One single camera shot from the morning's play sums up where this series is heading. It wasn't the sight of Alastair Cook celebrating his double century or Jonathon Trott his single. It wasn't the sight of Ricky Ponting in endlessly repeated conferences with his bowler and the sound of commentators and crowd alike demanding he stop wasting time. It wasn't even the vision of Michael Clarke flooring the easiest slips catch imaginable.
No, it was a picture of the players area in the stand. In the middle ground, the next two men in - Pietersen and Collingwood - were reclining in apparent ease and comfort in their chairs, grins firmly fixed. In the background, Andrew Strauss and batting coach, English legend and former captain Graham Gooch were laughing loudly over some point or other. In the foreground and to the bottom right of screen, a forlorn, well dressed gentleman sat with his head in his hands, his shaking head wagging an earpiece presumably feeding him commentary. For nearly sixty seconds between overs that scene remained the same until the distressed man sat up and dropped his hands.
Andrew Hilditch has never looked worse.
From The Cricket Tragics
And really, what could selectors be thinking about this test? Bowlers got Eng out for 260 and the batters made 480. Then 3 guys made about 1057. Would Bollinger, Hauritz, Harris, Lee, George or Tufnel have done any better? Was the field placing woeful? Was there a lack of intent? Any team plays with heads down when they're getting thumped. For the rest of the day I think Aus needs to try to finish none for and show Eng they can play attritional cricket as well. Then write this one off and focus on Adelaide; without North and Clarke. They won't drop Johnson now but a lack of a real impact bowler is showing. Hilf is great but he needs someone buttering up the batsmen from the other end. Siddle is all heart but he too needs someone solid - thereby Hilf is a great arrow to his bow. Johnson is being carried and it is affecting the whole mentality and potency of those around him.
ReplyDeleteAnd now we're 1 for! I'm getting a slight chill about this Ashes.
Bad shot by Katich to a fairly pedestrian ball. This test is a case in point to why this game is so great. It all hangs on a knife point. Hussey gets given out and Australia are bowled out for under 200. All of a sudden we are chasing 500 with a day and a half to bat.
ReplyDeleteStrauss gets a pair, and let's face it no one would have been surprised if that had been given out, England collapse for under 200 and Australia win the test.
The pitch was pretty flat but a few dropped catches didn't help the respective scorelines. New batsmen are always vulnerable and who knows what would have happened if Australia held their chances.
As far as the team goes the fact that both batting sides dominated says to me that the bowlers will be left as is. The big question is Clarke and his fitness. The day and a half in the field would not have done him any good either. North should go, I am sure he was on his knees praying he wasn't needed in the second dig. I would like to see Ferguson promoted. Adelaide is a good track to debut and I doubt they want North to fail again and have to debut a player in Perth. Not the ideal conditions to open your test career to.
Haddin was able to relax knowing the next best is not available for the series and it showed in his batting. Pity he grassed a soda but as is the case over the last decade keepers get picked for their batting or else Chucky boy would have a baggy green.
My line up for the second test is
Watson
Katich
Ponting (c)
Clarke (if fit otherwise North will stay)
Hussey
Ferguson
Haddin
Doherty
Johnson
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Off to Adelaide and the first time the wicket hasn't been prepared by Les Burdett in a lifetime of cricketers. Despite the usual fears of it being a road and producing no result, its worth noting that their has only been four draws there in twenty summers but our perception is coloured by two of them being in the last three years.
ReplyDeleteThe worries all lie with Australia, with Clark and North failing in Brisbane among their top six and for England only Collingwood missed out whilst the others had stays at the crease that varied from significant to gorging themselves stupid. Of the bowlers, Hilfenhaus bowled very well without luck but the same could be said of Anderson. Siddle had that inspired last session on the first day but was mostly too short for the remainder. Doherty did little right or wrong and having been picked, must remain. Bollinger for Johnson looks the obvious play and Smith for North a braver move for that worried man, Andrew Hilditch. A further complication could be more injury to the bottom hand on Katich's bat. If so, does Phillip Hughes get another chance on the short square boundaries of Adelaide Oval?
England have no need for change.
Hmmmm, selection posers...
ReplyDeleteWeather in Brisbane I reckon was responsible for the end result in this test, even so we have seen what is on offer from the Aus XI.
