The squad has been trimmed to 17. And the big news: Hauritz has been dropped for Doherty!!!

YAHOO!

Let's just hope Doherty takes some wickets to vindicate his selection.

In other, less exciting news, Steven Smith retained his spot.

Hauritz, Khawaja, Ferguson and Harris (still injured) were the four that were dropped from the 17. Hopefully Smith is 13th man and one of Siddle and Bollinger will be 12th.

Squad: Watson, Katich, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, North, Haddin, Johnson, Doherty, Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, Smith

Edited November 20, 201014 yr by titan_uranus

And Mark Nicholas wants Smith to come in and bat 7, with us moving Haddin to 6. Yeah.

And Mark Nicholas wants Smith to come in and bat 7, with us moving Haddin to 6. Yeah.

After his golden duck? No thanks.

Clearly he's thinking from an English perspective.

Smith is crap. Can't bowl, can't really bat either. Doesn't deserve to still be in the squad.

Good article from Peter English: http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/488002.html

"Smith is the only other one of the group who remains in favour, but he is not yet good enough as a batsman to be in the top six, as displayed by his first-ball dismissal to Chris Tremlett in Hobart today, when he left an offcutter heading for his stumps. He is not ready as a specialist bowler either. A gifted player, he could develop into an all-round genius, but at the moment his selection as a bits-and-pieces man for such an important series is strange."

Also questions our selection policy (i.e. why did we play Hauritz in India, then after limited chances in Australia, drop him for the Ashes?).

The Ashes tickets aren't selling as well as when or are we not selling them at all. If you actually do the research this Ashes tour is not a sell out like the last tour for a variety of reasons.

1. Ashes 2006-2007 had a magnificent build up following the fantastic 2005 Ashes tour. Australia finally had a challenger

2. At that time Australia was chock full of stars at their peak or about to leave the game at their highs.... Hayden, Langer, Warne, McGrath and Gilly.

3. Australia in four years has diminished as a Test playing nation as the unprecedented retirement of greats have left a talent void that is not easily replaced. The domestic competition has been threadbare with states like Qld, WA and SA barely competitive at times.

4. The emergence of 20/20 has turned the game for many stakeholders on its head. Its all bang and fizz but the game results are even more forgettable than ODI. For a nation that does like the enduring nature of Tests, the latest "innovation" has confused many people as to what the game is.

5. This Ashes series follows 12 months of meaningless cricket which has been racked by corruption, incompetence and instransigence at the global level. Out of the global game only Aust, England, South Africa and NZ have any integrity in their national structures. India now controls 75 to 80% of the global cricket game. The game's direction has splintered at the global level. Other nations are either chronically corrupt/ incompetent or both. Cricket Australia has floundered in some areas but the problems are often bigger than Australia.

6. The game is riddled with corruption at all levels internationally and it has damaged the cricket brand to the Australian consumer.

7. While there have been some close results, the quality of cricket has diminished globally.

So there is an education for you to supplement the meagre 4 Corners insights that does you greater justice than the broad brush whinging you dress as opinion. You really need to move beyond the "things are bad so what I say must be right". Its the epitome of the self saucing ignorance that is a flagship of your paltry and uninformed contributions on this site.

Point 5 has always been my arguement, thanks for finally realizing that. And stop mentioning 4 corners its getting dull B)

But you didn't mention the Selectors...was that an oversight??

Edited November 20, 201014 yr by why you little

In other news, Victoria is now second-bottom on the Shield table, with just one win from our four starts, including two losses at home after not losing at home for 3 years.

The only team below us, SA, has played one less game.

No Rogers, Hodge, White (mostly), and various removals of McKay, Siddle, Hastings and Hussey have hurt us. Replacements such as Hill, Finch and Sheridan aren't cutting it, and Wright seems to be struggling.

A few brief points.

I'm not sure McDonald is in the top six bats, but his form at the moment is very good.

Smith isn't anywhere near anything IMHO.

Dropping Hauritz for Doherty is another example of the poor selection decisions made by the panel in recent times, because it makes something like seven spinners dropped since Warne. Who's next cab off the rank?

Desperate times means desperate measures and Bell cannot be out of the mix even though he has a crud record there.

In case it wasn't clear, that was my point - I eliminated every bat except Bell, and thus Bell plays at #3 if Cook gets dropped.

If Cook's crapping it up, one of Bell or Morgan will be put in at 3.

I don't think Morgan has ever batted at #3. Has he even batted there in county cricket?

Dropping Hauritz for Doherty is another example of the poor selection decisions made by the panel in recent times, because it makes something like seven spinners dropped since Warne. Who's next cab off the rank?

This article elaborates on what you've written.

Certainly doesn't seem to be a clear plan from the selectors.

Good to see Alex Keath score his maiden ton for the Melbourne Cricket Club.

I think the Gold Coast Suns can give up on him now.

Point 5 has always been my arguement, thanks for finally realizing that. And stop mentioning 4 corners its getting dull B)

But you didn't mention the Selectors...was that an oversight??

So how are the selectors to blame for point 5 given that always been your argument (which is carp anyway)?

As you have been asked often and avoided which selections should have been made that would have changed the outcomes in point 5?

