Anyone able to get this done before team announced?
Prefered Aussie team for last test.
Jim Maxwell on ABC says due to the heat, the wicket will turn into a bunsen; so Hauritz to come back.
i'll have a dip. For mine:
same as last test apart from: Hey-diddle out, go and tighten up bloke! Your game is good, but for someone so aggressive, they get too many runs off you.
so, surprisingly i'll give Binga a go; why travel all that way and not play? (chssssp! sound as i open worm can!) I was watch You tube last night and i want to see more of Lee's inswinging yorkers! they don't need to be at 155km, 142 will be enough.
Huss, you have done just enough to swing my sights away... for now!
stoph verismo
down the wicket
For mine, keep the same side as last test, this group is good enough to win and deserve to be there at the end.
ReplyDeleteSome sympathy for Lee but not a time to make a come back, this one is just too important.
It's stopped raining here so time to get off my slack arse and do some gardening.
Jesus you're too nice, Stoph - Hussey getting another chance!?! Unfortunately I have to go with him too - who could you put in? Hughes is on the nose to the selectors.........
ReplyDeleteMy 11:
Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
Clark
Hilfenhaus
I changed this a couple of times as I flirted with my wishful 11 but realised that going all-out bowling attack (ie Clark, Siddle and Hauritz in the same side) was inappropriate considering the stage of the series. Making 450 in the first innings is priority number 1 so Aus needs Johnson at 8 with batsmen above him. I'd love to field 4 pacemen and Hauritz so Siddle could stay in but that's the way the diuretic crumbles.
Cheese, salami, biscuits and wine at my place Friday night.
Fug! that was quick guys!
ReplyDeleteHuss still suss Lefty!
ReplyDeleteAgree (in priciple) OS, just think Siddle is getting crunched more than he is crunching!(which i think is his role- the hitman)
Lee knows the drill, if he doesn't go in trying to launch grenades, he can easily take back the mantle of fast(est) swinger.
Interesting stats if it helps your choices.
ReplyDeleteMaybe i'm wrong about Haury! His are the standout here.
And heaven forbid i'm wrong about Siddle too! Although comparison between him and Jonno fail to take into account Jonno's average start to the series.
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/cricket/seriesstats.aspx?seriesid=2333&matchid=3&livematch=true&comment=true
In some ways worrying about our bowling is irrelevant. England have to take 20 wickets to win the match and get the Ashes. This will be the most important toss to win. I pity Strauss in a way as if they bat first with bad weather around he has to give Aus a sniff so he's got time to get 20 wickets. If Aus are batting at lunch on day 2 Strauss will have to hope for an Adelaide Oval effort in their favour. Hang on, sorry I don't pity him at all - I remember 2005 you buggers. Time for retribution bitches.
ReplyDeleteJeez Stoph, you call yourself a Victorian. Before the guys left for the tour Lee was NO CHANCE to play a test. Then he swings a couple against dud sides, gets injured and misses four tests then all of a sudden he is good enough to knock Siddle out?? The man got 5 for. If he is going to miss out it should be for spin rather than Lee.
ReplyDeleteFor mine...
Watson
Katich
Ponting
Hodge....umm I mean Hussey
Clarke
North
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Clark
Hilfenhaus
Same team that pummelled them last time.
i know, i know Nospmas. i was just hungry for worms!
ReplyDeleteto make me more pathetic, the vids i was watching on youtube were old, so totally irrelevant to how he bowled in the tour matches!
i just had a moment of brain fade due to some of his (old) blinders.
Lefty, you are right on the money. to win, it is Englands task to get those 20 wickets. period.
8 batsman maybe?
Hodge....umm I mean Hussey
ReplyDelete:-D
Yeah that's a thought. The problem is that if the bowling is undermanned and someone like Watson needs to bowl overs Aus is put in the awful position of batting for a draw - ie time. I guess you always have to trust that the batsmen you've picked will do their job. But who could go in anyway? There's only Hughes on tour which would mean a complete re-shuffle and there's no way selectors will do that. With Johnson at 8 I think the balance is there so no change to the lineup necessary. England still look poor from Cook (less so Strauss) down to Prior so make the job of the batmen easier and give them 250 to go past and build a total - or go out and hit 450 first up.
ReplyDeleteThere's so much pressure on Trott and Bell and they're in such key positions. If England find themselves at 4 for 100 then it's almost goodnight. Broad, Prior and Swann would have to make more runs than their flash hitting has provided so far. And all it takes is one or two of them to get out cheaply from swinging the blade and the nails are in the coffin.
Fred has to produce with bat and ball for mine - if they are to have any real chance. If there's no movement Anderson will give little and Broad is a poser. Therefore Harmison has to support Flintoff and Swann has to really tighten up.
It would be great if Aus can reverse '05 Oval test with England going out to bat in the last dig with no hope of getting the target - but making them go out anyway. Declare giving England a session to chase 300. Ah how seet. Ponting would never do that though: Tugga or Tubs he 'ain't. Actually they probably wouldn't either with the Ashes on the line.
England's only chance is to bat first and be rolled for under 300 in the first dig. This will make the Aussies come out to play and to take the first 10 Australian wickets on this deck, they'll have to be playing shots. If England score 500, the game is a draw.
ReplyDeleteSame team mates for the Aussies as Headingley.
Jim Maxwell is well connected, for sure and a proud Aussie. Therefore, "Hauritz will play on a spinner's deck" could also be intended to make England play two spinners. Are Australia afraid of spinners or seamers in The Old Dart? Refresh my memory. If two spinners play, that leaves a grunt bowler on one leg and two seamers ... good result for the Aussies.
Four quicks for me and thanks for the memories Horrie.
You could only be watching old You Tube vids Stoph cos Lee has been well down for years now.
ReplyDeleteHis career is pretty much over if he doesn't play here.
Probably was anyway.
A rare slip up for you so I shall award you my tasty boot award for the day.
Lango, if England get done for under 300 in the first dig Aus will come out and try to bat Eng out of the game by making 500 plus. Any way you look at it England have to pull out something which, as you point out, puts them in a vulnerable position, and then they have to dominate Aus with the ball. God this will be a good test.
ReplyDeleteComnventional theory says so but this is a side which prides itself on playing attacking cricket. They showed an adherence to the formula (score 100 runs a session for five sessions). It is only if they attack that England has a chance. Therefore, if England post a plus 400 score, Australia will bat and bat and bat.
ReplyDeleteOld adage but a true one ... its easier to win when your opponent thinks they will.
The fact is any Aussie score over 400 is game over. That is pretty much 3 days to make and chase which leaves 2 to either take 20 wickets or make enough to feel comfortable declaring.
ReplyDeleteLango, do you thing J.Maxwell would stoop to playing a bit of negative propaganda? That would go against Aunties charter, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteapart from that Lango, yep, 4 quicks, add in 6-10 an innings from Captain Breakdown (we don't need him after this!), make up the difference with the usual suspects (Kat, North, Clarke) jobs done.
I know what you're saying Lefty... i am so pumped for this!
have to agree too about Lee Nos (although i'd happily be wrong) Lee peaked 07-08 against Sri Lanka when he took over top dog responsibilities from Pidge. mmmmm, delicious size 9. (and worms!)
imagine if we leave out Horry, and Swann get a bag due to big turn! D'oh!
stoph verismo
down the wicket