My 2nd test team:
katich
Hughes
Ponting
Clarke (if fit, if not Kawardgearse)
Hussey
Haddin
Watson
Doherty
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
We haven't seen the best of Swann - or England's bowlers really - and that's an ominous sign. Whereas England's attack will improve it's hard to say for certainty that Aus' will. I actually think the selectors will make a statement and drop Johnson but that's all. Putting Bollinger in brings far less risk than changing one of your top 6 batsmen.
ReplyDeleteI've gone off Hughes completely. Damien Martyn said he himself was given a baggy green too early and these days it seems like the youngens don't respond as well as in the 70s and 80s to a callup. At least the batsmen don't. Ferguson isn't quite in the form I'd like to get a run. The flipside to that is that he's performed very well consistently in ODIs but, let's face it, that was over 12 months ago.
If the selectors have guts they'll drop North as he is shit when the chips are down. Bugger his part-time spin - that's why you pick a spinner. If Ponting wants two spinners then put your neck out and pick two spinners.
My 11 for the home of cricket, in South Australia:
Katich
Watson
Ponting
Hussey
Khawaja
Smith
Haddin
Doherty
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Bollinger
3 changes, yes. Going to happen, no.
It's only 6 players from NSW too (didn't Watson move there?). Maybe drop Siddle then for Stuart Clark just to fix up the state ratio a bit.
i hope Hilditch WAS shattered; such a short sighted tosser.
ReplyDeletemany things can be made of the result- and after hearing Ponting say that Jono is no cert and that the bowlers didn't work as a team (partnerships) it opens the gate for Doug and Harris.... we'll see!
watson
ReplyDeleteKatich
Ponting
Marsh
Hussey
McDonald
Haddin
Doherty
Siddle
Hilf
Bollinger
...but i live in la la land!
It's official, North has photo's. No extra batsman in the squad for Radelaide. They must be juicy.
ReplyDeleteJohnson is gawn. Harris has been included too but Doug the Rug looks a lock.
Hard to see someone outside the squad getting a call up Stoph. Your team is so fanciful it could easily have included Warne. No offense. I'd take Warne in the side right now.
We need a strike bowler and why not a home town boy. Lefty what say you drive a truck load of cash to Tait's house and beg him to pull on the whites?
Bugger Tait I'm thinking about putting my hand up! He's pretty soft so I'll take a bunch of neurofen and roll the arm over with a torn tendon!
ReplyDeleteI really like your team though Stoph but I'm not sure Marsh has done much yet this season.
thanks guys.
ReplyDeleteyou CAN"T have Tait Nos, this is test and one over spells just won't cut it... if you want a strike bowler i'd be more inclined to ask Binga if he want's to change his mind about test, he's been in pretty good form of late. or Captain Curry S.Clark
of course you are right about people outside the squad getting a go.
maybe a truck load of $'s (not that he needs it- maybe poker chips!)would get Warne back to Adelaide for another last day 32 over spell!
i don't know if Marsh has done enough this year either Lefty, but i didn't even know Hilditch was into copraphagia until seeing North still in the list.
i think Ronnie MUST start to look like a genuine possibility and stuff the 2 all-rounders concerns.
oh, and Lango, the "off to Adelaide" comment is perfect; Nospmas, Sledgey and i are road-tripping it over to see Lefty this weekend- and we are PUMPED!
an email sent to me by our Masters Coach, Selector and chief bottle washer Rev.
ReplyDeleteAs a current chairman of selectors I can empathise with Andrew Hilditch' plight with the current Australian Squad, but the current 17 are muttons & should be replaced by the following & the remainder of the series will be Australia 4-0
Andrew Hilditch
Rick Darling
Bruce Laird
Graeme Wood
Graham Yallop (C)
Peter Toohey
Craig Sargeant
Steve Smith
Roger Woolley (WK)
Gary Gilmour
Len Pascoe
Murray Bennett
Tom Hogan
Mick Malone
Bob Holland
Greg Campbell
Geoff Dymock
*for mine, Lennie Pascoe is an absolute walk up starter.
I am pretty certian old Dutchy remains the oldest debutant in Australian cricket.
ReplyDelete