Maybe in time but not at the moment.
Johnston has to play.
Hilf needs to develop some variety. He is lacking all penetration at the moment. So I would play Johnston, Siddle and a young quick. Whoever has the best form at the moment.
He would appear to be a long way down the list. For mine it would be a major folly to allow Ponting to retire. He at least has the respect of the side and the cricket world.
As others have said, he should be allowed to bat down the order and focus on leading the side.
If I was selecting the side I would have Ponting at 4, Hussey at 5, Watson at 6 and Haddin at 7.
I would have Watson playing as a genuine all rounder, he hasn't shown the capacity to regularly bat for long periods which is what is required at the top of the order.
Young blokes are a major priority. Having these four in the middle order allows for experimentation at the top of the order. Hughes needs to keep playing and anyone with form should be given a shot.
As for the bowlers, we just have to play a spinner and at the moment Smith simply is not good enough. Maybe in time but not at the moment.
Johnston has to play.
Hilf needs to develop some variety. He is lacking all penetration at the moment. So I would play Johnston, Siddle and a young quick. Whoever has the best form at the moment.
Navy Days said:
Sure it's a stopgap solution but at least Haddin's position in the team & immediate future is not under question.
Cannot say the same of our other 'leaders'.
Hilfy seems to have hidden himself from criticism very effectively. Four wickets in three matches, two of them tailenders is embarrassing for a new ball bowler. As for the comparison on the swinging ball, Hilfy also looked mediocre against his English counterparts.
He has had a pretty good run but I would have him out for Sydney, irrespective of the loss of Harris. McKay is worth a try, along with Bollinger, who probably has not done a lot wrong.
He has had a pretty good run but I would have him out for Sydney, irrespective of the loss of Harris. McKay is worth a try, along with Bollinger, who probably has not done a lot wrong.
The whole leadup to the season was poorly planned. Meaningless one day games in India. Only a few Shield games for preparation. I believe the ACB needs a total overhaul. Programming the leadup games, the Cricket Academy (do we still have one?)Support Staff and their roles and the selectors included.
Not so much as a knee-jerk reaction to an abysmal loss, but more so to the future direction of the game.
Too many (former) cricket lovers are getting jaded with such a proliferation of games and formats.
Not so much as a knee-jerk reaction to an abysmal loss, but more so to the future direction of the game.
Too many (former) cricket lovers are getting jaded with such a proliferation of games and formats.