dee-luded

I think at this stage, after the past 12 months, its all about our players getting to feel 'insync' with their games, & with their batting positions in the side... personal rhythm gathering, & the net gain in feeling good, & confidence. It looks good so far...

I feel the same, other than Siddle... although Clark is closest re batting, but is really vulnerable in his health.... so I wouldn't count on building the new team, around him. .... the new 'Vibe' with 'BOOF' at the helm may change things Up, & it will be interesting to see who responds.

corner stones... IMO you Have to have corner stones, siddle is the corner stone in our bowling, & we have to have a corner stone in our batting, & ideally one in our fielding as well. I think 'Punter' once held that mantle in batting & fielding. IMO the corner stones hold the team together, & make all walk straight & tall.

... the driver; maybe from somewhere near Castellammare di Stabia, wishing he was a Sea Captain of a Cruise Ship... most likely from europe, or a contiki driver our Contiki Bus back in the 90's, sideswiped another Bus on the hairpin turn of the Monaco Grand Prix track...

Its good to hear they got it out. let the front tyres down to lower pressure, to lower it, and gently reverse it back? pump the tyres back up, and away you go-go.

Reg... & 'not you butler' Blakey... ... check this out Macca .... It must ave been 'im, on 'Olidayz on the continent'... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcXiC0iUs_Y

I couldn't find the Full batting order anywhere, only the one you posted,,,,, so I wasn't totally convinced I was reading it correctly, or if Hughes was elevated in the 2nd. what is Faulkner like; do we have anyone alike an 'Alderman' (bowling) ?

Macca, what was the Aussie batting order for this game? where was hughes picked to bat? # ... was hughes promoted in the order in the 2nd dig?

Macca, I hope Hughes doesn't bat early. If 4 & 6 are open,,, & Hughes plays, please don't play him in the top 4... play him at 6 then? I'd like to see as much grit & reliability in the top 4, rather than hit & miss fast runs. nothing against quick runs but not at the expence of instability. I'm sorry Warner is out, as I think he could bat at anything from 1st drop, down to the middle order.

Yes, I think they were trying to turn the Aussie Cricket Culture into something foreign... a smile & laughter is the best remedy for stress & confidence. I expect much improvement. Win??? I also wonder if BOOF will be good for Mitchell Johnston's career down the track. I reckon the way CA was trying to turn the Round Aussie peg, into a square keyway'd precision tool. It's not us. .... In a way they've been trying to turn the Aussie team into something like Melbourne.

Hmmm, Wimbledon's on.

I think they need some maturity to help with the teams mental stability both off & onfield.. I agree Punter looked tired & I called for him to step down 12 months before he finally did... I went too soon.. However they are going thru a leadership vacuum, like we at Melbourne have. IMO, the exodus of AA grade players from our national team, was too quick & without a successful succession plan... So I think punter can add value, after having a rest from the side.. I reckon he's got one tour in him. especially on crumbling wickets against spin.

How about one from the bleachers? I'd like to see Punter have a crack... ... & warner can come back after his penance, to the mid order?

... seriously a concern if he's chasing roots with beards... & then gets angry anderson at them...to boot. does the boy need glasses, or is he a bit ter wisted?

last chance saloon... beers & blows = $10,000.00 go over your budget, & turn the lights out on your way home !!!

nothin' worse than Cocky Poms... accept maybe a cocky & crowing Kennett, in a crimson & satin dinner jacket...

well thats not good is it, thats our weakness? playing spin on square tracks. we're better on a seamer. lets hope for rain & humidity before the wickets are finished.

g'day Macca. Taylor calls for Watson to be Ashes opener ,,, this is what, (sort of) I was saying ages back, to have Watson open, & drop Warner down to 3, or middle order. I imagine Warner playing a Boon type role @ 3,,, or to bolster the middle order for quick runs, or a steadying hand. ... do you know what the English wickets are like when they're dry? do they bounce? or do they still seam?

Disgusting??? the only thing disgusting was gifting him & others games some years ago, when they simply didn't deserve them... that was disgusting.... and the soft kicks the Melbourne players used to hang out for on their own, away from any danger, that was disgusting,,, free range, that was the old melbourne moto... free range. the new harder approach that is about to show itself, that is wat we want... nothing disgusting about head over the footy... only honour.

.... a well known ex AFL recruiting manager, told me months before the Draft, in which we took Watts,,, that 'they' were concerned about his ability to play the physical side of the AFL game... we keep recruiting boys instead of young men. watts can play, but IMO he only wants to play the way HE likes to.... Not the way we may need him to. just another tail shaking wildly. if he's not willing to lead, & commit to help the change,,, then he just wants to Run... any one who wants to Run, better skee-daddle. before the boogie man gets them. If he wants to Man Up, than he better get a move on... I wonder if he just wants to get his picture in the fashion pages, & be seen... cafe` latte?

No stark Django? Interesting about this Chadd Sayers, I think that type of bowler is a must control & moving thru the air & off the track.

Time for AB to come onboard & do a Simpson.

Look, our main target is to get to England in as good a shape as we can be. Once we started to see those cattle tracks over there it wasn't going to help us in anyway, but may infact do us great damage. It looks to me like the new frontier has arrived into crickets selection processes, re the mental games between selectors & players, & the leadership vacuum has IMO caused some frictions, which I think they've tried to arrest. But as they say it takes 2 to argue. wrong is invariably on both sides. but at least some fight has returned, even if its on an unplayable track. They have to unite now & none have broken down, cross fingers Siddle stays fit. # IPL... I think its no coincidence that we have had problems since the 20/20 etc. I don't watch it or listen to it. the subcontinent has done a lot of damage to the game we knew.