Oh brilliant. Clarke's back injury seems to be worse than first thought and he's no certainty to play on Thursday.

Who's the only other batsman in the squad? Steven Smith.

We cannot win with Smith in the side. He can't bat. He is a talent, sure, but that talent isn't enough to have him in the squad.

If Clarke can't play, one of Ferguson or Khawaja should. Yes, they failed for Aus A, but their first-class records trump Smith's.

Oh brilliant. Clarke's back injury seems to be worse than first thought and he's no certainty to play on Thursday.

Who's the only other batsman in the squad? Steven Smith.

We cannot win with Smith in the side. He can't bat. He is a talent, sure, but that talent isn't enough to have him in the squad.

If Clarke can't play, one of Ferguson or Khawaja should. Yes, they failed for Aus A, but their first-class records trump Smith's.

This is the big problem isn't it. The selectors have refused to blood any new talent in the middle order for over 12 months. Clarke has had a dodgy back for a long time, and the other 2 are mid 30's. And now they have 2 days to spare, with only Raw talent waiting. Major problems.

I know there are reasons, but it is still terrible foresight for a cricket strong nation like Australia.

If Clarke can't play, one of Ferguson or Khawaja should. Yes, they failed for Aus A, but their first-class records trump Smith's.

As expected they brought Khawaja in as an emergency. Fair enough. As for blooding young players I dont think they could have blooded Ferguson who was recovering from an ACL. They have already started blooding Khawaja by taking him to England when Australia played Pakistan.

However what were Cricket Australia thinking when they decided to hold a Sunday night "jolly" 5 days before the 1st Test on a wet track. Reserve keepr Tim Paine is nursing a broken finger thanks to a fsst friendly from Dirk Nannes. Why was someone risked over a game so trivial? If Haddin were to tread on ball, pinch a muscle or buckle a finger, wehre would we be placed? Even worse Tim Paine loses valuable cricket time behind the stumps.

Good to see Khawaja get added to the squad. Hopefully Clarke is fit, but if he's not then Khawaja is the best alternative.

However what were Cricket Australia thinking when they decided to hold a Sunday night "jolly" 5 days before the 1st Test on a wet track. Reserve keepr Tim Paine is nursing a broken finger thanks to a fsst friendly from Dirk Nannes. Why was someone risked over a game so trivial? If Haddin were to tread on ball, pinch a muscle or buckle a finger, wehre would we be placed? Even worse Tim Paine loses valuable cricket time behind the stumps.

What's that word you love? Hyperbole?

Paine could have sustained that injury in any nets session for Tasmania, Australia A, whoever. He chose to play that game.

He chose to play that game.

Contracted players play where and when they're told. Even so, as a professional cricketer he's hardly going to turn down the opportunity to play, especially when he's busy trying to get selected for the test side.

Contracted players play where and when they're told. Even so, as a professional cricketer he's hardly going to turn down the opportunity to play, especially when he's busy trying to get selected for the test side.

Not sure about this game, but either way the injury could have happened in many other ways.

Why was someone risked over a game so trivial? If Haddin were to tread on ball, pinch a muscle or buckle a finger, wehre would we be placed? Even worse Tim Paine loses valuable cricket time behind the stumps.

Matthew Wade ??

Matthew Wade ??

I'd guess that Manou and Hartley are ahead of him in the pecking order given Manou played a Test last Ashes and Hartley filled in in one of the tour matches.

But Wade should be up there, and he has the advantage of youth on his side (what is he, 21, 22?). I'm sure he'll play for Australia one day.

Watched the All Star game the other night. Nannes was on fire with the ball. Pity for Paine. Hodge was on fire, again, and I took particular interest in what M.Hayden had to say in play on Hodge.

Paine could have sustained that injury in any nets session for Tasmania, Australia A, whoever. He chose to play that game.

He didn't. He sustained it in a meaningless friendly a week out from the Test. And as a contracted ACB player he has no choice but to play as required.

I would have rather he got injured if at all actually in the preparation for something important. But not in mistimed, forgettable giggle game and on a green strip.

I can't figure out why Smith is in the squad. Surely he's not good enough to play as our #1 spinner. If he's not then who is he covering for, given Usman just got called up for Clarke?

I can't figure out why Smith is in the squad. Surely he's not good enough to play as our #1 spinner. If he's not then who is he covering for, given Usman just got called up for Clarke?

marcus north ?

Watched the All Star game the other night. Nannes was on fire with the ball. Pity for Paine. Hodge was on fire, again, and I took particular interest in what M.Hayden had to say in play on Hodge.

Went to the match, really tiny crowd. Hodge was on fire though and his 20 20 and one day form shouldnt be avoided anymore from selecters and got a ton today vs qld. Just pick him in the World Cup already

Good to see Alex Keath score his maiden ton for the Melbourne Cricket Club.

I think the Gold Coast Suns can give up on him now.

According to Twitter, Alex Keath scored 191 not out for Victoria's Under 23 team and could be in the Sheffield Shield team very soon.

There are quite a few young cricketers with great potential around the country and one can only hope that they be given the opportunities for promotion that have been denied to similar players around the country in the past few years.

The Convicts are Bowling...