Rhino Richards

Out for 16 today against Qld. Khawaja made 23.

No its actually facts. You could use a few of them. Onto to more interesting things..... Watson 61 No (and batted well in difficult circumstances). I hope he goes on with it. He has been a masterstroke opening. Ashes sprung to life yesterday. Australia needs at least a 400 run lead. England likely to bat on the 3rd and 4th day (and not the 5th day). It should be a great 3rd day. Regardless of the outcome of the Series, I reckon Ponting will retire (or be retired). Clarke has possibly another Test left to hold his spot and claim captaincy.

And whats your solution? Steve Smith??? Hardly a faliing of the selectors there trying to replace the 2nd best cricketer Australia has produced. They replaced Langer and Hayden with Katich and have remodelled Watson as an opener with success after Phil Hughes proved to be a flash in the pan. No sign of neglect there. And we had the greatest No 3 batsman since Bradman there and Clarke was lifted from 4 to 5. When should Clarke have been dropped. He was the premier Australian batsman during Ashes 09 and has lost form recently. Given Ponting would have been retired as Captain at the end of this series, Clarke was legitimate Captain in waiting. Rash call WYL even for you. Ferguson could not have been given an extended go because he had a knee reconstruction last year. White's claims look better from pyjama cricket when things have not being going so well. White has been given Test exposure and did little at seven (and dont raise the bowling.) Watson has been a successc (vs Hughes) and had he converted 2 more 90s to tons then we would have been lauding him. He was Australian cricketer of the Year last year. It tells a tale. He could indeed bat down the order but he gives us a consistent 50 to 60 at the top. Who can do better than that? With Katich finished we need two capable experienced openers and he is one of them. And if his partner would do likewise then that a 100 partnership. That's a win in my book. Wrong. Hughes has been given a tremendous number of opportuinities over the past 2 years to refind his mojo but has failed each time. Only Hughes has ruined Hughes chances. Rubbish. They should play Hughes in the next Test. Otherwise you are guilty of the very things you complain about. Its crap WYL and its more of the same. Apologies for the facts but it does highlight some gaping holes in your logic. B)

So should the selectors be kept for their selection of the lower order? So who should the selectors have dropped and selected for the top order bearing in mind you have Captain and VC at number 3 and 4? Very Sage. Missed where its needed most.

Bet he will be lucky. He shouldnt be in the team. Its the selectors fault. Especially Greg Chappell. Seriously all power to him. When Australia needed fortitude in this series he has delivered in spades. Its a pity others bar Haddin have not backed him up. And is Michael Clarke our next Test Captain? I dont this so. And given his bad back, I cant see Clarke even bending down to pick up the bowling run up marker let alone bowl a ball.

Is there an India/ South Africa score? Doesnt matter whether Beer is 12th or 13th man!!!

Anderson made Hilfenhaus look impotent and 2nd rate.

Imagine that a cricket pitch that gives something early for the bowlers and has some character about it. The ICC should snuff that out immediately.

Ugh! Warne no way. And bringing him back as a skipper and not as a bowler is just daft. The big problem with the Australian team is not the leadership. Lets focus on where the issues actually are and address them rather than being sucked in to mindless media hoopla generated about a person who's botox TV talk show is a flop. I am surprised they didnt line Warnie up with Oprah rather Liz Hurley. Any chance we could also get Neil Harvey to bat at 3! Australia needs to look forward and not backwards. Warne was a monkey on England's back during his playing days. I cant see why he should become one in retirement for Australia.

The rumour was that when at the end of his Test Career, Tony Greig was one of the first players to sign for WSC in the late 70s, it was said that Kerry Packer promised Greig a job for a life as a cricket commentator. I cant tie it to a direct source but I think its true. How else can you explain how he is still there?? I am not sure what promise was made to Chappelli. But he is as interesting as a soggy salad. I still listen to the radio and stuff the deliberate timing difference caused by the Ch 9 live telecast 5 second delay.

If any media outlet uses this then I will sue.... At with Merv no longer as a selector, there can be no claims of bias in selecting Beer... I think I will leave the Beer lines to those witty wags on Ch 9 Grieg and Chappelli.

McDonald is unlucky with the injury and would possibly have been a chance. Its a bit like Paul Johnson. He has won a Liston in the VFL but he is a proven fail at AFL level. You know what you need to know with PJ. The same goes for Hauritz. I dont want to recycle crud. I would be prepared to give Beer a chance (think about that) than get a greater sense of deja vu with Hauritz. I am not sure what value a 5 for is at Shield level as it does not translate to Test standard. Hauritz and Doherty have had their chance at Test level and blown it. Beer gets the opportunity being in the right spot at the right time.

We know Hauritz is not good enough to bowl a team and probably never will. (Though he is more likely to win a game off his bat than with the ball). Beer gets his opportunity. And if Beer is not good enough for the baggy green then is Hauritz? Anyway I had thought the name had been synonymous with Australian cricket for decades. B). And I am not sure what value it is for DHussey making statements to the selectors. I agree with the quicks that I would have gone Cameron or Copeland instead of Hilf and Mitch but its line ball and a case of the cupboard is bare. Careful you want to drop his brother even though he is making all the runs. And well done thats the closest you have got to making a coherent selection decision. Its a start.

