HT: Pretty sure I read a quote from the selectors that Haddin is still #1.

Tried searching for that answer yesterday, no luck as yet. Couldn't find it on CricketInfo.com. Anyone else know when the last time Punter represented Tassy in Sheffield Shield ?

He plays one every couple of years.

Vics in a spot of bother now. We've conceded first innings points already, now we're 253 runs behind and Tasmania still has 4 wickets in hand. Still, we're missing White, McKay and Hastings, and Rogers isn't fully fit either.

Tassie lost 3-4 at the end. Should be a good chase.

Tassie lost 3-4 at the end. Should be a good chase.

Yeah, Pattinson turned the game a bit. But getting 280-odd runs on this fourth day pitch will be a challenge, especially with no White.

We are blessed with talent nonetheless though. I mean, McKay and Hastings aren't in the side atm. Who makes way for them? Siddle bowled brilliantly yesterday, Pattinson keeps taking wickets, and Wright is the golden arm. Personally I'd drop McGain and bowl Hussey more (and White too when he comes back), allowing for the luxury of four pacemen.

Yeah, Pattinson turned the game a bit. But getting 280-odd runs on this fourth day pitch will be a challenge, especially with no White.

Relax. We've got my man Matthew Wade.

First outright loss at the MCG in three years. Pretty disappointing all round. Quiney batted well though.

Edit: Hussey, North and Johnson all playing for WA. That's a quarter of our Test line up. I wonder how they'll go?

Also, another observation: Doherty > Hauritz. Well, maybe not, but he's at least as good as him, and is probably the second best spinner in the country at the moment.

Edited October 29, 201014 yr by titan_uranus

Sheffield Shield: Hussey makes a golden duck, North makes 10. Meanwhile Khawaja makes 60 and Ferguson makes a fluent century.

So bad.

So bad.

Long Summer me thinks. We have no captains. Clarke is a good bloke, not a captain.

What a comeback! I left home at 8/107, I return to read they won the game. Unbelievable.

All else aside, Xavier Doherty showed he's a better bowler than Hauritz. Yes, it's a ODI, not a Test. But he turned the ball. Actually turned it. Bowled Sangakkara, one of the world's best, with a ball he ripped from outside off to hit leg. Hauritz just can't turn it. Let's hope the selectors do the right thing and keep Doherty in the ODI side over Hauritz, and hopefully he keeps turning it and taking wickets.

What a comeback! I left home at 8/107, I return to read they won the game. Unbelievable.

All else aside, Xavier Doherty showed he's a better bowler than Hauritz. Yes, it's a ODI, not a Test. But he turned the ball. Actually turned it. Bowled Sangakkara, one of the world's best, with a ball he ripped from outside off to hit leg. Hauritz just can't turn it. Let's hope the selectors do the right thing and keep Doherty in the ODI side over Hauritz, and hopefully he keeps turning it and taking wickets.

The Bowling after you left home was atrocious. Not one yorker was bowled. It was a joke. I don't think all is happy in the australian side.

Mitchell Johnson bowling pies with a smile on his face, it is not right.

The Sri Lankan supporters outnumbered us at the MCG!!!! But then who knew it was on until i turned the TV on.

Meanwhile Merv is sacked, while the faceless Hilditch keeps his part time job.

Dark Times indeed.

No more full tours from South Africa to Australia (and vice versa) until 2021: http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/current/story/485443.html

They want to host Tests on Boxing Day and the first week of January just like us. We said we wouldn't tour them at those times, because that would mean no Boxing Day or New Year's Test here, so in retaliation they said they won't tour here.

Means that we will play them once a year or so, but it won't ever be a full tour. So they might come here for some Tests, but no ODIs, or we might go there for some ODIs, etc..

Changes the landscape a bit here too. I mean, we can't have England and India every second year playing the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests. We'll be seeing more of Sri Lanka (a good thing if you ask me), Pakistan, NZ, and the Windies (that isn't such a good thing the way those three sides are going).

Edited November 5, 201014 yr by titan_uranus

I honestly don't believe this: Doherty's been dropped for Hauritz. Selectors aren't doing themselves any favours.

I honestly don't believe this: Doherty's been dropped for Hauritz. Selectors aren't doing themselves any favours.

What???? That is appalling, Doherty was the bright spark of wednesday's game. Who you know.

Time to drop Hilditch IMO. The Australian Public is not stupid, and they can smell double standards.

Ages ago in this thread I said the selectors need to pick a bunch of players and stick with them. While talking primarily about the Test team, consistently applies to the shorter forms of the game too.

Un. Frigging. Believable.

Absolute insanity. Meanwhile North makes 19 from 73 against the Poms. It's not even another nail, surely it's the fourth dumping of dirt.

Absolute insanity. Meanwhile North makes 19 from 73 against the Poms. It's not even another nail, surely it's the fourth dumping of dirt.

That's what most would say, but given he made a century in his last Test, and a century in his last Shield match I would say he'll stay. Not what I'd do, but these selectors are predictable.

If it was me I'd drop at least one of North and Hussey, probably Hussey, for Cameron White, and I'd consider dropping the other for Usman Khawaja.

In terms of bowling I'd play Doherty in the next ODI, hope he takes some more wickets, then play him in Brisbane instead of Hauritz. Even if Hauritz starts in Brisbane I'm tipping by Sydney Doherty will be in the side.

I also wonder if Johnson will survive the entire series. He is really struggling, across all formats, for line and length.

Johnson, quite consistently, bowls trash. I can't believe he's one of the best we have going around.

Him mouthing off to Mathews the other night was laughable.

I honestly don't believe this: Doherty's been dropped for Hauritz. Selectors aren't doing themselves any favours.

I know. What an absolute joke. How must Doherty be feeling after taking 4 wickets ? Talk about confusion.

Something to lighten the mood: England's struggling badly against WA. 6/116. It's their full Test line up as well. At least we're losing to international sides!

I like the move to drop Hauritz for Doherty. The claim was that Hauritz needed to get out there and bowl before the Ashes. That clearly pales in importance to playing a decent spinner. Doherty's taken a back seat though, it's the McKay and Starc show. Starc looks OK actually. Bowls a good line, gets bounce and seam movement, and is only 20.

whois Starc, watching updates on the net and go Vic Mackay

whois Starc, watching updates on the net and go Vic Mackay

20 year old left armer from NSW (surprise). He's quite impressive. Bowls a good line and length, got some good bounce out of the pitch too (but it is a good seamer's wicket).

Meanwhile Kyle Williamson makes a century on debut in India. What a boring game. 850+ runs in 4 days with only 16 wickets falling. Don't forget one of the teams is NZ. Boredom to the max. But well done to Vettori for getting 4000 runs to go with his 300 wickets. Brilliant.

Meanwhile Kyle Williamson makes a century on debut in India. What a boring game. 850+ runs in 4 days with only 16 wickets falling. Don't forget one of the teams is NZ. Boredom to the max. But well done to Vettori for getting 4000 runs to go with his 300 wickets. Brilliant.

He says before India slump to 5-15.