Tuesday 30 December 2008

Selectors lose the test series!

And there it is: a series loss at home- first since WI in 92-93, the first series loss at home ever to SA.

I post this before the result, but with Australia's ineffective bowling, capitulation at the batting crease and overall lesser performance, it is easy (and obvious) to make this call.

Why have we fell so hard? Well, surely the attitude that we are so the number one side in the world has grown stale; we kept saying it, and believing it so much so, that we didn't bother dealing with aspects that were going to disprove it.

First and foremost, dead-wood! It has been interesting to read forums and postings on other sites about M.Hayden. Obviously many people think it was time for him to go after Perth (many before that too!) but so many idiots -and that is the best i can call them- have said that he deserves to stay til whenever or whatever date due to his past record- absolute BULLSHIT! Only a complete halfwit thinks that you can play on indefinitely or until some arbitrary day because X-amount of months ago you did something good! As a representative of OUR country you MUST be at the top of your game...PERIOD! Sure there must be some allowance for concentration lapses, minor form slumps and bad decisions but until CA implement something- be it a 3 strikes you're out, mutual agreement between player and CA on a minimum performance level or who knows whatever, something has to be done. I can't help but think that the absolute bleeding hearts that have called for Hayden to stay on will be the first to bitch about Australia losing the series- LOSERS!
Of note was that the TV commentators said that part of the reason that Hayden has been kept on is that his fielding (at 1st slip) has been good enough according to Hilditch... what the hell is that got to do with being an opener

Then there is Hussey; it is blatantly clear he is completely out of form, so why has HE been kept too?
Same goes for Lee, and given he is carrying an injured foot, now is the time to give him time off. There must be a similar consideration with Symonds, although with Watsons back buggered again who looks likely?

And now for Ponting: it is fantastic that he has found some form with the bat at the G, 200 is a fine aggregate; it is just a pity he has no real attacking nous when it comes to setting fields. Graeme Smith has scored freely with beautiful late cuts all series... no time more easily than on the final day. Why hasn't Ponting tried something new, different, novel and placed a helmeted player more forward than 2nd slip or backwards of silly mid off? ANYTHING! And what about moving the slips forward to eliminate the many nicks not carrying through.
I have no problem keeping Ponting as a number 3 batsman- who in the world would drop such a run maker after a 101 and 99? But his tactical deficiencies have been shown up AGAIN!

Now with a dead rubber imminent for the SCG, will the team of Hilditch, Hughes and crew be ruthless and get some experience under the belts of the younger players? Those players that were always on the fringe during the past glory days must be kicking themselves, as must those that are blitzing in Sheffield Shield- i.e Klinger, Hilf etc!
If they don't, then they (the selectors) must wear the shame of this defeat, and for the further imminent defeats in SA and England... may god have mercy on their souls!

stoph verismo
downthewicket

10 comments:

  1. Come on Stoph; don't hold back mate! Jesus, I thought sensitivity and sentimentalism were a big 'no' on this blog! :)
    Maybe I'm from a far away land where players are not picked on reputation - rather they are picked on performance. But when have players like Hussey not been dropped to the '2nds' ie sheffield shield to have an opportunity to get some runs and then make it back into the test team? If Judd had a horror run for 6 weeks and looked out of sorts altogether, I reckon he'd say to Carlton that he should have a run for the twos. Why doesn't this apply to test cricket? Have a look at the shield - if you don't take wickets or make runs you are sent back to district cricket. This doesn't mean you'll never play for your state again - but you have to earn your place. When this doesn't occur at the top it sends a terrible message to incumbent players. There's also mixed messages - ask Hodge if he thinks he was given ample opportunity. The guy barely put a foot wrong and will likely never play another test. The inconsistency displayed by Aus selectors is deplorable and requires systemic change.

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  2. that is the problem, when will Hussey get dropped? i'm not writing him off, but...
    maybe the pressure to get into the side, when selectors are loath to drop a player, prevents current squad members from taking themselves down to the SS for a form tune up.

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  3. I have half a sandwich in the fridge...its a few weeks old, turning green and is a bit on the nose.
    On the upside it tasted fantastic a few weeks ago so I'm gonna eat the rest of it.

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  4. don't eat it! get it to open with Katich... it can't be as rancid as Hayden!

    still according to alledged "in the know" person, he will be at Sydney! WTF! as will Huss!!

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  5. I see they picked a ginga.... WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!

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  6. Bloody hell - this will interesting, won't it! Happy with Bollinger but what's taking 20 wickets if you can't make 300. If Hussey and Hayden stumble again it's up to Clarke, Ponting and Katich to do the work (helped by Haddin). Heaps of pressure on Macdonald but it's always going to be a baptism of fire now. Good on Siddle and I think Hauritz will do better at the SCG. I've been quite hard on him as he has bowled well - he's just not an aggressive spinner. I hope we at least put up a fight - that's been completely absent which makes us look even worse.

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  7. Macdonald might actually lift... gingas are used to dealing with oppression!

    Hauritz mightn't turn it much but he still gets wickets and creates pressure, the obvious choice for sydney against leaky sieve Krejzy

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  8. Once again the selectors have been soft. Only left out the injured players. To what end are they keeping Hayden? For the return series in SA? The Ashes? If not then the timing is perfect to blood the player that will replace him for those series. Where is the cold ruthless touch of the selectors that denied Ian Healey a farewell test at the Gabba? It's not like we don't have plenty of openers making good scores for their states. Come on Hayden, do the job the selectors won't and retire.

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  9. they certainly have... what does it take (a whitewash by the look of it!) to enforce some change?

    reading other sites, it looks like there will be blood on the streets if Hayden fails at SCG and stays on- except Aussies are too lazy to riot!

    i'd forgot about Heals getting dropped, thanks for reminding me, i remember thinking how harsh that was; where is is that attitude now.

    reading media on Hayden, he really sounds like he shouldn't go; heard him on the radio say that batting isn't the only part of his game!!!!

    i'll happily let him grass a few without comment if he makes 50!

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