To be fair England gave us 16 years of good laughter in this area. B)

I am not too sure who you would want to replace Doherty with. He was not up to standard and I am not sure who you put in the spinners spot otherwise.....Hauritz. I am not against Hughes getting a chance. I dont think selection is just about the last 2 innings but it would be nice to have some runs. But he does have some claim on the opening spot. Marsh may not have to wait too long to be selected. Smith is an interesting one. Think Steve Waugh in 1986. The selectors are really backing him in. Bollinger bowled poorly (injury or not) and had to go but who would you have replaced him with?

I recsll Tony Mann (a WA leggie) made a century for Aust in Perth as a nightwatchman in 1977/78 against India. Didn't take many wickets though and was dropped for next Test. Bowlers need to take wickets at reasonable economy. They are an unconditional must have. Runs from tailenders are nice to have.

Warne said we should pick Beer. But he may be just alluding back to his wild playing days. Anyone selection could go something like this: In Beer Out Bollinger. And the way Australia is playing its a pity we dont have a player with the surname of Shandy instead. And footnote: While being great cricketers in there time, Botham and Chappelli are 2 wuckfits. I watched Chappelli on Australian story. For a much travelled sportsman, he came across as incredibly unworldly and naive.

Agree. And I thought about but dont like that shipping analogy. I cant see how we can go into the next Test with Bollinger (1-130), Doherty (1-158). Taking 6-1137 over the past 2 innings is so damning. Siddle would want to take wickets in Perth too. I cant see how they can play North. He does not make runs and does not take wickets economically. At this point Australia has nothing to lose experiment with the potential pacemen like Cameron. George looked ordinary in Tasmania so I would by pass him. However, cricket can change. All you need is a good session and some momentum with a touch of good fortune and you are back in the game. But FFS, the all sectors of Australia's game must improve to take advantage of it.

Good discussion guys. 1. Its indeed easy to drop players - Katich injured but IMO North, Doherty and Bollinger are in the gun 2. Its hard to pick replacements but here you go - Hughes, Khawaja/D Hussey, Smith, Cameron. 3. Too early to pick Johnson. He was terrible in Brisbane. I know what he can do but I am doubtful whether he believes he can do it at the moment. 4. Clarke was superb in England in 2009 hitting 450 runs at 64 and was the premier batsman where he played some great knocks. But a bad back and a bingle have distrubed his mojo and he is a shadow of himself. 5. Notwithstanding Ponting's struggles I am not sure its wise to look to Clarke at this point as he battles to be a VC. 6. We are only 1-0 and we can still win the Ashes....Well, we can seriously....Ah no

I would add Gillespie, Lee, McGill and he had Ponting at his peerless peak during his reign.

How is Buchanan's role different to Neilsen's current role? You dont know. How could the domestic competition be used more widely? More teams?

He has been given stacks of time to develop since his Test experience at Shield. But at nearly 5 runs an over you dont do that at Test level. And the lack of spinners to replace Warne does not embolden or justify his selection. That's crap. Krejza was selected to tour India with little first class experince and in his one game in India (a start of tour jolly) he got hammered. He was selected in the last Test of the series. He had a day(s) out but with significant question marks. Xavier Doherty was a risk selection. So please put up some substance to your arguments. Thats not a valid measuring criteria for selection. The truth is neither cut it at Test level to sustain a career. One player cant even get a spot at Shield level. What's your solution?

And like I have said before if you dont like it questioned then get a blog and turn off the response meter. You are right it is a discussion board. And you dont participate in discussion because you just dont put up any subatance. Ok Ultra tune what would you have done? BTW, you should check you incisive reading of body language with some facts and figures. Oh right. So it has nothing to with the quality of the team and the selectors then? The fact is the problems with Australian cricket are a multitude of issues and not the golden goose egg solutions you try to provide.

Which were big mistakes and what would you have done? The best comment you have made is that "Its all hindsight". Pity you cant put context and facts to your hindsight judgements

Brett Lee's falt trajectory was picked apart in England in 2005 and against India in Australia a couple of years later. On good batting strips he was too often impotent. But I know what your saying though. We dont have an Australian fast bowler that leads the attack. Good research TU. Should be lesson foe some who struggle for a fact Krejza was terrible in Perth (= Doherty in Adelaide) against South Africa and with exception of one jaffa that got Amla he didnt turn the ball and could turn the tap off on the runs. Notwithstanding his wicket haul in India which reflected a dead rubber jolly where the Indian batsman werent that respectful, Krejza wicket average is about 44 and he goes for 4 to 5 an over. Its not sustainable. I note Hauritz came in at Melb and took six wickets for the game at about 2.5 an over. Krejza had has 2 years to get it right at Shield level but hasn't performed.